Tokyo Three Generations

"No," Hiroshi Takasaki replied reflexively.

"Really not?" The old man still seemed a little doubtful. "You've had affairs with so many women, it's hard to guarantee that no one will try to profit from this, right?"

"Really, no!" Takasaki Hiroshi hurriedly defended himself. "I've always been very careful about these things, I wouldn't go looking for trouble."

After Takasaki Hiroshi's desperate explanation, Takasaki Jun finally felt relieved.

As long as there are no illegitimate children, it shouldn't be a big problem.

"Alright, keep things quiet with the Obuchi family for the next few days, and then find a way to spread this matter secretly, at least to let Mogi's faction know." He gave his son his final order, "Don't do anything else for now. Wait for me to come over, and I'll handle it personally."

After a pause, he added, "Also, let Junya come with me. He can only learn something by witnessing it firsthand."

Logically speaking, Jun Takasaki is still too young, and it would be inappropriate for him to get involved in such a thing.

But Jun Takasaki still said that.

Hiroshi Takasaki knew that this meant his father truly had no expectations of him, so he was training his grandson in advance.

If someone has a strong personality, they might feel ashamed and jealous because of this.

But he really didn't.

Anyway, he had already accepted being regarded by his father as a transitional candidate.

As long as it doesn't interfere with my enjoyment, I don't care who it is.

"Okay, I'll arrange it, don't worry."

"Make sure to appease Mio; she's really been through a lot this time. Remember to play the emotional card, especially with Jun. Focus on the family during this period, and be careful not to reveal your true colors or embarrass our family again! You good-for-nothing!" After giving his son these last instructions, Takasaki Jun hung up the phone.

All that remained was Hiroshi Takasaki staring at the black screen of the phone, a bitter smile on his face.

60, Mother and child

After saying goodbye to his grandfather, Jun Takasaki ended his trip to his hometown and rushed back to his home in Tokyo.

This also means that his spring break is coming to an end and it's time to prepare for the new semester.

While he was supposed to be "preparing for his studies," there wasn't much to prepare. Jun Takasaki was studying at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo. As is well known, even economists don't really understand what economics is, so compared to other faculties, the Faculty of Economics is famous for its relaxed academic environment. Attendance requirements are not high, and exams are not strict. For him, passing was very easy.

For Jun Takasaki, who only wanted to graduate without any intention of pursuing further academic studies, such a university resume was a breeze—which is why he dared to relax and enjoy his leisurely days.

When he returned home, his father was busy with official business. When Takasaki Hiroshi returned home in the evening, he immediately called his son to him.

"Chun, did you have a good time?" The father greeted his son with a big smile as soon as they met.

Compared to the strict Showa-era father Jun Takasaki, who would often scold his son, Hiroshi Takasaki was the complete opposite. He was kind and gentle to his son and never put on airs.

This relaxed atmosphere between father and son made Jun Takasaki quite at ease in front of his father. He simply nodded and said, "I had a lot of fun, thank you."

"I'm glad you had fun. This is my reward for you." Takasaki Hiroshi smiled, then looked at his son with amusement. "But you're so happy, it can't just be because of the scenery, right?"

Although they lived in different places, Takasaki Hiroshi was still very aware of what was happening around his son, so he was naturally aware that the three girls had come to visit him.

He was quite surprised and even a little proud that his son had such a skill without saying a word.

Seeing his father's mischievous smile, Jun Takasaki naturally understood what was going on. He smiled slightly awkwardly and said, "It's always more fun to travel with friends than to travel alone."

"That's so true! You've finally figured it out... Stop playing with that crappy phone all day. Isn't real life much more interesting than games?" Takasaki Hiroshi clapped his hands, seemingly very pleased. "It's a shame they're still so young, but it's okay. People grow up eventually, and we can nurture them gradually... As long as you like it, I can try my best to arrange similar activities for you in the future."

He paused for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, "Ms. Toyokawa is too influential for me to command, but if it were Ms. Wakaba or that Ms. Nagasaki, I could arrange it for you. Wherever you want to go is no problem. If you don't like China, Hawaii or New Zealand would also be fine..."

"Stop!" Jun Takasaki finally couldn't take it anymore and quickly waved his hand to stop his father's daydreaming. "The true meaning of friendship is that people come together and part ways as fate dictates. It's pointless to keep trying to get close to them; it just makes me seem like I have ulterior motives. They all have their own lives, and I don't want to bother them all the time just to make myself happy..."

"What fate or whatever, that's all nonsense for kids... You actually believe in that? I'll get you two together, and then fate will come, won't it?" Takasaki Hiroshi frowned and couldn't help but criticize his son, "Why are you getting into this artsy stuff all of a sudden... I think you've just read too many books and ruined your brain."

That's what he said, but he couldn't do anything about his son, so he had no choice but to give up.

After the lighthearted conversation ended, he switched to serious mode.

"Your grandfather is coming over in a couple of days. He might stay here for a while. I'm quite busy, so could you please look after him?"

"What?" Jun Takasaki asked, somewhat surprised.

Although Grandpa retired and moved back to his hometown, his room has always been kept at home, so even if he moves in, it won't cause any inconvenience to our lives.

However, he had clearly just said goodbye to his grandfather yesterday, and his grandfather had not mentioned that he was going to "go to the capital" at that time. So why did he suddenly say that he was coming over? This surprised him.

"Has something unexpected happened?"

"Yes, something very important has happened, and he's coming to take charge." Takasaki Hiroshi sighed.

Then, he briefly explained to his son what had recently happened within the faction and the Takasaki family's next plans.

Logically speaking, Takasaki Jun is too young to talk about so many things, but since his father clearly intends to train his son and involve him in this matter, Takasaki Hiroshi feels it's better to make things clear to him now to avoid being caught off guard later.

After listening, Jun Takasaki finally understood the whole story.

He didn't have any objections—after all, it wasn't his place as a mere child to interfere in such an important matter; he just needed to stay by his grandfather's side and listen to his grandfather's instructions.

"Okay, I understand. I will take good care of Grandpa." He nodded in agreement.

“Jun, we’ve watched you grow up and have high hopes for you. Now it’s time for you to learn to stand on your own two feet. Work hard, because everything here will eventually be yours.” Takasaki Hiroshi gently patted his son’s shoulder and then earnestly advised, “Also, your grandfather… well, you know him, he has a rather short temper, so you have to learn to be patient and just listen more.”

“Okay,” Jun Takasaki agreed again.

Finally, Takasaki Hiroshi hesitated for a moment, then sighed softly, "Also, your mother will be back tomorrow. Let's all get along well as a family during this time. We can't give others a handle to use against us now."

"We can't get along well, isn't it all because of you...?" Jun Takasaki thought to himself.

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

Just as Takasaki Hiroshi had predicted, the Takasaki family was indeed busy the next afternoon as his wife returned.

A Porsche Cayenne drove into the garage, and then the servants took out bags and packages of luggage from the trunk.

The middle-aged woman in the driver's seat opened the car door and quickly walked into the house.

She is of medium height and has an oval face. Although she is over forty years old, her skin is still fair thanks to careful skincare.

She wore a classic Chanel beige round-neck tweed suit, with a white silk scarf around her neck, and her brown hair was carefully styled into waves. Her gait was leisurely and elegant.

This classic 90s socialite style suits her age and status while also making her look fashionable.

It was also in the 90s that Jun Takasaki carefully selected a daughter-in-law for his beloved son, and he chose Mio Komuro, the daughter of his good friend (and important sponsor).

Although the Komuro family is not a prestigious clan, they are a powerful liquor merchant family in the Tohoku region with considerable wealth. If the two families were to form a marriage alliance, it would be a win-win situation for both sides.

So, with the help of both sets of parents, not long after, Komuro Mio married into the Takasaki family, changed her name to Takasaki Mio, and first became the daughter-in-law of a member of parliament, and now she has become his wife.

The Komuro family prepared an extremely generous dowry for their beloved daughter, and this huge sum of money became one of the factors that helped the Takasaki family grow and prosper.

Of course, the Komuro family also reaped rich rewards—in the two or three decades that followed, the Komuro family's business flourished and expanded, even reaching Tokyo, where they became a supplier to many pubs.

Today, Komuro has become a nationally renowned liquor distributor and importer of spirits, and even owns its own wineries abroad.

Although it's still a tiny, insignificant business compared to those big conglomerates, at least this family fortune is enough for several generations to live off.

In short, this marriage was a win-win situation for both parties.

However... only the person involved can truly know the truth.

After their marriage, Takasaki Hiroshi and Takasaki Mio initially enjoyed a harmonious relationship. However, as time went by, Takasaki Hiroshi's philandering nature became increasingly unchecked. His repeated affairs eventually angered his wife, leading to constant arguments and a gradual fading of their feelings for each other, ultimately resulting in them becoming like strangers.

However, even though they were like strangers, the couple ultimately did not divorce, considering the interests of both families.

Of course, the biggest reason why Mio Takasaki maintained this nominal marriage was not for the benefit of her family, but for the sake of her son.

After giving birth to her son, the disappointments and setbacks in her life led her to focus her energy on him. She devoted a great deal of effort to his upbringing, not only personally selecting schools for him but also choosing renowned tutors to provide him with instruction, and supervising his entire education. It can be said that Jun Takasaki's mother played an indispensable role in his development.

Besides raising her children, she devoted her energy to the cultural field, immersing herself in art such as painting, calligraphy, and flower arranging. She not only created her own works but also provided substantial sponsorships to related creators.

She had been participating in various cultural and artistic activities in the Kansai region recently, and only returned home today after receiving a call from her husband.

After leaving the garage, Mio Takasaki went straight to the living room, where Jun Takasaki was already waiting.

"Mom, you're back."

After a long separation, Jun Takasaki walked up to his mother and greeted her happily.

"son!"

Mio Takasaki hugged her son tightly, giving him a warm embrace.

The moment the two met, the mother-son bond was immediately apparent, clearly indicating that they had always gotten along very well.

After hugging him for a while, Mio Takasaki finally let go and then carefully looked at her son, who was a full head taller than her.

Then she smiled, and shallow dimples appeared on her face.

"Have you been having fun lately? I heard from your dad that you went back to your hometown for a trip."

"Yes, I'm quite happy. I feel much more relaxed, both physically and mentally," Jun Takasaki replied.

Mio Takasaki, having grown up in the city, looked down on rural places like Akita. Moreover, after her relationship with her husband deteriorated, she developed an even stronger aversion to Akita, so she rarely went there in recent years.

However, she also knew that her son was destined to settle down there, so she did not show her aversion.

"Well, I hope you have fun..." She seemed to remember something, "I was looking at social media outside, and it seems the special tourism ambassador for this event is that big star, Minami Mori. You must have seen her up close this time, right? How was she? Does she still look as radiant as ever?"

It wasn't just close, it was practically negative distance...

Of course, he would never dare to say such a thing out loud. He wasn't afraid of his mother scolding him; he was afraid that his mother would hold Senmina accountable and beat this old vixen who was eating his young grass to death.

"She is indeed quite beautiful, no wonder she's a big star," Jun Takasaki replied casually, a hint of disdain on his face. "However, in my heart, you are much better than Minami Mori, in every way."

"Good lad, you've learned how to sweet-talk people now!" Mio Takasaki almost burst out laughing. She reached out and gently pinched her son's cheek. "It's fine to say these things at home, but if you say them outside, your old mother will lose all face!"

Despite the scolding, the smile on her face didn't fade at all, and her shallow dimples grew deeper and deeper.

That's true. What woman doesn't like to be praised, especially by the people closest to her and whom she cares about most?

“I mean it,” Jun Takasaki continued. “I think if you had been willing to show your face back then, she wouldn’t have been involved at all.”

Mio Takasaki was unaware of the inside story, so she didn't know why her son was so hostile towards Minami Mori, but in any case, she was happy whenever her son praised her.

"Sweetie, don't say things that make Mommy embarrassed..." She patted her son's face again, speaking in a coaxing tone.

Then, she looked around again and, seeing that her husband was not there, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hasn't your father come back yet?"

“No, he’s busy with official business today and won’t be home until tonight,” Jun Takasaki replied.

"Pah, what do you mean by being busy with official duties? He's probably been hanging around some brothels again..." Takasaki Mio sneered. "He's using me as a shield while he's still having a good time."

“No, really not.” Jun Takasaki quickly defended his father. “This time, he said he absolutely couldn’t give anyone a handle against him and that he needed to stay home more often.”

Despite hearing the explanation, Mio Takasaki was not happy that her husband would stay home more often.

On the contrary, she was a little irritable—the thought of having to spend a long time with her husband and put on a show of affection for each other made her feel uncomfortable.

At this moment, the smile on her face was replaced by a dense gloom.

Then, she looked up at her son, her eyes filled with helplessness, and let out a soft sigh.

"I really don't want to be with him all the time, but I have no choice. I'm putting up with it for your sake. I'll go tidy up my bedroom. He can sleep in his own room."

At this point, she suddenly seemed to remember something.

"By the way, did you know? Ai Yin is going to study in England."

"Go to high school in England?" Jun Takasaki was immediately taken aback. "Why?"

“What’s wrong with that?” The mother glared at her son. “It’s good to go out and gain experience while you’re young, to see the world… It’s not like you’re never coming back.”

The Aine she was referring to was Chihaya Aine.

When Jun Takasaki was in high school, he was the student council president of the high school division, while she was the student council president of the junior high school division, so the two had quite a bit of interaction.

Chihaya Aine's mother was also her mother's best friend, so Takasaki Mio took good care of her and invited her and her mother to visit her home several times.

Over time, the two sides became quite familiar with each other.

However, to Jun Takasaki, she was just "a sensible little sister".

Since graduating from high school, the two sides have had little contact, and he doesn't like to take the initiative to contact others, so he doesn't know much about Chihaya Aine's recent situation.

Unexpectedly, she's going to study abroad...

Well, it's her personal choice. I wish her good luck. Jun Takasaki thought to himself.

“…Before she leaves, shall we go and see her? At least to send her off on her journey,” the mother suddenly suggested, her face full of expectant smiles.