但是如果你有本事 抓住老头子的欢心
“But if you were capable of winning the Old Man's favor”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
“I've thought you were useless for a long time.”
但是 如果 你有本事 抓住 老头子 的欢心
“But if you were capable of winning the Old Man's favor”
“and securing a place in our Du family,”
“You are useless unless you can actually manipulate the patriarch to our advantage.”
In traditional elite or wealthy Chinese households, winning the approval of the senior patriarch ('老头子') determines financial inheritance and household standing.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
to have the ability or guts to do something
Used colloquially to acknowledge competence, or provocatively as a challenge ('if you really have what it takes').
to win someone's favor or capture their affection
Often used in political or familial maneuvering contexts to describe gaining someone's vital approval.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“What if some old guy cons her out of money and affection?”
“Is this how you usually win the Old Man's favor?”
“You had already won the Old Man's favor”