LuZhenHua, also know as "Black Leopard", was a commander in the Northeastern Province of China. Riding down the street one day, he accidentally went into FuWenPei, a well-educated teenage girl. Amazed by her beauty, he sent his assistant officer, LiZhenDe, to her house and proposed to marry her as his eighth wife. Although quite unwilling, WenPei, wearing a red riding suit married ZhenHua the following day. The next year, XueQin, an actress, also in a red riding suit married ZhenHua and became his ninth wife. After the war in the Northeastern province, ZhenHua moved to Shanghai, bringing with him his eighth and ninth wives and their children. Life in Shanghai, although not as rich as the past, they can still afford a big house and a luxurious life.
In the autumn of 1935 in Shanghai, ShenBao Press reporter ShuHuan with photographer DuFei trying to get an interview with QinWuYe, the boss of Grand Shanghai Nightclub, but got kick out. DuFei took some pictures of QinWuYe leaving the nightclub. QinWuYe's bodyguards chased them down the streets of Shanghai, trying to get the film back. ShuHuan took the film out of the camera and handed it to a university student girl, RuPing, on the tram. RuPing turned out to be the sister of ErHao, also a reporter with ShenBao Press and a good friend of ShuHuan and DuFei. RuPing already liked ShuHuan at the first sight.
In a stormy night in the beginning of 1936, WenPei telling her daughter YiPing to go to ZhenHua's house to get their living allowance. Unable to stand the way XueQin, the ninth wive, treated them, they moved out of the Lu family house 5 years ago and are now living in a small rented house. They were poor, two months behind on the rent, YiPing needed some new clothes and shoes, and WenPei is sick. YiPing had no money to go to university and they depended on the little money ZhenHua gave them from time to time. Again, it was time for YiPing to go and get money from the "other side", a nickname YiPing used to refer to her other rich family members living in the big house. Before she went, WenPei told YiPing to hold her temper, put down her pride and not to quarrel with her father. YiPing promised she would get some money back. When she got there, all wet, seeing the rich life the "other side" was enjoying and thought of the way that she and her mother have to suffer, she became angry with the way her father treated them. How unfair he was to her and her mother. Holding back her anger and pride, she asked her father for money but XueQin humiliated her. Finally, her patience went out and started to talk back to them. ZhenHua became very angry and lashed YiPing with his horse whip, injuring her body and breaking her heart. After that, ZhenHua told XueQin to take out some money and gave to YiPing. YiPing threw the money up in the air and said she would not be LuZhenHua's daughter anymore, she would revenge on them. She swore that one day, she would be smiling while watching each one of them in the "other side" cried.
Episode 2
Running out of the house, YiPing bumped into ShuHuan who was riding on a bicycle. ShuHuan, seeing YiPing all wet and with injuries all over her body thought that she was robbed and suggested to take her to the hospital or police station. YiPing refused but said she needed a place to freshen up because she did not want her mother to see her in such a condition. ShuHuan introduced himself and suggested to take her back to his apartment nearby, the place he shares with DuFei. Though unwilling, YiPing accepted his offer. After freshened up, ShuHuan started to ask YiPing what happened. YiPing soon found out that ShuHuan was a friend of ErHao, the son of the "other side". She said she could not be friend of ErHao's friend and left. On her way out, she bumped into DuFei at the door.
YiPing decided to be independent and not to take money from her father any more. She gave up the idea of going to university and started looking for a job to support her mother and herself. For days, she could not find any. One day, she saw an advertisement in the newspaper for an opening in Grand Shanghai Nightclub. Thinking it would be a clerical job, she went in to apply. When she went inside the nightclub, the owner, QinWuYe and his staff were listening to a singer. YiPing challenged that she could sing better. QinWuYe gave her the chance and was impressed by her singing, offered her the job. YiPing refused, saying that her mother would not allow her to be a nightclub singer. QinWuYe, seeing YiPing wearing old clothes and worn out shoes, knew that she was in need of money and would return.
YiPing went to find her high school best friend, FangYu, who was studying art in the university. She told FangYu what happened and borrowed some money from her and her schoolmates. Meanwhile, RuPing was worried about YiPing and WenPei. She took some money from her own savings and a pair of rather new shoes to give to them. She told WenPei what happened that night between YiPing and ZhenHua. YiPing returned home and saw RuPing. She became very angry, refused to accept RuPing's money and gift and told her to leave.
Episode 3
YiPing came home from job hunting to find WenPei washing clothes for neighbors to earn money to buy food. WenPei used the money YiPing borrowed from FangYu to pay the rent. YiPing told WenPei about the job offer she got from the Grand Shanghai Nightclub. WenPei refused to let her work at that kind of entertainment place no matter what happened. YiPing finally gave in and promised her mother that she would not be a singer there.
XueQin found out that ShuHuan is from a rich family. So she wanted RuPing to become his girlfriend. Although she likes ShuHuan, she did not like the way her mother rushing her to hold on to him. ErHao arranged a picnic outing in the park for ShuHuan, DuFei, RuPing and MengPing, giving an opportunity for ShuHuan to know RuPing better. DuFei who liked RuPing was always in the way. When they were playing, RuPing accidentally fell on top of ShuHuan. DuFei took a picture of that and it turned out to be quite intimate from the picture.
ZhenDe went to borrow money from WenPei because his daughter, KeYun, was in trouble again. WenPei has no money either so she decided to give the tiger skin, the only valuable thing left, to ZhenDe to sell. YiPing did not know what happened to KeYun, went with WenPei to ZhenDe's house. KeYun has become mentally ill. Six years ago, she gave birth to a baby boy who later died. ZhenDe refused to tell who the father of KeYun's baby was. Seeing this, YiPing decided to take up the job at the nightclub without letting her mother know. This was because it is not only for her family but for ZhenDe's family as well. They needed money to bring KeYun to the doctor and ZhenDe, a rickshaw puller, could not earn enough money to do so.
YiPing went to see QinWuYe and told him that she would accept the offer under her own terms. QinWuYe asked her why he has to accept her terms and YiPing said she would become Grand Shanghai Nightclub's most famous singer. Impressed by her confidence, QinWuYe decided to give her the job and YiPing chose to use the name "White Rose".
YiPing went to tell ZhenDe that she got the job singing in Grand Shanghai Nightclub and asked him not to let her mother know. She gave him the money which QinWuYe gave her in advance. ZhenDe, though unwilling, accepted the money for his daughter's sake and promised to keep the secret for YiPing.
Episode 4
ShuHuan and DuFei went to the Grand Shanghai Nightclub one night trying to see if they could talk to QinWuYe. ShuHuan was surprised to see YiPing's picture at the entrance under the name "White Rose". ShuHuan impressed by White Rose's singing and went to the backstage just to find out that she is YiPing. QinWuYe wanted YiPing to sing a couple more songs but YiPing said it was time to go home. QinWuYe slapped her and ShuHuan and DuFei came to the rescue. QinWuYe finally decided to let YiPing go home and agreed to let ShuHuan and DuFei interview him. YiPing was grateful of what ShuHuan did for her but as soon as they mentioned ErHao and the "other side", she told them she could not be friend with them. At this time, ZhenDe came to pick up YiPing in his rickshaw. ShuHuan and DuFei were more confused as who YiPing was and they finally concluded that she must be one of ErHao's ex-girlfriends.
WenPei was very happy to see ZhenDe brought YiPing home. She invited him to come in to celebrate YiPing's 19th birthday with them. YiPing swore that she would give her mother a better living standard by her next birthday.
ShuHuan and DuFei had a very nice interview with QinWuYe. ShuHuan accepted QinWuYe's suggestion to write a story on his legendary life and would go to the nightclub every night to talk to him.
ShuHuan and DuFei went to the "other side" to celebrate RuPing's 19th birthday. The young people made a wish that they would celebrate her birthday together in the year 2000. ZhenHua and XueQin both think ShuHuan will be RuPing's future husband.
ZhenHua sent ErHao to bring some money to YiPing. On the way, he accidentally went into FangYu and soon found out that she is YiPing's best friend. YiPing refused to accept ZhenHua's money. YiPing told FangYu she got a job as a singer in the nightclub and returned the money she had previously borrowed. FangYu asked her to quit the job but YiPing said she is happy now. Her dream of studying singing in university had not changed but the university now had become Grand Shanghai Nightclub.
Episode 5
YiPing got into argument with her boss, QinWuYe again. ShuHuan came to the rescue again and finally talked QinWuYe into forgiving YiPing. QinWuYe was impressed by ShuHuan.
ShuHuan took YiPing home in a horse drawn carriage. On the way, he told her how he liked her singing and tried to find out more about her. YiPing who has used to be protective of herself, refused to tell him even her real name. ShuHuan told YiPing to quit her job in Grand Shanghai Nightclub because QinWuYe is a dangerous person. But YiPing explained she needed that job and has no choice but promised him that she would be more careful with her boss. ShuHuan knew that she is a very complicated person, thus wanted to find out even more about her. YiPing was also delighted that ShuHuan took her home in a carriage under the moonlight.
ShuHuan got home, still with thoughts of YiPing. DuFei told him that he likes RuPing a lot and has decided to go after her. ShuHuan encouraged him to do so.
ErHao went to wait for FangYu to get off class. FangYu was surprised but was very careful because of all the things she learned about him from YiPing. FangYu found that ErHao and YiPing have similar character and finally agreed to go out with him.
RuPing found out from DuFei that ShuHuan was busy doing the story of QinWuYe. She and ErHao decided to ask DuFei to bring them to the Grand Shanghai Nightclub to see ShuHuan. ErHao and RuPing were shocked and angry to see YiPing's picture at the entrance. DuFei thought that it was because YiPing was ErHao's girlfriend. ErHao, thinking that YiPing had disgraced the whole family, went to the backstage to scold her and forced her to leave with him. QinWuYe's bodyguards thought that somebody was giving YiPing trouble and came to the rescue, only to find ErHao is YiPing's half brother. YiPing told ErHao and RuPing that she had decided to continue her singing at Grand Shanghai Nightclub and will not care if her father finds out. ShuHuan took YiPing home on his bicycle and was happy to know that YiPing is only ErHao's half sister. YiPing finally told ShuHuan her real name and agreed to go out with him the next day.
