Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 223 Section Chief Chihaya, do you... have some kind of innate attribute? (Bonus chapter for monthly votes: 4k chapters)

Kouyuhiko's words were perfectly tactful.

Keiko Miyazawa was silent for a few seconds, then looked at Hiroshi Kouda, her tone carrying just the right amount of embarrassment: "I appreciate Minister Kouda's kindness. However, to be honest, there is already a company that has expressed a clear intention to acquire Rinko City."

Kouyuki Hiko's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Oh? Which company?"

Keiko Miyazawa shook her head: "The other party wishes to keep this confidential for now, but I can tell you, Minister, that their offer is close to our expected range, and they are also well-prepared financially."

Upon hearing this, Kouyu Hiko quickly replied, "It's certainly a good thing that companies are willing to compete. Having more interested parties isn't a bad thing for the Miyazawa Group either. What does President Miyazawa think?"

Keiko Miyazawa's eyes lit up: "Of course, bidding is always the most advantageous situation for the seller."

Seeing this, Kouyu Hiko breathed a sigh of relief and immediately took over the conversation: "In that case, if it's convenient for President Miyazawa, I'll arrange a meeting tomorrow afternoon."

"I invited the heads of those institutions to the conference room of Mitsubishi Bank's Osaka branch for a preliminary discussion with your group."

"President Miyazawa can discuss the price and terms with them in person. If they think it's suitable, we can proceed; if not, we won't force it. What do you think?"

Keiko Miyazawa nodded: "Okay. Then I'll leave the arrangements to Minister Kouda."

"It's no trouble at all."

Kouyuki's smile deepened: "President Miyazawa Takashi and I are old acquaintances. It is my honor to be able to do something for the Miyazawa Group."

He didn't linger any longer, gave a slight bow to Keiko Miyazawa, and then turned and walked towards the door.

After the two figures disappeared outside the door, the conference room fell silent again.

Masakazu Yamada stood up and nodded to Keiko Miyazawa: "President Miyazawa, we'll take our leave now."

"Section Chief Yamada, please take care."

Keiko Miyazawa stood up and returned the greeting.

Her gaze lingered on Kiryu Yaya's face for a moment, but she didn't say anything more, only nodded slightly.

Kiryu Yaya nodded, then followed Yamada Masakazu out of the conference room.

[The third act of the main storyline "The Avengers"—"The Siege of the Empty City"—has been completed]

[Task Completion: Perfect]

[Task rewards are being distributed —]

[Congratulations, host, you have acquired a skill—]

[Fatigue reset:]

[Passive feature: In cases of extreme fatigue, a short 10-minute nap can fully restore physical and mental energy.]

[Can be used once a day]

On the way back to the bank, Kiryu Yaya looked at the mission reward and his eyes lit up slightly.

He had already drunk all the powerful Red Bull that the system had rewarded him with long ago, whether he had something to do or not.

Now that the "Fatigue Reset" skill has arrived, it's like a godsend, perfectly filling the gap left by Red Bull.

Moreover, judging from the skill description, this skill has some unique features.

Mom no longer has to worry about me not finding a girlfriend.

After a good night's sleep, you'll be full of energy. If you time it right at night, you'll be as strong as three fully-rested men.

4:20 PM.

Mitsubishi Bank Osaka Branch.

The dark gray official car slowly came to a stop in front of the main gate.

Kiryu Yaya opened the car door, stood by the car for two seconds, and waited for Yamada Masakazu to get out from the other side. Then the two walked into the bank entrance side by side.

The lobby on the first floor was still busy, with several company employees standing at the windows handling their business, and a fax machine in the corner constantly spitting out paper.

As Kiryu Yaya walked toward the elevator, he was still thinking about the conversation between Kouyuu Hiko and Kouyuu Hiko in the conference room earlier.

After a busy half-day, Master Kiryu finally got a bite, so he didn't go home empty-handed.

Back to the financing review class on the third floor.

Chihaya Yuri was still busy at her workstation.

Seeing him sit down, I asked, "How did the meeting go?"

"It went fairly smoothly."

"Has it been settled regarding Miyazawa's side?"

"The board of directors has approved it; the next step is to proceed with the implementation process."

Chihaya Yuri gave a soft "Mmm": "It's good that the land in Rinko City was sold. The market is sluggish right now, and it's better for the business to have some cash flow back sooner."

.

Kiryu Yaya nodded and said, "Yes, it wasn't easy for President Miyazawa to make this decision."

Chihaya Yuri closed the document in her hand, put it back on the corner of the table, and then picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Suddenly, she remembered something: "Kiryu-kun."

"Yes."

"I haven't had a proper talk with you about work lately, have I?

1

Kiryu Yaya looked up and glanced at her.

Chihaya Yuri said wistfully, "Since the Higashi-Osaka Seiko case came to an end, things have been relatively calm in class lately, and I think I've become a bit lax at work —"

Kiryu Yaya pursed his lips, almost like a turtle going home from school—

The turtle can't stay at school anymore.

You, Chihaya Yuri!

Is it because you were born with some kind of special attribute?

You feel uncomfortable if you're not busy for a day, right?

Kiryu Yaya realized that someone like Chihaya Yuri shouldn't work in a bank.

When I was studying medicine, I became an emergency room doctor. In the evenings, I would eat mangoes and dragon fruit and drink two cans of Want Want milk.

Isn't this brimming with energy?

However, Kiryu Yaya obviously couldn't directly voice this criticism.

He could only soothe Chihaya Yuri's uneasy heart by speaking to her as a subordinate: "This is not your fault, senior. As a subordinate, it is my duty to report to my senior regularly."

Chihaya Yuri gave a soft "hmm," and then casually added, "Let's have dinner together tonight and chat about work."

"A new shop just opened near the bank, and the reviews are pretty good. If you don't have any other plans after get off work..."

Kiryu Yaya slowly typed a question mark, but still agreed: "Okay, senpai. I don't have any plans tonight."

Chihaya Yuri then turned her gaze away from the window, gave a soft "hmm," and said nothing more before lowering her head to reopen the document.

At 6:30 p.m., the people in the financing review department began to pack up their things.

When Yamada Masakazu came out of the office, he glanced at Chihaya Yuri and Kiryu Yaya who were still at their workstations, didn't say anything, just nodded, and then picked up his briefcase and left.

He was indicating that they could leave work.

As Kenta Sasaki walked past Yaya Kiryu's table, he lowered his voice and asked, "Kiryu-kun, what are your plans for tonight?"

"It's nothing, just having dinner with Section Chief Chihaya. I have some work-related matters that I need to consult with my superiors about."

Kenta Sasaki's eyes widened slightly, then he gave a meaningful look.

Arima Kishou walked behind him, pushed up his glasses expressionlessly, and said nothing.

The office area quickly quieted down.

Chihaya Yuri stood up, picked up her coat, walked to Kiryu Yaya's table, glanced down at him, and said, "Let's go."

Kiryu Yaya put the documents on the table into the drawer, stood up, and picked up his suit jacket, draping it over his arm.

"it is good."

The two left the financing review room and walked down the corridor toward the elevator.

It was evening in May, and the sky was not yet completely dark.

The air carried a lingering warmth from the daytime, mixed with the scent of new leaves from the ginkgo trees lining the streets.

Chihaya Yuri walked beside him, neither deliberately slowing down nor speeding up her pace, just walking side by side, with about an arm's length between them.

The shop she mentioned was in an inconspicuous alley near the bank. It had a small storefront with a dark gray curtain hanging at the entrance, on which the shop's name was written in white letters.

The two sat down, ordered their food, and the waiter poured them hot tea before leaving.

There was a moment of silence around the table.

Kiryu Yaya picked up his teacup, took a sip, then put it down and spoke first.

"Senior, things have been relatively calm in class lately, but that's not necessarily a bad thing."

"If bad debts like those from Higashi-Osaka Seiko come in every day, we can't stand it either."

Chihaya Yuri picked up her tea and took a sip: "But after a while of peace and quiet, I'm actually finding it a little strange."

Kiryu Yaya smiled slightly.

But in his heart he was thinking that in less than six months, when land prices plummeted, and a wave of corporate defaults swept the country, paralyzing many banks, Chief Chihaya probably wouldn't think that way anymore.

"That's how it is in the bank. When it's busy, you feel tired, and when it's quiet, you feel anxious."

Chihaya Yuri's voice carried a rare hint of self-deprecation: "I guess this is just an occupational hazard."

"Occupational diseases aren't so bad; at least it shows that the senior colleague is very dedicated to the job."

"And you?"

Chihaya Yuri looked up at him: "It's been over two months since I started this job. Don't you feel that it's different from what you imagined?"

Kiryu Yaya thought for a moment, then shook his head: "It's alright. Although it's busier than I imagined, I'm doing things that I'm interested in, so I don't feel tired."

He's busy getting revenge on Kouyuda.

I'm not tired at all; I just feel like I can keep pushing myself.

Chihaya Yuri gave a soft "hmm" but didn't reply.

The waiter brought the food over, and the two ate quietly.

After a moment, Chihaya Yuri put down her chopsticks and asked casually, "I heard you went to Arashiyama with Yayoi-san and the others over the weekend?"

Kiryu Yaya paused in his chopsticks, his eyes narrowing unconsciously, but after thinking for a moment, he realized there was nothing he couldn't say: "Yeah, I went last Saturday. We walked along the bamboo path and also went to Togetsukyo Bridge."

"Is it fun?"

"It's not bad. The scenery in Kyoto is really beautiful, and the breeze blowing through the bamboo forest is very pleasant."

Kiryu Yaya looked at her, a slight thought stirring in his heart, and then smiled, "If you'd like to go sometime, senpai, I can show you the way. After all, I've been there once before, so I'm quite familiar with the route."

Chihaya Yuri looked up at him across the table.

Her gaze softened slightly. She remained silent for a moment, then lowered her head, a tiny curve appearing at the corners of her lips.

"Okay. It's settled then."

"Yes, anytime is fine."

That concludes this topic.

After finishing the main meal, the staff brought out a pot of fresh tea and a small dish of matcha ice cream.

Kiryu Yaya scooped a spoonful of ice cream and put it in his mouth. The cool sweetness melted on his tongue, with a hint of bitterness unique to matcha.

Just then, the television screen hanging on the corner wall of the restaurant suddenly changed and started playing the evening news.

"Next, we'll be broadcasting a political news item."

The news anchor's voice came through the television: "Mr. Daihiro Chihaya, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Tax System Research Committee and a member of the House of Councillors, delivered an important speech on the current economic situation at a press conference held this afternoon in Tokyo —"

Kiryu Yaya's self-awareness was unconsciously drawn to the television screen.

A man in his fifties appeared on the screen.

He was wearing a dark suit, his tie was perfectly tied, and his hair was combed back neatly, revealing his broad forehead.

"According to Representative Chihaya, the challenges currently facing the Japanese economy are essentially the result of the combined effects of over-investment during the bubble period and inflated asset prices."

He acknowledged that the bubble needed to be deflated, but explicitly opposed any form of "shock therapy."

The female news anchor continued, "Member Chihaya argues that banks and businesses should gradually digest bad debts in a relatively stable manner through debt extension, industry fund injections, and gradual policy adjustments."

He also criticized the tendency of some financial institutions to overly tighten credit policies, saying that such a one-size-fits-all approach could accelerate the economic downturn.

The camera cuts to the press conference.

Chihaya Daihiro stood in front of the microphone, his voice steady, carrying the composure cultivated over the years by a professional politician.

"Economic adjustments are necessary, but the way they are made is equally important. We cannot kill patients in order to cure diseases."

He paused slightly, looking directly at the camera as if he were looking at everyone reading this news.

"The government's responsibility is to help the country smoothly navigate this painful period, rather than using more radical means to push the problem from one stage to another."

"On this point, I have always believed that slow digestion is more effective than rapid clearing in avoiding unnecessary increases in social costs."

The scene then cut back to the studio, where the female anchor began to introduce Daihiro Chihaya's resume.

"Member Chihaya previously served as the Vice-Minister of Finance, during which time he spearheaded several financial system reforms."

"After retiring from officialdom, he entered politics and is currently the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Tax System Research Committee, a heavyweight figure in the party's fiscal policy —"

Kiryu Yaya looked away from the television screen, as if remembering something, and looked at Chihaya Yuri, casually saying, "What a coincidence, this councilor shares the same surname as you, Chihaya."

Chihaya Yuri's chopsticks paused briefly at the edge of the plate.

Then she looked up at the face on the TV screen, then looked away, and smiled somewhat awkwardly.

"Yes—it's a coincidence."

Chihaya Yuri did not continue the topic.

There was a moment of silence between them, but the silence was not dull.

The news on TV was still on, and the host was discussing the impact of Daihiro Chihaya's speech on the financial market.

"senior."

Kiryu Yaya spoke first: "You said you wanted to talk to me about work. What specific aspects were you referring to?"

Chihaya Yuri put down her spoon, placed her hands together on the table, and regained some of the seriousness she usually displayed in the office.

"It's mainly about your upcoming arrangements."

"arrange?"

"Yes. Didn't the Matsumoto branch manager already submit your name to the store's youth talent exchange program? If approved, you'll be rotating to the Tokyo main store in three months."

Her voice was calm: "You'll encounter a completely different work environment and interpersonal relationships in Tokyo. It might be better to prepare for some things in advance."

Kiryu Yaya sat up straighter: "What do you mean, senpai?"

"The way we do things at the Tokyo headquarters is quite different from that at the Osaka branch."

Chihaya Yuri's gaze fell on the table, as if she was recalling something, and her voice lowered.

"At the Osaka branch, although there are factions and personal relationships, the overall atmosphere is more focused on getting things done."

"People value whether you can handle the case well and solve the problem. It's different at the Tokyo headquarters; they value position more there."

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