vstars Chapter 129 Network of Relationships
Chapter 129 Network of Relationships
Bai Li's entertainment company has achieved remarkable success and gained widespread fame in the fields of live streaming, film and television, and music.
As the company's influence continues to expand, Bai Li receives invitations like snowflakes.
These invitations spanned multiple fields, covering various aspects such as entertainment, business, and culture, and were quite diverse.
Entertainment-related social occasions, such as lavish entertainment dinners, glitz and glamour, star-studded events, and after-party atmospheres, should have been excellent opportunities for Bai Li, the head of an entertainment company, to expand her network.
But Bai Li showed little interest in it.
The crystal chandelier cast a dazzling light, illuminating the celebrities and dignitaries wearing "masks" throughout the venue. It was luxurious and lively, but also incredibly noisy and ostentatious.
She really disliked being insincere and polite in those high-society social occasions.
In her view, every social event is like a meticulously choreographed stage play, with people wearing exquisite masks and reciting lines they have already rehearsed. On the surface, they are very close, but in reality, they each have their own thoughts.
This back-and-forth socializing left her feeling physically and mentally exhausted.
Therefore, she mostly entrusted Jingye or other professional public relations personnel in the company to handle these invitations to entertainment and social occasions.
In addition to entertainment-related activities, there are also a series of business-oriented events such as investor associations, entrepreneur associations, and angel investor gatherings.
These gathering places, on the surface, are halls for business elites to exchange ideas and cooperate. They are elegantly decorated, with a solemn atmosphere, and people hold exquisite wine glasses and talk casually.
In reality, this place is a mixed bag, with all sorts of people. There are entrepreneurs who genuinely have business ideals and are eager to find investment opportunities, as well as some speculators with ulterior motives who are trying to take advantage of the complex business environment.
Bai Li instinctively resisted the thought of stepping into such an occasion.
She was even more reluctant to let the busy Jingye deal with these complicated situations. Jingye was already too busy to handle the many internal affairs of the company and manage her daily life, and she really didn't have the extra energy to deal with these.
However, Bai Li has business acumen and is well aware that by constantly avoiding opportunities, she might miss out on many valuable business opportunities, fail to gain a deeper understanding of the latest industry trends, and struggle to further expand her network.
In this rapidly changing business world, information is like flowing blood, constantly influencing a company's development. And much crucial information is often conveyed discreetly, in an informal way, over the gentle clinking of champagne glasses.
So when Guan Cha made the request, Bai Li thought for a moment and immediately agreed.
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Guan Cha remained uneasy after becoming Bai Li's "appendage".
His past experience of having his dignity trampled on in the homes of the wealthy led him to believe that he would suffer the same terrible treatment in Bai Li's home.
Bai Li's laissez-faire attitude left him somewhat at a loss.
As time went on, Guan Cha's unease grew stronger.
Bai Li didn't pay him much attention, and their relationship seemed no different from before.
At school, due to the confidentiality of their contractual relationship, they could only pretend to be ordinary classmates.
Every time Guan Cha saw Bai Li, she could only restrain her emotions and glance at her from afar.
Outside of school, Bai Li was always busy with her own things, and she could only see her occasionally. Several times, she would run into Jing Ye.
When Guan Cha first met Jing Ye, she thought he was Bai Li's family member, but later she gradually learned that he was Bai Li's attendant.
Seeing the natural and intimate atmosphere between Jingye and Baili, Guan Cha couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
Even though he also had a contractual relationship with Bai Li, he felt as if there was an insurmountable chasm between them, which was completely different from the close relationship he had hoped for.
This contract...
Bai Li has her own thoughts.
Guancha is also available, of course.
Guan Cha pondered this repeatedly in his heart. In fact, besides wealth, what he wanted most was an opportunity to make money.
Guan Cha's ambitions extend far beyond simply escaping poverty.
He was not content to merely be Bai Li's appendage, making a quick buck and then ending things.
He longed to stand at the pinnacle of wealth and power, no longer a pawn manipulated by others, but a rule-maker. He wanted to make those who once looked down on him and used him as a tool look at him with new eyes.
Wealth acquired directly is ultimately not secure; his ultimate goal is to find a way to continuously generate wealth while relying on Bai Li.
Is it because I'm not standing high enough?
You must gain Bai Li's approval and trust.
In order to break down this barrier, Guan Cha began to observe Bai Li's every move more carefully.
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One day, Bai Li suddenly realized that Guan Cha always seemed to be able to give her exactly what she needed.
On one occasion, seemingly by chance, she mentioned that she wanted to go to a remote ancient town with unique traditional music, which she wanted to incorporate into the company's music creation, but she couldn't find the time.
Guan Cha immediately remembered it and went to that ancient town alone.
I wandered around the ancient town, recorded local traditional music tunes, filmed many precious folk performance videos, and collected a lot of related historical materials.
When Guan Cha presented these results to Bai Li, Bai Li's eyes were filled with surprise: "Thank you, you put your heart into it."
Similar things keep happening.
Bai Li doesn't actually need Guan Cha to provide any emotional value; she doesn't lack it at all.
But to my surprise, Guan Cha really did provide me with a lot of convenience.
Guan Cha would notice anything that Bai Li mentioned unintentionally.
Gradually, the distance between the two narrowed considerably.
After gaining a deeper understanding of Bai Li, Guan Cha became increasingly certain of her guess.
Despite her remarkable wealth and status, Bai Li harbors a deep-seated aversion to excessive socializing.
Socializing is clearly a favorite pastime of the upper class.
For the upper class, socializing is not just a pastime, but a survival strategy for maintaining status, acquiring resources, and consolidating identity.
But compared to expanding her network, Shirai prefers to enjoy time alone.
Her choice to attend university discreetly reflects her desire to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy tranquility.
Guan Cha understood that this was a rare opportunity for him to establish a unique value in Bai Li's heart.
He reinvested almost everything Bai Li gave him in himself, buying clothes and items befitting his status, cultivating his social image, and preparing to further expand his network and career.
Guan Cha is a meticulous and ambitious person with a strong desire for wealth and status, and possesses exceptional perseverance and self-discipline. With Bai Li's support, many social interactions that she couldn't easily handle herself were managed flawlessly by Guan Cha.
What Bai Li gave Guan Cha was not just wealth, but also a ticket to enter the core circle of high society.
Jingye excels at expanding her network in regular social settings, while Guancha takes a different approach, tapping into niche but high-potential social circles. For example, she introduces promising startups to Baili at gatherings of entrepreneurs in emerging industries, allowing Baili to make early investments.
In addition, Guan Cha also organizes some unique social events, such as inviting well-known independent musicians to hold small private concerts and inviting people from all walks of life to participate.
Building unique social relationships in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere is exactly what Guan Cha excels at.
Even Bai Li was somewhat surprised that Guan Cha was actually able to carve out a new niche for herself in these situations.
At school, Guan Cha was still just an ordinary student.
Outside of school, however, he has already built up a considerable social network, chatting and laughing with elites from all walks of life, exuding a charm far beyond his years.
Bai Li couldn't help but secretly hope that the network of relationships she didn't want to put effort into cultivating might actually bring unexpected surprises and gains in Guan Cha's hands in the future.
Guan Cha is indeed moving closer to what he said before; he wants to slowly climb up and become someone that others can't reach even if they kneel down.
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As dusk settled, it gently enveloped the detached villa, which was shaded by plane trees.
Wu Hai stood quietly before the wrought iron gate, his gaze seemingly drifting aimlessly over the vine patterns on it. The vines meandered and climbed along the intricate designs, swaying gently in the breeze.
The red brick walls of the villa were bathed in a warm golden glow under the setting sun.
The fountain in the front yard was flowing gently, its sparkling water droplets shimmering in the afterglow, making a crisp and melodious sound. This sound mingled with the faint noise from the distant street, creating a wonderfully tranquil atmosphere, like a pure land in the world.
He glanced down at his watch; the hands on the dial pointed exactly to six o'clock, down to the second.
Just then, a series of light and rhythmic footsteps came from inside the door. The sound grew closer and closer, and the carved wooden door creaked open slowly. Ahe bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Mr. Wu, Miss is waiting for you in the front yard."
Wu Hai nodded slightly and followed A He through the corridor with composed steps.
The corridor was filled with a faint woody scent, a unique aroma carefully blended from cedar and sandalwood. This fragrance was calming and clearly a well-crafted blend.
Walking through the corridor, the scene in the front yard comes into view.
The front yard is not large, but it is decorated in an exquisite and unique way, with every detail showcasing the owner's taste.
The branches and leaves of the sycamore trees intertwine overhead to form a verdant dome, with sunlight filtering through the gaps in the foliage to create dappled patterns of light and shadow. A wicker swing chair sways gently in the breeze, its soft cushions looking exceptionally comfortable.
Several servants were focused on maintaining the lawn and greenery.
Beside the orchid pot in the front yard, Bai Li was squatting on the ground. She was wearing a simple white knitted sweater, paired with light-colored jeans. Her long hair was casually tied back, with a few strands falling beside her cheeks, making her look lazy and carefree.
Her fingertips gently touched the tender shoots of the orchid. Orchids, which are extremely rare in the cultivation world and difficult to cultivate, seemed to be under a spell in her hands. Not only did they successfully sprout, but the tender shoots had already begun to open slightly, and it looked like they were about to bloom.
Wu Hai's gaze lingered briefly on her face. Her focused expression stirred something within him, and he slowly moved closer.
Hearing footsteps, Bai Li looked up, and the moment her eyes met Wu Hai's, her breath caught in her throat. She never expected that Wu Hai would actually shed all his disguise and show his true face.
Last time, in the dim light, Bai Li couldn't see clearly, but this time she could see it clearly.
Before him stood Wu Hai, whose features were exquisitely handsome, with slightly upturned eyes that exuded a touch of untamed and alluring charm. His lips were as pale as cherry blossoms, tinged with a faint pink. The cinnabar mole under his right eye was the finishing touch, adding to his eerie aura. He seemed like a mountain spirit or demon that had stepped out of an ancient scroll, radiating a mysterious and captivating aura.
No wonder he's a man with a 99 out of 100 in looks.
Bai Li swore she had never seen anyone as handsome as him.
Today, Wu Hai was dressed in a moon-white long robe, the hem embroidered with dark silver cloud patterns. As he moved, the cloud patterns appeared and disappeared, like a cascading galaxy. The collar of the robe was slightly open, revealing a small patch of fair skin, adding to his casual and dashing appearance.
"President Wu keeps his promise." Bai Li subtly concealed the barely perceptible look of amazement that flashed in her eyes, quickly composed herself, stood up, gently patted the grass clippings off her skirt, pointed to the orchid pot, and said with a hint of pride, "Look, it's sprouted. What about your promise to me?"
Wu Hai chuckled softly, his voice deep and magnetic. His gaze fell on the dewdrop clinging to Bai Li's fingertip, the glistening drop shimmering in the setting sun.
"I thought you were going to make some amazing request, but it turns out you just wanted me to treat you to dinner."
Bai Li silently added in her heart: It was because of his true appearance that he invited her to dinner. Actually, she just wanted to see Wu Hai's true appearance again; the dinner was secondary.
Wu Hai lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, a subtle fragrance wafting from his sleeve: "What kind of banquet does Little Pear want?" He tilted his head slightly, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
She blinked and said directly, "With Mr. Wu's face, anything is possible."
However, judging from Wu Hai's attire, tonight's meal is definitely not simple.
Bai Li glanced at her simple attire, then, without standing on ceremony with Wu Hai, turned and walked briskly into the house: "Wait for me to change my clothes, I'll be right there."
Wu Hai stood still, his gaze sweeping over every detail of the front yard.
Although the location was geographically scarce, it wasn't anything special in his eyes. However, this variant of the Ghost Orchid caught his attention.
Wu Hai slowly approached the Ghost Orchid variant, carefully examining the orchid. It was indeed a Ghost Orchid variant, the real deal.
Realizing this fact, Wu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
He wasn't lying to Bai Li; this variant of the Ghost Orchid was worth the equivalent of ten houses like this, and on the black market, it could fetch an astronomical price.
Even the world's top masters have spent half their energy and still failed to cultivate a single white pear. How did they manage to do it?
"interesting."