Dream Bund (叱咤之城)

Set in Shanghai during the Japanese occupation, the drama follows Ling Yunzhou, a man born into a high-ranking family in the Nationalist government. After studying abroad for many years, he returns to China in 1939. With the help of his brother, Ling Yuezhou, he enters the financial circle of Shanghai during the "Lonely Island" period. Using his mathematical talent and economic acumen, he infiltrates the Wang Jingwei regime's Economic Special Committee. Under the leadership of the Communist Party, he and Luo Ting, a leader of the Shanghai resistance movement, launch a secret war against Japanese colonial institutions and collaborator banks, repeatedly thwarting their attempts to plunder China's wealth and helping resistance forces secure essential supplies.

The 40-episode series (approx. 45 min each) can be broadly divided into the following main story arcs, based on the synopsis and character descriptions.

• Act 1: Homecoming & Entering the Game (Episodes 1-8): Ling Yunzhou returns to Shanghai and, with his brother Ling Yuezhou's help, establishes himself in the financial world. He uses his skills to gain the trust of the Wang Jingwei regime and secures a position on the Economic Special Committee, beginning his infiltration.
• Act 2: A Marriage of Strangers & A Kindred Spirit (Episodes 9-16): A complex relationship develops between Ling Yunzhou and Jiang Chengzi, the daughter of a prominent shipping tycoon. They fall in love and marry, but they are not as close as they appear on the surface. Meanwhile, Ling Yunzhou meets Luo Ting, a hotel manageress who leads a Shanghai resistance organization, and they become loyal comrades.
• Act 3: The Secret War (Episodes 17-28): Ling Yunzhou and Luo Ting, operating under the Party's guidance, wage a secret financial war. They launch a series of operations to block Japanese colonial institutions from seizing China's wealth, sabotaging the Japanese and puppet regime's economic campaigns.
• Act 4: The Tide Turns & Victory (Episodes 29-40): Ling Yunzhou and Luo Ting intensify their efforts, helping the anti-Japanese base areas secure vital military supplies. After a series of high-stakes missions and betrayals, they ultimately succeed in their mission, playing a key role in the resistance effort and finally witnessing the victory of the War of Resistance.