The First 7th Night 2009

Pony hires Map King for a long ride to Sun Moon Village

Pony hires Map King to drive him and his truck to Sun Moon Village, offering $2000 to seal the deal. Map King is reluctant but agrees to the six-hour ride, keeping in touch with Pony by radio. The two vehicles push onward along the long, winding road.

Map King reveals the destination and the village's poverty

As they travel, Map King explains that the destination is the Chun Lei Restaurant and that the village is very poor. He recounts how the restaurant was left to Fong and her son, while Lian inherited the chicken coops. The story hints at a dark, unresolved history tied to the place.

Thirty years ago: a summer at Chun Lei Restaurant

One summer, thirty years ago, four escaped convicts visited the restaurant carrying a case of gold. They stay the night as Fong lights a trail of candles to guide them through the night. The convicts argue, and the husband of Fong had recently died, setting the stage for the seventh night superstition.

Confrontation turns deadly and the restaurant burns

The argument among the convicts escalates until Chan Keung appears possessed and shoots himself. The others begin shooting each other, and the restaurant catches fire, burning the place to ashes.

Aftermath: the fate of Fong and her son is left uncertain

In the present aftermath, Pony asks Map King whether Fong and her son survived the disaster. Map King remains tight-lipped, offering no clear answer. The silence adds to the sense that the past is still watching them.

Two flat tires force a brief stop

Map King gets two flat tires and they pause briefly for a bite. Pony questions the details of the story while they eat, and the ride resumes with a renewed tension. The roadside pause deepens the mystery surrounding the restaurant's past.

Pony asserts he knows the truth about Fong's fate

Pony declares that he knows the truth about what happened to Fong and her son. Map King stays quiet, refusing to confirm or deny. The tension between them deepens as the road stretches ahead.

Bandits return: the convicts reach the restaurant again

The bandits arrive at the derelict Chun Lei Restaurant, and the leader’s eye injury makes him wary. The convicts decide to stay the night again, sharing uneasy glances. Fong remains defiant, and the group debates whether to split the loot and go their separate ways.

Fong's forbidden alliance: Chan Keung and a dangerous love

Fong tests the room by seducing Chicken to gauge how much is in the suitcase. The discovery that Chan Keung is her lover adds another layer of danger and jealousy to the group. The tensions among the attackers mount toward a breaking point.

Violence erupts: shootings and the theft of the suitcase

Chicken pulls a gun on Chan Keung, triggering a tense standoff. Fong leaves the room as the others fire at each other; Chicken is shot and tumbles down the stairs. The leader and Bo are also shot, and Fong seizes the moment to retrieve the suitcase while the leader’s wrist is cut.

Fire and departure: the restaurant burns as Fong escapes with Chan

The room burns as Fong cuts the leader's wrist and sets him alight, then exits with Chan. She leaves her son with her sister and promises to return in three months. The pair are eventually arrested, with Chan taking the rap for the murders and Fong receiving a 30-year sentence.

Backstory of Fong's son: abuse, escape, and taxi-driving

Lian's husband mistreats Fong's son in their village. When Fong is thirteen, her son assaults Lian's husband and runs away. He grows up to become a taxi driver, a quiet thread connecting the families to this day.

Present-day rendezvous: Map King meets his mother in youth

When they reach the Restaurant in the present journey, Pony asks Map King to deliver what is in the truck to the restaurant. Map King opens the door and sees his mother in her youth speaking to him. He then carries her into the ruined restaurant as they reminisce about the times they shared.

Candles, memory, and the revelation of a ghost

Inside the ruined restaurant, a trail of candles lights the path and an older woman appears. Fong seemingly vanishes, and the older woman is revealed to be Lian. Lian explains that Fong died in prison with five months left to serve, and tonight is the seventh night when her spirit would return.