[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-literary-master-of-tokyo":3,"chapter-literary-master-of-tokyo-literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-88":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Literary Master of Tokyo",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2354937,4607,"Chapter 88: Disappointment and Hope","literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>Kitaoka Law Office, Chuo Ward, Tokyo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Anjiu Gangyi was asleep, Akiwara Yuto arrived at the law office he had learned about through Imamura Yuto, carrying the manuscript for \"The Devotion of Suspect X\" and the copyright certificate he had previously obtained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His purpose in coming today was to prove whether his previous idea was feasible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the bank refused his loan, he decided to persuade President Anjiu to help him print 30,000 copies on credit and handle the work for other distribution channels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve this goal, another method was inevitably required; in other words, a bargaining chip that could be used as collateral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto walked through the door and was quickly led by the receptionist to a large office, where he met the owner of the firm, Kitaoka Yuki.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitaoka Yuki was a female property rights lawyer with 20 years of experience, over 40 years old, and dressed in a neat gray professional suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sat on the sofa, and Akiwara Yuto quickly explained his situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitaoka Yuki adjusted her glasses with her hand and said in a methodical voice, \"Akiwara-san, I roughly understand your situation. You need a guarantee, right? I have a few points of advice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Akiwara Yuto nod, she continued: \"First, you could simply write an IOU, sign it, and stamp it with your personal seal. This method is the simplest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sorry, could you tell me about other methods?\" Akiwara Yuto shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His relationship with President Anjiu was purely that of a seller and a client; he did not believe the other party would advance over 6 million yen for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitaoka Yuki took a sip of tea and continued: \"Second, if you can find a guarantor, I can issue the corresponding legal certification to make President Anjiu believe in your ability to repay. However, if you have a guarantor, I suggest you could go directly to a bank to borrow the 6 million yen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this suggestion, Akiwara Yuto thought for a while. As for guarantors, the only people he had good relationships with were Imamura Yuto, Seto Tamae, and Asano Aiko.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Seto Tamae had already done him a huge favor, and it wouldn't be good to bother her again; as for Asano Aiko, he couldn't even contact her now, and this matter would only worry her; as for Imamura Yuto, he could try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, if it was only 6 million yen, perhaps he could borrow it directly from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought for a moment, said \"sorry\" to Kitaoka Yuki, and used the office phone to call him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The call was answered quickly, and Akiwara Yuto spoke directly: \"Imamura, it's Akiwara.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Akiwara, is something the matter?\" A familiar voice came from the other end of the receiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Akiwara Yuto was about to ask him to be his guarantor, Imamura Yuto continued: \"By the way, let me tell you something—I'm getting married!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this news, Akiwara Yuto was surprised. He remembered that Imamura Yuto had always been a playboy who loved going to nightclubs and similar places; he hadn't expected him to be getting married so quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he wanted to ask for details, Imamura Yuto continued: \"Akiwara, you know my fiancée too. It's Miyu-chan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto was stunned. He then remembered that this name seemed to be the hostess he had met at the club last time... He never expected the two of them to be...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this seemed quite normal in Japan. Kawamoto Akari in \"March Comes in Like a Lion\" was a part-time hostess who, because of her kind heart, was pursued by a shogi player and a high school teacher who hoped to marry her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But compared to fictional works, a real-life hostess... Akiwara Yuto opened his mouth, but he still didn't say anything to try and persuade him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was an adult; Imamura Yuto must have his own reasons for making this choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto thought for a while and then said, \"Imamura, congratulations!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe, it's not all happy news. I'm currently preparing the bride price, moving to a new house, and Miyu-chan says she wants a big wedding. It's really giving me a headache!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Akiwara Yuto fell silent. Since Imamura himself had to spend a lot of money to prepare for the wedding, it would be unreasonable for him to ask him to be a guarantor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed he would have to find another way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed inwardly, said a few more words of congratulation, and promised to attend the wedding before hanging up the phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, seeing that he had finished his call, Kitaoka Yuki put down the document she was reading and said with a smile, \"Akiwara-san, did you work it out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto shook his head and said politely, \"Ms. Kitaoka, besides those two methods, are there any other ways to provide a legal guarantee?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitaoka Yuki was not surprised; as a property rights lawyer, she had seen this situation many times. She nodded and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If there is no guarantor, I suggest providing a guarantee in the form of property, such as the 'ZOO' series you wrote previously. But there are some issues with that which I need to clarify with you first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please, go ahead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to what you said, because the contract stipulates that the copyright for 'ZOO' belongs to Mantan Publishing, it can only be published by them in book form for three years. However, the valuation of this copyright after three years remains to be seen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto nodded and pondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party had a point. Although according to reader feedback from \"New Fiction,\" the \"ZOO\" series had accumulated quite a few fans—in fact, more than half of the over 100,000 readers who bought \"New Fiction\" were there for this series.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when it came to publishing it again in three years, how many readers would still recognize and buy it was a questionable matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, new works were emerging endlessly, and readers' tastes would not remain unchanged forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kitaoka Yuki picked up her tea and took a sip, then continued: \"Furthermore, the publishing house run by President Anjiu is not very large, is it? Simply put, the economy is currently in a downturn, and small and medium-sized publishers like this operate in a harsh environment. They might care more about profits that can be realized immediately rather than the situation three years from now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Therefore, Akiwara-san, I believe that even if you use the copyright of 'ZOO' as collateral, it will most likely be rejected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing this, Akiwara Yuto weighed the situation and found that what she said was indeed reasonable. For companies in average or even poor operating conditions, they cared more about profits that could be realized immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, how exactly should he persuade the other party?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto looked up, met Kitaoka Yuki's gaze, and asked, \"Ms. Kitaoka, are there any other ways to provide a guarantee?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the disappointment in Akiwara Yuto's eyes, Kitaoka Yuki shook her head and said, \"Unless...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unless Akiwara-san has other works that you can make President Anjiu believe are valuable enough for him to accept the credit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, she paused, waiting for the look of disappointment to appear on Akiwara Yuto's face. In her view, having said this much, the client should understand his situation by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to her surprise, Akiwara Yuto did not look dejected; instead, his eyes brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akiwara Yuto suddenly remembered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn't the work he was entrusting to President Anjiu to publish have enough value, and wasn't it free of any property rights disputes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that remained was to make the other party believe in the value of this work and accept his request!\u003C\u002Fp>",1289,"2026-06-21T03:58:01.347Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","a9e287949cb3455f506ab80b37d027df752e890f2d29f9c290cc3928ee7913df","literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-89","literary-master-of-tokyo-chapter-87",334,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fliterary-master-of-tokyo-cover.jpg"]