Chapter 131: Zhou Yanran's Choice

Once the meal had concluded, Gao Yaguang began to discuss the purpose of his visit, and it was only then that Su Bai realized the truth.

The man wanted to acquire him!

Acquisition was out of the question, but a partnership? That was another matter entirely.

"Mr. Gao, to be honest, I am currently planning to partner with Xingyue Media to establish a new company, and I will be signing on as an artist for this entity," Su Bai stated. "If Tengfei Group is genuinely interested, you could invest in this venture. As for Tiancheng Entertainment, there is truly nothing there worth investing in. By the time this is finalized, I will have already left Tiancheng and signed with the new company."

Upon hearing this, the group, including Gao Yaguang, looked at Su Bai with surprise, stealing a glance at Wang Lin as they did. It appeared her intelligence-gathering had been subpar; such significant news had only come to light once they were already at the negotiating table. This was a tactical failure.

In truth, it was hardly Wang Lin's fault—Su Bai hadn't told a soul. Only he and Song Liang were in the loop; even Zhou Yang was unaware. Su Bai preferred to keep things quiet until they were set in stone.

Gao Yaguang quickly weighed the possibilities in his mind. He was familiar with Xingyue Media; it was a legacy entertainment company, though it had suffered from a severe exodus of talent in recent years. If it didn't find a way to reinvent itself, it would soon be pushed out of the industry entirely. He hadn't expected them to reach out to Su Bai first. Originally, Gao had envisioned Tengfei Entertainment, a subsidiary of Tengfei Group, as the primary capital force behind Su Bai, which would have allowed them to maximize profits. Now, however, there was someone else looking to grab a slice of the pie.

Still, partnering with Xingyue Media wasn't a bad idea; their resources were well-known. Gao Yaguang extended a hand with a chuckle. "Then, shall we wish each other a pleasant cooperation?"

Su Bai was stunned. Was it really that simple? He had only used that excuse as a pretext, expecting the other side to suggest "taking some time to consider," especially given the involvement of a third party. Yet, Gao had jumped straight to "pleasant cooperation." It left Su Bai bewildered—did he not need to consult with Xingyue Media first?

However, Su Bai quickly realized something: with Tengfei Entertainment involved, this partnership would be far more secure than if he were dealing with Xingyue Media alone. If Tengfei were part of the equation, Xingyue would think twice before trying to pull the rug out from under him. Tengfei Entertainment wasn't like him—a lone wolf without backing or capital. If someone bullied him, he might have no recourse, but if someone tried to bully the Tengfei Group? People would just ask if they had lost their minds.

Having processed this, Su Bai smiled. "Let’s hope for a pleasant cooperation."

Neither man touched upon the specifics of how they would work together. They shared a tacit understanding that it wasn't the right time for such details. Reaching a preliminary consensus was already half the battle; the rest would be handled by specialized teams later.

Gao Yaguang turned his gaze to Wang Lin with a smile. "Wang Lin, would you be interested in leaving 'Battle King' and coming to work over here?"

Everyone at the table looked at Gao with confusion, including Wang Lin. She had no idea what he was planning, but as a possibility crossed her mind, her heart began to race. "If you have a suitable position for me, Mr. Gao, I'd be interested. But whether I can leave 'Battle King' isn't up to me—you'd have to speak with Mr. Yao."

Gao Yaguang saw the flicker of interest in her eyes. "You’ve been the one handling the contact with Su Bai all along. I think it’s best if you continue to follow this new company project. I’ll handle the communication with Mr. Yao."

Wang Lin nodded happily, a sweet smile spreading across her face. She wondered to herself: does this mean I'll be working alongside Su Bai in the future? Ever since the misunderstanding between them had been cleared, she had found herself looking forward to their interactions. She couldn't explain the feeling, but she couldn't suppress it either. Perhaps she just wanted to redeem her image in the eyes of her future business partner.

***

When Zhou Yanran received Su Bai’s message about discussing a partnership, she was ecstatic, but soon after, she fell into a state of indecision. She paced back and forth in her room, her hands clenching and unclenching, a testament to her inner conflict and anxiety. Finally, she reached for her phone, only to let her hand hover in mid-air. After a long moment of hesitation, she set it back down and began to frantically run her hands through her hair, ruining her once-neat style.

Her father's words echoed in her mind: "Yanran, Xingyue Media is yours now; I am officially retiring. Remember, in everything you do, you must answer to your conscience. You must never fill your own pockets at the expense of others. Heaven is watching. Gains made through illicit means may bring temporary profit, but they will be reclaimed with interest sooner or later."

At the time, she had patted her chest and promised, "Don't worry, Dad. You know what kind of person I am. I would never do anything to hurt others for my own gain." Zhou Wenbin had handed over the company with a smile, trusting her character. In the years since, she had held true to his words.

Yet, she knew Xingyue Media was crumbling. If she didn't take action, the empire her father had spent twenty years building would collapse overnight. That was why she had chosen to partner with Su Bai. But even that wasn't a guarantee of revival, and she couldn't be sure if they would face suppression from Su Bai's enemies.

Now, someone—she didn't know who—had offered massive resources on the condition that she ruin Su Bai. They wanted her to set a trap using the new company to bind him completely. She wouldn't have to do anything herself; she would simply need to secure him, and in return, she would receive vast resources. She knew that a powerful capital force could easily destroy an artist, leaving them with no means to fight back if they were sufficiently constrained.

She was torn. On one side was the rebirth of a dying Xingyue Media; on the other was her father’s trust and her own conscience. She did not know which way to turn.