Rebirth in the '90s: The Sweet Starlet Isn't Easy to Bully

Yu Shiying, a twenty-eight-year-old struggling actress, dies after a set explosion and awakens in the body of an eighteen-year-old girl with the same name in 1990 Hangzhou. The original owner died of hypothermia after being bullied by her roommate, Hu Shudan, who mocked her secret, unrequited love for her adoptive brother, Yu Jin. Yu Shiying, possessing the memories and skills of her previous life, decides to survive and change her fate. She is rescued from the mountains by Xin Yuanzhou, an armed police captain, after she performs CPR on him. Their initial interaction is tense; Xin Yuanzhou lectures her for endangering herself, while Yu Shiying resents his condescending attitude. Despite the friction, they survive the mountain trek together and are rescued by his team.

Upon returning to Hangzhou Normal University, Yu Shiying confronts Hu Shudan, who continues to bully her and threatens to expose her diary. When Hu Shudan physically attacks her, Yu Shiying fights back, slapping Hu Shudan until the dormitory manager intervenes. Both are punished, but Yu Shiying refuses to be a victim any longer. She moves back in with her adoptive parents, Yu Qianlin and Sun Xiangping, who treat her with unconditional love. Yu Shiying confesses her feelings for Yu Jin to her parents, who gently explain that her attachment is likely a psychological dependency rather than romantic love, helping her begin to let go of the unhealthy obsession.

Determined to forge a new path, Yu Shiying decides to take the college entrance examination to enter the Beijing Film Academy, abandoning her guaranteed teaching position. Her parents support her decision, and she begins rigorous studies. Meanwhile, she encounters Du Feibai, the son of a wealthy entrepreneur and a student of her mother, who is currently acting as a gangster but is secretly afraid of his strict mother. When Hu Shudan hires Du Feibai and his friends to ambush Yu Shiying, Du Feibai recognizes Yu Shiying and flees in terror upon realizing who she is. Yu Shiying uses this leverage to force him to tutor her in English, turning the tables on her bully.

Yu Shiying also helps a classmate, Yang Qiaomei, who is planning to work in southern factories to support her disabled brother. Yu Shiying warns her about the dangers of human trafficking and encourages her to find work in Hangzhou instead. As she prepares for her exams, Yu Shiying navigates the social dynamics of 1990s China, dealing with Hu Shudan’s continued resentment and the expectations of her family. She resolves to pursue her dream of acting with the professionalism she lacked in her previous life, using her future knowledge to succeed in the competitive entertainment industry. The story follows her transformation from a timid, bullied girl into a confident young woman ready to claim her destiny.