A Hundred Years of Regression in Chinese Entertainment [Republican Era]

Rising director Zhuang Mumei falls for the cool, handsome second male lead in an old Republican-era film.

He can't stop thinking about the character, and even writes a script for him, but can't find a suitable actor to play the role.

Who would have thought that an accident would make him transmigrate to the Republican era, where he becomes the third young master of the Zhuang family, a madman obsessed with art.

Though born into a wealthy family, he is the son of a concubine. With a legitimate older brother above him and favored younger siblings below, he's stuck in the middle, bullied and despised.

Zhuang Mumei says: Being a madman is great, and being a madman obsessed with art is even better. Nobody should get in the way of my career!

To move out with his frail, sickly mother, Zhuang Mumei decides to return to his old profession and brave the world of black-and-white cinema.

He submits articles to newspapers and magazines to earn fees, writes scripts, and secures investments. From a director with a shoestring operation to the owner of a world-famous film studio, Zhuang Mumei creates one box-office hit after another and ushers in the golden age of Republican-era cinema all by himself...

.

By chance, Zhuang Mumei meets the eldest young master of the neighboring Xie family.

Beside the verdant firs, Xie Juan wears a black Buddhist layman's robe and holds a bamboo umbrella covered in oiled paper. With his graceful bearing and lofty elegance, he looks like a celestial being descended to earth!

Zhuang Mumei's eyes light up and his heart races. Isn't this the supporting actor from the film he's been thinking about all this time?

Zhuang Mumei decides on the spot to cast Xie Juan as the lead in his film.

But not only does the young master Xie have an elegant, haughty appearance and look down on everyone, his temperament is as cold as iron. He never gives Zhuang Mumei a kind word, and whenever he opens his mouth, he turns him down outright.

Zhuang Mumei pursues him relentlessly, asking around about Xie Juan and catering to his interests. He even draws on his past-life experience pursuing girlfriends. After great effort, he finally becomes friends with Xie Juan.

But when he thinks the time is right and invites Xie Juan to act in his film, the other man merely gives him a cool look and refuses again. "Acting? Who do you think I am?"

After trying every trick in the book without swaying Xie Juan, Zhuang Mumei can only give up with regret.

Then, just when things seem hopeless, he meets a handsome young opera performer who looks exactly like the second male lead from the old film.

Zhuang Mumei: Just when I thought there was no way forward, it turns out this is my leading man!

.

The film, two lifetimes in the making, begins shooting smoothly. Zhuang Mumei happily gets to work, but the spirited, handsome young man is nowhere to be seen by Xie Juan's side.

For day after day, he holds to his precepts, chanting sutras and praying to Buddha, yet he still cannot cleanse his heart of its tumultuous feelings.

Using an excuse to visit the set, he sees only a fair-faced young actor surrounded by Zhuang Mumei, laughing and play-fighting with him, looking as happy as can be.

Xie Juan immediately loses his composure and grabs the young man, demanding, "Didn't you say it had to be me?"

Zhuang Mumei raises his brows innocently. "Well, well, Young Master Xie wants to act now? Get in line. I've got plenty of beauties waiting for me to make them stars!"

Proud and sharp-tongued, dignified and restrained, a traditional young lady from a distinguished family of a top * flirtatious, mischievous, occasionally unhinged, free-spirited director of a bottom

A story about a repressed, self-controlled, straight-laced iceberg of a top being teased into a lovesick frenzy by a bright, carefree beauty of a bottom, while stubbornly refusing to admit it~

Notes:

1. This is a fictional setting, a fictional setting, entirely fictional. Please don't associate it with real people.

2. The top is a Buddhist layman who observes the precepts and practices at home; he is not an ordained monk. Because of his background, he is celibate, homophobic, and even somewhat opposed to homosexuality!

3. The bottom is both a director and an actor, and there will be scenes where he directs himself.

4. Both are each other's first and only partners, and the career and romance storylines run in parallel.

5. This work is purely fictional. Please don't associate it with reality.

Theme: Those who persevere will succeed, and those who keep going will reach their destination!