Chapter 667: Summer is here, the early disclosure of the movie is about to begin!

"Akina, the commuter car we talked about before has been ordered~"

Naoki Nagayama was talking to Akina Nakamori on the phone on the sofa in Shanying Yuan. The sky outside was already a deep black, but the landscape lights in the courtyard and the light from the living room gave the quiet courtyard a bit of human touch.

"Really? So fast?" Akina Nakamori, who was currently at a hotel in Yamazaki Prefecture, was a bit surprised. They had only discussed it last night. "Naoki-san, it was agreed to be for commuting, it wasn't too expensive, right?"

"Mm, it's a family car, a Toyota AE86. It only needs about two million or so."

Naoki Nagayama requested the top configuration, and there was also a custom color requirement, so it would eventually be less than three million, but there was no need to tell Akina about that.

"Two million or so, it also seems very expensive... almost half a year's salary..."

Akina's salary was already much higher than when she first debuted. Starting this year, she had at least over a million a month, and her estimated annual income was over ten million, definitely a high-income group. She had to pay 30% in taxes, so her after-tax salary was estimated to be 600,000 to 700,000. After the new contract, it was estimated to be higher.

However, part of the salary would be used to subsidize the family~

By next year or the year after, the annual income was expected to be over 100 million... but after paying taxes, it was estimated that only 50 to 60 million would be left. The taxes for Japanese artists are really high~

"Akina, it's already very cheap, okay~"

The convertible Naoki Nagayama bought himself cost over eight million, and the other Toyota Century cost over 20 million... This newly released top-spec Toyota model, also known as the "people's sports car," was already considered very cheap~

"Besides, I also asked the manufacturer to customize a dark blue color~"

"Really?" The voice from the receiver instantly became happy. "Thank you, Naoki-san~"

After talking about the car for a while, Naoki Nagayama asked: "Akina, have you started your first concert yet?"

"Not yet, we are preparing today... starting tomorrow..." The voice from the receiver sounded a bit nervous. "A bit nervous... one show tomorrow morning, one in the evening... and then I have to fly to the next city immediately. This will go on until September!"

"Doesn't Akina have tea that won't make you nervous after drinking it?" Naoki Nagayama comforted her. "The concert will definitely be completed smoothly!"

Akina's tone was a bit helpless: "But... if I keep running like this, I might not be able to contact Naoki-san every day."

"It's fine, isn't there a pager~ Akina can notify me when you have time, and I can reply immediately~" Naoki Nagayama said. "Also, I'm going to film a movie in August. By then, I might go to various cities to scout locations. I will find an opportunity to see Akina's concert!"

"But Akio-san has to send me the itinerary..."

"Mm!" Akina had heard Naoki Nagayama talk about filming *Kikujiro* and didn't doubt it at all. "I will definitely let Akio-san send the itinerary over!"

The two continued to chat for a while. Seeing it was almost midnight and Akina had to start her first show tomorrow, they hung up the phone.

Lying on the bed, Naoki Nagayama was still thinking about the subsequent filming progress and potential problems, and couldn't fall asleep for a while.

In a daze, he seemed to hear one or two cicada sounds... Were these cicadas crawling out from underground?

"Summer..."

Naoki Nagayama murmured and slowly fell into sleep.

Late July, the temperature rose a bit more.

From the morning, the scorching sunlight shone on the land of Tokyo, making the asphalt road surface, which had cooled down overnight, soft and sticky again.

"Can't go running in the morning now~" Naoki Nagayama looked at Eitaro, who was sticking out his tongue. "Let's change it to the evening from now on~ Otherwise, what if Eitaro gets heatstroke~"

Then before leaving, he checked the timed sprinkler device in the courtyard... at least in the hot weather, it could slightly lower the temperature for the green plants in the courtyard.

"Watch the house well, don't run around!"

Before driving away from home, Naoki Nagayama instructed the cat and the dog. Then he went out wearing a loose T-shirt and pants... Originally he wanted to wear big shorts, but he was going to the studio, so he couldn't be that casual.

The studio's air conditioning had already been turned on, otherwise, it would definitely be like a greenhouse at this time.

"Hua-chan, morning... ah... no... who are you?" Naoki Nagayama walked into the door but saw a strange front desk girl with a round face.

"Naoki-san, this is Yukika Suzuki, a newly hired employee." Xing Jiahua walked over from the side and said to Naoki Nagayama, "She came to work for the first time today."

"So it's a newly recruited employee~" Naoki Nagayama understood. He had asked Otomo Yoshimura to expand recruitment before, and it looked like it was already being executed.

Xing Jiahua turned to introduce her to Yukika Suzuki: "Yukika-chan, this is Naoki Nagayama, the president of Tree Friends."

"Hai! President Nagayama!" Yukika Suzuki immediately stood straight and bowed respectfully. "Nice to meet you, my name is Yukika Suzuki. Please take care of me from now on!!"

"Haha, no need to be so nervous. Everyone calls me by my name at Tree Friends~" Naoki Nagayama smiled. "Then Yukika-chan, please take care of me too~"

After saying that, Naoki Nagayama asked Xing Jiahua: "Otomo-san is there, right?"

"Hai, in the office~"

Naoki Nagayama nodded and walked inside.

Waiting until the back figure couldn't be seen, Yukika Suzuki patted her chest: "Hua-chan... it really is Naoki Nagayama! I was so nervous just now!"

"That's natural, Yukika-chan, relax." Xing Jiahua patted her on the shoulder. "You will see Naoki-san often in the future. Naoki-san's temper is also very gentle..."

Yukika Suzuki let out a breath: "Indeed... and he is really more handsome than on TV and in the newspapers!"

"Right, right~ Naoki-san is the face of Tree Friends!" Xing Jiahua also nodded in agreement.

"Ano... although it seems bad to discuss the president on the first day... but I'm really curious!! Super curious!" Yukika Suzuki's breathing was rapid, her nostrils flared a few times. "Naoki-san, is he really as fickle as the newspapers say? Dating many stars? Akina-chan?"

Speaking of this, Xing Jiahua immediately became excited: "Let me tell you... actually, the reports outside are completely inaccurate! Actually, Naoki-san..."

Regardless of how the new front desk girl's eyes widened in surprise, and regardless of how Xing Jiahua shared gossip with great interest... Naoki Nagayama still walked into the office.

"Otomo-san, morning~"

"Ah, Naoki-san is here~" Otomo Yoshimura started getting busy again, burying his head in the data.

After Naoki Nagayama sat down, he turned his head and looked to the side: "Shuichi-san didn't come today?"

"He went to hold the premiere..." Otomo Yoshimura said. "Isn't *Love is Like After the Rain* being released today?!"

"Today?!"

Naoki Nagayama realized that it was already the release date of *Love is Like After the Rain*. "So Shuichi-san won't be seen for a while!"

Shuichi Itō and the other main creative teams had to go to various cities to promote the movie.

"Yeah, time flies~"

Otomo Yoshimura seemed to think of the time when they were running between cities for the first movie. He was the one driving at that time.

"Haha, no matter what, the movie being successfully released is a good thing!" Naoki Nagayama smiled. "When Shuichi-san comes back, let's go celebrate together!"

"Mm." Otomo Yoshimura stopped what he was doing and looked at Naoki Nagayama. "Speaking of movies, Naoki-san, how is the early preparation for your *Kikujiro*?"

"Took Kijima-kun to check out the filming locations in Tokyo a few days ago. For the filming locations in other cities, Kijima Xu and I will find time to determine them..."

Naoki Nagayama took out more storyboard sketches from his briefcase to indicate.

"The lead actors have been determined, and the filming team has been equipped... By the way, the talent agency you helped contact before to find supporting roles, is it going smoothly?"

"Mm, according to different roles, many resumes have been received. Naoki-san, when you have time, you can go and determine them."

"That's not necessary. Let Kijima Xu determine the supporting roles." Naoki Nagayama waved his hand and decisively delegated this power. "Kijima-kun is the executive director this time, let him get to know more actors."

"That's good, I will let Kijima Xu confirm it."

Otomo Yoshimura had no opinion. He knew that Naoki Nagayama was cultivating the next generation of director seeds.

Currently, the only ones at Tree Friends who could direct movies independently were Naoki Nagayama and Shuichi Itō. Xiaosen Zhengxiao had the ability but still lacked some works to prove himself, and Kijima Xu was the next one.

"One more thing." Naoki Nagayama said. "The pre-promotion for *Kikujiro* can start. Otomo-san, is the arrangement for this kind of activity still handed over to Riko Hayano?"

"Riko-chan has already left the planning position and is currently busy with the new headquarters. Luohe Jizhi is the same, and will focus on general affairs in the future." Otomo Yoshimura said. "However, we have also newly recruited someone for activity planning in the Film Business Department."

After speaking, he called out with the desk phone: "Hua-chan, help me call Watanabe Eiichiro and Luohe Jizhi in."

"Watanabe Eiichiro? Watanabe?" Naoki Nagayama looked at Otomo Yoshimura curiously.

"Mm, Watanabe... but it has nothing to do with that Watanabe Agency, just the same surname." Otomo Yoshimura explained slightly. "He is someone with some experience. This time, Luohe Jizhi can cooperate with him, and he will plan activities independently in the future."

"I see~"

Then he remembered other things: "Otomo-san, you said Riko-chan is busy with the new headquarters? Has the new headquarters been decided? How come I don't know?"

"Of course not! The site selection for the new headquarters building is in progress, and there are already two alternatives."

Otomo Yoshimura rolled his eyes. Tree Friends wasn't building a new building from scratch, but choosing a new building for 200 to 500 people to work in the future, so there were requirements for the building's location, height, price, and completion time.

"And before moving to the new headquarters, there are many things to do! For example, taking inventory of materials, making a moving plan, arranging the moving time, moving company, and address change procedures, etc... it takes about a year to arrange in advance."

"Alright..." Moving house individually in Japan is very troublesome, and company moving is an even bigger matter with a thousand threads.

Not long after, a man and a woman knocked on the door and entered the office. Among them, the one with thick hair and lively eyes, who looked less than thirty, was Watanabe Eiichiro.

"Naoki-san, this is Watanabe Eiichiro." Otomo Yoshimura introduced. "Watanabe-kun, this is the president of Tree Friends, Naoki Nagayama."

"President Nagayama, nice to meet you, I am Watanabe Eiichiro, please take care of me." Watanabe Eiichiro immediately bowed and greeted.

"Mm, please take care of me."

Naoki Nagayama nodded and went straight to the point: "Watanabe-kun, and Jizhi-chan, I asked you to come here this time for the early pre-promotion of the movie *Kikujiro*. I, the lead actors Yuko Tanaka and Takeshi Kitano, will all attend the movie's pre-disclosure meeting."

"Hai!" Watanabe Eiichiro seemed to want to show himself. "May I ask which day it is?"

"This week." Today was already Wednesday, and there were two more days. Determining the location and inviting the media to attend, a small media meeting activity was completely fine.

"Hai, we understand."

"Watanabe-kun just came to Tree Friends, so this time Jizhi-chan will execute it with you." Naoki Nagayama continued: "In the future, there will be reporter interviews during filming, the movie's completion disclosure meeting, and the preview meeting, all of which will need Watanabe-kun to pay attention."

"I will definitely work hard!" Watanabe Eiichiro felt like he had been entrusted with an important task.

"Ganbatte!"

After the two walked out, Naoki Nagayama continued to sort out the filming route and filming arrangements for *Kikujiro*, and then the overall promotion time nodes.

He worked patiently for a whole morning before sorting out the general filming time nodes. As for the others, let's wait and do them later~

At this time, he missed computers and Excel so much... If he had these, a comprehensive project progress management table could be sorted out quickly, unlike now where he had to divide it into several tables.

Technological progress really improves work efficiency!

"Otomo-san, shall we go eat together?" Naoki Nagayama asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No, I have a lunch appointment with the department head of Stardust Agency." Otomo Yoshimura shook his head, then looked over with strange eyes. "Naoki-san, will you be working in the studio this afternoon too?"

"...... You say it like I never work in the afternoon..."

Naoki Nagayama didn't accept such questioning.

"Except for the time when you stayed in the editing room for a whole day during editing, I haven't seen you stay in the office for a whole day!" Otomo Yoshimura laughed. "Usually, you either come to explain some things and leave, or at most stay for half a day to handle some work."

"......" Naoki Nagayama was speechless.

He just didn't want to sit in the office all day, what was wrong with him?! The King of Saudi Arabia only stays in the office for two hours a day at most!

Proper rich people, who would sit in the office?!

"Of course I won't come in the afternoon..." Naoki Nagayama didn't feel guilty at all. "I will find Yuko-san and Kitano-san this afternoon to talk about the disclosure meeting on Saturday."

"Haha, alright~" Otomo Yoshimura started packing up things. "Better not get caught in a scandal by the paparazzi again!"

"......." ===== CHAPTER 664 =====

"You!" In an instant, the head of the bodyguards took out a telescopic baton, ready to use force.

Sanban Xiaohong, however, ignored it and said to Feng Yongshan: "Store Manager Yongshan, I brought a congratulatory gift for the opening! Do you want to turn a guest away?"

"......" According to Feng Yongshan's personality, he originally didn't intend to pay attention.

But Xiaoye Zhaoxing didn't want to lose his demeanor in front of the public, so he said to Feng Yongshan: "Since someone is here to celebrate, let him come over..."

"But he is here to find trouble!"

"It doesn't matter, I am here..." Although Xiaoye Zhaoxing was only a member of parliament, the face of the Xiaoye family was here. He believed that no matter which yakuza boss it was, they had to give him some face.

"This... alright~" Feng Yongshan waved his hand, letting the bodyguards clear a path.

"Look at others, this is called being polite..." Sanban Xiaohong walked to the center of the store entrance and glanced at Xiaoye Zhaoxing. "This polite guy, who are you? Are you the one in charge today?"

"I am Xiaoye Zhaoxing, just a guest invited today." Xiaoye Zhaoxing said.

"Ah, then you just watch!" Sanban Xiaohong sneered, completely not linking this person to a member of parliament.

One sentence made Xiaoye Zhaoxing almost curse out loud...

Had this guy never heard of his reputation? Logically speaking, he knew the leaders of the Daichuan Society and the Zhuji Society! This guy... wait, he seemed to have never seen him!

People from the Yamaguchi-gumi always dealt with the headquarters in Kobe!

"Let someone bring the gift over!" Sanban Xiaohong greeted his subordinates, then looked at Feng Yongshan. "You should know that the Dongya Society has left the Yamaguchi-gumi, right?"

"...... I heard." Feng Yongshan nodded.

"So, Zhuzhong Zhengjiu's orders can't control me!" Sanban Xiaohong grinned.

"So... what do you want?" Feng Yongshan frowned.

"My meaning is... starting from today, half of Melody KTV's income must be handed over to the Dongya Society!" Sanban Xiaohong whispered to Feng Yongshan. "Otherwise... don't even think about keeping this store open!"

"Want to take away half without doing anything?" Feng Yongshan couldn't believe it. Generally, the protection fee collected by yakuza was only a few hundred thousand a month. "Who do you think you are? The Prime Minister?"

"Haha, in the range of these few streets, even the Prime Minister can't compare to me!" Sanban Xiaohong laughed completely, then pointed to the underling who was moving things. "If you don't believe me, this gift will be treated as a gift for you!"

The underling over there happened to be moving two black and white wreaths toward this side...

"Are you threatening me?" Feng Yongshan was angry, his whole body seemed to swell up a circle, looking down at Sanban Xiaohong in front of him.