Chapter 351: I've already doubled my money, it's time to pull out!

Suddenly learning that he was about to become internationally famous, Naoki Nagayama felt a massive headache. After explaining to Genta Nakai a dozen times to no avail, he finally gave up.

"Forget it, let it all burn..."

Looking at the newspaper and its publication time, Naoki Nagayama remained silent for a long time.

Finally, a thought occurred to him. "Genta-san, this newspaper is only published in the United States, right?"

"Should be..." Genta Nakai was absent-mindedly eating from the fruit platter, having completely given up on sharing any with Naoki. *Scum, * he thought, *let him rot! *

A glimmer of hope lit up in Naoki Nagayama's eyes. "In that case, is there any possibility... that Japan doesn't know about this report?"

This question stumped Genta Nakai. "Well... the international sections of Japanese newspapers really only focus on major global events..."

"Your scandal, Naoki, doesn't really reach a level of major impact... it's just entertainment gossip."

Hope flared brighter in Naoki Nagayama's eyes. "Exactly! Just a tiny scandal!"

However, Genta Nakai's next words brought Naoki's heart back down to his stomach: "But, the female lead in your scandal is an international star. It's possible some entertainment papers might pick it up... Hahaha!"

Looking at Genta Nakai's punchable face, Naoki Nagayama clenched his fists.

"Ahem..." Seeing the shifting colors on Naoki Nagayama's face, Genta Nakai stopped teasing him. "If you're that worried, Naoki-san, why not just call back and ask?"

"The report has been out for almost a whole day. If Tokyo had any reaction, they would already know."

Naoki Nagayama nodded. "That makes sense!"

Borrowing the phone in the apartment, Naoki Nagayama called Otomo Yoshimura directly. After a "long" wait, the call was finally answered.

"Moshi moshi, this is Shu-Yu Film."

"Otomo-san? This is Naoki Nagayama." Naoki Nagayama's tone was calm.

"Ah, Naoki-san! How are things? Has the Oscars ended? Are you still in Los Angeles?" Otomo Yoshimura's tone was as warm and concerned as ever, showing no signs of anything unusual.

"The Oscars are over, and I'm currently in New York," Naoki Nagayama replied. "I'm staying at a friend's place for the time being."

"I see... and now you've gone to New York as well. You're really having a blast, aren't you?"

Otomo Yoshimura's casual remark sounded like a jab to Naoki Nagayama's ears, though he couldn't be sure. He began to probe cautiously.

"Otomo-san, it's a real shame we didn't win at the Oscars this time."

"Indeed... but that was to be expected. Let's work harder next time!" His tone was flat, showing no particular disappointment.

"Otomo-san, the Oscar ceremony was full of interesting events."

"Oh? What happened?" Otomo Yoshimura sounded slightly interested.

"A star went to a nightclub and got snapped by paparazzi," Naoki Nagayama said.

"Hahaha, how careless! Who was it? Do I know them?" Otomo Yoshimura laughed. "Don't they know that the Oscars are when paparazzi are at their most rabid?"

"It was a female star, her name is Nastassja Kinski. Have you heard of her, Otomo-san?" Naoki Nagayama was starting to get nervous, though he kept his tone casual.

"Hmm, the name sounds familiar..." Otomo Yoshimura seemed to be asking Shuichi Yin Tang. "Shuichi-san, do you know Nastassja Kinski?"

A faint voice came through the receiver: "She should be the German actress who starred in *Tess*."

"Ah, I remember now. I've heard the name," Otomo Yoshimura said. "So it was her..."

He continued, "But that's quite normal, isn't it? European actresses are all very open!"

*Where on earth did you get that stereotype, Otomo-san?! *

As a veteran agent, couldn't he be more objective about the American entertainment industry?

Despite his internal disdain for Otomo Yoshimura's narrow-mindedness, Naoki Nagayama played along: "Hahaha, Otomo-san is right..."

"Haha, by the way, Naoki-san, did you call for any specific instructions?"

"Just checking in," Naoki Nagayama said, smoothly changing the subject. "Is Shuichi-san not at the studio today?"

Shuichi Yin Tang's voice came through: "Naoki-san, while you've been traveling abroad, we've already finished filming the second episode! We're editing it right now!"

"I see!"

The conversation turned to normal pleasantries. After chatting for a while, Naoki Nagayama finally hung up, letting out a sigh of relief.

He sat on the sofa and looked at Genta Nakai. "Luckily, Tokyo doesn't know about this yet!"

Genta Nakai, having finished his plate of cantaloupe, looked at Naoki Nagayama with utter speechlessness.

"Naoki... you wasted all that breath just to reach such a simple conclusion?"

"Uh... yeah..." Naoki Nagayama replied.

Genta Nakai was even more baffled. "Couldn't you have just asked, 'Otomo-san, has my scandal in Los Angeles reached Tokyo?'!"

"How could I do that?!" Naoki Nagayama protested. "If they didn't know, wouldn't I have just exposed myself?!"

Genta Nakai was speechless. "Then you could have just asked if there was any major news about you in the papers!"

"This..." How could such a simple approach reflect his caution and strategic brilliance? Naoki Nagayama tried to justify himself. "I... I used the 'openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang' method! Getting the information I needed without them realizing! It's the art of conversation!"

"I think you're just making trouble for yourself!" Genta Nakai decided to stop listening to Naoki Nagayama's nonsense and stood up, tossing the empty fruit plate into the sink.

"Alright, let's go out for dinner!"

"Alright..."

Having only spent a day or two in New York, Naoki Nagayama wasn't as familiar with the local eateries as Genta Nakai, who had been there for months.

While high-end Western restaurants were good, they were much the same as anywhere else in the world. True local delicacies were hidden in small eateries along the nearby streets, requiring a discerning eye to find.

Genta Nakai took Naoki Nagayama to an ordinary Western-style restaurant and ordered their specialty: roast beef.

A large portion of chuck roast, seared by the chef, sprinkled with spices, sliced, and served with lemon and fruit garnish.

Chuck roast, also known as shoulder clod, comes from the forequarter. Because those muscles are frequently used, the meat is dense and elastic, with pockets of intramuscular fat. Seared over flames, the roast exuded the aroma of fat and spices. A large slice in the mouth was filled with the savory flavor of beef; a squeeze of lemon juice cut through the richness of the meat juices, further whetting the appetite.

For a carnivore, devouring beef in large bites was the ultimate enjoyment. Naoki Nagayama was very satisfied with this dinner.

Surprisingly, when they wanted to go for a drink afterward, Genta Nakai, who had been in New York for a while, wasn't very familiar with the local bars.

"Really? Genta-san, you haven't had a drink since coming to America?" Genta Nakai was practically a lush, though his tolerance was low—he got drunk after one glass.

"Yeah. For one, I don't have any close friends here. Unless there's a celebration, American colleagues don't have the habit of going for a drink after work; they mostly just go home to relax with friends," Genta Nakai explained. "On the other hand, I've been day-trading. I was afraid that if I got drunk, I might blurt out some insider information..."

After all, this was Manhattan. What if a Wall Street elite overheard him and he ended up in prison?

"Genta-san, you really are a reliable guy!"

Naoki Nagayama patted him on the shoulder. Keeping a guy with a drinking habit away from alcohol was a huge challenge.

"But with me here, you don't have to worry. Besides, this operation will be over in two days. Let's have a little bit!"

Genta Nakai nodded. He had been under immense pressure lately and really needed to unwind!

"Alright! Let's have a little!"

"Fine, since you don't know any, I'll take you to a bar I've been to before!"

Naoki Nagayama hailed a taxi and headed straight for Tribeca in Manhattan, to the bar where Madonna used to perform.

"Who knows, we might even run into an old friend~ Haha."

He just didn't know if Madonna or Basquiat would remember him as their "friend for a day."

Naoki Nagayama took a taxi directly to the bar in Tribeca, Manhattan, where Madonna was stationed.

"Maybe I can meet acquaintances~ Hahaha"

It's just that I don't know if Madonna or Basquiat will remember him as a "friend for a day".