[2] The series is set during an era of samsui women, opium dens, pulled rickshaws and the laid back "kampung" lifestyle.
Most are labourers and unskilled workers while a few such as Jinhai and his friend Luo Hanguo have had any sort of "book learning".
As labourers and workers these tenants rarely have any free time so they make the most of it by sitting around to chat and gossip or play mahjong together.
Bai Duchang, whose name literally means "pomfret", is an irascible old man who came from a wealthy family whose fortunes took a downturn.
As headstrong as she is pretty, Naidong detests her father for choosing a much younger woman and one who coincidentally was her old enemy in primary school.
Bai Duchang forced Jinfeng to give up his girlfriend to be married to Jinchuan but the grief-stricken bride committed suicide in their wedding chambers before the marriage was consummated.
Shortly after, Bai Duchang died in his sleep and entrusted Zhu Zai House to a distraught Jinhai.