Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 294, Section 292: A Suitable Partner
The highlight of the political and legal work conference in the High-tech Zone had an impact that went beyond the applause and brief spotlighting in the meeting room.

For Zhou Mingyuan and Mingli Company, it is taking root and growing upward at an unprecedented speed on the political and business foundation that was originally only in its infancy.

Soon, the news spread like wildfire.

The news that Mingli Legal Consulting Company was awarded a license by the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of East Lake High-tech Development Zone first caused quite a stir in the political and legal system and among legal professionals.

Legal services can actually be done like this?
Isn't doing this just losing money?
Some internal doubts and obstructions have temporarily fallen silent in the face of clear official recognition and solid data.

Instead, they were met with all sorts of complex gazes.

There is envy, admiration, scrutiny, and more and more people are secretly beginning to study and imitate it.

Immediately following this, reports from official media outlets followed.

The Jiangcheng Daily published a lengthy feature article on its front page entitled "Police-Enterprise Joint Construction Solves Grassroots Governance Problems: East Lake High-tech Development Zone Explores New Paths for Social Governance."

The article details the business model and achievements of Mingli Company, and includes photos of Secretary Li Jianguo's research visit and the work of the Mingli team.

Jiangcheng News also published an in-depth report on it.

The footage shows the working scene of the joint mediation room, as well as the positive evaluation of "police-enterprise co-construction" by community residents and police officers.

But these are all incidental matters.

For Zhou Mingyuan, the most direct and core change came from the rapid warming of his relationship with the management of the East Lake High-tech Development Zone, especially the Political and Legal Affairs Commission and the public security system.

The Nanhu Industrial Park in Jiangcheng is nowhere near as good as those top-tier factories in terms of working hours.

Around 7 or 8 pm, most of the staff start to leave work one after another.

By the time He Min finished her business outside and rushed back to Nanhu Industrial Park, it was already around nine o'clock.

The commercial areas outside the industrial park are, of course, bustling with activity and bright lights.

However, in the Mingli Legal Consulting office in Zone D, few of the offices were still lit up.

He Min went inside. The company, which was bustling with people during the day, had become quiet.

Even the sound of her low-heeled shoes clicking on the floor echoed in the corridor, creating a particularly quiet atmosphere.

She stopped in front of a mirror near the first floor and carefully tidied her appearance.

Gather your hair and make your most prized hair even smoother.

She loosened her collar slightly, unbuttoned a button, and subtly revealed a glimpse of her chest.

Adjust your belt, and even slightly move your hips under your trousers to make your underwear fit better and avoid showing any unsightly marks.

The details must be exquisite and sexy, which is what her boss, Zhou Mingyuan, likes.

In her eyes, Zhou Mingyuan gradually became the only one; in her world, Zhou Mingyuan gradually became the only one.

She worked and strived for Mr. Zhou, not only in the office but also wherever the boss needed her.

Therefore, after receiving Zhou Mingyuan's message, she chose to come to the now quiet industrial park based solely on a woman's intuition and instinct.

Should I be taking a break while my boss is working overtime?

Do not!
If everything is just this boring, then I shouldn't have come to him from that day on.

I tiptoed upstairs, and there seemed to be a faint light coming from the top-floor office.

There shouldn't be any employees voluntarily working overtime on this floor; it should just be the boss, Zhou Mingyuan, inside.

He Min was just about to greet them with a silvery laugh when she suddenly heard what sounded like the boss inside making a phone call.

The half-open door to the inner office couldn't block out the faint sound of a phone call, so she quickly quieted down.

The man's voice inside sounded different from his usual calm demeanor.

"Director Liu, what are the instructions?"

"No problem, no problem."

"Of course I have time for tea!"

"Yes, Director Liu!"

Hearing this, He Min couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.

Although Zhou Mingyuan's trust in him was increasing day by day, he made some special phone calls, did some special things, and met some special people without any intention of hiding it from him.

They might even deliberately choose to do jobs that seem a bit mysterious.

However, it's one thing for the boss to tell you or ask you to participate, but it's very inappropriate and taboo to overhear a phone call.

Moreover, the other party kept referring to him as "Director Liu," which didn't sound like an ordinary work call; at the very least, it was a call I shouldn't have heard.

She frowned and considered for a moment, then calmed herself, took a deep breath, and simply walked to the sink.

Wow.
I turned on the tap, washed a small white porcelain cup, and patiently started working on the drip coffee machine.

He Min poured a full cup of coffee, added half a sugar cube, put a spoonful of milk into the milk jug, and then gently stirred the milk and coffee together with a small spoon.

The jet black and milky white gradually swirl and blend to create a silky and soft coffee color.

This burst of activity, mixed with a rich aroma, seemed to be heard inside, and the room quieted down.

She carried her coffee cup, walked to the office cubicle, and gently knocked twice on the slightly ajar door.

"Come in."

A response came from inside.

She pushed open the door, holding a coffee cup, and walked in with a smile.

"Excuse me, Mr. Zhou, I just came to see if you had dinner, but I overheard you on the phone."

He Min calmed herself down while pouring coffee before deciding to do this and say those words.

She heard the phone call, and although she didn't quite understand it, she needed to tell her boss tactfully.

She heard it.

Just now, while pouring the coffee, dozens of thoughts had flashed through her mind, but she still made a decision in the end.

When it comes to Zhou Mingyuan, absolute loyalty and honesty are the best choices.

If you overhear your boss's phone call unintentionally, you should tell your boss exactly what happened.

Zhou Mingyuan sat in his office chair, picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and looked He Min up and down without showing any particular expression or surprise.

As was his habit, he nodded to his assistant, then stopped looking at her and stared blankly at the night outside the window.

The man's eyes looked somewhat tired, and there seemed to be a few blood vessels in his pupils, but the way he looked down at the night view of Nanhu Industrial Park revealed an undisguised excellence.

Today he was wearing a white shirt and a wool vest, and as always, a pair of black-rimmed glasses. His well-built body looked tall and strong under the shirt, and his clear features looked refined and profound under the glasses.

He Min stared at it, almost unable to look away.

Seeing Zhou Mingyuan frown and rub his eyes, she suddenly felt like doing something for him.

Noticing that her boss's desk was covered with files, she leaned closer.

I was originally planning to tidy up the table.

But just as she bent down, a glimpse out of the corner of her eye made her suddenly stop.

It wasn't intentional, and I didn't look at it particularly clearly.

But as she turned her head, she seemed to catch a glimpse of something on the table that she wasn't sure she should see.

It was a handwritten note with many keywords.

[Li XX, Liu XX, Bureau Chief XX, Bank]

[Teahouse, family, relax and unwind]

It was just something I caught a glimpse of out of the corner of my eye when I shifted the angle, so I didn't see it very clearly.

Although I'm not sure what the specific content is, these keywords are not notes that I, as a sensible subordinate, should have accidentally seen.

A feeling of frustration so intense that I wanted to run away instantly surged into my head.

She felt herself.
What an incompetent assistant.

How could you be so careless?
How can you have such a lack of boundaries?

These keywords may seem simple, but they contain a great deal of information.

Whether it's Li or Liu, or who's hosting, it doesn't matter.

A few friends, family.

Relax, relax
These words, taken together, all point to a clear and unambiguous signal.

This was an unofficial, private gathering.

It was also an internal exchange within the core circle of Li Jianguo, Liu Wenhua, and their level.

Receiving such an invitation means that Zhou Mingyuan is no longer just a recognized outstanding business leader.

Rather, to some extent, it has been initially accepted by the circles that hold real power in the region.

They are seen as partners with whom one can engage in more private and core communication.

A potential ally.

He Min certainly knew these things.

And now, such an awkward situation has arisen.

During the phone call just now, I already expressed, "I'm sorry, I heard you on the phone."

But what should I do in this situation?

They pretended not to see anything.

Or should I speak up?
All these thoughts, emotions, ideas, and feelings are actually just fleeting moments.

Before the awkwardness and embarrassment of that moment could dissipate, she suddenly sensed someone's gaze moving over her, noticing her loss of composure.

He Min gritted her teeth, turned her head slightly, and took another careful look at the table.

This glance, however, was a deliberate gesture to Zhou Mingyuan to indicate that "I saw it."

She tried to regain her senses, looked away from the note, handed it to Zhou Mingyuan, and then swayed away as if trying to avoid him.

Although he was too embarrassed to say anything, his gaze carried an apologetic meaning.

"I'm sorry, boss, I saw something I shouldn't have seen again."

Zhou Mingyuan's gaze remained calm and indifferent, revealing no emotion, whether joy or anger.

However, He Min still sensed a certain weariness and torment, and perhaps even a sense of utter boredom.

In that instant, Zhou Mingyuan seemed no longer like the Zhou Mingyuan of the past, but more like an ordinary young man struggling to make a living in society.

"Boss, you look a bit tired."

He Min finally spoke.

"A little bit."

Zhou Mingyuan nodded.

"I have a business dinner tomorrow, why don't you go home and get some sleep? Is there any work I can do?"

"It's okay, I'm having trouble sleeping too."

Zhou Mingyuan turned his head, seemingly quite satisfied with He Min's performance, and gave his assistant a gentle, approving smile.

Perhaps it was just a momentary surge of hormones, or perhaps it was the opportunity for the two of them to be alone together at night, or perhaps it was simply a rare chance in the office where there were no one else around, and that kind of forbidden stimulation.

Perhaps fundamentally
He Min just needed a moment, an atmosphere, to give herself an excuse and a reason.

She didn't know what she was thinking, nor did she consider the consequences.

Looking into Zhou Mingyuan's eyes, I suddenly felt a surge of tenderness and emotion.

Without any hesitation, they moved closer and closer.

While feeling her own breathing, she moved closer and closer, more and more slowly.

She took the initiative to kiss Zhou Mingyuan's lips.

Zhou Mingyuan did not stop her.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he guided her movements with practiced ease.

She immediately felt her whole body go limp, experiencing a strong, entangled embrace that made her almost instantly collapse into Zhou Mingyuan's arms.

A few seconds later, Zhou Mingyuan smiled, still behaving himself in a proper and orderly manner, and gently pushed her away.

He Min's face was as red as the sunset, and her eyes were already filled with misty tears.

I couldn't help but be captivated by his charm.

"What do you want to do?"

Zhou Mingyuan looked at him with a straight face and then shamelessly asked him a question.

He Min was so embarrassed and anxious that she almost cried.

Given all this, what else can we do?

But she immediately realized that her boss might be...
Misunderstood.

She absolutely could not let Zhou Mingyuan think that she was the kind of simple woman who wanted to get close to him through office connections.

She didn't want Zhou Mingyuan to think of her as an ignorant girl who had a ridiculous dream and wanted to get ahead in one step to claim a title.

No matter how ashamed she felt, or even if she felt a little servile, she looked firmly at Zhou Mingyuan, biting her lower lip, and spoke softly but clearly.

"Yes, boss."

I want you to relax.

I want you to relax.

So gentle and submissive, yet also a little self-degrading, she could actually utter strange words from her own lips and tongue, which even He Min herself found a little unbelievable.

Even when I talk about it myself, or when I listen to it, I feel a tingling, sour sensation.

“I’m always very relaxed. If I want to relax through these things, I’ll look for the right person.”

Zhou Mingyuan looked at her eyes and brows, which seemed to still be rejecting her, but he did not move away.

If it were someone else, or in a different setting, He Min would be furious and mortified.

She took the initiative to throw herself into his arms and said things like, "I want to help you relax," yet she was rejected.

You must know that with He Min's looks and temperament, she is very charming and has a wide circle of friends. Countless people would be willing to grovel for the right to get close to her.

But the boss...
He was not a saint at all; I knew perfectly well what kind of scoundrel he was.

He actually has such strategic composure, and is able to calmly refuse?

But He Min could understand, or perhaps she had a sixth sense like a super radar.

No, the boss doesn't seem to be refusing.

He Min had already sensed a peculiar yet clear physiological change occurring in Zhou Mingyuan.

Zhou Mingyuan wasn't rejecting someone; he was asking himself if he was the "right person."

(End of this chapter)