"Actually, I’m from the Middle State."
Lin Yuan was taken aback, as he thought Li Songhua was from the Qin Continent.
Li Songhua laughed and said, "To be precise, I’m half Middle State. My father is from the Middle State, and my mother is from the Qin Continent. But I prefer to identify as Qin people, the Middle State is too commercial, inhabited by a pack of wolves."
Lin Yuan listened quietly.
Li Songhua continued, "Because of my father, I was basically driven out of the Middle State back then. Of course, no one was physical about it; it’s just that there was no space for me to grow in that place. You could say our family offended someone, and my development in the Middle State was restricted everywhere."
"So you came to the Qin Continent to develop?"
"Because at that time, the Middle State couldn’t reach that far. Plus, I was already in the Qin Continent, so they had no reason not to let me live. Then I created Starlight Entertainment, and after that, I met you."
Lin Yuan roughly understood what Li Songhua meant:
"Now with the global merger, you’ve popped back into some people’s radar, and Starlight has grown so big."
"Yes, with the global merger, it’s like I’ve indirectly returned to the Middle State, and I brought a decent success with me. Fortunately, those people have started to see me as someone to reckon with, maybe someone just barely enough to threaten them?"
"What kind of enmity?"
"Do you want to hear it? It was a thrilling story back then..."
"Forget it, it doesn’t matter."
Lin Yuan felt the opposite party could talk endlessly.
Li Songhua chuckled lightly, finding this interruption very characteristic of Lin Yuan.
"What I want to tell you is that our Starlight has grown so large, some people are not happy about it, and they might target us. You could also see it as me dragging you into this. You can leave with your shares, although it’s the scenario I dread the most."
"Would leaving be better?"
"Staying is better than leaving, because even if you leave Starlight, there will still be people trying to overshadow you. This has nothing to do with any grudges between you and them; it’s mainly because you’re too dazzling. Your immense brilliance might make them feel like their own shine is somewhat eclipsed by you, unless..."
Lin Yuan had a sudden insight, "If you can’t beat them, join them."
Li Songhua laughed heartily, "Exactly! If you join them, the sky is the limit. It’s said that many people fancy you, enough to want to marry their daughters to you. And they are all top-notch socialites from around the world, with good family genes, generally outstanding beauty.
If that day comes, if you could show leniency towards me, that would be the best. I don’t want to start over again.
That wall has been torn down.
Now there’s no longer a wall to help block those thousand troops and horses for me."
Lin Yuan understood that Li Songhua had prepared two choices for him today.
Either stand with Li Songhua and fight together.
Or join the Central State Financial Consortium.
Lin Yuan suddenly stood up.
Li Songhua smiled slightly, very gracefully:
Lin Yuan asked in confusion, "See me off as in away or with tea?"
Li Songhua’s smile had become somewhat strained:
Where’s the composure when Mount Tai collapses in front without changing the look on one’s face?
If there is any, it’s just that the mountain collapse isn’t severe enough.
Lin Yuan turned away.
Just as Li Songhua was straining to maintain his smile, Lin Yuan suddenly said:
"Actually, walls are all around, they’ve always been there, never gone."
Li Songhua froze, "I’m not talking about that kind of wall."
Lin Yuan smiled, "Neither am I."
Who isn’t a bit of a riddler themselves?
"I’m your wall, able to block thousands of troops and horses."