Aoyama Xiu Xin called Nakamura Shinichi into his office after arriving at the police headquarters, entrusting him with the heavy responsibility of collecting protection money from the Titan Gang on behalf of the police.
He repeated his instruction, "You only need to show your face when you first make contact with them. For the actual collection of money, find a trustworthy civilian. This person must be reliable, yet disposable at any mont."
Having spent at least half a year in Hokkaido, he believed that Nakamura Shinichi should be able to find such a person.
"Hi!" Nakamura Shinichi replied solemnly.
"Ring ring! Ring ring!"
The phone in his hand suddenly rang.
Aoyama Xiu Xin gestured, "Go ahead and answer it."
"Hi!" Although Nakamura Shinichi didn’t know who was calling, he opened the speakerphone right in front of Aoyama Xiu Xin and said, "Mosi mosi, please speak."
"Hi! Mr. Nakamura, would you like to co over for dinner tonight?" A gentle female voice ca through the phone.
Aoyama Xiu Xin imdiately raised an eyebrow.
He looked at Nakamura Shinichi with an expression that was a mix of amusent and mockery.
"Let’s talk about it later; I’m busy. Goodbye." Nakamura Shinichi said, sowhat embarrassed, and after hanging up the phone, told Aoyama Xiu Xin, "It was Mrs. Fujii. I helped her out with a small favor last ti, and she’s very grateful and enthusiastic."
Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed out loud, "Were you helping her to clear her drainpipe? Seems like you’ve moved on from your heartache."
"I am following your example. Housewives truly are delightful, and wealthy ones even more so," Nakamura Shinichi said defiantly, his shalessness on full display.
What is embraced above is invariably imitated below.
The good housewives trend had finally reached Hokkaido.
This trend was nad the legacy of Wei Wu.
After the witty remark, Aoyama Xiu Xin’s face grew stern again, "Having fun is one thing, but if she wants to marry you, you’ll need to consider it very carefully. After all, you’re the one who put the father of her two children behind bars."
Mrs. Fujii’s children were already at an age when they could rember things. If their values beca skewed, they would hold animosity towards police, and towards a policeman like Nakamura Shinichi who arrested their father, their hostility would be relentless.
Both family love and romantic love are irrational.
"Hi! Senior Police Director, rest assured, I definitely know my limits," Nakamura Shinichi promised earnestly.
One mont of affection could lead to a lifeti aversion to marriage.
After experiencing betrayal by Yoshino Hazuki, he no longer believed in love, only in passion. Regardless of what Mrs. Fujii felt for him, he simply saw her as a friend—in no way did he intend to beco a stepfather to an enemy’s children.
Aoyama Xiu Xin waved his hand, signaling Nakamura Shinichi to leave.
At noon, Aoyama Xiu Xin did not have lunch with his regular dining companion, Deputy Director Yamashita Kogoro, but instead sat across from his boss, Minister Oda Take, with a tray of food.
Yamashita Kogoro felt a bit out of sorts, watching Aoyama Xiu Xin from a distance while chanically stuffing food into his mouth, like a husband watching his spouse cheat.
Aoyama Xiu Xin felt uneasy, as though he had betrayed his barber or was suffocating from wearing a sweater inside out in the winter, but he managed to contain any signs of discomfort.
"It’s quite rare to see Minister Oda in the cafeteria."
He said to Oda Take with a pleasant smile.
"Deputy Director Yamashita is a regular in the cafeteria, and Mr. Aoyama, since your arrival, you’ve been the sa. That’s why I was curious if the food here is really that good," Oda Take replied, jokingly.
In the past six months, he and Aoyama Xiu Xin had gotten along splendidly and built a deep friendship.
"To tell you the truth, the taste is diocre. It’s just that both Deputy Director Yamashita and I are not picky eaters." Aoyama Xiu Xin shrugged as he bent over his al and casually asked, "Minister Oda, how old are you this year?"
"Nearly forty, I’m getting old," Oda Take sighed and shook his head. Then, full of curiosity, he asked, "Why do you suddenly ask this, Mr. Aoyama?"
"Not even forty, that’s not old at all. You’re in the pri of your life, quite young in the political arena. I think you could serve the public for another twenty years. Have you considered climbing the ladder?" Aoyama Xiu Xin laughed heartily.
Oda Take initially thought Aoyama Xiu Xin was just making small talk with no real intent but, upon hearing this, he finally sensed a deeper implication and chuckled, "Which official doesn’t want to rise up unless they’re unable or unwilling to move? But I won’t indulge in wishful thinking. If it were possible, I would have moved up long ago."
He didn’t show much reaction on the surface, but inside he was eager and excited, understanding that Aoyama Xiu Xin was hinting at his desire to advance and was preparing to help him move up, creating a vacancy below him.
"Minister Oda, don’t sell yourself short. I ntioned you to my godfather during my last trip to Tokyo, and he appreciated your abilities. Now that the police chief of Tokyo guro District is retiring, he thought of you and asked to inquire about your interest," Aoyama Xiu Xin said.
His work with the investigation team had allowed Aoyama Xiu Xin to rebuild his image as a good grandchild in the eyes of his godfather. Hence, when he hinted at wanting to progress further, his godfather readily agreed.
Moreover, moving from Deputy Minister to Minister showed no change in police rank but ant a discreet promotion without drawing attention.
Oda Take put down his tableware, his gaze intense as he looked at Aoyama Xiu Xin and spoke with a slight hint of trepidation, "For soone of my modest standing to garner personal attention from Minister Yanchuan is truly an honor. As a mber of the police departnt, I will serve wherever I’m needed! I’m imnsely grateful for Mr. Aoyama’s recomndation!"
Being transferred to Tokyo as a chief, his rank as Senior Police Director would remain the sa, but his power and status would be incomparable to before—a true top dog.
Additionally, in Tokyo, the opportunities to et influential people, and thereby the opportunities for promotion, would naturally increase.
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