Little Big Master

Lui Wai-hung, a headmistress of an international kindergarten, grows tired of the rigid education system and resigns from her lucrative post. She tells herself she will travel around the world with her husband Tse Wing-tung, and starts to re-evaluate what she wants from her career. However, the decision marks the start of a transitional chapter in her life as she puts her travel plans on hold when new opportunities arise.

A television news report highlights Yuen Tin Kindergarten in Yuen Long facing closure with only five students left. The school’s dire finances are exposed, underscoring how fragile the institution has become. This moment shifts Lui's attention from travel to the possibility of making a difference at the school.

We learn the school can only afford HK$4,500 to hire a headmaster and staff, highlighting the scale of the financial crisis. The tiny budget underscores why the school risks shutting down. The revelation motivates future action from Lui.

Moved by the students' plight, Lui submits her application for the headmistress position at Yuen Tin Kindergarten. She envisions guiding the five children toward a transfer to another school and preserving their education. The moment marks her pivot from personal plans back to teaching.

Lui takes on the role of headmistress of Yuen Tin Kindergarten and starts managing everyday operations. She quickly discovers that each of the five students faces a different, heavy family challenge that threatens their schooling. Her resolve to help deepens as she delves into their lives.

Ka-ka's father is crippled from an accident and faces eviction threats from aggressive property developers. Lui assesses how the father's predicament jeopardizes Ka-ka's schooling and looks for ways to stabilize the child's situation. The family conditions become a core focus of her early work.

Mei-chu's parents are killed in a traffic accident during a thunderstorm night, leaving Auntie Han as her only guardian. Lui steps in to support Mei-chu and ensure she can continue her education despite the loss. The tragedy intensifies the stakes for keeping Mei-chu in school.

Siu-suet's mother is not approved for HK residency, and her elderly father Mr. Ho scrapes by selling metal scraps. Lui recognizes how immigration status and poverty complicate the family’s ability to send Siu-suet to school, and considers solutions.

Pakistani sisters Kitty and Jennie's father faces a belief that girls should not study and refuses to send them to school when bus costs rise. Lui intervenes to defend their right to learn and to keep the sisters connected to school.

Lui volunteers to pick up Kitty and Jennie for school and begins addressing other transport and attendance issues. She takes on administrative duties and janitorial work as well, demonstrating her commitment beyond teaching.

Lui urges her students and their parents to set goals and keeps her own purpose front and center: to be a teacher who never gives up. This mindset becomes the through-line of her work with the five children.

When it becomes clear that transferring all five students may not be possible, Lui decides to recruit new pupils to keep the school viable and continue making a difference in more children's lives. Her determination remains unwavering.

Amid the demanding workload, Lui suffers a recurrence of an old tumor. The news introduces a personal health challenge that tests her resilience while she fights to sustain the school for her students.