After rebirth, I became Tokyo Sentimental

Chapter 214, page 213. He has taken very solid steps over the past ten years.

The sky is always overcast during the plum rain season, with gray mist drifting in the wind and fine raindrops weaving a net.

Tokyo.

Setagaya Ward.

Raindrops slanted down, pattering against the large French windows. A figure sat on the sofa, gazing quietly out the window.

Perhaps it was the soothing white noise, or perhaps the gentle caresses of the owner, but the calico cat in the figure's arms remained motionless with its eyes half-closed, its pink belly exposed and completely unguarded.

The living room of the villa, with its ceiling over ten meters high, felt very deserted. Only Yuan Ye Si sat quietly on the sofa, petting the cat, staring blankly at his reflection in the glass, especially at the white hair beside his ears, as if he had long since drifted off into a dream.

However, the wall-mounted TV beside him was still on.

The voice of a news anchor could be heard from the living room.

"In response to the recent incident in which a 77-year-old man in Hyogo Prefecture was attacked by a bear while working in the mountains, the police are urging residents in the surrounding area to be vigilant, not to attempt to fight the bear, and to seek help from the police immediately if they encounter any dangerous situations."

"Next, we'll broadcast another news item."

"Recently, during the 13th regular session of the 217th National Diet, Member of Parliament Tsukasa Harano proposed a suggestion entitled 'On the Diversity of Marriage and the Diversification of Partner Selection,' which has sparked widespread discussion in society and heated debate on the internet."

"According to sources, the wife of Representative Harano is Saka Suzumiya, the then Director of the Vocational Skills Development Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Reporters have interviewed her recently, but have not received any positive response."

"Member of Parliament Yuji Sato described Harano's remarks as suicidal and an act of trampling on the law for personal gain. He proposed that the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office open an investigation into Harano to thoroughly investigate the underlying motives behind his proposal and ensure the authority and impartiality of the law."

"However, surprisingly, Representative Haruno's proposal received widespread support online."

"Netizens claim they would rather the wealthy and politicians occupy more resources, allowing those willing to accept partners to compete internally, than have these individuals continue to corrupt social values, flood the marriage market, and ruin the happiness of most ordinary people. Regarding this phenomenon in online public opinion, a well-known political commentator..."

The host's calm voice came to an abrupt halt before it could finish. Haruno Tsukasa caught a glimpse of Suzumiya Saika still holding the remote control out of the corner of his eye.

The other party stood still, motionless.

The atmosphere gradually became stagnant.

Even the calico cat nestled in Haruno Tsukasa's arms seemed to sense some terrifying pressure. It secretly raised its head to glance at Suzumiya Saka, whose face was as cold as ice, before quickly burying its head under Haruno Tsukasa's armpit.

A few seconds later.

Only then did a emotionless voice emerge from the living room.

"It's time to eat."

After saying that, he didn't care how Haruno Tsukasa would react, as if he were giving a private reminder, and then walked straight towards the living room door.

Haruno Tsukasa was not surprised by this.

He simply pulled the calico cat out from under his arm and followed her away.

They did not ride in the same car.

Under the driver's steady driving, the two black Toyota Century cars slowly drove out of the villa area and headed towards Ikebukuro. Harano Tsukasa turned his head to look out the car window and saw himself more clearly in the glass.

Compared to himself ten years ago, time has indeed left its mark on his face. The more angular facial features are the best example, while the white hairs mixed in at his temples and his deeper eyes give him a sense of calm, insight into the world, and a sense of indifference that comes from having seen through too much.

That's right.

Ten years have passed.

Time is like sand slipping through your fingers; it passes so quickly that anyone who looks back will be amazed, and it always feels like life hasn't been that long.

The pace of this decade.

He walked very steadily.

His career transitioned smoothly. Five years ago, he ran for election from his position as a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly to become the Vice Governor of Tokyo, in charge of labor protection, housing construction, and road management. He stepped down a year ago and was subsequently elected to the House of Representatives, becoming a member of the Diet.

With the economy and finances continuing to improve and high-quality development driving asset accumulation, and through continuous investment in personal connections and rewards for fulfilling wishes from time to time over the years, as of two months ago, Tsukasa Harano had his financial assistant calculate that the currently available liquid funds alone had reached nearly 300 billion yen. In other aspects, such as the market value of various foundations and listed companies, the accumulated amount was even greater. It is no exaggeration to say that, based on the current consumption patterns of the Japanese middle class, it would probably take hundreds of generations to spend it all.

Today, Haruno Tsukasa is thirty-five years old. Although he is not old in modern society, and could even be said to be just entering his prime, he has an undeniable air of weariness about him, as if he is disconnected from the world.

There is, of course, a reason for this.

The reasons naturally stem from aspects of daily life.

Wealth and power, these fascinating things, accumulated more and more over time. But after actually experiencing them, he found that they were just so-so. Just like money, once you have a certain amount, it's really just a number.

Of course.

Haruno Tsukasa wouldn't be so sentimental as to reminisce about the days when he was poor; without a solid financial foundation, it's definitely not feasible.

To those who know him well, Haruno Tsukasa, as a member of parliament, possesses wealth that is difficult for ordinary people to attain. His network and influence are also extensive due to his wife's family and the money paving the way. He can be said to have reached the pinnacle of life. With his current accumulation, it is entirely possible for him to even run for prime minister.

However, as we all know, while standing at the forefront of the tide brings boundless glory, the risks are also boundless.

In the last two years or so, other families in the administration have repeatedly suppressed him, and the conglomerates that control nearly half of Japan's wealth are also eyeing him covetously. After all, Tsukasa Harano has so much money that he can't spend it all, and he uses it to invest in the competition for market share.

If Haruno Tsukasa really wanted to achieve something great, he was actually capable of taking action.

So what if it's a conglomerate?

Entering the cabinet is not just a pipe dream.

But the truth is, it's unnecessary.

Haruno Tsukasa is neither someone with lofty ambitions to start a business in Japan and serve the people, nor does he need to fight those mad dogs of conglomerates for more wealth. That's why he recently chose to sully his own interests by proposing that clearly illegal motion during the Diet session.

He tarnished his reputation to protect himself. After all, he didn't have what he wanted in the arena of power, and there was no point in making enemies for no reason. Having the ability to protect himself was enough.

Over the past decade, family matters alone have been enough of a headache.

They didn't have the time or energy to worry about anything else.

Yuan Ye Si gazed at the rapidly receding rain scene outside the car window, feeling only weariness in his heart. He then put aside his other thoughts, turned his head, and began to close his eyes to rest.

The Toyota Century is often called the Rolls-Royce of Japan for a reason. Its smooth driving experience makes for a great ride, and the driver's driving habits are naturally geared towards enhancing comfort. It wasn't until almost an hour later that Haruno Tsukasa, sitting in the back, was gently reminded that today is June 16th.

It's his birthday.

So, following the custom of the past ten years, the Yuanye family was to hold a family banquet and had booked a private room at a restaurant called Longyinshi in advance. Before he could even step into the private room with the maid in a Japanese-style dress, he could already hear the noisy conversation. He could tell whose voices they were just by listening.

"Yuko, I'm planning to send Taki to Osaka to visit the factory construction site and see things firsthand. If possible, let him learn some basic manual machine operation and attend a few decision-making meetings. It would broaden his horizons. What do you think?"

"Huh? Learning to operate machinery? Isn't Takiei still too young? And wouldn't he understand things like attending meetings?"

"What do you mean 'young'? Taki is almost nine years old now, he's a big boy. We should start getting him familiar with business things. These things need to be cultivated from a young age. After all, if you don't have talent, you have to make up for it with hard work. Even if you suffer a little, it's only right. It's because he's a boy. I feel sorry for him. If I had a girl like some people, I wouldn't need to go through all this trouble to raise her!"

"Meijiang...stop talking..."

"Why can't we say so? Let Yutaro go with us later. It's not a bad thing. It's much better than staying at home eating snacks and watching TV. As a mother, you should start thinking about your son."

"That's too early... After all, it's too early to tell what the child wants to do in the future. I don't think it's necessary to interfere. It seems that Yu Yi is interested in business, so maybe we can start nurturing her a little earlier?"

"Hagoromo? Hmm, that child does have some talent in this area, but as for girls, Yuko, you know how many troubles there will be on this path. I hope that the child will marry into a good family and live a happy life."

"Uh…"

"Humph!"

"Wow!"

As the maid opened the door to the private room, Haruno Tsukasa's figure came into view, and the tense atmosphere that was about to escalate was instantly dispelled.

Haruno Tsukasa surveyed his surroundings with an unchanging expression.

Sato Mie, whose hair was tied up in a bun on the left, was slightly taken aback when she saw him arrive. She then gave a soft hum and looked away, seemingly aware that he had heard what she had said. However, she didn't seem to care much. She turned her head and hugged a little boy playing with a Gundam toy next to her. Shimizu Yuko, who was next to her, sighed slightly, gave Haruno Tsukasa a helpless look, and then tactically took a sip of water.

He then snatched the phone from the hand of a boy who looked about six or seven years old and made him sit up straight.

His gaze continued to sweep across the room, then settled on Chong Zhixi's face. Compared to ten years ago, the timid and weak girl had changed a lot. Her long, black, and shiny hair was now tied up, and she was holding a child who was about a year old in her arms. When she saw his gaze coming towards her, she smiled quietly while gently rocking the child, her beautiful eyes revealing a sense of helplessness.

As for the person who had just been mocked by Sato Mie and then snorted coldly, it was naturally Suzumiya Saka, who had arrived a step earlier than Haruno Tsukasa. At this moment, she exuded a cold aura, and her face was also expressionless. Beside her was a little girl of about ten years old, who seemed completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere in the private room. She was eating desserts without any regard for her image, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel with pine cones. It seemed that the desserts were very much to her liking, as her eyes were so comfortable that they were almost closed.

While she was eating, Kurosaki Orizuki, who was silently sitting to her right, was wiping the corner of her mouth with a blue and white handkerchief. She seemed to be used to this situation and didn't even look up at him.

Haruno Tsukasa was used to this kind of atmosphere and situation at gatherings. He opened his arms and let Shimizu Yuko, who got up and walked around behind him, take off her coat and hang it next to her, saying, "It seems that everyone has arrived today."

"Let's begin the feast, the children are hungry," Suzumiya Saika said immediately after he finished speaking.

After a few seconds of silence, Haruno Tsukasa's expression remained unchanged despite her coldness. He walked between Shimizu Yuko and Shigeshi Ushio and said, "Okay."

Upon receiving the order, the kimono-clad maid standing in the corner of the private room immediately pressed an electronic device clipped to her collar. Within seconds, the sliding door of the private room was pushed open again, and several waitresses carrying various dishes began to be served.

Adults are used to this kind of occasion.

But the children's eyes lit up.

Even though Haruno Tsukasa's status is not what it used to be, he still did not adopt the bad habits and make too many rules. So he only asked the children to say a simple pre-meal prayer to ordinary people and they could start eating immediately.

The children started eating.

The private room started to get chaotic again.

Shizuka Shizuka, standing beside him, remained silent, holding the child in one arm while serving him food. Haruno Tsukasa stopped her, serving her food in return and asking in a low voice, "Did Mitsuya cause trouble again today?"

Mitsuya is the child in Shigeshige's arms.

He was also his third son.

She's only a little over a year old now.

"He was fine this morning, and only cried for a little while this afternoon, but he's much better now, and he shouldn't wake up." Chong Zhixi looked down at the child in her arms, her beautiful eyes revealing a hint of doting affection, and answered his question softly.

"So it's especially noisy in the afternoon?"

"nor…"

“Your health wasn’t very good to begin with, and you also had a pretty big accident when you gave birth to this child. Just do as I said and have a real nanny take care of you.”

"I don't trust anyone else, and besides, Grandma once said that only children who are cared for by their own parents will truly love them..."

"Then you have to take care of yourself first."

"But I really want to take care of it myself..."

Seeing that his attempts to persuade her had failed, Yuan Ye Si had no choice but to give up. He filled her plate with food and then refilled it with water, saying gently, "Let me hold him for a while. You eat first, and I'll give you some more when you're done. As his father, I can't just not take care of him."

Shizuka Shizuka initially wanted to refuse, since it's unacceptable for a wife to start eating first while her husband holds the child. However, under Haruno Tsukasa's compelling gaze, she hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to comply. After quickly eating a dozen bites, she chewed and took the child back, letting Haruno Tsukasa eat.

At the beginning of the dinner, although only the children were enjoying their food, the adults were at least quite quiet.

But at some point, Sato Mie, who was sitting on the far left, started talking about where to take the children to see the summer festival, and before long, the conversation drifted to Suzumiya Saka.

They had been enemies for ten years. Although Sato Mie usually provoked her, Suzumiya Saka never held back, saying hurtful things one after another. For example, she brought up the fact that Sato Mie wasn't married yet, clearly implying that she was the one who was forced to marry Haruno Tsukasa and put Sato Mie in a superior position.

But the latter was so angry that he was going crazy and there was nothing he could do.

The argument quickly escalated into a real fight. Just as Sato Mie was about to slam her fist on the table with eyes blazing with anger, Harano Tsukasa coughed and then, under the former's dark gaze, picked up the glass in front of him and poured some water.

This made Sato Mie's expression soften slightly.

Haruno Tsukasa sighed inwardly.

He has indeed made solid progress over the past decade.

But there are reasons for that.

If he hadn't been so magnanimous, he wouldn't have been able to control his temper.

(End of this chapter)