Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

(Two chapters today too~)

The next day at 3:20 PM.

West side of Manhattan, Pier 62.

Satsuki, sitting in the car, recognized the yacht moored on the Hudson River at first glance when she saw it through the tinted windows.

The ship was very long, and its dark green hull gleamed deeply in the sunlight, while the superstructure was almost entirely painted white.

The tall mast extends upwards from the center of the ship, and the American flag hangs at the stern, unfurling with the wind blowing across the river.

"Highlander."

Frank, sitting opposite her, followed her gaze.

"This is the Forbes family's ship."

"Um."

Satsuki responded softly.

This ship is hardly a secret among America's wealthy circles.

The previous owner, Malcolm Forbes, liked to use it to entertain friends. It is said that business people, media figures, politicians and foreign dignitaries have all appeared on this ship.

After Malcolm's death last year, the ship remained in the Forbes family's possession and continued to serve its original purpose of private meetings and social gatherings.

So what Satsuki was really surprised about wasn't the ship.

Rather, it was Buffett's comment from yesterday—

"A few friends invited me to take a trip in New York Harbor."

She genuinely thought it was just a small gathering of about ten people.

Now it seems...

"Has the personnel list been confirmed?" Satsuki asked again.

"Confirmed." Frank flipped through a page of the list in his hand. "Those known to be attending include: David Rockefeller, Katharine Graham, Lawrence Tisch, Allen Greenberg, Henry Kravis, John Whitehead..."

He paused here.

"And there's also Steve Forbes of the Forbes family as the host."

Satsuki's lips twitched slightly after hearing the string of names.

The Rockefeller family, The Washington Post, CBS, Bear Stearns, KKR, former co-chairmen of Goldman Sachs...

Buffett's definition of "a few friends" is quite broad.

"Young Miss".

After getting out of the car in front, Dojima Iwao quickly walked to the car.

"The second inspection has been completed on board. The passenger list and crew list have been checked. Four of Saionji's security personnel can remain on board, while the rest will travel on another boat to maintain distance."

Satsuki nodded.

"And what about the United States?"

There are people outside the dock.

Dojima Iwao lowered his voice slightly.

"However, they won't be on the ship."

"understood."

Satsuki reached out and straightened her skirt.

She didn't wear the overly formal business suit she wore to Solomon yesterday. Instead, she changed into a dark blue long dress with a light beige jacket over it. Her hair wasn't styled in a bun; it was simply tied back.

Since Buffett said he was just going out to have fun, he couldn't possibly dress like he was going to a board meeting.

The car door opened.

The wind from the river immediately rushed in.

As soon as Satsuki got off the car, she subconsciously pressed down on the hem of her skirt, which was being blown by the wind.

"It's quite windy."

Chizuru quickly came over from the other side and took the small bag from her hand.

"Young Miss, would you like a shawl?"

"No need for now."

Satsuki looked up at the sky.

The weather is much better than yesterday.

The clouds had dispersed, and the late September sun shone on the Hudson River, its surface shimmering with tiny sparkles in the wind. On the opposite bank, New Jersey was so clear you could almost see the gaps between the buildings.

There were no reporters near the pier.

This made Satsuki very happy.

This isn't Japan. If this were Tokyo, some clueless reporter would follow her around taking pictures, and she could pack up and leave the next day.

But unfortunately, this is America.

Yesterday, on the way from JFK Airport to the Seven World Trade Center, there were cameras and flashes everywhere.

Today, I finally don't have to worry about whether my expression will appear on the front page of the evening paper as soon as I get off the bus.

Several people walked forward along the pier.

Several staff members were already standing next to the Highland.

One of the men saw Satsuki from afar and greeted her with a smile.

He was in his forties, tall and thin, and wearing a light-colored suit without even a tie.

"Miss Saionji".

"welcome."

Satsuki recognized the other person and smiled as she extended her hand.

"Hello, Mr. Forbes."

Steve Forbes shook hands with her.

"Warren has arrived."

He gestured towards the ship as he spoke.

"He arrived almost half an hour earlier than the agreed time, and he's probably already found someone to chat with."

"That's a lot like Mr. Buffett."

Satsuki smiled.

When they met yesterday, she already noticed that the old man didn't seem to care much about the complicated etiquette in formal occasions.

Steve stepped aside to make way for the access to the gangway.

"There aren't any formal plans today; everyone's just out for a stroll. The weather's nice, I hope you have a good time."

Thank you for your invitation.

"Of course."

Steve accompanied Satsuki up the gangway.

As soon as she stepped onto the main deck, Satsuki saw several staff members greeting the newly arrived guests on the other side.

Steve also glanced in that direction.

"Sorry, I have to go and greet them."

"certainly."

Satsuki nodded slightly.

Steve said with a smile:

"Then I won't keep you company any longer. Warren is inside, and you'll see the others later."

"Please make yourself at home and treat this as a regular gathering."

"I will."

Steve nodded to her again before turning to attend to the other guests who had just boarded the ship.

Satsuki stood there and looked at him for a while before turning her gaze to the deck.

There were fewer people on the boat than I had expected.

There were about twenty or thirty people.

Some of them were family members and staff.

There was no band on the deck, nor any formal decorations. A few tables were casually placed near the ship's side, with wine, fruit, and simple cold dishes on them.

Some people stood by the railing looking at the river view, some had already sat down to chat, and a few men leaned against a round table, arguing about something, with laughter occasionally breaking the silence.

At first glance.

It was indeed just an ordinary private yacht party—if you didn't know who the attendees were.

Then Satsuki saw the first face.

David Rockefeller.

The old man was standing not far from the stern of the boat, talking to another white-haired man.

Satsuki's gaze paused for half a second.

John Whitehead.

Go to the side.

Lawrence Tisch was holding a glass of something and listening to Henry Clavis speak.

A little further away, Alan Greenberg had found Buffett, and the two stood together. Buffett was still holding the can of cherry cola, whose sweetness Satsuki had thoroughly experienced the day before.

Satsuki: "..."

She glanced to the other side again.

Catherine Graham was sitting under the awning, and Satsuki recognized the elderly woman with silver hair and a pearl earring next to her without needing any introduction.

Brooke Astor.

well.

very good.

Satsuki finally looked at Buffett again.

Even from across half a deck, Buffett seemed to have noticed her.

Their eyes met.

Buffett held up a can of Coke to her, even giving her a friendly smile.

It was as if she was simply invited out to hang out with "a few friends".

Satsuki returned a very standard smile.

"A few friends."

"Right?"

If she still can't see Buffett's intentions now, then she's really wasted the last few decades of her life.

David Rockefeller, the third generation of the Rockefeller family, was the long-time head of Chase Manhattan Bank and one of the most representative figures in the old American financial system.

Katharine Graham, chairwoman of The Washington Post Company, has extensive connections in both the media and Washington political circles.

Lawrence Tisch, head of the Los Group and also controlling CBS, is a key figure in New York's business and media capital circles.

Alan Greenberg – Chairman of Bear Stearns, one of Wall Street’s most influential trading bankers, and a longtime friend of Warren Buffett who often plays cards with him.

Henry Kravis, one of the core founders of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, has just become one of the most watched figures in the U.S. financial world for his series of mega-leveraged acquisitions.

John Whitehead, former co-chairman of Goldman Sachs, later served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State after leaving Wall Street. He has deep connections in both the financial world and Washington.

Satsuki's gaze swept over the familiar faces on the deck, and her suspicions grew stronger.

These people do indeed have connections with Buffett, so calling them "friends" is perfectly reasonable.

But to say that it was just a coincidence that everyone was free today, and that it was also a coincidence that they all came to this ship...

Their time is very valuable, is it just a coincidence that everyone is available?

Buffett's comment yesterday about "a few friends" was clearly not intended for her to take literally from the beginning.

"Young Miss?"

Frank followed from the side.

He had clearly recognized the people on the deck as well.

Her facial expressions were even more interesting than Satsuki's.

After all, he had seen many of these people's names repeatedly in financial reports, bank board meetings, and various Wall Street networks over the past decade or so.

But even he hadn't actually met many of them.

Satsuki glanced at him lightly.

"Don't make it so obvious."

"……Feel sorry."

Frank quickly composed himself.

"But Mr. Buffett said 'a few friends' yesterday."

"You're right."

Satsuki's smile grew wider and wider.

"Who here isn't his friend?"

Frank was momentarily speechless.

There's nothing we can do; they have so many friends.

Satsuki had just reached the center of the deck when she saw Buffett walking over.

Today he wore a light blue short-sleeved shirt, khaki casual pants, and brown boat shoes that looked like they had been worn for many years.

"Oh, Ms. Saionji," Buffett said with a smile as he approached. "Looks like you haven't gotten lost."

Satsuki glanced at him. "Mr. Buffett, you said 'a few friends' yesterday."

"Yes, that's right." Buffett nodded, his expression innocent. "There were only a few friends today."

"...Your definition of 'several' is quite unique."

"Hmm?" Buffett tilted his head. "I've never been very good at math, so I might have miscounted."

Satsuki couldn't help but laugh.

This old man actually looks quite convincing when he's pretending to be stupid.

"Okay." She didn't press the matter further. "So, where are your 'friends' now?"

"Some are upstairs, some are in the living room." Buffett gestured with his chin towards the stern. "David was just watching the seagulls over there, I wonder where he is now."

"Come on, let me introduce you to someone."

This statement was made very casually.

It seemed like all I was going to do next was introduce a young friend who had just arrived in New York to a few old friends.

The first person to walk this way was David Rockefeller.

He had clearly noticed Satsuki earlier, but he had been talking to Whitehead the whole time. Once Buffett and his men approached, he stopped talking, turned around with a smile.

Buffett was just about to speak when David raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Alright, Warren, you don't need to introduce me this time."

As he spoke, he looked at Satsuki, his smile becoming even more pronounced.

"These past two days, several New York newspapers have been taking turns placing her in the most prominent position on their financial pages. If I can't even recognize Ms. Saionji, I should probably consider reading fewer bank reports and more news."

Satsuki laughed after hearing this and extended her hand.

"I just hope they were a little more lenient when choosing the photos. There were so many reporters at the door yesterday, and I still don't know what I looked like in the photos."

"At least the ones I saw this morning were pretty good."

David shook hands with her.

"Welcome to New York, Ms. Saionji. Although saying 'I've heard so much about you' at this time might sound a bit polite, I have indeed heard of you many times."

"I should actually be the one saying that."

Satsuki bowed slightly.

"Mr. Rockefeller, I heard a lot about you when I was in Tokyo, but there seemed to be many versions, so I never had a chance to confirm which ones were true."

David raised an eyebrow slightly.

"It doesn't sound like a good omen."

"That depends on who told me."

Satsuki's smile remained perfectly appropriate.

"If they're bankers, they'll usually say you're difficult to deal with; if they're in international business, they'll say you're very reliable. As for those in politics—"

She paused deliberately.

David had already started laughing.

"Alright, you don't need to say anything more."

"Then I'll keep it a secret for my friends."

"That's a good habit."

David released his grip and looked at Satsuki again.

"It seems Warren wasn't exaggerating."

Buffett, standing nearby, immediately chimed in:

"I didn't praise anything."

"That makes things even more complicated."

David smiled and shook his head.

The initial politeness between the group of people, which was just the beginning of their meeting, quickly faded away after a few words.

Buffett stood by and watched for a while, then quickly realized that he didn't seem to need to continue his explanation.

Satsuki certainly knew who Rockefeller was.

Rockefeller certainly knew who Saionji was.

The so-called "introduction" really only requires getting them to stand together.

The two of them will take care of the rest themselves.

Sure enough, David asked about the recent situation in Tokyo after only a short chat.

The conversation didn't even touch on finance.

Instead, he talked about the changes in New York and Tokyo from the perspective of the Japanese economy, and then about the impressions he had from his previous visits to Japan.

Satsuki naturally continued.

Occasionally, when they talk about someone they both know, they'll exchange a few laughs.

If you only listen to the content of their conversation, probably no one would imagine that the amount of capital these two people can mobilize is enough to keep finance officials in many countries up at night.

A few minutes later, John Whitehead also came over.

Satsuki was certainly familiar with this former Goldman Sachs co-chairman.

Moreover, after leaving Wall Street, the other party went on to work for the State Department, leaving a deep mark on both the financial and diplomatic spheres.

Buffett gave a brief introduction to both parties, and Whitehead then smiled and looked at Satsuki.

"I heard Warren mention before that you're still in college."

"Yes, Gakushuin University, Faculty of Economics."

"So you're really going back to school?"

He asked very seriously, clearly not just making small talk.

"...Why does everyone have to ask this question?"

Satsuki smiled helplessly.

"Lately, whenever someone finds out that I'm still in university, their first reaction seems to be to question whether my student status is even real."

"You can't blame them for that."

Whitehead laughed too.

"Because it's hard to imagine someone who needs to talk to Solomon about billions of dollars having to sit in a classroom the next morning and have their roll call taken by the professor."

"It's not actually that exaggerated."

Satsuki gently shook the cup in her hand.

"The school won't allow me to skip my assignment today just because I discussed how much money yesterday. And the professor won't give me extra credits just because Saionji is planning to invest in a certain company."

Buffett, who was standing next to him, laughed first.

Whitehead nodded.

"It seems that Japanese universities are at least more disciplined than Wall Street in some ways."

"If my professor heard this, he would probably be very happy."

"Then you can pass on my message to him."

"I'll consider it."

The group chatted for a few more minutes.

The conversation shifted from Gakushuin to the courses Satsuki was taking, and then to American university students who went directly into investment banking after graduation.

This level of ease was somewhat beyond Satsuki's original expectations.

By now, the nature of this banquet is quite clear.

Today's purpose isn't to have anyone finalize a deal with her, but rather to use this private gathering as an opportunity for influential figures from several different circles in the United States to sit down with her, chat, and see what kind of people they really are.

Incidentally, I'll change "Saionji Satsuki" from a name in newspapers and transaction documents into someone I can directly deal with in the future.

That's why she originally thought Buffett would introduce her to everyone one by one, and that she would have to go through a round of small talk, like at a formal banquet.

In reality, he didn't seem to have any intention of turning today into an introductory ceremony.