No, I don't think so. And it sounds like you might not have heard of China. [Either version of it. Well, he'd be very surprised if he'd ever heard of the version in his novel. There's no way he'd run into another reader here, the way he did back in the novel world.

He slides the dish of spicy beef over in invitation to try; he's had some already, and while hot, it was absolutely delicious.] Well, providing food for your kidnapping victims is bare minimum, isn't it? Since it isn't as if any of us chose to be here. [Though, he guesses he has a point. Shang Qinghua has been so broke he was living off the cheapest of the cheap instant noodles before, and then he's been so broke he was living off... whatever scraps he could get his hands on. It's been a while, though. Those days feel more distant.] The straits aren't dire, maybe. Is where you came from much worse than this?

[Ah. He asks about writing, and Shang Qinghua shakes his head. That's a lie, but it's been a while since he's actually written anything.] An avid reader.