Tokyo: Starting with taking on his wife's debts

Some even started complaining, wondering why President Ezaki would supply goods to a supermarket that wouldn't even give advance payments. After all, if the supermarket went bankrupt, they would lose everything.

Upon learning of the situation, Ezaki first secretly gave himself a thumbs up for his brilliant decision: Fortunately, everything concerning the company and "Miyamoto 100 Yen Supermarket" had to be reported to him.

As for the explanation... Ezaki simply said, "Her family is rich. If they go bankrupt, her whole family will be used to pay off their debts. We'll cooperate unconditionally."

Then he came to the supermarket to find Riko, not to help her with anything, but to specifically inform her so that he could help her when she was in a panic and came to him for help.

As for the sudden news that Hideaki and Ayako registered their marriage... were you playing a game? Haha! How naive, I'm serious.

"Is there anything we can't discuss here?"

Ayako put on a super magnanimous look, grabbed Riko again, and then said to Misako who was standing next to her, "Misako-chan, if you pour me a cup of coffee right now, I'll allow you to call my husband 'Hideaki-kun'~".

Misako's sudden standing up startled Ayako, but it was just a minor issue.

The main question is, why is Misako so respectful, self-conscious, and even fearful of Esaki?

And then there's the good-for-nothing Tachibana, and the feigning-death Eri—none of them are any good.

Of course, when Ayako thought about how she looked when she faced Ezaki in that tight leather outfit, she felt just like that... So annoying!

We must subdue her, overthrow her, and first take down Misako who calls him "President Ezaki".

"Oh? Let's talk here then! Misako-chan, make me a cup of coffee too." Ezaki said, taking two steps forward and standing in front of Ayako, who was still sitting. He looked down at her and continued, "Move over a bit, I'll sit here."

Misako's eyelashes trembled slightly as she obediently walked towards the door. As she opened the door and went out, Eri slid off the coffee table, pulled up her pants, and climbed out.

Tachibana stood there, frozen, her face blank.

Ayako's eyes froze, and she tilted her head back and said defiantly, "Why should I listen to you? I am now the legitimate wife. You are a mistress who stole my husband. What right do you have to order me around?"

“I’ll give you one more chance to organize your thoughts.” Ezaki said, raising his hand and slowly clenching his fist, making a series of “crackling” sounds from his joints. He continued, still looking down at Ayako, “Ms. Tachibana, could you please close the door?”

"Don't move! You're not allowed to move!" Ayako's face changed. Fearing she would be beaten and lose face, she quickly said to Tachibana in a trembling voice, "If you listen to me, I'll allow you to call my husband 'Shumei-kun'."

Just as Tachibana was about to lift her leg, her body stiffened, and her face turned red.

Just as Ayako breathed a sigh of relief, Riko suddenly ran over, closed the door, and looked at her with pursed lips.

Ayako jumped up, kicked off her wooden clogs, moved onto the tatami mat, pointed at Riko, and shouted, "You're aiding and abetting evil, do you know that! Can't you see how ambitious she is? You'll regret this!"

Riko's eyes were glancing sideways at the ceiling.

"Riko-chan, please sit down!" Ezaki gestured to the seat next to him. After Riko sat down, he sat upright on the cushion where Ayako had just been sitting, placed the folder in his hand on the coffee table, and then glanced at Ayako, who was still jumping up and down, and said, "Now I need to talk about serious business."

It carries a strong sense of threat.

“You…” Ayako swallowed, then looked at Tachibana and said, “Tachibana-chan, come sit with me, let’s talk about something.”

Tachibana hesitated for a moment. Although she didn't want to sit on the same tatami mat as Ayako, she felt that Ezaki was more frightening and dared not sit next to the coffee table. So she walked to the tatami mat, took off her shoes, and sat down two meters away from Ayako.

Now Tachibana is filled with doubts. She feels that everything she had anticipated before coming here is wrong, but she doesn't know why...

According to what Ayako is saying now, this seemingly formidable woman named Ezaki seems to be Hideaki's girlfriend as well. Of course, Misako from earlier also seems to be. The question is, why is Ayako, who has already registered her marriage with Hideaki, so furious and afraid of her?

Shouldn't Ayako be in the right? After all, when I was cursing her just now, all I could do was curse to comfort myself.

Of course, before Ms. Ezaki entered, Riko and the others didn't seem afraid of Ayako at all, which was not a sign of them being in the wrong.

Is it really acceptable to steal someone else's husband so brazenly? Shouldn't I also reflect on myself?

Speaking of which, Ayako is such a failure as a wife, she's practically become an incompetent wife... she looks quite pitiful.

No, she tacitly allowed Eri to become Hideaki's girlfriend this morning... Could it be that her cuckoldry has backfired?

Tachibana really wanted to ask, but it just didn't feel right.

After Ayako asked Tachibana to sit down, she didn't know what to say.

Anyway, that hateful Ezaki never gives me any face and always acts like he's the best in the world.

And yet, there's nothing you can do about her; she's a real fighter, her hands always smelling of blood...

Misako brought in two cups of coffee. Ezaki intercepted Ayako's cup and had Misako give it to Riko.

Riko took the coffee cup, glanced at Ayako, and took a small sip.

Although Ayako didn't like coffee at all, she could tell that Riko was deliberately trying to annoy her, so she immediately said to Tachibana, "Tachibana-chan, if you ever have a fair competition with someone, I'll be the first to stand up for you."

It's practically self-destructive... But I can always take it back. Ayako comforted herself.

Tachibana didn't respond, but she thought to herself: I don't want charity from others, I want to fight for it myself.

Misako was about to leave the room when Esaki called her back.

Ezaki naturally knew that Misako was now Riko's indispensable right-hand woman, and along with Chieko and Hitomi Shiraishi, two of them were my debtors.

The three then sat down at a table and began discussing the supermarket's competitors...

Ezaki mainly provided the retail partners with the tactics they might use, and then let Misako and Riko discuss how to deal with them.

Ezaki listened to their discussion silently, not pointing out any flaws, but keeping them in mind so she could strike swiftly when Riko asked for help.

Then she'll start idolizing me, right? And then the power in the future will be in my hands… Little Riko, easily controlled…

As the conversation deepened, Ayako couldn't help but sit down and join in, offering suggestions and solutions.

Ezaki's eyebrows twitched repeatedly. She realized that Ayako had a lot of clever ideas, especially her business acumen, which actually helped Riko and Misako cover up many loopholes.

Upon closer reflection, Ayako does indeed have the ability, after all, her ex-husband owns a factory, and she is a senior executive of a large company, with more work experience than Misako.

"Oh, right,"

When the topic of rules and public opinion came up, Ayako clapped her hands and said, "A friend of mine, Kazue Takagi, works at the Retailers Association. If anyone makes a malicious report through the 'Industry Ethics Association,' I can call her."

"Who?!" Misako's face stiffened. "Takagi Kazue?"

“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Ayako asked.

“I advise you not to call her,” Misako said after a long pause. “My former landlady was Mrs. Takagi. I met her when Hideaki helped me move. She… she let Hideaki see my leg…”

"What?!" Ayako slammed her fist on the table. "I was wondering why her tone was off when she called me that day! Turns out... Damn it!"

Chapter 218 President Riko, they've gone too far!

Because the topic suddenly shifted, Ayako decided to have a discussion about "how to deal with an unknown woman getting entangled with Hideaki in the future".

But before he could even get started, Ezaki glanced at Ayako and said, "The supermarket is opening tomorrow. If you keep bringing up useless topics, you're out."

Ayako swallowed hard, not yet figuring out how to retaliate, when Ezaki slowly turned his head and glanced at Misako.

Misako shrank back and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Now let's get back on track.

As the discussion deepened, Riko began to feel uneasy.

She discovered that the other twelve supermarkets were indeed too ostentatious in their storefront decorations and occupied the most prime locations. Coupled with the "cheap" gimmick, once they opened, they might really squeeze out all the small supermarkets in the surrounding area, just as Ezaki said.

Does that mean they have no chance of survival at all?

Before this, I never imagined something like this would happen... those supermarkets would go bankrupt, those employees would lose their jobs...

Ezaki raised an eyebrow and said, "Riko-chan, you seem to have something to say?"

"I... um... uh..." Riko hesitated, then whispered, "Isn't this too cruel? If the nearby supermarket closes down, how will they survive..."

"Huh?!" Ayako's mouth dropped open. She stared at Riko with an expression as if she were looking at an idiot and said, "Do you think starting a business is like a child's game? How can you grow big and strong without killing off a bunch of competitors and ruining a few families? Starting a business is bloodless killing. Everyone will understand that it's about making money."

Ayako dreams of one day climbing to the top, stepping over a pile of corpses. She longs for her own embroidery career, hoping to carve out a niche for herself and make her peers cry out in despair. That would be wonderful!

Riko's face turned a little pale.

Ezaki's expression remained calm.

Ayako suddenly felt smug. She hadn't expected Riko to be speechless. It felt so good. Disliking Ezaki's calm face, she immediately pointed at him and continued...

"Isn't it too cruel of you to talk to this blood-stained demon? It's ridiculous. Have you forgotten what she used to do? If your supermarket doesn't succeed, how will these two hundred-plus employees you've hired survive? I heard they're all in debt to her. If you can't pay their salaries, this cruel woman might kill them all! Not a single one left... Uh, I'm done."

Ayako became more and more excited as she talked, but accidentally met Ezaki's gaze and promptly shut up.

Riko was so frightened that her lips trembled.

Misako secretly gasped for breath, while Tachibana remained completely bewildered.

Ezaki continued looking at Ayako with a teasing expression, and said softly, "You can continue."

Ayako jumped up in shock, yelling, "Why are you looking at me with that disgusting expression? I don't owe you any money. Be careful, or I'll sue you. I have a friend who works at a law firm..."

Esaki looked down at Ayako while sitting down.

"I really hate that look in your eyes," Ayako said, a sense of impending doom washing over her. She instinctively turned her face away and muttered irritably.

The soundproof door creaked open, and Ayako, unable to bear Ezaki's aggressive and hateful gaze, quickly ran over to open it.

Chieko and Hitomi Shiraishi stood at the door.

The two seemed to have been discussing something just a moment ago, their faces still showing anger, but after scanning the room and seeing Ezaki sitting upright, their angry expressions immediately froze.

"What are you standing there for? Come in!"

Ayako was even more annoyed. She dragged the two of them into the room, slammed the door shut, and muttered, "Two more good-for-nothings... I'm not afraid of her..."

Hitomi Shiraishi held a promotional brochure in one hand, while Chieko clutched a handful of "discount coupons" printed like money in the other; neither of them were from "Miyamoto 100 Yen Department Store."

Ezaki raised an eyebrow and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He then gestured to Shiraishi Hitomi and Chieko, who had just entered, and said, "Riko-chan, why don't you ask them what happened?"

"President Riko, they've gone too far, look..."

Just as Riko turned her head away, Hitomi Shiraishi pulled Chieko down to kneel beside her, spreading the promotional brochures and discount coupons from Chieko's hand on the coffee table. She continued, "Our new store doesn't open until tomorrow, but they've already stuffed flyers into residents' homes, and everyone's going to buy things from them..."

While inspecting the stores, the two discovered that, in addition to this store, a large number of temporary workers were handing out flyers around the other twelve stores, carrying out a saturation bombardment campaign within a 500-meter radius of each store's entrance.

Because all the goods in the store have already been put on the shelves and price tags have been affixed, the items on the flyers are all based on the products available for a new store, with discount coupons and various instant reductions and big promotions...

It was clearly "organized", "premeditated", and "targeted".

Hitomi Shiraishi asked, "President Riko, what should we do?"

Chieko had previously worked as a receptionist at a small company, and this was the first time she had encountered such a situation.

Riko, however, kept her head down, staring blankly at the flyers on the table.

Misako opened her mouth as if she wanted to speak, but stopped herself after being caught in Ezaki's gaze.

Then, Ezaki picked up his coffee cup, seemingly reluctant to drink it, and slowly blew steam on the rim of the cup...