Chapter 52

This is an extremely ordinary bar, as can be seen from its decor, which is no different from any other Japanese bar. However, the current situation makes this bar seem very unusual. The bar is not empty, but there is a strange atmosphere. There is no chaos or noise; everyone moves quietly as if they had all received the same quiet education. To Shen Zhenghui, it was as if a group of extremely well-mannered gangsters were having a gathering.

Shiro quickly walked to the bar and leaned in to whisper something to a middle-aged man, pointing at Shen Zhenghui and the girl. The middle-aged man turned around, squinting at Shen Zhenghui. He held a glass of wine, his face square and chiseled like a rock, with a stern and rigid expression that was quite intimidating. On the street, he would almost certainly be mistaken for a gangster boss. He raised his glass to Shen Zhenghui.

Shen Zhenghui walked over, the girl clinging to his arm trembling all over, almost being dragged along by him.

"Sir, hello!" Shen Zhenghui greeted politely.

Shiro, standing beside him, made a fierce expression, "Kid..." He started to say, but the boss raised his glass, and the guy swallowed the rest of his words, bowed to the boss, and walked over to drink with his colleagues, not daring to look at Shen Zhenghui.

The boss ignored Shen Zhenghui's greeting and instead turned his gaze to the girl, "Aika!" It seemed he was calling her name. The girl's body trembled again at the sound of her name.

"You signed the loan contract yourself," the man's voice was stern, "and you agreed to the consequences if you couldn't pay back on time. Now," he shifted his gaze to Shen Zhenghui, "what is your relationship with this man?"

"Nothing... nothing much," the girl, though trembling, answered seriously, "please let him leave." As she spoke, she released her grip on Shen Zhenghui's arm.

Shen Zhenghui glanced at the girl, then at the indifferent boss, "I want to help her pay back the money."

The girl looked up, "Sir," she said, "I'm very sorry tonight, but this is my problem. Please go back."

The gangster boss began to laugh heartily, as if genuinely amused.

"Five million yen is a small matter to me," Shen Zhenghui said, half-closing his eyes, pointing to his heart, "I want to do what I feel is right."

The gangster boss turned, put down his glass, and began to clap, "That's the most noble line I've ever heard," he smiled at Shen Zhenghui, "but you're not Japanese, are you?"

"Chinese."

"No wonder," the man raised his chin, his eyes sharp, "Fujian gang or Puxi gang? Or just a regular big circle?"

"I'm not a gangster, I have a legitimate job," Shen Zhenghui replied, "I just can't stand this kind of thing, and I think I have the ability to change the outcome of what I encounter."

"A country with a billion people will always produce some strange people like you," the man's expression softened a bit when Shen Zhenghui denied being a gangster, "but since you're in Japan, you should follow Japanese rules. Do you know what 'shijou' means?"

"I think it's another way of saying a lifetime of cowardice."

"Ha ha ha." The boss walked around Shen Zhenghui, then returned to his original position, staring at him, "Aika and I are neighbors on the same street," he said, "I've watched her grow up," he pursed his lips, "her parents died early, and although there was insurance money, it wasn't enough. Aika is very ambitious, wanting to go to a good school," he glanced at Aika, who was still looking down, fidgeting with her fingers, "she wants to study music, but that costs money."

"An inspiring story," Shen Zhenghui replied calmly.

"Yes, but the world isn't just about inspiration. It needs reality," the man pursed his lips, looking at Aika, "Aika, what did you borrow the money for?"

"Private tutoring," Aika answered in a low voice, still looking down.

The boss spread his hands, "This is Japan, money is needed to succeed."

"I said I can pay it back for her, it's not a problem for me," Shen Zhenghui said.

"It's a big problem for us," the boss spread his hands, "you must think I'm a bad guy, trying to force Aika to do something she doesn't want to do." He laughed, "Actually, no, I just want her to pay back the money, with normal interest." He paused, "If she makes a few adult films, she can pay off the debt and live freely. She can continue her studies, find a good job, and eventually marry someone who loves her. So what if she made adult films? Japanese people don't care about that."

"I said I..."

The man raised his hand to stop Shen Zhenghui, "Although we chose the path for Aika, it's completely up to her to fulfill her obligations with her own strength. This is Japan, not China, so don't bring your moral standards here. On the contrary, I should ask you, you have money and are willing to help Aika, but how will she repay you? Do you want to make her your golden bird? That would be a loss of freedom, better to make adult films!"

"I don't require repayment."

"Oh, you're so great?" The man seemed surprised, "So you're willing to pay off her debt, walk out of this bar, and never think about this again, as if you never met?"

Shen Zhenghui nodded, "I can."

The man laughed, raising his glass again, "Chinese!"

Aika looked up, her face full of surprise.

"Why are you doing this, Chinese?"

"I don't want to leave a demon in my heart."

"Are you a monk? A priest?"

"No, I'm an actor."

"An actor?" The man looked Shen Zhenghui up and down, "An unknown small actor? Or planning to develop in Japan?"

At this moment, the guy who had come with Shiro leaned in and whispered something to the gangster boss, and Shen Zhenghui vaguely heard something about his identity.

The boss looked up and stared at Shen Zhenghui, "It seems you're not an unknown small actor."

"Average," Shen Zhenghui replied.

The boss turned to Aika, "Aika, how do you choose? Trust Uncle, or this actor who suddenly appeared and you don't know at all?"

Aika bit her lip tightly, her lower lip turning white, clearly in a fierce internal struggle.

"Think carefully, this guy is Chinese, and Chinese can have many wives," the boss continued.

What year is this? Uncle, you're talking about Saudi Arabia!

"Accepting his money will bind you to him," the boss continued, "his willingness to spend money on a stranger shows he doesn't care about you paying back. You might be emotionally bound to him for life."

You're a literary youth, Shen Zhenghui shouted in his heart, your gangster level is really high, you should write romance novels. But he kept a straight face.

"I... I..." Aika looked conflicted.

Shen Zhenghui looked at her gently, "There might be a better choice," he said softly, "all persistence will eventually pay off."

"Sorry," Aika bowed to Shen Zhenghui.

Shen Zhenghui's mood sank, and the gangster boss laughed.

"Please help me pay off the debt," Aika continued, "I will earn money to pay you back."

The gangster boss's smile froze.

Shen Zhenghui turned, "Can I pay by card?"

"Of course, cash, go get it, big star!" The man replied irritably.

...

"Sure, sure, really sorry, um, five million in cash." Shen Zhenghui, on the phone, turned to the gangster boss, who introduced himself as Nishida Gi, and asked, "What's the name of this bar? What's the address?"

Nishida Gi irritably gestured to his subordinate, and Shiro answered Shen Zhenghui's question.

The girl, now known to be named Kuroishi Aika, sat quietly beside Shen Zhenghui, listening to him call his friend, who sounded female, to bring five million yen in cash.

To avoid taxes, gangsters prefer cash, but Nishida Gi's demand for cash was just to make things difficult for Shen Zhenghui.

Shen Zhenghui ordered a drink and a beverage for Kuroishi Aika. These gangsters looked very intimidating, but in reality, they were not hard to deal with, just putting on a show. After about twenty minutes, Shen Zhenghui learned that Nishida Gi had a small company that produced adult films.

The door opened again, and two women and four bodyguards entered, one carrying a small bag. Shen Zhenghui almost hid under the table when he saw Fukuda Mitsumi and Liu Xin, feeling a bit guilty.

Fukuda Mitsumi walked over.

"Fukuda President, hello!" Nishida Gi looked very normal.

"Nishida Leader, here's five million, please check it."

"No need, it's too much trouble for you to come in person, I'm very grateful." Nishida Gi gestured, and a subordinate took the bag from the bodyguard. Five million yen is not much, and it was quickly counted.

The subordinate leaned in to whisper something to the boss, and Nishida Gi said irritably, "Do we need to count? It's definitely fine, let them go!"

The two women's gazes swept over Shen Zhenghui and then landed on Kuroishi Aika.

"Go back first," Fukuda Mitsumi said, and Liu Xin grunted.

Kuroishi Aika grabbed Shen Zhenghui's sleeve and followed closely behind him until they left the bar.

"Do you know these gangsters?" Shen Zhenghui asked.

Fukuda Mitsumi glanced at him, "They are well-informed in the entertainment industry, don't underestimate them."

Looking at them, I can't really respect them! Japanese gangsters talk like romance movies, is this the level of otaku-ized Japanese gangsters? Shen Zhenghui complained in his heart.

Fukuda Mitsumi looked at Kuroishi Aika, "If this girl has nowhere to go, she can stay at my place tonight."

Shen Zhenghui looked at Kuroishi Aika, who was still looking down, and turned to Fukuda Mitsumi, "Isn't that too much trouble for you?"

"What, do you want to take her home?" Liu Xin asked.

"Sure," Kuroishi Aika answered softly.

"Alright, it's late, I'll have the driver take you home, and this little sister will come with us," Fukuda Mitsumi reached out and took Kuroishi Aika's hand.

Shen Zhenghui looked at Kuroishi Aika's gaze as she looked back, then got into the car Fukuda Mitsumi had prepared for him. He shook his head, "How did the plot turn out like this?" he said to himself.

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