Chapter 572: Are you worthy of your million-dollar annual salary?!

The warm morning light shone from the window into the bedroom, just right on his face, making Naoki Nagayama on the bed open his eyes.

"Strange ceiling..."

The brain that was forced to start was a bit chaotic. Reaching out to touch, the side was already empty, only some shampoo smell remained. Naoki Nagayama woke up...

"What a crappy meme!"

Akina was already gone, and she had to go out to work in other places at four or five in the morning. After Naoki Nagayama washed up, he put on his clothes and walked to the living room, but found that the breakfast was already placed on the dining table.

Besides the salted side dishes, there was warm miso soup and fried tempura and meatballs in two thermal pots, and hot white rice in the rice cooker.

Thinking of what Akina said, if they get married, she would wake up before her husband wakes up and make breakfast... Naoki Nagayama sighed: "What a virtuous girlfriend."

After going out, he drove back to Mountain Cherry Garden first. Eitaro naturally had some complaints when he saw his master not returning all night, and kept hitting Naoki Nagayama's lower leg with his tail like a small stick.

"Alright, alright, Eitaro, go get the dog leash!"

Hearing this sentence, the dog ran to the entrance excitedly. At the same time, Naoki Nagayama also went to the second floor to change into sportswear.

After going out, Eitaro originally wanted to go along the old route, but Naoki Nagayama held him back:

"Eitaro, let's take another road today~"

Saying that, he headed towards Ichibashi in Chiyoda, planning to go directly to Shogakukan.

It was past Eitaro's usual walking time, and the pedestrians coming and going on the street became more, but everyone was a working person in a hurry to go to work, and didn't have the leisure to look at Naoki Nagayama who was holding Eitaro carefully.

In the early spring morning, the weather was still relatively cold, but after walking for a few blocks, the whole person was warm, like the feeling after drinking old wine, but without the dizzy drunkenness.

When he walked to the Shogakukan building, the white air exhaled was faintly visible.

"Naoki-san!" Glasses girl Reina Nozawa saw Naoki Nagayama walking in from the main entrance at a glance, and that dog, "Did you come over so early today?"

"Yes, Nozawa-san~" Naoki Nagayama smiled, "Made an appointment with Morikawa-san."

"Hai, please wait in the reception room first." Reina Nozawa led Naoki Nagayama to the reception room diligently and made hot tea, "I will go notify Section Chief Morikawa immediately."

After the person had left, Naoki Nagayama sipped the hot tea and sighed: "Already a section chief, promoted~"

Generally speaking, if it is promoted according to the seniority system, it will generally add a director title in 5-10 years, which is only a little higher than ordinary employees, and is considered a senior employee, backbone, etc.

As for the section chief, it is undoubtedly a promotion based on merit. The biggest achievement of Kuniharu Morikawa in the past two years should be Naoki Nagayama! After all, best-selling novels are constant, and there is also the honor of the Naoki Prize.

Especially recently, he also facilitated the program with Fuji TV.

After a while, Kuniharu Morikawa with a glowing face walked in:

"Naoki-san, you're here! Ah, and Eitaro~"

After finishing, he also stroked the dog's head out of love for the house and its crow.

"Just happened to be jogging, so I brought Eitaro over." Naoki Nagayama explained slightly, and then greeted, "Morikawa-san looks very happy!"

"Hai, thanks to Naoki-san, I was promoted recently and am currently the section chief of the youth literature editing group." Kuniharu Morikawa's tone was enthusiastic. After all, this is a transfer from a professional post to a management post, which is a big progress.

"Then congratulations~"

After congratulating enthusiastically for a few words, Kuniharu Morikawa remembered the reason for coming today and took out a novel from the box he brought: "Naoki-san, this is the trial version of *My Tomorrow and Yesterday's Date*. We have proofread it, and there are absolutely no errors in printing!"

The blue melancholy cover predicted the sad plot. Under the roulette of the clock, a pair of young lovers looked at each other very affectionately...

Naoki Nagayama was quite satisfied with the design of the book cover, and the quality of the paper and the effect of printing were also very good, so Naoki Nagayama didn't pick any thorns.

"Morikawa-san, very good, I have no opinion."

"Hai, then we will officially start sales in early March." Kuniharu Morikawa's smile on his face was even more relaxed. He pointed to the small box next to him, "By the way, Naoki-san, more than ten trial versions of the novel are prepared here, which can be kept as a souvenir."

This kind of trial version novel without a book number or other sales marks is very suitable as a souvenir or gift. From the first novel, Shogakukan will leave a part for Naoki Nagayama.

"Hai, then thank you very much!"

Kuniharu Morikawa thought that the content of today's negotiation should be finished, so he prepared to say some polite words, chat casually, etc., but he didn't expect Naoki Nagayama to continue the conversation:

"Morikawa-san, actually, there is one more thing I want to discuss with you today."

"Eh?"

"Yesterday, the host of *New Words and Buzzwords Awards* found me, hoping to interview me..."

"Haha~ Naoki-san's famous quotes..." Kuniharu Morikawa understood instantly. The words Naoki Nagayama said a few days ago had already reached his ears.

"Hehehe~" Naoki Nagayama laughed a bit awkwardly and continued, "Although it was a bit unexpected, those words were out of the circle after all..."

"At the end of the month, the first issue of *New Words and Buzzwords Awards* is about to be broadcast. At that time, my heat should rise to a higher level."

Kuniharu Morikawa was a bit puzzled: "What does Naoki-san mean?"

"I want to take the opportunity to promote my new book on the *New Words and Buzzwords Awards*..." Naoki Nagayama didn't hide it, "Maybe I can achieve better results during the sales period."

"TV program promotion?"

Kuniharu Morikawa began to think. Generally speaking, writers' novels follow the offline sales process, distribution and promotion of various bookstores. On TV programs, except for pure literary educational programs, books are generally not promoted.

And the parties involved in this *New Words and Buzzwords Awards* are all big shots, and they have already been in the eyes of Shogakukan's management... Wanting to advertise in this program, not to mention the cost, just the resistance is very large...

However, the person who said this is Naoki Nagayama, the planner of the program, and a well-known best-selling writer under his name!

Kuniharu Morikawa said slowly: "Naoki-san, this idea is very good... But whether it can be carried out specifically, I still have to communicate with Editor-in-Chief Dushi Matsui."

"I know, but there is no need to advertise nakedly~" Naoki Nagayama smiled, "Anyway, there will be my interview. I will choose to use the novel as a background board... The program itself needs to get the audience's votes and participation, so 'lucky audience who draws can get Naoki Nagayama's latest novel' can be used as a gimmick!"

Listening to Naoki Nagayama's statement, a smile appeared in Kuniharu Morikawa's eyes.

After leaving Shogakukan, Naoki Nagayama held the small box and took Eitaro back to Mountain Cherry Garden.

There was no difference from when he left in the morning, but he saw Miaotaro on the side of the cherry tree in the yard, seeming to want to climb up the cherry tree.

"Miaotaro, what are you doing?"

Naoki Nagayama walked to his side, touched the fat and solid big orange, and then turned to look at the cherry tree that had been silent for the whole winter.

I saw that a little flower bud had appeared on the branches of the cherry tree. It was unclear whether it was green or pink, but it was already very different from the gray-brown cherry tree trunk.

The cherry tree in the yard is an early cherry, and it will bloom again in autumn, so it is just early spring, and it is about to start blooming.

"The cherry blossoms are about to bloom!" Naoki Nagayama patted the trunk, sighing, "Eitaro's daily fertilization is very effective!"

Then he patted Miaotaro's little head again: "Miaotaro, you are not allowed to bite the flower buds!"

After finishing, he walked upstairs. Slightly sweaty, Naoki Nagayama decided to take a shower and change clothes. Then go to the studio again.

"Naoki-san~" "Naoki-san, you're here!" "Good morning, Naoki-san!"

Amidst the greetings of a group of employees, Naoki Nagayama came to the office. Sure enough, the two giants were already working.

"Xiu-san... how is it? Did you agree?" The first thing was to ask Yin Tangxiu provocatively, "Naotaro Nakanishi's interview request?"

Unexpectedly, Yin Tangxiu didn't mean to have any emotional fluctuations at all, and answered very calmly: "Just an interview, what's the big deal~"

"Anyway, the person who said such chuunibyou lines is Naoki-san!"

"..." Counterattacked!

Naoki Nagayama could only laugh: "Haha, it's fine if Xiu-san has no opinion. Is it settled when specifically?"

"Just these two days, Naoki-san should have nothing to do, right?" Yin Tangxiu looked up at Naoki Nagayama, "Don't run away when the time comes."

"What do I have to run away from!"

Naoki Nagayama was indignant, but suddenly thought of the morning words, wanting to use the novel as a background...

"By the way, Xiu-san, can the filming location be set in the study of Mountain Cherry Garden?"

As soon as this sentence came out, even Kuniharu Morikawa looked over in surprise: "Naoki-san, what did you say, in the study of Mountain Cherry Garden?"

"Hai, because I want to take the opportunity to promote my novel." Naoki Nagayama said, "Ah, by the way, there is also this..."

He took out two trial version novels from his briefcase: "Morikawa-san, Xiu-san, this is a souvenir."

"Oh ho? It's already printed!"

Both of them were quite happy to receive the trial version of the novel. Kuniharu Morikawa put it on the table after looking at it twice. At the age of nearly fifty, he is no longer interested in love. Instead, Yin Tangxiu started reading it.

"Naoki-san, why in the study?" Kuniharu Morikawa asked.

"Creative atmosphere~ I plan to put the remaining novels on the table as a background." Naoki Nagayama said, "After all, the *New Words and Buzzwords Awards* advertisement cannot be too obvious..."

Continuing to chat for a few words about the program, Naoki Nagayama looked at Yin Tangxiu, who seemed to be a bit fascinated, and couldn't help saying:

"Xiu-san, read it at home... You are the Minister of the Film Department after all. During working hours in the middle of the day, you actually read leisure novels. Are you worthy of the million-dollar annual salary?!"

"Million-dollar annual salary? Naoki-san, you are looking down on me! It has already exceeded 100 million, okay!" Yin Tangxiu said disdainfully, but he put down the novel after all, "Then let's go to Naoki-san's house together tomorrow!"

In a few words, the interview was settled.

Talked about the MV editing work.

"The people in the editing room are gone. Kijima-kun went to the film technology factory to copy the already edited MVs." Yin Tangxiu said, "And everyone else went to Tokyo University of the Arts."

"Ah, are those part-time juniors okay?"

"Haha, they are very happy!" Yin Tangxiu laughed, "I plan to recruit a few into the company later."

"Hmm, you decide~"

While talking, he processed some accumulated documents, that is, reviewed the documents, and signed a few words in the process. It seems that there is nothing left in the studio.

Naoki Nagayama asked: "Is there anything in the studio today, Xiu-san?"

"Me?" Yin Tangxiu was stunned for a moment, "It seems that there are no documents to process, but the preparation work for *Love Like the Falling Rain* is underway, and there are some combing of distribution channels..."

"That is to say, nothing big?"

"Ah... if you say so, indeed... not busy..." Yin Tangxiu felt that he really didn't deserve his high salary at this time~

Naoki Nagayama said: "Then accompany me out! Go to Musashino University to take a look!"

"Go there?"

"Yes, the filming location of *April Story*, I think that side seems to be okay."

"That side is considered very remote, didn't we see it when filming *Boys Over Flowers* before?"

"Few people, and quiet... very suitable for my quiet movie."

Yin Tangxiu became interested instantly. For filming movies, especially Naoki Nagayama's movies, he has always wanted to surpass them.

"Good, then let's go! It's idle in the studio anyway!"

So, the two decided on the next itinerary in a few words, leaving only Kuniharu Morikawa on the desk, looking at the thick stack of document materials on the table, a bit at a loss?

"Idle anyway? Not busy? Nothing?"

He looked at the documents that were about to reach his shoulders, and an incredible look appeared in his eyes:

"Then why am I busy to death all day long?!"

"So those two guys are so relaxed, all relying on squeezing my labor?!!"

A burst of anger rushed from the lower dantian to the Tianchong point in his heart. Looking at the documents in his hand, he wanted to sweep them all aside and be a dashing boss too!

But when he thought about the action... he paused on his hand... This document is the salary sheet for this month!

Looking at the first few columns again, the number with many zeros in his payable salary... thinking that the bank loan is about to be repaid, the tuition fee for his son's aristocratic school is about to be paid, and his wife's cosmetics are used up...

Even himself, that brand-new high-end Porsche, has been looking at it for a while!

"Kishou!!!"

In the office of the studio, a middle-aged man let out a painful wail. ===== CHAPTER 573 =====