Chapter 2088

The banquet was very sumptuous, with a dazzling array of food. However, some of it was just as "perverted" as the Japanese themselves, and Zhou Andong found it truly difficult to swallow, though there were things he could eat that tasted quite good.

Zhou Andong ate with great gusto and drank quite a bit of sake. His mood was indescribably comfortable, and he was genuinely satisfied with Sony's arrangements.

Then he thought about whether he had been too stingy when Yoshioka Kunihiko was in Jiangzhou. If Old Yoshi came to Jiangzhou next time, he would definitely have to treat him well; after all, since they had shown courtesy, he had to reciprocate.

His great Middle Kingdom had five thousand years of history and was the true land of etiquette—how could this tiny island nation compare? He certainly couldn't be stingy again and let the little devils laugh at him.

What he found interesting during the banquet was that this man named Mitsui seemed not to care about the two presidents, Watanabe Yasunari and Yoshioka Kunihiko.

Yet he didn't go too far; he just enthusiastically toasted Zhou Andong twice at the beginning, and then chatted with others, leaving the initiative to Watanabe Yasunari and Yoshioka Kunihiko.

Despite this, the expressions of Watanabe Yasunari and Yoshioka Kunihiko remained unpleasant, but both quickly adjusted their mindset and chatted happily with Zhou Andong. The topics were merely about the customs and cultures of China and Japan, without mentioning any official business.

Just as the banquet was about to end, Mitsui approached Zhou Andong again, enthusiastically inviting him to tour Tokyo together the next night and experience Tokyo's nightlife.

Zhou Andong clearly felt that Mitsui was trying to curry favor with him. He didn't understand what Mitsui's true intentions were, nor did he feel the need to rack his brains over it.

Since Mitsui had a purpose in contacting him, he would surely reveal it when the time was right; Zhou Andong didn't want to spend so much effort guessing.

The banquet ended before seven o'clock. It was too early to go back to his room to sleep, so Zhou Andong thought about taking everyone out for a stroll.

Because most of them, himself included, were visiting Japan for the first time, he wanted to walk around the vicinity first and visit the tourist attractions the next day.

But man proposes, God disposes. Just as he walked out of the banquet hall, the hotel manager brought a middle-aged man to find him.

This man was wearing a well-tailored suit, with a tall and sturdy build, standing over 1.8 meters tall. Compared to the hotel manager, who was less than 1.6 meters tall, they formed a sharp contrast.

He walked with steady and powerful strides, each step carrying a natural sense of strength. This wasn't deliberate; it was a unique habit formed through long years of tempering, a habit usually found only in soldiers.

Just like Wang Wentian and his group—although they had retired from the military for many years, they always maintained strict demands on themselves and daily exercise.

Especially after joining the Golden Shield Security Company, although their daily training tasks were not as heavy as when they were in the military, not a single essential training subject was omitted. Therefore, some of the habits of a soldier had never disappeared from them.

"Chairman Zhou, hello!"

Upon seeing Zhou Andong, a warm and enthusiastic smile immediately bloomed on the middle-aged man's face, and he took the initiative to extend his right hand, his tone sounding exceptionally polite.

"I am Huang Zhenhai, the military attaché at the Embassy in Japan."

Hearing the other party introduce himself, a sense of intimacy surged in Zhou Andong's heart.

If the motherland is one's own mother, then in a foreign land, the embassy is one's own uncle, and the military attaché is one's own cousin.

Since his cousin from his mother's side had come, Zhou Andong was naturally very happy and shook hands with Huang Zhenhai.

"Military Attaché Huang, hello, hello!"

Zhou Andong's enthusiasm took Huang Zhenhai by surprise. His understanding of Zhou Andong was limited to news reports.

After Zhou Andong successfully acquired Sony shares, he began to pay more attention to this young entrepreneur.

Achieving such world-renowned success in the business field at such a young age left 99% of the world's population out of reach.

But at the same time, Zhou Andong should be somewhat arrogant and difficult to approach; this could be reflected in some of his remarks—always criticizing the heavens, the earth, and everything in between.

He always displayed a confident, even arrogant attitude, always using sharp words to challenge authority, showing no mercy to superiors or subordinates alike.

Therefore, in his heart, the image of Zhou Andong was that of a talented, young, promising, patriotic man with grand ambitions, but one who must be arrogant and difficult to get close to.

Yet, when they truly met, Huang Zhenhai found that Zhou Andong was completely different from what he had imagined. The openness and friendliness he displayed left him feeling no distance at all.

Moreover, the sincerity and affinity he inadvertently revealed surprised him, and at the same time, two words appeared in his mind: "Confucian Merchant."

Perhaps the image Zhou Andong presented to the public was only one part of him, and the real him was far more complex and multifaceted than what the media presented.

"Chairman Zhou, before you boarded the plane, we had already received notification from the country. Because we knew Sony would definitely send someone to pick you up, we decided there was no need to go through the trouble, so we decided to wait until the evening to meet you, which could avoid unnecessary trouble and misunderstandings."

Zhou Andong said very sincerely, "In a foreign land, being able to meet and chat with comrades from the embassy truly makes me feel incomparably intimate and at ease."

"This feeling is indescribable. When I saw your figures appear here, a powerful force suddenly surged into my heart, making me firmly believe that no matter what difficulties I encounter, I have the motherland as a solid backing supporting me."

Huang Zhenhai had heard similar words many times, but coming from Zhou Andong's mouth, it was different; he felt truly comforted.

"Chairman Zhou, let's stop chatting here. Ambassador Cui is waiting for us in the hotel's reception hall."

Zhou Andong was truly surprised. He never expected that the Ambassador himself had come. However, upon reflection, it wasn't actually surprising.

After all, he was somewhat famous internationally, especially with the successful acquisition of Sony shares, which not only made his countrymen proud but also brought honor to the country. As the Ambassador to Japan, he would naturally feel proud and excited.

Now that he had come to Japan to engage in commercial negotiations with Sony, even without notification from the country, as the Ambassador to Japan, he would inevitably take the initiative to meet him and provide all possible assistance.

Zhou Andong greeted Yuan Wanqi, and the two followed Huang Zhenhai toward the hotel's reception hall.

As soon as they entered, a middle-aged man of about fifty stood up from the sofa, then walked forward two steps and extended his hand.

"Comrade Zhou Andong, welcome to Japan."

Zhou Andong hurried forward to meet him and shook hands with Ambassador Cui. "Leader, you are busy with official duties. You could have just had someone notify me, and I would have gone to the embassy. There was no need for you to come personally."