107: Chapter 107 Premiere, Rehearsal, and Champagne on the Rooftop

Park City, where the Sundance Film Festival is held, had crisp, cold winter air that smelled of pine and powdered snow. Alex Su's appearance itself became a minor news event. He did not walk the red carpet for the main competition (that was the moment for Director Martin and the protagonists of "sands of the return journey"), but instead, wearing a thick navy parka and a beanie, he sat low-key in the middle rows of the theater with Taylor Swift, just like an ordinary audience member.

When the words "Voice of Truth Presents" and "Executive Producer Alex Su" appeared on the screen, a ripple of good-natured, knowing whispers spread through the hall. As the film began, the calm lens language, the unvarnished interviews, and the emotional weight contained in the long silences quickly captivated the entire audience. Alex Su could feel Taylor Swift's hand quietly tightening around his.

The film ended, the lights came up, and there was a prolonged applause that contained far more respect than mere politeness. Director Martin and several veteran protagonists took the stage for a Q&A, and the atmosphere was solemn and moving. Alex Su did not go up to steal the spotlight, but at the subsequent reception, he naturally became one of the focal points. Big names in the indie film circle, picky critics, and producers looking for good projects all came forward to talk to him. The topics were not just about "sands of the return journey," but also about the platform philosophy of "Voice of Truth" and the "Lighthouse Project."

"Using pop influence to create space for serious narratives is a very clever strategy," a critic known for his sharp tongue gave rare affirmation. "But the film itself stands on its own, and that is the key."

"We only provided the soil; the seeds and the growth were up to Director Martin and those brave storytellers themselves," Alex Su raised his glass in response, his demeanor humble and sincere. That night, two cable networks and one streaming platform expressed interest in purchasing the broadcasting rights for "sands of the return journey." Social impact and potential commercial returns began to intertwine, which was exactly the virtuous cycle Alex Su had hoped for when investing in this type of project.

The film festival was not yet over, and the awards would not be announced for a few days, but Alex Su and Taylor Swift left early. The first full-dress rehearsal for the tour was not to be missed.

---

Back in that huge warehouse in Los Angeles, the atmosphere was completely different. With remote assistance from the sick lighting designer and on-site debugging by Organization D engineers, the core lighting program was basically restored to operation. Although the designer still needed to rest, the system was in place.

Alex Su and Taylor Swift, wearing their custom performance outfits for the first time, stood in the center of the stage. The circular ice screen slowly started up, refracting a hazy halo. When the prelude to "Something Just Like This" exploded in the warehouse, and the lights danced with the music as if they had a life of their own, and a visual storm that flowed with the emotions of the song streamed across the ice screen, all the staff present—from the tour director to the most ordinary stage assistant—stopped what they were doing and held their breath.

This was not a rehearsal; this was a real performance, only without an audience in the seats. Taylor Swift's voice had incredible penetrating power and was full of emotion; Alex Su's harmonies and electronic sound effects were precisely controlled, and his stage positioning was perfectly synchronized with the lights and video. When the song ended, there was silence in the warehouse, followed by an eruption of enthusiastic applause and whistles.

"God, this is ten times better than I imagined!" the tour director clapped excitedly, "Kids, we are making history!"

Hank stood by the console with his arms crossed, and a rare smile appeared on his usually serious face. Rex was checking the headset communications to ensure that there were no security blind spots during the complex show that had just taken place.

During a break in the rehearsal, while Taylor Swift was touching up her makeup, Alex Su walked to the console, called up the multi-angle footage of several key moments, and quickly browsed through them. "Information Filtering" allowed him to simultaneously focus on performance details, lighting synchronization, and sound effect balance. He pointed out two places where the lighting transitions could be smoother and one issue where his harmony volume was slightly lost during a certain move. The adjustments were completed quickly. This efficient, professional feedback made the technical team admire him completely.

The internal rehearsal footage was strictly confidential, but a blurry panoramic shot of the stage taken from high up in the warehouse (with specific visual effects obscured) was "accidentally" leaked online. The circular outline of the ice screen and the faint light and shadow were shocking enough to instantly ignite the ultimate expectations of fans and music lovers, and the topic of the tour reached new heights of popularity.

Almost at the same time, Sophia Chen's visual design team for "city of instantaneity" encountered its first internal resistance. A senior concept artist on the team, who came from a traditional special effects company, expressed doubts about the "Time Trace" and "Memory Precipitation" concepts proposed by Alex Su.

"This is too... abstract. The audience will not understand it," at a creative meeting, the artist frowned. "Movies need more solid visual metaphors, like twisted clocks, or characters moving in fast-forward or slow-motion; these are recognized symbols of 'time anomalies'."

Sophia Chen looked at Alex Su. Alex Su did not refute directly, but instead had his assistant play a new, more detailed concept demo video he had produced. In the video, he used simple 3D animation and live-action footage composite to specifically show how "Time Trace" would faintly glow under the skin when a character was emotionally excited, and how "Memory Precipitation" would present image fragments from different eras depending on the location.

"Recognized symbols often mean outdated," Alex Su paused the video, his tone calm but unquestionable. "What we want to create is not a diagram of 'time inequality,' but to let the audience 'experience' it. 'Time Trace' is the clock inside the body, and 'Memory Precipitation' is the past carried by the environment. They are more internal, more sensory, and more unique. This may challenge the habits of some audience members, but it will also make the film firmly remembered."

He then showed several storyboard sketches adjusted according to the new visual language, the images full of poetic and eerie beauty. The senior artist looked at the sketches, the doubt on his face gradually replaced by contemplation. "The execution will be very difficult... especially maintaining this subtle feeling."

"That is why we are here, to challenge it with the highest standards," Sophia Chen took over, making the final decision. "Deepen it in this direction. Alex Su, I need you to have a long meeting with our VFX supervisor next week to refine the technical route."

The artistic disagreement was transformed into a more concrete technical challenge, and the creative leadership was silently handed over.

In the new home in Brentwood, the renovation project finally came to an end. Professional acoustic treatment allowed the rehearsal room (converted from a warehouse) to reach small recording studio standards; the kitchen was equipped with top-tier equipment according to Taylor Swift's wishes; the floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom faced the backyard and distant mountains, with an open view; the study was filled with books and music collections selected by Alex Su. The entire space retained the warm texture of a California ranch while adding modern functions that met the owners' needs.

On a weekend evening, an informal small housewarming party was held quietly. There was no media, no industry bigwigs, only Hank, Rex, Marcus, Lauren and their partners, plus Taylor Swift and Alex Su. The music was relaxed jazz, the food was barbecue and salads made on-site by a hired chef, and drinks were self-service.

Everyone was scattered in the living room, on the deck, and in the backyard, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. Hank and Rex were whispering something by the fireplace, their expressions much more relaxed than when they were working. Marcus finally took off his non-prescription glasses and laughed and chatted with his girlfriend by the bar. Lauren held a glass of red wine, admiring the old oak tree in the backyard.

Alex Su and Taylor Swift, as hosts, simply thanked everyone for coming. "This is not just a house," Alex Su raised his glass, "It is a rear base for many 'operational command centers,' and also a place where everyone can come over to mooch a meal, chat, or just space out whenever you are tired. Do not be a stranger."

The atmosphere was warm and comfortable. The highlight of the party was everyone crowding into the rehearsal room, forcing Alex Su and Taylor Swift to improvise a song together. Alex Su played a relaxed and happy blues riff, and Taylor Swift improvised lyrics poking fun at everyone's work mishaps, drawing bursts of laughter and cheers. At this moment, they were not stars and a team, but partners and friends who had weathered storms together, shared successes, and shouldered pressures.

Late at night, the guests left one by one. Alex Su and Taylor Swift climbed onto a small viewing roof deck newly built on the outside of the master bedroom (a surprise specially left during the renovation). There were only two lounge chairs here, and a small ice bucket with champagne.

The cold of Park City seemed to be another world. The night wind in Los Angeles was gentle, and overhead was a rare clear starry sky, with the sparse city lights and the warm outline of their own backyard below.

"Today," Taylor Swift took a sip of champagne, leaning on the lounge chair, "The way they looked at you at the film festival, everyone's excitement after the rehearsal in the warehouse, the laughter here at home just now... it seems like all the pieces are running in the right places."

"Still missing a little something," Alex Su said.

"Hmm?"

"Missing the final result of Sundance, missing the mountain-shaking cheers after the tour actually starts, missing "city of instantaneity" being filmed and making people jaw-dropped, missing..." He paused, looking at her side profile illuminated by the starlight and the distant lights, "Missing more nights like this."

Taylor Swift laughed and reached out to hold his hand. The two stopped talking, just quietly enjoying this tranquility and fulfillment stolen from the peak of their busyness.

Alex Su called up the system, and the latest settlement had been updated:

【Sundance Influence Spread + Tour Rehearsal Stunning Insider Propagation + Film Visual Concept Established + Private Domain Solidified (Real Estate / Team)】

【Popularity Gained: + 3,150,000 points】

【Current Available Popularity: 17,210,030 points】

(Historical Cumulative: 37,210,030 points)

【Next Goal: "Physical Function Overload (Temporary)" (Requires 28,000,000 points)】

Progress: 17,210,030 / 28,000,000 ≈ 61.5%

Steadily crossing the sixty percent mark. Every public success, every private establishment, and every team cohesion was laying bricks for this secret path.

He closed the interface and finished the champagne in his glass in one gulp. The cool bubbles slid down his throat, bringing a clear pleasure.

Everything was on track, accelerating forward.

And ahead, the cheers of thousands under the spotlight, the visual revolution on the silver screen, and the extraordinary threshold that belonged solely to him and was getting closer and closer, were all like the city lights under this starry sky, clearly visible, waiting to be reached.