Chapter 285: The Informant

The abrupt sound interrupted everyone's thoughts.

Satake Maki saw the phone number but was stunned.

Akiwara Yuto said bluntly: "We have no problem here. If you have something to do, go answer the phone first."

Satake Maki bowed slightly and said "sorry," then walked to the balcony and answered the phone.

After about 5 minutes, she walked back and looked at Akiwara Yuto with a nervous expression, saying: "Akiwara, Xidao-san wants to see you alone."

Xidao-san?

Akiwara Yuto thought for a while and then thought of the name "Xidao Zongtai."

The other party was Satake Maki's former colleague and was also a member of the founding team of Anjiu Bookstore, responsible for the market and promotion of the publishing business.

After Anjiu Bookstore expanded, quite a few former employees left due to various problems, but Xidao Zongtai had always been at Anjiu Bookstore.

So he could be counted as Anjiu Jin Gangyi's "trusted figure."

However, after he entrusted the bookstore's docking business to Asano Aiko, he and he had no contact until now, so why did he want to see him at this time?

Could it be that this contract had other hidden circumstances?

Akiwara Yuto thought for a while and still agreed to this private meeting, and let Asano Aiko reply to Anjiu Jin Gangyi that he needed some time to consider it.

The next afternoon, at the agreed time.

Akiwara Yuto entertained Xidao Zongtai in his living room.

He took the initiative to pour a cup of tea for the other party and said gently: "Xidao-san, we haven't seen each other for about a year, right."

Although polite on the surface, the implication was: since it's been so long, what is the purpose of coming this time?

"About 1 year and 2 months," Xidao Zongtai took the tea and thanked him, then said: "Akiwara-sensei, I came this time because a very important thing happened to you."

"Important thing."

Akiwara Yuto frowned and stared at Xidao Zongtai for a while, discovering that he couldn't see any expression on the other party's face.

He pondered for a while, understood the other party's meaning, and replied: "Xidao-san, among many folk legends in Japan, the one I like the most is the story of the crane repaying kindness. So if it is someone who helps me, I will definitely not be stingy with my reward."

Xidao Zongtai got the reply he wanted and felt relieved in his heart.

After a while, he pretended to be "struggling" and said: "Akiwara-sensei, President Anjiu might have betrayed you."

Betrayed me? Might?

Akiwara Yuto, although vaguely prepared in his heart, still felt it was unbelievable after hearing this answer.

Since his debut, all his works had been handed over to Anjiu Bookstore for publication, and he had let quite a few benefits to the other party to ensure the revenue of the enterprise operated by the other party.

Under such a cooperation model, his works were increasingly popular, and Anjiu Bookstore also walked from a publishing house to today, still having quite a bit of fame in the industry.

He really couldn't think of a reason for the other party to betray him.

Xidao Zongtai continued: "About three days ago, a lady named Shimoku Reiko specifically made an appointment with President Anjiu, and then the two left the publishing house.

I didn't think anything was strange at the time, but President Anjiu found the person in charge of the personnel and finance departments the next day and privately held a small-scale meeting."

Akiwara Yuto waved his hand and asked back: "Isn't it very normal to hold a private meeting like this?"

In the operation of the foundation, he himself would also find the person in charge of individual departments to hold meetings, specifically exploring special affairs.

Xidao Zongtai nodded and then said: "But the place where they held the meeting was not inside Anjiu Bookstore, but went to other places, and even both people in charge asked for sick leave."

"Xidao-san, then how do you know they held a private meeting?" Akiwara Yuto asked suspiciously.

"Akiwara-sensei, I am after all the person in charge of market and promotion business. Many messages that President Anjiu himself doesn't know, I can obtain from various channels."

Because it involved privacy, he deliberately avoided this topic and continued: "Because of this meeting, I became suspicious in my heart and investigated that lady named Shimoku Reiko. I discovered that the other party is the executive director of the Business Intelligence Department of Jingfan-sha."

Jingfan-sha?!

Akiwara Yuto frowned and thought about it. The other party was one of the four major publishing houses.

Although it was always at the bottom of the four major ones and the gap with the other three major publishing houses was getting bigger and bigger, it still had quite a bit of influence in the industry.

So Jingfan-sha looking for Anjiu Jin Gangyi, what was the purpose?

Xidao Zongtai continued: "Akiwara-sensei, has Jingfan-sha talked to you about copyright before?"

Akiwara Yuto nodded, "The other party wanted me to hand over the reprint copyright of my works to Jingfan-sha for publication before, but I refused."

Xidao Zongtai was not surprised but laughed: "Akiwara-sensei, no wonder the other party regards you as a thorn in their side."

Thorn in their side?

Akiwara Yuto was a bit confused. His enemy, to tell the truth, was just Mantansha, and although the other party was uncomfortable looking at him, they also reached a reconciliation because of a series of events.

And he was a writer, so what reason would he have to be enemies with a publishing house.

Xidao Zongtai seemed to see Akiwara Yuto's confusion and explained: "Akiwara-sensei, last year, Jingfan-sha occupied about 70% of the detective publication market share, but this year because of your works, their market share dropped sharply, even less than two-thirds of the same time in previous years.

You moved their cake, and it is very normal for them to regard you as a competitor."

He continued: "Akiwara-sensei, although you don't have any shares in Anjiu Bookstore, the biggest profit beneficiary after the books are issued is still you. Compared with you, that little profit of Anjiu Bookstore can only count as a fraction.

Do you think President Anjiu can really be satisfied with just earning this little hard-earned money?"

"Although I don't know what President Anjiu wants to do now, he and Jingfan-sha are dissatisfied with you, and even privately contacted and held several meetings. These are already enough to prove a lot."

After listening to this explanation, Akiwara Yuto sorted out the cause and effect and also understood why Xidao Zongtai said Anjiu Jin Gangyi "might" have betrayed him.

After all, there was no direct evidence, and everything was just speculation.

And even if he wanted to betray him, what kind of action would the other party take?

At this time, Akiwara Yuto associated it with that 10-year exclusive contract, and he had a different idea in his heart.

Perhaps the key to everything was in this contract!

Besides that, he also had to investigate that person named Shimoku Reiko! ===== CHAPTER 286 =====

Besides that, I also need to investigate that person named Reiko Hosome!