One Night in Supermarket

One Night in Supermarket

Year: 2009

Runtime: 94 mins

Language: Chinese

CrimeComedy

A supermarket employees plots revenge against his bosses who refused to pay out a winning lottery ticket.

Warning: spoilers below!

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One Night in Supermarket (2009) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of One Night in Supermarket (2009), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened, and what it all means.

Bespectacled nerd Li Junwei, Qiao Renliang, and the pretty Tang Xiaolian, Li Xiaolu, are manning the night shift at the 24-hour Wang Wang Supermarket when balding lottery addict He Sanshui, [Xu Zheng], arrives, demanding to speak to the lady owner Wang Sufen, [Yang Qing]. Wang Sufen, who is not in, had typed the lottery number incorrectly more than a month earlier, which rendered He Sanshui’s winning ticket useless. When He Sanshui previously asked for the ¥9500 prize, she attacked him and drove him out of the store. This time, He Sanshui returns with a stun gun flashlight and his dimwitted cousin He Damiao, a.k.a. Tire, determined to get his ¥9500 “back.”

At this moment, Li’s goofy roommate Zhu Liao, [Zhao Yingjun], who wants to record a funny prank video, storms in wearing a pantyhose over his face and wielding a knife, but is quickly tasered down by He Sanshui. He Sanshui then moves to the cashier counter and realizes there isn’t enough cash in the till. He and Tire rope up everyone else in the soundproof back room—which happens to have a full Karaoke system—and take their places behind the register, funneling the profits into their own pockets.

The hungry Tire becomes preoccupied with bag after bag of junk food (some of which has expired) and karaoke singing, so Li Junwei, nicknamed “Little Steel Teeth” by He Sanshui for his dental brace, is brought back out to help with the work. Some time later, Tang’s attempt to escape, during which she tasers Tire, is foiled by Zhu’s foolishness and a second stun gun from He Sanshui.

Wang Sufen suddenly returns to the store from her Mahjong game—clearly money-lost—and immediately begins to attack He Sanshui with a bag of weights, before Tire tasers her down. However, holding her (and her French Bulldog Wang Wang) hostage does nothing to improve business, which has been slow tonight. In an effort to boost sales, He Sanshui decides to offer a 50% discount on all items, and business quickly perks up after a taxicab chauffeur (Cao Li) helps spread the news to his colleagues. During this time, Tang discovers voyeuristic photos of herself in Li Junwei’s phone and realizes that Li likes her.

With ¥3.50 to go before reaching their ¥9500 goal (taking into account Tire’s ¥118.10 snack bill), a Guanzhong dialect-speaking, gun-toting robber—the Bandit Zhang Jiayi—on the run arrives to retrieve a diamond his partner left in the store’s ice-filled freezer. Unable to find the diamond, he takes everyone hostage and has them strip, when Yaozi—the store’s delivery man who had fallen asleep in the warehouse—barges out from the rear. The group tries to subdue the gunman but fails because He Sanshui’s stun gun has run out of battery.

When the diamond is finally discovered during the ensuing search, the dog Wang Wang picks it up and dashes outside. It’s then clear that the police have already surrounded the store: Tang had secretly texted a policeman shopper, Li Wei Jian. The gunman races back inside, grabs Tang, and points his weapon at her head. Li Wei Jian saves Tang but is shot by the gunman, who is accidentally electrocuted by a loose wire.

Some time later, the police return and learn that Li Junwei—no longer wearing a brace and glasses—and Tang are dating, while He Sanshui and Wang are honeymooning in Hainan. They also watch on TV that Zhu Liao has become a famous actor, and Tire his agent.

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:23

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One Night in Supermarket (2009) Plot Questions Answered – Summary FAQ

Explore frequently asked questions about One Night in Supermarket (2009) with spoiler-rich answers covering the full plot summary, major story beats, character motivations, hidden details, and ending meaning. This movie summary FAQ helps explain confusing scenes, plot twists, and narrative decisions in clear, searchable detail.

Q1

Why is He Sanshui angry at Wang Sufen?

A.

He Sanshui had a winning lottery ticket worth ¥9500, but Wang Sufen typed the lottery number incorrectly more than a month earlier, rendering his ticket useless. When he previously asked for the prize money, she attacked him and drove him out of the store.

The mistaken lottery number entry is mentioned when He Sanshui first arrives, setting up the central conflict.

lottery ticketwang sufenhe sanshuiwinning numbermistake
Q2

Why does He Sanshui offer a 50% discount?

A.

Business has been slow while He Sanshui and Tire hold everyone hostage, and they need ¥9500 to reach their goal. He Sanshui decides to offer a 50% discount to attract more customers and increase the cash flow in the register.

The store's slow business was noted after Wang Sufen is taken hostage.

discountsalescustomershe sanshuimoney
Q3

How did the police know to surround the supermarket?

A.

Tang Xiaolian secretly texted a policeman shopper (Li Wei Jian) during the hostage situation, alerting the authorities. When the dog Wang Wang runs outside with the diamond, it becomes clear the police have already surrounded the store.

Tang's secret text message sets up the police arrival.

policetang xiaoliansurroundhostagealert
Q4

How does Li Junwei save Tang from the gunman?

A.

When the gunman grabs Tang and points his weapon at her head, Li Wei Jian saves Tang but is shot by the gunman in the process. Li Junwei is then wounded while trying to help, and the attacker is accidentally electrocuted by a loose wire.

The police包围 and the gunman's desperation create the climax.

li junweitang xiaoliangunmanshootsave
Q5

What happens to the diamond in the freezer?

A.

The armed robber returns to retrieve a diamond his partner left in the store's ice-filled freezer. During the chaos, the diamond is found and the dog Wang Wang picks it up and dashes outside, drawing the gunman's attention.

The robber's arrival is motivated by retrieving the diamond.

diamondfreezerrobbericedog
Q6

Why does Zhu Liao burst in wearing pantyhose?

A.

Zhu Liao, Li Junwei's goofy roommate, wants to record a funny prank video. He storms into the supermarket wearing pantyhose over his face and wielding a knife, but is quickly tasered down by He Sanshui.

This comedic intrusion adds chaos early in the film.

zhu liaopantyhoseprankvideoknife
Q7

Why does Tang Xiaolian's escape fail?

A.

Tang attempts to escape by tasering Tire, but her plan is foiled when Zhu Liao's foolish stunt alerts He Sanshui, who uses his second stun gun to stop her. Zhu's stupidity inadvertently helps the kidnappers.

Earlier mentions of Zhu's foolishness set up this moment.

tang xiaolianescapetiretaserfoiled
Q8

Why is Li Junwei called Little Steel Teeth?

A.

He Sanshui nicknames Li Junwei 'Little Steel Teeth' because of his dental braces. Li is brought back out from the back room to help with the register work while Tire is busy eating snacks and singing karaoke.

The nickname establishes Li's appearance and role.

li junweinicknamebracessteel teethhe sanshui
Q9

How do He Sanshui and Wang Sufen end up together?

A.

After the chaotic night ends, He Sanshui and Wang Sufen go honeymooning in Hainan together. Despite their earlier conflict over the lottery mistake, the resolution shows them as a couple.

The unexpected resolution reflects the film's light, happy ending.

he sanshuiwang sufenhoneymoonrelationshipending
Q10

What does Tang discover on Li Junwei's phone?

A.

During the hostage situation, Tang discovers voyeuristic photos of herself on Li Junwei's phone, revealing that he likes her. This discovery adds a personal romantic complication to the crisis.

This revelation shifts their dynamic before the climax.

tang xiaolianli junweiphotosphonecrush
Q11

Why do He Sanshui and Tire tie up the staff in the back room?

A.

He Sanshui and Tire rope everyone up in the soundproof back room (which has a karaoke system) and take control of the register to funnel profits into their own pockets while keeping the staff contained.

The back room setup enables the karaoke and snack scenes.

he sanshuitirehostageback roomrope
Q12

Who is Yaozi and why does he come out of the warehouse?

A.

Yaozi is the store's delivery man who had fallen asleep in the warehouse. He barges out from the rear during the armed robbery, adding another surprise element to the already chaotic night.

The delivery man's unexpected appearance disrupts the robbery.

yaoziwarehousedeliveryasleepsurprise
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Characters, Settings & Themes in One Night in Supermarket

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