Tokyo Three Generations

Last night, she witnessed her daughter's pain and anxiety, and saw that her daughter didn't want to pay any attention to her at all.

How come she's such a different person after just one night?

"You...you're scaring me...what happened?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Me? Nothing happened, I just calmed down." The person on the other end seemed to smile. "Does Minami-chan still care about what happened last night?"

The mention of last night's events made Senmina Nami even more flustered.

"Mu, what's wrong with you?" she asked anxiously.

"I already said it's nothing," Wakaba Mutsumi said with a smile. "Minami-chan, open the door, I'm standing right outside."

Mori Minami panicked even more, and at one point she even wanted to call her assistant to come and save the day.

However, she eventually put that thought aside, then got out of bed in her pajamas and opened the door.

Sure enough, her daughter was standing in the doorway.

The morning light shone on her dark hair, making her seem to be bathed in a holy halo.

After a moment of disorientation, she realized that her daughter was all dressed up.

She was wearing a light blue dress, the hem of which just covered her knees, and white over-the-knee socks; a canvas bag was slung across her shoulder, as if she were going to some kind of picnic.

It's really good-looking.

But what exactly happened?

"Mu, what happened?" she mustered her courage to ask.

If Ye Mu did not answer immediately, she went into the room.

Then, she calmly told her mother her request.

"I want to attend today's event."

“You weren’t…” Mori Minami was about to say something when her daughter suddenly interrupted her.

"What happened yesterday?" Wakaba Mutsu asked with a slight smile.

That innocent smile must be very healing to those who don't know the story.

However, all that Mori Minami felt at that moment was panic.

“You don’t absolutely have to participate,” she quickly said. “Why don’t you just rest?”

"Minami-chan, what are you saying?" Wakaba Mutsumi asked with a smile. "You brought me here on your own, then criticized me on your own, and now you want me to rest... Isn't that a bit much?"

……

Senmina was speechless and didn't know what to say for a moment.

“Then it’s settled.” Wakaba Mutsumi didn’t give her mother a chance to back out, giving her an OK sign. “To avoid affecting our schedule, we both need to be at our best, right? I’ll do my best to cooperate, Minami-chan, don’t mess it up…”

…………

That feeling of disgust and fear welled up in Minami Mori's heart again.

She was almost about to yell at her daughter again, just like she did last night.

However, when faced with her daughter's smiling eyes, she found herself unable to get angry.

Having spent more than a decade together, she was more familiar with her daughter's every smile and frown than anyone else.

So she could clearly see that there was no real smile in her daughter's eyes, but rather a bottomless abyss.

Sure enough, it was all just acting.

Her daughter, who seems ordinary and not very talkative, can demonstrate this ability when she gets serious—and no one knows this more acutely than Minami Nami.

Because she had seen Wakaba Mutsumi's acting talent when he was a child.

Hard-working athletes can never beat naturally gifted athletes.

"Minami-chan, don't mess it up..."

Is this a reminder, or a real, tangible challenge?

It must be the latter, right?

She knew perfectly well that her daughter was deliberately trying to anger her and retaliate for what happened yesterday, but she just couldn't bring herself to get angry.

However, her pride as an actress also made her feel a sense of resentment and unwillingness to admit defeat.

Let's see who's better.

After a brief moment of adjustment, she suddenly burst into laughter.

Her smile was warm and friendly, just like the image she usually projected.

"Oh dear, since Mutsu is so willing, I couldn't be happier... I'll leave the rest to you."

After she finished speaking, she bent down and hugged her daughter, and both of them smiled so hard their eyebrows curved.

The physical warmth did not melt the long-standing resentment between them.

The seemingly harmonious atmosphere of a loving mother and filial daughter can only be discerned by those who know the true story behind it, revealing a deep and unfathomable estrangement beneath their smiles.

Why would a mother and daughter need to put on an acting show to achieve a harmonious relationship? Don't even ask!

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

Under strict information control, the incident of Ruoye Mu's fall from the building last night has indeed disappeared without a trace.

The next morning, a refreshed Jun Takasaki, along with Minami Mori's team, proceeded with the next scheduled activity.

Along the way, Jun Takasaki carefully observed the interaction between Minami Mori and her daughter, and found that the two of them seemed to have completely made up. They were exchanging pleasantries and chatting and laughing with each other. Although Mutsumi Wakaba was still not very talkative, she seemed to be a hundred times more energetic than before, as if a ceramic doll had been injected with life.

Although it's unclear how Wakaba Mutsu managed to win over her mother, it seems she has indeed succeeded.

Jun Takasaki felt no relief at all; instead, he felt a sense of quiet melancholy.

Women, they really are born actors, it's terrifying...

They traveled by car to Ugo Town in Ogatsu County, where there is a huge strawberry growing and production base.

Akita is a major agricultural prefecture, and strawberries are well-suited to the local climate, so they are widely grown here with a rich variety of species, making them one of the region's most important signature products.

Of course, there was a reason for choosing this location for the event—the village is located in the constituency of the Takasaki family, and it is also one of the Takasaki family's strongholds. For nearly sixty years since Takasaki Jun entered politics, he has voted for the Takasaki family without fail.

This was not always the case.

When he first entered politics, although Takasaki Jun had some initial election resources thanks to his father's business accumulation, he was still just a nobody in the local area.

Fortunately, he became a disciple of Kakuei Tanaka, who was at the height of his power at the time, and received strong support from influential figures in the upper echelons of society. The party machinery listed him as a candidate for public nomination, giving him the most basic base of support.

However, that's not enough. To gain the approval of the constituency and win those precious votes, he needs to do more.

This was a brute-force job with no tricks involved. Following Kakuei Tanaka's instructions, Jun Takasaki took off his seemingly high-class suit and put on clothes that were easy to wear in the fields. Then, he went from village to village in his constituency, trying every possible way to connect with the villagers. He would always give a gift at weddings and funerals and try his best to attend in person.

In his quest to make a name for himself, Takasaki Jun risked everything, traveling to every corner of the country and spending almost all of his family's savings.

Through his almost frantic efforts, the villagers who had initially ignored or even mocked him gradually changed their attitudes. In the end, their votes flowed like a river, sending this ambitious young man into the halls of Nagata-cho.

It can be said that the Takasaki family's miraculous rise in social class was due to the help of influential people above and the hard work of the family members themselves; neither of these factors could have been achieved without the help of influential people above and the hard work of the family members below.

Of course, this was also thanks to the restructuring of the political landscape in postwar Japan, which freed up a lot of space. After the window of opportunity for "era dividends" ended, the newly emerging elites and the "old elites" who still retained some power combined to form a monolithic elite class. The chances of getting ahead were far fewer than in the past.

Putting aside other things, the leaders of the new era have long passed the rough and tumble era of "eagerly seeking talent". In an era where various interest distribution systems have been solidified, ordinary people who want to rely on them to get a chance to rise in the world must at least have their own connections and resources. Otherwise, who would promote you?

When fortune smiles, heaven and earth lend their strength; when fortune turns, even heroes are powerless—this has always been the case.

In short, after entering the Diet, the Takasaki family, through their connections within the party and the Diet, gained the right to "share the pie." By taking advantage of this opportunity, they built a strong alliance of interests among local party branches, agricultural cooperatives, and businesses over several decades, and also established a support group system directly under the Takasaki family.

With this solid system of profit sharing, the Takasaki family firmly secured the main voter base in the constituency, making it much easier for them to be elected. This even led the villagers to make "voting for Mr. Takasaki" a family habit that has continued for generations.

Of course, besides "favors," the Takasaki family also employed iron-fisted methods to control the vote. Villagers who refused to obediently follow the crowd in voting faced a joint attack from village officials, agricultural cooperatives, banks, and other forces. The persecution was almost identical to that of the "eight-part village" in ancient times, so naturally no one dared to rebel.

Because of this strong foundation, the Takasaki family no longer needs to work as hard to collect votes as they did back then, but even so, the most basic efforts are still indispensable.

Jun Takasaki, needless to say, is deeply rooted in his hometown and has almost never missed any major events in the district; while Hiroshi Takasaki, after taking over the family business, although he spends most of his time in Tokyo, also returns to his local constituency every now and then to visit people around and avoid being neglected by the local voters.

As for Jun Takasaki, whenever he returned to his hometown as a child, Jun would take his grandson to participate in various village activities. At the same time, he would say things like, "I entrust my grandson to you all from now on," to the respected people in the village. This allowed him to become familiar with those important local figures from a young age. So, it can be said that these people watched him grow up.

Without a doubt, when Jun Takasaki takes over the family business, he will continue to do the same thing.

Upon arriving in Ugo Town, the village chief and his wife, who had been notified in advance, warmly greeted Jun Takasaki.

"It's Jun-kun!" Seeing the young man's appearance, the white-haired Lady Nakamoto beamed with joy. "He's getting more handsome every year!"

"Grandma, school's out for the holidays, so I came back to visit everyone and participate in some activities. Please take good care of me."

Although Junpei Takasaki was usually arrogant and conceited, he had no choice but to restrain his arrogance when facing his own "base" of power, and to behave like a junior, quickly bowing and greeting the other party.

"Don't be so polite, Jun-kun." Village Chief Nakamoto waved his hand with a smile. "Everyone here is an acquaintance. Just have fun."

Then, as if encouraging the child he had watched grow up, he said earnestly, "Our village has been loyal to the Takasaki family for sixty years, and we will be loyal to you for another sixty years! Work hard, Jun-kun, from now on we will rely on you to bring prosperity to our village."

Faced with the expectations in the eyes of the village chief and his wife, Jun Takasaki could only smile and nod in agreement.

"I will work hard."

41. Unique Skill

After the initial pleasantries, Jun Takasaki quickly got down to business.

"Grandma, among the people who came to participate in the event today, there is a little girl who is my friend. I hope you can take care of her."

"A young girl?" The village chief and his wife exchanged a glance, then nodded quickly. "Of course, she's Chunjun's friend. We'll definitely treat her well. We just wonder what she looks like?"

“The prettiest one, you definitely won’t mistake her once you see her,” Jun Takasaki answered without hesitation.

The speaker meant no harm, but upon hearing the reply, a kind smile flashed across the old lady's face.

"Tsun-kun, you've finally grown up. You even know how to make girls happy now."

……

Although the literal meaning did fit the situation, something still felt off. Jun Takasaki felt a little embarrassed, but didn't delve into it further.

Just after he finished explaining, the bus carrying Senmina and her daughter drove into the village.

The village chief and his wife, along with several villagers, warmly greeted them, then eagerly watched the people getting out of the car, wanting to see just how charming the girl whom Chunjun valued so highly was.

Soon, Senmina stepped off the bus. As soon as she got off, she skillfully tossed her loose hair, then turned around and smiled at the people waiting below, displaying the air of a big star.

Her charm indeed drew cheers from villagers and fans who rushed to the scene, and she didn't put on airs, interacting with people warmly.

Next, Minami was brought to the village chief and his wife, and the two sides exchanged warm greetings.

Although she is not a qualified mother in front of her daughter, Sammi Nami is very professional in her "big star" persona. She is not pretentious at all and has no major scandals in her many years in the industry, so she has a good reputation both inside and outside the industry.

While they were exchanging pleasantries, Wakaba Mutsu also got out of the car.

Compared to her mother's stunning beauty, her simple attire exuded a restrained purity.

The old lady looked at her and forgot to talk to Minami Mori.

Then, she immediately turned to look at her husband, "The father of the child must be her."

The village chief looked over and then immediately nodded.

It can't be wrong.

"She really is the prettiest one," the village chief's wife whispered to her husband. "No wonder Jun-kun was so attentive in giving her those instructions."

Although she didn't know what the two old people were whispering about, Minami maintained a polite smile on her face, while secretly resenting her daughter for stealing the spotlight.

At this moment, the village chief and his wife finished whispering to each other.

Anyone who isn't blind can tell that this girl is definitely related to Minami Mori.

So, the village chief's wife looked at Mori Minami and politely asked, "May I ask who this young lady is?"

"Please excuse my appearance, she is my daughter," Minami Mori replied politely. "Her name is Mutsumi Wakaba, you can just call her Mutsumi-chan."

Then, she beckoned to her daughter, "Mu, come here for a second!"

Wakaba Mutsu obediently walked over, and then her mother introduced the two elderly people to her.

Upon seeing the elderly couple, Ruo Yemu immediately bowed respectfully, saying, "Grandpa and Grandma, I'm so sorry to have troubled you. It's our first time meeting, please take good care of me."

"Oh dear, how could you call it trouble!" The village chief's wife immediately responded warmly. "Xiao Mu, make yourself at home here, have fun and don't be shy!"

Ruo Yemu felt a little uncomfortable under the warm gaze of the village chief and his wife, but when she saw her mother's face suddenly darken, she felt a little happy.