I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema!

"Let's go in and take a look." Nohara Hiroshi chuckled, then pulled the curious Misae and pushed open the slightly old wooden sliding door.

"welcome."

A hoarse, steady, and magnetic voice came from behind the bar.

I saw a man wearing a blue kimono, with a shallow scar on his face, but his eyes were as calm as the deep sea. He was wiping the plate in his hand slowly with a white towel.

There were a few customers sitting scattered in front of the bar.

There were the office workers in suits, drunk and constantly complaining about their bosses; there were the bar dancers in fancy costumes, but with a look of loneliness on their faces; there were the three "Chazuke Sisters" who always gathered together, chattering about men and always ordering chazuke; and there were the nightclub security guards in black suits, looking menacing, but now arguing fiercely over a plate of octopus sausages...

This place seems to be a forgotten corner in this bustling city.

A warm harbor after nightfall.

"Wait? You are..."

"Nohara Hiroshi!?"

But when Nohara Hiroshi pulled Misae in, everyone present, including the boss, widened their eyes.

Chapter 117: Imagination of "Midnight Diner" and "The Solitary Gourmet"!

"You are... Nohara Hiroshi!?"

That cry filled with astonishment and ecstasy was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing a thousand waves in this small restaurant full of stories!

"What?! Is it really Mr. Nohara?!"

In front of the bar, the nightclub guards who were wearing black suits, looked ferocious and gave off an aura of "keep away from strangers", jumped up from their seats almost at the same time!

Their faces, which were full of the expression of being difficult to deal with, were now replaced by a fanaticism that was almost like a pilgrimage.

That look was so hot that it seemed to melt Nohara Hiroshi on the spot!

"It's really Nohara-sensei!"

A burly man with a buzz cut and a corner of his Prajna tattoo visible on his neck, his face flushed with excitement. He rushed forward in two steps, his large hand like a palm-leaf fan reaching out halfway before retracting as if he had received an electric shock. He wiped it on his expensive suit and said in a shameful tone, "Mr. Nohara! I... I follow every episode of your "Wonderful Stories of the World"! That "Touch of Terror"! That twist! It's simply... it's simply a stroke of genius!"

"And 'Anshiju!'" A companion with a shallow scar on his face came up to him. His always fierce face was now filled with the excitement of a little fan seeing his idol. "My brothers and I used to love watching your 'Anshiju!'! That was the real horror! The real urban horror! Then we had that idiot Iwata, and what kind of rubbish he made! Thank goodness you're back! The king is back!"

Even the three "Chazuke Sisters" in the corner who always huddled together, chattering about men and always ordering chazuke, forgot their reserve at this moment. Their eyes lit up, and they whispered excitedly like three kittens seeing catnip.

"Wow... so handsome... even more handsome than on TV..."

"He's really quite charming. Look at the girl next to him, she's also very pretty. Is she his girlfriend?"

"Of course it is! Genius and beauty go together, it's only natural!"

Misae was startled by the sudden scene and subconsciously hid behind Nohara Hiroshi. However, her delicate little face was already flushed with a proud blush.

It's obvious that these people are Nohara-kun's fans. They respect Nohara-kun so much, which makes her feel really proud.

But I saw those guys with tattoos and cruel looks.

Meiya still stepped back.

In Japanese society, people with tattoos are either good people, or members of gangs or the underworld.

You will really be discriminated against.

Nohara Hiroshi looked at the humorous scene in front of him, and the helplessness in his heart caused by being disturbed was instantly replaced by a warm feeling of being both amused and sad.

He smiled and stretched out his hand, shaking hands with those "fanatic fans" who looked like they could kill a cow with one punch. His posture was calm and proper, without any arrogance caused by being sought after.

Although China in the past also had some strange views on tattoos, it was not as strict in hierarchy and social repression as Japan.

I totally look down on these gangsters.

Nohara Hiroshi also took it lightly.

After all, they are all fans.

If you hurt your fans, it will really damage your image if it gets out.

Nohara Hiroshi came from another world, so he certainly knew that sometimes being more generous and decent would actually be a very good plus.

So he smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your support. It's just an ordinary show, not worthy of being called a 'masterpiece'."

"No, no, no! You're too modest!"

Behind the bar, the scarred boss, Shui Shangxiang, who had just watched everything quietly from beginning to end, finally put down the plate in his hand.

He bowed slightly to Nohara Hiroshi, his hoarse and steady voice filled with heartfelt respect: "You are worthy of any praise for creating works that make our guests feel happy and moved from the bottom of their hearts."

Nohara Hiroshi's gaze fell on him, and a barely perceptible gleam flashed in his clear eyes.

This face, this outfit, this aura that emerged from the hustle and bustle of the city, as calm as the deep ocean...

"Excuse me, have we met somewhere before?"

Nohara Hiroshi pulled Misae to sit at the bar and asked casually, "I have a friend named Kobayashi Kaoru who looks... a lot like you, boss."

Shui Shangxiang's hand wiping the dishes paused for a moment, and then, a look of surprise appeared on his face, which always looked a little distant, yet with a faint smile, "Really? That might just be a coincidence. There are always many similar people in the world."

Nohara Hiroshi smiled and didn't ask any further questions.

This in itself is nonsense.

After all, Kaoru Kobayashi was the protagonist of "Midnight Diner" in the previous life!

How does it relate to the world today?

However, when he saw this familiar scene and the owner of the late-night restaurant named Shui Shangxiang, he also smiled.

They are indeed very similar in shape and appearance.

There is also a scar on his face.

So funny!

He looked around the small restaurant, at the diners who were all full of stories. At this moment, the brain of this top producer began to work frantically at a terrifying speed.

Late night, delicious food, lonely souls in the city...

These three keywords, like three perfect pieces of a puzzle, instantly fit together in his mind to form a grand blueprint full of infinite possibilities.

"Boss, can you make anything on the menu?" he suddenly asked.

"Yeah." Shui Shangxiang nodded, his calm eyes gleaming with the confidence of a craftsman: "As long as it's something I can do."

"Okay then." Nohara Hiroshi's lips curled up. "Give me a pork chop rice. And for my wife... a vegetable salad, thank you."

This is so similar to "Midnight Diner"!

"OK, just a second."

Shui Shangxiang turned and walked into the kitchen. Soon, an overbearing aroma mixed with lard and breadcrumbs, accompanied by a pleasant "sizzling" sound, floated out from the kitchen.

Not long after, a steaming, golden and crispy pork chop rice and a bowl of colorful, refreshing and delicious looking vegetable salad were served in front of the two.

The pork chop is fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. When you take a bite, the rich gravy mixed with the sweetness of the rice bursts in your mouth. The purest joy of carbohydrates and fats is enough to heal any tired soul.

“Mmm! It’s so delicious!”

Misae took a bite of the salad, and her beautiful big eyes instantly narrowed with happiness. She couldn't help but sneak a bite of Nohara Hiroshi's pork chop, and her little face was full of amazement: "Boss! Your cooking skills... are even better than those Michelin chefs in Ginza!"

Shui Shangxiang just smiled, said nothing, turned around and continued to prepare food for other guests.

While Nohara Hiroshi was savoring this delicious meal full of human touch, he was observing everyone around him calmly.

He looked at the nightclub guards who, after a few drinks, began to brag about their "glorious deeds" in the underworld when they were young. The cheap but real vanity that belonged to men made him smile knowingly.

He looked at the "Three Sisters Drinking Tea and Rice", who complained about not being able to meet a good man, while at the same time commenting on the new handsome guest. He couldn't help laughing at the gossipy and love-hungry nature of women.

He even saw an enka singer wearing a gorgeous kimono but with a somewhat lonely look on his face, who was alone in a corner, silently sipping a glass of sake. His eyes seemed to be recalling a glorious time that had long passed.

These are the most vivid and real stories of this city.

They don't need fancy packaging or twists and turns in the plot.

They only need a quiet stage, a plate of steaming hot food, and a gentle storyteller who is willing to listen.

A thought, like lightning that cuts through the night sky, instantly illuminates Nohara Hiroshi's mind.

"Midnight Diner".

This is it!

I found the one that is enough to become the king of late-night time slots like "The Strangest Tales of the World", and even trigger a new round of social phenomena, a brand new, god-level project!

And, that's not all.

When his eyes fell on the office worker who was eating alone, contentedly, with a look of happiness on his face, as if he was oblivious to the people around him, another equally demonic name suddenly jumped out from the depths of his memory.

"The Solitary Gourmet".

One tells the story of how a man searches for delicious food and happiness that belongs only to him in one inconspicuous little shop after another.

There are no fierce conflicts, no complicated interpersonal relationships, only the purest respect for food and love for life.

These two completely different philosophies about food, like two rushing rivers, intersected and collided in his mind, and eventually formed a vast ocean called "food drama" that was enough to drown the entire Japanese television industry!

"Not bad... this time it's really good..."

The corner of Nohara Hiroshi's mouth curled up into a brilliant smile that was almost crazy and full of absolute confidence.

He looked at the small restaurant in front of him, which was full of the atmosphere of worldly life. His eyes were like Columbus who discovered the New World, full of the scorching light of a conqueror!

He knew that from tonight on, a brand new, huge business empire that would make him a fortune and even allow him to extend his tentacles into the two new fields of catering and publishing had quietly been laid in his mind.

What he has to do is to turn this warmth that is unique to the late night into a ratings myth that will drive the entire Neon crazy!

……

The next day, when Hiroshi Nohara stepped into the office that had become his exclusive kingdom with a refreshed mind, the first thing he did was to press the intercom.

"Kitagawa, come to my office."

Soon, a capable figure appeared at the door.

"Minister, you're looking for me." Beichuan Yao walked over wearing a well-tailored professional suit.

"Yeah." Nohara Hiroshi pointed to the sofa across from her, motioning her to sit down, and then got straight to the point: "I'm planning to set up a new company, a cultural media company specializing in the incubation and operation of comic IP."

"Huh?!" Beichuan Yao was stunned, her big eyes that were always bright and shining were filled with astonishment.