America: My Time

Chapter 363 Slap in the face
Chapter 363 Slap in the Face

Before John even arrived in Japan, those guys were already prepared. Even without John's brilliant plan, they would have tried every excuse to probe John's intentions and get the information they wanted from him. And these guys weren't unprepared; they were quite cunning.

This time, Sanwa hosted the reception, denying both Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and Mitsui a chance. While some were unhappy with Sanwa's insistence, they had no choice but to accept it. If their dissatisfaction affected the reception and disrupted everyone's plans, the consequences would be severe.

When Hughes's satellite network project began, John understood that the emergence of the second phase would inevitably attract a lot of attention. Some would see the benefits of a positioning system, and any ambitious individual would seize such an opportunity—exactly what John wanted. John wanted to use this opportunity to build up Hughes's technological reserves, preparing for the next phase of the project. Such a large-scale project wouldn't require a small investment; it would be an astonishing financial commitment. Hughes alone couldn't possibly achieve this, but by leveraging the greed of others, he could potentially complete his plan, using their funds to fully develop the necessary technological reserves.

John was reluctant to attend such a party, but he couldn't refuse, even though he knew it was another cutthroat affair. He had to face it because he held considerable interests in Japan, and he had significant influence there. Under these circumstances, he had to give these Japanese guys face.

John was only supposed to bring one female companion to the party, but he didn't care about such a small matter and brought Naoko, Hitomi Kuroki, and Akina to the venue, making no attempt to hide his intentions regarding the women beside him. Of course, this was also a test for the Japanese guys, to see what they would think and how they would react.

John was overthinking it. Those guys in Japan didn't care how many beautiful women were with John; what they cared about was whether those women were Japanese. As long as they were Japanese, they wouldn't have any objections and would accept it without question. So John's little test failed completely and didn't even cause a ripple.

Most people in high society and the entertainment industry know the backgrounds of the three beauties beside John, so no one cares. Those who don't know can only be considered incompetent. Today's party is no simple affair; countless people are orchestrating it, including John himself.

Upon entering the venue, John was surprised to see Mao Daichi, who appeared to have been invited by Sanwa. How exactly she was invited was unknown to John. This alone showed that Sanwa and his associates had put considerable effort into the event. John also spotted Riko, who had previously been seen with Akio Morita!
"Let's go sit over there. It looks like the party hasn't officially started yet!" John didn't seem too concerned about the appearance of Mao Daichi and Riko, and casually said to Naoko and Hitomi Kuroki. In contrast, no one came to greet Akina. That was the difference, and also the difference in fate.

The absence of those bigwigs from Japan wasn't due to their absence, but rather because they were making plans. John was well aware of this. Those guys were undoubtedly plotting something again, but in the face of absolute power, any schemes were insignificant. John paid no attention to their thoughts.

After choosing to sit in the corner, not many people came to disturb them. Although quite a few people recognized John and the beautiful women around him, they all knew that this circle was not one they could intrude into, and no one was foolish enough to step forward.

However, in contrast, some idols and celebrities in the entertainment industry who were familiar with Naoko and Akina came forward to greet them. John had seen many of them before, including beautiful idols like Seiko Matsuda, Yoshie Kashiwabara, and Kyoko Koizumi. Several idols from Elite Agency also came forward. Even Hideki Saijo came to visit. These people were all guest performers invited by Sanwa.

Just as everyone was having a pleasant conversation, a deep voice rang out: "Mr. John, I apologize for disturbing you. I am Mary Kitagawa, a director of Johnny's. I apologize for the incident involving Masahiko Kondo and hope to receive your forgiveness!"

John frowned at the sight of Mary Kitagawa. Although he had no proof, he was certain this was another scheme orchestrated by those Japanese. Standing beside the old woman was Kondo Masahiko. Were they trying to annoy him with such a scoundrel, or did they have some other purpose?
When Mary Kitagawa appeared, the artists sitting in the corner fell silent. Although Johnny's was not doing well and was being suppressed by various parties because of what happened back then, no one dared to underestimate the director of Johnny's. At least, these idols did not dare to have such thoughts.

"Apologize? I don't think you have the right to apologize to me!" John's expression hardened, and he said calmly. Mary Kitagawa alone had no right to apologize to him, let alone for an idol like Kondo Masahiko who was hardly worthy of respect. This wasn't an apology; it was a slap in the face, a lowering of his own status. Who was he? Who was Mary Kitagawa? Who was Kondo Masahiko? Did they have any right to apologize to John? John wasn't in their circle. Don't think that just because John owned an agency, Mary Kitagawa had the right to apologize for Kondo Masahiko's actions. She didn't have that right.

As soon as John finished speaking, Mary Kitagawa's expression changed. She hadn't expected John to be so domineering, giving her no chance at all. This was completely different from what she had known before. In an instant, Mary Kitagawa was caught in a dilemma, looking extremely embarrassed, which also shocked everyone present.

Others didn't understand the reason for the problem, but Riko, who had followed Akio Morita for a long time, knew very well that it was like asking an artist to apologize to Akio Morita if they offended him. They simply didn't have the right to do so.

“Ms. Mary, you should go back first. We can talk about this later!” Although Riko was not afraid of Mary Kitagawa, she still chose to step forward to give the old woman a way out for the sake of Johnny’s, so that the old woman could save face and not be too embarrassed, so that the situation would not be deadlocked and cause unnecessary trouble.

As someone in the know, Mary Kitagawa was well aware of Riko's identity. Backed by a big shot like Akio Morita, the fact that Riko was willing to give her a way out made Mary Kitagawa breathe a sigh of relief. This awkward situation had left her in a dilemma, but now she finally had a chance to leave.

"Thank you, Ms. Riko. We'll talk again another time!" Goodness, Mary Kitagawa quickly turned her gaze to Riko again. It seems she really hasn't given up and doesn't want to abandon Kondo Masahiko.

"Mr. John, I'm so sorry you had to see this!" Riko apologized to John at this moment. She wasn't apologizing for Mary Kitagawa, but for Miwa. This party was prepared by Miwa, and after such an incident, Miwa should give an explanation. Now Riko has stepped forward to take all the responsibility, which is not something that ordinary people can do or dare to do.

John shook his head gently and said, "It's nothing, it has nothing to do with you. No one would have expected this to happen. After all, it's reasonable for a small accident to happen at such a big party. It seems that Johnny's condition is not very good, otherwise he wouldn't have done such a thing."

"That's exactly what happened. Because of Kondo Masahiko's rudeness, Johnny's Entertainment incurred the wrath of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank. Many of their endorsements were canceled, and major television stations also imposed restrictions on them. At least Kondo Masahiko hasn't been able to appear on television for a long time and can only maintain his fame through commercial performances." At this moment, Riko spoke up to explain the situation for Johnny's Entertainment. This was not only to praise Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, but also to praise the bigwigs in Japan, and even more so to help Sanwa Bank.

It must be said that Riko is a very capable woman; no wonder she gained Akio Morita's approval. She's not just pretty; she also possesses considerable ability. Morita's decision to have her interact with Naoko is truly making the best use of her talent. In this regard, neither Naoko nor Hitomi Kuroki are nearly as good as Riko, and Akina is even less so. She has very little experience in such environments, practically her first time, and her reaction can only be described as utter bewilderment!
So much time has passed, and Johnny's situation hasn't improved. This isn't as simple as it seems on the surface; it's likely a scheme by those guys in Japan, a way of signaling to John that they're using Johnny's as a pawn. They're using this method to downplay the actions of Vanguard and Toshiba. Riko's actions are also indirectly pleading for those guys. This tactic impressed John, making him think more highly of this woman.

“Akiko, thank Sanwa when you have time, remember this favor!” John said, glancing at Kuroki Hitomi. His words startled Kuroki Hitomi at first, then she nodded in understanding. Although many people were involved in this matter, Sanwa must have paid a heavy price. As for Sony and Riko's situation, John didn't say anything; with Naoko around, it wasn't a problem.

(End of this chapter)