Chapter 102: What's the point?

'Just a few minutes ago, I received a phone call from Governor Edwards. He told me something very interesting on the phone. He said someone broke into his vacation villa and asked him to help them against the Adams family. At the same time, that person also said that he had already united the Lowell and Lawrence families, and that the three families would sit down together in the future to discuss ways to deal with the Adams family. Who do you think would be so bold?'

Lawrence sat in his chair and looked at Zhou Ming with interest. Although Lawrence's tone was very calm, it was like a bombshell in Zhou Ming's ears, and it made his heart rise up.

Telling the congressman that he was a bank manager and the bank that he was the congressman's son-in-law. The biggest loophole in this inspirational story is the asymmetry of information. Because the congressman needs a bank manager-son-in-law, and the bank also needs a congressman-son-in-law manager. If the congressman and the bank had talked on the phone at the time, then the conditions of the story would not exist, just like what happened to Zhou Ming now.

Zhou Ming's thoughts were spinning rapidly, but before he could come up with a solution, Lawrence continued, 'In front of Governor Edwards, you said that you had united the Lowell and Lawrence families. Now you come to me and also want to say that you have united the Kennedys and Lowells. And finally, you go to the Lowells and say that you have united the families of me and the Kennedys, right?'

Zhou Ming looked at Lawrence and still didn't say anything. Lawrence laughed, 'I can't help but admire your boldness in trying to deceive us with this three-pronged approach. But you're also taking us for a bit of an idiot, aren't you? Don't you know that within the Brighton Consortium, our families are intermarried, so if there's any news, we'll all know about it very quickly?'

'Of course I know that, and it's precisely because I know that that I'm doing this,' Zhou Ming said.

Lawrence was stunned. Zhou Ming's reaction clearly took him by surprise. He had originally thought that after he had revealed his clever trick, he should be very overwhelmed and deny and explain, so why was he still so calm? Could it be that he really knew?

Under Lawrence's gaze, Zhou Ming was actually very nervous. His hands and feet were cold and stiff, and his heart was beating very fast. But at the same time, Zhou Ming was also very clear that, especially in this situation, he absolutely could not show any weakness.

Facing Lawrence's stunned expression, Zhou Ming knew that he had a chance to gamble. So he took a deep breath and said, 'I know that you, Mr. Principal, don't believe me, but to be reasonable, I don't expect you to believe me either.'

Lawrence sneered, "I hope you will stop showing off your cleverness in front of me, because it's useless.'

'Cleverness? In fact, I don't think that's the point. If you, Mr. Principal, keep focusing on cleverness, it will lead to a very biased result," Zhou Ming said.

'Really?' Lawrence said, sitting in his chair as if he were at leisure, and then turning to Zhou Ming and saying, 'Please continue. I'd like to hear what other music comes out of your mouth.'

'I'm sorry, Mr. President, but I'm not Beethoven, so I'm afraid I'll disappoint you,'

Zhou Ming first threw out such a sentence, and then picked up his mobile phone and placed it on the table: 'Compared to the Lawrence family, who controls Harvard University, I am not rich, but I still have a mobile phone. Or even someone like me has a mobile phone, then you, Mr. President, must also have a mobile phone. Through the mobile phone, what I said to Governor Edwards can be transmitted to you by pressing just a few number keys.'

Lawrence shrugged his shoulders: 'That's true, so your bet will easily fail.'

'I think I need to reiterate that I did not make any bets, and I have no intention of using lies to do anything. Since I thought that Governor Edwards would call you, I will definitely pin my hopes on that slim possibility again,' Zhou Ming said. "If you, Mr. Headmaster, continue to dwell on this issue, it will be a huge deviation and you will completely miss the point.'

'So where is the point?" Lawrence asked.

'Of course it is in the issue of aligning with or confronting the Adams family,' Zhou Ming said, 'As the centre of the Brighton Consortium, the Adams family has controlled the consortium for more than 300 years, which is very unfair to your three families. However, the Adams family is deeply rooted, and no matter which of your three families can't fight against it alone. Even if the Kennedys became the President of the United States and brought the family to the pinnacle, they still couldn't shake it.'

After saying this, Zhou Ming paused for a moment before continuing, 'The tragedy of the Kennedy family shows that the Adams family does not allow anyone to challenge his authority. But how can development avoid challenges? So there is the result now, the Lowell and Lawrence families are holed up and the Kennedys have fallen from grace. But you are also part of the Brighton consortium, so why should you be under the Adams family's feet? There is no reason for that.'

'Now that you need to challenge the Adams family, and at the same time you need to unite in order to confront it, then is the reason for this unity still so important?' asked Zhou Ming.

Lawrence was once again stunned. He looked at Zhou Ming blankly, his mind reeling.

Zhou Ming pointed his finger out the window: 'Over there is the River Charles, the mother river of this Brighton. Cambridge is upstream of the river, and Brighton is downstream. Why is it easier to transport things from Cambridge to Brighton?'

'Because the river flows from Cambridge to Brighton,' Lawrence answered along with Zhou Ming.

'That's it. In China, we have an old saying: 'pushing a boat with the current', meaning that if you push a boat in the direction of the current, it will be very easy to move. Do you understand what I mean, Mr. Principal?' Zhou Ming asked.

In response to Zhou Ming's question, Lawrence first nodded and then immediately shook his head.

Zhou Ming smiled and continued, 'It's actually quite easy to understand. First, your three families need to fight against the Adams family, but for some reason you are suspicious of each other and cannot join forces. Now that I have appeared, I and the Adams family are destined to be on opposing sides, so I can act as the middleman and unite you.'

'If I were you, Mr. President, I would definitely not expose this, but pretend to know nothing and facilitate this alliance, and finally deal with the Adams family together, because in this story I am the current, and dealing with the Adams family is the boat itself, and you just need to give it a nudge from behind and take advantage of the situation,' Zhou Ming said.

'Go with the flow?' Lawrence muttered the words in his mouth, 'but if I do what you say, won't that seem too childish?'

Zhou Ming laughed lightly, then said helplessly, 'I really feel puzzled. Mr Lawrence, how did you become the president of Harvard? Did you rely on the blessings of your family? Otherwise, why can't I grasp the point despite all my talking?'

'Point?' Lawrence looked up at Zhou Ming blankly.

'Tell me, Mr President, do you hate the Adams family? Do you want to overthrow him and lead your family to glory?' Zhou Ming suddenly asked.

Zhou Ming's words seemed to have touched a vulnerable nerve in Lawrence's heart. He immediately replied, 'Of course I want to overthrow the Adams family, that damned family, always acting condescending and arrogant. You should know that the consortium we are in and the bank we control are named Brighton, not Adams. I really hope that Lawrence will be number one!'

'So you are Mr. Principal, you are doubting your own abilities. You think that if you agree, you will be deceived by me and will be at my mercy in the future, right?' Zhou Ming asked again.

'I don't think so either. I admit that you are very brave, but there is no necessary connection between bravery and ability, and you don't have the ability to manipulate me!' Lawrence said confidently.

'So,' Zhou Ming said with both hands spread out, 'Mr. Principal, what are you still hesitating about?'

Faced with this question, Lawrence suddenly fell silent. Zhou Ming knew that he was having an intense internal struggle, so he didn't bother him at this time, but just waited quietly for the result.

At this moment, Zhou Ming felt that the air in the entire office had almost come to a standstill, and Zhou Ming also held his breath, his heart almost rising to his throat.

Time passed by minute by minute, and Ming Zhou couldn't perceive how long it had been. Just as he finally felt like he was about to forget to breathe, Lawrence on the other side finally nodded: 'I think I understand. I can pretend that nothing has happened, as long as you can convince the Lowell family that it is not impossible for the alliance to deal with the Adams family together.'

Upon receiving this answer, Ming Zhou's heart was filled with ecstasy, and he immediately wanted to howl out: Damn it, I have perfectly played this role to the end, this is really clever and exciting!

Zhou Ming could not help but be ecstatic, because he had originally planned to follow that story. It was only after Lin Muqing's reminder that he became worried, but he was completely unprepared. It wasn't until he arrived in front of Lawrence and heard that he had actually spoken to Governor Edwards on the phone that he started to say things in a hurry, without really trying to convince him.

If Zhou Ming were in an empty room at this moment, he would definitely start swaying frantically, but since Lawrence was still in front of him, he had to pretend to be confident until the end.

So Zhou Ming said, 'But there is a problem here, and that is the phone call between the university president and Governor Edwards.'

'You are worried that since I have already spoken with Governor Edwards on the phone, he will not believe in our alliance, right?' Lawrence asked Ming, who nodded in response. Lawrence laughed, 'Actually, you don't need to worry about this, because I didn't say too much to Governor Edwards on the phone, so your worries are unfounded.'

This answer came as quite a surprise to Ming, but it makes sense when you think about it. Even if it's just two ordinary businessmen talking, they won't say too much and will always leave themselves room for manoeuvre, let alone these two families.

The person who could become the president of Harvard and the governor of Massachusetts could never be an ordinary person. They must both have their own set of philosophies for dealing with things, and would not speak recklessly like children. Therefore, even if he had received something that was very unexpected, he would not directly reject it, but would always habitually leave himself some room for manoeuvre.

Of course, there was another possibility, and that was that they had originally planned to join forces, and he had just happened to appear at the right time.

'In that case, I'm relieved,' Zhou Ming said as he stood up, "I'll go to the Lowell family immediately, with the wishes of Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Edward. I hope you don't mind.'

Lawrence shook his head and said with a smile, "Since I've already made up my mind, I definitely won't mind anything. However, the Lowell family is different from me and the Candini. You need to go to Lowell City to meet the real people in charge. The one at MIT is just a tease.'

'I understand, Mr Lawrence, thank you very much.'

After thanking Lawrence, Zhou Ming left the office, while Lawrence sat in his chair watching Zhou Ming leave, until the door was shut once again. Lawrence muttered, 'Everything he said was correct, but why do I feel like I've been cheated?'