Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 227 The Sky City Auction: A Triumphant Kouyuki [Basic Chapter 5k]

When Chihaya Yuri heard Kiryuu Yaya's concern for her, the embarrassment and annoyance on her face lessened somewhat.

She picked up the cushion, hugged it to her chest, and snorted, saying, "—You can keep the key, but if you dare mention today's incident in the bank, I'll show Kiryu-kun what real workplace bullying is."

As expected of Chihaya, the section chief.

That's too much like the underworld.

"Don't worry, senior, I will absolutely not tell anyone about what happened today."

"That's more like it."

Chihaya Yuri hummed again before slowly loosening her cushion and using the sofa armrest to sit up again.

She looked down at her bare left foot. The redness and swelling on her ankle had indeed subsided somewhat, but there was still a faint purple bruise on the surface of her skin.

She touched the ground lightly with her toes, and her brows furrowed again.

"It still hurts."

"Of course it hurts. A ligament sprain takes at least a week to heal. It's already amazing that you can move one leg today."

Chihaya Yuri looked up at him, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she was interrupted by a soft rumbling from her stomach.

Kiryu Yaya couldn't help but chuckle, then turned and walked towards the entrance, bringing in the packing bag that was on the cabinet.

As he unpacked the bag and placed the lunchbox and chopsticks on the coffee table, he said without turning his head, "Senior, eat first, then apply an ice pack, and then get some rest. I have to get back to the bank before 2 p.m., and the bidding will start at 2:30 p.m."

Chihaya Yuri watched his back as he squatted down in front of the coffee table, and swallowed back the "No need to trouble yourself" that was on the tip of her tongue.

"—What did you bring?"

"I asked the chef at the counter to add a little extra sauce to the salt-grilled mackerel set meal at the cafeteria."

66

"—You're actually quite considerate."

Chihaya Yuri lowered her head, took apart her chopsticks, picked up a piece of mackerel, and put it in her mouth.

Kiryu Yaya sat on the low stool opposite her, watching her slowly finish her meal. Then he put the empty lunchbox into a plastic bag, went to the kitchen to repackage an ice pack, and handed it to her.

"Please lie down, senior. Put the ice pack on first. I'm going to wash my hands."

He went into the bathroom; the faucet was on, and water was running over his fingers.

When Kiryu Yaya returned to the living room after washing his hands, Chihaya Yuri was already leaning back on the sofa, her eyes closed, practically dozing off.

Kiryu Yaya was speechless.

How much does Chihaya Yuri trust him?

It's amazing that she can sleep so peacefully even when there are single men in the house.

However, seeing that she had already fallen asleep, Kiryu Yaya decided not to stay any longer. He walked to the coffee table and gently lifted the plastic bag.

At the same time, his gaze fell on the sleeping Chihaya Yuri.

The department head actually has very delicate features.

Her eyebrows are long and slender, neither too thick nor too thin, and she always keeps them slightly furrowed in the office, giving her an imposing and unapproachable air.

But when it is fast asleep, it fully unfolds, revealing a rare softness.

Kiryu Yaya gently stood up and moved the ice pack that had slid to the side back to its original position.

It was a very small movement, but he noticed something was amiss.

Although Chihaya Yuri's eyes were still closed and her breathing rhythm remained unchanged, a faint pink blush appeared on her earlobes.

Kiryu Yaya smiled gently.

Then he walked to the entryway, opened the door, and said softly, "Senior, I'll come again this afternoon. Please rest assured."

Chihaya Yuri realized she'd been caught pretending to be asleep. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and after a long pause, she finally said, "—Come back soon."

in the afternoon.

Mitsubishi Bank.

The elevator doors closed gently behind me.

Kiryu Yaya stood in the fifth-floor corridor and glanced down at his watch.

It's exactly 2 o'clock.

Half an hour before the auction officially begins, the place is already bustling with activity.

Staff from the general affairs department carried tea trays and moved about in the corridor; some were adjusting the projector, while others were rechecking the order of the seat cards.

sequence.

Takeo Ushio stood at the conference room door, looking around at everything.

Masakazu Yamada was also there, joining in the fun.

Kiryu Yaya walked over.

"You're back?"

"Um.

""

"How's Chihaya-class leader doing?"

"It's a ligament sprain, not too serious, but she needs to rest for a few days. I brought her lunch at noon, so it should be fine."

Masakazu Yamada nodded: "That's good."

At this moment, Kiryu Yaya scanned the room.

Compared to the morning, thanks to the efforts of the General Affairs Department at noon, it now looks much more formal.

Most of the people were already seated on both sides of the long table, with neatly arranged folders, teacups, and place cards on the table.

The head seat is empty; it's reserved for Keiko Miyazawa.

She hasn't arrived yet.

At the Miyazawa Group's side, Akio Uesugi was already seated at the front right of the long table, with a thick evaluation report spread out in front of him.

Sitting next to him was a middle-aged man whom Kiryu Yaya had never seen before. He was wearing a dark gray suit, thin-rimmed glasses, and had a calm expression.

Judging from the name on the seating chart, it should be the rabbit that the Miyazawa Group hired.

In other words, it is used to create a competitive atmosphere or to raise prices at crucial moments.

On the other side, a few people were sitting in the guest seats.

The nameplate in front of him read "Takahashi Taishi".

Taishi Takahashi.

This is the shell company agent arranged by Shuichi Kuroda.

Although it was mentioned a lot over the phone, this was the first time Kiryu Yaya had seen him in person.

Judging from his posture and demeanor, Takahashi Taishi certainly resembles an experienced asset management company executive who is used to big events.

There were two other people sitting next to Takahashi Taishi.

A man who looked like his assistant was wearing a light gray suit and had a briefcase in front of him.

The other was a younger man with neatly combed hair, his eyes scanning back and forth in the conference room, like an entourage member familiarizing himself with the environment.

Besides Takahashi Taishi, the real buyer, the runner-up arranged by Kouda Hiko also arrived.

They were two middle-aged men in navy blue suits, with different company names printed on their nameplates. They were people that Kiryu Yaya had never seen before.

They sat at the long table near the door, their posture upright, with folders in front of them, but their expressions were noticeably less relaxed than those of Takahashi Taishi's group.

In Kouyuhiko's script, these two runners-up are also used to "raise the atmosphere".

Kiryu Yaya and Yamada Masakazu sat down in the audience section by the window. The seats were in a corner, but they could see the expressions of everyone on both sides of the long table.

2:20.

The meeting room door was pushed open again.

Kouyuhiko walked in.

Today he was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit with a blue and white tie tied in a standard Windsor knot.

His hair was neatly combed, his leather shoes were polished to a shine, and he looked energetic and exuded a sense of self-satisfaction.

Half a step behind him was Ushio Takeo.

Kouyuki first greeted Akio Uesugi, then nodded slightly in the direction of Taishi Takahashi, before sitting down in the seat next to the head of the table.

Ushio Takeo sat down behind him, his gaze sweeping across both sides of the long table as he discreetly observed the expressions of everyone present.

As Kouyuhiko sat down, his gaze inadvertently swept over Kiryu Yaya, who was sitting in the audience seat by the window.

He paused for a moment, then a smile appeared on his lips.

He was about to acquire Lingkong City, and the position of executive director was already beckoning him.

By then, this minor character who emerged from the Osaka branch will soon be crushed, digested, and forgotten by the various rules within the Tokyo main store system.

He had even begun to imagine that after becoming a candidate for director, he would gain immense power at the head office, and then have the personnel department find any excuse to transfer Kiryu Yaya to the most remote branch.

At that time, no matter how capable this young man is, he won't be able to make any waves.

Thinking of this, Kouyu Tianyan smiled again.

The advantage lies with me.

2:25.

Keiko Miyazawa has arrived.

Today she was wearing a light gray suit, her hair pulled back, making her look capable and restrained.

When she entered the conference room, her gaze lingered briefly in Kiryu Yaya's direction before shifting away and sitting down in the head seat.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Her voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the conference room could hear it clearly.

"Thank you all for coming today to participate in the bidding process for the Linkongcheng plot. Before we officially begin the process, let me briefly explain today's arrangements."

Her gaze swept across both sides of the long table, her speech neither hurried nor slow.

"First, our financial advisor, Mr. Akio Uesugi, will give a brief explanation of the basic information, valuation data, and transaction terms of the Rinko City plot; then, each interested party will ask questions in turn to confirm the transaction framework; finally, each party may submit preliminary bids."

"Today's communication does not have a mandatory outcome, but we hope that all parties can reach a preliminary consensus on the terms of the transaction so that formal negotiations can proceed."

After she finished speaking, she turned her head slightly to signal Akio Uesugi to begin.

Akio Uesugi stood up in response, opened the folder in front of him, and began his formal explanation.

He spoke a little slower than at the last board meeting, clearly to accommodate the outsiders present.

When Akio Uesugi was halfway through his speech, Yaya Kiryu noticed that Taishi Takahashi was looking down at the documents in his hand, occasionally looking up to exchange a brief glance with his assistant.

On the surface, he certainly appears to be the head of an investment firm that has a serious interest in the land.

They look like professionals.

Meanwhile, the two company representatives on the other side were looking down at their documents. Occasionally, someone would look up to ask a question, but the questions were all standard and did not exceed expectations.

The first half proceeded uneventfully.

Until the Q&A session.

As soon as Akio Uesugi finished explaining the framework of the transaction terms, Taishi Takahashi's assistant raised his hand.

"I have a question."

Akio Uesugi gestured for him to continue.

The assistant pulled a page from the folder in front of him, glanced at it, then looked up, his tone calm: "Your information states that the Lingkong City plot is currently free of legal disputes, mortgages, and is freely transferable."

"But as far as we know, the land parcel has an 8 billion yen credit guarantee registered with Mitsubishi Bank. We would like to confirm how this guarantee will be handled after the transaction is completed."

There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

This question was clearly pre-designed, appearing both professional and subtly touching a nerve with everyone present.

It was this very question that deepened the composed smile on Kouyuu Hiko's lips as he sat next to the head of the table.

Just as he had expected.

Takahashi Taishi knew the market better than he had imagined.

He turned his head to look at Keiko Miyazawa, his tone gentle yet firm: "President Miyazawa, Mitsubishi Bank can give a clear answer to this question."

He sat up slightly, the sunlight sweeping across both sides of the long table, his voice neither hurried nor slow.

"Although the Rinku City plot is an important collateral for the 8 billion yen credit line for Miyazawa Tourism Development, once the transaction is completed, as long as your group and Mitsubishi Bank jointly confirm the new guarantee arrangement or prepay part of the loan, our bank can issue a written confirmation of the release or modification of the guarantee to ensure that the transaction process is not affected."

After he finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair, clasped his hands together on the table, and looked relaxed and confident.

Ushio Takeo sat behind him and nodded silently.

This answer made everyone present feel the weight he carried as the executive director of Mitsubishi Bank.

Taishi Takahashi's assistant nodded slightly, scribbled a few notes in his notebook, and didn't ask any further questions.

Kiryu Yaya sat in the audience, watching the scene quietly, his face expressionless.

The second half of the bidding process.

This is the quotation stage.

Taishi Takahashi's side made the first offer, with 48 billion yen as the base price, and included a conditional increase clause, the upper limit of which could fluctuate to 52 billion yen.

This figure was precisely within the expected range of the Miyazawa Group's assessment report.

Subsequently, the two companies that had been competing also submitted their bids, both of which were lower than those of Taishi Takahashi, and their attitudes seemed hesitant.

Kouyuhiko didn't interrupt at all, only occasionally glancing down at the documents on the table, and sometimes turning his head to whisper a word to Ushio Takeo.

In his view, everything was going according to plan.

Taishi Takahashi's offer has been finalized, and the Miyazawa Group has not shown any significant resistance.

Barring any major unforeseen circumstances in the subsequent negotiations, the land in Lingkong City will naturally fall into the hands of the shell company controlled by the Dongzheng Association.

As the behind-the-scenes coordinator of this deal, he himself will have another significant contribution to the list of achievements.

Kouyuki leaned back in his chair, his gaze shifting from Takahashi Taishi to Miyazawa Keiko's face, then back to the unopened document in front of him.

He picked up his teacup, lowered his head, and took a sip. The tea was at the perfect temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.

He was in a good mood.

So good that when he looked up again and the light happened to fall on Kiryu Yaya in the audience, he didn't even remember the hostility the newcomer had shown him.

He's just a newcomer.

It's nothing.

As he thought this, the calm smile on his lips deepened even further.

The bidding process has reached a fever pitch.

As Miyazawa Fang raised the price of the rabbit, the bidding went up again.

Taishi Takahashi's assistant put down his pen, adjusted his glasses, and looked up from the folder at Keiko Miyazawa, who was sitting at the head of the table: "President Miyazawa, we believe that the value of the Rinku City site is greater than the current assessment."

"Although the construction of Kansai International Airport is still underway, once it is completed and opened to traffic, the strategic value of this land will far exceed 50 billion yen."

He paused for a moment, as if giving the other person time to process it.

"Therefore, we are willing to raise our benchmark offer to 55 billion yen, with the terms remaining unchanged."

"The condition is that you must complete the confirmation of all preliminary procedures within two weeks, including the issuance of the guarantee release document from Mitsubishi Bank, and the final ratification by the board of directors and shareholders' meeting."

The meeting room fell silent for a moment when the number was announced.

The two representatives from the companies that were supporting the runners, sitting on the right side of the long table, clearly exchanged a glance.

Their instructions were to "cooperate with the bidding, but don't actually win the bid," but now Taishi Takahashi has driven the price up to 55 billion yen, far exceeding their expectations and authorized limits.

So they decided to give up.

Akio Uesugi cleared his throat and asked, "Mr. Takahashi, the figure of 55 billion yen is indeed very generous. However, we need to confirm whether your financial preparations are fully in place."

Taishi Takahashi's assistant smiled and said, "It's all in cash. The funds have been collected overseas and can be transferred to our Japanese account at any time. If you require it, we can provide a bank statement within three days."

Akio Uesugi nodded in satisfaction.

Kiryu Yaya, who was sitting in the audience, smiled almost imperceptibly.

He knew Takahashi Taishi's background all too well.

The funds behind this person were collected through layers of offshore companies.

The so-called full cash payment was nothing more than short-term bridging funds mobilized by Kuroda Shuichi and Takatsukasa Seiichi.

But at this moment, in Kouyuu Hiko's eyes, this was a perfect hand.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly shifted his gaze from Takahashi Taishi's assistant to Miyazawa Keiko, his tone subtly guiding her: "President Miyazawa, the terms Mr. Takahashi offered are indeed very competitive. 55 billion yen, all in cash, with preliminary formalities to be completed within two weeks—"

'

Such sincerity is rare in the current Kansai real estate market.

Keiko Miyazawa did not respond immediately.

She looked down and flipped through a page of documents in front of her, as if she were carefully considering them, but in reality she was waiting for a signal.

She glanced at the audience out of the corner of her eye.

Kiryu Yaya was looking down at his notebook, not looking at her, but his fingers tapped lightly twice on the table.

Two times.

This was the pre-arranged code:

We can continue to push the price up; there's no need to stop.

Then Keiko Miyazawa looked up, her gaze falling on Taishi Takahashi's assistant's face, her tone carrying just the right amount of embarrassment: "Mr. Takahashi, the figure of 55 billion yen is indeed very sincere."

"But I would like to remind you of one thing: the development potential of the Airport City site is far greater than the current assessment suggests."

She paused slightly, as if giving herself space to say those words.

"Although the Kansai International Airport project is still in the land reclamation stage, according to the latest assessment within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the opening date is likely to be six months to a year ahead of schedule."

"If this assessment holds true, then the value of the airport city plot will undergo a significant revaluation before the airport opens to traffic."

""

She paused, her tone softening slightly.

"Therefore, if you wish to lock in the deal within this time window, the figure of 55 billion yen will probably need to be increased further."