My era, 1979!

Chapter 190 TBS and an Unexpected Encounter

At five o'clock in the morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi woke up from her sleep.

She lives in a luxury apartment in Liberty Hill.

The area boasts an elegant environment, filled with boutiques and cafes, making it a favorite retreat for many artists and fashionistas. However, the journey from Jiyugaoka to the TBS television station in Akasaka during Tokyo's morning rush hour is a battle that demands serious preparation.

She quickly washed up, changed into comfortable casual clothes, carefully wrapped her signature "onion head" hairstyle in a headscarf, and then left with her bag. Her personal taxi was already waiting downstairs at the apartment building.

As a nationally renowned host, having a dedicated taxi driver is a perfectly normal and convenient privilege.

The car entered Meguro-dori and soon merged into the increasingly dense traffic.

By 1955, the streets of Tokyo were already "overcrowded with cars".

The widespread adoption of private cars due to rapid economic growth has caused congestion on major roads starting as early as dawn. Taxis weave through traffic, while outside the windows stretches a vast "commuter army"—salarymen in suits and carrying briefcases, like silent ants, swarming towards various train stations; housewives on bicycles carry breakfast groceries in their baskets; and occasionally, black luxury cars flash past the window, carrying political and business elites who have already begun their busy day even earlier.

The entire city was like a sophisticated machine that had just started up, emitting a dull yet orderly roar.

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi looked out the window at the familiar, almost monotonous scene and let out a soft breath.

She took out today's program script from her work bag and began to review it again.

"Xu Chengjun...China...'Red Silk'..."

She murmured these keywords. News from Iwanami Shoten indicated that this young author was very famous in the other country, and his fame was even beginning to spread overseas, which was why Iwanami and Baba Kimihiko were paying so much attention to him.

This in itself demonstrates its importance.

But what puts the most pressure on her is the format of today's program.

It wasn't her most comfortable "one-on-one" in-depth dialogue, but rather, in addition to her core interview with Xu Chengjun, two master writers, Kenzaburo Oe and Ryotaro Shiba, participated in the discussion as special guests.

She touched her forehead; this was the most troublesome thing ever.

Involving other countries might touch upon delicate political and historical topics, which doesn't align with her usual warm and human-centered programming style. She muttered softly, a hint of helplessness and self-deprecation in her voice:

"あらまあ、International Issuesって、ほんとにややこしいわね..."

(Oh dear, international issues are such a hassle...)
These two renowned Japanese writers and masters are by no means easy to deal with. Oe's thoughts are profound and sharp, while Mr. Sima is as weighty as a mountain. It is no easy task to maintain the right pace and level of conversation between them and a young, unfamiliar Chinese writer.

The car moved slowly through the traffic jam and finally arrived at the familiar building of TBS Television.

"お tired れ様です, Tetsuko さん!"

(Thank you for your hard work, Tetsuko!)

As soon as I entered the backstage area, familiar greetings rang out one after another.

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi immediately responded with her signature, very friendly smile.

"おはよう, Nakajima さん."

(Good morning, Mr. Nakajima.)
"Banzhu ディレクターの木村さん, いつもお世言になっております."

(Mr. Kimura, the program director, we are very grateful for your continued support.)
"AD Tanaka-kun, today's もよろしくね."

(Thank you for your help today, Assistant Director Tanaka.)
An older staff member in charge of props chuckled and joked, "I heard that Ms. Tetsuko is going to interview that young master from China today. You're getting more and more impressive!"

A young female director standing nearby immediately chimed in, "So what! Ms. Tetsuko even interviewed Audrey Hepburn!"

Kuroyanagi smiled and waved his hand, speaking modestly: "It's all thanks to everyone, and the guests' willingness to share their stories."

As the recording of the show approached, she entered her private dressing room. Makeup artist Ms. Inoue was already prepared.

"Tetsuko-san, you look great today." Ms. Inoue smiled and began to apply makeup to her.

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi sat quietly, obediently raising her chin and closing her eyes. Her makeup was gradually finalized: a fair base, her signature thick black eyeliner outlining her round, bright eyes, and warm tones for blush and lip gloss to enhance her complexion.

Finally, she personally adjusted her architecturally stable "onion head" bangs, making sure every strand was in the place she knew best.

Makeup artist Inoue looked at her and smiled sincerely: "After all these years, seeing Ms. Tetsuko sitting in front of the mirror still makes me feel very at ease. Your warm recording style has brought us and the audience a lot of joy."

"You're too kind. I'm also grateful for your care, Ms. Inoue," Kuroyanagi replied gently, tilting her head slightly in the mirror in her classic, slightly playful way.

As Ms. Inoue packed up her tools, she said with a hint of worry, "I hope that Chinese writers today won't be too sharp-tongued. After all, Ms. Tetsuko is such a good person. Everyone knows about your humanitarian spirit and your commitment to peace."

Upon hearing this, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi turned around, grasped Ms. Inoue's hand, and gave her a reassuring and empowering smile:

"The real man, Inoue Miya. The private bottom power, the man who sees the truth!"

(No problem, Inoue. I haven't fully shown my true abilities yet!)
Her tone was relaxed and confident, carrying a composure born of experience. Whether facing a prince, a superstar, a genius writer from a mysterious country, or a literary giant of her own country, she, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, was confident in creating a "cabin" where genuine emotions could flow naturally in her unique way.

She straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, and walked towards the studio.

Outside the door, the sounds of staff making final adjustments and guests entering could be faintly heard.
-
Xu Chengjun changed into a new suit specially prepared for him by Iwanami Bookstore.

This is a dark gray fine-check suit from the top Japanese brand "VAN". During the economically confident period of the Showa era, Japanese brands such as "VAN" and "KASHIYAMA" represented a new fashion that blended Japanese tailoring with Western style, making them the first choice for elites. Their designs maintained the crispness of a suit while showcasing sophistication in the details.

He casually tousled his hair with the newly bought hair wax, giving his black hair a natural fluffy and textured look, and looked at himself in the mirror.

The young man in the mirror has a tall and straight posture, and his well-fitting suit further accentuates his unique temperament, which blends elegance and sharpness.

"handsome!"

He gave a silent thumbs-up, and seeing that it was almost noon, he hurriedly hailed a Crown Comfort taxi at the hotel entrance and headed to TBS television station.

Upon arriving at the television station, he instinctively paused, looked around for a while, and gazed at the Akasaka district, the most bustling area of ​​Tokyo at that time. High-rise buildings interspersed with traditional restaurants, and pedestrians in suits hurried by. The whole city exuded a vibrant and upward-moving "Showa economic animal" energy.

I had just composed myself and was about to turn and walk into the hall when a fragrant breeze suddenly wafted towards me.

"boom!"

A soft thud was heard, and warm liquid instantly soaked through the fabric of his suit jacket.

Xu Chengjun felt a soft body bump into him and then bounce away immediately. Then, a warm current with the scent of milk and caffeine spread rapidly across his chest.

A cold wind blew through Tokyo in December, the soaked fabric clung to his skin, the chill penetrating to the bone, instantly dispelling his thoughts.

He looked down and saw a young woman in a stylish camel coat and scarf staring at him, holding a spilled paper coffee cup.

She has an extremely bright and striking face, with a unique charm in her eyes that blends innocence and stubbornness, resembling the eldest sister of the Cat's Eye trio!
The woman took a few seconds to react, and after seeing the tall, handsome man in front of her and the large, shocking coffee stain on his chest, her cheeks flushed red.

Almost instinctively and without thinking, she gave a near-ninety-degree bow, her tone filled with panic and apology:
"I'm supposed to be a rude person! I'm so rude! I'm sorry!" Attention... Serviceのクリーニング generation, must be compensated!

(I'm so sorry! It was so rude of me! It was my oversight... Please let me reimburse you for the cleaning costs!)

Keiko Matsuzaka was also speechless.

She was having some trouble filming recently, and had a disagreement with the director about the interpretation of a certain scene. She was just about to go out to buy a cup of coffee to clear her head when, in her distraction, she bumped into a gentleman who was obviously distinguished and well-dressed.

Seriously, do you have to be this unlucky?!

She finally established herself as a top-tier actress with works like "The Incident" and "The March of Kamata," and even won the Hochi Film Award for Best Actress. Didn't we say that once you become famous, everything will go smoothly?

She was really troubled. Anyone who could appear at TBS headquarters dressed so elegantly must be either rich, powerful, or a celebrity in the industry.

In Japanese society during the Showa era, when male superiority and female inferiority were still deeply ingrained, offending a powerful figure could easily lead to trouble, even for a popular actress.

Xu Chengjun sighed, only understanding the words "sorry" and "compensation" from the long string of Japanese; the rest was completely incomprehensible.

He made a gentle "stop" gesture and tried to communicate in his still somewhat broken, accented Japanese. Finding that he couldn't express himself clearly, he switched to fluent English and said:
"Don't worry. Can you speak English? I'm not Japanese, and my Japanese isn't very fluent."

Upon hearing this, Matsuzaka Keiko finally raised her head and looked carefully at Xu Chengjun.

In her panic, she hadn't seen clearly, but now, facing that sharply defined, handsome face with a scholarly air, her heart skipped a beat.

He's so handsome!
He's so tall, and his figure looks well-proportioned and upright in the suit. No wonder it felt so good when I bumped into him earlier!
Keiko Matsuzaka blushed, inwardly cursing herself: Hey, what am I thinking?!
She hurriedly replied in somewhat broken English, with an apologetic tone, "No problem, sir. I said, I'm so sorry about your suit."

Xu Chengjun glanced at the dark stain on his chest and frowned slightly: "I have to record a program later, so I'm afraid I won't have time to deal with it."

He looked up at Keiko Matsuzaka and asked in a calm tone, "Are there any suit shops around here?" Keiko Matsuzaka felt a little relieved to see that he wasn't angry, but when she heard that he was in a hurry to record, her face turned even redder. She felt that she had caused him a lot of trouble, so she quickly replied, "Yes, there is. The Akasaka Biz Tower is nearby. There is a branch of Aoyama Tailors inside. They have a lot of styles and they can make alterations quickly!"

She grasped at a straw, speaking rapidly, her familiarity with the area evident.

Xu Chengjun was still somewhat bewildered as he listened to the string of Japanese-English shop names and place names.

But he grasped the key point—there was a shop nearby.

He glanced at his watch; time was of the essence, so he suggested directly, "If you want to make amends, take me to the nearest, slightly more affordable suit shop."

"Something more affordable?"

Keiko Matsuzaka glanced at Xu Chengjun's well-made and well-tailored VAN suit with surprise, wondering if someone who could wear such clothes would care about the price.
But she didn't think much of it, assuming it was just the other person being considerate and not wanting her to spend money, so she readily nodded and said, "Okay, please follow me."

She led Xu Chengjun quickly toward a nearby shopping mall.

Along the way, she was a little nervous and couldn't help but try to ease the awkwardness by speaking in broken English: "Um... I'm really sorry. I, I'm Keiko Matsuzaka, an actress."

She carefully observed Xu Chengjun's reaction, worried that he might not recognize her.

Upon hearing this, Xu Chengjun paused slightly and looked at her carefully once more.

Keiko Matsuzaka?

He suddenly realized why she looked so familiar and stunning; it was the actress hailed as the "most beautiful woman of the Showa era."

In an era where blurriness is often considered more beautiful, this one truly deserves the top spot!
The inspiration for the eldest of the Cat's Eye sisters!
"So it's Ms. Matsuzaka, I've heard so much about you."

Xu Chengjun smiled slightly and replied in English, "I am Xu Chengjun, a writer from China."

"A writer?" Keiko Matsuzaka blinked her big eyes and asked curiously, "Mr. Xu is here at TBS because..."

“Record an interview program, ‘Tetsuko’s Little House’.”

"Eh--?!"

Keiko Matsuzaka gasped softly, covering her mouth, her eyes filled with surprise and envy. "Tetsuko's Little House! Mr. Xu is amazing! I... I've acted in quite a few dramas, but I've never had the chance to be on that show."

Her tone carried a hint of barely perceptible disappointment, but it also reaffirmed the significance of the young writer before her.

This only shows that Iwanami Shoten truly has influence in Japan.

It allowed him, a foreigner who had just been exposed, to directly enter "Tetsuko's Cabin".

In the past few days, he has come to understand the status of this program in Japan.

national.

Very national.

Even Prince Charles has been on these shows~
Upon arriving at the Aoyama Tailor Shop in the mall, Keiko Matsuzaka seemed to have returned to her home turf, quickly reverting to her sophisticated urban professional image.

She chattered away among the clothes racks, quickly picking out several suits for Xu Chengjun that suited his temperament, with modern cuts yet maintaining a dignified appearance.

"This navy blue outfit really suits my style! You should also try this dark gray one with fine stripes! And this one, the color is more youthful!"

She enthusiastically shoved the clothes into Xu Chengjun's hands, her voice tinged with a hint of coquettish pleading, "Try them all on! I want to make it up to you~"

Xu Chengjun glanced at the time and estimated that he still had time, so he tried on the outfits one by one as instructed.

When he emerged from the fitting room, not only were the shop assistants somewhat stunned, but even the occasional passerby couldn't help but glance at him. The well-fitting suit perfectly accentuated his tall and straight figure, exuding a unique charm that straddled the line between youth and manhood, a blend of Eastern scholarly air and a timeless, unrestrained freedom, creating a powerful aura in the simple fitting room.

Even someone like Keiko Matsuzaka, who is used to seeing all kinds of handsome men in the entertainment industry, felt her heart racing a little.

The key isn't just his impeccably handsome face and physique, but also the knowing, nonchalant charm in his eyes—a complex and captivating aura. Slurp!
In the end, Xu Chengjun chose a dark blue single-breasted suit, with a simple and neat style and a calm but not dull color.

As he took out his wallet to pay, Keiko Matsuzaka snatched it away, her attitude firm: "No way! This is my problem, how can I let you pay? We agreed that I would apologize!"

"There's really no need, Ms. Matsuzaka."

Xu Chengjun tried to get his wallet back.

"Yes, I will!" Keiko Matsuzaka insisted, looking up at him with the stubbornness and resilience characteristic of traditional Japanese women. "I will also take this soiled VAN suit to a professional cleaner to make sure it's back to its original condition!"

Seeing her serious expression, Xu Chengjun smiled and withdrew his hand: "Alright, thank you then."

After paying, Keiko Matsuzaka seemed to brighten up instantly. She winked playfully and made a new suggestion: "If Mr. Xu still feels bad... how about treating me to dinner after the show's recording tonight? And while you're at it, come pick up your cleaned clothes."

Her words carried just the right amount of probing and expectation.

"Okay, it's a deal."

"Then it's settled!"

Keiko Matsuzaka's smile widened as she carefully packed the new suit and handed it to Xu Chengjun. She then personally led him back to TBS Television Station, heading straight to the entrance of the "Tetsuko's Hut" studio located inside the building.

"I'm going to film now~ I'll come find you tonight, Xu Jun~" She waved goodbye, her tone intimate and natural.

Actors, after all~
Once you get used to it, it becomes a very professional performance!
Just then, several TBS staff members passed by. They clearly recognized the big star and started joking around with him.

"Ms. Matsuzaka, you have a new boyfriend? He's quite a handsome man!"

"What?! Don't talk nonsense!"

But her gaze unconsciously drifted towards Xu Chengjun, carrying a hint of cunning and a deeper shyness, without completely denying it.

She then turned and walked away quickly, like a startled yet triumphant fawn, leaving behind a silhouette that left much to the imagination.

This perfectly timed ambiguous response was exactly the effect she wanted.

Recently, the veteran producer Mr. Ito, who has been pestering her, has been using his connections and influence in the industry to openly and subtly hint at wanting to take their relationship "further," which is causing her considerable distress.

Now, having a "seemingly true" but ambiguous rumor about this charismatic and soon-to-be-featured Chinese writer in "Tetsuko's Hut" can be used to deflect some unnecessary trouble and make the other party back down.

As for how to explain it later... well, we'll talk about that later!

Once she got used to it, this kind of impromptu, half-real, half-fake performance was a piece of cake for her, a professional actress.

Xu Chengjun looked in the direction she left and smiled helplessly.

He wasn't exactly a womanizer, but he wasn't vulgar either; he appreciated beauty, but he had a moral compass and a bottom line in his actions.

Just have some casual fun in Japan.

That's the bottom line~
He straightened the collar of his new suit, composed himself, and, guided by the staff, walked calmly toward the guest lounge.

Upon opening the door, the first person you see is Kenzaburo Oe, who is already waiting inside.

"Xu Jun, you've arrived."

Da Jiang stood up. Today he was wearing a chunky knit sweater and black-rimmed glasses, and his temperament, as always, carried the sharpness of an intellectual with a touch of melancholy.

He smiled and introduced Xu Chengjun to another elder in the lounge: "This is Mr. Ryotaro Shiba."

Xu Chengjun looked at the elderly man sitting on the sofa, who was thin but had a dignified posture.

He wore a kimono jacket, his hair was neatly combed, his face was thin, and his eyes were sharp as an eagle, revealing a calmness and insight honed from the dust of history.

This is Ryotaro Shiba.

Xu Chengjun thought to himself.

This master of historical novels is practically a "human-shaped self-propelled popular science machine" and a "top IP creation machine" for Japanese historical stories. His works have supported half of the historical themes in Japanese film and television dramas in later generations. With a single pen, he vividly portrayed the Sengoku period and the end of the Edo period, and his fans span all age groups.

"Mr. Sima, I have long admired your name." Xu Chengjun stepped forward, his demeanor both dignified and graceful.

A literary dialogue that transcends national borders and generations is about to quietly begin in this small lounge.

(End of this chapter)