Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 276, Section 274: Ecosystem
“Lawyer Zhuo, to be honest.”

"I've asked everyone in the industry about this question, just wanting a definitive answer."

"There are risks."

"Mr. Chen, I can only say that there are indeed risks, but whether it's the low risk of 'if the people don't report it, the government won't investigate,' or the high risk of 'we must accomplish our mission and bring the perpetrators to justice no matter how far away,' I'm not sure."

Li Zhi never expected that this would be the scene she would encounter after arriving at the Shuimo Jiangnan Club.

Seeing Zhuo Luxia and Douyu CEO Chen having a heated discussion about legal issues, she couldn't help but rub her eyes.

what's the situation?
Tonight's business party, which the lawyer sister mentioned was filled with celebrities, turned out to be...
Was it organized and hosted by He Min?
Doesn't that mean
Is Zhou Mingyuan standing behind him?
She stood before the pearwood door, carved with intricate cloud patterns. The warm light streaming in from inside, the low murmur of jazz music, and the boisterous voices created an invisible boundary, separating two worlds.

Zhuo Luxia blended into the crowd as easily as a fish in water and began chatting with several familiar business owners.

Li Zhi also had many acquaintances at Mingli Company.

So she took a glass of champagne from the waiter's silver tray, nodded and greeted him from time to time, leaned slightly against a porch pillar, and began to slowly scan the room.

Um.
Beautiful women abound.

Adjectives she had vaguely seen somewhere before suddenly surged before her.

The short-haired girl's gaze was first drawn to a group of girls gathered near the dessert table.

They were almost blindingly young, wearing the latest trendy dresses—lace, tulle, and soft knit fabrics that hugged their graceful curves.

All of them had exquisite makeup, with a carefully applied dewy glow.

They were taking selfies from various angles around an ice cream cake adorned with fresh berries and macarons.

"This filter looks good!"

"Coco, come here, a little to the right."

They sounded like they were exchanging tips on Instagram-style filters. The girl called Coco had a clear and lively voice, and her figure was also captivating.

My gaze shifted slightly, and another type of beauty came into view.

They usually sit or stand, their posture is more relaxed and they have a greater sense of control.

For example, a woman leaning against the bar, wearing a sharply tailored black satin dress.

This kind of girl's beauty has a strong aggressive quality. Her deep V-neckline makes no attempt to hide her enviable assets. Her makeup is heavy, her red lips are like fire, her eyes are sharp as knives, and she has a kind of languid look that looks down on you.

Like a black rose in full bloom, it clearly proclaims desire and ambition.

And the girl sitting in the sofa booth a little further away, surrounded by the most people, Li Zhi recognized her at a glance.

Du Jianuo is currently the most popular female host at Jieyou Media.

She wore a simple, off-white cashmere knit dress, her hair loosely tied up, revealing her slender and graceful neck. Her face was almost bare, with only a light touch of lipstick.

However, it is precisely this effortless demeanor that makes it stand out in such situations.

She seemed somewhat tired, or perhaps detached, quietly sipping a cup of hot water, occasionally offering a polite but brief smile to anyone who approached her.

The short-haired girl carefully observed for a while and discovered that there were at least three camera lenses in the room, which would intentionally or unintentionally sweep across her direction.

This was her first time meeting these girls from Jieyou Media face-to-face.

This is truly a bizarre and hierarchically structured small ecosystem.

Li Zhi thought.

Some less outstanding girls attract attention with standardized makeup and a vibrant appearance.

A woman with a captivating figure like a peach, with her more impactful sex appeal and clear sense of purpose, attempts to occupy a higher ecological niche.

Du Jianuo, on the other hand, has already risen to another level.

She doesn't even need to deliberately show anything.

Perhaps her very existence is a scarce resource.

My gaze wandered around, but finally settled on the absolute protagonist of the night.

He Min was surrounded by a group of people, chatting and laughing.

That beige chiffon fishtail dress really suited her perfectly, showcasing an unprecedented charm.

The balance scale necklace around her neck shimmered with her movements, like a small declaration.

Li Zhi rested her chin on her hand, watching her handle all sorts of people with ease.

She smiled warmly at the young livestreamers, exchanged polite greetings with her partners, and whispered instructions to the club manager. He Min clearly enjoyed the process immensely, relishing the feeling of being needed.

Soon, their eyes met briefly.

He Min immediately gave a smile that was more genuine than she had shown to others, and even briefly left the crowd to walk over quickly.

"Little lychee~"

"You're here?"

Fine beads of sweat glistened on He Min's nose, appearing sparkling and adorable under the light.

"Sister Min looks so beautiful today."

Li Zhi blinked, gently raised her glass, and clinked it against He Min's cocktail.

"She's kind of charming."

"Thank you~"

He Min pursed her cherry lips and giggled.

"I won't bother with you since we're all family here. Please help yourself; there's plenty of food and drink, so don't be shy! I still have things to do over there."

She pointed to the crowd that was beginning to gather again.

"Okay, okay, you go ahead and get busy~"

Li Zhi nodded with a smile.

Watching He Min gracefully depart like a butterfly recharged, the short-haired girl couldn't help but let her thoughts wander.

Although Zhou Mingyuan is no longer with us, his influence remains ever-present.

He wasn't there at that time, where did he go?

Oh yes.

I think I mentioned it in the group chat before; he was going to accompany a brand representative from Hangzhou today.

That's a really clever two-pronged approach.
Li Zhi sighed quietly.

Brands, platforms, partners, and even law firms were all connected by him through the internet to celebrate the feast together in the name of Christmas Eve.

He is the unsung director of this stage, the ultimate mastermind behind all this splendor.

He Min was the stage manager he chose, and the girls in the room, who were vying for attention, were the actors he had carefully selected and trained.

She held her wine glass and paced slowly, her ears catching fragments of conversation drifting through the air.

"Douyu has really invested heavily this time; it seems they have high hopes for your e-commerce live streaming."

"I heard that General Manager Chen personally gave his approval. General Manager Zhou really has a lot of influence!"

"Did you see the stats from Nono's game last night?"

"Qi Baitao recently."

"Mingli Consulting seems to have taken on several legal counsel positions at large companies? President Zhou's move is brilliant; it complements the resources of both sides."

These fragments of information, like pieces of a puzzle, gradually pieced together in her mind the vague outline of Jieyou Media and even Zhou Mingyuan's business empire.

Traffic, capital, beauty, personal connections, and law.
He skillfully wove all these elements together.

But there was one thing that Li Zhi couldn't understand.

Why would Douyu go to such lengths to sponsor this party?
Li Zhi walked to the food counter and used a small silver fork to pick up a black truffle chocolate tart.

The tart crust is crispy, the filling is rich and smooth, and the top-quality black truffle shreds exude a unique and powerful aroma.

She savored it slowly, her gaze sweeping across the room once more.

She saw that Qi Baitao seemed to have had a slight argument with another tall girl. Both of them had smiles on their faces, but their eyes were like two peacocks secretly competing.

She saw Du Jianuo and He Min being the center of attention.

The world that Zhou Mingyuan had created became clearer and more complex before her eyes.

Invisible competition, subtle calculations, and surging desires.

Real yet unreal.

(End of this chapter)