At half past five, Lu Liang was invited to Shitamaku District.
Since last century, Shitamaku District in Tokyo was known as a famous affluent area.
During the real estate bubble of the ’90s, Shitamaku, along with Muekoku District, led the national property price increases.
Each square ter easily cost over three hundred thousand yen, far crazier than Modu’s current housing prices.
Back then, the saying, “Sell Tokyo city, buy the United States,” was not an empty boast.
That’s what they said, and that’s what they did, Neon People buying all over the globe.
In those years, when college students graduated, it wasn’t companies choosing them, but they choosing companies.
To attract talent, companies would offer thousands of US Dollars in gifts or red envelopes, regardless of interview success.
Those with particularly clever strategies switched between various company interviews daily, earning tens of thousands in a month.
Even housewives, in their spare ti, routinely indulging in hundred-dollar afternoon teas, was nothing out of the ordinary.
Because in those years, not only did the property market in Tokyo soar, but the stock market also skyrocketed non-stop, with a total market value of 600 trillion yen, accounting for 28% of the global financial market.
Banks issued loans liberally every day, ordinary people could easily take out loans worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, finishing with one bank and moving on to another, never short of money or loans.
It was a frenzy belonging to one generation, now it seems, also the last generation’s frenzy.
Then, signed under pressure by the United States with the Plaza Accord, they had been repaying debts from the ’90s until now.
The Ota family owned a detached house, nearly a thousand square ters in area.
The walls were over two ters high, from outside, one could only see the pointed tops of buildings and many green plants within the courtyard.
From afar, Lu Liang saw Ota Ling standing at the entrance, smiling, dressed in male kimono.
The short sleeved kimono was very loose, with a belt wrapped around the waist, it looked very much like a yukata but was actually their “Chinese tunic suit.”
Beside him stood two young n, similarly bright smiles, looking around twenty-four or twenty-five years old.
A black rcedes just ca to a stop, one of the young n hurriedly stepped forward and opened the car’s rear door.
"Mr. Ota, I’m really sorry, I just ca from the office, I haven’t prepared much.”
Lu Liang smiled back, dressed casually in sportswear, completely out of sync with the other’s formal attire.
"Mr. Lu, as long as you honor us with your presence, what else needs to be prepared?”
Ota Ling, smiling broadly, introduced the two young n beside him, the eldest son Ota Renjun and the second son Ota Renyou.
He said, “Renjun, Renyou, I haven’t lied to you, this is Mr. Lu Liang, Lu.”
"Mr. Lu, it’s a pleasure to et you in person,” the excitent was evident on their faces.
The most adored post-’80s billionaire, Lu Liang had the most fans and was most affable, after all, unlike the other two who relied on inheritance, Lu won his fortune on his own.
"Gentlen, nice to et you,” Lu Liang smiled and bowed slightly.
"Mr. Lu, please co in.”
Ota Ling waved him into the house, the garden with its rockery and greenery, small bridges and water, gave off a Jiangnan garden feel.
Walking a dozen ters, through a corridor to the main building, an all-wood, single-story large villa, ancient and elegant.
Inside, at the entrance hall, three won were kneeling, one slightly older, probably no more than 35 years old.
The other two were of significantly different ages, one about six or seven and the other in her teens, both dressed in very formal kimonos.
Ota Ling said, “don’t laugh at , Mr. Lu, I’ve been married three tis; Renjun and Renyou are from my first wife, the sowhat older Naii from the second, and the youngest Yuanzi with the current one.”
He introduced just the nas of the Ota children, and not his wife, rely addressing her briefly as “my wife.”
In their family view, the man of the house held the highest authority, followed by sons, then daughters, and lastly the wife.
Children might be of help to him, but the wife, just a housewife, couldn’t help much, hence no need for introductions.
"It’s nothing to laugh at, I too had a marriage a few years back, but later it ended.”
Lu Liang smiled, followed Ota Ling inside, the floor covered in soft tatami mats, undeniably comfortable to step on.
"This is surely not a bad thing, after all, ‘The sky is high, let birds soar; the ocean is vast, let fish leap’. You lost a person but gained the whole world.”
Ota Ling, having reviewed Lu Liang’s background, knew he prospered post-divorce and whether his wealth was the reason to leave his humble wife wasn’t his concern.
Great achievents aren’t hampered by minor details.
Now, whether or not, it’s no longer important.
They arrived at the dining room, Lu Liang, looking at the low dining table, felt sowhat embarrassed, “Mr. Ota, years ago, I injured my Achilles tendon studying, kneeling might be a bit inconvenient.”
"Mr. Lu, feel at ho here and sit however you like, don’t mind so much.”
Ota Ling laughed heartily, worried that Lu Liang would be embarrassed, and decisively sat cross-legged first.
With a template set, Lu Liang also did not hesitate to sit cross-legged, but even then, it was not very comfortable.
On one hand, sitting for a long ti could cause pain in the tailbone, and on the other hand, sitting cross-legged could easily lead to hunching.
Kneeling could avoid these drawbacks, but Liangzi had his own stubbornness, and he refused to kneel.
"Mr. Lu, tonight we are having a blowfish banquet. They are fard without toxins, so you can eat with confidence.”
As Lu Liang took his seat, the others also seated themselves in an orderly manner and Ota Ling, with a smile on his face, introduced tonight’s dishes.
The best way to enjoy blowfish is raw in thin slices, but to cater to Lu Liang’s taste, they had prepared a porridge-base hotpot.
If Lu Liang was unaccustod to eating it, he could cook it in the broth first, and the flavor of the porridge base itself was also exceptionally delicious.
"Mr. Ota is thoughtful, everyone, please start.”
Blowfish. Lu Liang had tried it many years ago and indeed, the taste was very fresh.
But even delicious food required a comfortable environnt and the right ambiance. Feeling on pins and needles, even dragon at wouldn’t taste good.
The wine passed once, and the dishes changed three flavors,
Then he started to beco uncomfortable, his buttocks hurt and his back ached.
Lu Liang folded his hands and, with a smile, said, “Mr. Ota, thank you for your hospitality, I am full.”
Having said that, he quickly stood up and Ota Ling imdiately understood, and hurriedly apologized, “Mr. Lu, I’m really sorry. It was my arrangent that caused you inconvenience.”
"Mr. Ota, you’re too kind. It’s just that I haven’t been exercising enough recently, and my muscles and bones are not very agile.”
Lu Liang light-heartedly laughed and walked with Ota Ling in the courtyard, discussing his plans to return to the country tomorrow.
From now on, Wen Chao would be in charge, but since he was young and inexperienced, he would need much guidance from Ota Ling.
Ota Ling smiled, “Mr. Wen is already outstanding. When I was his age, I was still running errands for my seniors.”
In their casual conversation, he ntioned his oldest son who graduated from Harvard’s economics program in July, has been idly at ho since then, still undecided about what to do.
"If he doesn’t have a clear goal, it might be a good idea for him to intern at Xingheng for a while, to further reflect.”
Lu Liang’s smile hinted that he already regarded Ota Ling’s son as a nephew, seriously considering his future.
This ti, involving the Hyundai Group, Ota Ling and Mitsui Sumitomo, whom he represented, indeed faced so struggles.
Having suffered a setback, compensation was due. It couldn’t be all burdens with no sweeteners. Compensating Mitsui Sumitomo privately would also cost less.
Ota Ling was thrilled internally but showed a troubled expression, “Mr. Lu, might he not be quite suitable?”
He was just a rotating president and would eventually step down. By then, the influence he could wield to help his children would be limited.
It might be better while he still had influence to let his children venture out on their own. After all, Mitsui Sumitomo would still be a safety net in the end.
His eldest son went into business, the second son into politics, and the third and fourth daughters would be well-cultivated in the arts, eventually marrying into powerful families, aiding their brothers’ seamless rise.
If two or three generations strive well, several years later, their Ota family would also be one of Tokyo’s distinguished families.
Lu Liang glanced sideways and said with a laugh, “If a Harvard economics graduate isn’t suitable, then who is?”
He wanted to puncture Ota Ling’s pretense. The repeated invitations to family dinners weren’t for nothing. What was there to pretend?
Ota Ling feigned deep thought, then suddenly beckoned Renjun from inside the house, looking serious as he asked, “Mr. Lu plans to let you intern at Xingheng. Are you confident about it? If not, let it be. Don’t waste the gentleman’s kindness.”
"Father, I am confident.”
Ota Renjun was solemn-faced, as he looked at Lu Liang and bowed, saying, “Mr. Lu, thank you for giving this opportunity.”
Lu Liang spoke with a smile, “Renjun, as long as you don’t feel aggrieved, it’s fine. We at Xingheng are just starting out and are still quite small.”
Ota Ling bead brilliantly and flattered, “As long as Mr. Lu is involved, even the smallest sapling will grow into a towering tree.”
Ota Renjun nodded quickly and said, “Interning at Mr. Lu’s company is an honor for .”
Lu Liang chuckled, called over Xu Jiawei, and had him take out Wen Chao’s business card, “Contact him whenever you have ti, you can report at any ti.”
After so more small talk, Ota Ling enthusiastically invited Lu Liang to the private hot spring in the backyard.
"Next ti, I need to make a trip back to the office soon, to have a good chat with Wen Chao about the arrangents for Renjun.”
Lu Liang’s smile lingered, Ota Ling had had grievances and would tell him; they had had grievances.
Now that he had given a sweet date, he also needed to make it clear that with this, they were even, and there should be no more complaints in the future.
"Mr. Lu, just let Mr. Wen direct him as much as he needs to.”
Ota Ling squinted and grinned, instantly understanding.
Even if Li Xuanhong was unbearable in the future,
He would endure it, considering this matter settled.
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