Chapter 797: The more friends, the better~

Newspapers like the "Yomiuri Shimbun" couldn't help but put Naoki Nagayama's bold words on the front page of the entertainment section, and the newspaper editor thoughtfully added the readers' questions.

"Confidence? Or arrogance?" Akina Mori held the newspaper and read it to Naoki Nagayama, who was making breakfast. "Three months later, let's wait and see!"

"Then let's wait and see~" Naoki Nagayama flipped the bacon and shrugged, indicating he didn't care~

There were even newspapers saying things like grandstanding, arrogant, etc., asking Naoki Nagayama to bow and apologize to the public!

"But these newspapers actually don't believe in Naoki-san! They really have no vision! My Naoki-san will definitely win the Palme d'Or!"

Akina Mori, with a rosy face, wrapped her arms around Naoki Nagayama's waist, like a clingy little demon...

Speaking of which, girls really like boyfriends who are dazzling. Last night, his girlfriend was so bold that it was unbelievable; they didn't even go to the bedroom~

"Hai hai hai... the future Palme d'Or winner is going to eat breakfast now~"

Naoki Nagayama nodded perfunctorily and pulled Akina's hand away from his waist with a straight face. After all, men aren't made of iron!

"Hmph~"

Akina Mori hummed lightly and then began to help pass the plates...

Now, she and Naoki Nagayama took turns cooking. Sometimes Naoki Nagayama made breakfast, and Akina made dinner, and sometimes it was the other way around...

It was a bit different from a traditional Japanese family, but in the entertainment industry, which was exposed to a lot of Western culture, this seemed to be the trend?!

While eating, Naoki Nagayama continued to read the newspaper.

Becoming the headline again, he naturally was mentally prepared, and for the subsequent Blue Ribbon, Mainichi Film Awards, and Kinema Junpo Awards, he wasn't planning to go on stage to receive them himself, otherwise, he didn't know what hot topics would be created again.

However, he still had to attend the subsequent parties. After all, there was the Palme d'Or award ahead, so he had to find as much help as possible... The more friends, the better!

"Naoki-san..." Akina Mori bit the bacon and asked a bit vaguely, "Is the jury for the Palme d'Or very troublesome?"

"Hm... can't say it's very troublesome..." Naoki Nagayama shook his head. "It just depends on whether you can find the right person~"

He had already authorized Otomo Yoshimura with a budget of one billion yen. Under the offensive of gold, he believed that even a lobbying group for a presidential election could be hired.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

Akina Mori sat up straight... Standing in front of you was the most popular idol at the moment, a person who possessed tens of millions of fans and stood at the top of the entertainment industry pyramid!

Naoki Nagayama looked at his girlfriend who wanted to help and thought for a moment.

"Then please, Akina, when interacting with fans, ask them to support 'The Summer of Kikujiro.' It would be even better if you could introduce it to friends abroad... If there are more voices of support, the Palme d'Or will also consider it during the selection!"

"Hai!" Akina Mori was full of energy after hearing this. "I will sincerely ask the fans!"

"Arigato!"

The two of them finished breakfast easily, and Akina Mori stayed for a while before continuing to the agency.

The new album was about to be released, and there were various complicated things like promotional materials and the production of stage costumes that needed to be pushed forward, especially since Akina was increasingly involved in record production.

As for Naoki Nagayama, after resting for a while, he went out and walked toward Shogakukan — the trial print of "Lost Paradise" was out!!!

He didn't take Eitaro when he went out this time, and he didn't go directly to Shogakukan's headquarters, but instead found a cafe nearby.

When Naoki Nagayama arrived, he saw Kuniharu Morikawa wearing sunglasses and a high-collar trench coat, sitting in the cafe reading a magazine... Was this camouflage?

"Morikawa-san... what are you doing?" Naoki Nagayama walked to his side and asked very curiously.

Kuniharu Morikawa quickly pulled Naoki Nagayama to sit down and said mysteriously:

"Camouflage! Naoki-san, didn't you want to publish anonymously? You can't let others know that you wrote this 'Lost Paradise'!"

"....... This, didn't the pen name change?" Naoki Nagayama was speechless. "Besides, if you dress like this in a cafe, others will think you're filming a spy drama!"

As the temperature rose, Naoki Nagayama just wore a loose sweater when he went out. Putting on a pair of non-prescription glasses basically ensured people wouldn't recognize him at first glance.

In fact, not many people in Japan would keep staring at strangers around them, especially when others didn't have any unusual behavior.

"......"

Kuniharu Morikawa subconsciously looked around, and sure enough, he felt many surprised gazes, so he quickly took off his coat and sunglasses.

Sure enough, he became a passerby, just like the ordinary passerby next to him, and wouldn't attract too much attention!

"Naoki-san, I brought the trial print of the novel!"

Kuniharu Morikawa took out a book that looked a bit simple from his briefcase, with only the words "Lost Paradise" printed on the cover... and the author was Sato...

"Hehe..."

Naoki Nagayama laughed at this pen name. This was like "Zhang San Li Si" in Japan. It was said that everyone in Japan might be surnamed Sato in the future!

Opening the novel, the texture of the paper was very thick, and the font inside was also very clear... However, Naoki Nagayama didn't look at the content carefully. He trusted Shogakukan's proofreading ability.

Besides, reading a "smutty book" in public always felt a bit embarrassing.

"Morikawa-san, I think there's no problem... What do the people at Shogakukan think of this novel?"

Kuniharu Morikawa shook his head:

"I only showed this novel to the editor-in-chief, Matsui Toshi. The subsequent proofreading and publishing process were all followed up by me personally. Not many people saw it..."

"Ha, that really was hard work for you, Morikawa-san..." Naoki Nagayama smiled.

"However, Naoki-san, although I can understand your psychology of being anonymous..." Kuniharu Morikawa continued, "The human struggle and social psychology reflected in 'Lost Paradise' are indeed very artistic..."

"It can be said that it will definitely be favored by many literary critics!"

Kuniharu Morikawa took a sip of coffee,

"If it wins an award, will you still not show up?"

Naoki Nagayama smiled. For the previous novels, except for the first one, "Garden of Summer," which was the first time he participated in an award ceremony, and "Sky of Love," which won the Naoki Prize, he hadn't attended any of the various awards.

In fact, Naoki Nagayama had won many awards, big and small... all of which he had entrusted to Kuniharu Morikawa to help receive.

"Haha, if it's the Akutagawa Prize or the Naoki Prize, I will show up..." Naoki Nagayama smiled. "As for the others... forget it!"

"......."

Kuniharu Morikawa looked at this guy in front of him and felt deeply emotional... The honors that other authors fought for, he treated like discarded shoes...

It's really the drought-stricken die of drought, and the waterlogged die of waterlogging!

After talking about business, the two sat in the cafe and chatted, naturally including the live broadcast of the Academy Awards yesterday.

"Naoki-san, are you really confident?"

"I have about a 50% chance of success!" Naoki Nagayama didn't hide it. "But after all, there are too few people in Japan who have won international awards..."

Kuniharu Morikawa paused:

"Naoki-san, have you ever thought about striving for the support of the Ministry of Education?"

"?"

"Speaking of which..." Kuniharu Morikawa continued, "Shogakukan has some friends in the Ministry of Education..."

Naoki Nagayama understood the implication and immediately understood the mystery inside. He also understood that he needed to win over all the support he could find!

"Morikawa-san, how about this, I'll treat you. Call your friends and let's go experience it together?"

"...... Haha, that's naturally no problem!" ===== CHAPTER 798 =====