America: My Time

Chapter 1381 Mentality

Chapter 1371 Mindset

“No, you have a choice. I’m not forcing you. If you can’t accept it, you can leave. I won’t force you, just as I didn’t stop you from leaving or do anything to you. You have the right to choose!” Although John was telling the truth, it was a heavy burden on Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others. The name of betrayal was not easy to bear. Even if no one said it to their faces, they would feel the pressure in their hearts. Just like Shinobu Nakayama, even though she was still by John’s side, she had lost her original naturalness.

People grow, especially after experiencing such setbacks and changes. If they still can't grow up and still know nothing and understand nothing, then they are too foolish and have no value...

"Yes, it seems we have the right to choose, but we gave up that right long ago. If we do something wrong, we have to bear the consequences. I believe they won't refuse, and they have no reason to refuse!"

"That's good. Real estate, internet cafe alliance, clothing, wine, cosmetics, you can choose for yourselves! You'd better not get involved in the entertainment sector, otherwise it won't be good for you!" John gave them these assets to choose from. This was both an opportunity and a test. If they had no ability, they would be abandoned in the end. If they didn't even understand what John had said before, then they would have no value. However, all of this could not be made public.

Even Yasuko Sawaguchi dared not be careless at this moment and had to think things through carefully, since it concerned her future. If she made the wrong choice, it would have a negative impact on her and might even bring her back to that terrible situation. She did not have the confidence to be arrogant now; she was a lamb to the slaughter.

Although John didn't make things difficult for them, she knew in her heart that she would have to keep a low profile for a long time to come, otherwise her situation would only become more passive, or even put her in danger. If someone resisted her, or even tried to persuade John to abandon her, the consequences would be unimaginable.

It's not that Yasuko Sawaguchi deliberately thinks the worst of people, but reality is just that cruel. After what happened before, she dares not be careless again. If she were to be high-profile at this time, it would bring her endless trouble.

"Don't expect me to assign you tasks. This is your own choice. Go where you feel capable! Of course, there's no rush. You have plenty of time to choose, as long as I don't leave Japan." Seeing that the group hadn't made a decision for a long time, and some were even frowning, John smiled calmly and said.
At this point, John stopped lecturing Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others, and instead turned his gaze to Momoko Kikuchi, saying, "Tell Naoko and Akiko to come back. As for Sachiko, let her choose for herself; after all, her situation is a bit special. At this point, she should make a gesture, and since she's going to see Morita-san, we can't expect Naoko to avoid it; that would be very inappropriate."

Of course, John knew that his move would shock some people and delight others. As for what others thought, that was no longer important. Once these guys in Japan got moving, everything would be fine. The US would definitely get nervous, and that was not something he needed to worry about.

“Senri, sing me a song called Seventeen Talents!” When Akio Morita was mentioned, John was lost in thought about the past for some reason, as if he saw his younger self, and thought about the first time he stepped onto the road to Japan and the first time he met Akio Morita.

“I can sing too!” Shinobu Nakayama exclaimed, a hint of longing in her eyes.

Upon hearing this, John shuddered, shook his head, and said, "You and your sister should just forget about it. Your sister is a bit better, but you simply don't have any talent for singing. I just want to relax; I don't want to torture my ears!"

John's words caused everyone to burst into laughter, instantly dispelling the previously oppressive atmosphere and bringing a sense of relief to everyone's hearts. However, no one noticed the fleeting look of nostalgia on John's face!
After the song ended, John looked at Chisato Moritaka and said, "Don't you think my decision was a bit too harsh, making you give up everything you've worked so hard for? Think about it carefully tonight."

The fact that Yasuko Sawaguchi and her group stayed at John's residence quickly reached the ears of those in Japan. These people had countless spies around John's place. In fact, the bigwig in Japan already knew about Sawaguchi and her group's actions and was pleased, convinced that his choice had been correct and that Sawaguchi and her group did have some value. Moreover, he had successfully gauged John's reaction, which pleased him greatly, as if he had obtained everything he desired.

The next morning, John said to Yang Gongru and Zeng Li, "Let them take you sightseeing. There's still nothing much to do these next few days, so you can have a good time to explore and buy some gifts for your family and friends. It would be impolite to come all the way to Tokyo and not buy any souvenirs! If you have enough time, let Taozi arrange a tour of Kyoto for you; it's worth visiting there too!"

"No, thank you. Just exploring Tokyo is enough. Let's save Kyoto for another time!" Zeng Li was tempted, but declined. Even though she didn't know John's current situation, she understood that now wasn't the time to go to Kyoto; staying was better than going.

As Kikuchi Momoko continued to show the two of them around Tokyo, Riko also met Sawaguchi Yasuko, Moritaka Chisato, the Nakayama sisters, and Fujiwara Norika. This was Kikuchi Momoko's good intention, since she herself did not know everything, but with Riko's wisdom and experience, she should be able to see more things and offer them more help.

Kikuchi Momoko had no ulterior motives. To her, having one more friend was far better than having one more enemy. By helping others in their most difficult times, she was more likely to be remembered by Sawaguchi Yasuko and the others.

"Why are you all doing this? I advised you against it before, but you suffered greatly and ended up back where you started. Don't think that Mr. John's decision to make you give up everything and retire is a bad thing; it's for your protection. If you were still in the entertainment industry, insisting on staying in this chaotic world, it wouldn't be good for you. The spotlight on you would have been shattered long ago. Even if you returned to Mr. John's side, do you think you would be the same as before? You would no longer have any influence and would face many challenges. It's better to give up now and let you choose a 'career,' which is also a form of protection. At least it lets those people know that you still have value in Mr. John's eyes, so they won't have any excessive thoughts or actions." Riko didn't beat around the bush with these people but directly stated her thoughts. It seemed cold, but it gave them the greatest possible protection. It could be said that John had done everything he could in this matter!
Upon hearing these words, Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others sighed. They hadn't grasped the underlying reason, and some even still harbored some lingering doubts. This was the difference—a difference in perspective, a difference in experience. This couldn't be bridged in a short time; it required the accumulation of time.

"Then what should we do? How should we choose?" Yasuko Sawaguchi asked, a hint of expectation in her eyes.

"How you choose isn't important; it depends on what you think. If you want to just lie down and do nothing, then go ahead. After all, you don't have much experience to begin with. If you want to pursue something, then think it over carefully. You can even ask Akiko. She knows more about this than you do. In this matter, even Momoko is not as good as Akiko. She has had the same experience as you!"

"What do we need to do most right now?" Yasuko Sawaguchi continued to ask. It was because of the hardships she had experienced that she had become the person she was now, and that she was so eager to improve her ability to protect herself!

"Actually, you don't need to rush anything right now. What you need most is to calm down. Rushing won't help; it will only lead to mistakes and have a bigger impact. Only when you calm down can you take one step at a time to pursue your goals. Otherwise, you'll only pay a higher price. You can't afford to make any more mistakes now. Do less, make fewer mistakes; do nothing, make no mistakes. Think about it carefully. It's only useful when you understand it yourselves. No matter how much I say, it's useless!"

Riko fully understands Yasuko Sawaguchi's current thoughts, but she also knows that this is not a good thing. The probability of making mistakes in haste is greater. At this time, it is more important to calm down and keep a calm mind. It is unrealistic to want to achieve success overnight and to take back everything that has been lost. It is only because John is soft-hearted that they have this opportunity.

Riko also received a message from Kikuchi Momoko that Naoko and the others were on their way back to Japan, and that John was going to see Akio Morita, and she would be going with them. How long had it been since she had seen Akio Morita? She hadn't seen him since he truly left, and even if she wanted to see him, it would be impossible.

At this moment, Yasuko Sawaguchi realized that she had been too hasty. Being impatient for success was not a good thing. It seemed that she had unknowingly made another big mistake. If it weren't for Riko's reminder, she would probably have fallen into an even bigger predicament, or even lost the opportunity and fallen into that abyss.

"Thank you for reminding me, Riko-nee. I was indeed too impatient, but there was nothing I could do. Now that things have come to this, it would be a lie to say I wasn't anxious." Yasuko Sawaguchi sighed, her face showing helplessness.

“I understand, and I can empathize with how you feel right now, but this isn't a good thing. You need to relax, you need to figure all this out. If you keep dwelling on it, it will only push you further away from Mr. John. No one wants to accept you as you are now. You know how crazy Japan is. It's just that you met a good person, otherwise you wouldn't have had the chance to regret it. Don't think about competing with others; it won't do you any good. Just be yourself. Thinking too much won't help you. You need to learn to adapt!”

This was a lesson learned from experience, and also Riko's own reflection. How many beautiful women were around Akio Morita back then? Yet, none of them met a good end. Only Riko herself managed to escape unscathed! Seeing Yasuko Sawaguchi's current state reminded Riko of her former companions, most of whom had been abandoned and were living unhappy lives. To act so foolishly without even understanding oneself—wasn't that just courting death?

Riko's words hit the nail on the head, and Yasuko Sawaguchi's expression froze. She did want to compete with others because she was afraid that if she didn't, she would be abandoned in the end. Although John was not a heartless person, the mistake she had made was not small. Betrayal was no small matter for the Japanese, after all, the Japanese valued loyalty very much.

Seeing Yasuko Sawaguchi's reaction, Riko shook her head and said, "If you really can't resist, then go and study. Focus your energy on your studies. Now, if you want to pursue higher education, I believe they won't refuse you. Someone will open all the channels for you."

Under these circumstances, even without John's intervention, those guys in Japan would do the same, since it would be more beneficial to their influence over John. So how could they possibly allow anyone to refuse Yasuko Sawaguchi's studious spirit?

Unfortunately, Yasuko Sawaguchi couldn't do it. The reason is simple: she simply didn't have the ability. As an idol, she had long since neglected her studies and was truly willing but unable to do so. However, she was unwilling to give up, which led to the current situation.

Riko was fully aware of Sawaguchi Yasuko's situation, and all she could do was offer advice. If Sawaguchi Yasuko herself couldn't see things clearly and couldn't accept the current situation, no amount of advice would be of any use. Just like in the beginning, the path is one that one must walk oneself; no one can help with that. In this respect, the difference between Sawaguchi Yasuko and Nakayama Shinobu became apparent, not to mention compared to Kuroki Hitomi. Kuroki Hitomi was far better than her back then, at least in terms of self-awareness.

Riko was very disappointed by Yasuko Sawaguchi's reaction, as she couldn't even calm herself down and face everything with a composed attitude. She lost too many points in this regard.

(End of this chapter)