readease Chapter 269 An Ordinary Shopping Day
Chapter 269 An Ordinary Shopping Day
(Thanks to "yudoom" for the author certification! Thank you to "Sweet Little Orchid of Narrow Street" for the author certification! Thank you for your support! Recent chapters have all been long, and today's is also a 5400-word long chapter~)
A convoy of black cars drove along the main road leading to Shinjuku.
It was a summer afternoon, and outside the car window, the glaring sunlight poured directly onto the asphalt road, creating waves of heat that distorted the air.
The roadside trees drooped listlessly under the high temperature, and occasionally a few passersby hurried by with parasols, leaving blurry silhouettes in the glaring light.
The carriages kept the heat out.
Satsuki, wearing a large, pure white cotton T-shirt, rested one hand on the leather interior of the car window, her gaze fixed on the concrete jungle outside that gleamed in the sunlight.
"This commercial building belongs to us."
Satsuki gently raised her finger and pointed to a twelve-story building on the roadside whose exterior curtain wall had just been renovated.
"I remember... the original owner seemed to be a trading company that did import and export. A while ago, they insisted on following the trend and investing in golf courses in other prefectures. As soon as the Ministry of Finance issued the order to cut off loans, their cash flow was cut off on the spot."
"Endo took some cash from his offshore account and bought the building's debt at a 30% discount. He just finished the liquidation process a few days ago."
"The two office buildings behind that are the same. And that plot of land in front that was demolished... Oh, the shops on the street next to that plot were quite cheap back then, so I bought them all..."
Her tone was very calm, but anyone could hear the joy in her voice. It was like a young girl introducing her newly bought doll to someone.
Amy took off her shoes, curled her legs up in the leather seat, and leaned her upper body over the wide central armrest, moving closer to Satsuki without any sense of distance.
She looked in the direction Satsuki was pointing, nodded perfunctorily twice, but her gaze remained greedily fixed on Satsuki's profile.
"Mmm, it's really beautiful."
The glass curtain walls and bustling commercial streets outside the window did not stir the slightest ripple in her eyes. Her face remained turned outward, but her eyes were fixed on Satsuki, who was so close at hand.
Hehe... Satsuki-chan is smiling~ So pretty~
Sunlight pierced through the dark privacy window film, casting a soft, dark golden hue on Satsuki's profile, while her fine hair swayed gently in the breeze from the air conditioner.
She even subtly moved forward half an inch, trying to get her shoulders closer together.
Satsuki turned away from the window and looked up, only to meet Amy's focused gaze.
"Amy, which building do you like?"
Satsuki asked casually.
Amy paused for a moment. She blinked, her eyes frantically searching the street scene outside the window.
The convoy slowed down at an intersection.
Amy raised her hand and pointed to a large building at the corner of the intersection.
It was a large department store with huge posters of the latest women's clothing on its exterior walls and extremely sophisticated decoration.
"I think that shopping mall is very beautiful."
Satsuki glanced in the direction Amy was pointing.
Nagasaki-ya Shinjuku flagship store.
"Nagasaki-ya..."
Satsuki withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Amy.
"The transfer of ownership was just completed last week, and it's now an asset under our name."
Her tone was gentle.
"I had someone put up a 'Closed for Renovation' sign yesterday, and the place is completely emptied today."
"Let's go there and take a look around."
The car smoothly made a turn at the intersection and drove towards the main entrance of Nagasaki Department Store.
Under the porch of Nagasaki-ya Department Store.
The six large main doors were tightly closed. In the center of the inside of the glass doors stood a conspicuous wooden sign.
The sign, printed in black on a white background, reads "Undergoing internal renovations, temporarily closed."
In the shadows outside the gate, the manager of Nagasaki-ya, along with several senior executives, had been standing for nearly half an hour.
The afternoon temperature in July was extremely high. But the store manager was still dressed in a neat dark double-breasted suit, his tie perfectly tied. His posture was taut, his back ramrod straight, and his hands were folded over his abdomen.
A few days ago, the head office issued an internal notice regarding asset changes. The mortgage claims on this flagship store building in Shinjuku have been entirely taken over by a European or American fund.
Just yesterday evening, an urgent order was faxed directly to his desk. The new shareholders demanded that the mall suspend operations today for clearing out the premises, as top management would be personally inspecting the premises that afternoon.
The store manager's stomach cramped slightly from nervousness. He kept reciting the English welcome speech he had prepared, while mentally reviewing the mall's core revenue data from the previous quarter.
Facing Wall Street capitalists who are rumored to be known for cutting costs and laying off employees, he must demonstrate the professional value of a large department store management team within the first minute of their meeting in order to save his own position and the positions of the executives behind him.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the heavy pounding in his chest, and turned his head slightly, signaling with his eyes to the supervisors behind him to maintain their composure.
The supervisors were also sweltering in the heat, but they still tried their best to maintain their composure. With the current environment so dire, nobody wanted to lose their job.
At that moment, a convoy of three black cars drove over the speed bumps in front of the entrance and into the entrance area of Nagasaki Department Store.
The doors of the two escort vehicles opened first. Several security personnel in dark suits quickly got out. They moved swiftly, spreading out and taking their positions around the porch, discreetly blocking all routes that could lead to the central driveway.
Then, the black Toyota Century sedan with Shinagawa license plates smoothly drove into the passage they had left and came to a stop directly in front of the steps.
Faced with this formidable security detail, the store manager's breathing tightened slightly. He took a deep breath, trying his best to control his somewhat stiff legs, and led the executives forward quickly.
The passenger door opened.
Fujita Tsuyoshi, dressed in a sharp black suit, got out of the car, walked around to the back seat, and opened the car door.
The store manager stopped two steps away from the car door. He took a deep breath, bent his back at a standard 45-degree angle, and put on a professional smile that he had practiced countless times.
"Welcome..."
The first English word had just rolled out of my throat.
A pair of feet wearing white casual sneakers stepped out of the carriage and onto the stone slabs of the porch.
The expected sophisticated custom-made leather shoes and suit trousers did not appear in sight. The store manager's gaze followed the sneakers upwards, past the unadorned light-colored casual trousers, and finally settled on an extremely ordinary loose white T-shirt.
He was slightly taken aback. This overly casual attire was a stark contrast to the image of the "high-ranking executive of the new Wall Street parent company" described in the head office's announcement.
He subconsciously raised his head.
A young Asian face came into view. Satsuki got out of the car and stood in the shadows of the porch.
The second half of the English greeting, "...to...", was stuck in the shopkeeper's throat, turning into a muffled swallow.
His mind went blank for a moment.
He...recognized this face.
Saionji Temple.
However, the clearing order faxed to his desk clearly came from a shell company in Europe or America.
Several fragmented pieces of information collided rapidly in the store manager's mind.
Recently, rumors have been circulating in the business world that the Saionji family has completely halted its expansion due to a tight cash flow caused by infrastructure projects, and that the top leader has even retired to Karuizawa to recuperate.
Has Nagasaki-ya's assets become so cheap that even the cash-strapped Saionji family can buy them so easily during their "rest and recuperation" period?
No, this is completely illogical. Nagasaki-ya's flagship store in Shinjuku occupies a prime location at a major intersection with the highest foot traffic in the core commercial district, and its daily sales consistently rank among the top three department stores in the Kanto region…
Suddenly, he realized something.
My heart pounded heavily in my chest, bringing with it a tight spasm.
It seems I've discovered something I shouldn't know.
He forcefully cut off the idea of continuing to investigate.
The muscles at the back of his neck tensed, and he quickly looked away, stiffly and obediently lowering his bow from a 45-degree angle to almost 90 degrees.
Never delve into things you shouldn't know.
"Young...Young Miss."
The store manager's voice was a little strained; he was trying hard to control the vibration of his vocal cords.
"I am the store manager. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly..."
Satsuki did not stop.
She glanced briefly at the somewhat stiff-looking shop manager and waved to the back.
"Amy, come quick. It's too hot outside, let's go inside first."
"Uh-huh!"
Amy got off the bus from the other side and jogged over to Satsuki's side.
They strode forward, bypassing the store manager and the group of executives, and headed straight for the glass doors of the department store.
Fujita stepped forward and led a group of bodyguards inside first.
The glass door smoothly slides open to both sides under the drive of the motor.
A powerful blast of cold air surged out from inside the mall, dispelling the summer heat under the entrance.
Satsuki and Amy walked into the mall side by side.
The first floor of the department store is a very large area dedicated to luxury brand counters.
At this moment, the wide main aisle was empty of customers, and soothing background music flowed gently. The spotlights of all the brand counters were still on, casting shimmering light on the diamond-encrusted watches and the latest seasonal garments displayed in the glass cases.
Unnecessary visual distractions have been eliminated from the mall's interior. Ordinary frontline sales staff have long been relegated to the back staff corridor to ensure the privacy of the new parent company's senior management during their visits.
The area within sight of the counters was completely empty.
Only a few senior store managers from various brands and senior consultants from the department store's foreign trade department remained. They were dressed in dark business suits and stood scattered in the blind spots of the display columns or inside the doors of the VIP lounge.
As Satsuki and Amy passed by, they silently gave a slight bow, and after leaving, they retreated back into the shadows of the display case. Everyone deliberately avoided direct eye contact. The entire floor maintained a near-invisible, yet ever-ready state of readiness, ready to be deployed at any moment.
Amy linked arms with Satsuki, and they strolled briskly between the various counters, their steps light and graceful, as they walked on the gleaming marble floor tiles.
"Satsuki-chan, look at that." Amy pointed to a Hermès Emerald Bay Crocodile Birkin bag in the left window and whispered in Satsuki's ear, "That color is so weird, it looks a bit like moldy moss."
Satsuki glanced at it in the direction she was pointing.
"That's a limited edition color that was just released in Paris this year." Satsuki continued walking. "If you don't like it, have the store manager remove it from the display case on this floor later."
"No need, I won't buy those bags anyway."
Amy shook her head with a grin. She wasn't particularly interested in the leather goods and jewelry that were priced at hundreds of thousands of yen.
Her gaze swept quickly across the glass counters, finally stopping her in front of a French haute couture accessories boutique, pulling Satsuki with her. (Mason Michel, French milliner)
Amy released Satsuki's arm and eagerly approached the open display shelf.
She took a liking to a hand-woven summer sun hat from the "Blanche" collection. The wide brim was made of raffia imported from Madagascar, specially softened for a lightweight yet resilient feel. A pure black silk ribbon was tied around the crown.
Amy simply reached out and picked up the hat.
A senior consultant who had been standing quietly in the blind spot behind the counter silently walked out the second after Amy picked up the hat.
The consultant bowed and quickly put on clean white cotton gloves. She didn't make any sales pitches or disturb them; instead, she held up a vintage-style round handheld mirror with walnut wood trim, holding it steadily in front of Amy and Satsuki so they could try it on.
"Satsuki-chan".
Amy turned around, holding the hat in both hands, and walked up to Satsuki with sparkling eyes.
She gestured the distance above Satsuki's head, then gently placed the hat on Satsuki's head.
"This looks good."
Amy took a half step back, put her hands behind her back, and nodded in satisfaction.
Satsuki obediently walked to a full-length mirror next to her.
She looked at herself in the mirror. A loose white T-shirt paired with a slightly retro wide-brimmed straw hat.
Satsuki raised her right hand, her slender fingers pinching the edge of the raffia-woven brim, gently pushing it up half an inch from its slightly tilted angle. The black silk ribbon on the hat fell naturally to her fair collarbone.
She gazed at the vibrant accessory in the mirror, so different from her usual dark formal wear, and a smile slowly crept into her eyes.
Yes, it's nice to change your style once in a while.
"You have excellent taste."
Satsuki lowered her hand, turned around, and looked at Amy, whose eyes were sparkling, behind her.
"It's very lightweight to wear. It should be perfect for sun protection when I go to Karuizawa to escape the summer heat in a while."
Upon receiving this specific affirmation, Amy's smile instantly blossomed. She quickly stepped forward and reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair beside Satsuki's ribbon behind her ear.
"I knew Satsuki-chan would look good in anything."
The store manager, accompanied by several senior executives, followed closely behind a dozen meters away.
Seeing Satsuki stop in front of the mirror, the store manager took a deep breath. He straightened the hem of his suit, tiptoed, and stopped a few meters away from the counter.
"Miss Saionji".
The store manager's hands were pressed tightly against the sides of his trouser legs, and his body leaned slightly forward.
"This hat is a limited edition that was just delivered from the French workshop last week. If you like it..."
Satsuki was adjusting the angle of her hat brim in front of the mirror.
She didn't turn around.
"Do you... know who I am?"
Satsuki's voice was flat.
The store manager froze.
"Yes, yes, young lady."
"This trip can be made public," Satsuki said, putting down her hand that was adjusting the brim of her hat. "You can tell anyone I've been here."
The store manager's breath caught in his throat at that moment.
Me...me?
The store manager was practically in tears. He knew he shouldn't have approached them, even at the risk of being reprimanded by head office for "poor hospitality." He really didn't want to get involved in these power struggles between conglomerates…
"No, Miss." The shopkeeper bowed deeply, his voice hoarse with nervousness. "I'll keep it a secret. You haven't been here at all today."
"Yeah?"
Satsuki turned her head, her cool gaze lingering on the shopkeeper's face for a moment.
She looked away and stared at the mirror again.
"Go ahead and do your work. Don't bother us."
Satsuki casually tidied the strands of hair that were hanging over her shoulders.
"Turn up the air conditioning temperature on this floor by two degrees. Amy is dressed a little lightly."
The store manager let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief. The tense muscles in his shoulders and neck relaxed slightly.
I've finally heard that.
"Yes, happy shopping!"
He maintained his bowed posture and quickly retreated with his supervisor as if fleeing.
The mall has returned to its quiet state, with only the sound of air conditioning blowing.
Amy leaned closer to the mirror and reached out to help Satsuki adjust the black silk ribbon on her hat.
"Huh? Why does this person seem afraid of Satsuki-chan?" Amy pouted. "Satsuki-chan is clearly the cutest person in the world."
Satsuki looked at her reflection in the mirror, smiled, and twirled around.
"Well...maybe he's been working too hard lately and is a bit stressed."
"That's still too rude. He should feel honored to be able to serve Satsuki-chan."
Satsuki chuckled and flicked Amy's nose. Then she turned and walked to the silk scarf display case next to her.
"Okay, okay. Let's not go see that stressful old man anymore." Her fingers traced across rows of colorful silk handkerchiefs. "What do you think of this one?"
Satsuki took out a Prussian blue silk scarf and wrapped it around Amy's neck.
Amy obediently tilted her chin up slightly, letting her do as she pleased.
"Hmm, not bad." Satsuki examined it for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go upstairs to look at the summer clothes later."
Amy happily grabbed the silk scarf and followed closely behind Satsuki's back.
"Um!"
I received another keepsake from Satsuki today.
like.
……
……
……
Additional content: SA confidential archiving terminal
User: Emi.S Access Permissions: Level 0 Project Codename: Marionette
[July 16, 1990, 02:14] The highest-authority unit (Satsuki) entered overload hibernation. Cause investigation: An external human entity acted against its will, causing the decision-making center's computing power to be overloaded. Conclusion: Human autonomy and unpredictability are the root cause of system redundancy. This needs to be eradicated at the physical level.
[July 16, 1990, 2:27 AM] Established a technological development path. Hypothesis: Bypass the subjective decision-making mechanism of the human prefrontal cortex. Directly write high-frequency electrical stimulation signals into the primary motor cortex (M1 area) to sever the spinal cord motor neuron pathway. Goal: Forcibly take over the target body's motor control. Transform the living organism into a completely obedient biological servo motor.
[July 16, 1990, 02:45] Hardware Obstacle Analysis. Review of Richard Normann's literature on the "Utah Array". Silicon-based probes exhibit severe biological rejection. After insertion into the cerebral cortex, microglia rapidly proliferate, forming dense glial scars. These scars encapsulate the electrode contacts, causing a surge in neuronal signal impedance, resulting in severe distortion of reverse-written instructions. Solution: Abandon pure silicon substrates. A flexible polymer material with high conductivity and a Young's modulus close to that of brain tissue needs to be found.
[July 16, 1990, 3:10 AM] Algorithm architecture reconstruction. Existing Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) exhibit a logical delay exceeding 200 milliseconds when processing brainwave feature extraction. A completely new Spiking Neural Network (SNN) architecture needs to be built to achieve millisecond-level decoding and deceptive writing of neural action potentials.
[1990.07.16 03:30] Next steps in the implementation plan.
A request was made to the Hokkaido Biological Laboratory to purchase five rhesus monkeys for in vivo tolerance testing of craniotomy microelectrode implantation.