Chapter 1285: How could a little child have so many devious thoughts?~

The so-called temporary consultation meeting lasted until evening.

After politely declining cooperation proposals from several financial bigwigs and turning down job invitations from regulatory agencies, Naoki Nagayama feigned a need to return to handle Tree Friend Capital matters, when in reality, he just wanted to go home...

Cooperation proposals made under the shadow of a stock market crash—most of these spur-of-the-moment ideas rarely yield good results; it was highly likely the bigwigs just wanted to drag a younger brother in to share the losses.

The high-sounding position of "consulting expert" offered by the Securities Bureau of the Ministry of Finance during the crisis was merely an attempt to get free labor out of Naoki Nagayama.

Once the crisis was resolved, they would only leave him with a hollow, pretty title; if the crisis couldn't be resolved, it might just end up being all Naoki Nagayama's fault...

Naoki Nagayama wouldn't fall for it, being led by such a hollow title to become the savior of the stock market crash, or rather, the scapegoat.

When it came down to it, in this stock market crash, he had already protected his clients from losses and made a fortune by going against the current—that was the greatest benefit he could have gained. Anything else was just icing on the cake!

"Going home! Eating! Sleeping!"

Naoki Nagayama didn't even return to Tree Friend Capital, directly having his driver take him toward the direction of Shanying-in.

"And apologizing to Hana-chan~"

By the time he arrived at Shanying-in, the sky had already turned completely dark.

Akina, seeing her husband return, was very happy. She took Naoki Nagayama's coat right at the entrance:

"Naoki-san, has work finally finished? Have you had dinner?"

The stock market crash had made headlines in almost every media outlet, and Akina had naturally been following it. Her husband's investment company was clearly in the midst of the storm... She had thought Naoki Nagayama would continue to stay at the company.

"Those matters have come to an end, and the aftermath won't affect Tree Friend anymore."

Naoki Nagayama replied with a smile,

"But I'm starving now~"

"Then I'll go make something right away..."

Akina had always believed that cooking for her husband was a wife's responsibility, and taking care of her family's life was the happy life she looked forward to. If there wasn't a time crunch, she didn't need Mrs. Nonaka to help.

"Noodles will do, keep it simple~"

"Hai~~~"

Naoki Nagayama walked into the living room and saw little Xia Hua lying on Eitaro, looking over curiously.

However, this little one didn't rush over to ask for a hug like she used to when her father came home; instead, she turned her head away angrily, refusing to look at the annoying father!

Who told him to promise that she would see him the moment she opened her eyes, yet he only returned now!

"Oh my, who made Hana-chan angry?"

Naoki Nagayama scooped the little one into his arms in one motion and sat down on the sofa,

"Tell Daddy, shall Daddy go beat them up for you?!"

"Hmph~~"

Even though she was being held, Xia Hua didn't look up, just let out a hmph.

At such a young age, she had already learned five or six parts of her mother's stubborn expression; she was already hard to coax~

However, Naoki Nagayama had plenty of experience dealing with such a little stubborn mule. His gaze swept directly over, aiming at the fawning dog that had come over:

"Ah... it must be Eitaro's fault!"

"???"

Eitaro, who had been shot while lying down innocently, hadn't even understood what was going on before he was dragged by the thick skin on his neck to the side of the sofa by his owner.

"Watch Daddy vent your anger! Watch me scratch wildly!!"

Then Eitaro felt a large hand that seemed to have magic, quickly scratching at his head!

Instantly, he squinted his eyes, his ears flapped wildly, his limbs twitched, and his short, thick tail tapped rapidly on the floor—it was almost tapping out a rhythm!

This was the feeling! It felt amazing!!!

"Ying ying ying~ ying ying ying~"

Before long, the dog was lying on the floor exposing his belly, starting to make "ying ying ying" sounds to beg for mercy~

Although little Xia Hua was stubborn, her age was what it was, and she was still attracted by this scene~

Seeing the dog's ridiculous appearance, she couldn't help but laugh herself!

"Haha~ Hana-chan has vented your anger, right~"

Naoki Nagayama picked up his daughter and looked into the little one's eyes,

"You're not angry anymore, right?"

But the little princess of the Nagayama family wasn't so easily fooled:

"Daddy, liar!"

"Daddy wanted to come back... but I was delayed! Something huge happened today... many people were involved..."

Naoki Nagayama tried to explain, but Xia Hua just said one thing:

"Liar!"

"......"

In the end, looking at his daughter's clear eyes, Naoki Nagayama could only give up on all explanations:

"Alright, alright... Hana-chan, Daddy was wrong... I shouldn't have lied... Will you forgive Daddy?!"

Little Xia Hua looked at her old father's earnest apology and only then nodded in satisfaction...

"Mm~"

How could a little child have so many devious thoughts? She just wanted a sincere apology!

Then she threw herself into her father's arms and laughed, even handing her little doll to Naoki Nagayama—this was her treasure!

Akina, in the kitchen, saw this interaction between father and daughter from afar, her heart and eyes full of happiness... Occasionally thinking of her own childhood, she felt a bit sad... Her parents had already separated before she was born, and she didn't have many memories of intimacy with her father when she was little...

Before long, the noodles in the pot were cooked. Akina also fried eggs and sausages, and cut a few types of pickles from the refrigerator as side dishes. Even though it was a late-night snack to fill their stomachs, she made it look rich.

"Naoki-san, dinner is ready~"

"Good!"

Naoki Nagayama, holding the playful Hana-chan, came to the dining table together. Akina had already handed over the chopsticks.

"Hana-chan, come here~"

He held Hana-chan in his arms, then watched Naoki Nagayama eat the noodles in large mouthfuls from the side, chatting casually about some daily life,

"Today, Hana-mi-san from Being also called me, saying that this week's announcements were canceled..."

"Mm, the impact this time is indeed very large. I estimate that society won't return to normal until the end of October..."

When he said this, Naoki Nagayama suddenly remembered,

"Do Akina's relatives and friends play the stock market? Was the loss heavy this time?"

He wasn't worried about his side; his plans for his own family weren't in the stock market but leaned toward real industry and real estate. And even if his family and friends wanted to play the stock market, they would certainly do it through his Tree Friend Capital.

"Playing the stock market, they probably do..."

Akina nodded and then shook her head.

After becoming famous, many of her relatives on that side were cut off, leaving only her siblings, so she didn't know much...

Friends from her youth had also gradually drifted away; this was something that couldn't be helped~

"Mother definitely wouldn't play... Second Brother and Third Brother might... Ah... and Father, he would also play the stock market..."

Playing the stock market was the trend of this era; as long as one had a little spare money, almost everyone would play.

"In that case..."

Akina had intentionally blocked some of her family's intrusions; Nakamori Akio and the others didn't play the stock market through Tree Friend Capital,

"This stock market crash, their losses might be a bit large..."

"Is it that exaggerated?" Akina was surprised, "Did everyone lose?"

"Major stock markets around the world have all collapsed. This is a world crisis!"

Naoki Nagayama finished the noodles in a few mouthfuls, the feeling of fullness in his stomach making him very comfortable. He explained to his wife,

"The impact is spreading to all levels of society! It will also have a huge impact on the future stock market... It's only just beginning now!"

"Is that so~"

Akina nodded somewhat blankly. She had always been very rough with the management of her assets... Depositing them in the bank to earn interest was the greatest financial management for her, so she hadn't cared too much about the stock market or anything like that.

"Tokyo might be very chaotic during this period. Akina, if it's not necessary, don't go out..."

"Mm~"

Naoki Nagayama took little Xia Hua back, while Akina went to clean up the tableware...

After returning to the living room, Naoki Nagayama lay half-reclined on the sofa, holding the little one in his arms, reading a story picture book to his daughter~

The familiar environment, the warmth of a full stomach, and the peaceful atmosphere of home composed of his daughter and wife allowed his spirit to relax...

The fatigue of not sleeping for two days and one night surged up all at once. Naoki Nagayama only felt his eyelids were as heavy as mountains... The characters in the picture book in front of him seemed to be twisting, calling someone to enter a fantasy world...

His vision gradually blurred, and his consciousness began to scatter. It seemed like a long time had passed, and it also seemed like it was within a few seconds, Naoki Nagayama suddenly fell into the deepest sleep~

And little Xia Hua, who had just been listening to the reading, waited for a long time without hearing the page turn or the next sentence. Only then did she look up at her father... and discovered that he had actually closed his eyes and fallen asleep!

The little one, who was a bit angry, hummed and twisted her body, changing from lying in his arms to lying on her father's stomach, wanting to climb to his chest, and then reached out to grab her father's face to wake him up...

However, halfway through climbing, she only felt that lying on her father's broad chest was very warm~ very comfortable, so she couldn't help but rest for a while!

Rising and falling, like a swaying cradle, and the deep breathing sound was like a gentle lullaby...

A child's battery is suddenly used up~

Just resting for a while, little Xia Hua only felt a wave of fatigue and sleepiness surge up, and then, without knowing it, she also fell asleep lying on her father's chest~~

"Naoki-san, how about going to take a... bath... first..."

When Akina finished washing the tableware and cleaning the kitchen, and came to the living room, she saw this heartwarming scene.

On the sofa, little Xia Hua was lying on Naoki Nagayama's chest, and Naoki Nagayama was subconsciously holding his daughter... The father and daughter had actually fallen into a deep sleep just like that!

"Really..."

Akina softened her footsteps and came to the sofa to squat down.

Eitaro, who was next to them, just wanted to bark to welcome the mistress, but his muzzle was grabbed... Akina put her index finger in front of her mouth and said softly:

"Shh... don't disturb them!"

Eitaro naturally blinked his big eyes to indicate he understood!

Akina, who let go of the dog, looked at her husband's exhausted face and reached out to stroke Naoki Nagayama's face, feeling a rough texture on her hand... That was the beard he hadn't shaved from staying up late, and a small stubble had already grown~

The busyness of two days and one night had clearly made her husband look much more haggard~

Then she touched her daughter's face again, and the tender and smooth texture made her couldn't help but pinch it a few more times, making little Xia Hua's lips move slightly... The little one was sleeping sweetly~

"But they can't sleep like this all night~"

After watching for a while, Akina had a headache... Twenty pounds of weight pressing on his chest, he would have nightmares at night! He wouldn't rest well!

After thinking for a while, she still decided to pick up her daughter...

First, she reached over with one hand to wrap around little Xia Hua's back, and the other hand pressed against her face and chest to support her, then gently and forcefully turned the little one over... Then she leaned her upper body over as support, used her core strength to lift her daughter's body, and held her entirely in her arms!

Having been a mother for so long, Akina was already experienced in holding children. A sleeping child wouldn't wake up when held by their mother... Sure enough, under such a big movement, little Xia Hua only hummed, and then fell asleep again in Akina's arms!

"Hana-chan, be good... go to the crib to sleep!"

Next to the living room was a solid wood crib, which was now often used for Hana-chan to take naps. At night, she usually went to the bedroom... But it didn't matter if she slept for one night temporarily~

After settling the little one, Akina took a blanket from the bedroom and covered her husband.

At this time, waking him up to go to the bedroom to sleep was really inappropriate!

She turned off the big lights in the living room, the entrance, and the kitchen and dining room, leaving only the floor lamp as a night light. The entire Shanying-in suddenly darkened... Akina went back upstairs, also preparing to wash up and sleep~

More than ten minutes later, a black shadow was seen walking down the stairs quietly, coming to the side of the sofa...

Eitaro, who was next to them, raised his head alertly, and then lay back down at a "shh" sound~

Only to see this black shadow sneakily lift the blanket on the sofa, crawl into Naoki Nagayama's arms, and then seemed to say something like "Naoki-san, move in a bit," the blanket moved a few times, and then everything was calm again!

(Hana-chan:???)

After another period of time, only two steady breathing sounds remained...

When Tokyo entered the night, the dawn arrived again on the other side of the ocean in New York.

After a whole night of reorganization, everyone was waiting for the New York Stock Exchange to open again...

"The US economic operation is very good! The employment rate is at the highest level! Production is constantly increasing, and the trade balance is constantly improving!"

"There is no evidence that inflation will continue to increase!"

"The US economy is very stable!"

"......"

At the entrance of the New York Stock Exchange, many loudspeakers were constantly playing statements from the President and officials at all levels, hoping to appease the public's emotions...

Even though since last night, President Reagan, Treasury Secretary Baker, and investment experts from major investment companies had been publicly calling on everyone to be rational, stop selling and running, and not fall into the herd effect, ordinary people in the stock market crash couldn't empathize.

The rich and powerful say to be rational and patient?! But it's us whose family wealth has returned to zero overnight!

At this time, what most retail investors wanted was to sell quickly, to save as much as they could!!!

In the trading hall, the sad and panicked atmosphere continued, and constant phone calls came in asking to sell, but there were simply not that many buyers in the market!

Until several large companies began to buy back their own stocks, causing the falling stock price to pause for a moment...

Genta Nakai, in his apartment, had been paying attention to the stock market situation and discovered this pause at the first moment!

"So fast!"

Genta Nakai, drinking coffee, sighed,

"The reaction of the US financial circle is really fast... They've started to save the market already!"

"However, to return to the original level, it will take at least a year or two! Market confidence is not so easy to raise!"

Genta Nakai looked at the street outside the window, where he could vaguely see many people crying, cursing, and acting crazy...

"Di li~ di li~"

The siren of an ambulance whizzed past, and Genta Nakai knew that another fellow had completed a leap of faith from a building~

"After all... for those who have gone bankrupt, the money won't come back!!"

After feeling sad for a while, Genta Nakai dialed Aaron's landline...

He had to continue executing Naoki-san's plan!!!

?? Haven't written about Hana-chan for several chapters, this chapter features her as the protagonist! ===== CHAPTER 1286 =====