Chinese Entertainment: I Just Want to Direct in Peace?

Li Ran is reborn in 2016 with a Star-Binding System that allows him to bond with celebrities and unlock their related abilities—provided he spends an hour alone and collects 100 Emotion Points. Eager to bind talent and break into the industry fast, he agrees to his girlfriend's agency terms and dumps his ex-girlfriend, which leads everyone to mistakenly peg him as a well-connected scion from a powerful family. But the stars he binds grow increasingly unpredictable, and his film sets devolve into daily melodrama. Accusations fly from all sides: "You broke up with me just to be with them?" "You're Li Ran's girlfriend? You want a piece of this too? Then let's settle it together!" "What do you mean she's just your sister? Then what am I?" "Stop arguing, or brother will get upset." Through it all, Li Ran insists he only wants to direct well. Despite the chaos, he makes a powerful entrance with the hit drama *Reset*, skillfully steering public opinion and creative direction while churning out one blockbuster after another, elevating every young actress under his wing to stardom. Is the entertainment industry messy? Overrun by capital influence? Li Ran refuses to bow to any pressure—whoever crosses him gets put in their place. He spent his entire past life being meek and passive; coming back with a system and still acting timid would make the rebirth pointless. The story primarily features post-95s generation, with a couple of post-90s characters in supporting roles; all others outside the main cast have limited screen time. With multiple female leads, a determined protagonist, and a firm grip on both career and relationships, this one delivers exactly what fans of the genre are looking for.