Playing Ep 01

Summary:

In the bustling streets of a vibrant city, a peculiar man asserts his claim to a long-lost imperial lineage, declaring himself the fallen sovereign of a bygone era. Amidst the urban chaos, a dedicated social worker becomes intrigued by his case, and as she delves deeper, a tapestry of his colorful and often incredulous past unfurls.

His story commences in the throes of youth during the early 1930s, where together with his brother and a close-knit circle of friends, he engages in a spirited competition involving explosive pyrotechnics, all in the hopes of securing the funds needed to unite with his beloved. However, a turn of fate leads not to victory but to a spiral of unexpected encounters and peculiar circumstances. Wrapped up in these entanglements is the sister of one of his comrades, who finds herself inadvertently pulled into a life of glamour and notoriety.

Unexpectedly waylaid from their initial aspirations, the group experiences the ironies of life, as their quest for military glory lands them behind bars instead. Yet, the whims of fate are ever unpredictable, and their story takes another dramatic turn when they reach the alluring city of Shanghai. Here, with the guidance of a local underworld figure, the protagonist reinvents himself, rising to prominence as a formidable magnate of the city's bustling society.

Within the echelons of power and luxury, his heart remains anchored by the memory of his distant love, whose image persists through the changing seasons of his life. However, a moment's hesitation leads to a poignant separation that stretches across four decades, leaving their story suspended in the realm of 'what ifs'. The entwined fate of these individuals creates a saga as captivating as the era that cradled it, filled with dreams, disillusionment, and the enduring quest for a love that time itself seemingly cannot erase.