小三子（葛佐治 饰）和青梅竹马的玩伴小翠（陈娟娟 饰）的父亲双双遭到强制征兵，留下孩子由祖母抚养，战事吃紧，食物的紧缺已经达到了灾难的地步。当祖母饥饿而死后，小三子决定不再坐以待毙，前往上海成为了流浪儿，在那里，他意外的和同样成为了流浪儿的小翠重逢了。 一次偶然中，小三子得到了富翁沈慈航（沈百宁 饰）的赏识，沈慈航同情小三子的遭遇，于是收养了他，还把他送进了贵族学校读书。虽然小三子在学校里常常因为贫苦的出生遭到周围同学们的耻笑和欺负，但他仍然非常感激养父。一天，小三子撞破了沈慈航的妻子（黎灼灼 饰）的奸情，沈太太为了不让奸情败露，决定设计赶走小三子。

1930's China. The village of a poor family is taken over by the occupying Japanese army. One son, Zhongliang, leaves his wife and young son to join a medic group for the Chinese Army. The other son, Zhangmin goes into hiding to protect his family. The focus shifts back and forth from the brothers' parents and Zhongliang's wife and son to Zhongliang's newfound life of luxury in a town not too far away. The plight of Zhongliang's mother, his wife, Sufan and her son, Kongeson is contrasted with Zhongliang's rise in a flourishing company.

The story is about a fisherman's family living near to Shanghai. In the beginning, twin babies are born, a boy and a girl. Their growing-up is briefly sketched, and their friendship with "young master", a boy from rich family about their age.

在旧社会的上海滩，贫苦出身的流浪汉王老五（王次龙 饰）逡巡在城市的每一个角落。上无片瓦挡风避雨，下无立锥之地安身立命，三十五岁的王老五和一胖一瘦两个伙伴穷苦度日，时不时喝点儿小酒取乐，排遣心中的郁闷。王老五喜欢邻居家的李姑娘（蓝萍 饰）。李姑娘性格善良，但为人极其泼辣，快言快语。胖伙伴曾经帮老五上门提亲，结果被李姑娘毫不留情地骂了出来。老五痛下决心，好好做人，不仅戒了贪杯的坏毛病，还勤苦干活，赚钱盖房。与此同时，李姑娘的父亲病重不治，在最为难熬的时刻，老五鼎力出手相助，由此融化了李姑娘的心，令其以身相许。婚后小夫妻生儿育女，生活依旧贫苦，却多少有点前进的方向。 而就在此时，九•一八事变爆发，小人物王老五和妻儿子女的命运被彻底改变……