A testing time is explored in gaokao TV show

"My nephew became a college freshman in September last year. I witnessed how anxious and stressed my sister, her husband and my parents were during the yearlong process of helping the youngster prepare for the exam," he recalls.

Personally, as a father of three children, he has also started to imagine how to handle the loneliness after his children leave for university.

All these moments have provided the inspiration for A Little Reunion, a TV series adapted from best-selling writer Lu Yingong's novel of the same name, in which Huang both stars and serves as the chief scriptwriter.

As a loose sequel of the highly-rated 2015 TV series A Love for Separation, A Little Reunion has aired on Dragon TV and Zhejiang Television, as well as on streaming sites Tencent Video and iQiyi since July 31.

Also starring veterans Hai Qing, Tao Hong, Sha Yi, Yong Mei and Wang Yanhui, the 49-episode drama follows the fortunes of three families as they prepare their children, who are all in their last year of senior high school, for gaokao.

With the storyline unfolding across three households-respectively, those of a middle-class couple with an averagely-performing, yet optimistic, son and a genius nephew; a couple who are divorced, but reunite for the sake of their daughter; and a pair of officials with a rebellious son-the drama is a reflection of life for thousands of families in China, says Huang.

"Gaokao has been a collective memory for generations of Chinese," he explains.

"It's a heartwarming story that reflects real life. As we are living in a peaceful and prosperous era, where few need to worry about food or survival, it is changes or twists in life-such as striving for a good college or landing a decent job-that become the dramatic elements to form a relatable story," he explains.