"Um …" Meng Chao was stunned.
Meng Chao was stunned when he heard that. He could not help but say, "It's not good for you to evaluate your own father like that, right? Uncle Lu praised you like a flower in front of me and said that you're his most beloved daughter!"
"He's also my most beloved father, but love is love, and business is business. I can't let him sell me off and count the money for him!"
Lu Siya drew close to Meng Chao's ear and explained the situation to him. "You don't know this, but ever since my grandfather was heavily injured during the fight against the monster mastermind, he went back to the Lu family and went into isolated training. His personal doctor and cultivation assistant are evasive and won't tell us how injured he is and whether he can recover to the peak of his condition.
"Right now, rumors are flying all over the Lu family. Many people think that the old man might not be able to make it. In truth, my grandfather has been fighting for Dragon City for more than half a century, and he's already old and weak. He's about to run out of energy, and he should have been thinking about his successor a long time ago. The fight against the monster mastermind is just the straw that broke the camel's back.
"It's not just my grandfather. Practically all the first generation superhumans in the nine cultivation families are facing the problem of not being able to do what they want and handing over power.
"Because of that, the powerful people in the second generation like my father can't help but become restless.
"If they want to take over the power of the cultivation families and mega corporations from the hands of the powerful first generation superhumans in the past, they have to obtain the acknowledgement of their fathers and make their peers and juniors submit to them wholeheartedly. This requires strength and achievements.
"When it comes to strength, the most important thing is fighting strength, but this isn't something that you can reach a breakthrough just because you want to. It's especially so for people like my father. In the beginning, he took the path of a crystal specialist and mining engineer. Later, he switched to managing a corporation. He has to deal with a lot of things in the business world every day, so how much time did he have to focus on training?
"He was always busy with mundane matters. Even if he had an astronomical amount of resources supporting him, it was impossible for him to become a truly powerful person.
"Hence, many of the powerful people in the second generation cast their gazes on external help.
"If my grandfather is seriously injured and decides to retire and hand over the power of the family, my father will indeed be the first successor. But it doesn't mean that there are no other challengers within the Lyu family, nor does it mean that after he officially takes over the entire Lyu family, he will be able to deal with external competitors smoothly.
"So, in order to smoothly ascend and sit firmly on the supreme throne of the Lyu family, my father is now doing everything possible to find external help to expand his strength.
"To achieve his goal, he wants to use my dozens of siblings to form a business marriage alliance. There's no way he would let go of a rising superstar like you."
"I see …"
Meng Chao came to a realization.
It was no wonder then why Lu Fanghui was so friendly. He acted like a gold-medal salesman, and compared to the status of the chief executive of a mega corporation, he was just too proactive.
"Also, once he wins you over, it won't be as simple as gaining a powerful external help that is absolutely loyal to him. This itself will be a great achievement," Lu Siya continued.
"Many of the people in the circle know that recently, Dragon City has been in an uproar over whether to upgrade or abolish the Enclosure Act. And behind this temporary act are two even stronger forces of power. They've been fighting against each other repeatedly for the sake of Dragon City's future.
"Meng Chao, based on your background, status, and attitude, it's clear that you don't agree with continuing the implementation of the Enclosure Law.
"In a sense, you've already become a banner in the hearts of many poor children. Your words and actions will affect tens of millions of poor children in Dragon City, and it will especially affect the choices of the outstanding among them.
"At this critical juncture, if my father is able to pull you over to his side, it would be equivalent to solving a huge problem for the Nine Elites without shedding a single drop of blood. Even my grandfather would praise my father's ability to handle matters."
"Big Sis Ya, now that you've analyzed it, I understand everything," Meng Chao said.
"But isn't your analysis a little too thorough? Isn't it a little …"
'You're siding with an outsider?'
"I have no choice. I don't want to betray my father either, but this Gray Fox has underestimated you."
Lu Siya spread her arms and said in a rather resigned manner, "Even though you act muddle-headed and don't care about a lot of things, no one knows better than me that it's just a facade. Or rather, you think that 'small things' like glory and wealth aren't worth it for other people to fight over. You just need to use your brains and think about it seriously.
"Once you run into something you're interested in or something you think is important, your instincts and analytical abilities will be even more terrifying than mine, even though I'm a Spirit Sensor.
"So, even if I don't tell you the truth, before long, you will figure out my father's motives and plans.
"If you figure it out yourself, you will inevitably feel like you've been deceived and used. You will hate my father and me. We're the best partners, and I don't want such a small matter to affect our friendship and business, so I might as well tell you everything. Perhaps you won't be as angry because of me."
"I wasn't angry to begin with."
Meng Chao thought about it and said, "Uncle Lu, you said it too suddenly. I wasn't prepared for it, so I didn't have time to get angry."
"That's good."
Lu Siya sighed in relief and continued, "My father has indeed gone overboard in this matter. Our friendship is something between the two of us. Even if we really want to use our friendship for greater benefits, we should be the ones who benefit from it. Once I benefit from it, I'm willing to give a portion of the pie to my father. This is my filial piety, but I won't give it to him. He can't lie to me, and he can't snatch it from me. Don't you think so?"
Meng Chao frowned a little and said, "Even though it sounds strange, the logic behind it seems to be correct."
"So, you can be at ease. If you don't want to, we can stop here," Lu Siya said.
"Tomorrow morning … No, later, when we go down the mountain, I'll go to my dad and tell him clearly. I'll make sure that he won't harass you anymore. He wants to become the supreme ruler of the Lu family and Sky Pillar Corporation. This isn't a bad thing, and we can support him, but the bottom line is that he can't affect our cooperation and relationship, right?"
"That's right … Wait, that doesn't seem right."
Meng Chao keenly caught the underlying meaning in Lu Siya's words. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Siya. "Big Sis Ya, you just said that if I don't want to, we can stop here. But shouldn't this sort of thing only be carried out if both parties are willing? Are you saying that I can do whatever I want without considering your feelings? "
"Me?"
Lu Siya said calmly. "I'm fine with it!"
"Huh?"
Meng Chao was shocked. He instinctively crossed his arms and stuttered, "Big Sis Ya, um … Even though our backgrounds, standpoints, and the things we pursue are slightly different, I've always treated you as my best friend …"
"Duh. Of course we're friends. What else could it be?"
Lu Siya hooked her finger at him. "Come here and listen to my explanation. I can't eat you."
Of course Meng Chao would not go over.
"You don't think that I'm an emotional, vulgar, and stupid woman, do you?"
Lu Siya frowned. "If that's what you really think, it's the greatest insult to me.
"Besides, last time, I was emotional, but someone schemed against me and tricked me into the depths of Raging Waves. They used my talent as a Spirit Sensor to search for the Red Radiance Jade mine and lured me into fighting against the mine exploration team from Universe Corporation. In the end, they even worked together with a female monster to kill me.
"Do you think that after going through all this, I'll still be able to devote even the slightest bit of my feelings to anyone?"
"I don't think so," Meng Chao said.
Meng Chao said, "Then why did you …"
"Because even though my father has his own goals, there's not much of a problem with the deal itself. To us, it'll bring quite a lot of benefits," Lu Siya said.
"Honestly, I've been thinking about this seriously over this period of time. I've been weighing the pros and cons repeatedly, calculating the costs and benefits.
"I was thinking that once the rainy season in Hidden Fog is over and our strengthened cultivation has come to an end, I would treat you to a movie or two and have a meal once we return to Dragon City. Then, I'll tell you about it slowly after you're mentally prepared.
"I didn't expect that my father would be so impatient that he even wants to lead the deal.
"Then, why don't we just talk about it and form a united front? Then, we can bargain with my father. That way, we'll be able to take the initiative."
"Wait, Big Sis Ya, I might have drunk too much Fierce Blood Dragon Scale Wine. Why do I feel so dizzy?"
Meng Chao said, "Speak slowly. Let me calm down."
"It's actually very simple," Lu Siya said nonchalantly.
"You're a person who built up your family from nothing and can decide everything on your own. It's impossible for you to understand the difficulties of being born in an aristocratic family. You can enjoy the cultivation resources and business opportunities provided by the family, but the price you have to pay is that you have to become the family's chess piece and war chariot. Business alliances and marriage are all basic operations. Before I have the power to break away from the Lu family, it's impossible for me to live my life freely.
"As long as I can get a great enough reward, I won't object to my family's marriage.
"The problem is, my situation is rather unique.
"I don't know which bastard was the first to call me the Queen Bee, but now, I'm known to everyone in the circle for being forceful, domineering, and ambitious.
"In the business world, this isn't a bad thing.
"But the outstanding members of the third generation of the nine great cultivation families are also forceful, domineering, and ambitious elites. They're not willing to marry someone like me.
"And those who can tolerate my style are all weaklings with no ambitions. It's not that I don't like them, but that I can't even be bothered to look at them.
"Besides, if I choose to marry someone from one of the nine great cultivation families, I'll inevitably end up as a buffer zone between the two families. I'll be dragged into all sorts of conflicts for benefits, both openly and covertly, and I'll be bullied by both sides.
"You know that I love fighting against others openly and covertly, but what I want is to fight against stronger enemies on a bigger stage. I don't want to waste my talent and strength on trivial matters like family trifles.
"In short, I, Lu Siya, hope that my life will be a grand fight for supremacy. It doesn't matter whether I win or lose, but it will definitely not be a boring palace fight. Meng Chao, do you understand me?"
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