The Great Beauty of the Art Troupe [70s]

Shi Man, a seventeen-year-old art soldier in a Chinese military troupe, wakes from a vivid nightmare that spans over a decade of her future life. In the dream, she marries Ling Zhen, the feared Deputy Regiment Commander, only to endure a miserable existence defined by his cold, rigid discipline and their fundamental incompatibility. After years of conflict, she forces a divorce, loses her career due to neglect, falls victim to a business scam, and ends her days as a destitute beggar. The trauma of that imagined life leaves her shaken, but the details remain terrifyingly clear upon waking. The nightmare proves to be a premonition. As Shi Man navigates her weekend, events unfold exactly as she remembered: Sister Mei, the troupe’s matchmaker, arrives with gifts from Ling Zhen and proposes the same union Shi Man dreaded. Her roommate, Yao Wenjing, offers the same hollow compliments that once fed Shi Man’s vanity in the dream. Realizing she has the chance to alter her fate, Shi Man makes a decisive break from her past self. Instead of dismissing the upcoming artistic selection as unnecessary since she was destined to marry a commander, she resolves to compete and win first place through her own merit. Shi Man trains with unprecedented intensity, pushing her body to the limit in a small practice room while her peers gossip about her impending marriage. During the selection, she performs a dance she choreographed herself, incorporating movements inspired by future artistic trends. Her natural flexibility and innovative routine stun the judges, earning her a rare A-plus rating and immediate placement in the elite First Squad. This success draws the attention of Ling Zhen, who attends the selection not out of romantic interest, but because he, too, has been reborn. Ling Zhen remembers their painful past life and is determined to prevent history from repeating itself. He has already begun renovating their future home and preparing for a wedding that will satisfy Shi Man’s specific tastes, hoping to secure her happiness before she even agrees to marry him. Despite Shi Man’s efforts to change her trajectory, Yao Wenjing’s jealousy escalates. After failing to match Shi Man’s success and receiving a D rating due to her unstable mindset, Yao Wenjing spreads vicious rumors that Shi Man’s A-plus was bought through Ling Zhen’s influence. When Shi Man confronts the rumor-mongers and publicly declares she has rejected Ling Zhen, Yao Wenjing’s facade crumbles, and she is ostracized by her peers. Shi Man formally declines the matchmaker’s efforts, asserting her independence. Ling Zhen, unaware of Shi Man’s rejection, waits outside the rehearsal hall late at night, hoping to see her. His persistent presence sparks further gossip across the military region, with many assuming he is trying to win her back after being slighted. Meanwhile, Shi Man faces the grueling reality of Squad One training, where the standards are far higher than in the lower squads she occupied in her dream. She struggles with the physical demands but is supported by her new squad leader, Jiang Lanfang, and befriends Wang Dongyun, a kind-hearted girl from a prominent military family. As Shi Man navigates her new career path and avoids the pitfalls of her past, Ling Zhen continues his silent, methodical preparations, caught between his desire to protect her and the uncertainty of whether she will ever accept him.