is project x based on a real story

The Smith family welcomed a pair of twins, and an expert claimed one a lucky star and the other a curse. He predicted that the lucky twin would become the top scholar in eighteen years. Their grandmother, valuing boys over girls, was certain that the elder brother, Joel Smith, was the fortunate one and tried to kill his sister. A kind maid, Ivy Lake, saved Zoe Smith, who was then raised as a servant in her own home. Years later, both siblings make three wishes, and soon, the Smith family becomes the richest in Halton. Their faith in Joel deepens, and Zoe suffers even harsher treatment—until the scholar's plaque arrives. To everyone's shock, the so-called cursed girl, Zoe Smith, is actually the real top scholar!

Jane Arnold was imprisoned on her wedding day after being falsely accused of killing Francis Wooten's sister Jennifer Wooten. Jane gave birth to her daughter Bunny in prison. Years later, Bunny reunites with Francis but faces harassment and schemes from Francis' admirer, Sonia Thompson. By chance, Bunny meets her mother Jane Arnold, who now goes by Jean Smith. Mother and daughter work tirelessly to uncover the truth and clear their names, discovering that Sonia was the real killer. However, Sonia kidnaps Bunny. To save her daughter, Jane must agree to Sonia's unreasonable demands, but Sonia secretly plans to kill them both. Fortunately, Francis arrives in time to save the mother and daughter.

Grace Smith's father, Lucas Brown, brings his illegitimate daughter Sophia Brown into the Smith family using a fake paternity test and falsely claims that Grace is not their biological daughter. Grace's birth mother, Helen Smith, never doubts this deception and even tortures and mistreats Grace for Sophia's sake. Sophia schemes to have Grace sleep with a homeless man, but unexpectedly, Grace encounters Eric Moore, a powerful figure in the city. When Grace has nowhere to turn, she seeks Eric's help after discovering she is pregnant with his child. They have a flash marriage, and from then on, Grace enjoys a life of being doted on by her wealthy in-laws while getting revenge on those who wronged her.

In his original timeline, Felix Cheney, chairman of Lacario Group, was betrayed and tormented by Ena Lewis and her family. He lost his company, watched his mother suffer, and ultimately died in despair—with hatred in his heart. But fate gave him a second chance. Reborn in 2018, Felix vowed revenge. At a charity auction, he set up Ena's mother, Gloria Lindsey, let her overbid, and then refused to pay, plunging her into chaos. Meanwhile, he found Lacario Group in disarray under Ford Lewis' mismanagement and began purging the rot from within. As his family faced harassment from Howard Lewis, Felix stepped in just in time to protect his sister, Sharon. Through the trials that followed, he rebuilt broken bonds and led his family toward a stronger, brighter future.

Caden, the youngest scientist, faced a tragic life due to family conflicts. After being reborn, he decided to distance himself from his original family and live for himself. In this new life, Caden no longer remained weak; he proved his abilities to his deskmate, his family, his classmates, and even to the entire nation and the world. He established himself as a once-in-a-millennium genius.

After years of being framed and mistreated by her adoptive sister Valeria, who covets the Barron family inheritance, true Barron heiress Ciara attempts to prove herself during a heated argument by jumping from the second floor. Her mother Shannon Merrill attempts to save her, resulting in both falling. When Shannon regains consciousness, she discovers she has somehow switched bodies with her daughter. Now inhabiting Ciara's body, Shannon finally witnesses the cruelty her daughter endured, such as how the servants only respect Valeria while mocking the true heiress. The situation reaches a breaking point when Shannon (in Ciara's body) is cornered in an alley by Valeria and beaten unconscious…

Six years ago, due to the manipulations of Yvan Leonard's mother, Sheila Solley was forced to break up with him—only to later discover she was pregnant. She secretly gave birth to their child, naming him Lennox Solley, but passed away when Lennox turned five.Left without his mother, Lennox took a photo of Yvan and a love token, and with his loyal dog by his side, wandered hundreds of miles alone to find his father. Yet Yvan,unaware of the truth behind their past, refuses to believe Lennox is his son.

The revelation of the children switching saw Ann Stone's fall from grace; she went from being revered to reviled. Her own kin turned on her, transforming into adversaries, and her betrothed added to her wounds with his treachery and public scorn. Yearning to flee the chaos, Ann found her path blocked by the genuine affection of the Crofts, leaving her in a dire dilemma. She believed she had reached the peak of drama in her life, but the twist was yet to come—she learned that the man she played with was no ordinary person but a heir of the capital's most powerful clan. "Ah! Someone, please help me!"

After being reborn five years back, Isabel Lopez realizes everything she once poured her heart into was stolen. In her past life, she was framed, thrown in jail, and died cold and alone on the streets.This time, she's back for revenge.On the piano stage, she exposes Flora's lies. In the literary world, she crushes her second sister Quin with a hit novel. In the business world, she partners with former rivals to take down her brother Cyrus's billion-dollar empire.When the Lopez family gets on their knees and begs for forgiveness,Isabel rips up the family photo with a smirk.You made me suffer once. Now,I'll return the favor—one hundred times over.No more family. No more mercy.

Frank had been adopted by his foster parents who doted on him dearly. But everything changed the day his foster parents officially recognized Timothy, their biological son. No matter how earnestly Frank explained, his adoptive father chose to believe the newly acknowledged heir over the son he'd raised for over twenty years. Frank had overlooked the bond of blood. On Timothy's birthday celebration, Frank died in a car crash. In his final moments, Frank realized the entire tragedy had been orchestrated by Timothy. Consumed by regret and rage, his world plunged into darkness. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back to the fateful day, his wife’s leap from the building.

Queenie was taken out of the orphanage by her parents. She thought she could finally live a happy life, but upon returning home, she discovered the existence of a favored fake daughter, Winnie. Fearing that Queenie would take everything from her, Winnie resorted to all sorts of underhanded tactics. To frame Queenie, she even pushed her fiancé's sister down the stairs, leaving her in a vegetative state. In court, Queenie's parents biasedly supported Winnie and deleted surveillance footage. Her brother even testified against her, sending her to prison. After five years of suffering, Queenie emerged from prison feeling hopeless and no longer yearning for familial bonds. She just wanted to escape that home.\

Isabelle, the CEO of New York City’s Weston Group, wants to bring her elderly father, Jerry, from her hometown to the city so she can take care of him. Jerry hence sets out for the Big Apple, but neither father nor daughter expected that this journey would become a nightmare. No one knows that Jerry is Isabelle's father, and instead assume from his plain clothes that he’s a beggar or a pervert. Jerry suffers bullying and abuse by Weston Group’s employees and partners, until Isabelle finally arrives......

Lydia Judd watched helplessly as her mother died at the hands of her abusive father. If given a choice, she would rather have never been born than let her mother marry him. Then, fate grants her a second chance—she wakes up in the past, when her mother is still young. Determined to change her fate, Lydia helps her escape her toxic family and keeps her away from the man who would ruin her life. Instead, she entrusts her to Shawn Lane, a man who had secretly loved her mother in their past life. As her mother's future shifts, Lydia begins to fade. On the day her mother gets married, Lydia quietly disappears, her mission fulfilled.

After a car accident had left Mia with brain damage, she witnessed her disabled father cheating with their maid, Ruby Lewis. Mia told her mother, but no one believed her. Her father and Ruby called her a liar, and Ruby even pushed her, causing Mia to hit her head. However, the fall fixed Mia's brain. She tricked Ruby and her father into revealing their true, ugly selves. When the truth came out, her mother finally understood her mistakes and begged Mia to forgive her. But Mia was done with them. She walked away, ready to start a new life where she was finally free.

Twenty years ago, Quilla saved Yosef and his family by chance.The two fell in love over time, and she chose to stay with Yosef, raising his three children as her own. Twenty years later,the ex-wife Mary reappears. Emotionally, the three children lean more toward their birth mother, so the family decides to drive away Quilla, the only "outsider". Heartbroken, she cuts ties with them for good. Meanwhile, the Grant family's business begins to decline,and Mary proves to be nothing but a gold-digger. They finally remember Quilla's kindness and try to win her back, but her heart is already dead, and she starts a new life.

After the devastating earthquake, Susan Lewis lost her left arm while shielding her children. Her third son, Ash, went missing, and her eldest son and second daughter promised to honor and care for her. However, over twenty years later, they broke their word and tried to force Susan out of their lives. At this moment, Ash, now the CEO of the Stone Group, unexpectedly reunited with his mother, who had been cast aside.

Priscilla Lewis grows up in a family that favors sons over daughters. To evade family planning laws, her parents falsely claim that she and her younger brother, Quincy Lewis, are twins. From childhood, she and her older sister, Paige Lewis, endure unfair treatment while their brother receives the best of everything. When Priscilla excels in the college entrance exam and earns a spot at a top university, her parents refuse to let her attend, insisting that the opportunity belongs to her underperforming brother. They try to force her into marriage, but Paige helps her escape. In her place, Paige endures humiliation in an unwanted marriage. Years later, Priscilla returns, reclaiming the dignity and justice owed to both her and her sister.

In the 1990s, Trenton Zoller, the director of Windi Factory, was suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Feeling disheartened by his wife Madelyn's cold violence, Trenton refused the doctor's proposed treatment plan and decided to conceal his illness. He resolved to help the factory undergo reorganizing before losing all memory, ensuring the workers would not lose their jobs. Eventually, he planned to pass away with dignity once his memory faded completely. Misunderstood by his wife and the factory workers, Trenton had to sadly depart as his factory reorganization plan was misconstrued. Madelyn, upon learning the truth, was consumed with remorse, left only with Trenton's ashes. A decade passed in the blink of an eye, until one day Madelyn saw a person in the newspaper who bore an uncanny resemblance to Trenton Zoller...