Chapter 675: Let

The August morning arrived very early, but while the sky was still just beginning to brighten, the *Kikujiro* crew had already started working.

In an empty lot by the national highway outside Dongjingcheng, a broken-down taxi sat in the middle, its hood propped open.

After Kitano Takeshi, playing Kikujiro, opened the car door and steadied himself, he said to the back seat:

"Kid, time to go, get up~"

After the little boy Masao got up, the two of them walked along the road toward the distance in the faintly brightening morning light...

"This kind of blue is great!"

Naoki Nagayama was very satisfied after looking at the director's monitor; it was that melancholic blue again~

Fangcun Dayou also looked at the long-shot footage again and was very satisfied, then added:

"Naoki-san, aside from the conversation scenes on the road, we are going to the Seaside Hotel to film next."

"The Ocean View Hotel in Tiancheng, right?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"Hai, the rooms have been booked in advance," Fangcun Dayou said. "And we've talked to the person in charge at the hotel; we'll be filming the movie there, and the staff will provide convenience..."

Listening to Fangcun Dayou talk about the preparations made in advance, Naoki Nagayama was thinking about something else—would Akina also be arriving in Jinggang County?

The last time they were in contact, it seemed to be Yiga, no, wait, it was Jin Tian...

Because they had filmed all night yesterday and had a very early shooting schedule today, Naoki Nagayama hadn't spoken to Akina Nakamori on the phone. But judging by the time, she should be arriving soon.

"We're staying overnight at the Ocean View Hotel, right?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"Hai, because we need to film the evening rest scenes..." Fangcun Dayou said.

"Then I understand~" Naoki Nagayama estimated that it would take another day to wait for Akina, and the two of them should be able to meet in Huxi.

However... it seems they would be passing by his old home today; he could stop by to see Eitaro and Miaotaro...

"Fangcun-kun, let's hurry up and film the conversation scenes on the road. We'll have lunch at the Dahe River next to Qingshui at noon~" Naoki Nagayama abused his power to set the lunch spot at his old home~

"Hai!"

At this moment, Akina Nakamori was in the dressing room of the Nagoya Huangjin Hall, preparing for the morning concert.

Applying a thin layer of foundation to her face and a little bit of blush was enough; her naturally rosy cheeks didn't need much concealment.

However, her eyebrows still needed a little tidying; the originally somewhat thick eyebrows now needed to be trimmed to be a bit more slender, so that she would have a more mature feeling... Hmm, her eyelashes needed to be done too...

The hairstyle that was originally an elongated Seiko cut had been changed to the current shoulder-length micro-curl, paired with light bangs and hair rollers; after being tied into a single ponytail, it added a touch of mature charm to her pure image.

It was just a pity that her current stage outfits were still mainly small skirts, and she hadn't completely changed her style yet.

"Akina-chan, there are fifteen minutes left until it starts~" Ueda Maki walked in to remind her, "Do you want to drink some Long Island Iced Tea now?"

"... Wait a little longer~"

After Akina Nakamori struggled with the mirror for a while, she picked up the water glass next to her and drank through a straw. As the fiery alcohol entered her throat, she felt her whole body relax...

"Maki-chan, you must keep my pager safe!" Akina Nakamori said to Ueda Maki, "I don't know when Naoki-san will call."

"..."

Ueda Maki's face went blank; even if Naoki Nagayama called, you'd have to wait until the concert was over to call back! Besides, don't you two usually talk on the phone at night?

As if she knew what her little assistant was thinking, Akina Nakamori explained:

"Naoki-san is out filming a movie today, so I don't know when he'll call... but we agreed to communicate our schedules these two days... to see where we'll meet up."

Ueda Maki said in surprise: "Akina-chan, are you planning to meet on the way?"

"Of course, I haven't seen Naoki-san for a long time!" Akina Nakamori said as a matter of course, "It just so happens our schedules align!"

"But... isn't Akina-chan's schedule particularly urgent?"

"Yeah, so maybe we can only have a meal~" Akina's little face was distressed, and her thin, arched eyebrows were twisted into a mess.

"Yi~~~" Ueda Maki teased, "Akina-chan, what else do you want to do??? Hmm?"

"..."

Whether it was the alcohol or the weather being too hot, Akina's face turned red, and she chased after her little assistant in a fit of feigned anger, "Maki-chan, you bad thing~~~"

The sound of girls laughing and playing rang out in the dressing room~

In a small seaside town next to Qingshui, in an old house, Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi was making lunch for Naoki Nagayama, Eitaro, and Miaotaro.

In the morning, Naoki Nagayama had called in advance to say he would stop by at noon to see the two guys.

Although Naoki Nagayama had bought dog food and cat food, Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi believed that cat and dog food were staple foods like white rice, and that cats and dogs should have their own "dishes" when eating, so she specially bought fish and chicken to cook for the cat and dog...

Eitaro and Miaotaro, who hadn't been seen for a few days, were visibly fatter by a circle...

"Eitaro, Miaotaro, *qiu dou ma dai*~ it'll be ready soon!"

At this moment, the two little ones were sitting in a row at the kitchen door, watching the busy figure inside, smelling the fragrant scent... wagging their tails frantically.

Yes, Miaotaro had also learned to wag his tail while waiting for food...

But at this moment, they heard the sound of a car stopping outside the door, followed by a burst of footsteps coming from the courtyard gate, all the way to the house door.

"Mother, I'm home~~~"

Naoki Nagayama pushed open the door and saw the busy figure in the kitchen and the two fur babies in the entryway.

"!"

"Eitaro?!" Looking at the dog rushing toward him, Naoki Nagayama held the dog's head in his hands, only feeling that the touch on his hands was more solid and round, "Why did you get so fat?!"

"Wang wang wang!" Eitaro couldn't move his head, so he could only bark while wagging his thick, fat tail.

"It's only been a week!"

He only heard his mother, Cai Cai Zi, walk out of the kitchen carrying today's lunch:

"I see Eitaro doesn't get enough to eat every day... so I couldn't help but give him extra meals... but if I give it to Eitaro and not Miaotaro, he's too pitiful... so..."

"So Mother gave them both extra, right..." Naoki Nagayama was helpless, "No wonder they got so fat..."

"Your father also brings back late-night snacks for the two children at night!" Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi used Tian Yuan Jian as a shield.

"..."

Sigh, I should have thought of this when I left the two guys here!

He could only pinch the folds on the dog's cheeks and say fiercely:

"Eitaro, when we return to Tokyo, you're running five kilometers every day!"

Mother Cai Cai Zi put the prepared food on the dining table and said: "Naoki, your father isn't coming back to eat, so let's eat first~"

"Hai~~" Naoki Nagayama sat at the dining table. Although it was just a home-cooked meal, there was fish, chicken, miso soup, and side dishes, which was already very sumptuous, "I'm starting~"

Seeing Mother Cai Cai Zi finish pouring the high-grade cat and dog food for Eitaro and Miaotaro, and wanting to pick up chicken and fish for them, Naoki Nagayama hurriedly stopped her:

"Mother, they can't eat anymore! It's not good for their health if they get any fatter!!!"

"This..." Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi, who hadn't succeeded in feeding them, was a little unsatisfied, "But I've already made their portions, and these aren't suitable for the refrigerator... In this weather, they'll definitely go bad by tonight if left outside!"

"..."

Looking at the fragrant chicken pieces and fried fish on the table, Naoki Nagayama said,

"Then I'll eat it all!"

"!!!" X3

Eitaro and Miaotaro looked at their master with eyes of disbelief and accusation! If there were cat or dog gods in this world, please come and punish this guy who steals his own pets' food!

Mother Cai Cai Zi was a little surprised: "Naoki-san, can you finish it?"

"Of course, I didn't eat much this morning, I'm starving now!" Naoki Nagayama was a young man in his 20s; if he ate freely every day, he would be startled by himself!

Saying that, he began to eat like a whirlwind...

Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi looked at her son eating in big mouthfuls and showed a gratified smile. Little did she know that her current gaze was no different from watching Eitaro eat last night...

The familiar taste, plus the generous portions of dishes, seemed to stimulate Naoki Nagayama's appetite, and he ate the whole table of food clean, leaving Eitaro unable to even lick the plate.

After satisfyingly drinking tea and rinsing his mouth, Naoki Nagayama leaned on the sofa very contentedly and chatted with his mother in the kitchen.

"Naoki, are you filming a movie nearby? What about your other colleagues?"

"Hmm, they are all eating nearby, haha, I don't know if anyone will go to Father's izakaya." Naoki Nagayama laughed, he had agreed on a meeting time with everyone in the crew, "In the afternoon, we have to go to the Ocean View Hotel in Tiancheng to continue filming."

"Oh? That place!" Mother Cai Cai Zi had an impression of this hotel, "I heard it's a very high-end place with beautiful scenery."

"Yeah, a five-star hotel!"

"How long will you be filming?"

"If it's inside the hotel, I guess a day." Naoki Nagayama said, "Next, we have to continue moving toward Aichi Prefecture."

"The destination is Aichi Prefecture?"

"Hmm~"

Touching Eitaro, who was lying next to him with his tongue out, Naoki Nagayama said:

"After I finish filming, I will rush back along the coastline, and then I will bring Eitaro and Miaotaro back to Tokyo on the way~"

"Actually, it's very interesting for the two of them to accompany us here~" After Mother Cai Cai Zi cleaned up the kitchen, she also came to the living room to rest, and by the way, held Miaotaro in her arms, "Very stress-relieving~"

"Haha, Mother can raise one~"

"That would mean teaching from scratch again..."

The topic drifted unconsciously to how to raise a pet from scratch... but later, Mother Cai Cai Zi asked again:

"Naoki, that rumored girlfriend of yours... Akina Nakamori seems to be coming to Qingshui to hold a concert, right? Aren't you going to see her?"

"We will meet next to Aichi Prefecture..."

Naoki Nagayama replied casually, and then suddenly reacted, Mother was fishing for information!

"Mother... if you really want to ask about Akina, just ask... why go around in circles~"

"Haha, then I'll ask." Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi asked like other curious aunties, "What stage are you and Akina Nakamori at now?"

"... It hasn't reached the stage of meeting the parents yet..." Naoki Nagayama said, "For the sake of Akina's career, it can't be announced yet..."

"Is that so..." Tian Yuan Cai Cai Zi was a little disappointed, "Then when can you have children?"

"... Mother, your progress is a bit too fast!" Naoki Nagayama said in astonishment, "We haven't even gotten married..."

"Oh my, I know, don't people in your entertainment industry like shotgun weddings?" Mother Cai Cai Zi looked very experienced, "Some even hide their marriage and have children... just don't announce their marital status~"

That's because they play around...

"..." Naoki Nagayama was silent for a moment, and could only reply, "Akina and I won't be like that~"

"Then when will you bring her home to meet us?"

Looking at his mother's expectant eyes, Naoki Nagayama could only say vaguely:

"... I think the end of the year should be fine~"

In the afternoon

Naoki Nagayama, who escaped from what was called "parents' expectations," directly met up with the crew and rushed to the Ocean View Hotel.

In this hotel, after checking in, without caring about visiting and enjoying the hotel's services, the group quickly started preparations for today's filming.

The first to bear the brunt was Kitano Takeshi:

"Kitano-san... have you never had a tattoo?"

"I'm not a *yakuza*, why would I have a tattoo?!" Kitano Takeshi sat on the side, waiting for the special effects makeup artist to paint a fierce ghost pattern on his back with waterproof oil paint, "Does Naoki-san have one?"

"Of course I don't..."

"Isn't it said that Naoki-san is related to the Yamaguchi-gumi?" Since he was participating in the movie, Kitano Takeshi naturally understood Naoki Nagayama's background and had inquired about all his previous rumors, "It seems that the Qingshui city we passed by before is where your family's Yamaguchi-gumi branch headquarters is located."

For a moment, the crew members who were preparing around the main creators pricked up their ears. Only Kitano Takeshi, who himself had a deep relationship with the underworld, dared to ask this somewhat offensive question to his face.

Asking about someone's family tree to their face is considered prying into privacy in Nihon~

Aside from Fangcun Dayou and Yin Tangxiu, the others in the Tree Friends were also hazy, and even Fangcun Dayou only had a half-understanding of Naoki Nagayama's underworld background.

"Ah... this matter~"

Although it was a bit sudden, Naoki Nagayama still answered,

"It's just like what was said in the reports before!"

"My grandfather was the leader of the 'Qingshui Family'... but the family business was inherited by the eldest branch, and my father never joined the underworld, so I don't have much connection with them."

"Is that so~~ Then there's not much involvement~"

Kitano Takeshi nodded. The underworld treats the organization as a "family." If you don't join, you are indeed not a family member, and naturally, there is no relationship with the industries on the surface.

But in private, well, relatives are naturally still relatives...

The others also breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the answer. If their boss really had any relationship with the underworld... it seemed it had nothing to do with them... but they still breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that the ghost on his back was finished, Naoki Nagayama signaled Fangcun Dayou to start preparing for filming. However, Kitano Takeshi's sudden question just now made Naoki Nagayama a little unhappy.

Although Naoki Nagayama didn't care about letting people know about his relationship with the underworld now, being asked to his face...

So...

"Kitano-san... you can swim, right?"

"Of course~"

"That's good, then you can hold your breath, right?"

"It's okay..."

"Hmm! That's good..." Naoki Nagayama nodded with satisfaction, "In the scene later, there is a plot where you drown and then stand upside down in the pool without moving. Kitano-san, you need to hold your breath for a little longer... because I plan to make this shot last a little longer in the movie."

"... I can do it!" Kitano Takeshi thought for a while and nodded, "Unless it's absolutely impossible, I won't move!"

"That's the best..."

Listening to Naoki Nagayama's calm words, Kitano Takeshi suddenly became a little nervous, thinking to himself:

"Naoki-san wouldn't be giving me a hard time because I just asked about his background, right?! No way, no way... Naoki-san shouldn't be that petty, right?!"

Kitano Takeshi looked up and saw Naoki Nagayama's handsome face with a warm smile...

"Kitano-san, is there anything else to prepare? If not, we're ready to start filming!"

"... Nothing else~"

The swimming pool outside wasn't too deep... and the security measures of a five-star hotel should be very adequate, so there would definitely be no problem! ===== CHAPTER 676 =====