Chapter 973: Joining the yakuza has no future!!

When the movie finished playing, the lights in the screening hall didn't turn on, causing the audience to start whispering to each other.

Until the subtitles began to appear with the actors' names and the behind-the-scenes staff, there was already quite a bit of discussion in the screening hall, with everyone confused by this strange behavior of the cinema~

"Is the light broken?" "It's already showing the end credits!" "Wait... this is intentional, right?" "Is Naoki Nagayama making the audience notice the production team?" "..."

However, after a few minutes, the screen lit up again, but it revealed a scene completely different from the movie's original story.

It was a Japanese-style old house with a strong sense of the era; the courtyard was deep and antique, yet it had modern electric lights and home appliances... Following the camera shot, the audience also walked through the dim hall, turned through a partition door, and it was a bright study...

On the tatami mat with its back to the light, an old man sat on a cushion next to the coffee table, holding a book.

Graying hair, cheeks full of wrinkles, a black kimono, a thin body... only in the brows and eyes did there seem to be a few remnants of the spirit of Hayato Nagayama from the movie...

The voice-over sounded:

"Ojisan, Naoki is here..."

The old man looked up, a kind smile on his face:

"So you are Naoki..."

"..."

The image stopped abruptly here, the screen dimmed again, but the lights in the screening hall finally turned on!

The audience, who had been sitting in their chairs, were somewhat surprised by this sudden extra clip, but after realizing what it was, they immediately exclaimed:

"Ah! That, that! Is that Hayato Nagayama himself?!" "Is that the prototype of the movie?" "Is it really Naoki Nagayama's grandfather?!" "Isn't it said he is the boss of the Nagayama Group?!"

"So there really is such a person in the movie!!! I thought it was just for promotion!" "Oh oh oh!!! So that's it!" "But, he's old..."

All kinds of discussions became heated; everyone originally thought it was just a movie story from the past, but it actually connected to the present!

It gave the audience a wonderful feeling of the intersection of illusion and reality!

This was something never seen in previous movies!

Masaki Kobayashi and Masahiro Shinoda were both conquered by such ingenuity; the movie *Hayato's Tale* really gave them surprise after surprise!

And Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami, who was also watching from below, felt inexplicably jealous at this moment, listening to the people around him constantly mentioning the name "Hayato Nagayama" and things like "it's actually real"...

He knew that with the screening of this movie, especially the reveal of this final extra clip, the fame of this guy Hayato Nagayama would definitely be greater than even the heads of the Yamaguchi-gumi or other major yakuza organizations!

Think of him, Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami, working hard and conscientiously in the police system for decades, yet his fame wasn't even very prominent within the police system... And this guy Hayato Nagayama, after one movie was broadcast, was actually going to become a legendary figure known to every household!

"Isn't it just because he gave birth to a good grandson!"

Looking at Naoki Nagayama and the other creative team members walking to the front desk, Nan Nan Jun Xiong Minami felt sour all over~

"My grandson must be sent to film school! He can film movies too!!!"

At this moment, a certain teenager in middle school felt his shoulders inexplicably heavy... as if he were being pressed by a thousand-pound burden!

On the cinema side, the media interview for the preview screening officially began.

Naoki Nagayama brought his cousin Feng Nagayama, Tomokazu Miura, and several other important supporting actors... This movie unexpectedly had no important female characters, leaving reporters who wanted to arrange some scandals for Naoki Nagayama with nowhere to start.

"Thank you all for coming to this preview screening..." The host warmed up the scene as usual and asked the audience with a smile, "I believe such a wonderful movie must have been very satisfying for everyone to watch, right?!"

"Oh oh oh~" "It really was~" "..." The audience also gave face and echoed, responding very enthusiastically.

"Later there will be an interaction process with the audience; everyone can take this opportunity to think about what you want to ask or say..."

After mobilizing the atmosphere at the scene, the host officially introduced today's guests:

"Next, let's welcome the general director of the movie, Naoki Nagayama!"

The applause of "clap clap clap" sounded instantly; the audience was very appreciative of the director of this wonderful movie!

"The actor playing the male lead... Feng Nagayama!"

"Clap clap clap clap..."

"The actor playing the righteous policeman in the movie... Tomokazu Miura!"

"Clap clap clap clap clap clap~"

"..."

Amidst the continuous applause, shutter sounds, and camera flashes, the media meeting entered the main topic.

"Naoki-san... what was the original intention of filming this movie?" The host threw out the question.

"Haha, as for the original intention, it was probably that when I first saw my grandfather, I felt that this must be a person full of stories..." Naoki Nagayama explained with a smile, "Due to family reasons, I might have seen my grandfather when I was very young, but it was actually only after I became an adult that I could say I first got to know him..."

"Oh? How did that happen?" The host asked the question that was on the minds of the reporters present.

"Because my grandfather was the boss of the Nagayama Group... but my father didn't enter the yakuza and continue the family business... After he grew up, he left my grandfather, opened an izakaya, and only then did we slowly come into being..."

This was the first time Naoki Nagayama had explained his family tree in detail in front of the media. In the past, everyone thought he was the direct heir to the Nagayama Group and believed he had an unclear relationship with the yakuza. This time, he would wash it clean once and for all!

The reporters present, hearing such inside information, were all excited and kept pressing their shutters...

In this era, the relationship between artists and the yakuza is actually very complex. The big star Ken Takakura even had a close friendship with a yakuza boss and received quite a bit of help, but generally, they wouldn't talk about it in front of the camera.

Now Naoki Nagayama actually didn't avoid it at all?

Either he didn't care about his reputation, or he didn't rely on the Nagayama Group at all and wasn't worried in the slightest!

After listening for a long time, the host finally understood Naoki Nagayama's family relationship:

"I see, so Naoki-san only came into contact with his family after becoming an adult~"

"The yakuza of today is like this; the disaster doesn't reach the family, but the family must not participate in the yakuza..." Naoki Nagayama nodded, "Perhaps with such considerations, my grandfather also didn't contact my father for many years~"

Just at this moment, an impatient reporter in the audience asked:

"Then why did Naoki-san contact your grandfather Hayato Nagayama later on?!"

"..." Naoki Nagayama glanced at that guy, "Probably because I was no longer afraid of being implicated~"

When he first saw his grandfather, Naoki Nagayama was already a moderately famous musician, TV producer, well-known novelist, and a wealthy man... It could be said he was already a class with a certain status in Japanese society and already had the ability to resist risks.

And at that time, Hayato Nagayama actually just wanted to see this grandson of his who had suddenly become famous, and didn't want the Nagayama Group to be more deeply involved with him.

It was only later, as Naoki Nagayama's status became higher and higher, and after he paved a retreat for the Nagayama Group with KTVs, that they became increasingly close.

"Please ask questions in an orderly manner, everyone~"

The host interrupted the reporter who still wanted to speak, randomly selected an audience member, and gave the opportunity to others,

"This audience member, do you have anything to ask?"

"Ah, I want to ask!" The lucky audience member was flushed, "Director Nagayama, was there an intention to beautify the yakuza experience? To build your grandfather Hayato Nagayama into a legendary image..."

Naoki Nagayama thought about this question seriously:

"It wasn't particularly beautified; the yakuza were originally at the bottom of society, so naturally, they could only fight with their lives, and after gaining power, they would be arrogant... so naturally, there would also be betrayal, assassination, and finally a dejected exit..."

"In *Hayato's Tale*, the protagonist's own development is very clear: hitting people, mobbing, getting injured, and when he got money, he would go and be dashing... When he was high-spirited, he would be arrogant, but as you saw, he would be betrayed, he would bleed, he would... die..."

"What's more, the final scene can actually be said to be him being dejected and driven out of Tokyo~"

"Being able to return to his hometown in one piece in the end is actually a kind of luck... one in a thousand yakuza might not even have one... most are either injured, disabled, or dead..."

Naoki Nagayama paused and continued,

"Joining the yakuza has no future!"

"..." Feng Nagayama beside him felt that Naoki Nagayama was hinting at his father...

And just at this moment, the host turned the interview opportunity to the absolute protagonist of the movie:

"Mr. Feng Nagayama... may I ask what your thoughts were when you took this role?!"

"..." Feng Nagayama paused and opened his mouth, feeling inexplicably bitter, "If I didn't take it, I would be beaten by my grandfather..."

"..."

Ah, come to think of it, this is the true direct grandson of Hayato Nagayama! Why is everyone focusing their attention on Naoki Nagayama?!

"Why wasn't it Naoki Nagayama himself who acted?" A clever reporter asked quickly, "He is also Hayato Nagayama's grandson, isn't he? And the author of the script, the director of the movie, he would definitely understand the character better..."

After saying this, the reporter saw Naoki Nagayama and Feng Nagayama on stage both look over...

And then he reacted instantly!

One is handsome, one is rugged... the two faces are completely in different styles!!! Hayato Nagayama in his youth was definitely not the handsome type!

Eh? Come to think of it, aren't they cousins? How is the gap so big?!

"This..."

Feng Nagayama was about to answer when he heard the reporter sigh with emotion,

"Eh... Feng-san, no need to answer, I already roughly know the reason..."

"..."

Feng Nagayama was stunned. What's with that rude tone of yours?! What's with that pitying look in your eyes?! Do you have some bad thoughts in your heart!!!

Be careful, I'll beat you up!!!

The scene was inexplicably cold for a moment...

Seeing this, the host wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "Next, let's ask Tomokazu Miura-san... how does it feel to play a policeman this time?!"

As soon as this was said, it was like breaking the ice, and the interview session became lively again...

Tomokazu Miura, with his righteous face, very skillfully dealt with the questions from the reporters and audience below~

There were two more days until the New Year, and the final rehearsals for the Red and White Song Battle and the Japan Record Awards had long been finished; everyone was waiting for the final time to go on stage.

However, before this, Akina Nakamori finally came to the dance studio; she had to practice the performance of *Meuamoré* to keep her body proficient~

"Ah~~~ how could this be!!"

When Akina Nakamori tried to bend over again, she was stopped by her increasingly large belly, making the young mother break down instantly!

"So annoying!!"

Shaking off the band that was playing music, she rushed into the lounge!

Originally, her emotions during pregnancy weren't very stable, and now that the rehearsal had been messed up by this little guy, Akina Nakamori started to emo~

"Sumimasen, Akina-chan is under too much pressure and needs time to adjust..."

In the practice room, Fusoku Meiko hurriedly apologized to the accompaniment teachers. As Akina's manager, he was already used to apologizing...

Akina is usually a gentle and considerate person, but when it comes to things related to performance and work, she is a thorough perfectionist.

Stubborn and domineering, and after becoming famous, she became even stricter with herself and the staff.

This kind of personality naturally leads to rumors of being difficult to get along with and having a big temper in the Japanese society that advocates for Yamato Nadeshiko-style women, and because of this, she has offended quite a few male staff members.

And this time, it was because she hadn't done her best, and under the pressure of performing in two days, Akina had to swallow all her anger herself.

After walking to the lounge, Maki Ueda was trying to persuade her, while Akina Nakamori was lying on the dressing table without saying a word...

"Is Akina-chan feeling better?"

"Still angry about not doing it right during the performance..." Maki Ueda shook her head.

Fusoku Meiko was more experienced after all, and he didn't rush to let Akina recover, but silently poured a glass of warm water, then let Maki Ueda and himself go out, letting her calm down alone.

In the corridor outside the lounge, Maki Ueda was somewhat anxious:

"Akina is inside alone, won't something happen... I heard that pregnant people are prone to depression..."

"Daijoubu..." Fusoku Meiko was very calm, even taking out a cigarette to smoke, "Akina is actually a very strong person, and now she has Naoki-san as a spiritual support... nothing will happen."

"It's just temporary hormones at work; just wait until Akina adjusts~"

"Really?"

"Would I lie?"

After Fusoku Meiko finished smoking a cigarette, the door to the lounge opened... Akina, with slightly red eyes, walked out, full of apologies to her two managers:

"Sumimasen, I've made you worry~"

"It's okay~" Maki Ueda finally breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that Akina-chan is fine!!"

"I don't know what happened just now, I suddenly got very angry at myself..." Akina Nakamori touched her slightly protruding belly, "I even blamed everything on her..."

Maki Ueda hurriedly comforted her:

"This is just a normal pregnancy reaction..."

"I know that too... but at that moment, I was just stubborn..."

Akina Nakamori had just shed tears... this emotion really comes up as soon as it comes, without any buffer at all...

And just at this moment, Akina smelled the smell of smoke, and instantly felt her chest churning, immediately covering her nose:

"Fusoku-san, you smoked!!! Yue~~"

"..."

Looking at Akina Nakamori disappearing at the door of the lounge again, Fusoku Meiko, holding the remaining cigarette butt, felt somewhat helpless...

"Now she's reacting to the smell of smoke again? This little girl is really... living well!"

Before, the things that made Akina vomit during pregnancy were alcohol and the smell of fatty meat... now there's actually an extra smell of smoke...

One can only say that not smoking, not drinking, and not eating greasy food... is very healthy!

"Fusoku-san... it looks like you can't smoke for a while~" Maki Ueda looked at her old partner with some pity; she knew this guy was a heavy smoker...

"Sigh..."

Fusoku Meiko's face turned bitter... and then he immediately thought of something,

"However, it's only for a few days... after the New Year, Akina won't be under our management anymore!!!"

After the Red and White Song Battle, Akina will officially rest to nurture the fetus!!! ===== CHAPTER 974 =====