Chapter 7: Unexplained Discrimination (Seeking Support and Votes)

“Tao!” After steadying his steps, Yosuke Ueno suddenly spoke in a much more formal tone. “Your changes are somewhat extreme, and I’m a little worried about you.”

Tao Zhimin’s heart stirred, and he looked at him.

“It seems… yesterday’s events really affected you,” Yosuke Ueno said earnestly, trying to persuade him. “Don’t provoke Yamane Yokohisa and his gang. Suddenly being so brave with girls worries me, too. Better to focus and resolve the work matters first. We’ve known each other for, what, three years now? I hope you’ll continue to stay in Tokyo. To be honest, I don’t have many friends.”

A smile slowly spread across Tao Zhimin’s face. Clearly, the changes in Tao Daro were most apparent to his roommate.

He thought I’d fallen into another extreme, a kind of self-destructive abandon?

It was genuine concern, after all. Tao Zhimin straightened his collar and said, “Don’t worry. Looking at me now, isn’t it clear I’m taking things seriously?”

The two walked together towards Tomokazu, chatting as they went.

Yosuke Ueno said, “But you just now… you had a bit of a devilish vibe…”

“Huh? How am I a devil?” Tao retorted.

“Weren’t you seriously talking about the brothel?”

“Hey! You can’t even joke, you’re too shy to ask for a phone number. You should take me as your example, not call me a devil!”

“Who says I’m shy!” Yosuke Ueno’s skin seemed to thicken in Tao’s presence. “Kyoko-chan… she’s not my type!”

“Tsk, tsk, I believe you. But why does talking about brothels make me a devil?”

“Ah, it just feels… not quite right.”

“Yosuke, it’s about time for your coming-of-age. You won’t say dumb things like ‘first kiss’ anymore, will you?”

“Hey! Wasn’t that yours?”

“...Don’t mention it, disgusting!”

They entered Tomokazu Company together, and once again saw Yamane Yokohisa, whose expression changed abruptly in the break room.

Yosuke Ueno advised him not to provoke that guy, but Tao Zhimin didn’t even consider himself on the same level as these young people who hadn’t yet reached their senior year.

March was upon them; the school year wouldn’t start until April.

A month’s time was enough for a great transformation.

...

In the president’s office of Tomokazu Corporation, the head of HR and several other managers preparing for this round of talent recruitment stood to the side.

The third-generation president, Hiroshi Omiya, flipped through the resumes that had made it to the final round. Seeing the comments on Tao Daro’s resume, he asked in surprise, “You all value this Tao Daro so highly?”

The HR manager bowed slightly, replying with certainty, “Yes! Compared to others, his demeanor and bearing are already that of a mature pillar. His responses are flawless, and his perspective is broad.”

The former vice president added, “He’s concerned with key issues that affect the company’s fate, which is very accurate. He asked whether exchange rate fluctuations would impact Tomokazu’s growth potential—not something most young people would consider, and it shows his ambition! In my judgment, he’s a man with clear goals. Since he’s come to Tomokazu, it means he’s seriously considering us.”

“A mature pillar, is he? I’d like to see for myself.” Hiroshi Omiya looked carefully, then frowned. “Immigrant from Summer Country?”

“He’s a third-generation immigrant, there’s no issue there.”

“Let’s see him. Schedule him… as the last candidate,” Hiroshi Omiya said ambiguously. “Well then, thank you all. Let’s begin!”

...

There were fewer interviewees in the afternoon, but each spent more time.

Tao Zhimin waited, but wasn’t bored.

HR specialist Tatsuya Someya led those scheduled for later interviews on a tour of the company’s work environment and nearby employee apartments.

In this society, where most people stay loyal to a company once they join, such careful interviews served both sides.

The company cultures weren’t much different; it was mostly a contest of hardware and benefits.

Tao Zhimin followed the group for over an hour, thinking the time costs for this interview were a bit high.

Unfortunately, he was now facing the challenge of even affording a meal—he needed to secure some income first, to settle his mind for the next step.

To his surprise, as dusk approached, it still wasn’t his turn.

He noticed that after each candidate finished their conversation, the HR staff would escort them to different small reception rooms.

When Yosuke Ueno came out, he looked the part of an exemplary student, and the HR specialist’s attitude was noticeably warmer.

No doubt, he’d received an informal offer—the attitude was that of welcoming a future colleague.

Even though Yamane Yokohisa looked down on him, he treated others, including Yosuke Ueno, with the same cheerful demeanor.

Finally, Tao Zhimin was the last to enter the conference room.

Three people sat before him; two he’d seen that morning, and the one in the center was unfamiliar—likely President Hiroshi Omiya.

“Tao, you grew up in Japan. Have you ever been back to Summer Country?” Unexpectedly, Hiroshi Omiya’s first question was this.

The HR manager and vice president exchanged glances, then looked at Tao Zhimin without betraying anything.

“No,” Tao replied, following Tao Daro’s background. “I moved from Shizuoka to Tokyo in high school.”

“Your grandparents, parents—they’re all of Summer Country descent?”

Tao Zhimin couldn’t help but meet his eyes, unsure why he was asking this. “Yes.”

“So, do you intend to marry within your community in the future? Is this a family rule?”

Uncertain of his intent, Tao replied frankly, “There’s no such rule. As for the future, I haven’t set any restrictions for myself.”

“Tell us about your school life,” Omiya said, unsmiling. “It appears from your resume that you don’t enjoy club activities?”

“I prefer spending time in the library, reading books that interest me.”

“Not much participation in clubs?”

“Not much.”

Omiya observed Tao Zhimin carefully. Indeed, as they’d said, the young man’s demeanor was composed.

He quickly asked, “Then do you believe the knowledge learned from books can be naturally applied to work?”

“Is the president worried I don’t know how to adapt?” Tao Zhimin smiled, returning the question.

Omiya stared at him and said quietly, “Just answer my question.”

From the very first question, Tao Zhimin sensed something was off.

He’d worked his way up from entry-level to executive roles, with countless interviews on both sides of the table.

By the final round, it was usually clear whether a candidate was fit for the position—the discussion should focus on compensation. If there were work-related questions, they’d be specific.

But although Omiya asked questions seemingly related to work, his tone carried a hint of skepticism.

Tao Zhimin thought for a moment, then said, “My father once told me, ‘To believe in books entirely is worse than having no books at all.’ I embrace this wisdom.”

He watched Omiya closely, and indeed, saw a trace of displeasure in his eyes.

Tao Zhimin now understood.

Omiya continued, “I heard you’re concerned about how exchange rates affect Tomokazu’s performance. I’d like to hear what approach you’d take to successfully adapt from student to employee.”

Tao Zhimin smiled—it was clear there was prejudice against his Summer Country origins.

He suppressed his inner disdain and gave a sincere performance: “Before I’m fully competent at work, I will follow instructions one hundred percent, with that resolve in mind! I am negotiating the sale of my residence with the property company, and I am fully committed to staying with the company and finding my place!”

His conviction surprised Omiya.

He’d thought Tao’s earlier retort meant he was a rebellious, uncooperative type. Unexpectedly, he was surprisingly compliant.

With that, Omiya finally shifted to assessing his ability from a professional standpoint.

“Tao, you mentioned Tomokazu’s international strategy appeals to you. How is your English?”

Tao Zhimin had no fear, immediately switching to English: “Although I’ve had little practical communication at work, I’ve been honing my spoken English through movies and TV series.”

His English, though not especially fluent, had no Japanese accent at all, which delighted Omiya.

Tao continued, “I’ve also researched the history and culture of Western countries, preparing myself well for future work.”

“Oh? What do you think of America, Tomokazu’s largest export market?”

“Let’s start with Walton, who was just named America’s richest man last year…” Tao began to speak fluently, discussing why large supermarkets like Walmart are popular, their supply chains, and management strategies. This had been a case study he researched for executive training years ago, and now he explained it with clarity.

He didn’t need to offer extraordinary insights; simply displaying the remarkable knowledge he possessed as a “student” was enough.

In this era, when the internet had yet to truly take off, a student who could articulate a successful business case so clearly was a demonstration of ability.

Tao Zhimin continued his performance without the slightest discomfort.

Since you harbor unreasonable prejudice against me, how could I not squeeze as much as possible from you, so you’ll later regret losing me?

He could have walked away with flair, but he wasn’t about to waste this day’s effort!