Chapter 1022

The temperature is getting higher and higher.

In the flower bed next to the Shuyou building, the azaleas are in full bloom. The bright red flowers are connected in a patch, and against the backdrop of green leaves, they seem to be dancing a gorgeous dance.

Life is as gorgeous as summer flowers, and death is as quiet as autumn leaves... Tagore's poetry is inexplicably consistent with Japan's mono no aware culture, which makes people feel deeply moved.

Naoki Nagayama has finished filming the last parts of "Tokyo Love Story" in Ehime Prefecture and has returned to Tokyo, currently editing in the editing room.

"Heard that the election meeting is going to be held again?"

Yukika Suzuki and Kahana Hoshi at the front desk were chatting. The news that "Tiger of Ginza" is about to start production has spread, but the final casting has not yet been decided.

Kahana Hoshi is very well-informed:

"Didn't Naoki-san and the others go to Hong Kong before? It seems they found the male lead from there..."

"Why not look for one in the entertainment industry?"

"Seems to be because of reasons like image and temperament..."

Kahana Hoshi looked left and right, and only continued after seeing no one,

"I heard that the male lead of 'Tiger of Ginza' is based on Naoki-san. They say there is no male actor in all of Japan who matches Naoki-san's temperament! That's why they had to go abroad to find one..."

Yukika Suzuki's eyes widened, unable to believe it:

"Honto? Is it really because of this reason?"

"Yes, yes, the staff of the screenwriting team all say so..." Kahana Hoshi said confidently, "But it's true, I haven't seen a man like Naoki-san in Japan yet!"

"..."

Yukika Suzuki didn't know why she didn't speak, but Kahana Hoshi was hooked,

"Yukika-chan, think about it, a man like Naoki-san who is handsome, gentle, talented, and rich, you can't find one in the entertainment industry at all!

If another one appeared, he would definitely be snatched up by those women in the entertainment industry!"

Yukika Suzuki's eyes kept blinking, as if she were having a cramp, and she reached out to pull Kahana Hoshi, who was still daydreaming.

But Kahana Hoshi was having fun talking and didn't notice Yukika Suzuki's eyes at all:

"If there was someone like Naoki-san in a bar, no matter what, we would have to bravely rush up and seduce him!

Get him drunk and take him home directly! It wouldn't be a loss!

Don't you think so?"

"..."

Yukika Suzuki's little hand kept shaking in a small range, and her eyes showed anxiety.

Kahana Hoshi saw it and was puzzled:

"Yukika-chan, what's wrong? Did dust get in your eyes?"

At this moment, she heard a smiling voice coming from behind:

"Ah... what a pity... I rarely go to bars after I got married~"

"!!!"

Kahana Hoshi shuddered, turned her head stiffly, and found Naoki Nagayama standing outside the front desk with a smile on his face, holding a document in his hand.

"Na... Naoki-san..."

Kahana Hoshi greeted him stutteringly, her face visibly turning red, and it seemed like heat was about to drift out of her hair!

"Hmm!"

Naoki Nagayama didn't continue to tease the front desk girl and handed the document in his hand to Kahana Hoshi,

"These are the profiles of the artists who are about to participate in the casting meeting. Hana-chan, please help me make ten copies and show them to the members of the production committee later..."

"Hai... Hai!"

Kahana Hoshi nodded at a loss, not even noticing that Naoki Nagayama had already left, shaking his head.

And seeing Naoki Nagayama's figure disappear, she suddenly slumped on the front desk and wailed:

"Yukika-chan~~~ Why didn't you remind me that Naoki-san was coming!"

"..."

Yukika Suzuki looked helpless and amused. I wanted to remind you, but who told you to talk so excitedly!

However, seeing her gossip partner wailing non-stop, she could only persuade:

"Forget it, Hana-chan, which woman in the company isn't drooling over Naoki-san? It's just that you were discovered by Naoki-san today..."

"Woo~~~" The wailing sound went up another level.

"It's okay, Naoki-san must be used to this kind of thing!"

Yukika Suzuki hurriedly diverted her attention and took the information over,

"Eh? There are really a lot of people in this information... Are these two the candidates found from Hong Kong? They look so handsome..."

Hearing about handsome guys, Kahana Hoshi finally raised her head and looked at them together with Yukika Suzuki.

"Leslie Cheung..." Kahana Hoshi saw the photo on the information and couldn't help nodding, "He is a handsome guy who looks very pleasing to the eye..."

The production committee for "Tiger of Ginza" has already been decided. In addition to Shuyou as the main member, the main investors include Kadokawa, the Film Creation Activity Support Fund, and various advertising sponsors, etc., with a total of more than ten members.

Of course, Shuyou is the absolute leader and possesses the vast majority of rights. Other investors are just there to share the risks and will have a share later.

Among them, the Film Creation Activity Support Fund is one of the cultural promotion funds under the leadership of the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. It is a fund that could only be applied for after Shuyou established a relationship with the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

The reason why "Tiger of Ginza" was not fully funded by Shuyou Film this time is partly to share the risks, and partly to make Shuyou Film's film projects more standardized, so that the commercial film model can be replicated later...

"Masataka-kun is the producer, and Kijima-kun is the director."

Shuichi Ito looked at the list of the production team and said to Naoki Nagayama,

"It seems that Masataka-kun will be taking over my job in the future~"

"There are still decades to go~" Naoki Nagayama told him not to worry, "Shuichi-san is so healthy, he will definitely be able to work until he is 60!"

"That would be too hard!"

Shuichi Ito shook his head hurriedly. Shuichi Ito is already 35 years old this year. If it were in a future internet company, he would already be at the age of being laid off, but in the Showa era, he is a young backbone of the workplace!

The retirement age in Japan today is actually 55. There is no low birth rate yet, and there is no so-called "silver economy."

However, this year's "Elderly Employment Stabilization Law" has already required companies to try their best to employ employees until they are 60. The talk of delayed retirement has also been mentioned frequently, and it will definitely be over 60 in the future!

"Still have to work for 25 years, this is treating people like livestock!"

"Not just that... looking at this trend..." Naoki Nagayama smiled and shook his head, "In the future, maybe we will still have to drive a taxi to pay off the mortgage at 75!"

"..."

Shuichi Ito thought about the scene at that time and couldn't help but shiver...

"Isn't it said that the more the economy develops, the better people's lives will be? Why is it that as the economy develops, the working age of people is getting longer and longer?"

"Hehe, otherwise why is it called a corporate slave?! It's just being a cow or a horse for a lifetime!"

I don't know why, Naoki Nagayama suddenly felt a little fortunate that he died in his thirties in his previous life!

The two guys, who are still considered young people, were complaining about the retirement age in the office, attracting a real elderly person... Otomo Fushimura is already over fifty. It stands to reason that he can retire and collect a pension in a few years.

"Why did you start talking about this kind of thing?"

Otomo Fushimura was drinking hot tea and didn't quite understand the young people today...

"It just happened to come up..." Shuichi Ito asked casually, "If Otomo-san retires, what will you do?"

"Ah... I have really thought about this before..."

Otomo Fushimura became interested,

"I got married relatively late, and I had Keixin very late... Before meeting Naoki-san, I originally thought about working as a freelance agent for a few more years after retirement, and after Keixin became an adult, I would build him a new house in Nagano and find him a wife..."

"When I can't work anymore, I'll go back to Nagano to open a small shop and help take care of the kids..."

"..."

Naoki Nagayama listened to this idea, which is very common in Eastern culture, and sighed that parents all over the world are the same.

If he hadn't met himself, Otomo Fushimura would probably have experienced the bursting of the bubble four years later just like ordinary people, and then become a member of the silver-haired generation~

"What about now?" Shuichi Ito asked curiously.

"Now?" Otomo Fushimura took another sip of health tea, "Now I can work until I close my eyes!"

With such good days, you still want to retire?

In the company, I am the managing director of Shuyou, and everyone has to call me "Managing Director Fushimura." After retirement, I would at most be an old man at home...

"..."

Naoki Nagayama and Shuichi Ito looked at each other and shrugged... Power is indeed the best youth medicine!

However, Otomo Fushimura came to his office today, naturally not for idle chat. After talking about gossip for a while, he started talking about business.

"The invitations you mentioned for the two actors in Hong Kong have already been sent... Their agent has already agreed on the phone to come, and it will be tomorrow..."

"Naoki-san, there are other roles to choose tomorrow. Are you going to leave it all to Kijima-kun?"

Naoki Nagayama nodded:

"To be precise, it's left to Masataka-kun and Kijima-kun..."

Then he explained:

"I have already gone to Hong Kong to select the most important actors. Both candidates who are coming are fine, it just depends on which one Kijima-kun chooses...

As for the other actors, some are recommended by investors, some are recommended through official channels, and some are through your connections, Shuichi-san, Otomo-san... These will be left to the producer and director to choose together. Don't put pressure on them..."

This kind of human relationship is unavoidable, but with his own support, Masataka Komori and Shizhi Kijima have the confidence to choose suitable candidates among the actors.

For others who have to be squeezed in, just give them a supporting role!

Shuichi Ito didn't mind. Most of the people he recommended were students from Tokyo University of the Arts. They were all newcomers, and it would be considered an internship to gain experience as supporting actors.

But Otomo Fushimura frowned:

"Naoki-san, it doesn't matter for others, but there is a newcomer named Teruyuki Kagawa. He is a descendant of a Kabuki family, and his mother is the lead actress of the Takarazuka Revue... The third generation Ennosuke Ichikawa has asked me to take care of him..."

In the end, he is a second-generation star with connections... and the kind from an acting family.

"Since that's the case, let Kijima-kun arrange a role with more screen time~"

Since Otomo Fushimura has said it, it means that Shuyou must have had some exchange with the other party. Even if it was just Otomo Fushimura's personal favor, it doesn't matter.

After all, most of Shuyou's relationships in the entertainment industry are handled by Otomo Fushimura, the social butterfly~

"Hmm~"

After receiving the reply, Otomo Fushimura didn't say much more, and the three of them continued to discuss the holding of tomorrow's casting meeting.

On the other hand, Shuyou's "Tokyo Love Story" broadcast another episode in the evening.

On the TV screen, the scumbag Kanji Nagao and Satomi Sekiguchi rekindled their old relationship, and the emotional entanglement with Rika Akana faced twists and turns again, making many viewers grit their teeth.

"What is this? Choose Rika! Scumbag!"

"I actually think Satomi is better... after all, they are childhood sweethearts..."

"What nonsense are you talking about, scumbag!"

In fact, in the version filmed by Naoki Nagayama, Satomi Sekiguchi is played by Kanako Higuchi, which has gained a lot of support for the Satomi camp. After all, beauty is justice.

Gathering the identities of the "white moonlight" and "childhood sweetheart," it is indeed understandable that everyone agrees when Kanji Nagao cannot let go of Satomi Sekiguchi.

On the other hand, Rika Akana, as the representative of the "heaven-sent" type, a girl as passionate as fire, is also full of attraction to the viewers who identify with the protagonist...

A boy who was watching with his companions whispered:

"It would be great if he could choose both..."

It immediately aroused public anger. The three girls next to him glared and accused their fickle companion with claws and teeth, while the other two male classmates echoed the girls with "uh-huh," but flashes of agreement appeared in their eyes...

Countless viewers focused their attention on this weekly TV series, bringing the ratings to a terrifying 43%. This spring, "Tokyo Love Story" has actually become the representative drama of Showa 61.

"Sudden Love" has also become a household name, and even elementary school students can sing a few lines.

At the end of this episode, Kanji Nagao was still hesitant between the two heroines and stood Rika Akana up again, giving the audience a general understanding of the subsequent plot.

In the preview for the next episode, there was even a scene where Kanji Nagao said he wanted to give up and Rika Akana slapped Kanji Nagao, which made people even more upset...

As soon as the broadcast ended, they started calling Fuji TV, saying that if he didn't choose Rika Akana in the end, they would teach director Naoki Nagayama of Shuyou a lesson, and so on.

In the hotline room of Fuji TV, operator Ruri Nomura put down the phone and complained to her colleague:

"The ending was clearly written in the novel, why are these people still asking about the ending! They even said that if he doesn't choose Rika Akana, they will send razor blades to Naoki Nagayama..."

"Haha, many people don't have the heart to read the whole novel!"

Although the sales of the original novel "Tokyo Love Story" were also very good, with sales of 500,000 to 600,000, there are hundreds of millions of people in Japan who just watch TV!

Compared to that, it's still too few~

While complaining, Ruri Nomura still recorded the opinions from the hotline, preparing to organize them into a report later.

When she wrote the last stroke, she suddenly looked up and said to her colleague:

"By the way... the entire plot of 'Tokyo Love Story'... from Kanji Nagao coming to Tokyo until now... it seems to have only been two or three months!"

"Honto!" The colleague was also surprised, "Didn't notice it at all!"

"How can there be so many twists and turns in a three-month love affair?!"

"Yeah, isn't it too fast!"

"..."

The two discussed for a long time without reaching any conclusion, and could only sigh in the end...

"Sure enough, love in a big city is so fast. You don't need a long understanding to fall in love with someone!"

"You can be together if you catch each other's eye, and break up if you're unhappy. Isn't that very chic?!"

"Is that still called love?"

"Isn't that called love?"

"..."

The Tokyo love story comes fast and goes fast!