Chapter 95

This conversation was a severe test for Shen Zhenghui. When he received the call, the words spoken by Fugita Ayumi were a serious provocation for a man. If handled improperly, ending the partnership with Fugita Ayumi would be one of the inevitable choices. Therefore, Shen Zhenghui felt that he was facing a serious situation. The immediate task at hand was to decide whether to trust the friendship between them, believing that Fugita Ayumi's criticism was out of concern for a friend, or to protect his own dignity and status. After all, Fugita Ayumi saw this as a test for Shen Zhenghui. If he backed down this time, their power dynamics would be clearly established, with Fugita Ayumi taking the lead, leaving Shen Zhenghui with little chance to turn the tables in the future.

However, Shen Zhenghui also faced the risk that if negotiations with Fugita Ayumi failed and they fell out, he would have no place to stand in Japan and would have to return to China with his tail between his legs. All the cooperation with Japan would become a sourceless stream. Of course, this was the most extreme scenario, and rational people, whether Shen Zhenghui or Fugita Ayumi, did not want this to happen. Shen Zhenghui felt that he had been in a state of anxiety lately, with all sorts of unrealistic and impossible ideas popping up in his mind. He was eager to return and face Fugita Ayumi, largely to end this mental state. This anxiety was comparable to the psychological state he experienced when a gun was pointed at his head.

The meaning of "a gentleman is cautious when alone" is that when a person is alone, they do not need to restrain or pretend, and their true thoughts and loyalty overflow, revealing their true character, which is different from when someone is present.

Therefore, Shen Zhenghui used a lot of willpower to overcome his wild thoughts and laziness. Whenever he faced a major setback, he wanted to be alone until he naturally overcame his depressed mood. But now he had to face the new situation quickly, not the time to avoid or be lazy.

So when Shen Zhenghui looked directly at Fugita Ayumi's face and could even read a kind of expectation from her eyes, he found himself so nervous that he couldn't speak.

We often face such situations, thinking it's just a moment in life, but not realizing that this moment can change our lives. Shen Zhenghui thought of this phrase for no reason as he organized his words.

Fugita Ayumi tapped the table and asked, "Then what?"

Then, reminded by these words, Shen Zhenghui realized he had been lost in thought for a few seconds.

"… Uh, then, then it's about being a 'conscientious' capitalist, thoroughly understanding that one's mission is to personify capital and make the accumulation of capital one's lifelong career. Therefore, one cannot act based on personal likes and dislikes but should faithfully fulfill the task of capital accumulation, and to achieve this task, one should…"

"It seems you still harbor resentment towards what I said," Fugita Ayumi interrupted Shen Zhenghui, "Do you think I am suppressing your humanity?"

"I finally managed to summarize it to this point!" Shen Zhenghui said seriously, "A true capitalist's consideration should transcend the concept of humanity, unless humanity is part of the product or the customer…"

"Enough!" Fugita Ayumi took a deep breath, "I don't know if you are testing me or preparing a black humor, but since you said that, I have to refute you." She stared at Shen Zhenghui seriously, "Who told you that capital accumulation and a capitalist's personal emotions must be in opposition?" She tapped the table, "Many entertainment company and agency bosses don't start their companies and agencies just to exploit female stars, right?"

Shen Zhenghui opened his mouth but said nothing.

"You didn't refute me by saying that Marx said labor alienates people in capitalist society, so I thought you were taking this conversation seriously," Fugita Ayumi glanced at him, "I was looking forward to this conversation, but I didn't expect it to start like this. Let's try again. Can you seriously restate your thoughts, not with humor or sarcasm?" Fugita Ayumi chuckled, "You are very good at both."

"No, I am only good at one thing, self-deprecation."

"Then how do you want to say it?"

"Yes, my self-inflation was wrong." Shen Zhenghui lowered his head, "Although I know society has such dark sides, when they are presented to me, I still find it hard to accept."

Fugita Ayumi pursed her lips, "What about Aizawa Tomoaki?"

"This…" Shen Zhenghui was taken aback, "Our relationship cannot be completely described as… um, that kind…"

"Is it true love?"

"Uh, this, maybe over time, it will…"

"Alright, I am not interested in your white lotus complex." Fugita Ayumi coughed, interrupting Shen Zhenghui's awkward explanation, "I just want to remind you that a true hero can face a bleak life."

Shen Zhenghui smacked his lips, "Is my life not bleak?"

"Maybe not," Fugita Ayumi tilted her head, "For people like us who are rich, mental pain and pressure are greater and heavier than for ordinary people. You already show signs of this, and I don't want to see my partner suffer a mental breakdown one day." She paused, "Do you know how entertainment bosses relieve this mental pressure? They either reach out to female stars under their control or lose interest in women altogether."

"Is this a curse?"

"From my position, it's more like a prediction."

"Prediction?"

"I am happy to inform you that Liu Xin is about to return from China. Do you have a formal plan for your feelings?"

"Huh? Can this be planned?"

"Of course, for example, dumping a female star at a certain time and giving her a breakup fee, or getting an Arab passport." Fugita Ayumi picked up her coffee cup, speaking seriously but with content that seemed like a joke, "If you are really considering these issues, I will believe you are truly noble, pure, and free from low-level interests."

Shen Zhenghui was speechless for a moment, "I don't think these two options are noble, pure, or free from low-level interests."

"But the key is to maintain your relationship with your women, not to let it fall apart. If you give up, I will consider it a setback in your life, like the collapse of the Soviet Union, where Russia and its lovers broke up. It's a sad story, and more importantly, it set history back, causing a major setback for socialism."

"Uh, maybe it's a spiral forward."

"Would the Soviets admit this?"

"I think many of them would."

Fugita Ayumi spread her hands, "Where do you think the truth lies?"

Shen Zhenghui felt he should seriously correct the topic, "Fugita President," he finally said, "I thought about it for a week before coming back, trying to understand your dissatisfaction with me and our differences. I was reflecting on my actions in pain, and at first, I wanted to make a joke to ease the tension, but now I feel the topic has shifted to another direction. What I thought was a serious topic suddenly became entertainment, and I can't maintain the serious mood for the conversation. So, I want to confirm, were the words you said to me that night serious, or just a momentary outburst that can be ignored?"

Fugita Ayumi snorted, "If what we said has nothing to do with reality, then it can be ignored. The theme of the era is peace and development, so any talk of war is just delirium. But when the theme of reality is war, even wild talk is taken seriously." She narrowed her eyes, "You are now an important figure in the entertainment industry. Do you think your words about the entertainment industry are just the ramblings of a shut-in or the rantings of a crazy fan?"

Shen Zhenghui opened his mouth but couldn't speak, and finally said, "You really have the nerve to go off-topic!"

"I am just teaching you not to have double standards and showing you the harsh reality you face." Fugita Ayumi spread her hands, "Although double standards are a human nature, I am more worried about your do-nothing literary youth nature."

"What do you mean?"

"Instead of doing nothing and ultimately letting a girl you like fall into someone else's arms, it's better to make a firm decision to become a man with multiple women."

"What kind of joke is this? Are you really suggesting I get an Arab nationality?" The plot of "The Great Husband" flashed through Shen Zhenghui's mind, and he shuddered.

"I have already warned you. You are in the entertainment industry, and you need to set your moral standards at a level that does not exceed the upper limit of this group. At the same time, you need to maintain your moral level, and I mean at an average level, to save effort."

"I can't believe you said this…"

"A woman said it?"

"This is what you said."

"The identity of this woman is a capitalist, but her advice to you is the most humane and in line with human nature. Don't you think about it seriously?"

Shen Zhenghui held his breath and realized he really needed to consider the issues Fugita Ayumi raised, so he didn't know how to respond.

"People with OCD are like this," Fugita Ayumi spread her hands, "If there's shit on your ass, you can't speak firmly."

"Alright, please be a bit more ladylike."

"Hey, you finally realize our friendship is still solid and you can relax?"

Indeed, in this atmosphere, Shen Zhenghui felt much more relaxed. Even so, the problems he was about to face were no less.

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