After arranging a eting with Asai Ayumi, Aoyama Xiu Xin went on to visit his god-grandfather, planning to confirm his move to Hokkaido and discuss his future role.
The nanny opened the door for him, and after entering, Aoyama Xiu Xin found Yanchuan Shilang dining, with Yanchuan Xianyou’s couple and his parents present as well; the whole family gathered around the table, evidently enjoying a family banquet.
"Alright, a family banquet without inviting friends, old man, treating this god-grandson like an outsider, huh."
"God-grandfather, you’re only eating at this hour, truly multitasking all day, must be tough, please don’t ruin your health!" Aoyama Xiu Xin expressed with a face full of concern.
"I had a eting tonight," Yanchuan Shilang said with a wry smile, then beamingly added, "Xiu Xin’s arrival is tily. Give him a pair of chopsticks and bowls. Tonight, our family will also have a reunion dinner."
The nanny imdiately went to the kitchen to fetch utensils.
"Hi! Thanks, god-grandad." Aoyama Xiu Xin bowed and moved a chair over to sit down.
Although he had already eaten before coming.
The Yanchuan family was quite traditional; during als, everyone focused on eating without talking or even intentionally controlling their utensils to avoid making noise, rendering the dinner table very quiet. Aoyama Xiu Xin felt highly uncomfortable.
Sitting opposite him, Asakawa Xia noticed his discomfort right away, her lips curling slightly. In fact, she also felt ill at ease; spoiled by the elders at ho, she never had to adhere to this "no talking while eating" rule until she married into this strict tradition.
Moreover, Yanchuan Xianyou and his parents had long been used to it, so she felt out of place, finally finding a kindred spirit in Aoyama Xiu Xin.
Aoyama Xiu Xin sensed Asakawa Xia’s amused gaze but dared not respond, not even glancing at her from the mont he sat down, for fear that the old fox Yanchuan Shilang might notice the subtle flirtation between them.
But this intentional ignorance, seen by Asakawa Xia, was quite vexing. Considering herself a priceless treasure, she had tolerated Aoyama Xiu Xin’s violations multiple tis. She felt that he should be grateful and overwheld with feelings for her.
Yet Aoyama Xiu Xin didn’t even look her way!
She couldn’t believe he didn’t catch her gaze.
And yet he still ignored her! How dare he!
Inside, Asakawa Xia scoffed, and her nylon-wrapped foot slipped out of her shoe, rubbing against Aoyama Xiu Xin’s calf, climbing higher.
Feeling the tickling sensation on his leg, Aoyama Xiu Xin knew without looking that it was Asakawa Xia’s doing. He was nearly scared out of his wits. This woman was ridiculous! If Yanchuan Shilang found out, wouldn’t it be a disaster?
He decisively shook her foot off with his leg.
Asakawa Xia grew even more annoyed and glared fiercely at him.
"I’ve finished eating, god-grandfather, god-father, god-mother, Brother Xianyou, and sister-in-law, please continue your al. Thank you for the hospitality; it’s been a delicious al!" Aoyama Xiu Xin, abandoning any semblance of image, quickly emptied his bowl, put down his utensils with a slight bow, and then got up and headed to the living room.
He simply could not allow Asakawa Xia, that heedless crazy woman, to continue playing her gas.
But his sudden departure made everyone pause for a mont; Yanchuan Shilang chuckled, "Young people eat quickly. Xiu Xin, sit in the living room for a while."
"Hi!" Aoyama Xiu Xin responded.
With a smug sidewards glance, Asakawa Xia watched Aoyama Xiu Xin flee away, initially thinking him bold and audacious, only to find him a coward.
Buoyed by this, she happily ate two more bowls of rice.
Yanchuan Shilang was the second to finish his al.
"God-grandfather, have so water." Seeing him heading to the living room, Aoyama Xiu Xin poured him a cup of water.
"Mm." Yanchuan Shilang took it, rinsed his mouth, and spat back into the cup before sitting down on the sofa, exhaling before asking, "What brings you here so late at night?"
"Grandfather, I’ve made up my mind. I’d like to go to Hokkaido Police Headquarters, but I’m not sure where I can be most effective." Aoyama Xiu Xin sat upright with nervous anticipation.
Yanchuan Shilang, knowing a request for a promotion was coming, chuckled lightly, "You should continue to play to your strengths wherever you go, obviously the Criminal Departnt."
"Minister?" Aoyama Xiu Xin cautiously asked.
Yanchuan Shilang exhaled slightly annoyed, "Deputy Minister."
After a pause, he explained, "Going to Hokkaido definitely ans you’ll be promoted to Senior Police Director. Even after leaving Tokyo, that would still be prominent. Putting you directly in charge would be putting you on the spot."
"Start as Deputy Minister, use that ti to familiarize yourself with the work content. Once you’re settled, the position of Minister will eventually be yours, no need to rush."
Another point was that if Aoyama Xiu Xin started as Minister and then achieved significant success, how would he be promoted further? His rank as Senior Police Director wouldn’t change in the short term, so it would have to be a positional promotion.
Thus, there needed to be room left for his promotion.
It also served as a reprimand, considering it displeased him greatly that his grandson had secretly held onto Tanaka’s accounting books.
"Hi! I’m still not mature enough, which worries you, god-grandfather." Aoyama Xiu Xin quickly admitted his fault.
Yanchuan Shilang sighed, "Since you call grandfather, I have to have the concerns of a grandfather."
With that, his gaze fell on a pack of cigarettes on the table.
Aoyama Xiu Xin quickly bent down, took one, placed it in his mouth, and lit it for him with a lighter.
"You’re still young, don’t be in a hurry, ti is on your side," Yanchuan Shilang advised as he took a puff of his cigarette.
Aoyama Xiu Xin bowed solemnly and then said, "Then I won’t disturb you any longer, grandfather."
Yanchuan Shilang nodded and flicked his cigarette ash.
Aoyama Xiu Xin got up and left.
Ginza, in a private room of an izakaya.
"Minister, this is my friend, Mr. Fujino," Edogawa Renju pointed at a middle-aged man with a worried expression and introduced him to Nakamura Tatsuyuki.
Before Nakamura Tatsuyuki could speak, the middle-aged man nad Fujino, with tears streaming down his face, excitedly bent down and grasped his hand, saying, "Minister Nakamura, I’ve long admired your great reputation. I’m entrusting everything to you! I’m really afraid that greedy woman will send to prison!"
"Mr. Fujino, calm down a bit," Nakamura Tatsuyuki withdrew his hand without a change in expression and preemptively gave a warning, "I can only say I’ll do my best."
"Sure, I understand! Whether it succeeds or not, I’m imnsely grateful to you! I will always rember your kindness!" Fujino nodded repeatedly like a pecking chicken.
Edogawa Renju said, "Let’s take our seats first."
"Minister Nakamura, after you," Fujino invited.
Nakamura Tatsuyuki took the main seat without hesitation and asked, "How long until that woman arrives?"
"I’ve arranged to et her under the pretense of giving her money. She should arrive soon," Fujino replied while pouring tea.
In less than three minutes, the private room door was pushed open by a woman in a red trench coat. Seeing that there was more than just Fujino inside, she turned to run.
However, Edogawa Renju, who was prepared, pulled her in quickly and covered her mouth while sternly warning, "I’m a police officer, no screaming!"
The woman nodded with a frightened expression in her eyes.
Only then did Edogawa Renju slowly release her.
Before she could recover, Nakamura Tatsuyuki struck preemptively, slamming his palm on the table and glaring at the woman as he interrogated, "Are you Ozawa Hideharu?"
"You are Prosecutor... Prosecutor Nakamura!" Ozawa Hideharu seed to recognize him at once, and, terrified, her face turned pale.
"Do you know ? I’m asking you, why did you malign Mr. Fujino for rape after having consensual relations with him?" Nakamura Tatsuyuki’s tone was full of coercion.
Ozawa Hideharu burst into tears and choked up, "I... I didn’t malign him. He did rape . I just wanted compensation, that’s all. I can drop it. I’ll go to the police right now."
"Still being defiant? I could tell at a glance you were lying! I warn you, making false accusations is legally punishable! Do you think I can’t find evidence of your slander?" Nakamura Tatsuyuki’s voice was cold and firm, "How about this, hand over any collected fluids or materials, and I will let bygones be bygones."
Ozawa Hideharu just cried incessantly, not responding to his statent.
"Didn’t you hear what Minister Nakamura said?" Edogawa Renju shouted angrily, sneering, "You still want to call the police? Who do you think you can scare? I’m a police officer! With Minister Nakamura here, do you think your plans will succeed? Better to take what you can and not let things escalate to an irreparable stage and then regret it."
After he spoke, he turned to Nakamura Tatsuyuki, "Minister, she’s still not being honest. Should we detain her for suspected false accusations?"
After saying that, he even winked.
"Hmm, let’s arrest her," Nakamura Tatsuyuki imdiately understood and cooperated in pressuring Ozawa Hideharu.
Sure enough, she broke down instantly, begging desperately, "Don’t arrest ! Please don’t arrest ! I was wrong, Prosecutor Nakamura! I won’t do it again! I don’t want the compensation, I won’t sue him, please..."
"Are you deliberately extorting!" Edogawa Renju turned off the recorder in his sleeve and asked sternly.
Ozawa Hideharu nodded tearfully, "Yes, yes."
"Minister, she admitted it. Your involvent really works wonders," Edogawa Renju was overjoyed.
Fujino also repeatedly thanked him, "Thank you, Prosecutor Nakamura, for clearing my na. Otherwise, I would have been ruined, I truly am very thankful to you."
Nakamura Tatsuyuki hadn’t expected that he would so simply intimidate the woman to admit her guilt.
My reputation has beco this influential?
He was pleased with his own "notorious" reputation.
"Arrest her," Nakamura Tatsuyuki said.
Edogawa Renju imdiately handcuffed Ozawa Hideharu, who seed to accept her fate, crying incessantly, offering no resistance nor creating any uproar.
"Minister, my car broke down and I didn’t drive here, can I borrow your car to take her back to the Police Headquarters?"
Nakamura Tatsuyuki, without any doubt, handed over the keys to Edogawa Renju, "Mr. Edogawa, go and return quickly. Tonight is the perfect night to enjoy Mr. Fujino’s hospitality and have a good drink, no returning until we’re drunk."
"Sure!" Edogawa Renju responded and then pushed the woman, "What are you dazed for? Get moving!"
"Minister Nakamura, let toast to you!" Mr. Fujino, with a face full of excitent, poured a drink and stood up.
Nakamura Tatsuyuki also raised his glass and said, "You’re too courteous, Mr. Fujino. It’s simply my duty."
The two exchanged toasts, one effusively singing praises out of gratitude, the other complacently enjoying the satisfying situation.
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