Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 380 Do you use this to test cadres?

"It's really comfortable to soak in hot springs in this season!" Zhang Chao lay in the hot spring pool in the backyard of Qingjiyuan, enjoying the relaxing feeling of the white mist curling in front of him.

In early November in Tokyo, the night temperature can drop to 11 or 7 degrees, which is quite chilly but not so cold that people's feet will tremble. It is just right for Zhang Chao, a southerner.

Although I stayed here during my previous visits to Japan, the weather was either too cold or too hot, and the hot spring experience was never very good. This time, I finally encountered suitable good weather.

Unfortunately, the "female general" serving him here this time is no longer Ogiwara Miho, but a woman named "Akiyama Natsuko", who is younger and more beautiful than Ogiwara Miho - and of course, more loyal to Kadokawa Shoten.

Zhang Chao was not surprised by this result. The last time, Ogiwara Miho got two bodyguards drunk and caused him to escape from Seigokuin, which later caused such a big "trouble". For a traditional Japanese like Kadokawa Koyomi, this was an unforgivable sin. Asking her to resign voluntarily instead of directly firing her was already a result of giving Zhang Chao face.

Zhang Chao did not treat Ogiwara Miho badly. It happened that Huang Jiefu was preparing to set up a Japanese branch of "Tide Culture", and he directly recommended Ogiwara Miho to the company, and she has now started working.

After all, there are not many Japanese women who are as proficient in English as Ogiwara Miho and have a certain level of professionalism. The preparation work for the Japanese branch is complicated and complex, which is a good test of her ability. If she is qualified, it is okay to let her take charge.

Zhang Chao also had a hidden evil interest in his heart: when the time comes, he would let Ogiwara Miho be responsible for the connection with Kadokawa Shoten and become the client of Kadokawa Shoten... Zhang Chao could imagine how ugly Kadokawa Lehiko's face would be at that time.

But no matter how ugly it is, I have to endure it in front of myself.

The pre-sale of "Homeland" in Japan was so popular that statistics from major bookstores have reached 47 copies, almost equivalent to selling out the first print run.

Kadokawa Bookstore had to print an additional 20 copies to avoid the embarrassment of individual customers who did not pre-order and were unable to buy books when they came to the store.

Book sales in Japan are different from those in other countries. When a new book that is mainly text is first released on the market, it will be in the form of a "single volume" in 36-mo or 32-mo format and the price will be higher. When the market response is good and it is confirmed that it can be reprinted, the publisher will reprint the book in the form of a "paperback edition."

The so-called paperback edition is a 64-page paperback book, which is cheap, exquisitely bound, and has a brand new cover design.

Therefore, considering that the sales of "paperback editions" are usually several times that of "single volume editions", there is no problem for "Genkyo" to eventually sell more than 200 million copies in Japan, which is several times higher than Kadokawa Shoten's initial estimate.

This number is astonishing even in Japan, where serious literature is popular.

You have to know that even a national-level writer like Haruki Murakami can't reach this number for every work. His best-selling work in Japan is "Norwegian Wood", which sold a total of 1996 million copies in 700 - but this is the cumulative sales figure for 10 years.

Kadokawa Shoten has captured Zhang Chao as its cash cow, so how could it not treat him as a guest of honor?

Just when Zhang Chao was daydreaming, a clear and pleasant voice came from behind him: "Sir, can I... rub your back?" The voice was in Mandarin with a very pure accent, but it was a bit too stiff, and it sounded like he was not a native speaker, but a foreigner who had learned very well.

Zhang Chao turned around and saw the new "female general" Akiyama Natsuko, wrapped in a white bath towel and with her hair neatly tied up, standing in front of him like a lotus flower emerging from clear water. She had a pure face and a proud figure, especially a pair of legs, which were straight, slender, and white, and could seduce a man's soul.

There was already mist in Natsuko Akiyama's big eyes, as if a heavy rain could fall at any time and soak both of them.

Zhang Chao did not panic, but smiled and said, "Are you using this to test the cadres?"

Akiyama Natsuko was stunned and didn't understand what Zhang Chao was saying.

Zhang Chao's face turned serious, and he continued, "Which cadre can...cannot withstand such a test?"

Akiyama Natsuko didn't know how to respond, so she could only bite the bullet and say, "I... I just want to rub your back."

Zhang Chao looked at her hands and sneered, "Scrubbing my back? You didn't even take a bath towel, what are you going to use to scrub my back?"

Akiyama Natsuko blushed, and shyly put her hands behind her back, twisting her long legs slightly inward, looking a bit "shy of the cool breeze". With these movements, the bath towel wrapped around her body seemed to be in danger, as if it would fall off in the next second.

Zhang Chao sighed and said, "I want to eat Hakata Ramen later. Please ask the chef to prepare it for me now."

Akiyama Natsuko thought that she had used her "ultimate move" and few men could resist it. However, the man in front of her was not only unmoved, but even her eyes did not show the tangle of greed and barely restraining desire.
Zhang Chao looked at her as if he were looking at a bottle or a potted plant.

This dealt a great blow to Akiyama Natsuko's self-esteem, but she didn't dare to get angry with Zhang Chao, so she could only twist her body more and said in a delicate voice: "Actually, you don't need a towel, I can also help you scrub your body..."

Unexpectedly, Zhang Chao turned his head back before her towel fell off and said calmly: "When did the "female general" of Qingjiyuan become so unprofessional? I said I was hungry and wanted to eat Hakata Ramen, didn't you hear me?"

With a soft "puff" sound, Akiyama Natsuko's bath towel fell to the ground, and her face became paler than the white mist rising from the hot spring pool.

She asked somewhat unwillingly: "Sir, do you think I'm ugly?"

From behind, Zhang Chao shrugged his shoulders twice, he must be laughing, but no sound came out. After a while he said: "No, you are very beautiful. But... the environment here is not right!"

Natsuko Akiyama looked around. Tall bamboos and other landscape plants blocked any possible curious sights. In addition, each courtyard here had only two floors and was far apart, so there was no problem of privacy leakage.

Moreover, the bright moon, the dim lights, the hot springs, and her white jade beauty, what's wrong with the environment? Obviously, a "two-day stay, beautiful girl full reservation system" is more than enough!

Zhang Chao still didn't look back, but stretched out his hand and drew a circle in the air, his voice still very calm: "It's too watery here, my readers don't like it!"

Natsuko Akiyama didn't understand what this had to do with the readers, but reason told her not to ask any more questions, otherwise, once Zhang Chao and Kadokawa Bookstore brought it up, she would definitely lose her job.

You have to know that she was able to get rid of the identity of a "high-end hostess" only because she spoke fluent Chinese, which is why she was noticed by the people from Kadokawa Shoten and was asked to come to Qingjiyuan to be a "female general" to seduce Zhang Chao.

Someone promised her that if she could become Zhang Chao's mistress in Japan, she would not only get a lot of money from Zhang Chao, but Kadokawa Bookstore would also provide her with an additional salary.

Akiyama Natsuko agreed without a second thought. Isn't the ultimate fate of a hostess to be someone's mistress? Now she was asked to be the mistress of a young man, a rich, handsome, and high-ranking writer, even if she had to take on some "tasks", it was a piece of cake.

Who knew that the first time I tried, I would be rejected.

She could only pick up the bath towel from the ground, bowed to Zhang Chao and said, "I'm really sorry to bother you. I'll leave first." After that, she left the backyard barefoot to arrange Hakata Ramen.

Zhang Chao let out a long breath when he heard Akiyama Natsuko's footsteps fade away. Then he looked down and muttered to himself, "I'm sorry for putting you in such a difficult position..." He said it nicely, but Akiyama Natsuko almost challenged his weak spot. However, he didn't feel any regret in his heart.

No matter what Kadokawa Koyomi's purpose was in arranging Akiyama Natsuko to approach him, whether it was simply to show his goodwill, or to leave some leverage on him, or to make himself have a bond in Japan...

None of this matters. Zhang Chao is too lazy to guess, so the best way is to not eat the dish that is served to his door.

Faced with such temptation, it is extremely foolish to make blind guesses and then think that you are smart in making choices and weighing the pros and cons - when Dadongzi had his "affair" in the United States 10 years later, he must have guessed at that time, and what happened proved that he was wrong.

Although he is a writer and the public does not hold him to high moral standards, he will not take the initiative to get mud stuck in his crotch.

Zhang Chao soaked for a while before getting up, wiping himself clean, and then putting on his bathrobe and returning to the room. At this time, Akiyama Natsuko also put on her kimono again, holding a large plate with a bowl of fragrant ramen on it.

There was no longer any strange expression on her face, only an almost servile respect. She bent low, looking down from above, like a moonlight fritillary stranded after the tide receded.

Zhang Chao said, "I don't like being watched while I eat. You can go down first. I'll ring the bell when you're done."

Natsuko Akiyama didn't look up, but just said respectfully: "Hi!" Then she bent down and backed out of the door, pulled up the "shoji", and disappeared silently.

Only then did Zhang Chao pick up the chopsticks and start eating noodles.

While eating noodles, he was thinking about why he disliked Akiyama Natsuko so much.

She was obviously much younger than Ogiwara Miho, and had a better figure and appearance. She didn't even have her face painted white, but he still felt resistant to her. Even normal life services made him feel uncomfortable.

Could it be that what I like is familiarity...呸呸呸呸, what I like is relatively equal relationships and professional qualities.

Although Ogiwara Miho always wears white paint on her face, her service is always respectful and distant, without the sense of inferiority that makes Zhang Chao feel uncomfortable.

Although Akiyama Natsuko bent lower and spoke in a more humble tone, and even lowered her posture even more after Zhang Chao refused her request to rub her back, it was precisely this posture that made Zhang Chao feel creepy.

Some dogs, with their tails hanging down, eyes drooping, and voices whimpering, are not really submitting to you, but are preparing to try to bite you hard someday.

Zhang Chao prefers to communicate with people rather than dogs.

After finishing his ramen, Zhang Chao did not ring the bell to let Akiyama Natsuko in. He sighed inwardly, "Qingjiyuan" is good, but I'm afraid that when I come to Japan in the future, it might be more appropriate to live somewhere else.

Everything that Natsuko Akiyama did today might be considered a normal "treat" by Kadokawa Koyomi, and it was the treatment that a writer of his level should enjoy. In the early years, Japanese publishing houses would do anything to snatch manuscripts from popular writers, and even did more exaggerated things, let alone a mere woman.

If this fails, Kadokawa will only think that Natsuko Akiyama does not suit Zhang Chao's taste, and they will just change the woman next time.

Zhang Chao didn't want to do this for no reason, and he had no interest in educating others on this matter, so he just wanted to part ways and live happily ever after.

He took out his cell phone, looked through the address book, found a number and called it, speaking in English: "Ms. Ogihara Miho? I'm Zhang Chao... Please help me buy a property in Tokyo...

I don’t want a Japanese-style garden, a villa, or a single-family house. They are too troublesome to maintain. I just want a three- or four-room apartment… You choose the location… The price doesn’t matter…”

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Chao felt sleepy - China, the United States and Japan have been working around the clock during this period. He had just switched from East Asian time to North American time, and in a few days he would have to switch back to East Asian time. He had some sleep disorder.

Zhang Chao didn't dare to miss this rare opportunity to sleep during normal time, so he went upstairs to sleep.

He slept for a full 10 hours and woke up slowly at 9 o'clock in the morning. He turned over his phone from the pillow and saw that there were four or five missed calls, including ones from Kadokawa Koyomi, Professor Iizuka Yoshio and Wang Zhenxu.

Zhang Chao thought about it and decided to ignore Kadokawa Lehiko. After all, he had said yesterday that he would only attend the launch ceremony and the subsequent signing session in Japan this time, and would not participate in any other activities.

The launch ceremony will be the day after tomorrow, and these few days are his rest time. He doesn't want to hear from Kadokawa asking him to attend some unnecessary activities after he returns the call.

Zhang Chao first called Professor Iizuka Yoshio back. It was nothing big, just an invitation for Zhang Chao to have dinner with him and some friends from the Japanese cultural circle and universities. Zhang Chao readily agreed.

The "China-Japan Young Writers Exchange Activity" that ended half a month ago was a great success.

On the one hand, it opened the eyes of young Chinese writers. Coming to Japan, they saw what the most prosperous city in the world of that era looked like. This was a rare experience for many young writers who had never been abroad.

In addition, they were able to see where serious literature sells best in the world, and see the living conditions and views on literature of their peers.

The benefits of this kind of face-to-face exchange of ideas are sometimes far greater than just skimming through a few bland books.

On the other hand, young Japanese writers and ordinary people also saw their spiritual outlook and realized that China, which they thought was backward and poor, actually had so many outstanding and persistent people.

The China where they live and grew up, as well as the Chinese society and Chinese people they write about, are no longer what they seem to be in the stereotypes.

Therefore, Professor Iizuka was very satisfied with the results of this exchange activity, and Zhang Chao played a great role in it. This made him look at this young man with new eyes, and he even said the following words in his circle of friends:
"He is still too young now. In another twenty... fifteen... no, ten years, he will definitely be the leader of East Asian literature!"

The purpose of organizing this dinner was also to build a good relationship with Zhang Chao.

Zhang Chao was dumbfounded by the conversation with Wang Zhenxu. As soon as the other party picked up the phone, he asked, "Are you free? Do you want to come to Yokosuka Port?"

Zhang Chao was puzzled: "Yokosuka? It's the place where the "Black Ship Festival" is held, right? Isn't the "Black Ship Festival" suspended? Why should I go there?"

Wang Zhenxu said in an extremely strange tone: "The 'Black Ship Festival' is gone, but now there is the 'Zhang Chao Festival'. Are you sure you don't want to come and see it?"

(End of this chapter)