Qing Feng is the top lieutenant under gang boss Yong. Three years ago, his good friend Xiong went to jail for him in the name of brotherhood. Upon his return, Xiong is immediately favored by Yong, which plants a growing rift in his friendship with Qing Feng. Over on the rival gang side, U.S.-educated Michael returns to Taiwan to take over for his late father and applies ruthless business strategies to expand his turf. With his eyes set on a profitable property development project, Michael will stop at nothing to eliminate Yong and take over his turf.
The Hotel Blackcat's owner, Mang, never leaves the counter. Guests include the immigrant worker, whore, losing-job Japanese, sex-abused man, little Lolita.... The police forces the Hotel to shut down and all guests must leave. What should they do? It's not necessary to lock each room anymore. Keep the door open, you'll find out traces imprinted with figures as well as times.
Mei Chi, an amnesiac following a car accident, deserts her family to hook with up Ah-Liang, a taxi-driver by day and pirate CD salesman by night; Fortune-teller Ren appears on the doorstep of a lotto store owner looking for more than just a place to stay; a sexy bar owner mocks the amorous advances of an impotent musician manqué driving him to seek solace in alcohol...
In this drama, the harsh treatment of women in Chinese society is examined and subtly commented upon as it tells the tale of an impoverished woman living in Shanghai, circa 1910 who tries to support her brother and sister-in-law. A marriage to a wealthy man is arranged for her, and reluctantly she endures it, even though she does not love the man who is as cruel as he is wealthy. His mother is also brutally unkind to her. She then has a son, but her struggles are not over when her husband dies and only leaves her a modest inheritance. Her wretched life has made her bitter, and so she begins making her son suffer as she die; she also becomes addicted to opium.