National Tide 1980.

The pamphlets that Li Xiaojiang distributed to several people in Shanghai were printed in color.

The paper is thick and the writing is clear.

The information Li Xiaojiang just mentioned is not only in this booklet, but there is also a lot of additional information.

Wang Xiulian just glanced through it and discovered that the booklet even listed which convenience stores were willing to exchange change, which clerks spoke Chinese, and which small restaurant owners were kind and provided generous portions of food.

This kind of information couldn't be more useful; it was exactly what they needed and would be very helpful in establishing themselves in Tokyo.

More importantly, the booklet also includes the name of the compiling organization, the "Mainland Compatriots Mutual Aid Association," along with detailed contact information and office address printed on the back.

It looks very professional and reliable, which makes people feel a sense of warmth and trust towards this organization.

Wang Xiulian flipped through the booklet, her fingers repeatedly stroking the bottom page printed with the contact information of the Mainland Compatriots Mutual Aid Association.

Suddenly, an idea struck her. She looked up and asked, "Comrade Li, does your Mainland Compatriots Mutual Aid program only accept people from Beijing? We...we Shanghainese are also considered Mainland Compatriots, can we join?"

"Of course. But not now."

"Why?" Wang Xiulian felt that the other party's reply was somewhat contradictory.

Li Xiaojiang stood in the aisle, holding onto the chairs on either side, and said sincerely, “The Mutual Aid Association is indeed not limited to people from Beijing. As long as you are a citizen of our Republic, a compatriot from the mainland who has come to Japan, whether for study or work, the Mutual Aid Association welcomes you. There are absolutely no restrictions based on region or identity. However, in order to ensure the effective operation of the Mutual Aid Association and avoid unnecessary waste of resources, we do have some basic requirements for those who want to join. For example, you need to pay a membership fee of two thousand yen per year. It's not much, just a token. But don't blame me for being blunt, this alone is a considerable burden for you who have just arrived in Tokyo. So, as I said before, don't rush. Find a place to settle down first, and it's not too late to apply for membership after you've established yourself.”

That's right, money is the most practical issue.

These words made the Shanghai residents a little embarrassed.

Their situation is obvious; not only are they aware of it, but others can also see that they simply do not have the financial means.

Especially since they had just arrived in Tokyo and were completely clueless, it's easy to imagine that anyone with a little money would be saving it for themselves.

"So you have to pay to join?" Amin couldn't help but click his tongue, his face full of disappointment.

"Two thousand yen, that's equivalent to one hundred yuan." The young man with glasses was also a little reluctant.

However, unlike the other two, Wang Xiulian had a longer-term perspective.

Although she had only just arrived in Tokyo, what she had experienced made her realize that the strength of this mainland compatriots mutual aid association was extraordinary, and she also had a certain degree of approval for their way of doing things.

If she could join, then she would have someone to rely on, as she was all alone in a foreign land.

So she still insisted on asking about the relevant situation.

"Once we're settled and have the money, can we pay the membership fees? Are there any other conditions?"

"As for the other conditions... since you want to know, I'll tell you."

Li Xiaojiang could tell that Wang Xiulian was genuinely interested in joining, so he continued, "Actually, the second condition is that you need to settle down first. However, this has nothing to do with money; it's that you need to rely on your own strength to survive for at least three months in Japan. This will test your survival skills and determination. After all, there's no point in staying if you can't endure hardship or adapt to life here, and joining the association would be even more pointless. It would just be a waste of money and resources, and a waste of everyone's time and energy. Right?"

"Yes, I agree with that."

The words were harsh, but the reasoning was sound, and Wang Xiulian couldn't deny the necessity of this point. "Anything else?"

"Thirdly, and most importantly, we must not break the law or violate regulations. Our members here must strictly abide by the regulations of the Japanese authorities and work and study in Japan in a down-to-earth manner. We cannot engage in industries that offer quick profits but are prohibited for foreigners. Furthermore, we must not forget our identity as Chinese people and must not do anything that damages our national dignity or betrays our compatriots. Scamming and deception are, of course, even more unacceptable."

"You must understand that the original intention of our mutual aid association is exactly what it sounds like: we, our compatriots from the Republic, hope to help each other, stick together, and improve everyone's living conditions in Japan as much as possible. Those who only want to exploit loopholes, take shortcuts, and even flirt with the law and morality are trouble in themselves. If we recruit such people into the association, we are asking for trouble. Not to mention, they dare to scheme against and bully our own compatriots. They are national traitors, and we certainly cannot tolerate such black sheep."

At this point, he changed the subject and added, "Like that Zhang Jinlong you mentioned, he doesn't meet our membership requirements. No matter how rich he is or how many years he's spent in Japan, it doesn't matter. To be honest, I've already written down how he lied to you, and I'm going to investigate. If Zhang Jinlong's name is indeed on the mutual aid association's membership list, we will expel this bad apple. Furthermore, if we find that existing members have also been harmed by him like you have, we will have to stand up for our members, search for his whereabouts, and settle accounts with him."

These words deeply moved and excited Wang Xiulian.

"Comrade Li, do you mean that if we join the mutual aid society in the future and also find Zhang Jinlong's whereabouts in Tokyo, the mutual aid society will also stand up for us and seek justice?"

"Of course. That's the very reason our Mainland Compatriots Mutual Aid Association exists. To protect everyone's legitimate rights and interests, to protect everyone from harm and bullying by bad people, so that everyone can live more peacefully in Japan and strive for a more dignified life. Not to mention a shady agency like this. Even if a Japanese language school or a Japanese business owner harms our members, the Mutual Aid Association will stand up for them. We'll even go to court in Japan if necessary. But the premise is that our members themselves are innocent and are the victims."

Li Xiaojiang's words were filled with unwavering determination and displayed a confident and well-prepared attitude.

It's easy to imagine the effect these words would have on some people who have suffered bullying and thought they could only swallow their anger and accept their bad luck.

Before Wang Xiulian could speak, A-Ming interjected, "Brother, does this mutual aid association really have that much power in Japan? Seriously, take Zhang Ti-Bo, for example. He's not someone to be trifled with; he's a shameless scoundrel who doesn't keep his word. That kind of person is like chewing gum—they're not afraid of anything. Getting him to apologize and admit his mistakes is like trying to climb to heaven; getting him to return even a portion of the money is even more impossible. It'll probably take the sun rising in the west for that to happen."

Faced with his questioning, Li Xiaojiang simply smiled calmly, appearing completely unconcerned.

"You don't believe me because you don't know enough about our mutual aid association. You don't understand the immense power that comes from the unity of us. Let me put it this way. Although our mutual aid association has only been established for less than two years and its focus is currently limited to Tokyo, it has been continuously expanding. At present, the association has gained the recognition of more than 2,000 compatriots in Japan, and has nearly 1,800 official members in Tokyo. Our members come from all walks of life and have a wide network of contacts. Now we not only have our own full-time lawyers, but we also have the power of the media to leverage."

"Believe it or not, six months ago, our mutual aid association successfully helped two Shandong members who were injured at a construction site to obtain compensation from an unscrupulous Japanese boss. Three months ago, our association helped more than a dozen of our members sue a poorly qualified language school, not only getting the school to refund unreasonable fees but also forcing it to close down. Last month, some members' Japanese neighbors were always bothering them because they came home late from work. Our mutual aid association also intervened and mediated, successfully resolving the neighborhood conflict. This is the power of our mutual aid association."

These words even resonated with other people in the capital.

"Yes, we who have left our homes must unite. Only by uniting can we have strength and avoid being bullied or mistreated."

"That's why it's so good to have an organization. With someone like this to rely on, we all feel much more at ease in Tokyo."

"Come on, you're speaking too soon. You're not a member yet. If you want to join, you'll have to stick around for three months first..."

This dispelled Amin's doubts about the mutual aid society's legitimacy, but he couldn't help but be amazed by it once again.

He said to Li Xiaojiang, "Brother, you just said this mutual aid association has only been established for less than two years? Is that true?"

"Why would I lie to you? The mutual aid society only officially started operating after the New Year last year. Initially, there were fewer than a hundred members. So from that perspective, all of you who have come to Tokyo are lucky. You met me and learned about the mutual aid society as soon as you arrived in Tokyo. When I came here, there was no such organization."

To his surprise, the bespectacled young man disagreed. He looked extremely frustrated, repeatedly slapping his thigh, "If I had known about this mutual aid society, who would have gone through that shady agency? Come on, brother, don't make fun of us. We've been swindled out of so much money; how can we call ourselves lucky? If we had gone through you, we could have saved at least ten thousand yuan. We wouldn't be in this miserable state now."

As a result, without Li Xiaojiang needing to explain, many people in the capital couldn't help but burst into laughter at his words, and they all started laughing.

“Young man, what you’re saying doesn’t make sense. You’re all from Shanghai, not Beijing. How can Xiao Jiang possibly help you?”

"Yes, Xiao Jiang's agency services are limited to Beijing. Unless you're from Beijing, people from anywhere else in the country probably only find out about the Mainland Compatriots Mutual Aid Association after they come here. You're already doing well enough, be content."

“Hey buddy, if you’re going to blame someone, don’t blame Brother Li. You should blame the big boss of Pierre Cardin. He’s the one who started this mutual aid society, and he’s the main investor. If he could open a company in Shanghai that handles emigration procedures, you wouldn’t have been scammed.”

It must be said that when these words reached the ears of several Shanghai residents, they looked at each other in bewilderment, becoming even more surprised.

"What Pierre Cardin? What does that have to do with high-end French clothing?"

"Shouldn't the big boss of Pierre Cardin be that old Frenchman? What does he have to do with our immigration procedures?"

"What? The mutual aid society is actually a private organization, not an officially established one? What kind of mainland Chinese mutual aid society would a Frenchman run? This makes absolutely no sense..."

So, Li Xiaojiang's mouth, which had been dry from talking, had to be opened again after taking a few sips of water.

He had no choice but to clean up the mess for his gossipy fellow villagers.

In this way, several Shanghai residents learned from Li Xiaojiang about the initial establishment and reasons for the mutual aid association.

Learn about the business legend that Ning Weimin, who married the famous actress Keiko Matsumoto, achieved in Tokyo, a source of pride for many Beijing residents.

They also learned that they had only seen the tip of the iceberg of the mutual aid society's benefits.

In fact, besides what Li Xiaojiang mentioned, the mutual aid association not only provides members with super cheap daily necessities and low-cost food, but also takes the initiative to help outstanding members find jobs.

Now, the Shanghai residents were genuinely envious of these Beijing residents.

Look at the capital city, it truly is a land of outstanding people and talents, producing such an extraordinary figure.

How come Shanghai has been outdone by others? Why hasn't anyone as remarkable emerged in Tokyo?

At the same time, they naturally wanted to join this mutual aid society even more.

Joining them not only provides them with a sense of security but also brings them substantial benefits.

For these shrewd Shanghainese, it goes without saying how worthwhile this deal was.

Therefore, not only did Wang Xiulian carefully keep the booklet that Li Xiaojiang gave her, but A Ming and another young man also no longer cared about paying the membership fee. They both treated the booklet like a treasure, looking forward to becoming members after three months of persistence.

Relaxed times always pass quickly, and before they knew it, more than an hour had gone by.

As the bus slowly pulled into Shinjuku Station, neon lights shone through the windows, illuminating everyone's faces. Only then did the group of Shanghainese realize that they had arrived at their destination and that it was time to say goodbye.

Li Xiaojiang was the first to jump out of the car and help them drag the heavy canvas bags out of their suitcases.

That wasn't all. When he walked up to Wang Xiulian, he suddenly pulled out a wad of Japanese yen from his pocket and shoved it into her hand—it was the 8,100 yen they had just paid.

"Comrade Li, what... what do you mean? Ah, no, no, this won't do!"

Startled for a moment, Wang Xiulian quickly pushed the money back, her face flushed with urgency. "We agreed that the fare should be paid; we can't just ride in your car for free."

"Take it!"

Unexpectedly, Li Xiaojiang pressed the money into her pocket, his tone resolute, "I asked you for money earlier because I was afraid some unscrupulous people would take advantage of the situation—to tell you the truth, quite a few people from the mainland have come up to us after seeing the mutual aid association sign on our bus. Many of them could have taken the airport shuttle, but they deliberately acted pitiful, trying to hitch a free ride and take advantage of others. But you are different. We've talked so much on the bus, and I already know that you've really been scammed by the agency and that you genuinely need help."

At this point, he pointed to Wang Xiulian and said, "Especially you, you're willing to pay for the money for a fellow villager you just met. That kind of heart is more precious than anything else. Our mutual aid association helps honest people like you. Take this money, it'll be enough for your accommodation. Besides paying for today's room, it should also be enough for a meal."

Then, he took out a business card and handed it to Wang Xiulian. “Let’s get to know each other again. I am Li Xiaojiang, one of the vice presidents of the mutual aid association and the representative in Beijing. When you go to the hotel I’ll point out, if you can’t get along with the owner, just have him call me at this number and I’ll talk to him. Also, if you encounter Japanese police, don’t be nervous. You all have legal status. At worst, you can ask the police to give me their phone number.”

Wang Xiulian clutched the stack of Japanese yen in one hand and held Li Xiaojiang's business card in the other. Tears finally streamed down her face. She wiped her face and choked out, "Comrade Li, no, Chairman Li, we...we don't know how to thank you enough. You've helped us so much along the way."

Amin and the bespectacled young man also had tears in their eyes. They had been treated coldly by their fellow countrymen at the airport, but they never expected to receive such warm hospitality from strangers in Beijing.

The cold wind outside the car was still howling, swirling snowflakes that pelted the glass, but the people inside felt warm inside.

Li Xiaojiang boarded the bus again, waving goodbye to them. He spoke in a particularly hearty Beijing accent, "We're all on the same side, so don't be shy! Do your best in Tokyo. If you encounter any difficulties, just let me know. When we're out there, we have to stick together and help each other out!"

As the bus drove away, the people from Beijing on board leaned out to wave, and those in baseball caps shouted back, "See you again sometime! Take care!"

Wang Xiulian watched the bus's taillights recede into the distance, clutching the business card and money tightly in her hand.

They didn't ask for any money, not a single penny!

The neon lights of Shinjuku were dazzling, but for the first time, she felt that this unfamiliar Tokyo was not a place full of unknowns and fear.

Amin patted her on the shoulder, his tone now more confident, "Sister, let's go quickly. These people are truly kind. Once we find a place to stay for the night, we'll report for duty tomorrow. I believe that we can definitely make a name for ourselves in Japan!"

The young man with glasses pushed up his glasses and said with a smile, "I think so too. We also have a mutual aid association, so we're not fighting alone. If we join the mutual aid association in the future, life will definitely get better and better, and maybe we'll even have the capacity to help other compatriots who come to Japan."

The three of them, carrying their luggage, walked step by step into the night of Shinjuku, heading towards the station that Li Xiaojiang had pointed out to them.

The cold wind was still blowing, but their steps were much steadyer than at the airport—because they knew that in this foreign land, there was a group of compatriots speaking different dialects who were experiencing the same joys and sorrows as them.

And there will always be an organization called the "Mainland Compatriots Mutual Aid Association," which you can call for help in the most critical moments. Their doors will always be open, and a warm light will always be shining for them. (End of Chapter)