Tokyo: Starting with taking on his wife's debts

“Let’s process their onboarding first!” Riko added, worried about disturbing Hideaki. “We’ll also call Eri out for the meeting later.”

"Are we going to fire her?"

"What else can I do? I have to perform too!"

Riko felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She was also reluctant to part with Eri, after all, they had truly become inseparable best friends. However, if she were to disappoint her husband again, she might as well simply give her position to Ezaki...

But how could such a thing be given away so easily?

Although he has empathy and often considers others, he even attributes some mistakes that are not his own to himself.

However, they cannot sacrifice themselves to make concessions when it comes to the happiness they pursue; on the contrary, they will work even harder to achieve it.

The happiness that should have been ours, we won't give up even a step of.

"President Riko, please don't feel guilty," Chieko's heart stirred, realizing that her time to show her skills had come. As for Eri, she could only apologize to her... After all, she hadn't considered her sisters' difficulties... She continued, "I can only say that Eri-chan isn't suited to working in a supermarket. Eri-chan's dream is to become a manga artist, and her manga is pretty good, isn't it?"

"It's alright, I didn't look closely, but something felt off..." Riko blushed slightly, finding it difficult to speak, after all, it was an adult anime.

"Ah... that..." Chieko couldn't help but drift off-topic when she thought of Eri's manga, so she quickly brought it back. "I mean, her manga is making money. The copyright has been sold, and it's even scheduled to air on TV in the midnight time slot. She doesn't need to work part-time here anymore. Even if we fire her, she'll understand and will still be your best friend."

Chieko wanted to be more explicit. If Eri continued working here, she might become a full-time employee and have a real superior-subordinate relationship with Riko. By then, Eri might have matured, and because of this superior-subordinate relationship, they would never have the days of being able to talk about anything again.

But when she thought about her current situation—it was obvious that she and Riko were in a superior-subordinate relationship—she was a little worried that if she revealed it, Riko would connect it to her. Although she wouldn't do anything bad to Riko, there were some things that were hard to be honest about, after all, she really loved Riko's husband…

"Hmm, I think I understand now." Riko clenched her fist. "Thank you, Chieko-neechan. No matter what, listening to your husband is always the right thing to do, right?"

“Yes, yes, listen, listen to your husband…” Chieko whispered in agreement, her heart pounding, thinking to herself: How long has it been since I called him “husband”… I really want to call him that to Hideaki-kun…

For the next ten minutes or so, Chieko busied herself helping Riko complete the onboarding process for the five new female employees.

The five new employees were pleasantly surprised to learn that the president was not Hideaki, but Riko, who was gentle and spoke softly.

After filling out their onboarding documents and learning about their future salaries and career prospects, their eyes lit up, and they were filled with excitement and enthusiasm, as if they had been injected with adrenaline.

After all, the five AV actresses who arrived earlier than them knew nothing and could only do odd jobs, while they had become the main force. This was what it felt like to be valued and used. It was amazing!

Inside the massage room, behind the tightly closed mahogany door, Xiuming was holding a pencil and ruler, designing the renovation plans for three supermarkets.

Outside the door, Riko started a meeting at 10:30 a.m. when there weren't many customers.

The ten new employees were all dressed in matching green dresses and white aprons. Their looks and figures were specially selected by Ezaki. When they stood in two rows, they really gave off the vibe of hostesses from a high-end hotel.

Some customers who came into the store to shop also frequently watched.

Riko was more cautious this time, drawing on her experience from a short meeting this morning.

Ai Iijima had already bound the "Management Manual" at the print shop. After all, it was an essential manual for everyone, and she printed two large cardboard boxes of it.

Now everyone has one in their hand.

Eri stood at the back of the line, holding the "Management Manual" in her left hand and a comic strip in her right, thinking of jotting down inspiration at any time.

At that moment, as she glanced at the "high-quality" "greeters," she was inspired and secretly sketched herself in the drawing.

Riko explained employee etiquette and future work processes, and everyone listened attentively, except for Eri, who was drawing with her head down.

Riko sighed: Okay, Eri-chan doesn't understand me, but I understand her. I'll let her be happy and focus on drawing manga from now on, instead of being so half-hearted... But how do I bring it up?

"President Riko," Chieko said, having been watching Riko's expression closely. Seeing that the time was right, she stepped forward, took out her notebook, and continued, "Mr. Hideaki asked me to secretly record the work attitude of each employee. I have recorded them all. Please take a look."

"Huh?!" Eri turned sharply to look at Chieko, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, and asked, "Why are you recording this?"

Chieko didn't say anything, but secretly made a "I can't help it" gesture to Eri.

Anyway, Hideaki said he would take the blame for Riko anytime, but now, Riko and he are both burdened with the sin of "betraying their best friend".

Although she didn't want to shift the blame, what Eri thought was none of her business, because Eri's comics were really exciting, and she wanted to be best friends with her so she could continue to read them for free.

"Oh, really?" Riko subconsciously took the notebook.

They really did record the work situation of each employee. They wrote down the work of the ten new employees on ten separate sheets, all of which included their work content in the store and the time. It was very fulfilling.

Eri's job duties included: drawing comics in her bedroom, spending an hour in the bathroom, taking a carton of yogurt from the shelf without paying. Yesterday: secretly drinking a can of coffee, drawing comics all day in a corner of the shelf, and when a customer asked for help, she told the customer to "get lost"...

While Riko was flipping through the notebook, Chieko added, "Hideaki-kun said that our supermarket will grow bigger and bigger, requiring strict and standardized management. There can be no parasites, and even less can there be any slackers. President Riko, please don't be soft-hearted, because this is a task assigned by Hideaki-kun."

“Yes…” Riko said, turning to look at Eri.

"Huh?" Eri jumped, quickly stuffing the comic paper into her apron pocket. "Riko-neechan, you can't do this! I... I did a great job... I helped a lot when we first opened... I designed these employee uniforms..."

"Then what should we do?" Riko pulled out Chieko's work notes. "Besides helping out at the cashier when we first opened, after Chieko came, you always hid away to draw comics, leaving her to do all the work..."

"She's very capable. She's so talented, of course she should do more work. I'm the one who hired her! I brought in such a capable employee, so I should get credit for it. If I had to pick one, I should get a bonus."

Riko was stunned, and subconsciously asked, "You want a bonus too?"

"Forget it, forget it, we're best friends!" Eri rolled her eyes and waved her hands quickly. "As long as I can stay here, with food and lodging provided, I won't take a salary. Riko-neechan, you'll agree, right? I'll starve to death if I leave. Although I didn't do any work this morning, it's entirely because so many employees came, and I wanted to give them a chance to shine! Think about it, if I did all the work, then Chieko's logbook would say they didn't do anything, right?"

"Ah? Well... but..." Riko hesitated.

When Eri said that, it seemed like she really owed her something, but she didn't mind at all... The reason she didn't work today was to give the new employee a chance to shine; she's so kind-hearted...

Riko had never been in such a speechless situation before, and felt like she was in the wrong... but it also strengthened her resolve to fire Eri.

As Xiuming explained before, her heart wasn't in running the supermarket; she was completely focused on her comics. She wouldn't hesitate to do anything that benefited her comics, even if it was harmful to the supermarket.

Who knows, one day I might get confused by her again and do something stupid.

But how should we proceed? She's so eloquent; I really want to learn from her how she came up with so many reasons in such a short time.

"Eri-chan, isn't your dream to become a great manga artist?" Chieko said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, pretending to whisper, "If you do this part-time job while drawing manga, it will affect your work, right? President Riko is thinking of you, you have to understand her."

"No, no, no, don't worry about me," Eri waved her hand magnanimously. "It won't affect my work at all. Even if it does, I don't mind. I love it here because Riko-chan is my best friend, and I can't abandon her."

Chapter 126 Let's leave with dignity!

Eri stayed here mainly to facilitate the plot of hentai anime and find inspiration, since Hideaki's life was her template.

Riko seemed very moved, and a conflicted look appeared in her eyes.

Eri was secretly delighted. She was indeed a kind and good friend; she was almost moved to tears. "She's gone to such lengths; she definitely doesn't want me to leave."

There's no way I'm leaving here. I'd be happy to stay here for free, even without a salary.

Anyway, I returned the advance salary and resigned from the game development company. Although I got a month's worth of insurance for free, I didn't pay any myself... so I didn't really benefit from it...

As for hiring five AV actresses, didn't that beast Xiuming, who defiled me and then refused to take responsibility, say he had already forgiven me?

The reason Riko dismissed the employees was probably because Hideaki wanted to enhance her authority, so he created a scenario where a new official makes an example of someone to scare others.

Or rather, Riko wanted to tell Hideaki that she was capable too...

Anyway, I'm not going to be that chicken, it's too embarrassing, okay?

That ingrate Chieko! She was secretly writing about me this morning, and she even said it was her diary. I even helped her set up the two of them... If I hadn't asked Riko to plead for her... would she have been able to get together with Hideaki so easily?

I should have slept with her; I'm so jealous.

After this incident, I'm not done with her. She's an ingrate!

"President Riko is so kind, how could she bear to ruin your dream?" Chieko said without changing her expression. "We're good friends too. The supermarket is going to be renovated and upgraded tomorrow. We're all too busy to handle it all, and we'll have to hire more part-time workers. Then you won't have time to draw comics anymore."

“Yes,” Riko’s expression suddenly turned serious, as if she had received some kind of order, and she continued, “Eri-chan, you should pursue your dreams and not waste your time here and delay your work. I would feel very guilty.”

Eri was taken aback and asked, "Is that what Hideaki-kun requested?"

Riko, whom Eri knew, should have softened by now, and Chieko, that fickle person, should have started to persuade her instead of being so stubborn.

"Yes."

As soon as Eri finished asking the question, Riko nodded subconsciously, but it was too late to cover her mouth.

Eri was startled.

"Riko-neechan, please don't send me away, okay?" In a flash, Eri slid to her knees at Riko's feet, hugged her legs, and looked up, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to leave you... I can't bear to leave here..."

Eri thought she might fake a cry and not be able to cry... but when she found out it was really Hideaki who ordered it, she didn't know why, but her heart felt so heavy that she burst into tears.

Riko panicked and pulled at Eri, saying, "Eri-chan, please don't do this, get up..."

“Promise me, and I’ll get up,” Eri pounded her chest. “I feel so bad here, so really bad… I know I was wrong, please help me talk to him, okay? Only you can help me…”

She didn't care about a woman's pride or face anymore; she just hoped that Riko could help persuade her.

With a conflicted expression, Riko turned back to look at the tightly closed mahogany door of the massage room.

She didn't waver in her determination to fire Eri, hoping that looking at her husband's position, she could come up with a suitable, "heartless" remark, but ultimately she was concerned about Eri's feelings and couldn't think of anything...

Chieko gasped inwardly; Mrs. Riko was just too kind-hearted and too easily swayed.

If Riko were to plead with Hideaki at this point, not only would it be pointless, but she would also be yelled at, and the greatest suffering would surely fall upon her.

Having experienced this "unprecedented feeling" once, trying to replace it with overeating and vomiting is no longer effective...

"Hideaki-kun said that everyone who doesn't work hard will be fired. He has given a death order. One person must be fired today, otherwise President Riko's supermarket will have a hard time running."

She deliberately reminded Riko, and as she spoke, she took a step forward, grabbed Eri and pulled her up, and continued, "Anyway, your main job is drawing comics. Even if you quit, you can come here every day, sit at the door and draw. Then you'll be a customer, and no one will dare to kick you out. Isn't that great?"

“It’s different, it’s different,” Eri cried, shaking her head. “You know exactly what I’m thinking, it’s just different… Once I move away, I won’t have another chance… I’ve helped you before, and you have to help me in the same way this time…”

Eri suddenly regretted that she had dawdled yesterday morning. If she had just gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, would today have turned out differently?

But now, Riko is right in front of me. After all, she is my legal wife. Although she is broad-minded, magnanimous, and incredibly gentle, she still has her little temper.

Seeing that she was already at the point of driving him away, revealing this to her again would probably get him into a little tantrum, so he could only subtly give Chieko a cryptic answer.

"Try to think more positively! It's not going to work anymore..."

Chieko felt powerless, but she didn't have any selfish thoughts, after all, she hadn't asked for too much.

I did help her, but I was told "thank you for your kindness," and I almost got implicated.

Even if it did happen, given Eri's attitude, it wouldn't make any difference at all. After all, Hideaki once said that he dumps women like he dumps clothes...

"I don't believe it, I don't believe it, I'm not leaving..." Eri cried and hugged the shelf.

Eri's unwillingness to give up left her in the supermarket, putting Riko and Chieko in a real bind.

"Eri-chan, let me settle your wages for today!" Riko tried her best to look serious and said, "We'll still be best friends, you can come here to play anytime... well... that's all!"

What Riko meant in the second half of her sentence was: Even when you come here to play, don't talk to her anymore.

She was worried that she would be fooled by Eri's sweet talk again.

But then I felt that saying that would be a bit heartless, since Eri had cried her face pale, and when she was hugging my legs just now, she was trembling all over and her hands had turned ice cold.