Tokyo Three Generations

Xiangzi had thought so too, and now that he had received the "authoritative certification" from his trusted elder, he felt even more confident.

"Then what do you think should be done as a reward?" she asked again.

Bai Zechun narrowed his eyes slightly.

She knew Xiangzi too well; all his so-called problems actually had answers.

In fact, Xiangzi had already agreed to the swimsuit show, but she was too shy to take that step. She just needed to give herself a push and create an opportunity.

There was no other way; since the "master" was shy, then as a subject, one should "understand the master's intentions" and create such an opportunity for her.

As Mizuho's best friend, she was no stranger to gossip about Mizuho, ​​but because Mizuho's life and marriage were so smooth, she didn't feel as "involved" as Xiangzi did.

“No problem, Auntie will take care of it.” Bai Zechun smiled brightly. “You just need to listen to my arrangements… I guarantee that Young Master Chun and you will both have a great time.”

"Then I'll leave it to you, Auntie... Thank you." Xiangzi's eyebrows finally relaxed, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry to have been taken care of by you all this time."

"Of course, what can I do, being your advisor..." Bai Zechun smiled again, then his gaze sharpened. "Besides, you don't need to be so anxious. He's already come to our company; what are you afraid he'll fly away? He had no other choice—"

Xiangzi shook his head slightly, somewhat unconvinced.

She didn't want her romantic story to turn into a "forced marriage" drama. If possible, she just wanted the two of them to slowly get to know each other and eventually fall in love.

Although there may be some bumps along the way, isn't that what a real relationship is all about?

===========================

After leaving the president's office, Jun Takasaki entered the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor.

Because this was the president's private elevator, he could clearly feel many eyes on him when he stepped out of it.

Even with his thick skin, he still felt a little uncomfortable at this moment.

Ignoring the gazes, whether overt or covert, he strode confidently out of the lobby and toward the door.

As he passed by, some people hesitated slightly, while others bowed to him without hesitation.

This politeness made him feel a little uncomfortable.

Now, before his story has even spread, this situation has already arisen. Who knows what will happen in the future?

"Looks like I'll have to get a car from now on and leave directly from the underground parking lot, so I don't have to be so conspicuous as I am now," he thought to himself.

As he pondered this, he bowed slightly in response, then quickened his pace and hurriedly left the building.

After leaving the building, he looked back at the huge structure behind him, feeling a mix of emotions he couldn't quite describe.

In any case, this place will be my home for a period of time, and I will live and die with it.

What will the final outcome be? Will they leave with praise, or flee amidst ridicule?

He didn't know, but he did his best.

Then, he hailed a taxi and sped off towards his home.

When he returned home, his mother, Mio Takasaki, was also there.

Looking at her son in his suit and tie, dressed like a typical office worker, Mio Takasaki suddenly realized that her son had finally grown up.

She felt a mix of pride and reluctance.

Although she knew that her son would eventually leave her sight and embark on his own life, she still felt a sense of loss when that day actually came.

Moreover, is this considered a blessing for the family?

For an ordinary family, their son getting into the Toyokawa Group is incredibly lucky, something they can brag about to their neighbors for days. But for her, what's the point of doing a good job? She can't just stay there forever and become a senior executive at the Toyokawa Group.

Although the Toyokawa Group is indeed a large and powerful family, there is a saying that it is better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox. It is better to inherit one's own territory and become a member of parliament than to work for someone else and be at the mercy of others.

Besides, who knows what the future holds with that young lady? I hope they don't become enemies... Thinking of this, her mood became even more depressed.

"Son, how was your day going to work with Uncle Fengchuan?" she asked after a moment.

Jun Takasaki recounted his day to his mother, omitting his argument and interaction with Shoko.

Mio Takasaki listened to her son's story with a blank expression, after all, she had never actually worked a single day in her life, except to be a rich lady or a wife.

Then she smiled kindly, "Son, I can't give you any advice on work, so you'll have to figure it out yourself. I just hope you're careful in everything you do and don't betray the trust of others. And... don't forget, never be arrogant just because you have powerful connections. The Toyokawa family has a complex web of relationships, and you can easily offend someone if you're not careful. Just do your job well, and let Toyokawa Seikao worry about the rest."

Jun Takasaki knew that his mother's words were the right thing to do, but sometimes when you're in the thick of it, you might not be able to control your own destiny.

However, not wanting his mother to worry, he simply nodded slightly, "I know, Mom, don't worry."

138, full of vigor and high spirits

Just as Jun Takasaki was accompanying the Toyokawa father and daughter to the Toyokawa Group headquarters to attend their first internal meeting, his father and grandfather also dressed up and headed to the heart of the country to attend another fateful gathering.

The old chairman of this faction, Takeshita Wataru, has been dead for several days. His funeral has been completed, all procedures have been prepared, and it is finally time to formally elect a new chairman.

In theory, at this point, the candidates who are interested in this matter will uphold the principles of openness, fairness and impartiality, take the stage to explain their respective ideas, and then engage in a gentlemanly competition. In a fierce yet dignified competition, the winner will be determined to become the president, and then continue to work together to create a better future.

However, this theoretical event never actually happened.

Every change of leadership in a faction or association is a battleground of intrigue and backroom deals, both visible and shady, and this time is no exception.

Meanwhile, as with most similar cases, the real game has already been played out behind the scenes. The so-called "holding a large meeting to vote and elect" is just a confirmation procedure, similar to certification and stamping.

On this very day, members of both houses of parliament from the Heisei Research Institute, as well as retired but still alive faction elders, gathered at the National Towns and Villages Association in Chiyoda-Nagata-cho, Tokyo.

More than 20 years ago, the then-faction leader Ryutaro Hashimoto liked to gather all the members in the west building of the National Towns and Villages Association to discuss important matters of the faction. Over time, this place became the faction's "headquarters". Since then, the faction's regular general meetings, as well as the formal election of the chairman and the inauguration ceremony, have all been held here.

And today, here, a new president will be elected.

In the center of the venue, middle-aged and elderly men in suits had gathered together, their faces solemn, yet revealing a hint of anticipation.

Although it's an election, everyone knows in their hearts that the competition behind the scenes is already over, the winner has been decided, and today is just to settle the score.

Some are happy, some are sad, but no one shows their joy or pain on their face. Instead, they greet the coming storm with a cold calm.

Jun Takasaki was sitting in the first row of seats below the podium, and his son Hiroshi Takasaki was not far away from him.

At this moment, the father and son, each with their own anxious hearts, were waiting for the moment when the expected result would become a reality.

The elderly Jun Takasaki looked old and even had a "lifeless" feeling, with his eyes half-open and half-closed, as if he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

Although he was old and frail, his mind remained clear.

His nearly sixty-year political career has brought him through countless storms. He has witnessed and participated in almost every power shift within his faction, and this time, it is the last ripple for him—unless something unexpected happens, he will not be able to witness the next chairman election.

In this instance, he and his son placed a heavy bet on the person they favored, betting almost everything.

Moreover, he was convinced that victory was just around the corner.

The thought that he had worked hard for decades and finally risen from a poor boy in Akita to a "veteran" with decisive influence within the faction filled him with a sense of inexplicable pride.

Just as the old man was lost in thought, the members of the temporary election and evaluation committee who were presiding over the meeting walked onto the podium.

Thank you all for attending!

The interim chairman bowed to everyone in the audience as soon as he came on stage.

"Today is a very significant day for our association. We are filled with excitement and anticipation as we elect our new president. After internal coordination, we now have a publicly nominated candidate, Mr. Mogi—"

After he finished speaking, he bowed slightly.

At the same moment, everyone's eyes were focused on Toshimitsu Mogi in the front row.

At this moment, he seemed slightly surprised by the result, his face full of a smile of delight and humility.

Behind the smile lies a bittersweet feeling of relief.

Through years of accumulation, he had long been deeply entrenched within his faction, and after the defection of elders like Takasaki Jun, he became the undisputed leader. After several behind-the-scenes maneuvers, he now held an almost overwhelming advantage, and becoming the publicly nominated candidate was merely a confirmation of his victory.

While laughing, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at Yuko Obuchi and her confidants sitting on the other side.

Sure enough, these people all looked terrible; their faces were practically ashen.

Knowing full well that he was going to lose today, yet having to face defeat with his own eyes, must have been a terrible feeling... Seeing his competitor in such agony only made him feel even more exhilarated.

Traditionally, the Heisei Research Institute (HRI) outwardly discourages internal strife. Therefore, its internal elections do not involve issuing ballots, and the election evaluation committee only nominates one person to run for office.

As for how to become the "most anticipated" person, that depends on their own abilities.

In other factions or parties, there would be opportunities for open competition. But here, once the public nomination is finalized, publicly opposing it is considered "betrayal of the party" and will result in ruthless purges, either punishment or forced departure.

Therefore, he had already won the election from the very beginning.

As expected, in the ensuing silence, the interim speaker continued, "Then, let's vote on Mr. Mogi's election. All incumbent members may applaud and vote. Let's begin!"

Scattered applause gradually rose from all around the venue, then grew louder and louder, with more and more people clapping, until it finally coalesced into a thunderous roar.

In the election of the president, ballots are not distributed. Instead, the support is determined by whether the people present applaud. This is equivalent to a recorded vote, since it is obvious who does not applaud.

Under the pressure of the "fait accompli," even those who had reservations, seeing others applauding, feared they would be seen as "traitors," so they had no choice but to applaud as well, ultimately creating an impression of "popular support."

Amidst the enthusiastic applause, Toshimitsu Mogi reached a new peak in his life, and the Takasaki family also seized the opportunity to rise to prominence.

Although the outcome was already known, the provisional election evaluation committee had to follow the established procedures and play its part. The provisional speaker solemnly counted the number of people applauding, and finally delivered his conclusion.

"Mr. Mogi has won the unanimous approval of the assembled members of parliament! I hereby declare Mr. Mogi the new president!"

Another round of celebratory applause erupted, this time mixed with cheers from his close associates. At this moment, the power vacuum left by the old chairman's death was finally filled—or rather, it had already been filled long ago, but today the formal procedures were completed.

At the invitation of the evaluation committee, Mr. Mogi, who had finally reached the pinnacle of his faction, walked confidently onto the podium and, facing dozens of members of his faction from both houses of parliament, delivered his well-prepared victory speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am very grateful that you have placed such precious trust in me. In the future, I will keep this trust in my heart and use it to spur myself on at all times."

To be honest, when I first heard that I had been nominated as a candidate for president, I was filled with trepidation, worried that I was not up to the task and even more worried that I would not be able to shoulder the responsibility of leading my colleagues. So, I wanted to decline several times. However, Senior Takasaki advised me that although the position of president is full of troubles, the current difficult situation facing our association requires everyone to do their best and we must not be complacent and stand idly by.

After much persuasion and struggle for several days, I finally mustered the courage to make up my mind and take on my inescapable responsibility.

From now on, I will contribute my humble efforts, sparing no effort, to lead everyone and our association into a new era, making greater contributions to the nation! I also humbly request your continued support, as you have today, to unite with me and work together. Thank you all!

After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply to everyone, showing the utmost humility.

But such polite words were less a show of humility and more a declaration of victory, and his special mention of Takasaki Jun's name was a way of giving face to the "senior" who had worked behind the scenes.

Seeing how cooperative the other party was, Takasaki Jun's last bit of worry disappeared.

He nodded slightly to the person on the stage. Although his old eyesight was already failing and he couldn't make out the person's exact appearance, he imagined that the person must be looking very spirited...

Very good. The higher he flies, the more leverage we can take. It would be best if he could soar to the sky like this, which would further demonstrate our keen eye for talent.

Although Takasaki Jun's expression remained unchanged and he clapped lightly, his gaze fell on his son beside him.

At this moment, although Hiroshi Takasaki tried his best to hide it, his eyes revealed an undisguised excitement, and he kept clapping.

That's understandable. After years of lying low, he finally got the chance to shine, so he couldn't help but feel a little smug.

As a father accustomed to being strict, even though his son is almost fifty years old, in Takasaki Jun's eyes he is still the same good-for-nothing.

With the election of the new chairman, personnel changes within the faction will follow one after another. Presumably, Mogi will not go back on his word. He even mentioned his own name directly when he was elected today, which was a kind of implicit guarantee.

Therefore, he will definitely fulfill his promise.

As for the future... I can't control what happens in the future, so I'll stop here.

You're utterly incompetent, lacking in both literary and martial arts skills. Do you really think you can keep the family in order?

Takasaki Jun frowned and glanced at his son, then silently mocked him in his heart.

================================

With the conclusion of the president election and the new president's speech, today's gathering has come to an end.

After the interim speaker officially announced the end of the session, the people present first crowded around the new speaker to greet him and curry favor, and then left one by one in a line.

Hiroshi Takasaki helped his father out of the meeting hall and got into the car to go home.

Just after getting into the car, Takasaki Jun suddenly spoke up.

Are you feeling quite smug right now?

Hiroshi Takasaki, who was originally in high spirits, was taken aback by the question.

"Dad...I..."

"You're already so proud of yourself for such a small achievement? You're really pathetic." Takasaki Jun sneered at his son. "Besides, didn't I earn all of this for you?"

"That old bastard, can't he bear to see me happy even for a day?" Takasaki Hiroshi couldn't help but curse inwardly.

From childhood to adulthood, he was forced to endure his father's cold words and various forms of oppression. Although he had developed a tolerance for it, he still felt uncomfortable every time.

Even if it's true, what's wrong with making me happy a little? Will you get struck by lightning?

Although he cursed inwardly, he dared not lose his temper in front of his father, who had long held considerable power, and could only force a smile.