Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 512 Discussing Business

The elderly chatted for an hour or two, gradually growing tired. When it was time to sleep, they dispersed in twos and threes, feeling they had gained a lot, as if they had tasted the first fresh juicy gossip.

We'll have to keep an eye on this; who knows what big news might unfold when the young couple meets their elders.

After tidying up the room and dining table, Yuan Yuzi couldn't help but let her mind wander again.

Grandma Hamada's words put a lot of pressure on her; and Hira Sakurako's unintentional remark also made her uneasy.

I'm meeting my grandfather tomorrow. What if things don't go smoothly?
She shared her anxieties with Fushimi-kun, explaining that since they were now a couple, they should share their troubles together—and that she hoped he would talk to her about any future troubles he might have.

"Are you still thinking about this?"

Fushimi Shika felt that if he didn't give Minamoto Tamako some proper advice, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. He was busy laying out the bedding on the tatami mats when he casually asked, "How old is your grandfather this year?"

"It seems like... he's over eighty, right?" Yuan Yuzi rested her chin on her hand and recalled.

“He doesn’t have much time left to live, why bother about his opinion? If he disagrees, we can go back to Tokyo and live our lives as usual. After he dies, we can do whatever we want. If he agrees, then everyone will be happy, and we can enjoy some family bliss before we die.”

Fushimi Shika shook the blanket and blurted out something outrageous: "I hope he doesn't get ungrateful, or he deserves to be a lonely old man."

Yuan Yuzi quickly said, "Grandpa doesn't only have my mother as a daughter, he also has two sons..."

"Then it doesn't matter at all. He doesn't need another granddaughter like you. It doesn't matter who he marries. I'm not a thug or a fugitive. The fact that the daughter of the Kujo family is with me doesn't ruin the family's reputation."

Fushimi Shika lay down, signaling to Minamoto no Tamako not to overthink it; he was going to sleep first.

I'm sleeping on a shared bed again tonight, on the floor in the old house's living room. Through the paper door, I can see the moonlight and the shadows of the trees, giving me a feeling of being in a Taiga drama or a rural NTR action movie.

Genjiro and Hirako took a shower and then went to bed. They didn't cause any more trouble and lay quietly, probably because they had learned from last night's experience and wouldn't make the same mistake again tonight.

The next morning, before the alarm clock rang, the sound of a car horn could be heard outside the door.

Fushimi Shika was awakened by the noise. He was always a light sleeper, prone to dreaming, and easily woken by the slightest disturbance. Outside the window, there were not only ship horns, but also the sounds of vehicles, cargo being unloaded at the dock, and fishermen's calls as they set sail…

So annoying!
Fushimi Shika rubbed his eyes, hugged the blanket, and pushed open the window, letting in the sounds of the outside world. He squinted and looked out; the morning light shone on the sea, making it sparkle, and the coastal docks were full of life.

Hmph, in a few years, when the Kujo family monopolizes the fishing industry, you'll all lose your jobs.

Fushimi Shika is like a vampire, hiding indoors where the sun doesn't reach, clutching a blanket, watching humans with a rather sinister gaze.

It was only 5 a.m. He usually goes to bed at 11 p.m., following his usual biological clock, so he has only slept for six hours.

I never expected people in the countryside to get up so early; the sun rises even earlier than in the city. If Fushimi Shika remembers correctly, at this time of year, the sun isn't even up in Tokyo by 6 a.m.!

At the same time, Minamoto no Tamako and Hirako Sakurako rolled over on the bed, using the pillow to cover their heads and ears.

"Why did you open the window...?"

Gen Tamako muttered under her breath, "It's so noisy, turn it off quickly..."

In the past, Fushimi Shika would have kept the window open, embodying the spirit of "If I can't sleep, neither can you."

But Fushimi Shika wouldn't do that now. He turned around and closed the window, instantly halving the noise outside. It wasn't because he was more human-like, but because he didn't want Minamoto no Tamako to look like she'd been 'ravaged all night' when he met the head of the Kujo family.

I went out without earplugs, and now I'm in big trouble.

Fushimi Shika had no choice but to tear off a few strips of tissue paper, plug her ears, and continue sleeping for a few more hours before going back to sleep.

My sleep afterwards was hazy and restless, like I was asleep and awake at the same time. When I got up, I had a splitting headache and my throat was a little dry.

Whenever he has trouble sleeping, Fushimi Shika thinks of his "hypnosis" skill, but unfortunately he can't use it, otherwise his sleep quality would improve dramatically.

Well, it doesn't necessarily have to be used by myself; it's better to teach others...

While brushing his teeth, Fushimi Shika was lost in thought.

Minamoto no Tamako and Hirako also got up, and the three of them took turns brushing their teeth and washing up at the sink before changing their clothes.

I'm going to see my elders today, so I need to dress formally.

Minamoto no Tamako had prepared her clothes in advance. She unfolded a black and gold kimono, put on a white yuban, frowned and adjusted her obi (waist sash), and stumbled half a step when she tiptoed into her ivory-colored straw sandals. She tied the taiko knot crookedly three times before she could barely stand up.

Hira Sakurako was forced to wear a pink goldfish-patterned furisode, the sash binding her so tightly she looked like a puppet on strings. Already having a blank expression, this outfit made her look even more like a porcelain doll.

She found the clothes troublesome to wear, so she rolled up the cumbersome sleeves and tucked them into her belt, revealing half of her white, fleshy skirt.

Fushimi Shika, wearing a tie, looked them up and down and asked, "Where did you get these two outfits?"

“Of course, my mom prepared it for me. It’s not cheap. I heard it’s an antique, a family heirloom. Look at this embroidery, it’s made of real gold thread. You can’t buy it even if you want to.” Yuan Yuzi was a little proud.

Fushimi Shika let out a "boom" and asked, "What if you accidentally spill your cola while drinking it?"

“How could I possibly drink cola! Wearing this outfit means I can’t eat anything today,” Yuan Yuzi tightened her waist, making her appear even more slender and petite. “At most, I’ll dab some tea on my lips to moisten my throat.”

Fushimi Shika felt it was a bit too formal; it wasn't like she was getting married or engaged, it was just a meeting with her elders.

But Minamoto no Tamako didn't think so. Having received a privileged upbringing, she knew that in such formal social settings, not wearing appropriate attire would easily make her look down upon.

“Don’t underestimate clothes; they’re a woman’s armor!” said Yuan Yuzi.

Fushimi Shika also understood this principle. As the saying goes, clothes make the man and a saddle makes the horse. Whenever you need someone's help, you have to dress presentably to make a good impression. Even bosses who don't like cars will buy a few luxury cars as a status symbol for business receptions.

"Will my suit look bad if I wear it today?" Fushimi Shika asked.

"It's okay, wear whatever you want."

Minamoto no Tamako treated him like a servant and didn't care whether he was dressed properly. In Minamoto no Tamako's mind, she was the great general at this meeting, and she had to wear battle armor and fight against her elders, withstand all the pressure, and gain everyone's approval of Fushimi-kun.

She couldn't let Fushimi suffer because of her family background; that would make her an incompetent girlfriend!

Two hours later, the three were ready. Fushimi Shika finished in ten minutes and then waited outside for Minamoto no Tamako.

He called a taxi company in Hokkaido and hired a car. The driver was a former colleague of his, and the two chatted about their recent lives in the car.

After much rambling, Fushimi Shika finally got to see Minamoto no Tamako and Hirako Sakurako.

The two looked like a 'rich young lady and her little maid', walking one after the other with small, quick steps, completely unlike their energetic demeanor when working at the police station.

The driver complimented Fushimi Shika on how lucky he was to have married such a beautiful and wealthy wife. He wasn't blind; a kimono like that would cost tens of thousands of yen just to rent, so it was probably custom-made.

Fushimi Shika gave a few perfunctory "uh-huhs" and "yeahs".

Genji got into the car, gave the address, and the details of the journey are unnecessary to elaborate on. When they arrived at the Kujo family's manor, Genji rolled down the window, and the gatekeeper only glanced at her before letting them through.

As the taxi entered the manor, Fushimi Shika looked out the window and saw the Tang-style gatehouse covered in moss, with bronze bird-startling bells hanging from the eaves, motionless in the wind.

The cobblestone path was lined with red pines that had survived the winter. Two servants dressed in dark-colored tunics stood in front of the main house’s entrance: “By order of the master, please move aside and wait.”

As Fushimi Shika walked around, he noticed that the zaibatsu (financial conglomerates) really knew how to enjoy life. The central aisle was as bright as a mirror, and there were always a few exquisite antiques displayed at the corners of the corridors.

With her eyes lowered and her hands tucked into her sleeves, Yuan Yuzi walked quickly, her steps small, leading the way for the two.

The servant lifted half of the bamboo curtain, revealing the white sand raked into ripples in the dry landscape garden. The room contained only three hard tatami mats, with a plain Shino tea bowl placed on a low table in the center.

The butler knelt in the shadows beside the door, his hands resting on his knees, bowing respectfully to welcome Miss Yuzi.

The three knelt down according to etiquette, and a servant served tea, saying that the head of the Kujo family would arrive soon.

Fushimi Shika didn't like these kinds of occasions. He could only sit there like a wooden statue. Even looking around would seem frivolous, because everyone else was in a meditative state. He couldn't be the only one acting like Sun Wukong, could he?

I don't know what Gentamako said to Hirako, but the latter was very well-behaved today. She didn't make a fuss about wearing a mask, nor did she have any social anxiety. She sat quietly next to Gentamako, playing the role of a supporting character.

That's quite a show of force.

The three waited for a while before Kujo Mutsu's footsteps approached, accompanied by the thud of his ivory-handled cane hitting the ground. The bamboo curtain was lifted by a servant, and the moment the old man stepped into the Japanese-style room, Fushimi Shika smelled the strong aroma of sea salt mixed with herbs.

He wore an iron-gray kimono with a tatami pattern, the taut fabric at the shoulders revealing his bony frame. His gray-white eyes swept over the three kneeling figures, finally fixing on Minamoto no Tamako, and he finally revealed a slight smile: "Long time no see, do you still remember your grandfather?"

Old people always like to ask these kinds of questions. When Kujo Mutsu hugged Minamoto Tamako, she hadn't even started to remember things yet, so how could she possibly remember?

But Minamoto nods, saying that her mother often mentioned her father, so she always remembers her grandfather.

Wow, you're so good at saying nice things?
Fushimi Shika was slightly surprised and glanced at Minamoto no Tamako.

Kujo Mutsumi sat down in the head seat and inquired about Minamoto Tamako's recent situation. Like any ordinary grandfather, he was showing concern for his granddaughter, without any of the usual tension or hidden agendas. Minamoto Tamako answered truthfully, though she couldn't resist embellishing some details slightly, such as her numerous merits within the Metropolitan Police Department, her current period of reflection, and the admiration of many younger colleagues…

In short, I want to convey one message:
She, Minamoto no Tamako, the granddaughter of the Kujo family, is now quite successful!

Kujo Mutsu listened with a chuckle, nodding and saying "good" as he spoke. He also praised his granddaughter for being cute and casually patted her ahoge (cowlick), looking like he was enjoying a moment of family bliss.

After the foreplay was done, Minamoto no Tamako quietly steered the conversation to the main topic, turning to introduce Fushimi Shika: "This is my current boyfriend, Shika-kun, whose surname is Fushimi, and he is also a detective in the Metropolitan Police Department."

Kujo Mutsumi finally looked at Fushimi Shika properly: "Oh, Yui mentioned it to me."

Fushimi Shika nodded in greeting and then introduced himself.

Then, Mutsumi Kujo launched into a barrage of fatal questions: 'How much is your salary?', 'Do you own a car and a house?', 'What are your future plans?'...

Fushimi Shika admitted that he had made a lot of money from stock trading, enough to buy a car and a house in Tokyo, and that he planned to work part-time as a financial advisor in the future.

Kujo Mutsumi, slightly curious, asked a few more questions, wanting to know how a civil servant could become a financial advisor. There was no need to hide it, since it was Kujo Yui who had handled it, and he didn't need to conceal it from Kujo Yui's father, so he told him the truth.

After listening, Kujo Mutsu nodded without commenting, and then asked Fushimi Shika if he had any hobbies or interests.

Fushimi Shika's hobbies used to be reading case files, but now they are playing video games, watching dramas, watching the excitement, having fun, and playing with tamagoyaki.

But what he said was a different story: "I like working out, practicing kendo, negotiating and debating, and solving cases. My biggest hobby is probably work..."

Upon hearing this, Minamoto no Tamako and Hirako both glanced at Fushimi Shika.

Neither of them said a word, they just silently counted on their fingers.

Kujo Mutsu seemed intrigued and said, "In that case, try to persuade me to hand my granddaughter over to you."

“She is not an object; I believe she has her own judgment,” Fushimi Shika said.

Kujo Mutsu looked Fushimi Shika up and down, his face still bearing a kind smile. He suddenly stood up, leaning on his cane, and said, "Shika-kun, come fishing with me."

Minamoto no Tamako wanted to follow, but Kujo Mutsu gestured for her to wait in the Japanese-style room. If she got bored, the butler could lead her around.

There's something I need to say to Fushimi Shika alone.

Genji had no choice but to give up, watching as the servants helped Kujo Mutsu walk away. Fushimi Shika followed behind Kujo Mutsu, turned around and gave Genji a gesture of respect.

There was a fishpond next to the house. As Kujo Mutsu stepped into the veranda, the servant waiting outside immediately handed him two black bamboo fishing rods. The two took them, sat down by the veranda, and began to bait the fish, while the servant helped them prepare the bait.

Kujo Mutsumi skillfully cast his fishing rod, then sat cross-legged, resembling an old fisherman.
"Xiaowei said that Lu Jun is very good at solving cases?"

Fushimi Shika also cast his fishing rod and sat down to wait for a fish to bite. To be honest, the weather outside was perfect for fishing; it wasn't too hot or too cold, and the breeze was quite pleasant.

"It's so-so," he said.

Kujo Mutsu let out a "hmph" and then asked, "Is Shika-kun interested in investigating cases?"

Fushimi Shika assumed the old man was trying to understand him and casually replied, "Not really interested, but Tamako is very interested; she loves investigating cases."

“I know that,” Kujo Mutsu said. “She probably takes after her mother.”

"Commander Kujo is also an outstanding woman. I sincerely admire you for raising such an excellent daughter." Fushimi Shika began to flatter.

This old man is practically a father-in-law, so it's not shameful to flatter him. Who hasn't flattered their father-in-law before?
"Well, actually, before Yuzi brought you back, I was worried that you would be sickly like her father."

As Kujo Mutsu spoke, his hands remained motionless, his fishing rod steady, and not a ripple appeared on the water: "Now I can finally relax a little. At least you didn't lie about your fitness and sword practice."

Fushimi Shika understood his unspoken meaning: "And what about the other half? Do you still have any concerns?"

Kujo Mutsu gazed at the buoy on the water and slowly spoke: "She has the blood of the Kujo family flowing in her veins, and ultimately she is a member of the Kujo family, destined to contribute to the clan. If she marries you, what will the Kujo family gain?"

He glanced sideways at Fushimi Shika, whose expression was calm as he focused on fishing. He continued, "Don't blame me for being blunt, but some things have to be laid bare... The Kujo family doesn't need detectives or financial advisors. Marrying you is like losing a rich heiress."

“Marriage is not a business transaction,” Fushimi Shika said.

“For the Kujo family, marriage is a business transaction.” Kujo Mutsumi paused, then gave an example: “Yui eats my food, uses my things, and leverages the family’s connections to become the director of the Metropolitan Police Department. She has to do something for this family, right?”

"Didn't she do anything?" Fushimi Shika asked.

“There’s nothing she can do. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and the Hokkaido Police Department are separate entities, and she has no jurisdiction over Hokkaido.”

Kujo Mutsumi sighed: "If she had married a politician and climbed to that position on her own, I would have respected her a bit. But she made her family spend a lot of money to raise her social standing, and then she married a sickly man. All that effort from her family went down the drain... Tell me, didn't the Kujo family lose out?"

Fushimi Shika understood what he meant. Once Kujo Yui became Superintendent General of Police, she would no longer be just a rich girl, but a "rich girl with power" who could unite the Kujo family with a more powerful family.

Tokyo also has its own wealthy and powerful families. Only by marrying Kujo Yui into a worthy and prestigious family can the Kujo family realize Kujo Yui's value.

That's the logic, but saying it like that feels too cold and impersonal.

“You lost out,” Fushimi Shika said, “but you couldn’t persuade her otherwise.”

Kujo Mutsumi sighed, “I can’t deny that I’m getting old. My children and grandchildren all have their own plans. I know that nowadays people want to have free love and human rights… but if the children are all free, do we still need this family? There’s no such thing as enjoying benefits without giving anything in this world. The Kujo family isn’t the imperial family; we can’t just give without taking anything in.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Fushimi Shika's fishing rod trembled slightly, and Kujo Mutsu was taken aback, only to see that he had pulled up a carp.

Fushimi Shika cast his line, tossed the carp into a basket to the side, rebaited it, and said, “Tamako is different from Commander Kujo; she doesn’t rely on the Kujo family.”

Kujo Mutsu chuckled: "What, is the kind of education she received from childhood something that every Japanese person enjoys? There are plenty of girls her age, but how many of them are as smart as her?"

He knew what Fushimi Shika was about to say and predicted it in advance: "Even if her intelligence is innate, it's because of the good genes of the Kujo family. Her blood, her bones, her flesh all come from the Kujo family. Without the family choosing excellent spouses for marriage generation after generation, how could they have given birth to excellent offspring?"

As he spoke, Kujo Mutsu also caught a carp: "The Imperial Family does have free love, but look at that group of people, they're either idiots or morons. If Yui hadn't married a sickly man, Tamako would have been much taller."

Fushimi Shika really couldn't refute that.

He understood what Kujo Mutsu meant. Now Kujo Mutsu had given him two choices: either prove his worth or back down and stop thinking about climbing the social ladder.

Fushimi Shika gazed at the water and said, "If you want to break even, there has to be a price, right? How rich a merchant does Tamako have to marry to break even? How high a government official does she have to marry to make a profit? You can't expect her to marry the President of the United States, can you?"

Kujo Mutsumi said, "To be honest, my expectations of her were neither too high nor too low."

Fushimi Shika was no longer as polite as before: "That's quite high."

Kujo Mutsumi readily admitted, "I guess so. I hope she can find an ambitious and capable young man, preferably one who is a loner, powerless, cut off from his blood relatives, and willing to change his surname to Kujo."

As he spoke, he tossed a piece of bait into the water: "The Kujo family is just a name. If you have the surname Kujo, you have the blood of the Kujo family flowing in your veins."

Fushimi Shika finally understood why this old geezer was willing to chat with him for so long.

He gripped the fishing rod and asked, "Why don't you think about forming a marriage alliance with a powerful family?"

Kujo Mutsu said, "Her surname is Minamoto, so she'll be at a disadvantage no matter how she marries. If Yui is willing to get married, that's a win for her, and she won't be bullied after she gets married."

Fushimi Shika then asked, "So, do you have someone in mind?"

Kujo Mutsumi clicked his tongue twice, shook his head, and said, "Hard to say. There's a guy who seems alright, but he lacks ambition and might not be willing to work for the Kujo family in the future. What's the use of having someone who's physically present but mentally absent?"

He failed once; the fish bit the bait but didn't take the hook.

Kujo Mutsu wasn't annoyed. He slowly baited the hook again, cast it, and said, "I'm not afraid of ambitious men, I'm afraid of men who want nothing but Tamako's body."

The old man was making veiled accusations, and Fushimi Shika felt as if his entire loincloth had been laid bare before him.

"Maybe that person is biding their time, waiting for the right price to come in?" he said, making up a story.

Kujo Mutsumi raised an eyebrow, glanced at Fushimi Shika, and asked, "Is that so? Then please pass on a message for me, saying that the Kujo family needs his help, and the reward will be negotiable afterward."

He paused, then added, "Of course, this has nothing to do with Tamako, nor with her future marriage or relationship. Just consider it a business outsourced by the Kujo family."

Fushimi Shika sensed something amiss. He didn't really want to cause trouble at this juncture, but he couldn't help asking, "What kind of business?"

“A week ago, a northerner came to Sapporo and died on the street.”

Kujo Mutsu didn't mention business to Fushimi Shika or talk about family business. He immediately brought up a murder case: "The police are currently searching for the murderer, and the yakuza are also on the move. I've sent people to inquire several times, but there's been no progress."

He turned slightly to the side, leaning against Fushimi Shika's shoulder, staring into Fushimi Shika's eyes, and lowered his voice: "Find out the real culprit and bring him to the Kujo family. Fifty million yen for the living, ten million yen for the dead."

(End of this chapter)