Tokyo Three Generations

The compliment eased Toyokawa Kiyoshi's expression slightly, but he quickly sneered again, "So you know how to flatter others, huh? But it's too late. I haven't forgotten what you said last time."

Jun Takasaki was speechless.

He also remembered that he had spoken to this father about Xiangzi's possible tragic fate, although it was a persuasive tactic. But thinking back on it now, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

Seeing that he was speechless, Toyokawa Kiyotaka seemed to be in a better mood, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"You rascal, though despicable, you do have some talent, at least better than I was back then... Xiangzi's choice of friends wasn't too bad." He deliberately turned his face away, refusing to look at the annoying little fellow. "To tell you the truth, it was Xiangzi who instigated me to visit your house; I originally intended to stay out of it—"

“So I’m very grateful to her.” Jun Takasaki nodded. “When my family was in trouble, she was able to give me such unreserved support, which was truly a godsend.”

"So, are you ready?" Toyokawa Kiyoko asked in return.

"What preparations?" Jun Takasaki asked, somewhat taken aback.

"Now that we've come this far, what are you still trying to dodge?" Toyokawa Kiyoko frowned.

Then, he added irritably, "I remember asking you if you wanted to change your surname to Toyokawa."

“I remember I already answered that question,” Jun Takasaki replied immediately.

"What do you mean?" Toyokawa Kiyoko's brows furrowed even more. "The Toyokawa family isn't good enough for you?"

“It’s not a matter of being worthy or not…” Jun Takasaki raised his hand, pointed to the large window of the mansion, and then looked at Kiyotaka Toyokawa and said, word by word, “Even if I die, even if I jump off from here, I will never betray the family name that my grandfather gave me!”

Toyokawa Kiyoko was instantly dumbfounded, staring blankly at Takasaki Jun, unsure whether he was intimidated by Takasaki Jun's "swearing by the window" aura or startled by his momentary chuunibyou (adolescent delusions of grandeur).

After a moment of shock, he quickly became angry and glared fiercely at the brat.

"What, you still want to live off a woman?!"

104, there are other plans.

"What, you still want to live off a woman?!"

Despite Toyokawa Kiyoko's questioning, Takasaki Jun remained unmoved.

In fact, he still doesn't understand why Toyokawa Kiyoko suddenly brought this matter to the forefront.

But that doesn't matter. The only thing he remembers is that not long ago, his grandfather was holding his hand and telling his grandson with deep affection that he must protect the family name and not let it decline.

Admittedly, it is normal in this country for men to marry into another family and inherit their business. There are many examples of this even in the political arena. For instance, former Liberal Democratic Party bigwig Kato Mutsuki, who had no son, married into the family with a son-in-law named Murozaki Katsunobu, who changed his name to Kato Katsunobu and inherited his political resources. Kato Katsunobu eventually became a cabinet minister.

But he didn't want to choose that path.

Perhaps after marrying into the Toyokawa family and changing his name to Toyokawa Jun, he could soar to great heights and even reach a position that his grandfather could only dream of. But that would be an honor for the Toyokawa family, and what would it have to do with the Takasaki family? He couldn't get over the psychological hurdle himself.

Toyokawa Kiyotaka couldn't understand Takasaki Jun's obsession, after all, he himself was a son-in-law. But in Takasaki Jun's heart, this was where his pride lay—he had been raised as the heir of the Takasaki family since childhood, how could he betray this responsibility?

With this pride, Jun Takasaki straightened his back and looked at the other person without fear.

“Mr. Toyokawa, I don’t know what you mean. I have never said that I want to eat at the Toyokawa family’s house. In fact, I have not even taken a single blade of grass or tree from the Toyokawa family. How did this come up with this?”

Despite his rebuttal, Toyokawa Kiyoshi remained furious.

"Do you really think I need your help? How ridiculous. There are countless people who want to curry favor with Xiangzi. If it weren't for Xiangzi's insistence, I wouldn't be willing to give in to you."

At this point, he sighed helplessly again, "Although Xiangzi is young, anyone with eyes can see the way she looks at you and the way she treats you. Just now, before she brought you in, I was watching you two chat from the window... That genuine smile of hers, and that unpretentious warmth, are things she would never show to anyone else. Because of this, as her father, even if I'm unwilling, I can only prioritize Xiangzi's wishes..."

While Toyokawa Kiyoshi's words were true, there was also something he was hiding.

By the standards of the Toyokawa family's practice of taking in sons-in-law, Takasaki Jun could be considered to have met the requirements.

Based on his personal qualities, everyone thought he was "worthy" of Miss Toyokawa.

If he didn't have this opportunity and was just a wild boy with no connections, he would probably have mysteriously disappeared and been stuffed into a mixer and turned into dust long ago. He would never have had the chance to talk to Xiangzi's father.

Therefore, in Toyokawa Kiyoshi's view, his daughter had already "condescended" to this extent and was willing to openly express her feelings to him, yet he still did not appreciate it. This was simply intolerable.

“I thank Xiangzi for her high regard, and I have always considered her my most like-minded friend. I not only want to save her life, but also want to help her realize all her wishes… I admit that I like and admire her very much,” Takasaki Jun replied calmly. “However, let me make it clear to you that my liking for her is not driven by any ulterior motives. I have never thought of using Xiangzi to climb the social ladder or gain any financial or political benefits. I am just a friend out of interest…”

After a pause, he added, "If Xiangzi is willing to take a liking to me, then I admit it would be my blessing. But we're not at an age where we should be discussing this, are we? We'll have different lives and meet different people in the future, and maybe her thoughts will be different then... You're rushing to find her a future husband right now, aren't you just harming her?"

"You... what kind of person do you think Xiangzi is? Do you think she's the kind of person who would easily change her mind?"

Although Jun Takasaki's rebuttal was very reasonable, it only made Kiyotaka Toyokawa even angrier. He frowned and retorted sharply, "Don't I know my daughter?"

“If you really understand her so well, then why did you want to leave her alone in the first place?” Jun Takasaki retorted. “You clearly misjudged her determination and courage.”

These words left Toyokawa Kiyokazu speechless for a moment.

This guy is indeed sharp-tongued; he couldn't win the argument back then, and he still can't win it now.

He remained silent for a long while, and finally sighed dejectedly.

"So, you're saying you don't want to marry into the family?"

“Absolutely not.” Jun Takasaki gave another resolute reply.

"Then don't regret it later! Don't say I didn't give you a chance," Toyokawa Kiyoka warned again.

“I have never regretted my decision in my life.” Jun Takasaki answered calmly. “Yes, the Toyokawa family is indeed very wealthy, far beyond our reach. I also admit that Shoko is exceptionally talented and comes from a distinguished family, a rare find in the world. But as the saying goes, one cannot be deprived of one’s will. I will never give up my responsibility to protect the family name for anyone, not now, and not in the future!”

After he finished speaking, Toyokawa Kiyoko fell silent.

Junya Takasaki knew that there was nothing more to discuss at this point, and he didn't want to continue arguing with his elders over this issue. So he bowed slightly and then turned and left the study.

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

After he left, Toyokawa Kiyotaka remained silently seated in his original spot, seemingly lost in thought.

"He's really a tough nut to crack..."

Just then, the velvet curtains by the window swayed slightly, and a woman in business attire stepped out.

She is Shirasawa Tsubaki, the legal counsel for the Toyokawa Group who previously helped Nagasaki Motoyo, and also a close friend of Toyokawa Mizuho.

When Takasaki Jun came to visit today, she happened to be at the Toyokawa residence, so she secretly observed this young man who could potentially become her son-in-law. After Takasaki Jun entered, he felt that one of the gazes directed at him was from her.

Although the two had a very unpleasant argument, Bai Zechun didn't seem angry at all; instead, she showed a smile of great interest.

"He's quite handsome too," she added after walking up to Toyokawa Kiyoshi.

"You women only care about looks." Toyokawa Kiyoko was already in a bad mood, and this only made things worse. He couldn't help but glare at Shirawa Tsubaki.

“That’s right, who doesn’t like looking at faces? Just sitting with good-looking people makes you feel good,” Bai Zechun replied with a grin. “So I understand Xiangzi. Rather than marrying someone whose age and appearance you don’t know, and then living a dull life, it’s better to find someone you find most pleasing to the eye…”

"Are you deaf? He already said he didn't want to," Toyokawa Kiyoshi retorted, dissatisfied.

Then he angrily cursed, "That ungrateful brat! He's wasted all his good fortune from several lifetimes! Humph, there are plenty of handsome men in the world; even without him, there are plenty of others he can find!"

Logically speaking, with Toyokawa Kiyoko so angry, others should have been terrified and kept silent, but because they had known each other for many years, Shirasawa Tsubaki was not afraid at all.

"Don't be so angry!" She shook her head with a smile. "That guy only said he would rather die than marry into the family, he didn't say he didn't want Xiangzi... Didn't he say he really liked Xiangzi?"

"Isn't that the same thing? Do you want Xiangzi to marry into that family?" Upon hearing this, Toyokawa Kiyoshi immediately flew into a rage.

It's a bit shameful to think that Xiangzi, the sole heir of the family, would have to break the family's tradition of marrying into another family.

Moreover, this is not just a matter of saving face, but also involves the harshest realities.

"It's not impossible, you know. I'm a top lawyer; legal issues are no problem for me," Bai Zechun replied calmly. "Xiangzi is currently the sole heir of the Fengchuan family, but that doesn't mean she'll always be the only one. In terms of bloodline succession, her children can legally inherit the family business just as legitimately. Anyway, you're still in the Fengchuan family. As long as she has a daughter later and sends her back to change her surname to Fengchuan, she can inherit the family business, right? Look at the current prime minister's younger brother; he inherited his maternal grandfather's family name, and no one can say anything about it..."

"What kind of joke are you talking about!" Toyokawa Kiyoko was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head in denial. "If she marries and changes her surname, she will become someone else's family. Those Toyokawa relatives will definitely use this as an excuse to deny her children's inheritance rights... It's impossible from the very first step! This is a tradition of the Toyokawa family, and it's not so easy to break."

“Even if there are objections, we can just wipe out the opposition within the Toyokawa family, then you and your daughter can call the shots.” Bai Zechun retorted. “As long as no one can raise any objections, then everything will be fine.”

Although she spoke casually, anyone with a modicum of common sense could tell how dangerous her words were.

"You..." Toyokawa Kiyotaka couldn't help but shudder. "Don't joke like that!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Bai Zechun retorted again.

Toyokawa Kiyoko looked at Shirasawa Tsubaki, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then didn't know how to start.

Sigh, he's really not a good person. Even as the president of the Toyokawa Group, he can't shake off his cowardly nature.

I don't know exactly what Mizuho likes about him... maybe it's this "sense of security".

With a hint of inner turmoil, Bai Zechun continued, "I'm Mizuho's friend. She's the one who brought me into the Toyokawa Group, and she's the one who gave me everything I have today. Xiangzi is her only daughter. So, whether she takes the Toyokawa surname or not, I will wholeheartedly support her—therefore, anyone who tries to use this to attack Xiangzi, attempting to deprive her of her inheritance and leadership rights, is my mortal enemy, and I will absolutely not let them off..."

At this point, her tone turned icy. "Mr. Qinggao, you should have made this kind of decision beforehand. Otherwise, how can you protect your daughter? How can you face Ruihui's spirit in heaven?"

"Do you think saying so many shameful things is fair to Mizuho?" Toyokawa Kiyoshi angrily rebuked, "Making her only daughter give up her duties as head of the family and abandon her surname to run off to another family as a daughter-in-law, what would Mizuho think if she heard that!"

Bai Zechun did not answer immediately. The playful smile on her face gradually faded, finally turning into a melancholy seriousness.

“Mizuho won’t be angry if this is the happiness that Shoko has chosen for herself… because that’s what a mother is. She gives birth to a child not so that the child can take her place as a prisoner on the throne, but so that the child can live a happy life in her place.” Shirasawa Tsubaki sighed softly. “Of course I’m not encouraging Shoko to do this. I’m just saying that if Shoko wants to do this, I will do everything I can to help her achieve her goal… because that is also my duty.”

Toyokawa Kiyotaka fell silent.

Although Mizuho Toyokawa has passed away, her trusted faction still exists, and Tsubaki Shirasawa is an important member of it. Even he himself has to rely on these "direct descendants" to gradually gain a foothold in the group and operate this huge conglomerate.

He knew in his heart that the "Mizuho Clique" listened to him not out of respect for his authority, but for Xiangzi's sake. In other words, Xiangzi was the real new king in their eyes.

If that's the case, maybe Xiangzi really can do it?

However, if this happens, it would mean that the conflict between the main family and the branch families has reached an irreconcilable point, and it could mean that there will be bloodshed.

The thought of this outcome left Toyokawa Kiyotaka feeling conflicted and hesitant.

He only wanted to be a fixer for the group, and then hand it over to his daughter completely when she grew up to the right stage. He never thought of igniting a bloodbath in the Toyokawa family and becoming a sinner of the Toyokawa Group.

Faced with this difficult prospect, he couldn't help but back down.

“This matter… is too absurd. Let’s talk about it later.” He replied softly. “Xiangzi is still young and it’s not appropriate for her to discuss this. Maybe she’s just having a crush now, but she might have other ideas in the future. There’s still plenty of time. Let’s wait and see.”

You were just arguing with that kid, and now you're shamelessly using his words to brush him off...

"Hmph, all men are the same, aren't they?" Bai Zechun couldn't help but think to herself again.

However, she was not surprised at all by Toyokawa Kiyoshi's reaction, after all, she knew this guy too well.

Let's wait and see, I do have time now anyway.

One reason she strongly supported that young man was that he was indeed quite handsome and his temperament suited her taste.

Of course, this is just a minor point. The most fundamental and important reason is that she has long disliked those Toyokawa relatives. In her view, these relatives are nothing more than parasites sucking blood from the giant Toyokawa Group, and they are completely detrimental.

She even believed that Toyokawa Mizuho's death was partly due to the machinations of her relatives.

Therefore, she had long wanted to take action against them.

In a sense, she even hoped for such an opportunity to ignite this inevitable infighting and make these guys pay the price they deserved.

If Xiangzi and the young man she values ​​truly have the ability in the future, she will assist them and carry on this matter without hesitation.

Although Mr. Qinggao couldn't make a decision, he knew that if the circumstances forced it, there was nothing he could do anyway—he couldn't possibly stand against his daughter, could he? In the end, he still had to support Xiangzi with tears in his eyes.

Thinking of all this, Bai Zechun's face once again revealed a meaningful smile.

"Alright, let's stop here for now. I'm going to meet that kid. It's time we met in person."

105, Awesome without being angry

After Jun Takasaki left the study, Shoko Toyokawa quickly came to greet him. She first observed Jun's expression, and then cautiously asked, "Jun, how did your talk with my father go? Was there something unpleasant?"

Looking at the pure and lovely Xiangzi in front of him, Jun Takasaki's anger from a moment ago suddenly vanished.

“We just discussed the plan, and your father agreed to my proposal. He said he would provide sponsorship for me…”

"That's great..." Xiangzi's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

Even if her father disagreed, she had ways to achieve her goal indirectly, but it would be even better if her father agreed.

Then, she looked at Jun Takasaki with a puzzled expression, "Then why do you still look a little down?"

Your father and I discussed the marriage proposal hypothetically, and I naturally refused—Takasaki Jun felt he couldn't bring himself to say such cruel words to your face, and besides, it sounded too absurd.

So Jun Takasaki could only give a vague answer: "It's nothing, we had a little disagreement over some other things, it's nothing serious."

"Hmph, Dad's probably still holding a grudge against you for being disrespectful to him back then, right? He's a bit petty, I know." Hearing this, Xiangzi's face flashed with displeasure, and his lips pouted, as if he were defending Gao Qijun. "You don't need to take this to heart. As long as he's generous, that's enough. Let me tell you, my dad actually admires you quite a bit. He's even praised you to me privately, saying you're a leader among our generation and will definitely achieve great things in the future..."

When Xiangzi heard that he had argued with his father, his first reaction was to blame his father, and he even tried his best to say nice things to comfort him... without even asking for the specific reason.

That's how human preferences are; they don't need any deliberate actions to show them, they can be revealed in everyday, unintentional words and deeds.

Jun Takasaki has clearly sensed this "favoritism".

It's no wonder that Toyokawa Kiyotaka suddenly brought this up; he must have already felt this favoritism in his interactions with his daughter.

Thinking about this, Jun Takasaki felt a little ashamed, after all, he had failed to live up to this sentiment.

He quickly shook his head in denial, "It's nothing, just a small argument, I won't take it to heart. Besides, I don't think Mr. Qinggao is a petty person at all. On the contrary, he has been trying his best to fulfill his responsibilities, and I have no complaints about him."