Hong Sanyuan takes his mother and his close friend Qi Lin to Shanghai to join Yan Hua, where they become caught up in a power struggle between two companies. Yan Hua is a dockworker at the time, and his defiance of the powerful leads the workers to choose him as their leader. Meanwhile, Hong Sanyuan relies on his wits to escape danger time and again in the perilous streets of Shanghai. He swears brotherhood with the loyal and righteous Shen Da, and, amid their clashes of wits and courage, becomes the closest of friends with Lin Yiyi, who has come to Shanghai to avenge her father's death. Disguised as a man, Lin Yiyi falls in love with Hong Sanyuan. Hong Sanyuan gets close to the wealthy Yu Mengzhu, who also falls in love with him.
