America: My Time

Chapter 1389 Advice
Chapter 1379 Advice

If Kikuchi Momoko refuses, there won't be any trouble. After all, her status is different now, and with John's protection, no one will dare to touch her. But as Riko said, this is her opportunity. She doesn't have anyone around her who she can 'cooperate' with. Look at Lee Boo-jin's situation, and then look at herself. The difference is too great.

"Riko-nee, do you think I should have chosen the entertainment industry back then? Otherwise, things wouldn't be like this now!"

"Are you crazy? If you were in the entertainment industry, would you have your current status? Look at Nanako Matsushima, how many people care about her? The reason you were chosen by those big shots is because your status is different. Don't be fooled by Lee Boo-jin's situation. You are not the same people. What is her background? What is your background? The education you received from childhood is different, so naturally there is a gap. Moreover, she has been in charge of the company for a long time. You are far from being able to compare with her. At least you lack the mentality. She doesn't even consider you a rival!"

Riko is right. Lee Boo-jin doesn't consider Kikuchi Momoko a rival at all. Although Kikuchi Momoko is very successful now, there is still a huge gap between the two. At least Lee Boo-jin can stand on her own, while Momoko cannot.

"You're right, I was indeed confused and lost my composure because of this series of events!" At this moment, Kikuchi Momoko finally came to her senses. She wasn't worried about Zeng Li and Yang Gongru, but rather about the return of Sawaguchi Yasuko and the others. This had a significant impact on her, and she deeply understood how much influence such people could have on her once they got serious.

"Momoko, we've known each other for so long, there are some things I shouldn't say, but your current situation forces me to. You're still too calculating. Do you really think Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others can threaten your position? As long as you don't make any mistakes, your position is secure. But Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others can't. After what happened before, they've lost everything. They can't pose a threat to you, not even Nanako Matsushima is better than them. They can't make mistakes, so they're wearing shackles. People like that don't affect you. Your biggest opponent isn't anyone else, it's yourself. Instead of thinking about so many things, you should focus on improving yourself."

Riko's words were based on her own experience, and they were one of her biggest pain points. Back then, she had made such a foolish move, insisting on competing with others, but in the end, she had gained nothing. Therefore, she did not want to see Kikuchi Momoko follow the same path as her, and she did not want to see her make a mistake.

"Remember, sincerity is always more important than scheming, especially around someone like Mr. John. Sincerity is the foundation of everything. If you can't be sincere, you'll be discarded. Big shots like him are never short of beautiful women. What you need to do is become a woman who can help him. Speaking of which, Kuroki Hitomi followed this path back then, but she was too lucky. Mr. John valued loyalty more back then, so she ended up with everything she has now. But you're different. Your time has long passed. How many beautiful women were around Mr. John back then? How many are around now? There will be even more in the future. Even if he doesn't make the first move, beautiful women will throw themselves at him, not to mention the situation in Japan is still so 'open'!"

Although Riko didn't give a direct answer, Momoko Kikuchi understood that if she had no thoughts at all, she could naturally let go of everything, but that would mean being marginalized in the future, given the many rivals she already had. However, despite these many rivals, her greatest rival was herself. If she couldn't calm her mind, if she couldn't find peace, then there was no future to speak of.

A woman who doesn't even recognize herself—Riko doesn't know how far she can go, nor does she think she can stay by John's side for long—is causing Kikuchi Momoko to fall into confusion and danger. If it weren't for Riko, an experienced elder, who could remind her in time, she might be heading step by step toward destruction!
Kikuchi Momoko knew exactly what the situation was like in Japan, which is why she felt pressured and uneasy and worried when that important figure in Japan proposed "cooperation," and why she lacked confidence in herself.

"I understand, I know what to do!" Kikuchi Momoko quickly calmed down, not letting her emotions control her decision. If she couldn't even control her emotions, she would probably end up like Riko, destined to be abandoned. Perhaps it would be better if she didn't have to work, but she would lose her status and position!

"Remember, learn to adapt. Always be patient and never act impulsively. Don't forget to cultivate relationships with the beautiful women around Mr. John. You're not Naoko or Hitomi Kuroki; you have to learn to manage these relationships yourself."

"Riko-nee, there's something I don't understand. Why won't you let me try to win over Nanako? She's a good choice too!" Kikuchi Momoko asked with some confusion and a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"Nanako Matsushima is a smart woman. She won't be won over by you, and you have no right to earn her approval. You're on the same level, and she's also ambitious. She's just more adept at concealing her ambitions than you are. If you think she's a naive newbie, you're making a big mistake. She may not seem particularly noticeable among you, and you might even selectively ignore her, but do you think she's the same way in front of Mr. John? Her low profile is only in front of Japan and you, and it's the right thing to do. Being too high-profile won't end well. Look at Miho Nakayama, Yasuko Sawaguchi, and Chisato Moritaka—they were all too high-profile. They made foolish decisions when they were at their peak, driven by impulsiveness. Have Naoko or Akina Nakamori ever done that? No, they never have!"

At this point, Riko paused and sighed, saying, "Right now she has no opportunity, or rather, no suitable opportunity. If she does, she will make a choice that will shock you. Perhaps she is your future competitor in terms of status and identity in Japan. She is more adept at patience than you are."

Riko shouldn't have said such a thing. If John found out, it would be very bad for her, and if Kikuchi Momoko didn't believe her, she would be in even worse shape. After all, it was a bit like sowing discord, and such words shouldn't have come from her mouth. However, Riko had no choice but to say it because she was worried that Kikuchi Momoko would make the wrong choice and affect her as well.

During her time following Akio Morita, Riko witnessed countless beautiful women being discarded due to their own foolishness and wrong choices. Following a powerful figure, one wrong step could lead to being abandoned. It was only because John was easy to talk to and had a human touch that Yasuko Sawaguchi and the others had no chance at all!

In truth, Riko didn't know how she felt. Was it out of self-interest, or because Kikuchi Momoko was as ignorant as she had been back then, or perhaps both? Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken such a risky step. If these words got out, her fate would be dire. "Alright, don't think so much. As long as you don't make mistakes, as long as you can face everything with a calm mind, any situation, any unexpected event, everything will be easily resolved. Go, accept that important person's 'goodwill,' and make arrangements for her. I can't interfere in this matter!"

Hearing Riko's words, Kikuchi Momoko nodded silently. She understood that there was no use saying anything at this time. All she could do was take action, win more 'allies' for herself, and make herself a part of a small group.

Watching Kikuchi Momoko leave, Riko sighed inwardly and murmured to herself, "I hope everything goes smoothly and nothing goes wrong, otherwise I'll be affected too. Naoko's return has also brought about some changes."

Riko sensed a change in Naoko as well. Although their friendship remained the same, Riko could feel a subtle pressure from Naoko's transformation. For some reason, after learning about Akina Nakamori's family, she felt uneasy, sensing something was about to happen. But so far, nothing unexpected had occurred, making her worry that it might be related to Momoko Kikuchi. This led her to say things she shouldn't have, because she was afraid!
Seeing Kikuchi Momoko's confusion only intensified her feelings. However, things weren't as she thought. She had underestimated John. If he could let people like Sawaguchi Yasuko go, how could he possibly do anything to Kikuchi Momoko? She could only say that she was starting to feel uneasy. Perhaps this was due to the changes in Sawaguchi Yasuko and the others, or perhaps it was caused by the situation of Nakamori Akina's family.

Don't be fooled by Kikuchi Momoko's seemingly unchanged personality now; who knows what the future holds, especially now that her identity has changed? This could easily make her personality inflated, affecting her and potentially leading her into a situation similar to Nakamori Akina's! Everyone has selfish desires, and Riko is no exception, especially given her own experiences.

When Kikuchi Momoko accepted his 'goodwill,' the important figure breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing on his face. He looked at Kikuchi Momoko with a hint of satisfaction; this was the result he wanted.

"Don't worry, she won't affect you. If she does anything wrong, you can always point it out to her. After all, you know Mr. John's temperament better than she does, and her presence is also beneficial to you!" At this moment, the important figure was also comforting Kikuchi Momoko, though he himself didn't believe these words. Given the opportunity, he naturally hoped to see his own person replace Kikuchi Momoko, but unfortunately, this was almost impossible, as the person he had hastily chosen didn't possess the necessary abilities.

Of course, if they truly possessed great abilities, even if they dared to assign them to John, they wouldn't gain recognition; they would simply be discarded. With the Fujiwara Norika incident, this path was almost completely cut off, leaving no possibility whatsoever.

After speaking, the important figure gestured, and soon a beautiful young woman appeared before Kikuchi Momoko. These important figures certainly had discerning eyes; this was yet another beauty. However, Kikuchi Momoko wasn't familiar with her. After all, she had been away from the industry for quite some time and had limited knowledge of newcomers. Unless the woman was very famous, Kikuchi Momoko wouldn't have known her.

"This is Kyoko Fukada. I'll be entrusting her to you from now on!" The important figure handed Kyoko Fukada over to Momoko Kikuchi. Although there was a hint of resistance in this beautiful girl, she knew all too well how tragic the consequences of resistance would be. The fact that he could make her submit so quickly meant that he had his methods. Even if she wanted to resist, she wouldn't dare.

Seeing Kyoko Fukada's reaction, Momoko Kikuchi sighed inwardly. It was obvious that she was also unwilling, but there was nothing she could do. Not only was she threatened, but her men were also bribed, just like Akina Nakamori back then. Only in this way could all this be accomplished in such a short time.

However, although she understood, she couldn't say anything aloud. She could only pretend she knew nothing. She was aware of the darkness within that industry, so she didn't say anything, nor did she try to stop it. Entering the entertainment industry, one should be prepared, just like those people in Johnny's, who understood the consequences. Even if they themselves didn't know, their families knew perfectly well.

For a newcomer like this, simply showing her the tragic side of those seniors is enough to make her behave. This explains the unnatural look on the young woman's face. Such situations are commonplace in the industry; this is what happens when you don't have a powerful backer.

Although she wanted to comfort the beautiful young woman, Kikuchi Momoko didn't have much time. She couldn't leave the party for too long, so she had someone arrange for the young woman to get into her car and wait for the party to end. Right now, she was preoccupied with how to explain things to John in a way that would minimize or eliminate the impact on herself.

While Riko's words were quite good and made a lot of sense, putting them into practice was no easy task. If the timing wasn't right, it was easy to mess things up and negatively impact oneself—something Kikuchi Momoko certainly didn't want. However, no matter how careful she was, she was still discovered by those with ulterior motives. Too many people were watching her; completing everything silently was impossible.

(End of this chapter)