"Xueqing, did you come over today because you needed me for something?" Li Xiang quickly changed the subject.

Zhao Xueqing quickly replied, "Yes, yes. I came to give you a work report, Brother." She shot Yao Yao a look, thinking, ’You almost made me forget my real business.’ She quickly took out the proposal she had written and handed it to Li Xiang.

Li Xiang gestured for her to sit down so they could discuss it.

Zhao Xueqing sat down with Li Xiang, taking the stone stool Yao Yao had been on earlier.

Yao Yao pouted. ’You did that on purpose, didn’t you, Little Qingzi? You don’t show up when I’m not here, but the moment I arrive, you’re right behind me. And you just had to ruin my fun. Hmph, you think I’m just going to leave and give you two some space? Dream on!’

She shamelessly stayed, even deliberately standing behind the two of them and bending over slightly as if to listen in. The third stone stool was too far away.

She wanted to see how Zhao Xueqing planned to run the National Tea House. If there were any good ideas, she could use them for reference and inspiration.

Seeing that Yao Yao had joined in, Li Xiang made a point to emphasize the differences between the National Style Tavern and the National Tea House. They needed to have distinct styles. After all, wine and tea were different beverages, so the atmospheres required for drinking them were naturally completely different.

For example, the lighting would be very different for each. A tavern, even in broad daylight, should be a bit dim, with lights that move to the music. A tea house, on the other hand, should be bright, tranquil, warm, and relaxing.

Although both were centered around a "National Style" theme, in terms of music alone, the tavern could feature more National Style DJ remixes with faster, more energetic rhythms. The tea house would stick to standard, more soothing versions.

And so on.

Li Xiang went on to explain many other things, all of it logical and well-reasoned.

The two women had been a little lost, even thinking about copying each other’s ideas. But after Li Xiang’s guidance and explanation, their thinking cleared up instantly.

Yao Yao nodded to herself, giving Li Xiang an admiring glance. ’Brother is the best.’ After Li Xiang’s pointers and inspiration, she was bursting with ideas—so many that her proposal could be enriched tenfold, if not more.

Zhao Xueqing also felt she had benefited greatly.

Li Xiang said, "Once the construction company sends over the proposal, we can discuss it again and brainstorm together."

Finalizing the proposal would definitely require multiple revisions. Li Xiang wasn’t just going to approve the first draft from the construction company and sign a contract. That would be too hasty.

Tired of standing, Yao Yao ran to grab a small stool, sat down on Li Xiang’s other side, and scooted up close.

Zhao Xueqing: "..."

They talked until the sun set. As it was getting late, Li Xiang didn’t ask them to stay for dinner. Besides, they lived in different directions; otherwise, they might have started bickering on the way home.

As she was leaving, Li Xiang quietly advised Yao Yao, "Don’t dance barefoot anymore. You should wear shoes and socks. Buy proper dance shoes."

Dancing barefoot was more demanding. The drumhead, made of cowhide, was both elastic and smooth. It was very easy to lose balance when transitioning between steps and shifting one’s center of gravity across the heel, sole, and ball of the foot.

"Mhm, I know." Yao Yao thought, ’Brother must be worried about other people seeing my bare feet. Hehe. As if I’d let them. From now on, my sexy dances are for his eyes only.’

"Brother, next time I’ll buy some pretty anklets and foot chains to wear. Then I’ll dance barefoot for you again, okay?"

Li Xiang: "..." ’So what I just said went in one ear and out the other?’

Over the next few days, he started making drums. Having done it before, it was familiar territory.

He made many drums, large and small, and lined them up in the corridor. The long row was a magnificent sight.

He paid special attention to the large 1.8-meter drum. Because it was so big, he was worried the effect wouldn’t be good enough, so he installed three long "tuning forks" inside the drum chamber. When Yao Yao stepped on the drumhead or struck it with her toes, they would resonate and produce a better sound.

He had used up all the cowhide from last time and still didn’t have enough, so he went to buy more. Then he ran out of wood and went to Li Yucheng’s place to buy some well-air-dried fir.

Fir was also quite good for making drums. Although there were fir trees on the mountain, this type of wood, unlike Red Fir Wood, couldn’t be used immediately after being cut down.

...

The video of Yao Yao dancing barefoot on the war drum turned out quite well. It just cut off right at the climax, but often, this kind of "imperfect beauty" is actually more appealing.

So, after some light editing, Li Xiang posted it on his social media account and also forwarded it to Yao Yao. Yao Yao posted it on her account as well.

Li Xiang divided his account’s content into several themes, such as "Tranquil Countryside," "National Style Tavern," "National Tea House," and "Dark Saint Realm."

Yao Yao’s "Pure Land of Bliss" dance was, of course, categorized under "National Style Tavern."

Many fans were curious and also expressed great interest. Some who lived nearby left messages in the group chat, asking Li Xiang to share progress on the construction from time to time, saying they would definitely come and show their support once it was finished.

Ever since Luo Feifei learned that Li Xiang was building an "Apocalypse underground Shelter attraction," her desire to meet him had grown even more urgent. It was just that she was too busy. She had taken on many roles this year, not just in TV series, but in movies as well.

For example, in a film adaptation of *The Return of the Condor Heroes*, the director had asked her to play Little Dragon Girl.

The director had originally planned to cast the Great Celestial Immortal, because the Great Celestial Immortal had played the role in the TV series version of *The Return of the Condor Heroes* back in the day. In the end, however, he chose Luo Feifei.

This was because the Great Celestial Immortal was older now. While still beautiful, she was past the peak of her looks, had put on a little weight, and was no longer suitable to play Little Dragon Girl.

The director had high expectations for Luo Feifei, hoping the Little Celestial Immortal could create another masterpiece and surpass the classic.

Luo Feifei hadn’t been in the industry for long, but she was a rapidly rising, brilliant star. Several of the characters she had portrayed had already surpassed some of the classic on-screen portrayals of the past.

...

The construction company was quite efficient. They produced the plans for Li Xiang’s personal residence in three days and the first draft for the Holy Realm Garden in a week. Li Xiang called Yao Yao and Zhao Xueqing over to discuss them, and he also held a video conference with the construction company to finalize some details and refine the plans.

Yao Yao and Zhao Xueqing weren’t just interested in the Holy Realm Garden; they were even more interested in the design of Li Xiang’s own house and each offered several suggestions.

For instance, Zhao Xueqing felt that the recreational spaces like the living room, terrace, and media room could be bigger, while the bedrooms could be designed to be smaller. She said smaller bedrooms felt more secure to sleep in.

They could build a small sunroom in the courtyard, which would be very warm for Grandma to bask in the sun during winter.

Yao Yao, on the other hand, suggested adding a fireplace to one of the ground-floor side rooms. Although fireplaces were a Western thing and Li Xiang’s home was a Chinese-style courtyard, it wouldn’t feel out of place at all. Then they could also set up a dedicated mahjong room so everyone could play together.

Rural houses often have high ceilings and can get quite cold in the winter, so underfloor heating and air conditioning were both essential.

Yao Yao also felt that soundproofing was extremely important. Many houses in the countryside weren’t soundproofed; you could say something at home, and the neighbors would hear it.

Zhao Xueqing looked around and said, "But Brother’s house doesn’t have any neighbors."

Yao Yao: "...Soundproofing is standard for new houses these days, okay!"

Li Xiang quickly mediated, "They’re all great suggestions. We’ll adopt them all!"