America: My Time

Chapter 991 An Unexpected Incident

Chapter 981 An Unexpected Incident
"I didn't expect this day to come so soon. This is Japan. Even with just a whisper, those guys who used to fawn over us have already left. This industry is just that cruel!" Yasuko Sawaguchi said self-deprecatingly as she sat with Miho Nakayama at the party, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. After all, no one can adapt to the change of falling directly from the top. It's normal to feel a little unwilling.

"It is indeed very realistic and cruel. This is just a little bit of rumor. If we had to choose to leave, it would have been even crueler. If the agency hadn't remained unchanged and the resources hadn't remained the same, I'm afraid our situation would be even worse now. We might not even have been invited!"

"Miho, do you regret it?" Yasuko Sawaguchi sighed softly and asked.

"Maybe so. To be honest, I really didn't expect things to turn out this way, and I also didn't expect that we were overthinking things and that we made the wrong choice. If it weren't for Riko-nee's willingness to think highly of us, I'm afraid our situation would be even worse."

"Yes, I never expected that Riko would be the one to befriend us in the end. Even though we didn't listen to her advice, she hasn't given up on us. The other sisters haven't changed either, otherwise we would be under even more pressure. Maybe we need time to slowly adapt to all these changes!"

Although Yasuko Sawaguchi's voice was calm, Miho Nakayama and Shinobu Nakayama could still detect a hint of resentment in her voice. After all, this was beyond their imagination. They originally thought that even without John's protection, they could live well. But reality made them realize how wrong they were and how cold-blooded and ruthless the Japanese were!

In fact, this is the cruelty of this circle. After entering this circle, both Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama had smooth sailing. Moreover, after John's protection and care, their status changed. Even if they didn't have official status, their status did change. But now everything has returned to square one.

“We do need time to adapt to the changes. We have at least ten years, which is enough for us!” There was a hint of disappointment in Nakayama Miho’s words. She had been advised by Kikuchi Momoko, but she always felt that this choice would not have a big impact. However, reality slapped her in the face. Her former best friends had all drifted away, and this was just a rumor, a rumor that had not yet been confirmed.

"Miho, be more careful from now on. Our identities have changed, and we might be taken advantage of if we're not careful. Don't be misled by the ten-year story. Think about Akina's situation back then. The environment in Japan has become so cruel. I don't know how many people are watching him. They don't dare to touch Momoko-chan, Chisato, and Sachiko-chan, but they dare to use us as a test. Don't be too careless, or you'll regret it."

Sawaguchi Yasuko, who had been in this circle a little longer than Nakayama Miho and was also a bit older, spoke up to remind them. After all, their situation had changed in such a short time, which made Sawaguchi Yasuko wary. Moreover, Kuroki Hitomi had not returned to Japan, so there were many things that Sawaguchi Yasuko could not do.

In retrospect, it was our own foolishness and arrogance that led us to this situation. If we hadn't failed to meet John immediately, none of this would have happened, and those rumors wouldn't have surfaced. We can only say that we were too self-important. As for the newcomer, Norika Fujiwara, she never truly integrated into their circle.

Miho Nakayama nodded and said, "Yoshiko-nee, I know. I will be careful. I've been in this industry for so long and I know how cruel it is. I will be vigilant and not give those people a chance!"

“Miho, take some time to have a good talk with Momoko. It might help you. Your relationship hasn’t changed. Don’t be afraid to save face right now. That will only make your situation more dangerous. After all, you’re not alone. You still have your sister to protect!” As she said this, Yasuko Sawaguchi glanced at Shinobu Nakayama, puzzled by her choice to take this path. There were clearly better options, yet she insisted on stepping into the cruel entertainment industry! Both Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama were aware of what had happened to Akina Nakamori and knew how insidious those conglomerates were. A slight misstep could turn you into their pawn, and you would pay a heavy price.

"Sister Jingzi, I will go see Sister Taozi. Actually, Sister Taozi has helped me a lot, but I never expected things to develop like this, and that the people around us would undergo such a big change!"

John noticed the changes in Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama at the party, as did Momoko Kikuchi, who even stepped in to help them. However, Kikuchi had many other things to attend to; after all, she represented John and controlled a significant amount of assets in Japan, so she had a lot to deal with. Japanese people value their reputation, so she had many social obligations at the party and couldn't afford to worry about that.

In contrast, while Chisato Moritaka and Sachiko Kamachi's party wasn't particularly lively, they still had friends around them. However, Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama had hardly any friends, which was quite obvious at the party! It's impossible to say that someone orchestrated this or that there was a conspiracy behind it all, but it couldn't be Akio Morita's doing, since it was his party.

Riko was also helpless in the face of this situation. She did not expect such an accident to occur at the party. Although she wanted to change everything, she was powerless to do so. Her influence was also limited. After all, she was not young anymore and had gradually faded out of the circle. There were not many people willing to give her face.

With her wisdom and experience, Riko naturally understood that someone was orchestrating this. She dared not show too much enthusiasm, lest she ruin the other party's plan and she herself could not bear the serious consequences. So she could only watch helplessly as the wine encountered such an accident, powerless to change anything! She could only wait a little longer, after all, she could not appear on their side again and again, which would be slapping the face of the person who was secretly plotting this, and she, a mere woman, could not bear such serious consequences!

However, Riko soon had her chance. She saw Akio Morita's signal and finally breathed a sigh of relief. She walked towards Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama again. The first time, she had only just sat down when she was pulled away. In that instant, she knew something was wrong. Now she could finally stop worrying about that.

"Riko-nee, what brings you here? Have you finished dealing with things over there? Actually, you don't need to worry about us, we understand your difficulties!" Yasuko Sawaguchi said quickly upon seeing Riko.
"Alright, we're all acquaintances, and I know about the rumors circulating in the industry, but that doesn't affect our 'friendship,' and you don't need to worry about implicating me. However, since we have time today, I still want to give you some advice, as someone who's been there. I don't want to see you regret it one day! I believe you've both noticed the changes in yourselves; this is reality. When you're valuable, you'll have many people around you, but when you're no longer valuable, those people will all leave you. And right now, your situation is very dangerous; a slight misstep could lead to being taken advantage of. For a long time to come, you must be cautious and careful, and not be careless in the slightest." As she said this, Riko couldn't help but sigh, feeling disappointed in the two people in front of her, who had squandered a good hand.

"Riko-nee, thank you for reminding us. We'll be careful!" Miho Nakayama quickly expressed her gratitude. After all, it was already quite an achievement for Riko to step in and help them at this time, let alone remind them!
"I don't know what to say to you guys. You all know how realistic and cruel Japan is. And in this situation, under these circumstances, haven't you considered how serious the consequences could be? I know you all have some kind of worry in your hearts, but have you thought about the consequences of your actions? You all know what Japanese society is like. Without protection, your fate will be terrible. While you still have a chance, you should think it over carefully. Don't wait until danger comes before you regret it!"

Riko understands the situation of Japan's high society better than Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama. After all, she has followed Akio Morita for a long time and has witnessed many secrets of high society. Women like them who have no status will have a terrible time when they get older, even worse than Yasuko Sawaguchi and Miho Nakayama thought, since there are too many crazy people in Japan.

When you have a powerful figure protecting you, no one will have any ill intentions towards you. But once you lose that protection and the favor of that figure, the consequences are far more dire; even living a normal life becomes difficult. Riko had tried to advise them, but the two of them wouldn't listen, leaving her speechless. Especially since they had done something foolish—revealing everything—otherwise they wouldn't have been tricked at this party without even realizing it. This made Riko even more disappointed. If they had been even slightly more proactive, things wouldn't have turned out this way, but they hadn't even noticed the problem!

(End of this chapter)