Chapter 998

The weather warmed up bit by bit. When going out in the morning, you might need to add a windbreaker, but after the sun rises high, a coat is enough to stroll outside.

The cherry trees all over Tokyo were already covered with pink flower buds, waiting for the cherry blossom season to arrive in a few days, while the cherry blossoms in Shanying Yuan had already begun to bloom.

"So beautiful~~~"

Mrs. Mari Nonaka saw the pink and white flowers all over the tree in the morning and couldn't help but stand in the courtyard to admire them.

"They all bloomed in just one night!"

In the courtyard surrounded by green bamboo walls, against the silent white background of the dry landscape, the withered brown branches were covered with a layer of tender white pink flowers, occasionally dropping a few petals in the spring breeze.....

Just such a picture could make a monk with profound Buddhist knowledge feel the Zen meaning~

Eitaro ran around in the courtyard, occasionally stopping to look up at the cherry tree, as if he was also admiring it.

Just at this moment, Naoki Nagayama and Akina went downstairs together, both standing on the eaves corridor admiring the cherry blossoms in the courtyard.

"After one night, they all bloomed~"

Naoki Nagayama said with a smile.

"Mari-san, do you know why this place is called Shanying Yuan now?"

"Yeah..... what an impressive scene....."

Mari Nonaka was very moved. In fact, there are early cherry blossoms in Tokyo's parks, but those are things everyone can see, while this cherry blossom is in the courtyard, and only people in Shanying Yuan can admire it. This exclusive share makes the cherry blossoms feel a bit more special.

"In October, this cherry blossom will bloom again...." Akina said. "It's even rarer at that time..."

"Is it actually a two-season cherry blossom?"

"A specially transplanted variety......"

After chatting for a while, Mari Nonaka reacted:

"Why did Akina-chan get up so early?"

Seeing Akina smiling without saying a word, Naoki Nagayama shook his head:

"Because she said she was going to visit the set today..... so she was so excited that she couldn't sleep......"

"......."

Mari Nonaka didn't understand why she couldn't sleep just because she was visiting the set..... But she didn't ask much more.

"I'll go see how the breakfast is cooking first......"

The two people left behind chatted while admiring the cherry blossoms.

"Akina can sleep a little longer..... visiting the set is in the afternoon...."

Naoki Nagayama said while holding his wife.

"Can't sleep.... " Akina looked at the cherry blossoms in the courtyard and suddenly thought, "Naoki-san, if the cherry blossoms are blooming, are we going to hold a cherry blossom viewing party?!"

Every year when the cherry blossoms in his own courtyard bloom, Naoki Nagayama invites friends and relatives to come and admire them..... It has been going on for several years. People who are close know that those who can come to participate in this gathering are the people in Naoki Nagayama's small circle.

This should be the early prototype of an interest community like a fraternity~

"Let's forget about March and April this year...." Naoki Nagayama looked at Akina's belly. It is very troublesome to manage these things with a big belly. "Let's talk about it when it blooms again in October. It just so happens that the baby will be born by then....."

Akina's due date is in August or September, just about a full month by then, and it can be held together with the full-month banquet.

"Good~"

A preview screening naturally cannot be chosen at midnight.

At the "Bungeiza" cinema in Ikebukuro, the preview screening of *The Man with Zero Presence* started today.

Many media reporters were invited, filling the lobby, and many film enthusiasts, critics, industry insiders, and fans also came to watch.

After all, Shuichi Ido is a well-known director who has won the Blue Ribbon Best Director award, and Shuyue Film's brand is also very big. And unlike Naoki Nagayama, Shuichi Ido has the support of a large group of Tokyo University of the Arts factions behind him, so the face is absolutely very good-looking!

"Thank you very much!" "Welcome!" "Arigato...."

Shuichi Ido was full of smiles, thanking the circle friends and media friends who came in the lobby, fully showing the aura of a well-known director with wide friendships.

Kyo Kijima, as the protagonist of the film, was also greeting guests in the front hall, wearing a bright gold Rolex on his hand, making people see him at a glance, but there was only a forced politeness on his face.....

"Kijima-kun, smile properly for me!"

Shuichi Ido saw it and hurriedly pulled him over to scold him.

"The preview screening is very important! There will be a media meeting later!"

"......."

Kyo Kijima couldn't smile. Clearly, he was happily busy on the set of *Tokyo Love Story* yesterday, showing his face in front of Naoki Nagayama, and could also enjoy the gossip between Naoki-san and Kanako Higuchi.

And today he was threatened and called over to stand on the field...... And he has to go on a roadshow for publicity later......

Plus, when filming this movie, he was forced to be the protagonist.....

How could he be happy~

Shuichi Ido saw Kyo Kijima's look of smiling but not smiling, and didn't have a very good way. After all, Kyo Kijima is also a mature director, having directed several well-known dramas and films, and is not as easy to handle as an intern director who just entered the company.....

He could only sigh that the child is grown and not controlled by the mother...... Alas, I don't know if I should be happy or angry.....

Then..... there is only one way left!

"Kijima-kun, you don't want to lose the filming opportunity for *Tiger of Ginza*, right!"

Shuichi Ido approached Kyo Kijima and threatened softly.

"Then smile happily for me!"

"!!! Shuichi-san, you......"

Kyo Kijima looked at Shuichi Ido angrily. He didn't expect that the Shuichi-san he had always respected would use such a method to threaten him again!

Does he think that I, Kyo Kijima, really can't let go of a mere *Tiger of Ginza*?!

"......."

The two of them stared at each other for a while, and finally Kyo Kijima lowered his eyes...... Shuichi-san really knows people!

Instead, he revealed a smile and enthusiastically greeted the incoming audience......

Shuichi Ido was satisfied and continued to entertain his friends in the circle!

When the people who came were almost there, as the lights dimmed, the screen began to show images, and *The Man with Zero Presence* officially began to screen.

A child who had no presence since childhood was ignored by people from childhood to adulthood. As he grew older, his presence became lower and lower, until the end, everyone seemed to see him, but ignored him......

However, this man thought of a way to use this ability:

He could take things from convenience stores without paying, go to clothing stores to change clothes and cut tags directly, go to department stores for zero-dollar shopping without running away, and even when he wanted to rob a bank, although he was stopped by the strict security measures of the machine, the security guard forgot about catching him in the blink of an eye.....

The funny conflicts in it even made people feel that *The Man with Zero Presence* is actually a comedy~

The audience below laughed and started whispering:

"This ability is also convenient!" "Don't have to worry about anything!" "No one cares, how free and easy!"

"If I had this ability, I could go to the women's bathhouse openly!"

"Oh ho ho? Brother, we have a tacit understanding!"

"Then.... let's go have a drink in a while?"

"Must!"

"......."

Amidst the discussion of the crowd, the film continued to play.

After the excitement and pleasure of the first few decades, the grown-up protagonist found that life was becoming less and less interesting.

No friends could remember him, the person he liked didn't have him in her eyes, even if he found a job, he was a transparent person in the workplace. Not to mention that no one praised his achievements, even when he made mistakes, no one criticized him......

In the whole society, the protagonist is like a ghost shuttling through the crowd, even if he occasionally contacts people, he is quickly forgotten and ignored.

Life is like a lonely journey~

"How come it's a bit sad...." "Living like this, it seems there is no meaning!" "Yeah..... what's the difference between this and a ghost...."

"..."

The two spoke one after another, directly laying out the general plot of the script. And with a place to channel their experiences, Naoki Nagayama found that their spirits had lifted quite a bit.

"Alright then, I'll leave the script for *Tiger of Ginza* to you two!"

"Hai!" X2

After Masataka Komori led the two out of the office, looking revitalized, Otomo Yoshimura complained:

"Naoki-san... sending company employees to do such dangerous work, isn't that a bit... They are still young people!"

"I didn't know either... I originally thought it was a welfare mission, letting them see the world..." Naoki Nagayama shook his head. "I haven't participated in similar activities myself... Who knew rich people were so crazy... Does Otomo-san know?"

"This..."

Otomo Yoshimura's mouth opened slightly.

"I've heard a little bit..."

"??!!"

Seeing Naoki Nagayama's suspicious gaze, Otomo Yoshimura immediately said:

"I have never participated in one!!!"

"... Really?"

"At most, I've attended club parties..."

Going to clubs and red-light districts was considered normal social behavior in Japan and wasn't excessive.

Come to think of it, perhaps it was because Tree Friends rose too quickly; after Otomo Yoshimura and Yin Yin Tangxiu became wealthy, they didn't even have time to learn bad habits.

Or perhaps it was because Naoki Nagayama set such a good example that his two good friends didn't become debauched after their sudden wealth, and the entire Tree Friends company was in a good atmosphere.

However, Naoki Nagayama still glanced at Otomo Yoshimura's lower half, revealing a suspicious look:

"Otomo-san, you're getting on in years, you should attend fewer of those parties..."

"!!! Naoki Nagayama!!!"

Naoki Nagayama hurriedly fled Otomo Yoshimura's office, only to run into Yin Yin Tangxiu walking over from the elevator.

"Naoki-san, what's wrong? You look like you're in a hurry."

"Haha, Otomo-san is angry, better not provoke him for now!"

Naoki Nagayama said.

"Xiu-san, what are you doing?"

"Ah... I'm here..." Yin Yin Tangxiu's face broke into a smile. "*The Man with Zero Presence* has finally finished editing. I'm here to invite you and Otomo-san to watch it..."

"It's finished editing!"

Naoki Nagayama was also surprised. Yin Yin Tangxiu had been busy with this movie since last year, and the progress had been dragging on. He hadn't expected it to be completed today.

"Then I must take a good look!"

"Naoki-san, you go ahead first!" Yin Yin Tangxiu said. "Although you said he's angry, I still have to try and call Otomo-san over..."

"... Ganbatte!"

In the editing room, Araki Shizhi had already set up the projector and, by the way, called Masataka Komori over as well.

"Naoki-san..." Araki Shizhi hurriedly greeted him when he saw Naoki Nagayama.

"Ah, Araki-kun, long time no see..." Naoki Nagayama nodded. "You've been busy in the editing room all these days, right?!"

Araki Shizhi's face was full of resentment:

"... Naoki-san, we were just discussing script creation a few days ago..."

"..." Naoki Nagayama paused and looked at Araki Shizhi's wrist. "Araki-kun, you can't blame me... Why aren't you wearing the Rolex anymore?!"

"... Xiu-san said we need to restore the original look..."

"Then there's nothing to be done about it..."

While Naoki Nagayama was chatting with Araki Shizhi, Yin Yin Tangxiu managed to drag Otomo Yoshimura to the editing room, preparing to watch the preview version of the movie.

Otomo Yoshimura glanced at Naoki Nagayama and didn't speak... The humiliation from just a moment ago couldn't be forgotten so quickly!

"Alright, alright... Let's begin!"

Pulling down the curtains and turning off the lights, Yin Yin Tangxiu hurriedly signaled Masataka Komori to start the projection.

The screen lit up, showing an apartment in the center of Tokyo, but there was a very strange notice posted on the door: "This room has been rented, someone is living here, it is not abandoned, and it is not haunted"...

Around the main door, there were actually all kinds of talismans to ward off evil, as if people all believed this house was a haunted mansion~

An ordinary man pushed open the door to reveal an empty 1DK apartment without even much furniture. The man changed his clothes, walked into the bathroom to wash up, and then looked up into the mirror...

He began to speak slowly:

"I am a man with zero presence..."

The scene began to change: he was forgotten by his parents at the hospital the moment he was born, and it was only because he cried from hunger that the nurse discovered him and sent him back. From infancy, his parents couldn't remember his existence; sometimes he was forgotten while being carried on their backs, or they would forget to pick him up from kindergarten...

Fortunately, his parents gradually realized this and covered the house with small notes to remind themselves that they had a child...

In elementary school, he was always the air in the classroom; speaking suddenly would startle people, so he had always been alone...

After entering middle school, no one bullied him, and he just drifted through high school... and he never had a romance...

He was always the one ignored in a crowd...

Naoki Nagayama and the others watched the film's narrative, seeing the male lead go from hating his low presence to starting to use his presence to make a living after becoming an adult, and then to searching for a solution...

Until he went to Naoki Nagayama's home and requested the Rolex watch he wore...

"Naoki-san actually acted in it too!" "Is this the third movie Naoki-san has acted in?"

"..." Otomo Yoshimura looked at the watch on Araki Shizhi's wrist. "Araki-kun, did you pay Naoki-san for this watch?"

Naoki Nagayama hurriedly explained:

"Consider this a reward for Araki-kun... The previous few TV dramas achieved good ratings, making the TV station very satisfied..."

"I see..."

In the end, the movie concluded with Araki Shizhi finally finding the other half who could notice him—a soulmate—and the two lived a happy life.

Yin Yin Tangxiu asked excitedly:

"Naoki-san, what do you think?!"

"Hmm... I actually think it's very interesting and heartwarming... But that might be because I participated in it myself~" Naoki Nagayama turned the topic to Otomo Yoshimura. "Otomo-san, what do you think?"

"Me?"

Otomo Yoshimura thought for a while, and his brow actually furrowed.

"I seem to have forgotten the plot already..."

Yin Yin Tangxiu felt as if he had been struck by lightning:

"It's over... It really has become a movie with zero presence!"

"..."

The few people in the editing room looked at each other, and for a moment, they didn't know what to do! How could a movie that people couldn't remember possibly have box office success, how could it possibly be a hit?!

"How about..." Masataka Komori suggested, "we treat it as a thriller?!"

"A midnight screening?"

"You don't feel scared after watching it, but as soon as you walk out of the cinema, you feel like a part of your memory has been stripped away!"

"Thinking about it that way, it really is thrilling!"

"Reverse marketing—absolutely no one will be able to remember the plot of this movie!"

"Interesting... we can give it a try!"

Naoki Nagayama proposed the reverse marketing strategy, using this point as a gimmick in media reports, stating in advance that after watching this movie, absolutely no one would be able to remember the plot.

This would attract audiences to walk into the cinema to watch it, and by the way, spread the word among movie enthusiasts...

Who knows, maybe an urban legend will come out of this!

However, Shuichi Ido and the others were not in a hurry, but instead told the reporters that they could ask more questions and record slowly, the richer the information, the better......

And the reporters also saved a lot of information in their own film tapes and notebooks. Until the end, a reporter was a little curious:

"Director Ido, I heard a promotion...."

"It is said that this is an urban legend, a film with zero presence, and you will forget it when you walk out of the cinema..... May I ask if this is a special publicity method planned by Shuyue Film?!"

"Hahaha, it really is~"

"Is it specifically promoted this way because of the film title *The Man with Zero Presence*?"

"....... Regarding this point......"

Shuichi Ido's eyes flickered.

"You will understand soon....."

"???"

The lively preview screening finally ended. As the meeting dispersed, the screening hall gradually emptied.

At this time, Eiichiro Watanabe walked to Shuichi Ido's side, looking a little worried:

"Shuichi-san.... reporters won't really forget, right? If even the subsequent reports are forgotten....."

"No....."

Although he was a little uneasy about filming an "abnormal" film, Shuichi Ido still said,

"Didn't we experiment? The deeper the impression, the more relevant information, the more lasting the memory of this film....."

"With photos, recordings, and notes, they won't forget so quickly!"

"But.... what if...."

Eiichiro Watanabe was still a little worried.

"So didn't we arrange press releases later? If it really doesn't work, we'll just use our press releases to promote it!"

"Yes, that's the only way!"

"......."

When it was night, the film enthusiasts who attended the preview wanted to chat with their companions about the movie they watched today, but suddenly they couldn't say anything.....

"I went to watch that *The Man with Zero Presence*..... However, it seems I can't remember the plot of the film...."

"You guy, are you playing with people!"

The friend didn't believe it, thinking that this guy was playing with people,

"This is not good! Tell us how the movie is!"

"....... Really can't remember....."

The film enthusiast was also confused,

"I clearly remember watching it, and I thought it was very interesting...... I was thinking of coming back and telling you!"

"....... If you play with people again, I will turn my face!"

"Really really..... I remember Naoki Nagayama appeared! And the booth in Dongjingwan!!!"

"Can't remember anything else, just remember the booth in Dongjingwan, right...... Believe it or not, I'll let you go to the booth in Dongjingwan!"

"......."

Many people remember watching this movie, but they only vaguely remember some plots......

Even the reporters who attended the film preview at the time, when they returned to the company to write the manuscript, still remembered the content of the reporter's interview, remembered what the director and the protagonist said, but the specific plot of the film was also slightly blurred....

Gradually, the urban legend of "a film with zero presence" began to spread for real!!!