Chapter 24

In the days that followed, an unspoken, fixed rhythm developed between Zhou Ping'an and Liu Yifan. Initially, Zhou Ping'an mostly flew to Xiangbei Film City, but after a few visits, Lin Na, Chen Feng, and Liu Yifan would privately review the sessions.

Chen Feng scratched his head and looked at the record book, his face full of confusion. "That's not right. Mr. Zhou was too relaxed when he came to the cinema. There's something wrong with his relaxation."

He struggled to find the right words to describe it: "He didn't look like a billionaire boss inspecting a project. Instead... he looked more like someone visiting the set. It was like, uh... flying over to see his girlfriend for the weekend. It felt so natural, so... homely."

Lin Na nodded thoughtfully and took over the conversation, "That's right. At the studio, he seemed to completely shed that 'technical fanatic' or 'capital tycoon' persona. He would sit quietly beside the rehearsal room for ages, watching Yifan's positioning and the lighting adjustments. His eyes were like those of a normal man watching his girlfriend work: a bit of admiration, and a bit... how should I put it, leisurely?"

She paused, emphasizing, "Most importantly, he's no longer obsessed with technical specifications. When he walks with you, they chat about everyday trivialities, or simply comment on whether your emotions in a particular scene were correct. In this state, we can't capture the oppressive feeling and madness of King You of Zhou at the pinnacle of power. He's just like... an ordinary person on a romantic vacation."

Liu Yifan listened in silence, agreeing inwardly. Zhou Ping'an's state at the studio had indeed surprised her. That focused gaze, that leisurely stroll side by side, was so "normal" that it often left her dazed, almost forgetting the massive and insane project behind it.

"We need him to be in his own sphere of power," Lin Na finally decided. "On his own turf, he's the real 'King You of Zhou.' Yifan, you need to go to Rongcheng and integrate into his daily life."

Liu Yifan was silent for a moment and then said, "In his own environment, he might be more...relaxed and more real." She remembered the rare frankness with which he talked about the posters from his college days at the Rongcheng Battery Factory, and the pure, unquestionable concentration in the laboratory.

"You need to go to Rongcheng," Lin Na decided. "Integrate into his daily environment. That's the core of his world, and we need you to conduct 'field research' there."

Liu Yifan took this advice. The next time Zhou Ping'an routinely inquired about a meeting time, she broached the idea directly, her tone as professional as if she were adjusting a filming plan: "Mr. Zhou, Director Lin and I have discussed that in order to better understand the core 'state' of the project, I may need to experience and observe more in your environment. Can we schedule our next meeting in Rongcheng?"

There was silence for a second or two on the other end of the phone. It wasn't hesitation, but more like a quick assessment of the rationality and feasibility of the request.

"Sure." Zhou Ping'an's answer was as concise as usual. "Let me know when the time is confirmed and I'll send a car to pick you up."

He accepted the design as if it were just a necessary detail adjustment in the course of the project.

So, the pattern was reversed. After that, Liu Yifan flew to Rongcheng almost every week.

She would appear in the extremely simple office of the Anping Battery Factory, which was filled with technical drawings and sample models, and watch him communicate quickly with engineers in terms that she could not understand at all, with an immersive, almost burning concentration in his eyes.

She would listen to Zhao Feng loudly explaining the latest molecular anchoring technology demonstrations in his slightly shabby laboratory, which was converted from an old factory. Zhou Ping'an's occasional explanations always managed to strip down the complex concepts to the core underlying logic, coldly and precisely.

They would also eat at seemingly ordinary restaurants in Rongcheng. Zhou Ping'an didn't have high expectations for the food, preferring instead to prioritize efficiency—cleanliness, proximity, and minimal wait times. While dining, he remained quiet, but the conversation would occasionally wander off to technology or projects, becoming incredibly... mundane.

He would notice her taking a second look at a dish and then silently stop the turntable in front of her. He would hand her a chilled tissue when she occasionally got spicy food, his movements unpretentious, as if it were just a necessary step in the process.

Liu Yifan, faithfully fulfilling his duties as a "sensor," calmly observed and recorded. She saw his absolute control and ease within his kingdom, a state completely different from his time at the studio. Here, he was closer to the core of "King You of Zhou" that Lin Na and Chen Feng wanted to capture—a solitary king who constructed and governed his world with reason.

This frequent, one-way trip soon became no longer a secret.

Except for Lin Na and Chen Feng who knew the inside story, most of the people around them - Anping Battery employees, uninformed assistants in Liu Yifan's team, and even people with a keen sense of smell in the industry - have naturally concluded that they are a couple.

The logical chain is extremely clear: a tech upstart with a net worth of tens of billions spends hundreds of millions to create an exclusive film project for a top actress whom he has admired since his youth, and the actress frequently appears in the city where the man's company is located... This is almost the most logical plot in a secular script.

Even the ever-present paparazzi got wind of the situation and began to stake out Rongcheng Airport for extended periods. They repeatedly captured Liu Yifan—wearing sunglasses, dressed modestly, sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied by a capable woman—walking out of the arrivals corridor.

Blurred photos were published in gossip magazines and on social media, accompanied by various speculative headlines, further fueling the outside world's imagination.

Both of them knew this, but never responded.

Zhou Ping'an didn't care. The noise had nothing to do with him and could not touch the core of his world.

Liu Yifan couldn't respond, and she couldn't. She was immersed in this vast, real "experience," and the sounds from the outside world became part of the background music as she observed and felt this special "field."

She would occasionally lose herself in thought as she looked at the rolling sea of ​​clouds outside the window on every flight to Rongcheng.

She was increasingly unable to tell whether she was "playing" a heroine who was gradually approaching investors, or whether she was a woman habitually moving towards an increasingly familiar existence.

This blurred sense of boundaries made her feel a little uneasy, but also gave her an unprecedented, immersive creative excitement.

She knew that the "state" that Lin Na wanted was quietly growing in this real quagmire.

The autumn sunlight, clear and rich in texture, slanted into the newly completed main hall of the "Royal Palace." The air was filled with the aroma of new wood, the smell of dry earth, and a faint smell of paint.

The massive rammed earth base has been compacted, and the thatched roof is covered with thick layers of straw, creating a heavy and rustic silhouette. Inside, the walls of the hall, restored according to historical records (made of a mixture of mud and straw), shimmer faintly. The massive log pillars, unpainted, retain the wood's natural texture and strength.

The project team's small celebration took place in this empty hall. There was no noise, just simple drinks and snacks. Zhou Ping'an, wearing his usual dark coat, stood at the hall's entrance, gazing at the vast, unleveled square in front.

He looked across the square to the distant, winding adobe wall on the other side of the studio, which had just risen a meter high. The beacon tower was still just a foundation.

"How do you feel, Mr. Zhou?" Chen Feng walked over with a bottle of water and looked in the direction he was looking.

"The speed is decent," Zhou Ping'an said calmly. "If we can use the main hall first, we can buy a lot of time. How are Teacher Liu's preparations going?"

"Yifan is already in the zone, and has memorized her lines by heart. She's very satisfied with this hall, saying that standing here makes it easier for her to find her groove." Chen Feng paused. "However, Director Lin's suggestion is that we shoot a few interior scenes first to get into the groove. Once the outer city walls and beacon towers are built, we can then shoot the large-scale exterior scenes."

Zhou Ping'an nodded: "Follow her plan. I just make sure this 'box' is good enough." He used the word "box" to describe the palace, as if it were a sophisticated container to hold the time he wanted to freeze.

At this time, the project's chief engineer and Su Ying also approached. Su Ying looked at the hall and exclaimed, "What a grand undertaking! I've looked it up, and according to Western Zhou regulations, a city of approximately 400 mu (approximately 1,000 acres) could have, in addition to the main palace, also housed a 'She' (a place for worshipping the god of land), a 'Ji' (a place for worshipping the god of grain), a 'bedroom,' a 'government office,' a 'workshop area,' and even a small 'garden' (royal garden). However, our time is limited, so we'll focus on capturing the necessary architectural complexes for filming."

Zhou Ping'an turned around and scanned the rough structure of the hall. "It's good enough as long as it's adequate. The key is 'similar,' not 'complete.' We want the soul of that era, not a complete city model." He looked at the engineer. "How long will the city wall take?"

"It will take at least until winter to be fully formed. The main reason is that tamping the earth takes time. It has to be compacted layer by layer and we can't be impatient," the engineer replied.

"Quality comes first," Zhou Pingan emphasized. "I don't want any modern flaws to appear in the footage during filming. All pipelines and interfaces must be well hidden."

"Don't worry, all modern facilities are concealed, including camera and lighting positions reserved for special shooting angles."

The celebrations soon faded, and crews began to arrive to set up lighting and track, preparing for the first live shoot the next day. A solemn, pre-battle atmosphere replaced the brief moment of relaxation.

At the same time, in Haicheng, thousands of miles away.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Haicheng, the air conditioning was blasting backstage at a commercial event. Dai Xiaoyi, wrapped in a thin windbreaker, stepped out and was immediately enveloped by the sticky, sweltering air of the early autumn afternoon.

The plane trees lining the street were motionless, the cicadas chirping cacophonously, a world apart from the coolness of the room. She instinctively loosened her collar and pulled her phone from her bag. The screen lit up, revealing a striking news headline: "'The Allure of the Nation' Project Revealed: Zhou Ping'an Recreates the 'Western Zhou Dynasty,' Liu Yifan Enters the Palace, and the Cinema's Expansion Takes Shape."

The report contained no interior photos, only a few blurry distant views showing the outline of the massive construction site, along with descriptions such as "a replica of the Western Zhou Dynasty palace complex, allegedly built to the highest standards," and "investment has far exceeded the initial budget." The tone of the report was a mixture of wonder, skepticism, and speculation about Zhou Ping'an's crazy plan.

Dai Xiaoyi's fingers swiped across the screen, looking at the blurry photo of the construction site, which gave her a glimpse of its grand scale. That man was bringing his imaginary world to life, and at the center of that world was another woman. She turned off her phone, took a deep breath of the cool air, her face expressionless, and she simply quickened her pace to blend in with the crowds on the street.

Inside the main hall of Xiangbei Film City, the last rays of sunset filtered through the high windows, casting long, mottled shadows across the rammed earth floor. Liu Yifan, accompanied by a staff member, had arrived early to familiarize herself with the venue. Dressed in simple casual clothes, she slowly stepped onto the tall rammed earth platform, her fingers lightly brushing the cold rammed earth walls as she gazed up at the massive thatched roof.

She didn't speak, but her eyes held a focused glint. This place was about to become her battlefield, or perhaps her altar. Zhou Ping'an was going to freeze his youth, while she, here, was going to burn everything she had as an actress.

As night fell, the studio's massive lights came on, illuminating the new, "ancient" palace like daylight, creating an unreal, dreamlike atmosphere. Preparations were complete.