A perfect life begins with changing the timeline.

Did this big star install a surveillance camera on me?

Li Mu looked at the deserted entrance to the Qin King's Palace with a look of surprise.

Where is this?

He thought for a moment and replied:

How did you know?

"Are you really here?"

The big star replied almost instantly, and then called right away.

Li Mu connected:

"Hey, Fan Bingbing?"

"...Brother Li, are you at the gate of the Qin Palace right now?"

Fan Bingbing's voice was equally filled with surprise.

"Yes, where are you? I can't see you."

"Didn't you notice a few cars coming out of there? I was in one of them... What are you doing in Hengdian?"

"I have an interview assignment."

Following her words, Li Mu turned his head and could vaguely see the shadows of several vehicles.

I thought to myself, "What a coincidence..."

"What a coincidence!"

Fan Bingbing's tone held a hint of amusement:

"We were saying we'd meet again in Yanjing, but I never expected to run into you here. Are you on your way to do an interview?"

"No, this is my first time here. I'm curious about the filming location, so I came to take a look around."

"Oh? Then you probably won't be able to stay much longer. Aside from film crews shooting movies, they close for tourists at 5 pm... Hey, where are you staying?"

Hengdian Resort

"what?"

The tone on the other end of the phone grew increasingly surprised, followed by a burst of laughter:

"Haha, what a coincidence. I'm here too."

Upon hearing this, Li Muxin remarked that she and this big star were truly destined to meet, and then smiled and said:

"Could I bump into you and have a meal together?"

After all, I've stood them up twice, so it's only right and proper for me to take the initiative.

Unfortunately, he failed.

"I can't tonight, I have a dinner engagement. Do you know director Ma Weihao?"

"I'm not sure, which one?"

"Director of 'Stargirl' and 'Lawyer Lawyer'."

"That movie starring Zhou Xingchi?"

"Yes, he's making a new film, and he's filming in Hengdian this time. I auditioned a while ago, and I came here specifically to meet Director Ma. We're going to have dinner together tonight."

Upon hearing that the other person had something to do, Li Mu decided not to dwell on it any longer and smiled, saying:

"I see... So, can I cancel it out once?"

After he finished speaking, Fan Bingbing took a moment to process what he meant:

"Ha, so you still owe me one. But... if we finish early, we can meet again at the hotel. Coincidentally, I have something I'd like to discuss with you, Brother Li."

"Okay, then I'll wait for your message?"

"Um."

After agreeing to meet that evening, Li Mu hung up the phone and showed no further intention of heading towards the palace gate.

After all, it's almost time to get off work.

Just then, a large number of extras suddenly emerged from the palace gates, forming a throng. Li Mu watched curiously for a while, and could vaguely hear the voices of these extras:

"Hey, what kind of story did Zhang Yimou make this time?"

"I don't know. Go ask them and tell me."

"……I?"

"Anyway, I just hope the food on set will taste better."

"The armor they gave me today was so tight, it almost strangled me."

Li Mu's mind raced.

Could this group of people all be extras in Zhang Yimou's new film?

He thought for a moment, then quickly dialed Bie Yan's number:

"Hey, Brother Bie, I saw a group of extras leaving work at the Qin Palace gate. There were so many of them, probably a couple hundred. I overheard them talking, and they seem to be extras for 'Hero.' Should I go and interview them?"

"Don't."

Without saying a word, Li Mu stopped him:

"Don't go to interview them. Just pretend you didn't see this and come straight back."

"Uh...no interviews?"

"Okay, come back first and I'll talk to you then."

"All right."

After hanging up the phone, Li Mu looked at the extras chatting with their arms around each other, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

If they won't let me interview them, then so be it.

It's best not to act on your own.

So he bypassed these people, returned to the Santana, stepped on the gas, and headed towards Hengdian Resort.

When he got back to the hotel, it was a little after five o'clock. He knocked on Bieyan's door.

Don't speak as he opens the door. Seeing the intern who looks somewhat travel-worn, he lets Li Mu in and asks:

"How many of them are there?"

"There are many, at least one or two hundred people. I heard from the extras that they were even given armor..."

After recounting everything he had heard from others, Bie Yan nodded:

"Yes, this movie is indeed a period drama. I just don't know the specific story it's about."

"Then why won't you let me do the interviews?"

Seeing Li Mu's puzzled expression, the older brother smiled and lit a cigarette for himself.

"Hiss~ How much do you think an extra can know? At most, they'll tell you what they did in the film, and then ask you for a fifty or a hundred yuan interview fee. But, Xiao Li, have you thought about this? In a period film, that's all the work an extra can do. Either they lie on the ground pretending to be a corpse, or they walk the streets as civilians, or they wear armor as soldiers, that's about it. What? You think you can sneak into the extras' group and go to the set to see for yourself?"

As soon as he spoke, Li Mu's eyes lit up.

They seemed to think it was a good idea.

Bie Yan, of course, also noticed this change, and the corner of his mouth twitched:

"Xiao Li, we're reporters, not paparazzi... We still need to have some basic principles."

Li Mu chuckled:

"I didn't want to make the news."

"That's not how you release news."

Bie Yan waved his hand:

"Or rather, I don't recommend you choose this path."

"road?"

Seeing Li Mu's somewhat puzzled expression, Bie Yan nodded:

"Hmm. Journalists, there are essentially two paths. One is like your thinking today: not considering the future, just wanting to publish news. Or, regardless of whether it offends others, making digging for news the primary objective. But have you considered that you might publish news that others don't want them to know? Well then, as Zhang Yimou, I've been extremely vigilant about protecting the media, yet you still managed to uncover the news. Impressive, right? Of course, impressive. But once you've uncovered the news, you still have to publish it, right?"

When I looked, I saw that it was published in the Southern Metropolis Daily by a reporter named Li Mu.

"Fine. I'll remember you. From now on, whenever I need to give the media any news, I'll be all smiles and pleasantries to others, but with you, it'll be all formulaic, and I might not even give you an interview opportunity. So, do you think you've gained or lost? Besides, if it were just Zhang Yimou, it wouldn't matter. But if you continue down this path, people in your industry will likely avoid you like the plague. At that point, your access to news will become increasingly limited, and your path will become increasingly difficult. Is that what you want?"

His words successfully made Li Mu frown.

After thinking for a moment, Li Mu said:

"But journalists are supposed to prioritize uncovering firsthand news and adhere to the principle of factual accuracy..."

"Then wouldn't the photos you take tomorrow be considered firsthand news?"

Instead of asking a question, he smiled slightly.

"And this is the second path I want to tell you about."