National Tide 1980.

Chiemi was quite familiar with Maria's style of keeping her word and her uncompromising queenly personality.

So she knew that if Maria, who seemed cold on the outside but was warm on the inside, said she would introduce customers to the store, she would definitely come.

Furthermore, it can be concluded that the guest introduced by Maria was definitely not an ordinary small business owner.

Chie Mi even concluded that Maria treated her differently because of this incident.

Because, under normal circumstances, although Maria would take care of every madam who left Akasha, her efforts to bring customers to new stores usually stopped three months after the new stores opened.

To date, I have never heard of any madam who has separated from Akasha and is still receiving clients introduced by Maria more than three months later, just like myself.

In particular, the madam who spun off from Chixia is not just herself; almost every store has some shareholding invested in by Chixia.

Why does Maria deliberately favor this good-for-nothing madam instead of taking her customers to other more profitable establishments?

Even considering the distance between the shops, this doesn't hold true.

In Chiemi's opinion, there is perhaps only one logical answer: Maria is a sentimental person, and she is paying special attention to Chiemi's business performance because of her contributions to Chiemi's shop for a year.

She has never forgotten me; she must have recently realized her business was struggling, which is why she took the initiative to help me.

The thought that she was so important to her idol and that she was being quietly watched over made Chie feel an indescribable sense of relaxation and peace of mind.

Therefore, she was fully prepared and made all the necessary arrangements, including the details of the store, determined to leave a lasting and positive impression on this customer no matter what.

I absolutely cannot lose face and let Maria down.

However, what happened next was somewhat beyond expectations.

Around 8:50 p.m., the guest whom Maria had notified in advance did indeed arrive.

Surprisingly, the guest came to the door on his own, without Maria accompanying him.

This is actually quite unusual and does not conform to the custom of Ginza madams introducing customers to each other.

"Hello, excuse my intrusion, but are you the madam here?"

"Yes, I am the madam here, Chie Mi. May I ask what brings you here?"

"Well, I had arranged to meet Sang Maria, Akagami's mother, here, so I'm bothering you. She should have already informed me, right?"

"Ah, yes, welcome. May I ask your surname and how I should address you?"

"My surname is Mihara. I'm sorry, I just retired recently, so business cards and titles are meaningless to me now..."

"Not at all, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mihara-san. Please come with me..."

While greeting her attentively, Chiemi cautiously observed the other person, but at the same time, her mood was rapidly sinking.

For no other reason than that this guest looked particularly unremarkable.

He had gray hair and looked to be over sixty years old. He was not tall, had deep-set eyes, and was a thin, bony old man.

Although his clothes were decent enough, he was by no means extremely wealthy, and his manner of speaking was neither that of a businessman nor a company executive.

To Chie, this man who called himself Mihara was clearly a guest of dubious identity.

Based on her experience, it was somewhat unsettling that she couldn't discern the other person's background from their appearance.

Moreover, the other party was humble in demeanor, looked listless, and had bloodshot eyes.

He also claimed to be retired and had no official title, making him seem like a down-on-his-luck person.

People like this are everywhere in Tokyo now, either they've lost a lot of money in the stock market or they're stuck with real estate.

This was confirmed after we sat down, because the other person only dared to order beer and didn't even dare to mention whiskey.

They were probably worried that the cost of living here was too high, with tens of thousands of yen being spent in no time.

Such shabby appearance was not even worthy of his rather expensive attire.

In short, apart from his relatively refined speech and behavior, there was nothing likable about this Mihara-san.

Lacking both beauty and wealth, Chie Mi became even more perplexed.

She really couldn't understand why someone like this deserved Maria's special call and earnest request.

However, Chie Mi does have one redeeming quality: she keeps her promises.

She felt that since she had already made an agreement with Maria, there was no way she could go back on her word.

Although the guest seemed to have no value worth flattering, she still prepared a lavish meal as planned to save face for Maria.

Of course, no beer was served to the other person.

She stated that it was a restaurant's treat, and still served the prepared Hennessy XO and a sumptuous selection of snacks.

He personally sat with her for twenty minutes and had a drink with her before handing her over to other female public relations staff.

Perhaps it was a reward for keeping her promise; although her arrangements seemed somewhat superfluous, they were not in vain.

At nine o'clock in the evening, Maria, who was a little late, finally arrived at Peony.

When she saw her invited guests sitting in a spacious booth, drinking expensive cognac and chatting happily with the hostess, she smiled with satisfaction.

After showing herself, Maria whispered with Mihara-san for half an hour before turning away to find Chiemi at the bar and express her appreciation for her hospitality in person.

"Chiemi, you did a great job, you didn't embarrass me."

"Oh, Madam, it's nothing. I should be thanking you for your long-term care and for introducing me to guests."

"Oh? It seems you're quite satisfied with the guest I introduced today?"

Chiemi, who was only being polite, was taken aback when she heard these teasing words.

She never expected Maria to ask that question so suddenly.

She looked up to observe the other person's expression, which was full of laughter. It didn't seem like mockery, but just a simple joke, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Of course, at the same time, I also realized something.

She wasn't stupid; with her intelligence, she instinctively realized that things might not be as simple as they seemed.

On second thought, she deliberately adopted a submissive demeanor and said without any resentment, "The madam's orders are always justified. As far as I know, you have never made a mistake. How could I doubt your arrangements? This customer must have some advantages that most people don't see, right? Besides, without you, how could I possibly open my own shop? I will never forget your kindness. I would treat anyone you introduce as a VIP."

Sure enough, she guessed right.

Her airtight words not only pleased Maria but also revealed relevant information about the guest to her.

"To be honest, this guest is indeed a bit unusual. Don't let his current down-on-his-luck appearance fool you; you'd never guess that before he retired, he was actually a very respectable socialite..."

"Could it be a university professor?" Chiemi guessed, based on the clues.

"No, he was a musician, and not just any musician. He was the executive director of the Composers' Association and the chairman of the Record Awards judging committee."

"Huh? A record award? Is it some famous music award?"

Chiemi couldn't help but be surprised, since any Japanese person who loves music knows the significance of the Japan Record Awards.

And this Mr. Mihara's identity is almost equivalent to the award's creator.

It's estimated that singers all over Japan had hoped to get in touch with him.

"Yes, it's that record award. But he likes to invest in art, and he's put almost all his savings into it. You should know that the art market has collapsed now, which is why he's become penniless. Especially since he got involved with the fraudulent Ximan Company when he was buying and selling art, he was implicated in the investigation and was eventually forced to resign due to reputational issues. You can tell from his appearance that a lot has happened to him."

Maria didn't ramble on or explain too much to Chiemi.

However, the phrase "many things happened" conceals the bleak and turbulent life of Masahide Mihara.

Thus, the expression "you can't judge a book by its cover" inevitably appeared on Chiemi's face.

"As expected of the madam, even the guests you casually bring are such important figures? Is he a past client of yours?" "No, not at all. To be honest, my connection with this Mr. Mihara is all thanks to Chairman Ning's introduction. Chairman Ning values ​​Mr. Mihara's understanding of the Japanese art market and his connections at the corresponding social level. Chairman Ning has already asked me to hire Mr. Mihara as an art consultant for him. When Chairman Ning returns in a few days, he will definitely use him to contact those companies and galleries facing economic difficulties and purchase some valuable artworks at low prices. So don't be fooled by the fact that Mr. Mihara seems to have nothing now. As Chairman Ning's intermediary, he should soon be rich again. And I must remind you, dealing with this kind of high-end art business naturally requires frequent socializing. To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that Akasaka is so busy and the environment is rather noisy, I would be reluctant to give up such a long-term and stable client. So, do you understand what I mean..."

A smart person would understand immediately, and Chie was overjoyed.

With gratitude in her heart, she took Maria's hand, unable to contain her excitement, and even said in a slightly coquettish tone.

“Madam, you really are looking out for me. You’re so kind to me.”

Maria might have been a bit too indulgent with her, for she was now holding Chiemi's hand and saying quite affectionately, "Chiemi, I take care of you because you're so wonderful. Do you know what I like most about you?"

Then, without waiting for a reply, he said, "You are very well-behaved, very eloquent, and act with propriety. You are never arrogant, so not only are most men infatuated with you, but I have always had high hopes for you. I trust you with anything I entrust to you. Just like today, even with doubts, you did what I asked, so this is what you deserve."

Chiemi, however, dared not accept such praise and shook her head with great self-awareness.

"You flatter me. I'm actually a bit slow-witted and lack my own opinions. I'm where I am today all thanks to your guidance. Madam is not only my best teacher but also my idol in my career. If it weren't for your careful instruction, I probably wouldn't even be able to handle ordinary customers, let alone open a shop in Ginza."

Who doesn't like someone who is grateful and eloquent?
Maria's tone grew even softer, "No need to be so modest. Your personality has a unique charm. No wonder so many men are captivated by you and can't forget you. A woman like you is the ideal woman in a man's heart. You may not have realized it yet, but your personality is actually more attractive than your beautiful appearance..."

At this moment, Chiemi didn't know whether she was being praised or simply happy.

Her face began to flush, and she became even more shy.

And the more she looked at her, the more pleasing she became, and the more Maria liked her.

The matter had already been explained clearly and should have ended there, but I couldn't help but say a few more extra words.

"...However, while these are your advantages, they're only enough to barely establish yourself in Ginza; a comfortable life is still a long way off. If you truly want to become the madam of Ginza's most popular club, to have your club packed with VIPs who spend money like water every day, and to earn a fortune that will make others take notice, then you'll need extraordinary vision and unconventional business acumen. Simply relying on personal charm to win men's hearts isn't enough, because that will always leave you in a 'pretty face' situation. You need to become more useful."

Chiemi was indeed sensible; she had just seen Maria take a slender women's cigarette out of the cigarette case.

Before Maria could even put it in her mouth, she had already taken a match from the shop and lit one for her.

And when she carefully handed the match to Mary and said, "Please do not hesitate to teach me,"

The timing of lighting the cigarette was perfect.

This gave Maria, who was exhaling smoke, a considerable emotional satisfaction. She really couldn't help but like this attentive apprentice, so she simply revealed the most crucial business secret.

"Chiemi, you should be aware of the current economic situation outside, right?"

"Yes, Mama-san is talking about the stock market and real estate crash, right?"

"Has your store's business been greatly affected recently?"

"It's alright. Although customers are spending less, the customer traffic is still barely acceptable."

"Then I'd like to test you. What are your customers most concerned about right now? And what are the topics they always discuss when they meet these days?"

"Hmm...it's probably mostly due to the different operational difficulties their respective companies are facing. Or...it's related to insufficient funds, and also debt problems..."

Looking at the three or four tables of customers sitting together, almost all of them whispering to each other, Chie could easily discern the clues from their worried expressions and the frequent use of economic terms.

Maria agreed with her.

“That’s right. See, you know exactly what these people want most right now.”

However, what Maria said next was rather frightening.

"But...have you considered that this situation, given the current state of affairs and society, also presents an opportunity for us? Besides being a 'family member' to our guests, there's another role we can play. Have you considered that perhaps what we can do for our guests isn't just offering verbal comfort? But rather, based on their needs, we can try to solve their most pressing and difficult problems, providing services similar to those of a middleman or broker..."

"What does Mama-san mean..." Chiemi was stunned. "Do you think we can interfere with our customers' work and meddle in their careers? Is that really okay?"

"Why not?"

Maria didn't seem to care, and smiled with her eyes narrowed.

"For example, right now, most business owners are worried because of bank investigations and tight credit. They desperately need financing but can't find a way to solve their problems. Don't you have any clients in finance? Perhaps they can provide alternative financing channels? If we can really make an exception, wouldn't that solve the predicament for some people? For us, this is a win-win situation for both sides. Isn't it worth a try? And clients won over this way are the most stable. Like the Sanyuan-san I brought to you, precisely because of this special reason, if he has social needs, he will only come to your Mudan in the future. This is truly valuable personal interaction. I can also tell you that even though the overall economic environment is so bad right now, Chixia's performance has actually increased, and my liquor store has also made more money..."

"That's true, but... but these kinds of things are risky... what if things go wrong and we end up pleasing neither side and offending the customers instead..."

Chie Mi still couldn't quite accept it; she instinctively resisted things that were unfamiliar.

However, Maria saw through her timidity. "Risks and such are just excuses for not wanting to put in the effort. Judging from your concerns, I know you haven't fully grasped the biggest advantage of our industry, let alone how to utilize it effectively. Do you really think that the easiest way to make money in a club in Ginza is by exploiting customers' emotions to sell drinks? You're too naive. Take a good look here; the most valuable item in your shop is precisely intelligence..."

"Intelligence?" Chiemi was a little confused at first.

"That's right, there are no poor people in places like this; every customer has their own value. And who understands these customers best? Of course, it's us madams. If we connect those with needs to those who can provide them, guess how much profit we'll generate? Chiemi, you should have seen the TV series 'Black Leather Notebook,' which was filmed at the location of Akakasa by the Mist Studio, right? Think about it. Although that drama depicts the dark side of human nature, with the madams extorting money through information, it also realistically reflects the characteristics of this industry. We madams possess such excellent resources; we can make better use of these interpersonal relationships. To put it bluntly, Ginza nightclubs, for the kind-hearted..." For a madam running a business, it shouldn't just be a place for customers to vent and drink—that would be a waste. Instead, it should be a place for social interaction and transactions. The subject of these transactions is each customer's specific, actual needs. Moreover, this business won't incur any additional costs, and whether or not to offer matchmaking services is entirely up to us. We just need to pay closer attention to our customers and try to record any information they unintentionally or intentionally reveal. If you do this, the current social unrest won't harm you anymore; instead, it will be an opportunity. I might even tell you that it's precisely because of this that Chairman Ning is determined to make Chixia a school for training madams in Ginza, and to open Tongyuan nightclubs all over Ginza…”

Now Maria had made the issue crystal clear, but the information she revealed was also quite bold.

Chiemi couldn't help but swallow hard.

She truly never imagined that this business could be operated in this way, let alone that Ning Weimin had such great ambitions.

Even Maria would use the "Black Leather Notebook" as a metaphor, which is the same image.

The new "game" unfolding before her was both exciting and tempting.

At the same time, it also seemed a little dangerous, making people wary.

But regardless, it must be said that Chiemi's understanding has indeed improved significantly.

She now understood a little why Chixia's business was so good.

What Mary brought to her today must be the key lesson that taught her this trick.

She will definitely remember this open and honest friendship.

“Madam, your words have truly broadened my horizons. I understand now. Thank you so much for your advice; I will try my best to give it a shot. However, I lack the relevant experience, and to be honest, I'm quite unsure of myself. So, if I encounter any difficulties, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you for help again…”

However, Maria showed no disdain for Chiemi's lack of confidence.

Perhaps every teacher prefers a student like her.

In fact, Maria not only readily agreed to her request, like an older sister to her younger sister, reaching out to pinch Chiemi's cheek, but also subsequently inquired about Chiemi's financial situation.

"Are you short of money at your shop right now? If you need it, you can come to me tomorrow to get a check, whether it's twenty million or thirty million, I can write it for you. Do you want to borrow it?"

Chie-mi never expected that Maria would actually offer to lend her money.

This is something that would absolutely never happen between Japanese people, not even between close relatives, she shook her head repeatedly.

"No, no, it's not necessary. The shop is doing alright for now, and I don't have many other expenses. Thank you for your kindness..."

"Is that really true? Are you sure?"

Chiemi was initially certain, but when her eyes met Maria's burning gaze, which looked down at her like a queen, she became somewhat insecure again.

"Madam, so you mean..."

"Chiemi, I'm really thinking of you. You should think about this carefully. Businesses are struggling to get funding right now, so how many ordinary people have lost all their money in the stock market and real estate? Do you remember when the economy was booming? How many top hostesses in Ginza thought they could easily make money in the stock market and left the industry? Guess what they're thinking now? I see your shop is a bit short-staffed. Don't you want to hire a few excellent hostesses to help? But then again, top-tier hostesses are never cheap. Even though there's a good opportunity to poach them soon, you'll need to have enough capital..."

If we were to express a student's admiration for their teacher with a score of 100, that would be a perfect score.

So now Chiemi has one hundred and twenty percent reverence for Maria.

It was like an epiphany.

I learned so much today.

Chie Mei genuinely believed that even if she gained a hundred generous customers for free, it wouldn't be as valuable as the few words of advice Maria had given her today.

Of course, we also have to thank the incredibly resourceful Chairman Ning.

Without Chairman Ning, there would be no Chixia.

In any case, Chie-mi has now shaken off her pessimistic mood and, thanks to Maria, has truly come to understand the dual meaning of the word "crisis".

A crisis is not just a risk; it also contains opportunities. (End of Chapter)