Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 138, Section 136: Gu Caiwei, the Food Protector
"I'm so tired~"

"The workload now is definitely several times that of the court!!!"

At the end of October, sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting dappled golden scales on the Yangtze River.

Wild geese also circled low in the sky, their movements echoing against the azure backdrop.

That day, Li Zhi took Gu Caiwei out to eat. The two went to the city center of Jiangcheng and found a rooftop Western restaurant.

"So busy?"

Gu Caiwei sat opposite the short-haired girl, a glass of juice dangling from her lips, her peach-blossom eyes sparkling.

Actually, I wasn't really in any trouble.

Li Zhi poked the spoon hard, scooped up the seafood baked rice in front of her, and couldn't help but complain.

"It's because of our collaboration with their legal consulting that we suddenly have a lot of random tasks."

"Leave them all to me to keep an eye on."

"Hahahaha~"

Gu Caiwei smiled and revealed two delicate dimples, then gestured towards the restaurant not far away.

"I understand. Weren't you in a similar state to her before?"

On the big screen, a popular legal drama series is playing.

The female character on TV is very willful; she's a VIP intern at a law firm, a relative who was parachuted in to experience life.

Her temper was worse than her age; besides her Apple laptop, her desk was covered with lipsticks, handbags, and curling irons.

Among a sea of ​​dark-skinned office workers, she stood out as youthful and beautiful.

"Absolutely not!"

Li Zhi rolled her eyes, reached out and grabbed a tissue from the corner of the table, then wiped her lips with it.

"She's too lazy to even organize case files, doesn't do any work, and is only focused on dating her supervising lawyer. How am I like her?"

"Um"

Gu Caiwei giggled, her voice soft and sweet, as her chin was gently lifted by both hands.

“You all have dress codes, you all work as paralegals, you all wear light makeup, and you are all VIPs who have just arrived.”

The brown-haired girl began to analyze the situation seriously.

"If I had to say there's any difference, let me think... you're prettier than her."

"."

Li Zhi pursed her lips, gave a soft hum, and turned her head to reveal a perfectly curved profile.

There's no need to deny that.

"Besides, most of the people in the law firm are older, so you wouldn't be interested in dating your colleagues."

The two sat facing each other. Gu Caiwei smiled and leaned most of her body against the inner sofa, exuding a lazy charm.

"right."

Li Zhi lowered her head and scooped another spoonful of baked rice into the bowl in front of her, not looking at her, and nodded symbolically.

Colleagues at the law firm.
She certainly wasn't interested.

"Speaking of colleagues, have you seen Zhou Mingyuan these past few days?"

Gu Caiwei leaned even further back on the sofa, her long, slender legs dangling together beneath her skirt, swaying up and down incessantly.

"I wonder what my lunch buddy is doing."

"No."

Li Zhi pouted and shook her head.

“I went to the consulting firm several times, but I never saw him.”

"But I asked my assistant briefly."

The short-haired girl casually brushed the stray hairs falling across her forehead and continued speaking.

"These past few days, he seems to have been spending all his time with the female students. I wonder what he's been busy with."

"Senior?"

Gu Caiwei's beautiful eyes darted around as she pressed for an answer: "The landlord's cat?"

"Yes."

"It's quite amazing, really."

Li Zhi put down the small spoon in her hand, wiped the corner of her mouth, and sighed.

"Who would have thought he could actually write songs?"

2014 was not only the first year of the mobile internet, but also the beginning of the golden age of original Chinese music.

That year, Baidu's mobile search traffic surpassed that of PCs for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the shift from PC internet to mobile internet.

On the third day after New Year's Day, an unprecedented original music variety show, "The Voice of China," aired on CCTV-3, bringing original singers, who had previously been isolated from public media, to the mainstream stage for the first time.

Surprisingly, the show won the national ratings championship with a 1.91% viewership rating after its first episode aired, and launched the careers of many original singers, including Moxi Zishi, Xie Di, Zhao Lei, and Zhao Zhao.

At that time, the still-green Zhao Lei, with just his guitar, conquered his mentor Liu Huan and millions of viewers with his song "Painting"; the emerging talent Moxi Zishi, with his song "If I'm Going to Die, I Want to Die in Your Hands", showed the audience another possibility of pop music with an unprecedented expression.

G.E.M., the "Iron Lung Princess" from Hong Kong, also rose to fame on the stage of "I Am a Singer" Season 2 with her song "Bubble".

The song "Little Apple" performed by the Chopstick Brothers swept through square dancing, becoming a true national anthem.

The era of internet platforms has quietly begun. Ride-hailing apps have started a price war, food delivery platforms are locked in fierce competition, and bike-sharing has emerged, igniting a bloody battle.

In the dazzling year of 2014, internet music quietly took center stage, revolutionizing the way a generation listens to music.

Original musicians are forging a new path on online music platforms with their unique musical styles.

Major platforms, represented by "NetEase Musician," have gradually built an ecosystem for original internet music, enabling more musicians to create and disseminate their music in a democratic and equal manner.

On the one hand, it broke down the barriers and thresholds of the traditional record industry, providing musicians with a stage to showcase their talents and building a healthy and positive music ecosystem; on the other hand, the restructuring of production relations is also shaping new productive forces in the music industry, making original music the main support content for the future.

Ma Di, founder of the folk music group Mayouye, released the single "Nanshan Nan" on Xiami Music. As his first officially released song, it opened up the market and became the most popular song among independent musicians on Xiami from January to October. Also at the end of October, Xinyi and Peipei from Jiangcheng University of Finance and Economics officially registered as NetEase Music artists under the name "The Landlord's Cat".

On this newly launched platform, I released my first original work.

——"Next Stop, Tea Mountain Liu".

Whether it's Li Zhi, Gu Caiwei, or the other two original authors who participated in the production.

No one expected that this song would become so popular.

It has garnered over 99 comments in just one week since its release, and its daily viewership is a refreshing change in our understanding.

"Baby~"

"Ok?"

"I analyzed the song's play count, and it's increasing exponentially every day! Do you think 'The Landlord's Cat' is really going to become a hit?"

At this point, Gu Caiwei couldn't help but lean over, take her phone back from the table, and open the NetEase Cloud Music app.

"I used to think it was impossible."

Li Zhi lowered her eyes, trying to keep her voice calm.

"now what?"

"It shouldn't be that bad now."

The short-haired girl turned her head to look out the window and let out a long sigh.

"After all, this song is more likely to resonate with people around Chashan Liu; frankly, it's still a niche song, unless..."

"Unless what?"

Gu Caiwei pressed for an answer.

"Unless there are new mainstream works."

"This year, from variety shows to traffic support, it's clear that everything is benefiting independent musicians who release their works online. Maybe a sudden trend will make them popular."

After thinking for a few seconds, Li Zhi lowered her head, took a sip of juice, and said seriously.

Those who follow the Chinese music scene will notice that the distinction between niche and mainstream music is gradually disappearing.

Original music is becoming increasingly high-quality, becoming mainstream music content and a vital source of inspiration.

Behind this, the emerging media platforms have become the most important talent pool.

Since the beginning of this year, various platforms have launched support programs for independent musicians, lowering the barriers to creation and distribution, and continuously incubating new talents and works. Original music has caught the wave and entered an unprecedented era of prosperity.

In May, NetEase Cloud Music launched "NetEase Musicians" and opened the online upload function, thus ushering in the era of internet musicians in a true sense.

The barriers to creating and releasing musical works have been greatly lowered.

In July, Xiami Music released its first internet music album, "Seeking the Light," and subsequently launched the "Seeking the Light Project," providing a platform for independent musicians to showcase their talents.

Shortly after, Douban Music launched the "Golden Fleece" program, becoming the first project in China to directly charge for online streaming of musicians' works.

Good music content has ushered in a new era of opportunities.

This year, both dedicated musicians and innovative music platforms have been using their own methods to keep passion alive.

"That's probably impossible. At least when he writes about those school details, he can draw inspiration from them. Does he think songwriting is as easy as cabbage?"

Gu Caiwei smiled, her eyes crinkling as she spread her hands and gossiped.

"What if?"

Li Zhi uttered three words softly, neither confirming nor denying.

"He's been spending all his time with his female classmates these past few days. What if he's preparing a new piece?"

"A new work? It doesn't look like one at all to me."

Gu Caiwei sat up straight on the sofa, her long eyelashes fluttering, her tone subtle.

"What good would it do him to prepare new works? It doesn't make money."

"Weiwei, don't think about making money all the time."

The short-haired girl looked up and then chuckled to herself.

This is the difference in values ​​between law students and finance enthusiasts.

One prioritizes dreams, the other prioritizes interests; each has their own considerations.

"Can you think about this? Don't assume that just because you're interested in music, everyone else is as obsessed as you, okay?"

Gu Caiwei immediately retorted.

"what?"

Li Zhi's eyes widened, not immediately understanding her best friend's implied meaning.

"Don't you think one of the landlord's cats is very pretty?"

"Who?"

"Wang Xinyi".

This time, they didn't even call her "senior sister."

Gu Caiwei crossed her arms, her expression serious, and simply cleared her throat, calling him by his name.

"It looks good."

After being subtly exposed, Li Zhi was taken aback, and a strange thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

Gu Caiwei raised her eyebrows, her expression resembling that of a lioness guarding her food.

"Is it possible that it has nothing to do with a love of music, and it's not about polishing any kind of work?"

"Is it simply that he's interested in her?"

(End of this chapter)