America: My Time

Chapter 215 Persuasion
Chapter 215 Persuasion

Although Hitomi Kuroki hasn't been in the entertainment industry for very long, she's well aware of its darker side, and such incidents are not uncommon. In Hitomi's opinion, Naoko is a bit foolish, choosing the difficult path of an entertainer when she could have had better opportunities. However, Hitomi also senses that John likes Naoko's kind and gentle nature, but she doesn't know how long that affection will last, and she's unwilling to walk down this unknown path!
Because of everything she had suffered before, her thinking had changed drastically. In Hitomi Kuroki's eyes, Naoko was not her enemy, but her collaborator or 'ally,' because she knew better than Naoko how many women were behind a powerful figure like John, and those were her competitors and threats.

Although Kuroki Hitomi's time with Naoko was short, she gained a lot of information about John from her during that limited time. She learned that John had a woman in Hong Kong, and that Naoko had met John's parents and even gained their approval. This put Kuroki Hitomi under pressure, which put Naoko in a more advantageous position.

Hitomi Kuroki didn't believe John would only have one woman in Hong Kong, and in fact, as time went on, John would have even more women around him. Under these circumstances, Hitomi naturally understood how to choose. Going against Naoko was something only a fool would do, an act only a stupid woman would make; it would only disgust John.

Most importantly, in Hitomi Kuroki's eyes, Naoko was not a threat to her, because she did not see such a mentality in Naoko, or rather, Naoko had no intention of suppressing her or making things difficult for her, even the impact of her appearance on Naoko was the same.

Of course, Hitomi Kuroki was also extremely jealous of Naoko's good fortune. If she were Naoko, she would never continue her so-called entertainment career; it was simply a foolish thing to do, a foolish choice. Even if she didn't want to participate in corporate management in Japan, and didn't have the ability, she could have focused on following John and increasing her own presence. But Naoko didn't do that, which was something Hitomi Kuroki couldn't understand.

John was very satisfied with Hitomi Kuroki's choice. It was clear from her choice that she was ambitious, unlike Naoko, who was a woman without ambition and with a gentle personality, possessing the qualities of a Yamato Nakako. But Hitomi Kuroki did not have that quality; John did not see it in her.

Of course, John also admired Kuroki Hitomi's ambition, because she knew what she wanted and understood what she could and couldn't do—in short, she was a smart woman. John was naturally very satisfied with such a smart and incredibly self-disciplined woman, who could potentially become a valuable asset in his career.

However, despite his repeated attempts to persuade Hitomi Kuroki, and even having Naoko persuade her, John still sensed a hidden unease in her, as if she were worried about her own fate, about being abandoned. Everything she did was so cautious and careful, a situation John did not want to see. He did not want to see his woman have such fear and apprehension towards him, as it made him very uncomfortable.

“Akiko, you should let down your guard. Although I am a womanizer, I am not the kind of scoundrel who gets bored easily. You will make your life very tiring. You should learn from Naoko. I don’t want to see you continue like this. This will only lead you into an endless abyss and you will be crushed by the burden in your heart.”

John wasn't just saying this casually. Japanese people possess a terrifying stubbornness; when they can't bear the inner pressure, they choose a path of no return. John didn't want to see the woman beside him go down that path, and Kuroki Hitomi's current state of mind was very abnormal. Naoko was far better at this than Kuroki Hitomi; John had never seen anything like this with Naoko.

Personality determines one's fate. If Kuroki Hitomi cannot get out of her mental predicament, it will be a disaster for her. Perhaps her previous conversation with Morita Akio has deepened her worries. Faced with his domineering aura, she instinctively chooses fear and unease, worrying that she will be abandoned in the future.

"Try to relax. Although I'm glad you're willing to share the burden of my career, I'd much rather see you smile, like Naoko, and live a fulfilling and carefree life, instead of being so cautious like you are now. I'm not a beast; I won't hurt you. Don't dwell on the past. People need to learn to let go of their burdens. As long as you don't betray me or do anything I can't accept, the things you're worried about won't happen, do you understand? Instead of worrying about this and that, why not plan your future properly? Living like this is too tiring for you."

Actually, this isn't just Kuroki Hitomi's situation; most women in Japan live such tiring lives, and Kuroki Hitomi's experiences have only exacerbated her anxieties. It will take time to resolve this, and she needs to gradually lift herself out of this heavy burden! John has said everything he needed to say. Whether Kuroki Hitomi can ultimately overcome this shadow and let go of her burden depends on herself. However, John believes she can do it because she is an incredibly strong-willed and self-disciplined woman. As long as she adjusts her mindset, she will definitely succeed.

Soaking in the hot spring with two beautiful women beside him, John felt quite relaxed. Although many unexpected things had happened in Japan, everything was still under his control; these Japanese guys hadn't gotten out of his control yet. Perhaps they would try to persuade or influence him through Naoko and Hitomi, the two women close to him, but that was just wishful thinking.

Now, it's not us who's nervous, but those guys in Japan. They'll have to pay the price for their past actions, and they have much more to consider. They've willingly entered this game, but they don't know what awaits them. It would be a lie to say that these Japanese guys know nothing; they've already begun to rebel against the Americans. Toshiba is a prime example. Not only are they doing this, but the Europeans are also cooperating. Unfortunately, they ultimately failed; the Americans are far more insidious than they are.

In this confrontation, John never had a high opinion of the Japanese. His enemy wasn't them, but the old guys in America, those lurking in the shadows. Now that everything had begun, the storm was about to intensify, and the enemy would become increasingly frantic. All he had to do now was wait, continue his strategic planning, and keep those old guys guessing. Of course, it would be even better if he could drag those old guys and those scoundrels into the mess.

Of course, John wouldn't ignore the threats from these Japanese guys. They weren't much better than those bastards in the US. If given the chance, these bastards would definitely betray him. The actions of Mitsui and Dai-ichi Kangye clearly showed how insidious and cunning they were. Such bastards were not worthy of his trust.

As for the reactions of companies like Sony, Hitachi, Panasonic, and Sanwa, John was satisfied, but he wasn't truly at ease with them. They posed a significant threat to him, and if those bastards saw an opportunity, they would fight tooth and nail to tear him apart!
“Naoko, Akiko, you don’t need to worry about anything else happening during this time. Although this storm is big and has dragged you into it, it won’t last long. In time, even the biggest storm will dissipate. In a few days, we will leave Tokyo and go to Kyoto to see you and relax. You’ve been to Japan several times, but you’ve always stayed in Tokyo. I’ve heard that Kyoto is very nice, so it’s good for you to relax.”

John's decision to leave Tokyo at this time was unexpected by both Naoko and Hitomi Kuroki, and they were shocked by his words. They didn't understand what John was thinking, but they knew that the things behind it were not something they should know. Moreover, leaving Tokyo now was a good thing, at least they would not be affected by the turmoil.

To clear his head? Whether John really wanted to clear his head was another matter entirely. However, choosing to leave Tokyo at this time would undoubtedly have a significant impact on many people, making them even more uneasy! Meanwhile, things were also changing in Hong Kong. Ye Qianwen and Zhong Chuhong were heading to Japan. This was John making final preparations in case someone desperately tried to use women to threaten him. He was laying the groundwork in advance to avoid any danger, since Hong Kong was not peaceful at the moment.

While John was relaxed and at ease, many people in Tokyo were uneasy because the storm in the United States was growing stronger and stronger, affecting almost the entire Japanese industry. Major companies were no longer calm as before, and they couldn't help but worry that the Americans might take this opportunity to launch an attack and deal them a heavy blow. After all, the storm in the United States was too terrible.

At this point, anyone who believed the Americans weren't plotting something was a fool. Almost the entire American media was hostile towards Japan, as if this were a conspiracy against them. This shocked many Japanese bigwigs; it was all beyond their imagination and control. Although they knew the Americans weren't trustworthy, they hadn't expected them to be so vicious. It was all a conspiracy, a grand conspiracy against Japan.

(End of this chapter)