Chapter 972: Naoki-san, you're putting a lot of pressure on us!!!

Naoki Nagayama returned to the Mountain Cherry Garden near noon. After hurriedly getting off the car, he had originally planned to go home, change his clothes, tidy up a bit, and then go to the company~

New footage for *Hayato's Tale: New World*, the preview screening, the year-end release, and so on—each item felt like an arm pushing him from behind, making it impossible to stop.

After walking into the room, the warm and fragrant atmosphere made him, who had just come through the cold wind outside, relax instantly...

"I'm home~"

The dog that came to greet him enthusiastically had an affection that made it seem like they hadn't seen each other for days~

Then there was Akina, wearing an apron, poking her head out of the kitchen with a spatula:

"Naoki-san... why are you back now? Have you had lunch?"

"I haven't had time yet..." After taking off his windbreaker, Naoki Nagayama walked to the kitchen, looked at his wife who was cooking, and gave her a light hug, "It's already done... Akina, do you have a bite for me..."

"Hmm..."

A troubled look appeared on Akina's face because she didn't know Naoki Nagayama would return at noon, so she only prepared a single portion of staple food, and now it was all cooked...

"Naoki-san can eat mine!" Akina made a decision~

"... How can that be!" Naoki Nagayama shook his head and laughed, "I haven't reached the point of stealing food from a mother and her child!"

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, took out some semi-finished instant noodles from the refrigerator, and started doing it himself... Men, just deal with it casually~

Akina, beside him, also started beating eggs, frying sausages, and cutting some vegetables... A meal for two is very different from a meal for one; at least the variety of dishes needs to be much richer.

The two of them made lunch very harmoniously in the kitchen, chatting about what happened when Naoki Nagayama went home.

Naoki Nagayama mentioned the subordinates sneaking over to watch when he showed the movie to his grandfather, and then seeing his parents when he went home-

Akina talked about Hezi seeing the new manuscript in his study, saying how shocked and obsessed Hezi was when she saw it, looking very proud~

"... Sigh..."

Naoki Nagayama sighed in his heart, hoping Hezi wouldn't be so discouraged that she lost confidence~

This is like a novice author having their new book just signed, and the editor telling you to go defeat the legendary Chen Dong... whoever it was, their mindset would explode!!

The dishes made in the kitchen weren't complicated, but the charming aroma soon captured his hungry stomach. Naoki Nagayama and Akina enjoyed a plain and simple lunch together, yet felt very satisfied.

Sitting on the sofa after the meal, Akina turned her head and asked:

"Naoki-san, are you going to the company this afternoon?"

Just as he was about to nod, Naoki Nagayama saw his wife's expectant eyes and subconsciously changed his tone:

"It's not that urgent... I just got back from Shizuoka, so I should rest well~"

As soon as he finished speaking, the girl beside him immediately showed a bright smile:

"Then let's have a good rest!"

Originally, one would occasionally feel lonely and uneasy during pregnancy, but with the company of a loved one, everything seemed to dissipate.

Looking at Akina happily wanting to show him the fruit soup she had just learned to make, Naoki Nagayama also felt some emotion... Clearly, he went to work and made money for a leisurely life, so how did it become working and making money for the sake of working and making money!

Turning his head to look at the courtyard outside the glass partition, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have not appreciated the dry landscape in the courtyard for a long time, and he hadn't carefully tended to the rockery and the succulents in the corner for a long time either.

Even the dwarf bamboo outside the wall—when did it become lush and green again after the expansion of the Mountain Cherry Garden? He hadn't noticed...

"Didn't we agree to enjoy life~"

Akina, who was cutting fruit in the kitchen, started singing *Sudden Love* for some reason, making Naoki Nagayama's thoughts suddenly become nostalgic~

Just at this moment, Ye Zi seemed to feel that the sofa was empty, jumped up, and barely made it; finally, after climbing up, it pretended nothing had happened and lazily lay on the legs of the two-legged beast, waiting for affection...

"Sure enough, Ye Zi knows how to enjoy life~"

The end of the year passed in a flash, and the news that has attracted the most attention in the entertainment industry recently is naturally the preview screening of Naoki Nagayama's new movie!

Tree Friend Film finally made a big splash before the New Year, making the media reporters run to the cinema for interviews, their mouths saying they disliked it, but their bodies being very honest~

At the "Bungeiza" cinema in Ikebukuro, the lineup of display corners became increasingly large; the movie posters for Tree Friend Film had almost covered the walls, and it was estimated that they would need to be renovated next year, with the posters resized and rearranged.

Naoki Nagayama and the employees of Tree Friend naturally waited early in the cinema for the reporters and invited audience members who were about to arrive... The creative team of *Hayato's Tale* had also arrived, but to avoid causing a disturbance, they waited backstage in advance.

Actually, Akina also wanted to come and watch, but she was blocked at home by Naoki Nagayama on the grounds that pregnant women shouldn't watch bloody and violent movies, and he even promised many conditions.

As for other audience members, he didn't care...

Anyway, Japan's movie rating system is just like that; violence and gore actually have little impact on a movie's release... With Naoki Nagayama's current influence in the film industry, the Film Ethics Review Committee wouldn't look for trouble for themselves.

"Naoki-san, we seem to have a stake in this 'Bungeiza', why don't we buy it~" Yin Tangxiu said casually while waiting, "It feels like it has become a dedicated cinema for Tree Friend Film~"

"Haha, it seems so..." Naoki Nagayama remembered that except for the "Iwanami Cinema", almost all preview screenings were held at this cinema, "Buying it wouldn't be bad~"

Anyway, it's not like they don't have money now...

"Since Naoki-san also agrees, then let's start negotiating next year~" Yin Tangxiu's tone was flat; now, for him, buying a cinema had also become an ordinary matter.

"How is Xiu-san's new movie?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"Ah, *The Man with Zero Existence*..." Yin Tangxiu seemed to feel somewhat helpless, "Come to think of it, letting Kijima-kun film it, I don't know if it's a brilliant move... sometimes I even forget to film his scenes..."

"..." Kijima Xu's characteristics are truly terrifying!

"Anyway, it's a modern background, try letting Kijima-kun wear your clothes... Xiu-san, people are always more concerned about their own things!"

"Good idea, I'll try it later..."

Yin Tangxiu nodded in agreement. He didn't expect to get a good idea from Naoki Nagayama. Just as he wanted to continue chatting about this movie, more and more audience members and reporters began to arrive.

"Naoki-san!"

Masaki Kobayashi and Masahiro Shinoda, these two friends of different generations, naturally had to be invited.

"Masaki-san, Masahiro-san!" Naoki Nagayama naturally walked up to greet them, "Come, come, I've reserved the best-viewing seats in the middle of the third row for you..."

"Hahaha, then thank you very much~" Masaki Kobayashi was getting older, and his health didn't seem to be very good, but his laugh was still very infectious, "I can't wait to see this movie of yours!"

"Ha, then I hope this movie won't disappoint Masaki-san's expectations~" Naoki Nagayama personally led them to their seats, "Masahiro-san, I also hope you can offer more opinions..."

"Hmm~"

Masahiro Shinoda was still relatively silent, but that was his personality, and Naoki Nagayama had long been familiar with it.

The screening hall was already more than half full. Many enthusiasts waved enthusiastically after seeing Naoki Nagayama, and Naoki Nagayama responded in a friendly manner.

What he didn't know was that in the screening hall today, there was actually a plainclothes policeman—Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami...

This old policeman, who was about to retire, still wanted to see this movie with his own eyes!

After returning to the lobby, waves of audience members kept walking into the cinema, and there were even reporters with long guns and short cannons, who even interviewed Naoki Nagayama in the lobby:

"Naoki-san, what is your box office expectation for *Hayato's Tale: New World*?"

"That..." Naoki Nagayama glanced at this provocative reporter and smiled, "Naturally, the higher, the better!"

"So confident?"

"Of course~" Naoki Nagayama showed the madness of a well-known young director, "For every one of my movies, I am full of confidence!"

"Because I have put in my greatest effort!"

The reporter originally wanted to laugh, but the person in front of him was Naoki Nagayama! He had the endorsement of high-grossing movies like *Hachiko Monogatari*, *A Scene at the Sea*, *Love Letter*, *Crows Zero*, *Kikujiro*, and so on!

In the entire film circle today, no director would dare say they are better at filming box-office hits than him~

"..." After a snort, the reporter could only say, "Then we shall wait and see!"

"Hahaha~ Enjoy it well!"

After the reporter went in, Yin Tangxiu looked at Naoki Nagayama with some surprise:

"Naoki-san, why did you suddenly become so high-profile with this reporter?"

Naoki Nagayama had always been cautious and conservative when accepting media interviews in the past.

"I don't know..." Naoki Nagayama shrugged, "I just suddenly wanted to say that..."

"..."

Yin Tangxiu looked at the high-spirited young man beside him and only then remembered that Naoki Nagayama was only in his early twenties! That's how he should be!

If you aren't high-spirited, can you still be called a young person?!

When the screening hall was full of people, the lights dimmed, and *Hayato's Tale: New World* officially began screening!

Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami looked at the policeman who appeared at the train station as soon as it opened, feeling very nostalgic... The police uniform of the early Showa era was indeed the uniform he wore when he first became a policeman, and he cherished it just like Tomokazu Miura on the screen...

And that train station was no different from the one in his memory... At that time, cargo trains and passenger trains were together, and the train station was full of steam from burning coal...

Until that guy in a semi-old kimono, shouting "Yo~ Baka Aibo!!!" in a mix of half-Japanese and half-English, appeared... Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami's brows instantly furrowed...

That guy, at first glance, was not a good person!!!

And the protagonist, who was a policeman, actually welcomed him warmly and said he wanted to pull him into an "informant plan"?!

How is this possible!

The police department's informant plan had never used ordinary civilians; they were all secretly selected from within the police academy!!! Or they found one within the organization... How could the police encourage ordinary people to learn to be bad?!

Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami clenched his hands... Sure enough, from the very beginning, this movie was wrong!

And the other audience members in the cinema felt nothing about this; Hayato Nagayama even felt that such an image was very novel and had an indescribable charm... It was very much in line with what a yakuza boss looked like in his youth~

With the development of the plot, the first one-shot street chase scene soon unfolded... The exciting fight scene of Hayato Nagayama in the alley battle instantly made the audience's blood accelerate...

"Oh~~" "Ha?!" "Sugoi..." "Can it be done like this?!" "Truly amazing..." "..."

The audience in the screening hall exclaimed, constantly making gasps or sounds of surprise with the movements on the screen, as if they were dubbing for the movie...

The rhythmic fighting style of Hong Kong action movies, and the use of props like lime to create a sense of impact and power... made it very satisfying to watch.

Hayato Nagayama's own combat power was also instantly reflected.

Masaki Kobayashi didn't specialize in action scenes and just appreciated this scene, while Masahiro Shinoda was filming *Gonza the Spearman* and was very concerned about the filming techniques of action scenes... Seeing such a continuous one-shot action scene, he only felt he had learned a lot!

If used in a samurai duel, could it solve the problem in traditional samurai duels where in the blink of an eye, blood is splashed, the scene changes, and one person falls...

It was beautiful, but it lacked the hot-bloodedness of a duel and couldn't reflect the high level of martial arts...

"Sure enough, for kung fu, one still has to look at China... It seems I need to ask the Hong Kong martial arts instructor for advice..."

The movie continued to play. The plot of this movie was very smooth, with foreshadowing in the transitions, and small climaxes followed by big climaxes amidst the ups and downs of the plot, making it impossible for people to look away.

When the famous scene "Who agrees, who opposes?!" came out, the whole audience sighed, feeling it was domineering...

With the backing of the plot, the scene was far more shocking than in the trailer!

"Sure enough, this kind of man is a yakuza boss!" "To be able to say this line without changing his expression! That in itself is very amazing!" "Domineering!" "..."

And watching Hayato Nagayama gradually sink into the underworld, everyone, besides feeling it was a pity, also realized that in the society of that era, people at the bottom could only climb up this way.

Instead, it was Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami, who, watching the policeman and Hayato Nagayama in the movie go their separate ways, couldn't help but curse in his heart...

"Baka! Idiot! I'm saving you!"

Unconsciously, he had already put himself into the role of the policeman... even deep in his consciousness, in memories so distant they were already blurred, it seemed he really had a conversation with that thug who was clashing on the street...

It seemed he was also questioning why that guy wanted to join the yakuza...

"Joining the yakuza has no good outcome!"

Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the screen!

When the bloody battle in the underground garage occurred, and Hayato Nagayama fought one against ten in the elevator, the entire screening hall held its breath...

The blood-drawing blades in the cramped space, the power erupted for the sake of fighting for life, the cruel and bloody scenes...

Finally, the elevator door opened, and Hayato Nagayama, amidst the blood, was still unconsciously shouting, "Bastard, come on!"...

Only then did the audience start to make sounds, and they kept buzzing, forming a humming discussion and praise in the screening hall...

"Ah!" "Can't take it!" "Too... violent!" "The best shot of the year!" "Exciting... truly exciting!" "Truly fierce! Even ancient generals were probably no more than this!" "Even Oda Nobunaga couldn't fight ten alone, right!" "..."

This burst of enthusiastic discussion lasted until Hayato Nagayama in the plot was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment... covered in bandages, with Tomokazu Miura, wearing a police uniform, standing beside him...

And professional directors Masaki Kobayashi and Masahiro Shinoda looked at each other in shock; they both had a consensus in their eyes... This shot was another classic scene in the movie!!!

From now on, directors who want to film elevator action scenes will find it hard to bypass *Hayato's Tale*!!!

"This guy Naoki-san, sure enough, can't be underestimated!" "Yeah, is action scenes actually his strong point too?!"

Naoki Nagayama, standing behind the screen, carefully observed the reactions of the audience in the screening hall, sometimes even taking notes in his notebook.

"Naoki-san..." Yin Tangxiu walked over, "You've been standing for over an hour!"

"Haha, it's fine... I'm young!" Naoki Nagayama walked to the side and looked at the audience on the other side, "Standing here, I can see the real-time feedback of the audience, and only then can I find the places in the movie that didn't grab the audience's attention!"

"After the preview ends, I can optimize it even more!"

"..."

Yin Tangxiu didn't expect Naoki Nagayama to have such an idea... actually hiding behind the screen to watch audience feedback?!

Is this a method a normal director could think of?!

"Naoki-san, why haven't I seen you use this method before?" Yin Tangxiu's mouth moved slightly, but he still asked.

"This is something I just thought of recently..."

Yin Tangxiu looked at Naoki Nagayama, who was recording again, and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Naoki-san, you're so young and yet so hardworking, how are we older directors supposed to survive!

You're putting a lot of pressure on us!!! ===== CHAPTER 973 =====