"Reissued Youth" (I went back to youth)

Film Rights Licensing Fee and Screenplay: 1 Million NTD
Contact: 54088rabbit@gmail.com
Director of Photography and Film Production: Chen Qingyang
All rights reserved. Please do not use the creative content or storyline without official signed authorization.

[Contents]

1. Purpose of the Film...........................2
2. Features and Synopsis..........................3
3. Character Introductions and Main Character Relationship Chart...5
4. Story Summary..................................12
5. Film Screenplay................................23

I. Purpose of the Film

This film is a creative, thought-provoking story with a potential for significant box office success. With a low budget but captivating storyline, it is expected to achieve great results with minimal investment. The film explores the following themes:

1. Examination of the Lifestyle and Values of Tech Elites: It deeply reflects that the meaning of life is not about “fame, competition, and accumulating wealth” in the workplace, but whether individuals find joy and a sense of accomplishment in their work—what Buddhists refer to as "work joyfully, willingly endure."

2. Analysis of Career Choices and Regional Development: Success, whether in metropolitan areas or ones hometown, depends on one’s planning and execution abilities. It is not necessarily tied to conforming to urban areas or following trends.

3. Clarification of Gender Roles in the Era of Gender Equality: Men and women should respect each others career plans. In the workplace, women have professional skills and career ambitions. When facing the dilemma between marriage and career, men should not demand women to sacrifice their careers solely for marriage and family. Men should show understanding and respect, communicating to reach a consensus, creating a win-win situation.

4. Interaction of Genders During the Courtship Stage: Sincerity, straightforward behavior, and positive communication help build mutual trust. The emergence of a third party often means that both must face challenges together. After experiencing many trials, it becomes clearer whether they are compatible and can build a future together.

II. Features and Synopsis

1. Features of the Film

While this film employs the "time travel" motif, allowing the male protagonist, Cai Shinan, to return to the past and regain his youth, it retains a memory of a previous life. However, the content is distinct from the current trend of "time travel dramas." The storyline follows common human experiences; the protagonist does not gain supernatural abilities due to time travel, nor are there absurd elements of mysticism. By coincidence, Cai Shinan returns to the past to play the role of his younger self. Having previously suffered a serious illness that changed his values, he decides to leave the competitive urban life and return to his hometown to replan his future, enjoying a slow-paced hermit lifestyle.

"Reissued Youth" is a healthful, positive, and meaningful youthful idol drama, with a fresh and lively style, mixed with fantastical elements. Set against the charming scenery of Xiaoliuqiu, Sun Moon Lake, and other scenic spots, if adapted to the screen with multi-language subtitles, it can reach the international film stage, offering both visual delight and spiritual enrichment to domestic audiences. It could also be submitted to various international film festivals, bringing recognition to Taiwanese cinema.

2. Synopsis

Middle-aged tech nerd Cai Shinan works as a department head in a tech company and has accumulated considerable wealth over 15 years but remains alone, unmarried, and without a family. Overworked, he suffers an acute stroke, having a near-death experience that changes his mindset. His college girlfriend, Lin Daihua, returns from California, and both are single. Old feelings rekindle, leading to an agreement to marry and start a business together.

However, fate has other plans. With a large sum of cash, Cai Shinan leaves Taipei, intending to return to his old home in Xiaoliuqiu. On the way, he accidentally passes through a time-warping wormhole, returning to September 22, 1999, the day after the 921 earthquake. He regains his youthful appearance at 28, determined to fall in love, get married, and start a new life with his money. Unbeknownst to him, Lin Daihua also drives through the wormhole and returns to the same time but loses her memory due to a car accident.

Cai Shinan reunites with Zhang Yahui, whom he had previously gone on a blind date with. Their misunderstandings resolved, Yahui admires Shinan and approaches him as a confidante. Then, Shi Meilin appears, and Shinan is immediately smitten. Despite Meilin’s request for Shinan to "play the role of her boyfriend," Shinan reluctantly agrees, neglecting Zhang Yahui, who had selflessly offered her true feelings. Under Shi Meilins orchestration, a "pretend couple" charade unfolds between the Cai and Shi families. Cai Shinan renovates his old house to start a Japanese-style inn and buys a sightseeing fishing boat to start a new business. The pretense with Shi Meilin slowly evolves into reality, with the key issue being Shinan’s hesitation to return to Taipei to start a business with Meilin.

Later, Lin Daihua, having recovered her memory, comes looking for Cai Shinan, only to find him entangled with someone new. Cai Shinan faces deep devotion from Zhang Yahui, a heartfelt attraction to Shi Meilin, and lingering feelings with Lin Daihua. How will he choose his future path? Viewers are invited to follow the storyline to help Cai Shinan find the answer.

Story Summary

Tech nerd Cai Shinan works as the head of the programming department at a tech company in Hsinchu Science Park, losing his youth to long hours. After 16 years of work, he is rich but alone. Overworked, he suffers an acute stroke and is rescued by neurologist Lin Qinghua (Daihua’s brother). By chance, his first love, Lin Daihua, returns from Silicon Valley to visit her parents, who insist on arranging a match for her. Qinghua informs Daihua that Shinan is single and has been hospitalized, having similarly lost his youth to work. Daihua considers rekindling their past romance. She accompanies Shinan in the hospital, and both have thoughts of marriage. Daihua suggests quitting her job in Silicon Valley to return to Taiwan and start a business with Shinan, with a verbal agreement between them.

Cai Shinan sells his Taipei property and drives away with a large sum of cash, just as Daihua drives back to Taichung. Both cars pass through a time-warping wormhole, returning to September 22, 1999, the day after the earthquake. Daihua loses her memory in a car accident, and her identity remains unknown to the police due to the burned car and documents.

Cai Shinan returns to Xiaoliuqiu and runs into Zhang Yahui, whom he had previously met on a blind date. Yahui, a primary school art teacher, invites Shinan to help repair the school’s computer system, damaged in the earthquake. Shinan returns home to find his renovated concrete house reverted to its original dilapidated brick form. His mother, Qiu Xiuduan, and sister, Cai Shifen, are surprised to see him return in a new car with two large suitcases. Shinan vaguely mentions the earthquake and a layoff as reasons for coming home, planning to start his own business.

Cai Shinan helps repair the school’s computer system, and afterward, Yahui invites him to lunch at her dorm, where they resolve past misunderstandings. Yahui had a good impression of Shinan, despite their previous "blind date" falling apart because Shinan refused to "marry into the Zhang family." After drinking, Yahui brings Shinan home and, through a conversation with Shifen, learns that Shinan was hurt by Lin Daihua’s father’s scorn, causing emotional turmoil. Understanding Shinan’s reaction during their blind date, Yahui appreciates Shinan’s "stubbornness" and considers rekindling their relationship.

Fishing company heir You Sihai, known for his mischievous ways, and his associate Li Mingde happen to come across Cai Shifen and You Suru, who are being harassed by three local ruffians. Sihai and Mingde intervene. Cai Shinan, returning from buying art supplies, sees Sihai pestering his sister Shifen and recalls Sihai’s future downfall due to drug trafficking, which affects Shifen’s happiness. Determined to change this "tragic history," Shinan warns Shifen to avoid Sihai and sternly warns Sihai to stay away from her. This sparks Shifen’s resentment, and Sihai wonders why Shinan is so hostile upon their first meeting.

Cai Shinan remembers that his sister Shifen’s marriage to You Sihai brought her misfortune due to Sihai’s irresponsible behavior. Xiuduan asks Shinan why he was angry at Sihai. Unable to reveal the reason, Shinan vaguely mentions Sihai’s future gambling and criminal activities, which could harm Shifen. Xiuduan informs Shifen of Shinan’s concerns, thinking her brother worries too much and even predicts her involvement with Sihai. Cai Shifen is skeptical about her brother’s accusations about Sihai and shares them with her friend You Suru, who then informs her brother You Sihai about Shinan’s claims. Realizing why Shinan is upset, Sihai decides to quit gambling and leave his gang, taking a job as a second mate on his family’s fishing boat, determined to change Shinan’s opinion because of his love for Shifen.

Zhang Yahui joins Shinan at the seaside