Chapter 746: Naoki-san is already very impressive~

In the evening, Naoki Nagayama happened to run into Haruki Kadokawa at a club in Ginza~

Otomo Yoshimura's efficiency is truly high~ To think such a high-quality "tool man" could be bumped into so casually on the street... This can only mean Naoki Nagayama's luck is flourishing~

The sky was pitch black, but the entire street of clubs was brightly lit, filled with people seeking pleasure; the constant flow of people made it exceptionally lively.

The place they arrived at this time was a relatively novel club; in fact, it looked more like a combination of a high-end restaurant and a theater...

In the vast main hall, small round tables covered with brightly colored silk cloths were evenly distributed across the floor. Guests sitting around the tables were eating and drinking, smoking and playing cards, or embracing their female companions while laughing wantonly with those nearby~

Right in the center was a massive stage, where a dance troupe in gorgeous performance costumes was dancing to a rhythmic beat~ At a glance, it felt like the opening joint dance of the Red and White Song Battle~

Haruki Kadokawa and Otomo Yoshimura were at a round table in the first three rows, leaning their heads in close to chat about something, with three fashionable young ladies already sitting beside them.

Naoki Nagayama found his seat and walked over through the slightly crowded space.

"Haruki-san! Otomo-san!"

"Naoki-san has arrived!" Haruki Kadokawa looked at Naoki Nagayama and smiled, "You're late, you're late, you'll have to be punished with a drink~"

"Haha, I came here tonight to drink, so why would I be afraid of having no alcohol?"

Naoki Nagayama sat down with a smile, and the smiles on the faces of the young ladies beside him became noticeably brighter as they enthusiastically poured drinks and served him...

This made Otomo Yoshimura unable to resist pointing at Naoki Nagayama and saying to Haruki Kadokawa:

"Haruki-san, this is exactly why I don't go to nightclubs with Naoki Nagayama! As soon as he appears, all the girls' eyes are on him~"

Haruki Kadokawa waved his hand with a smile: "Girls liking handsome men is just human nature~"

At this moment, the hostess sitting nearby was very perceptive and flattered him: "Haruki-san is also very handsome~ It makes people like you very much~"

"You really know how to talk, hahaha~"

Although he knew this was just playing along for the occasion, Haruki Kadokawa was still very happy and began joking with the lady beside him, and the table was immediately filled with laughter.

Such an environment, the noisy singing and dancing on stage, the clamor of people off stage, the boisterous atmosphere in the hall... it was clearly not meant for discussing business; such clubs were purely for seeking pleasure.

Naoki Nagayama also understood Haruki Kadokawa's intention in choosing this place—just to have fun, and nothing else... It seems that after not seeing each other for such a long time, things have indeed become a bit distant~

But that doesn't matter; after a few rounds of drinks, everyone will be good brothers again!

Having figured this out, Naoki Nagayama began to exchange toasts with Otomo Yoshimura, occasionally appreciating the dancing on stage. The young ladies beside them were also very good at stirring up the atmosphere, telling a few jokes and gossip, and playing a few small games, which made the atmosphere at the table very lively.

This was Naoki Nagayama's first time at such a club, so he treated it as experiencing something novel, and as he expected, once there was enough alcohol, Haruki Kadokawa's enthusiasm returned...

"Naoki-san, I must say, you are truly red-hot right now!" Haruki Kadokawa drank a glass of red wine, his face slightly flushed, "Television and newspapers are full of information about you!"

"Haha, that's all because of Akina Nakamori; actually, I'm just riding on her fame," Naoki Nagayama laughed.

"If Akina Nakamori didn't have the scandal with you, she would just be a popular idol right now; how could she have fame that surpasses Seiko Matsuda's..."

Haruki Kadokawa actually had his own unique views on the entertainment industry.

"Now there is already a trend of her becoming the next Momoe Yamaguchi... You have to know, Momoe Yamaguchi only achieved that status after marrying Tomokazu Miura and retiring!"

This was indeed true. Momoe Yamaguchi became an iconic figure in the entertainment industry not only because she was at the pinnacle of idol singers and achieved outstanding results in film and television, but most importantly, because she got married and announced her retirement while wearing a wedding dress at a concert.

At the height of her popularity, she completely withdrew from the entertainment industry... Such behavior left the public with the perfect image of her at her peak.

In Japanese culture, returning to the home to become a housewife, supporting her husband and raising their children, has cast an even more radiant glow upon her image.

"It's not that exaggerated... Akina is still a distance away from Momoe Yamaguchi~"

Upon hearing this, Naoki Nagayama could only continue to smile, raised his glass, and had another drink with Haruki Kadokawa.

Otomo Yoshimura said from the side: "If our Naoki-san also formed a fan club and entered the idol industry, he would definitely be a top-tier male idol!"

"Hahahaha, that's true!" Haruki Kadokawa nodded with a loud laugh.

The hostesses nearby looked at Naoki Nagayama's appearance and also smiled in agreement~

This first round of drinking lasted until late at night. Haruki Kadokawa and Otomo Yoshimura's faces were flushed, but their consciousness was still very clear, while Naoki Nagayama's face was only slightly red.

Changing venues midway, they arrived at the familiar "Lotus" club in Roppongi... The "Mama-san" recognized the regular customer immediately and welcomed Haruki Kadokawa in at once.

First, they used hot towels to soothe their faces, letting the alcohol dissipate a little, and then she had the familiar young ladies come up to accompany them.

This familiar club was much quieter. Haruki Kadokawa took a sip of tea to clear his head:

"Naoki-san, I heard from Otomo-san that you have something you want to tell me?"

It seems this is the main topic now, regarding *Kikujiro* aiming for the Palme d'Or... However, this tone didn't quite fit Naoki Nagayama's expectations; he didn't want to be the one begging, so he had to find a way to disrupt things!

"Haruki-san, there is indeed a good business opportunity I wanted to ask your opinion on." Naoki Nagayama drank a glass of cold soda to refresh his mouth, "Do you know which stock is the hottest in the stock market right now?"

Haruki Kadokawa was stunned; why the sudden talk about the stock market?

"Should... should it be that Fujitsu General stock?"

The Kadokawa Group couldn't be considered a *zaibatsu* yet, but it was at the pinnacle of the publishing and film industries, firmly belonging to big capital, so Haruki Kadokawa naturally paid attention to the capital market.

"Hmm, it is indeed that stock." Naoki Nagayama didn't beat around the bush, "In fact, due to various reasons, I currently hold about ten percent of Fujitsu General's shares."

"Ten percent?!" Haruki Kadokawa was surprised, "That already makes you a major shareholder. Is Naoki-san a director of Fujitsu General?"

"Yes... I was one before the merger," Naoki Nagayama said, "The current investment amount has already increased by nearly six times..."

"That is truly a massive profit! I must congratulate Naoki-san!" Haruki Kadokawa was very surprised and toasted Naoki Nagayama; such a windfall was extremely rare.

However, he thought to himself, didn't Naoki Nagayama just say there was a good business opportunity?

"Naoki-san... are you looking to sell the shares?" Haruki Kadokawa reacted immediately, "Cashing out?"

"Yes, because I borrowed a sum of money from the bank previously... plus, Tree Friend is about to launch three or four movies and has built a new film shooting base... so funds are a bit tight."

Naoki Nagayama spoke with a mix of truth and falsehood.

"So I want to sell a portion of the shares to exchange for liquid capital."

Otomo Yoshimura remained silent on the side, silently complaining in his heart... As far as Tree Friend is concerned, saying funds are tight is complete nonsense!!!

Not to mention how simple and cheap it is for Tree Friend to shoot movies, the 5 billion yen box office of *Kikujiro* alone brought in a significant amount of capital!

It's just bullying the fact that Kadokawa has been transformed for less than a year and hasn't received the year-end financial report yet... Kadokawa has shares in Tree Friend!

Haruki Kadokawa didn't think too much about it. Following the traditional film production process, he naturally knew how much it cost to make a movie, and producing two or three movies at once did indeed require a large initial investment.

"Naoki-san... do you mean you want to sell the Fujitsu General shares to me?" Haruki Kadokawa confirmed.

"Yes, although there is still some room for growth, it's not much anymore," Naoki Nagayama said, "Plus, I feel isolated on the board of directors of Fujitsu General... After all, I don't have the deep connections and resources like Kadokawa, so I have no say in the company's operations."

Tree Friend Capital is just an investment company, so naturally, it doesn't have the resources and manpower to truly control the development of a listed company.

If the Kadokawa Group were to make a move, it naturally wouldn't just get a few shares from Naoki Nagayama to be a nominal director; it would unite its own resources, insert its own personnel, and gain real say in Fujitsu General's development.

That would be a major expansion for the Kadokawa Group's business map. One must know that the manufacturing industry is the field that old-school Japanese capital most wants to get involved in right now.

"Naoki-san... I can't make a decision all at once." Haruki Kadokawa was impacted by this sudden news; naturally, he couldn't make such a big decision immediately.

"I know... it's a major matter~" Naoki Nagayama said with a smile, "Haruki-san can take some time to consider it carefully; this proposal is valid until the end of the year."

Having received the promise, Haruki Kadokawa nodded solemnly. He planned to gather his confidants and elders to discuss this matter after returning.

"Let's not talk about this anymore; let's talk about something relaxing today~"

At this moment, Naoki Nagayama changed the subject:

"Haruki-san, have you seen *Kikujiro*?"

"Of course! It was filmed exceptionally well!" Haruki Kadokawa is also a director himself, so he naturally went to observe it, "Naoki-san is definitely a genius in film shooting!"

"Haha, thank you for the compliment," Naoki Nagayama laughed, "Does Haruki-san think this movie can win an award?"

"Of course! All the movies this year can't compare to this one of Naoki-san's!" Haruki Kadokawa gave very high praise.

Otomo Yoshimura finally got a chance to speak:

"But we are worried... last year and the year before, the Japan Academy Film Prize and the Blue Ribbon Awards were all won by Tree Friend Films; this year... perhaps there is no chance! The Kinema Junpo Award is possible, though~"

"Hmm... that is possible." Haruki Kadokawa naturally knew about these unwritten rules. He looked at Naoki Nagayama, "Naoki-san, do you need Kadokawa Pictures to help operate it? There is still a chance to make an impact!"

Sure enough, after giving a sweet treat, Haruki Kadokawa's attitude improved a lot, and he was even willing to help voluntarily!

"No need... we have already won many domestic awards~" Naoki Nagayama laughed, "So we mainly want to make an impact on international awards!"

"Is Naoki-san aiming for the Palme d'Or?" Haruki Kadokawa asked.

"Yes... I do have that ambition!" Naoki Nagayama admitted directly, then asked, "However, the probability is a bit... by the way, Haruki-san, does your Kadokawa Pictures have connections abroad?"

"I have some, more or less!" Haruki Kadokawa didn't humble himself, because he had previously helped *Hachiko* make an impact on the Oscars.

"That is truly great~"

"..."

With the previous groundwork, the subsequent conversation went very smoothly. Since the Kadokawa Group would likely obtain ten percent of Fujitsu General's shares from Naoki Nagayama before the end of the year, Haruki Kadokawa readily agreed to help Naoki Nagayama at the Palme d'Or next May.

The subsequent drinking also became more enjoyable, making Naoki Nagayama feel a bit tipsy~

When Naoki Nagayama was sent back to Sanyingyuan, it was already past midnight.

Akina Nakamori had returned to Sanyingyuan not long ago; she also had to start getting busy, and returning home after midnight would become a daily routine.

After taking a bath, she was watching TV in the living room, incidentally waiting for her boyfriend to return... Since they were living together, she thought that at least she should see him before going to sleep, and at least... she had to tell Naoki-san about the contract matter today.

"Naoki-san?!"

As soon as the door opened, she smelled the heavy scent of alcohol. Akina Nakamori hurriedly supported Naoki Nagayama as he entered the entryway, until she settled him on the sofa.

"Why did you drink so much alcohol?"

"I went to meet Haruki Kadokawa to discuss business!"

Naoki Nagayama's consciousness was still clear. He told his girlfriend about today's events, while fiercely petting Eitaro, who was cowering on the side; this guy didn't want to come over after smelling the alcohol...

Akina Nakamori brought a towel, wiped Naoki Nagayama's face, and then brewed a cup of hot tea:

"So how did the discussion go?"

"Haha, he was drunk under the table by me, so the matter was naturally settled!" Naoki Nagayama said with a smile.

"..." Akina Nakamori shook her head, feeling she couldn't understand Naoki Nagayama's world, "You men discuss business by seeing if you can get the other person drunk?!"

"That's just one aspect; mainly there were other conditions."

Naoki Nagayama briefly explained the process, then realized Akina seemed a bit distracted, so he reached out and pulled her into his arms:

"Akina-chan, do you have something you want to tell me too?"

"Hmm..." Akina Nakamori nodded, "Naoki-san... I renewed my contract with Burning Productions!"

"Oh? Did Burning Productions agree to the conditions?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"They agreed to everything else, but regarding the shares, there was a performance-based agreement..." Akina Nakamori told Naoki Nagayama about the performance-based condition of reaching 60%.

"Naoki-san, I agreed to the conditions and renewed with Burning Productions; you won't be angry, will you?"

"??" Naoki Nagayama was originally thinking about whether this condition was a performance-linked stock option incentive, but suddenly hearing this, he felt a bit strange, "Since Akina agreed, there must be her own reasons; why would I be angry?"

"Didn't Naoki-san say that if Burning Productions didn't agree, you would sign me to Tree Friend?" Akina Nakamori looked up at her boyfriend, "But I still chose Burning Productions..."

"Haha, is it just about this?"

Naoki Nagayama smiled and pinched Akina's delicate nose bridge; his fingertips felt a tender smoothness. But the girlfriend in his arms shook her head, avoiding Naoki Nagayama's mischievous hand.

"Naoki-san isn't angry?" Akina's eyes revealed a look of doubt.

"Of course I'm not angry!" Naoki Nagayama hugged his girlfriend tighter, "Saying I would sign Akina over was to put pressure on Burning Productions so they would agree to the conditions we proposed."

"But looking purely at the real situation of Burning Productions and Tree Friend, Burning Productions still has the advantage."

Naoki Nagayama sat up straight and analyzed it for Akina:

"Burning Productions currently only has Akina as its pillar; all resources naturally belong to Akina. While Tree Friend has six or seven artists developing, even if resources were tilted toward Akina if she came, how could sharing compare to having them exclusively~"

"Although they both look like medium-sized agencies, Burning Productions has the Sasakawa Foundation behind it, after all; its potential and foundation are much deeper than Tree Friend, which has only been established for two or three years."

Naoki Nagayama pointed at himself: "Your man started from scratch... there's no support behind me!"

"Pfft..." Akina Nakamori laughed and kissed her boyfriend comfortingly, "Naoki-san is already very impressive!"

"..."

He always felt this comfort was a bit strange... Naoki Nagayama shook his head:

"In a few more years, Tree Friend will definitely have a deeper foundation than Burning Productions! When Akina is unhappy then, just come to me directly!"

"Hmm, hmm~"

Knowing her boyfriend wouldn't be angry and was considering everything for her, Akina Nakamori was very happy. The two started their sweet, sticky chatting again.

"Naoki-san, I'll be busy again for a while~"

"Hmm, it's the end of the year~"

"It's very likely I'll return after midnight!"

"Daijobu!"

"Naoki-san might be asleep by then!"

"Hmm, no need to worry about waking me up!" ===== CHAPTER 747 =====