Chapter 57: Managing the Beautiful Maidens

Some people end up walking a narrow path, while others find their way growing broader with each step.

As soon as Yosuke Shino returned home, he said excitedly, "Darou, when I was out today, I saw the taxi that Runa mentioned! It was clearly empty, but it wouldn’t take any passengers!"

He spoke as he pulled out the money he’d earned today: "Five hundred thousand yen, plus two hundred thousand yen in shopping vouchers!"

Tao Zhimin clicked his tongue in admiration. "Impressive, Yosuke. You’re improving so fast?"

"I'm really motivated now!" Yosuke Shino winked. "I've realized the value of money. Twenty percent of one and a half million yen isn’t the same as twenty percent of ten million!"

Tao Zhimin silently gave him a big thumbs-up.

So he’s yearning for those romantic encounters?

And in front of Runa Onodera, he even knows how to drop hints about himself?

Tao Zhimin sighed. "Once these few days are over, you deserve a good reward for your efforts. Having someone like me around is clearly inspiring you. You used to only make two or three hundred thousand yen, and now you’re suddenly receiving the highest honors."

Yosuke Shino: ...Why did his perfectly good words suddenly make me sound a little weak?

Five hundred thousand yen!

But he had to admit, Darou’s presence was indeed spurring him on, and he was learning a lot every day.

After Tao Zhimin finished his call with Yuta Irie, Yosuke Shino asked, "So? Any clues today about what you were worried about yesterday?"

Tao Zhimin nodded. "I have a pretty good idea who it is. But don’t ask, I’ll take care of it."

Yosuke Shino thought for a moment and asked, "How much trouble is it? If it gets bad, I can talk to my father and we could move to Setagaya. Or maybe rent a bigger place."

"…By the way, what does your father do?"

"Oh, my father? He just runs a pottery workshop," Yosuke Shino replied. "So our house is quite spacious."

Tao Zhimin waved his hand. "Thank you for your concern. But don’t worry, I can handle it."

Later, when Yuta Irie arrived and went into the bedroom to talk with Tao Zhimin, Yosuke Shino quietly hid outside the door.

He was desperate to know what kind of trouble Darou had found himself in.

Because, according to Runa, Darou hadn’t left the house since he got back today, busy making plans.

Outside the door, Yuta Irie handed him the money, not even bothering to check the shopping vouchers, just stuffing them into his pocket as he said, "My old man told me to say, if you want to meet him, just go to the office."

Tao Zhimin clicked his tongue again. "So you want to see my courage? The headquarters of the Shindo Group... I’m a little excited."

"..."

He understood now: Tao Zhimin was someone with ambitions, determined to make connections with the yakuza, to establish relationships. Still, seeing Tao Zhimin’s eager expression, Yuta Irie couldn’t help but find it odd.

"By the way, there’s been a taxi circling the area, always empty, never picking up anyone. I suspect it’s waiting for me. Probably from the North City Association. I have a plan..."

As he spoke, the door suddenly slid open.

Tao Zhimin turned to see Yosuke Shino pale as a sheet, collapsed at the doorway.

"...Eavesdropping?" Tao Zhimin shook his head and said to Yuta Irie, "Are you confident this will work?"

"...As long as you’re willing, of course it’ll work." Yuta Irie looked at him with a complicated expression. "Think carefully, though. The person on the other side might be difficult to deal with."

"I know. But I’m considering every possibility. For the sake of vital information, this must be done," Tao Zhimin said confidently. "Let’s go ahead."

Yuta Irie nodded, and as he was about to leave, he glanced at Yosuke Shino slumped there, asking Tao Zhimin, "Will it be a problem if he overheard?"

"What problem could there be? Leave it to me."

With that, Yuta Irie left. Tao Zhimin crouched in front of Yosuke Shino, smiling broadly. "You overheard something secret. What should I do? Maybe I should silence you."

"...Secret? I couldn’t hear clearly, that’s why..."

Tao Zhimin shook his head, grabbed his collar, and dragged him into the room with a wicked grin, closing the door behind him.

As Tao Zhimin approached with a fierce look, Yosuke Shino shrank back. "I really didn’t hear anything!"

"Alright." Tao Zhimin stopped teasing him. "The soundproofing isn’t great, I know. You heard someone’s plotting against me, right? Are you scared?"

Yosuke Shino bit his lip and stood up, saying, "We should just move to Setagaya. Darou, why are you getting involved with the yakuza more and more? It’s not good for your future."

"...Such naive thinking." Tao Zhimin tilted his head, "Anyway, I’m going to keep doing things my way. What about you? Now you know how dangerous things are—will you move back in with your parents?"

"...I’m worried about you, idiot! How is that naive?" Yosuke Shino protested angrily. "Besides, am I the kind of guy who abandons a friend in danger?"

"So loyal, huh?" Tao Zhimin smiled. "Then why are you so pale?"

"Am I?" Yosuke Shino rubbed his face hard. "But you mentioned catching that taxi driver..."

"I’m not asking you to do it." Tao Zhimin patted his shoulder. "Alright, you don’t have to worry about this. You’re just my classmate and roommate—they know this well and won’t do anything to you. I have no parents or relatives, so dealing with me is less trouble. If they targeted two university students, things would get messy."

"What exactly do they want from you?" Yosuke Shino asked with concern.

Tao Zhimin tapped his head. "They want my intelligence, so there’s no threat to my life. Just keep improving yourself, and thank you for your concern. In the future, if you always stay by my side, you’ll be a man in the light, never needing to deal with dangerous organizations. Honestly, with your personality, you wouldn’t handle it well."

Yosuke Shino couldn’t help but ask, "Darou, what do you plan to do in the future? Just keep gathering other people’s money and making profits on the financial markets?"

"How boring would that be?" Tao Zhimin stood at the window, gazing at Tokyo’s glittering nightscape. "Once you make enough money, it’s just numbers. Of course you have to use it for something interesting."

He spread his arms to the city outside the window. "Yosuke, let’s make this place the new center of Tokyo’s nightlife! One day, we’ll become people who influence the hearts of the world! We’ll start with entertainment—get ready to manage beautiful girls!"

"What?" Yosuke Shino was dumbfounded. "Beau… beautiful girls?"

Tao Zhimin turned around, smiling, "Do you like that?"

"…To be honest, I’m already excited!"

"Hahahaha..." Tao Zhimin turned back, his gaze sharpening, "Today, I’ve found the path I truly want to walk. Someday, I’ll build a media network that influences the world. But first, let’s enjoy ourselves."

Time was still early—it was only 1986.

Ten years of the wildest youth lay ahead, and they would live as freely as possible.

Tao Zhimin felt no restraints about any of this.

He didn’t know much about the industries of Japan.

So naturally, he would start from what he knew.

Yosuke Shino didn’t yet understand what managing beautiful girls entailed, but he didn’t care.

Beautiful girls? His heart was beginning to burn with excitement.