Chapter 798: Midnight Diner

"Naoki-san, sign here~"

Fujita Huizi pointed out the places that needed signatures very kindly.

"Hai~"

Naoki Nagayama also cooperated, fulfilling all the parts in the thick stack of contracts that required Naoki Nagayama's signature and seal.

This wasn't Naoki Nagayama's first time signing a house purchase contract. After more than half a month of negotiations and an expenditure of over 100 million, the land plot next to Shanying Yuan, including the small building on it, all belonged to Naoki Nagayama.

Even the art studio, which was originally quite stubborn, didn't last long under the offensive of gold that could buy them twice over...

After all, they could just rent another classroom, but a rich idiot willing to pay so much money was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

"Naoki-san, if there are no accidents, all procedures will be completed by early March!"

"Mm-hmm, that's good~" Naoki Nagayama also nodded with some relief. "I'll be traveling abroad the day after tomorrow, so I shouldn't be here... During this time, I'll trouble Huizi-san to help clean up the things next door, except for that cafe..."

"Hai!"

"After that, I'll ask the Honma Design Office... ah, that's the one Huizi-san knows, we've cooperated many times." Naoki Nagayama smiled, because Fujita Huizi was the one who introduced the office. "I'll have them design a renovation plan first..."

"Haha, I understand~" Fujita Huizi nodded. "I'll take Honma-san to inspect the site!"

"Arigato~" Naoki Nagayama smiled and thanked Fujita Huizi. "Without Huizi-san, buying the land wouldn't have been so smooth!"

"Not at all, this is the opportunity given by Naoki-san..."

In the living room of Shanying Yuan, Naoki Nagayama and Fujita Huizi chatted for a long time, mostly about the renovation direction of the next door and the problems that might arise. After they had said almost everything, he sent Huizi-san away~

Looking up at the sky, it wasn't far from noon. The bright sun shone down, making people feel a burst of warmth, and even the occasional breeze was much gentler.

The cherry blossom trees in the courtyard had already sprouted buds, and the grass under the trees had long been a patch of green, extending all the way to the wall corner.

The dry landscape in the center of the courtyard was still clean and white, but occasionally one could see grass leaves protruding from the fine sand, and even the moss on the rockery was lush and green~

The bamboo, which had long been taller than the wall, had dense bamboo leaves connected together, leaving only a sliver of light-transmitting gaps.

Looking at this scene full of spring, Naoki Nagayama touched his chin:

"The dry landscape has been there for a long time... Should I take advantage of this expansion and renovation to change the style..."

"Woof woof woof!"

Just at this moment, the dog next to him suddenly rushed out, chasing the grasshopper that had just jumped up in the grass.

"By the way, there's also Eitaro and Meitaro..."

He was going abroad for half a month, so the cat and dog were naturally sent back to his hometown in Shizuoka. It was just right to go back and see his father and mother...

In fact, with Naoki Nagayama's current financial resources, it wasn't impossible to hire someone specifically to look after the pets, and he could even ask Akina's little assistant to help look after them for a while.

However, in Naoki Nagayama's heart, he had long regarded Eitaro and Meitaro as part of the family, so it was better for his relatives to take care of them~

After being in a daze on the eaves corridor for a while, Naoki Nagayama felt a sense of laziness in his body and decided not to cook for himself at noon, so he called a nearby restaurant...

After calling his mother in advance, in the afternoon, Naoki Nagayama drove the Toyota Century and returned to Shizuoka in a low-key manner.

"Woof woof woof!" Eitaro looked at the familiar house and wagged his tail excitedly, then quickly darted in.

Naoki Nagayama carried the dog food and other things and followed him in.

"I'm home~"

"Welcome back~" Mother Nanako said while stroking Eitaro's head.

"I'll have to trouble Mother again this time~"

Naoki Nagayama put the things away and let Meitaro out. This guy lay down in the Japanese-style room, dizzy.

"Daijoubu~ With Eitaro, the house can be a bit livelier." Mother Nanako said with a smile, then poured a cup of hot tea. "Where is Naoki going this time?"

"To Rio de Janeiro in Brazil." Naoki Nagayama explained. "It's in South America, and I have to cross the Pacific Ocean~"

"That's so far... Doesn't that take a long time?"

"It takes a day or two just by plane!"

Naoki Nagayama had already inquired. The flight routes in this era weren't as developed as later ones. There were no direct flights, and it was during the Cold War, with air traffic control in some places, so he had to transfer to get to Brazil.

After hearing this, Nanako Nagayama was very emotional. The Nagayama family had never really left Shizuoka in their whole lives, but her son was going to travel to the other side of the earth.

"Does Mother have any place she wants to go?" Naoki Nagayama suddenly found that he seemed to have never asked where his relatives wanted to go.

"Me?" Nanako Nagayama was stunned.

"Yeah, if Mother wants to travel anywhere, I can take you there... Father can also take you there..." Naoki Nagayama smiled. "Anyway, you know... I'm now... very rich! Super rich!"

"......" Nanako Nagayama was a bit speechless.

Although her son's intentions were good, it sounded like it made people want to beat him... No, her hands were itchy~

Naoki Nagayama, who was tapped by his mother, was a bit confused:

"Mother, why?"

"I don't know... just couldn't help it when I saw your look... Hahaha~" Nanako Nagayama also tapped the dog lying next to her, making Eitaro look confused, and then laughed.

"....."

After the laughter ended, Nanako Nagayama said:

"As for me... I wanted to travel to Hawaii when I was young, but now that I'm old, I don't really want to go far. I just want to soak in the hot springs in Hakone..."

"Then..." Naoki Nagayama didn't say anything. Hakone was very close.

"Don't worry about us~" Nanako Nagayama smiled. "Anyway, we don't have any pressure now. If we want to go out, your father will take me!"

"Hai... If the money isn't enough, tell me anytime!" Naoki Nagayama echoed.

Without continuing to talk about traveling, Nanako Nagayama also asked about the bold words at the Japan Academy Film Prize before:

"Naoki, can you really win the Palme d'Or? When Tsuruko called the other day, she even said you were possessed by an alien, so you were talking nonsense!"

"...... Alien..." His own resentful sister, Naoki Nagayama was already helpless, but he still had to make up for it a little. "It's not that I definitely can, but saying it in front of the public is actually giving the industry insiders a hint that I have the ambition to compete for the Palme d'Or... thereby becoming a benchmark, making others subconsciously agree..."

"However, what if you don't win?" Mother was a bit worried.

"Haha, if I don't win, I don't win~" Naoki Nagayama laughed shamelessly. "At worst, I'll bow and apologize in front of the camera, and it won't cost me a penny~"

"This..." Mother Nanako was shocked. "But in that case, Naoki, your reputation..."

"Who cares about reputation in the entertainment industry!"

Naoki Nagayama disdained. With decades of advance experience, in the messy, colorful dye vat of the entertainment industry, reputation didn't matter at all. The only thing that mattered was one thing — traffic!

This was even more so in the capitalist entertainment industry. Haven't you seen the American entertainment industry, where so many celebrities are involved in yellow, gambling, and drugs~~~

There are a lot of celebrities with dark histories. After hiring internet water armies to wash them white and promote them well, they can stand in the spotlight again and make money with a smiling face!

How was Naoki Nagayama's bit of arrogance different from not having it?!

Mother Nanako nodded half-understandably and didn't continue to ask. She chatted about her son's lifelong event and then began to prepare dinner...

"No need, Mother... I'm going back soon..." Naoki Nagayama told his mother not to prepare for him. "I'll just go to Father's izakaya to eat. It's been a long time since I've eaten there! And I'll see them too..."

"That's fine~" Nanako Nagayama nodded. After all, her husband and eldest son would be back very late.

Naoki Nagayama drove the Toyota Century to the street by the sea in the small town. It was only a five-minute drive. The Nagayama family's izakaya was there. He still remembered helping out there often when he was a child, but he hadn't been there since graduating from high school.

This was a street with a very Japanese style. The sky had already darkened, and the street lamps emitted a dim light, making the wooden buildings on both sides of the street flicker, with a sense of heaviness in the tranquility.

On the izakaya's sign, there were just the simple words "Izakaya." The small main entrance was an old-fashioned Japanese sliding door, and two door curtains hung down from the door beam, covering the scene inside the izakaya...

However, it wasn't the peak time for eating yet. Through the light, one could only see a few figures drinking at the table.

"Welcome... uh..." As the sliding door opened, Aoki Nagayama, who was a chef and waiter, asked a greeting subconsciously, and then realized it was his younger brother, "Naoki?"

"Big Brother~" Naoki Nagayama nodded and sat at the dining counter, then looked at Ken Nagayama, who also looked out from the kitchen, "Father!"

"Naoki, why are you back?!" Aoki Nagayama, wearing a chef's uniform, stood behind the counter and asked.

"Because I'm going abroad in two days, so I sent Eitaro and Meitaro back home to look after them for a while~" Naoki Nagayama explained. "On the way back, I stopped by to see the izakaya..."

"So that's how it is~" Aoki Nagayama nodded, then asked, "Are you going back so early? Have you had dinner?"

"Isn't that why I came to the izakaya!" Naoki Nagayama said happily. "Just in time to taste Big Brother's craft and see if you've inherited Father's mantle!"

"Haha, of course!" Aoki Nagayama said very confidently. "Naoki, what do you want to eat? I can make everything on the menu perfectly now!"

Looking at the wooden menu with a sense of age above his head, the days when he worked as a waiter here appeared in Naoki Nagayama's mind... He earned pocket money like this during his middle school and high school years!

"Then let's have the special set meal!" Naoki Nagayama pointed to a set meal and said.

"Of course, no problem!"

Aoki Nagayama nodded confidently and walked into the kitchen, while Father Ken Nagayama didn't say much and silently began to prepare other side dishes.

The Nagayama family's special set meal was iron-plate eel drizzled with secret sauce, paired with deep-fried chicken nuggets and other side dishes. The portion was sufficient and the taste was rich, which was just right for manual laborers after a day of work.

The izakaya in the small seaside town naturally served fishermen from the nearby wharf, cargo workers, drivers, and other workers surrounding the fishing industry.

While waiting, Naoki Nagayama re-examined his own izakaya, comparing it with the izakaya in "Midnight Diner" in his heart.

"The kitchen needs to be slightly renovated, bigger, and the cooking should be in front of others... The lighting should be brighter..."

"And the number of dining tables should be reduced..."

Just as Naoki Nagayama was calculating, Big Brother Aoki had already served the special set meal: "Guest-san, your special set meal, please enjoy!"

Looking at the large bowl and several plates in front of him, the portions of iron-plate eel and fried chicken nuggets were significantly larger than usual, and even the side dishes were much richer...

Aoki Nagayama took some kelp, tofu, radish, etc., from the pot where oden was boiling, filled a plate, and brought it to Naoki Nagayama:

"This is a complimentary side dish!"

"So much~" Naoki Nagayama laughed.

"Of course! The Nagayama family's izakaya is high quality and inexpensive! The price-performance ratio is super high!"

At this time, he heard the customers who were originally drinking look over, and seeing the dining plate full of ingredients, they were surprised:

"Aoki-san... when did you have complimentary side dishes? Don't we old customers have any?!"

"Yeah, yeah, the shopkeeper can't be biased! Give us some too!" Some customers who liked to join in the fun also echoed, but most of them were regular customers, and there was more joking involved.

Aoki Nagayama didn't panic at all. He had been dealing with customers for a long time, and his ability to speak had long been practiced:

"Haha, this is my younger brother... Are you also from the Nagayama family?!"

"Your younger brother?" "The one called Naoki Nagayama?" "A celebrity, right!" "Seems like a writer too!" "....."

These few people then looked seriously at the ordinary-looking young man sitting in front of the dining counter. Although his dress was different from the one on TV, that face looked different at first glance!

"Sure enough!" "Really!" "Saw a living celebrity!" "....."

Strange discussions lingered in Naoki Nagayama's ears, making black lines appear on his forehead...

However, he still turned his head and nodded to everyone, which was considered a greeting~ After all, this was his own shop, so he still had to give face!

A few guests saw the celebrity of the Nagayama family and were satisfied, so they continued to eat. Some were drinking and laughing, and Naoki Nagayama just gave them an extra side dish for drinking.

Taking advantage of the alcohol, some customers said:

"Naoki-kozo... I'm looking forward to you winning the Palme d'Or!"

"...... Arigato....."

Naoki Nagayama smiled...

This Nagayama special set meal, although it didn't have the superb culinary skills of a high-end restaurant, made Naoki Nagayama eat very satisfied. After all, this was the childhood delicacy in his memory.

After eating most of the food in the plate, a bowl of miso soup made his whole body warm~

Taking advantage of the fact that no more guests were coming, Naoki Nagayama chatted with Big Brother Aoki:

"Big Brother, do you remember the program I mentioned to Father and you before about filming in our izakaya?"

Aoki Nagayama recalled: "Ah, is it that 'Midnight Diner'?"

"Mm, after I come back, this matter can almost start..." Naoki Nagayama said. "Let's renovate our izakaya a little, and then we can start filming... Big Brother will be the true boss..."

Aoki Nagayama was a bit nervous when he heard this:

"But, I don't know how to act!"

"Just know how to cook..." Naoki Nagayama smiled. "There will be many shots of the dishes!"

"Is that so..."

"It's okay, I'll be by your side then..." Naoki Nagayama comforted him. "I'm the person in charge of the program, just listen to me..."

Father Ken Nagayama also walked out of the kitchen, listening to the conversation between the two, and suddenly interjected:

"When filming... does the izakaya have to be closed?!"

"Is Father worried about those regular customers?" Naoki Nagayama immediately thought of his father's concerns. "You don't have to worry about that. Except for the renovation period, it can be open at other times!"

"And we film late at night, doesn't our house close after nine o'clock~"

"That's good~"

Ken Nagayama nodded silently. Having worked here for more than 20 years, the izakaya was no longer just a job to make a living for him, and he also had a deep bond with those regular customers...

"If Father wants, we can also be open during filming... If there are guests!" Naoki Nagayama thought for a moment and said. "If the guests don't mind, it's okay to let them appear on camera!"

After all, "Midnight Diner" is all about the bonds between the izakaya boss and the diners!

Ken Nagayama nodded silently and didn't say anything more~

And this matter was settled like this. ===== CHAPTER 799 =====