Chapter 11 second quarter
"Oh, this is wonderful."
Shimazaki spread out the entire newspaper with both hands, and said to me.
"Which one?"
"A quarrel, a woman's quarrel."
To get to Nishi-Funabashi, we took the Sobu Line to Makuhari express train.It was already past the rush hour, and the carriage was very empty. We occupied the box facing each other. The sharp-eyed Shimazaki found a tabloid on the shelf, and buried his head in reading it with relish.
"That's not important," I said aloud. "You have to read it. Fold the newspaper and read it again."
Shimazaki poked his head out from behind the newspaper and glanced at the contents facing me.It features erotic novels with hyper-realistic illustrations.
"Insincere." Saying that, Shimazaki smiled wickedly, and retracted his head again.
I said anxiously, "I'm not joking with you, stop it."
From just now, Obasan, who was sitting diagonally across the aisle, has been staring at us with angry eyes.I gave her a friendly smile, but it had no effect at all.
"Hey, stop messing around!"
I pulled his sleeve repeatedly and he didn't respond, so I took the opportunity to snatch his newspaper.But at that time the tram just pulled into Ichikawa Station, and that Obasan just glared at me so fiercely, and then got off, so I didn't have time to clear up my grievances.
"It's all about you." I said to Shimazaki who looked like he had nothing to do with himself. "Why pick up a newspaper from the shelf? Only Ojisan can do that."
"It doesn't matter, it's environmentally friendly."
The train moved, leaving Ichikawa Station and the bustling downtown area behind.There are clusters of cars on the road outside the window, the roofs of which reflect the sun.Today is also a dizzyingly hot day.
West Funabashi was the first place my parents lived in when they got married fifteen years ago.From the photos in the album, it can be seen that Nishi-Funabashi was already a satellite city of Tokyo at that time.
They live in a small apartment called "Nishifunabashi, Sweet Home".Unlike Zhencaozhuang, I only have the name of the apartment, but I don't know the exact address.I originally wanted to use the pretense of chatting to arouse my mother's interest so that I could ask for some information, but I got this answer.
"I don't know... I don't remember the detailed address anymore. I just remember that it is not far from the station, and there is a hardware store nearby." This kind of answer doesn't even count as a clue.
Shimazaki comforted me and said that I could look up the map of the local library fifteen years ago, so we got on the tram.But I'm still a little uneasy.
"I don't know if that apartment is still there."
The suburbs of Tokyo are probably the land with the fastest metabolism in Japan. "Nishifunabashi? Home Sweet Home" sounds like it should be a reinforced concrete apartment, but after all, it was a house fifteen years ago, so it is doubtful whether it is still there.
"The boat is naturally straight when it reaches the bridge, and there will always be a way." Shimazaki said, with a look of unsatisfied interest in the tabloid.
"What were you looking at just now?"
Hearing my question, Shimazaki picked up the newspaper again, rummaged through it, folded the newspaper and handed it to me.The title was "Who will 'Poseidon's Grace' go to?".
"It turned out to be this."
I also know about this incident, which is currently the hot topic of most interest in gossip reports.Thanks to this incident, our lives are so much easier, and I am so grateful.
The "Grace of Poseidon" that has attracted much attention is a double-ring necklace made of 86 black pearls and a double-ring bracelet made of 43 black pearls.This exaggerated name was taken by the first-generation owner, who is said to be the royal family of a small country in Southeast Asia.
Natural black pearls are inherently very precious. This pair of jewelry has collected so many perfect pearls, and the color is so rich and bright that it can almost be called "pitch black". Ton's favor".
However, judging from the past of this pair of jewelry changing hands in the world, it really cannot be called "grace".The reason why it was taken out of the Nanyang royal family at the beginning was because of the armed revolution there, and the king and his wife were imprisoned and executed; the next owner was the boss of an oil company who died in an air crash.His son inherited the inheritance, but was kidnapped by terrorists in the Middle East. In order to pay a sky-high ransom, he had to sell "Poseidon's Grace". At that time, there happened to be a British nobleman who was willing to accept it, but the new owner met Ireland not long after. Republican terrorist bomb attack killed.The bereaved family offered to donate to the British Museum, but was rejected by the museum, so they had to put it up for sale.It is said that Mrs. Imelda was also on the list of buyers at that time. If there hadn't been a military coup, it might be her property now.
The doomed pair of jewels arrived in Japan five years ago by sea.The buyer is the chairman of a large company, and it is said that it is used as a strategy to reduce inheritance tax.This practice may be a lesser crime than searching for world-famous paintings for one's own convenience, but it is not admirable.Moreover, this tax reduction strategy made mistakes again and again. After the chairman died, he was thoroughly investigated. Not only were taxes and fines paid, but "Poseidon's Grace" had to be put up for auction in the end.
Now, the heirs of the president's estate put the pair of jewelry, which is like a ghost brand JOKER, in Kagami, a jewelry store in Ginza, and they look for buyers on their behalf.The daughter A of a financial person and the actress Anxi Zhenzhen confronted each other in order to get the pair of jewelry.This is how things started.
The problem lies in the price of this pair of jewelry.Now it is four hundred and eighty million rounds.The reason for the emphasis on "now" is that these two people continue to raise prices.Kagami's price at the beginning of the auction was 300 million yen, and then it went up to this point, which is really unbearable.
"It's an exaggeration, there is so much spare money."
"Isn't there one in your house?"
Hearing what Shimazaki said, I couldn't help laughing: "That's right, I'd have forgotten if you didn't tell me."
However, I don't think Mom would use the 500 million to buy a pair of black pearl necklaces and bracelets, basically she wouldn't even think about it.First of all, I spent 500 million to buy that kind of jewelry, and there is no occasion to wear it.
"A person who can afford 500 million won of jewelry means that he has 1 billion at his disposal." Shimazaki said while pushing his glasses.
"So, being a celebrity makes a lot of money? It turns out that Anxi makes so much money."
"That's because her husband is rich."
"Ah, that's right." I have no interest in celebrities, so I forgot, "Anxi Zhenzhen is married."
The battle for contention began when the two problematic characters met unexpectedly at an in-house exhibition held in Kagami last fall.
Before that, the two of them had never known each other.I've had that experience too, where you meet and you're like, "Oh, I hate this guy." These two women are said to have this negative current going on, and there's a reason they fight.
Miss A's mother is from the old Chinese family, and her father is also from the chaebol of the old era. In short, she has a prominent family background and a good background.She herself graduated from a top-ranked university and now works as a librarian in her grandfather's personal art gallery.Her grandfather was a well-known art collector, and the museum mainly displayed her grandfather's collection.
On the other hand, Anzai Mari did not even graduate from high school (it is said that he was dropped out of school), and ran away to Tokyo like a runaway. She started acting in her early years, and at the turning point of twenty-five years old, when it was almost time to plan for the future, she firmly grasped the young industrialist who had become a billionaire in the past few years, and ascended the throne of the president's wife, shrewd and capable No problem.Moreover, she was able to get married because she drove out the other party's wife and replaced her with a very domineering method.
The two men contrasted in every way, yet both were twenty-six years old.Both of them are beauties, and each has a group of supporters who are stalking.Some people also said that A celebrity and the wife of the former president who was driven away by Anxi Zhenzhen were sisters.Whether it is or not, she and Anxi Truth are definitely at odds. Celebrity A said: "It's too strange that a woman who was born as an entertainer without even the slightest education should be invited to this kind of in-house exhibition." After peeling off that layer of skin, it's just a coquettish fox." It can be said that the fight was fierce.
Therefore, the current battle can be said to have been ignited from the moment socialite A wanted to acquire "Poseidon's Favor" after the internal exhibition. Lady A is already engaged and her wedding is scheduled to be held at the end of May next year. She seems to want to use "Poseidon's grace" as her dowry.
And Anzai, who received the information, immediately said "I want it too".So, this childish women's dispute has been fought back and forth until now - so the report wrote.
And the reason why this war came to the surface was because Anxi Zhenzhen sued celebrity A for slander, saying that celebrity A would say at a certain party that she had worked in a special industry before her debut, and even sent a black letter maliciously slandering her or something, in short, out of anger Get hysterical.
"Competing for things like this is really low-level." I also feel very unbearable. "Besides, why are you so obsessed with a piece of jewelry that will only bring misfortune to the owner? Are they out of their minds?"
"Because the two of them can't find the stairs now." Shimazaki smiled. "Also, I think it's just a fake war on the surface."
"A fake war on the surface?"
"Yeah. Actually, it's the father of socialite A and the husband of Anxi Zhenli's young businessman who are fighting behind the scenes. It was also mentioned in the report."
At times like this, fathers and husbands would generally come forward to stop the mediation, but when things have developed to this point, they still do not come forward, mainly because they have long wanted to quarrel with the guild leader who sells jewelry. relation. A celebrity's father wants to go into politics, so it's like adding wings to a tiger when he wins over the chairman's family; while Anxi Zhen's young industrialist husband hopes to win the support of the chairman's family in order to expand his career territory.For this reason, they wanted to buy "Grace of Poseidon" at a higher price no matter what, so as to make a good impression on the other party, so they refused to give in to each other—and this resulted in today's situation.
I see.It dawned on me that despite what appeared to be a gorgeous women's war on the surface, it turned out to be about business.The worst people are probably the chairman clan who leisurely watched the commotion.
"Speaking of which, this famous lady A is obviously a rich lady, so she really has nothing to say."
The newspaper published a comment from a celebrity A (whether she really said so is doubtful), saying, "Pearls are very elegant jewelry and should be worn by elegant women. As the saying goes, 'Zhu Bajie eats ginseng fruit', I am afraid People will waste everything if they wear it." Anxi Zhenzhen will naturally be angry when someone says that in person; especially if it pricks his own sore spot, he will be even more angry.
At the end of the report, the store manager Kagami said: "The ugly war for beautiful gems is really not what we like to see." It is absolutely true.
Besides, Kagami was originally doing business with customers in a peaceful manner, so being involved in this disturbance for no reason was simply a disaster for them, and they had to worry about robbers coming to snatch "Poseidon's favor".
"What a disaster."
"The most appropriate solution is not to sell either side, but to a third party."
"That's right."
"Are you persuading Congzi to buy it with the 500 million yuan?"
"Isn't this kind of behavior called 'picking stones into the fire'?"
"It's 'picking chestnuts into the fire'!"
"Isn't the stone hotter?"
"Unreasonable."
Chatting and chatting, the tram arrived at Nishi-Funabashi Station.
Between ten in the morning and three in the afternoon, Shimazaki and I each drank two canned juices, a bowl of strawberry ice and two popsicles.After eating and drinking so much, I didn't even go to the toilet half of the time, all the water turned into sweat and lost.In other words, we have traveled so far and it is all in vain.
It is true that there are old maps in the library, but the changes in the streets and towns are too drastic to be used as clues, and even the roads have changed.Unlike the old downtown area of Tokyo, which retains the old things no matter how much it changes, this is not the same thing at all.
The two of us sat on a bench in the children's park near the station, dejected enough to have a "poor kids" sign in front of us.Originally we wanted to find a seat under the shade of a tree, but unfortunately there was already someone there, lying and sleeping with a handkerchief covering his face, a black head was exposed on the edge of the handkerchief, and there was a little smell of wine, so we judged it best not to approach him.
"Where...where are you going next?"
Shimazaki said with a moaning voice.
"Saka City." I spread out the marked map. "An apartment called 'Soka? Vivian'."
In the third year of their marriage, my parents moved from "Nishifunabashi? Sweet Home" to Soka City, where they worked hard to save the down payment for seven years and bought the current apartment.
"Soka," Shimazaki moaned as he lay down. "What criteria do they use to choose where to live? There is such a difference."
"Families like yours who already have a house don't understand this kind of hard work." I was exhausted too. "The rent needs to be cheap, and you have to be willing to rent to families with children, and it must be convenient to buy things, there must be a doctor nearby, and children can go to school within a short distance. There are not places like this everywhere."
"Going to Soka today?"
"I don't want to go" was written on Shimazaki's face, and it must have been written on mine.It's a shame, but once I get frustrated, I start to find investigation a chore.ah?No perseverance?Well, the coaches of the football club often say that about me.Yes yes yes, I am too immature.
"It all went so smoothly in the beginning."
"That's right." Sister Yami and the old woman were too kind to us.
Go home——just as I was about to say this, someone stopped me from behind.
"Aren't you Ya Nan's little brother?"
When we turned around, a man came out from behind the wall to watch us.It was a young man, wearing black-rimmed glasses and looking heavily prescribed, with short hair, a tie neatly tied around his neck, and a gray suit jacket hanging on his hand.
"Are you Ogata Masao's little brother?" He asked again.
Shimazaki tugged at my sleeve: "Is it the media?"
"How do I know? I don't know each of them."
Both Shimazaki and I wanted to get away.It may be that our appearance is very funny, the other party said with a smile on his face.
"Sorry, sorry, I scared you. I'm Nitta from Maekawa Law Firm, and I'm a lawyer's assistant."
"assistant?"
"Well, I greeted you when you and your mother came to the office before. Don't you remember?"
I did go to a lawyer's office once, and it seemed that I had to stamp some documents, so I only stayed for about ten minutes.
Maekawa Law Firm is much bigger than I imagined out of thin air.In addition to lawyer Maekawa, there are two other lawyers, each of whom has an assistant and a female staff member who handles administration.The four word processors lined up in battle, and the bookshelves (Judicial Times) were packed in a full circle around the room.I remember when I was looking at those bookshelves, a young man said to me: "It's very similar to a mystery novel, and it's quite interesting. Do you want to read it?"
Is it him... I thought to myself.The man asked us again with a smile.
"What are you doing here?"
"Come to do summer research..." I moved out the lines I had compiled, "But because it's so hot, I'm a little bit heatstroke."
"No wonder, the weather is like this." The man named Xintian looked up at the sun. "I came here by car. I'm going back to the office next time. Do you want to give you a ride?"
We were so hot that I answered almost without hesitation.
"Thank you, I will trouble you then."
He drives a domestic Ford car with a simple shape.As soon as we sat in the back seat, Mr. Nitta turned on the air conditioner.A large leather briefcase was placed on the front assistant's seat, and an envelope from Maekawa's law firm was in the outer pocket.
"Why did Nitta-san come here?"
Shimazaki asked a question while wiping his glasses by the hem of his T-shirt.After the car drove out of the parking lot, Mr. Nitta replied: "It's not a big deal. There is a small civil lawsuit. No matter how you send the indictment, the other party has not received it, so I will investigate whether the other party really lives there."
"Oh... the indictment was mailed?" I was surprised.I always thought that it would be delivered directly to the door by the people in the court with a straight face.
"Yes. It is sent by a method called a deposit letter, like a registered mail. But if it can't be sent even that, it will be sent by the 'executive officer' of the court."
"A law firm's assistant wants to do this kind of thing?"
"Doing everything. Sweeping the floor, pouring tea, and being a driver while the lawyer entertains guests for a round of golf."
That being said, he did drive really well.
"What are you working on in your summer research?"
When he asked back, I panicked.I glanced at Shimazaki, who pushed his glasses.
"The topic is the history of the Showa era for a common people."
"Oh, that's amazing."
"Well, it can be regarded as tracing the 'history of my family'."
"That's why you came to Nishi-Funabashi?"
This sucks... I thought to myself, we're looking into this without telling my mother.
However, if this person told Mom, "I met Ya Nan's little brother in Xifuqiao, they seemed to be investigating something", Mom would be very sensitive and would definitely find it strange.
"That...Actually, I didn't tell my mother about it."
Mr. Nitta raised his eyebrows with a "huh?", and his glasses were crooked.His glasses seem to be very dark. I don't know if he can't see anything after taking them off.He must have been a great reader.
"My mother will definitely say that children should choose a topic that is more like a child, so, can you please stop telling my mother that you met us?"
aha!Nitta-san laughed cheerfully. "OK, I'll keep it a secret for you. I think that's a good topic."
The car entered Ichikawa City smoothly.
"So, I'd better not take you home?"
"Yes, just in front of the station."
The vibration of the car made me feel comfortable, and I started to feel sleepy, and Shimazaki seemed to be the same.When the two of us stared blankly at the scenery outside the car window, the car drove to the front of the station.
After we thanked him, we got out of the car, and when we were about to close the door, Mr. Nitta suddenly thought of something.
"By the way, did your mother tell you? This weekend everyone will go to lawyer Qianchuan's villa to play together."
I haven't heard of it.
"Does the lawyer have a villa?"
"Correctly speaking, it has not yet. The lawyer has been hesitant to know where to buy it, so he rents villas in different places every summer for future selection. This year, it seems to be rented in Kamisuwa. The lawyer should have mentioned it to Mrs. Ogata. But, ask her if she wants to go with her."
That's great!I hope Mom will accept the lawyer's invitation.
"If your mother is too busy to go, would you like to go with us by yourself? It should be fun."
I replied that I would, and watched the car drive away.
"Did you see his glasses?" Shimazaki said.
"Yes, I saw it. It's so thick. Is he preparing for the bar exam?"
Shimazaki seemed to be thinking about something, but didn't answer.After a while, he whispered, "I'm starving to death."
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