Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen

After knowing the identity of the chairman, I began to look through every discarded magazine I could find that night, hoping to learn more about him.I soon learned that Huichang was born in 1890, which means that he was in his early forties when I met him, even though his hair was graying.According to the magazines, Iwamura Denki may not be as large as its main competitor in western Japan, Osaka Denki, but the chairman and Nobu's perfect cooperation makes them far better known than the leaders of other large companies.Regardless, Iwamura Electric is seen as a more innovative company with an extremely solid reputation.

The president started working in a small electrical appliance company in Osaka at the age of seventeen.Soon he took over the area's teams laying wires for the various factories' machines.At that time, the demand for electronic lighting equipment in the home and office was increasing day by day, so the chairman used his spare time in the evening to design a device that would allow two light bulbs to be installed in one socket at the same time.However, the person in charge of that small company refused to put the invention into production, so in 1912, the president, who was just married and only 22 years old, resigned and founded his own company.

Those early days were tough; then, in 1914, the chairman's company was awarded a contract to lay electrical circuits for a new building at a military base in Osaka.At that time, Nobu, who was seriously injured in the explosion, remained in the army because he could not find work elsewhere, and was sent to oversee the quality of engineering at the Iwamura Electric Company.He and the president quickly became friends, and when the president invited him to join the company the next year, he readily agreed. The more I read about their collaboration, the more I think they are a perfect match made in heaven.Those articles stated that the chairman is at the helm of the company's development and direction, while Nobu is in charge of operations and management.The uncharismatic Nobugan's job wasn't all that high-profile, but he's clearly doing a good job, and the chairman has often stated in public that the company couldn't have survived several major crises without Nobu's brilliance.It was the group of investors Yen brought in that saved the company from bankruptcy in the early 1920s.People have heard the chairman say many times: "I can't repay the debt I owe in my life.

A few weeks later, one day I received a note asking me to go to Mameha's apartment the next afternoon.When I arrived, I began to change into a bright red and yellow silk autumn robe, but to my surprise, the back of the robe had a slit big enough for two fingers.I asked Mameha out of curiosity. "Two men will be crucial to your future. You met Nobu a few weeks ago. And another man, with the help of this broken kimono, you will have the opportunity to meet him. Yes That sumo wrestler made me think of this brilliant idea! I can't wait to see Hatsumomo's reaction when she finds out you've come back from the dead. The more you talk about Nobu in front of her, the better - but you must never be wrong She mentioned the man you're going to meet this afternoon."

Hearing this, my face was happy, but my heart was deeply painful. "Ma'am," I said, "may I ask if that is part of your plan to make Yen my dan someday?" Mameha glared at me. "Mr. Yen is a good man. Are you implying that you will be ashamed if he does your danna?" "No ma'am, I didn't mean that. I just wanted to know..." "Okay, then I just have two things to say to you. First, you're just an obscure fourteen-year-old girl anyway. If you can become a geisha with status, make a man like Nobu consider offering to be you Dedana, then you are lucky. Secondly, Mr. Yan has never liked a geisha enough to want to take her as a mistress. If you can set this precedent, I hope you will be honored."

My face flushed red all of a sudden, as if it was on fire.Mameha was right.If I can't even attract the extension, then the chairman is undoubtedly out of reach.Ever since meeting the chairman again at a sumo match, I've started to think about the possibilities that life offers me.But now with Mameha's words, I feel like I'm wading through a sea of ​​sadness. I dressed in a hurry, and Hatsumomo led me into the street to the art museum where she used to live.There, Mameha had the cook cut me on the thigh, right under the hole in the kimono. I've always been a person who can't see blood. When I turned around and saw a stream of blood running down my leg to a towel that Mameha was pressing on my inner thigh, I immediately passed out.It wasn't until I was about to reach the hospital that Mameha shook me awake.

"Now listen to me! Your future depends on two men, and you're about to meet one of them. You have to behave yourself." She added, "When you're asked how you can cut You hurt your leg and you respond that you fell on something sharp while going to the bathroom in your kimono. Then passed out. You can make up details if you want, but make sure you look innocent and innocent help." When we got to the hospital, a nurse led us to a room.After a while, the door opened and Dr. Crab walked in.Of course, his real name isn't Dr. Crab, but if you saw him, I'm sure the same name would pop into your head, because his shoulders were arched and his elbows were thrown out so badly, though He doesn't study crabs, but he looks too much like a crab.When he walked, he even thrust forward with one shoulder, like a crab crawling sideways.He had a beard on his face, and he looked very happy to see Mameha.

After Mameha told me about my injury, Dr. Crab asked me to lie down on the examination table, lifted my robe, and rubbed the potion on my leg, "Miss Sayuri, please tell me how you were injured." "I'm sorry," I said, "I had to go to the bathroom right away... well, the kimono is so cumbersome, I must have lost my balance. After I fell, my leg hit something sharp. I didn't even know that Something. I think I must have fainted." "I see," said the doctor. "The wound was opened by something very sharp. Maybe you fell on broken glass or metal."

"Yes, I do feel it's a very sharp thing," I said. "Sharp like a knife." Dr. Crab didn't say anything more, just washed the wound repeatedly, and then used more pungent lotion to wipe the dried blood on my whole leg.In the end, he told me that the wound only needs to be covered with ointment and bandaged, and he told me some precautions for the next few days. "I'm sorry you ruined such a beautiful kimono," he said, "but I'm very happy to have the opportunity to meet you. Miss Mameba knows I'm always interested in new faces." "Oh no, it's a great honor to meet you, Doctor," I said.

"Perhaps I can meet you at Yiliting Tea House some night soon." "Honestly, doctor," Mameha said, "Sayuri is a...a treasure, as I'm sure you can imagine. She already has more admirers than she can handle, so I try to keep her out of the way as much as possible." Ichiritei Tea House. Maybe we can change places and visit you at Shirai Tea House?" Mameha said this in order to avoid running into Hatsumomo at Ichiritei Tea House. "Well, I like it better myself," said Dr. Crab. "I'll be there in the evening in two days. I hope to see you all then."

On our way back to Gion in a rickshaw, Mameha said that I had behaved well just now. "But, Mameha-san, I didn't do anything!" "When the doctor wiped the blood from your leg, his forehead was beaded with sweat, as if it was very hot. But it's not even warm in that room, is it?" "I don't feel hot either." "That's right!" Mameha said.