1920s Hong Kong was plagued by corruption, where Zhang Wong (played by Wan Zhaoliang), a hardworking man, risked borrowing money to buy the position of fireman. His selfless deeds earned him enemies like his superior Chen Bo (portrayed by Dai Zhiwei) and his friend Zhou Jinrong (played by Lu Lelin). To get rid of Zhang Wong, they planned to sell him to the South Pacific. Desperate, his wife Yuan Xiu Lan (played by Mi Xue) embarked on a rescue mission, only to find herself powerless against their relentless pursuit.
Zhang Wong was sold into slavery in an Indonesian tin mine and escaped countless times. In his final attempt, he met the boss's daughter Pro Nga (played by Luo Lin). Realizing the futility of escape, Zhang Wong decided to wait out his sentence. Meanwhile, Pro Nga, moved by his plight, persuaded him to start a shipping business which led to their deaths at the hands of Dutch soldiers during a rebellion. Pro Nga managed to save her family's fortune and fled Indonesia with the other refugees.
Pro Nga grew fond of Zhang Wong, but he remained mindful of his wife and children back home. As they returned to Hong Kong and invested together, they became successful and donated generously to improve the lives of the less fortunate. However, Zhang Wong's brother Yuan Shui (played by Lin Jihua) grew envious of their newfound wealth and plotted against them.
Meanwhile, Xiu Lan, seeking her lost husband, fell ill in a distant land but was taken care of by a wealthy merchant Lei Xinghe (played by Wang Wei). She eventually remarried out of gratitude for his kindness and concern for her children. Upon their reunion in Hong Kong, she felt guilty about not revealing her identity to Zhang Wong, helping him evade Yuan Shui's pursuit instead.
Yet, Yuan Shui was relentless in his chase, not only terrorizing Yuan Shan (played by Lin Wenlong) and his wife Xiao Yan (played by Gu Keying), but also putting Zhang Wong in a life-threatening situation. In a desperate move to save Zhang Wong, Pro Nga sacrificed herself, leaving Zhang Wong heartbroken as he proposed marriage only to be rejected.
Pro Nga passed away without ever reuniting with the ones she loved. Tormented by guilt, Xiu Lan continued to seek her family while Lei Xinghe longed for his beloved wife's return. Tragically, Yuan Shui was eventually caught and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Xiao Yan, unable to bear her loneliness, waited silently for him...
