Tokyo Three Generations

Perhaps this is also a breakthrough.

"Ms. Bai Ze, may I ask which legal institution you work for?" He then stopped bothering Nagasaki Motoyo and turned to look at the female lawyer.

“I work in the legal department of the Toyokawa Group. I apologize for the embarrassing situation.”

As Shirasawa Tsubaki answered with a smile, she took out a business card from her bag and respectfully handed it to Saito Hideki.

Saito Hideki took the business card and looked at it.

That's right, it seems she wasn't lying.

It's no surprise that the Toyokawa Group's legal department can afford such a top lawyer.

But how is the Toyokawa Group involved here?

As the person in charge of the Kuroshima case, he had no recollection of any connection between the Kuroshima office and the Toyokawa Group.

Is there some hidden story that I don't know about?

The prosecutor was both curious and increasingly troubled.

In this case, I am already under tremendous pressure. If the Toyokawa Group is added to the mix, then the chances of winning are extremely slim—or rather, it would be a complete waste of effort.

Faced with Shirasawa Tsubaki's kind gaze, Saito Hideki suddenly felt a surge of anxiety, as if it contained a hint of mockery.

With Kazuo Kuroshima dead and Chizuru Nagasaki on the run, he felt like a fly trapped in a glass, constantly bumping into obstacles.

Fortunately, his years of professional experience had honed his resilience. He took a deep breath and regained his composure.

"Okay, let's start the interrogation again."

He refocused his attention on Motoyo Nagasaki.

"Miss Nagasaki, when and where did you last part ways with your mother?"

Nagasaki Motoyo had been flustered when he questioned her earlier, but now, thanks to the lawyer's intervention, she seemed to have gained tremendous encouragement and suddenly felt confident.

Since the lawyer said she could exercise her right to remain silent, she simply kept quiet, as if she were petrified, so that there would be no loopholes.

"Did your mother give you any instructions? Did she mention any particular person to you?"

He remained silent.

Saito Hideki now understood that he couldn't get anything out of him.

Isn't this a complete dead end...?

Is it really going to end here, watching those people continue to act recklessly?

His unwillingness to accept defeat led him to make a desperate decision and, with his lawyer present, embark on another risky adventure.

“Miss Nagasaki, I don’t know what your mother said to make you so resistant to us. However, I must remind you that your mother is involved in a major case. She is both a suspect and a potential victim! Her boss has been forced to commit suicide. If you want to protect your mother, the most important thing you should do is confess as soon as possible so that we can save her life! Every day you delay increases the danger to her life, because those behind the scenes are capable of anything. I hope you will consider my words carefully!”

From an objective point of view, the prosecutor's words were indeed reasonable, enough to stir up some ripples in Nagasaki Motoyo's heart.

However, she ultimately chose to remain silent.

She believed Chun would protect her mother—although she couldn't provide any particularly strong evidence, she simply believed it.

If Chun's family is betrayed here, then Mother will truly be doomed.

"I protest!" Just as she was silent, Bai Zechun interrupted the prosecutor, "Prosecutor, what you just said was clearly coercion and intimidation, and it was completely unfounded. We will definitely write a protest letter and send it to the District Prosecutor's Office."

The failure of his last-ditch effort left Hideki Saito somewhat dejected.

He hadn't expected that this seemingly delicate little girl would be so stubborn, refusing to reveal any weakness no matter how he tried to probe her indirectly.

This also means that his trip today was a complete failure, and the clue to Chizuru Nagasaki has been cut off again.

The immense disappointment left him disheartened.

A complaint? He doesn't need that.

“If you want to complain, go ahead and do so.” He sighed softly, then stood up. “Ms. Nagasaki, I’m very sorry to have disturbed your studies. Let’s end our conversation here. You can leave now. If you change your mind later, or if there’s anything you want to say to me, just contact me directly.”

After leaving a business card, he turned and left the meeting room.

He didn't expect that Bai Zechun would follow him out.

"Is there anything else?" he asked impatiently.

"We're just doing our jobs, why bother with such concerns, Prosecutor?" Shirawa Tsubaki still smiled, completely unconcerned about Saito Hideki's hostility.

"So what do you want me to do? Praise you for doing a great job and perfectly thwarting my plan?" Saito Hideki retorted.

"It's not that bad," Bai Zechun shook his head. "I just wanted to remind you of a few things."

"What reminder?"

Instead of answering the question directly, Bai Zechun changed the subject. "Did you graduate from the University of Tokyo? Working in the District Prosecutors Office, and with that independent and unconventional air about you, it's hard not to be a graduate of the University of Tokyo."

Hideki Saito didn't know whether the other person was praising him or mocking his arrogance, but he didn't care.

“Yes, I am,” he replied briefly.

"What a coincidence! I also graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo. Judging from my age, I should be your OG." Shirawa Tsubaki laughed even more heartily.

In Japan, university students often refer to their seniors who have graduated years ago and achieved a certain status in the workforce as OB or OG, meaning "old boy" and "old girl." To build rapport with these seniors and increase job opportunities, they frequently organize OB/OG gatherings. However, students who have already graduated and entered the workforce rarely use these terms to address their seniors. Therefore, when Tsubaki Shirasawa refers to herself as such in front of the prosecutor, it carries a sarcastic tone.

Saito Hideki felt an instinctive aversion to the other party's attempt to get close.

What a coincidence! The Toyokawa Group's legal department hires elite lawyers; it would be strange if they didn't hire graduates from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law.

"So? Should I address you as 'senior'?" he countered. "You were just trying every means to stop me."

“I just want to tell you, as a senior, that sometimes being too sharp will only make you pay the price.” Bai Zechun’s expression turned serious. “Many things can’t be solved by recklessly charging forward. I’m sure you’ve suffered a lot because of this, haven’t you? The District Prosecutor’s Office is a place where seniority and rules apply…”

"Heh... So what if that's the case? As long as I have a clear conscience, that's enough." Faced with this kind of seniority-driven, self-righteous admonition from a senior, Saito Hideki only felt a little disdain. "I'm running around to uphold justice, while you can live a life of ease just by lying on the Toyokawa Group's roster, and yet you turn around and lecture me... In my eyes, there has never been any seniority or juniority, only logic and facts. Thank you."

"Then let's talk about justice." Bai Zechun suddenly sneered. "The government you work for has a budget of 100 trillion yen every year, 300,000 Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Force personnel and countless weapons, as well as hundreds of thousands of police officers and officials like yourself. Why can't it uphold justice and instead allow evil to run rampant everywhere? You turn a blind eye to this, and as a result, you shrink justice to a little girl, trying every means to extract information from her, resorting to intimidation and threats. Tell me, is this justice? Why can't you use the same courage on those who have more power? Surely you're not so naive as to believe they are all completely innocent?"

At this point, Bai Zechun looked directly at the prosecutor, then asked with interest, "Who should be ashamed, her or you?"

Although he knew the other party was being sophistical, these words did hit Saito Hideki's sore spot, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Indeed, having witnessed so many shady dealings, it's a bit unreasonable for him to still be playing the role of a champion of justice here.

Conversely, it is precisely because he still has a sense of justice that he feels ashamed. If it were his superior, he would have justified telling the other party to shut up.

"I can only do what I can do." In the end, he could only sigh with difficulty, as if trying to convince himself.

"Well then, please take good care of yourself. Although what I said was harsh, I actually quite admire people like you." Bai Zechun did not press her advantage, but simply bowed to the other party indifferently to say goodbye. "We will let this complaint go this time, but if you harass Ms. Nagasaki again without reason, we will never let it go. We hope you will take this as a warning."

=========================

After the conversation ended, Nagasaki Motoyo felt completely exhausted. At such a young age, it was still too difficult for her to get rid of that instinctive fear of "nation".

Overall, however, she was satisfied with her performance.

As long as I don't betray my mother's and Chun's trust, that's fine...

Just as she was composing herself and heading back to class, Bai Zechun, the lawyer who had protected her earlier, returned to her room and stopped her.

"Miss Nagasaki, how are you now?"

“…Yes, I’m fine, thank you for your concern.” Nagasaki Motoyo quickly replied, “Thank you for your help too…I really wouldn’t have been able to handle this without you there.”

"Don't underestimate yourself, you've already done a great job," Bai Zechun replied with a smile.

At this moment, Nagasaki Motoyo bowed respectfully to the other party.

"I'm sorry for involving Ms. Toyokawa and you in my personal matters and causing you trouble. I will definitely do my best to repay this kindness."

Nagasaki Motoyo knew perfectly well that she had essentially used the Toyokawa Group as a shield, forcefully blocking the prosecutor. She felt deeply embarrassed for causing trouble for others.

“What’s the big deal?” Bai Zechun couldn’t help but laugh. “In all the cases I’ve handled, this is one of the lightest. Even if others suspect the Toyokawa Group for no reason because of this, so what? Don’t take it to heart.”

She wasn't exaggerating. The Toyokawa Group has weathered over a century of storms, embroiled in countless lawsuits and shady dealings—it's like having too many lice to itch. Even if they're suspected of involvement in the Kuroshima case, so what?

Nagasaki Motoyo could only envy the lawyer's confidence.

At this point, she finally gained a direct understanding of the tyranny of conglomerates.

Is this all that Miss Toyokawa will inherit? Can her young shoulders bear such a burden? She couldn't help but have some doubts.

“If a similar situation happens again, just stay silent and don’t say anything, not even ‘I don’t know.’ Then just leave everything to me.” Shirawa Tsubaki, unaware of her thoughts, looked at Nagasaki Motoyo and continued speaking.

"Of course, I believe that junior colleague won't do such meaningless things again; that would only give me free performance bonuses..."

After she finished speaking, she handed Nagasaki Motoyo a business card, which Nagasaki Motoyo accepted with both hands with great trepidation and then carefully put in her pocket.

“Miss Nagasaki, to be honest, after receiving Ms. Shoko’s request, we investigated you.” At this moment, Tsubaki Shirasawa spoke up again.

"Huh?"

"Please understand, we can't let Miss Xiangzi get involved with any troublesome people," Bai Zechun explained.

Nagasaki Motoyo could certainly understand.

"So...does that mean I passed the test?"

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here," Bai Zechun replied with a smile. "Your grades are excellent, the school's evaluation of you is very high, you are an outstanding student, and I am very satisfied with your personal performance. As for your mother's affairs, they are minor matters and have nothing to do with you... so they are not within our consideration."

"Should I feel honored to have passed the interview with the young lady's friend?" Nagasaki Motoyo smiled wryly.

"No, it's not that bad. We're just doing our job."

At this point, Bai Zechun's eyes filled with a hint of reminiscence. "Mrs. Mizuho was my friend, and it was because of her invitation that I joined the legal department of the Toyokawa Group after graduation. I thought we would continue to work together like this... but I never expected such a tragedy to happen."

At this point, she changed the subject again, "I've watched Xiangzi grow up. Like Mizuho, ​​I hope she can grow up healthy and live up to the caliber of the successive heads of the Toyokawa family. To be honest, Xiangzi once said that she wanted to go to Tokyo University like me. Although with her family background, she doesn't need the degree at all, I really appreciate her aspiration. And you, perhaps you can follow in my footsteps..."

“Me…me?” Nagasaki Motoyo was a little incredulous.

Getting into the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo and becoming an elite lawyer like that? It sounds really great, but... can I really do it?

If it works out, that would be great, right? It should be very useful to him too.

"Don't underestimate yourself. Youth is full of endless possibilities. Who knows what the future holds?" Bai Zechun just smiled and then waved goodbye to Nagasaki Suze. "From now on, you and Xiangzi should get along well. I sincerely wish you both all the best in the future."

28, Ikkyu!

After saying goodbye to Tsubaki Shirasawa, Motoyo Nagasaki finally got a long-awaited moment of relaxation.

After that aggressive prosecutor was forced to back down, he probably won't dare to bother her again for a while. Her mother has also been properly taken care of. In other words, the life-or-death crisis that once plagued them has now subsided.

In other words, at least for now, she can get rid of those fears and shadows and devote herself wholeheartedly to her life.

After this ordeal, Motoyo Nagasaki finally realized that the seemingly boring and repetitive daily routines were actually so precious that they needed to be defended with her life.

That's why she felt incredibly grateful to Toyokawa Shoko for helping her. This gratitude overcame the initial slight bitterness in her heart, and she genuinely considered Toyokawa Shoko a friend.

So, before school ended, she went to find Toyokawa Shoko again.

"Toyokawa-kun, thank you so much for your help. Everything is settled now."

"It's good that it can be resolved." Toyokawa Shoko smiled. "Aunt Bai Ze also praised your performance to me. She also said that she hoped that the two of us could get along well in the future. Hmm, do you remember? When we first met, I said that we could become friends... Between friends, this is just a small favor."

“I would be more than happy to be your friend; in fact, it is my honor,” Nagasaki Motoyo replied sincerely. “If there is anything I can do to help you in the future, I will definitely do my best.”

At this moment, Toyokawa Shoko fell silent, as if she had remembered something.

"To be honest, there's something I really need your help with..."

"Just give me your orders." Although Nagasaki Motoyo was a little doubtful, she immediately agreed.

“Nagasaki-kun… oh, no, since we’re already friends, we can’t use such a formal address.” Toyokawa Shoko smiled and then changed her address, “Su-se, you can call me Shoko from now on.”

"Hmm..." Nagasaki Motoyo struggled a bit before managing to actually only call out Toyokawa's name, "Shoko."

"So, Su Shi, do you know music?" Toyokawa Shoko asked.

This question secretly delighted Nagasaki Motoyo.

As a prestigious academy where students don't have to worry about their future employment, Tsukimori doesn't particularly emphasize exam scores (although top students are still more favored by teachers). Instead, it focuses on cultivating students' overall qualities—after all, its goal is to train wives for high society, not test-taking experts.

This is why Tsukimori's music education is also outstanding. Not only does it have top-notch facilities and music teachers, but the school also frequently invites renowned musicians and performers from all over the world to perform in Japan, enriching students' musical literacy.

Under the influence of this school spirit, Nagasaki Motoyo was naturally no exception. She was already quite talented, and her mother was willing to invest money in her daughter, so she had a musical foundation from a young age. After entering Tsuki no Mori, she was like a fish in water and quickly mastered the playing skills of multiple instruments. She even joined the school's music club and was very likely to be selected to participate in the school's music festival.

That's why, when Toyokawa Shoko asked her this question, she surprisingly showed a bit of pride and answered with a smile.

"I'd say I'm somewhat good at it..."

Although Toyokawa Shoko didn't have much contact with Nagasaki Motoyo, she could still sense that Nagasaki Motoyo was a very reserved and humble person.

If she were just at an average level, she would only say she knows a little bit. Since she can say she is "slightly proficient," then she must be exceptionally skilled.