America: My Time

Chapter 1382 Reminder
Chapter 1372 Reminder

In the entertainment industry, mindset is very important. If you can get on the good side of a big shot, mindset becomes even more important. It's clear that Yasuko Sawaguchi doesn't have that ability yet. Perhaps this is because she became famous too early and hasn't experienced much of the harsh realities of society. It's also because John protected them too well. Even if she encountered the dangers she faced before, it won't be easy for her to change her mindset in a short time. Being overly competitive is not a good thing.

"Kiyoshi, your situation is more dangerous than theirs. While Yasuko and the others have more opportunities, you only have one. If something goes wrong this time, you won't have any chance at all. Although you didn't betray them, what you did is more terrible than betrayal. Remember one thing: don't have any contact with them anymore, otherwise no one can help you. If you take one wrong step, it will be an abyss. Whether you can hold on or not depends on yourself."

Riko paid no attention to Norika Fujiwara's reaction. What she said was true. Everyone else still had a chance. Even Yasuko Sawaguchi would be fine as long as she didn't make any big mistakes. At most, she would just be disliked and wouldn't get as many benefits. She could still get John's protection. But Norika Fujiwara was different.

“I understand, I will remember this and will not have any contact with them again. But what if they contact me? How should I deal with it?” Fujiwara Norika asked Riko. She could tell that this older sister had a lot of experience in this area and had no ill intentions towards them. This was the best opportunity for her to ask for advice.

“Tell Mr. John everything exactly as it is, without holding anything back. That’s the only thing you can do. As for other things, they’re not bold enough to force you to do anything else. Your biggest mistake was making the wrong choice!” Riko was very satisfied with Norika Fujiwara’s performance; at least she was much better than Yasuko Sawaguchi.

"I don't need to say anything to the three of you. Your situation is relatively good. As long as you don't do anything wrong, there won't be any problems. At least you are much better off than Yasuko and Norika."

When they heard Riko's words, Nakayama Miho was taken aback, as was Moritaka Chisato. They couldn't understand, especially Moritaka Chisato. She had also made a mistake, but why was she different from Sawaguchi Yasuko? It was easier to explain Nakayama Miho, since she had a younger sister, but she had nothing.

"I don't understand why this is?" Looking at the puzzled look on Moritaka Chisato's face, Riko asked with a calm smile. In fact, she had already seen through his thoughts, and she was just saying this to put him at ease.

"I really don't understand. Is there some other explanation?"

"Think back to the situation back then, and think about your background. Your and Miho's backgrounds mean you're more likely to be forgiven than others. Mr. John is a sentimental person. Remember, it's okay to lack ability, but don't lack self-awareness. Opportunities may seem to exist, but they are also a test—not only of your abilities but also of your mindset. If you lack ability, then honestly supervise and don't interfere in any way. You can also choose a better direction to make things easier and more comfortable for yourself; that's also wisdom!"

At this moment, Chisato Moritaka nodded thoughtfully, and Miho Nakayama and Shinobu Nakayama also nodded. At this moment, Shinobu Nakayama seemed to understand that her sister had contributed to her staying behind. She also had a glimpse into Chisato Moritaka's situation and realized that one's background is often very important.

At this moment, Yasuko Sawaguchi's expression changed repeatedly. She began to understand why Riko had asked her to consult Hitomi Kuroki. Her background was her biggest problem; if Riko hadn't pointed it out, she probably wouldn't have known this. It seemed she indeed had a lot to learn, and Riko's suggestion wasn't just a casual remark.

This incident deeply affected Yasuko Sawaguchi, making her understand many things and feel the wickedness of human nature and the changes in everything. However, the more she felt this way, the more anxious and restless she became! Why was this? To put it bluntly, it was because she had started too high, her path had been too smooth, and she had too many sharp edges!
Miho Nakayama herself has issues; her childhood experiences left her with too many shadows, giving her inner demons and obsessions—that's the crux of the problem. As a powerful figure, John naturally has some thoughts about this. However, Chisato Moritaka doesn't have these problems; mindset is a crucial factor in determining fate. If it weren't for Shinobu Nakayama's presence, Miho Nakayama would only be slightly better off than Yasuko Sawaguchi. If she herself can see Yasuko Sawaguchi's mental issues, would Mr. John not see them? Riko wouldn't think so. Having followed a powerful figure like Akio Morita for so long, she naturally understands their thinking. They place immense importance on the issue of their offspring; this is evident in Naoko's son, Martin, who is being cultivated for business skills from the outset, exposed to commerce at any cost. Would Miho Nakayama's situation not affect her?
However, Riko would not say such things out loud, nor would she dare to. She could only keep them to herself. As for whether Nakayama Miho could get out of the shadow of her childhood and open her heart, that would depend on her own ability. John's decision to let them leave the frivolous entertainment industry may have been based on this consideration, allowing them to recover their mindset.

Sending them into the business world solely to assess their business acumen? No! That would be a grave mistake. It's more about whether they can adjust their mindset, whether they can be themselves again, and whether they can regain their composure. Only those who can endure loneliness can enjoy prosperity; only those who can withstand solitude can wait for the flowers to bloom. Now is the time for them to face this test, but she dared not say it aloud, fearing it would incur John's wrath.

This is a test, something she can't interfere with. At most, she can offer a subtle reminder; nothing more is permissible. Riko understands this perfectly. How many people have met their demise, drowned in Tokyo Bay, because of their arrogance and the wrong words they uttered? She's seen many such cases herself. Acting on one's own is a major taboo, especially following a powerful figure—it's the biggest taboo of all! In her view, Naoko, Hitomi Kuroki, and Akina Nakamori made the right choices. Hitomi Kuroki didn't hesitate at all, directly abandoning her entertainment career. This was one of the reasons Riko sent Yasuko Sawaguchi to find Hitomi Kuroki. Naoko will only focus her energy on singing, and Akina Nakamori has also given up everything. Why did they do this? They didn't want any problems. But what were Yasuko Sawaguchi's choices? What were Miho Nakayama's choices? It would be strange if they didn't get into trouble.

Why does Riko favor Chisato Moritaka and not see any problems with her? Her background is only part of the reason; more importantly, she focuses her energy on singing rather than acting. Big shots care about their reputation. Unfortunately, Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama didn't see this, and neither did Shinobu Nakayama.

Furthermore, what were Jennifer Connelly's choices? And what were Claudia Schiffer's and Christy Turlington's choices? One chose acting, the other gave up charity to go into business—no wonder they ran into trouble. Of course, they probably had their own agendas from the start; perhaps they were just trying to curry favor with powerful figures!
Despite Riko's hints, unfortunately, Yasuko Sawaguchi and the Nakayama sisters still didn't grasp this point. It would be understandable if Chisato Moritaka didn't understand, but the fact that Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama couldn't understand it puzzled Riko. However, she couldn't be too direct about this matter, as that wouldn't be good for her and would offend people.

Riko understood why Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama had made such a slow reaction. They lacked any sense of crisis, which was the biggest problem. If this situation hadn't occurred, they would probably still be self-righteous and arrogant.

Now, with Riko's experience, she could understand the power struggle between John and the bigwigs in Japan. Otherwise, she wouldn't have remained in her residence without making any moves. Furthermore, the appearance of Yang Gongru and Zeng Li was also a statement; she dared not show too much or say too much before everything was resolved. There were many people smarter than her; if she could see the problem, how could the bigwigs in Japan not see it? If she appeared too clever, it would be foolish, tantamount to courting death, especially in such a crucial matter.

Even though Riko and Kikuchi Momoko had such a good relationship, and she was also familiar with John, she never inquired about John's situation. She was a person who knew how to maintain proper boundaries. This was one of the reasons why John asked Kikuchi Momoko to invite Riko to his side. A person with self-awareness who had seen the dark side of high society could be of great help to Kikuchi Momoko and could help her avoid many detours.

John has never worried about Lee Boo-jin in this regard. This is the advantage of a good family background; whether it's education or anything else, it's unmatched by ordinary people. There's a huge gap between Kikuchi Momoko and Lee Boo-jin. Lee Boo-jin can now stand on her own, but Kikuchi Momoko cannot!

Why haven't those guys from Japan talked to John again or mentioned the Nakamori family yet? It's because they're waiting for Nakamori Akina to appear, waiting for things to take a turn for the better. Only after that family has met with Nakamori Akina and understood everything will they meet with John. Meeting ahead of time could easily make them take the blame.

These guys are never short of patience. No matter how nervous they are, they can still hold back in this situation. Just like those old guys in the US, even though they are worried about John's actions, they won't rush to react after all this has happened. Instead, they'll wait and see before making a decision!
Of course, during this time, some ambitious people were also making more preparations, especially after seeing Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others miraculously come back to life and return to John's side. These guys had even more ideas and felt that using beautiful women as public relations tools still had value. Otherwise, how could such a result have occurred, such a change have taken place?

Time flew by, and Naoko, Hitomi Kuroki, and Akina Nakamori soon returned to Japan. However, Sachiko Kamachi did not return; instead, she remained on Lanai Island. With her family by her side, there was no need for her to return to Japan at this time. Her family's persuasion, along with her own feelings, led Sachiko to a slight change of heart.

When the private jet landed at the airport, the guys in Japan all breathed a sigh of relief. This situation put them all at ease. This was John's attitude, John's sincerity. Now it was up to them to see how sincere they were! Some things don't need to be said; you can just see what the other person does.

Compared to the calm and composed demeanor of Hitomi Kuroki and Naoko, Akina Nakamori's face clearly showed worry. She knew her family's true nature perfectly well. This was yet another farce, another problem caused by money—she had lost count of how many times this had happened. Each time, she wanted to sever this ridiculous 'family bond,' but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Yet, time and again, her heart was already weary, and she wasn't alone anymore; she had children. Akina didn't know how much longer she could endure this. Human hearts are made of flesh and blood, and the repeated wounds had left her heart riddled with holes. This time, her return carried a hint of detachment; perhaps it was time to let go of everything.

She had said this to herself more than once, but she had never been able to do it. But this time, Akina wanted to make up her mind that she could not let her child be affected by them. People's patience is limited. Not only was she tired of these things, but John was probably tired of them as well. When the last bit of affection was worn away, the consequences would be unbearable for her!

Before this trip, Akina Nakamori knew about John's current situation. She understood that her family was causing trouble again, fighting over money, which likely crossed John's line. This was one reason for the worried look on Akina's face. So many years had passed, and Akina had seen through everything about her family, understood her mother. She might be a source of worry for her mother, but she couldn't compare to her siblings alone. It was time to let go of everything, to sever all ties. She didn't want to make any more sacrifices!
(End of this chapter)