Something Good: The Mercury Factor Page #2

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And now, now it's our turn!

Africa is the biggest producer

of babies in the world.

And babies need one thing

in particular:

milk.

There are less controls in Africa.

Powdered milk is distributed by

non-governmental organizations

that worry more about

quantity than quality.

Now, if an alternative is

to die of starvation,

then adulterated milk

beats.. having.. nothing.

That's why I call it,

the "White Africa Operation".

Thank you.

Mister Lao. Did you enjoy?

What about India's KRDB Group?

It will be hard to try to

better their powdered milk.

Could be a hard, both

industrial and commercial battle,

but the profits to be made are enormous.

You remind me of myself

many years ago, Mister Mercury:

ambitious and merciless.

I hope to continue

following in your footsteps, Mr. Lao.

To everything there is a season,

Mister Mercury.

Matteo?

Interesting report.

You have just one defect.

I'm not Chinese.

Mister Lao did a good job.

It's time to change.

If the White Africa Operation is

successful, you will take his place.

The sky's the limit.

It's the highest position someone like you

can aspire to, in this country.

Thank you, Mister Feng. Thank you.

- Two more of the same.

- Hey! What's up?

Who said I want another one?

- Well, you got at least three reasons to celebrate.

- Oh, really?.

One, I found the people who offered nine,

I sold them the entire stock.

- Good.

- Two, it's your birthday!

That's nice of you, thank you.

And three... what's being said.

What about Mister Feng's promise

to make you CEO?

If viruses spread like gossip,

man would be extinct.

- Well, is there any truth in it?

- I don't know.

You see, I think there are three kinds of men:

Those who tell the truth.. in my

country we call them "saints."

Those who are so powerful

they don't give a sh*t about truth,

and we call them "princes".

And then it's me and you

and everybody else,

who hover between truth and lies.

My father was a saint.

Mister Feng is a prince.

And I'm done with being in the middle,

always cheating on everyone.

Good. Then let's go out

and really celebrate. Hm?

OK.

Well my friend,

I've got a little surprise for you.

What..?

It's your birthday present.

Are they gorgeous, or what? Huh?

I told you we were

going to really celebrate!

Hello!

- Ladies, this is Matteo.. Olga.

- What's your name?

Olga.

- The most beautiful Monique..

- Hello. Monique.

That's Matteo.

We're gonna go have a little bite

in a very nice restaurant I know,

- celebrate his birthday..

- Very lovely.

- Let's get a cab.. - Alright, yeah.

- This one.

OK.

We're gonna go have a great meal,

we're gonna have a few drinks..

- We're gonna have some fun...

- Ah, yeah?

- Is this place far?

- No, 10 minutes, we're there.

- I'm really excited about tonight.

- I'm glad, honey.

- So am I.

- Yeah? Are you?

You wanna meet my friend,

have a really good time?

Whats that? That's very big!

Semi-automatic Beretta. 22 caliber.

I gotta little bigger caliber,

if you want.

May I? Wow!

- Put his gun down.

- Have you ever killed anyone?

Are you kidding? Come on.

That's just for show, put it down.

Have you?

- Hey, hey! Put it down.

- Put it down! What are you doing?

- It's a real gun, you don't play with it!

- Why do you have this?

- Sorry, sorry sir. It's OK.

- Toy gun. Toy!

- From the outside it's not really inviting.

- It's the food that matters.

What would you like to drink, darling?

Would you like wine, would you like beer?

- I like Thai beer. Do you have Thai beer?

- Of course.

- What would you like? - Chinese.

- One Chinese beer.

- What are you drinking?

- Whatever. Beer is fine.

Four beers! OK.

One Thai, three Chinese beers, thank you.

Can I have a talk with you one second?

I come here about once every two months.

- I have a special request.

- We serve all the best Chinese teas.

- No thank you, I would like to see the kitchen.

- I'm sorry?

- I would like to see the kitchen.

- Come on, Matteo.

- I would like to inspect the food..

- Come on, Matteo. Please!

- Do you have to do this?

- Can you ask? Is that possible?

OK, all right..

There's a gentleman out there who wants to

see the kitchen. What do I say to him?

Point him out to me.

It's him.

Typical westerner.

Ignorant and prejudiced.

Let him come. I'll show him.

- She's my best friend, she is very shy.

- But she's interesting...

- If you'd like to follow me sir?

- Thank you, all right.

- Sorry. I'll be right back.

- Do you really have to do this?

I bet I find some of our product.

- All right. What do you wanna bet?

- Your cut of today's deal.

-Come on! - If I don't find any,

you lose because they are not a client.

If I do find some, you lose,

because you brought me here to eat.

- What?

- It's a no-win situation.. for him.

The gentleman who wished to see the kitchen.

- It's a pleasure.

- I'm cooking. It wouldn't be hygienic.

Go ahead.

Here's the ravioli.

So? You've seen the kitchen...

Well, I want to see the ingredients,

the herbs, utensils...

if everything is clean.

All you need to see is right here,

in front of you.

Trust me...

or you can get out.

- It's about the food. Nothing else.

- Look, he's back. He's back!

- I'm back and I'm very hungry.

- Good! - I'm starving, myself.

- Cheers!

- Cheers!

Here's the potatoes.

- Oh, wow! That looks so good!

- Oh my god! - Thank you so much!

- Fabulous! Excellent!

- Thank you.

Your restaurant's falling apart,

but it's delicious.

- I complained and I was punished.

- Listen, it's not about the furnishings...

- Look what is coming.

- Oh, my gosh. See?

- That's so sweet!

- It's a surprise. - From me to you.

- That's nice. Thank you.

- Make a wish.

OK.

- Cheers.

- Happy birthday, my friend.

I wanted to express my appreciation of the food.

'Twas, excellent!

You weren't so appreciative before.

- I didn't know you before.

- You don't know me now.

- You simply trusted me.

- Then I guess I did the right thing.

- You offended me.

- It wasn't personal.

- Food is always personal.

- Listen, I... - Matteo!

- It's time to go.

- Yeah, go on ahead. I'll meet you later, OK?

- Aren't you going to buy me a drink?

- Oh yeah, sure. Sure.

Oh! I'll just take that.

First round is on me, OK?

I'll meet you later.

- And tell my friend I'll be late.

- OK.

Well, it seems like I can't put a foot right tonight.

Do you want to redeem me?

So, where do you want to start?

Utensils?

- Let's go drink at last!

- Ooooo!

I can't wait..

That's from the northeast of China.

It's the best rice you can get.

And the mushrooms.

They're from my home town, Yunnan.

Farmers pick them every spring.

The water.. is from the Yangtze springs,

and high plateaus of Tibet.

- At an altitude of 4,000 meters.

- 4,512.

- Wow.

- Impressed? 'Twas on the bottle.

Oh guys, there's a cab!

- Anymore questions?

- One.

Why?

- I like to cook.

- This isn't cooking. It's warfare.

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