Riding the wind of rebirth

After Zhou Zhi made suggestions to the Digital Alliance, muddied the waters and pulled music fans and a large number of freelance creators into the battlefield, the situation began to turn around.

Since the Liberty Times published an article titled "Are Freelance Creators Qualified to Enter the Music Hall of Fame", various media outlets have followed up, and now there is a vague opinion in public opinion that "the world has suffered from the Music Practitioners Alliance for a long time."

However, the date of this report was several days ago, and Zhou Zhi didn't know what the actual situation there was now.

Soon the plane landed at the New York airport. After flying for thirteen hours since taking off at eight in the morning, the time was still nine in the morning.

The head of Digital Alliance headquarters came to greet Zhou Zhi and his party, including AXA's attorney Tony Huang.

The hotel arranged by the headquarters is the Hilton Grand Central, which is located in Rockefeller Center, surrounded by Fifth Avenue and Broadway theaters. It also includes a shopping mall, restaurants, and business and entertainment headquarters.

The hotel is very modern. The room where Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao stayed is very large. And probably because the relationship between Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao had been inquired about in advance, the person in charge arranged an apartment-style residence for them. It has two bedrooms, a living room and an open kitchenette. The furnishings in the room are similar to those in a home and it is quite cozy.

Looking at the coffee table and small sofa in the small living room, Zhou Zhi was very satisfied: "This is a good place, it can also be used as a meeting room."

"There is no arrangement today." Tony Huang said, "Everyone, take a good rest and adjust to the time difference. We will start the business report tomorrow morning."

Paul, the head of the Digital Alliance, handed out several cards to everyone: "This is the hotel's VIP card. You can use this card to spend money in the hotel's shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants, gyms, etc., and pay when you leave the hotel."

"That's convenient." Zhou Zhi smiled and said, "Maybe we can go out for a walk."

"There is also a car rental shop downstairs." Paul said, "But Ms. Lily better bring your ID, because you look like a little girl who just got a permit."

Everyone laughed. Lily is Mai Xiaomiao's English name. Permit is a driver's license system in the United States. Children can apply for a permit when they are sixteen years old. The holder can drive with the accompaniment of a licensed person over 21 years old. Paul was complimenting Mai Xiaomiao for being as youthful and beautiful as a sixteen-year-old girl.

"Thank you." Mai Xiaomiao was very generous. Women seem to quickly get used to compliments on their appearance. Mai Xiaomiao seemed to have adapted to the changes in her look after only a few days.

So everyone went their separate ways today, and after a quick packing, Mai Xiaomiao took Zhou Zhi to the restaurant downstairs for dinner.

The restaurants here offer French, Italian, and Japanese cuisine, but no Chinese food.

According to Mai Xiaomiao, Chinese food is still mainly concentrated in Chinatown and has not entered the ranks of high-end restaurants.

Zhou Zhi and his friend chose an Italian restaurant. They ordered Florentine steak, Zamagron salad, Milesto macaroni, and egg and minced meat sauce respectively, which also deeply changed Zhou Zhi's impression of Italian food.

Apart from the unfriendly price, the taste is impeccable. The ingredients are fresh, and the key is that the seasonings can also be tasted fresh, and the flavor is rich and rich. It is much better than the Italian food Zhou Zhi had eaten in those mid-range consumption places in China in his previous life.

But it was really expensive. The two of them spent more than two hundred dollars on just this little bit of food, plus a 20% tip. When Mai Xiaomiao saw the price, he couldn't help but stick out his tongue: "It's delicious, but it's too expensive."

Zhou Zhi did not use the VIP room card to make purchases. Instead, he took out the U.S. dollars he had exchanged at the airport exchange window and wanted to satisfy his spending urge: "My grandma often taught us that it's okay to be poor at home but rich on the road. It's okay to save a little at home but when you go out, you have to spend boldly and not put yourself at a disadvantage." When the two of them went out, they discovered that this was a Michelin restaurant with a certification sign hanging at the door for many years.

"It seems that there are no Michelin-certified Chinese restaurants except in Hong Kong Island?" Zhou Zhi asked.

"I don't know." Mai Xiaomiao took Zhou Zhi's arm and said, "Shall we rent a car?"

"Ah."

The car rental business does not exist in China, but it is very common in the United States. The Hilton Central Hotel can not only provide cars, but also provide driver service throughout the trip. However, if Mai Xiaomiao wants to drive, Zhou Zhi lets her do it.

The car rental company has a pink and green Beetle with two decorative Mickey Mouse ears on the roof. Mai Xiaomiao is wearing a light green Japanese dress today with a big bow on the back of her waist. She looks a bit like Minnie Mouse and matches the car very well.

"Shall we drive it?" Mai Xiaomiao fell in love with it at first sight.

"Okay." Zhou Zhi smiled and patted the digital camera in his hand: "This is complete. Let's find a place to take a set of photos later."

After completing the car rental procedures, Mai Xiaomiao was responsible for driving, Zhou Zhi sat in the passenger seat, and the Beetle slid into the traffic jam and drove towards New York University.

There are three Ivy League schools in New York: NYU, Columbia University, and Connecticut University.

New York University was founded very early. It was funded by Albert Gallatin, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, and a group of New York citizens who loved education in 1831, during the th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty.

New York City is the world's largest financial center and the headquarters of the United Nations. With its geographical and academic advantages, the New York University School of Business has become a truly global business and economic management research and academic institution. Finance is the most outstanding, and has been ranked in the top three in the United States for many years. MBA and EMBA programs are ranked in the top 5 in the United States all year round, and marketing, accounting and other majors are ranked in the top 10 in the United States all year round. The master's program in economics ranks first in the TFE Ranking.

The school's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences is also very impressive, offering majors in mathematics and computer science, among which the applied mathematics major is ranked first in the United States. Mai Xiaomiao completed his undergraduate studies at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

In the past decade, thanks to the donations from numerous alumni who have made great achievements in the entertainment, business and political circles, New York University has experienced a decade of rapid development. With $10 billion in alumni financing, the school has reorganized and expanded its campus, established first-class linguistics and mathematics research institutions, consolidated the status of its medical school, law school, business school and art school, and significantly improved its teaching and research level and admission standards.

Mai Xiaomiao's father was recruited by NYU during this period and worked at the Stern School of Business.

NYU's main campus is located next to Washington Square Park, and the Stern School of Business is located in the southeast corner of the park.

Washington Square Park is not far from Rockefeller Center, which is located on the corner not far south of Central Park. It is only three blocks away. In between, you have to pass through the most prosperous area in New York, and the Empire State Building is right in the center of this route.

"No wonder you ran away after finishing your undergraduate studies." Zhou Zhi looked at the tall skyscrapers outside the car window and joked with Mai Xiaomiao who was concentrating on driving: "NYU is famous for being expensive and difficult to get into. Just look at where it is located and you will know how difficult it is." (End of this chapter)