sinovels Chapter 94 Satsuki Withdrawal Syndrome
Chapter 94 Satsuki Withdrawal Syndrome
Marunouchi, Tokyo.
The air in the president's office on the top floor of the Saionji Corporation headquarters building felt heavy, as if it had frozen.
The central air conditioning vents silently delivered cool air at a constant temperature, maintaining the room temperature at a comfortable 23 degrees Celsius. But this did little to alleviate the cold sweat on Executive Director Endo's forehead as he stood before his desk.
Endo held a white handkerchief in his hand, wiping his temples every few seconds.
Ever since the young lady went on vacation, Shuichi's temper has become unpredictable. This has been a real hardship for Endo and other company executives, who are constantly being scolded like dirt. Endo is starting to feel younger.
Behind his desk, Shuichi Saionji was looking down, his Montblanc pen hovering above a thick document.
Endo.
Shuichi's voice wasn't loud, but it resonated slightly in the spacious office.
"Yes, please give your instructions, President."
Endo quickly bent down.
"here."
The pen tip makes a heavy dab on the paper, leaving a dot of ink.
Why did the raw material procurement budget for UYK's summer production line increase by three percentage points compared to the previous quarter? Although the yen is appreciating and the cost of imported cotton is decreasing, the accounting for warehousing and logistics costs does not seem to have offset this.
He looked up at Endo.
"There is a 20 million yen 'loss reserve' here. Let me explain."
Endo shuddered, bowing even lower: "Yes, President! That's because of the potential risk of dampness during the rainy season, so..."
"The warehouse's dehumidification system was just upgraded last month," Shuichi interrupted him. "If you don't have confidence in the construction quality of Saionji Construction, you can talk to Itakura. If you don't have confidence in your own management..."
He didn't finish his sentence; he simply closed the folder and pushed it to the side of the table.
"Take it back and redo it. I don't want to see this kind of data, which is just for the sake of bookkeeping, again."
"Yes! I'm very sorry!"
Endo grabbed the documents and left as if he had been granted a pardon.
The heavy oak door closed slowly.
"Click".
With the soft click of the door lock closing, Xiu Yi's ramrod-straight back finally relaxed slightly. He took off his glasses, rubbed his nose wearily, and exhaled a long breath.
Silence returned to the office.
Xiu Yi turned his swivel chair to face the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside the window was the bustling Marunouchi financial district, where countless elites in suits moved like ants through the forest of steel and concrete.
In late April, the sky over Tokyo was a pale, grayish-blue.
Since Satsuki flew to the United States in early April, the past two weeks have felt like an eternity to Shuichi.
He lowered his head, his gaze falling on a document on the corner of the table.
It was a letter of intent for investment in the "satellite communications industry." The amount involved was as high as five billion yen, and it was a cooperation invitation from Mitsubishi Corporation.
In the past, Xiu Yi would have felt at a loss when faced with a decision of this magnitude.
But after two years of experience, especially navigating the political and business tycoons in The Club, he was no longer the old aristocrat who only knew how to maintain the status quo. He could read financial statements, understand those obscure business terms, and even be astute enough to spot flaws in Endo's seemingly perfect reports.
He is perfectly capable of maintaining the operation of this vast empire, ensuring it doesn't make mistakes or suffer losses.
He picked up the satellite communications document and flipped through two pages.
He recognized every single word on the densely packed technical parameters and market prospect analysis.
But he couldn't see through it.
Will this 5 billion yen investment turn into a money-printing machine like the Crystal Palace in Ginza, or into a quagmire like the Okura family's land reclamation project?
he does not know.
Shuichi's fingers traced the edge of the document.
If Satsuki were here at a time like this...
She would probably just glance at it, then tell him in that slightly sarcastic yet incredibly confident tone, "Father, this is just a front to scam government subsidies." Or, "Buy it; it's your ticket to the next decade."
That sound is gone.
Shuichi felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
He is like a massive battleship, with sturdy armor and fierce firepower, capable of cruising, deterring, and sinking any enemy ship that dares to approach.
But he didn't have radar.
On the vast ocean, he didn't know which direction to fire, nor where the next storm would come from.
"Maintaining the status quo..."
Xiu Yi gave a wry smile and threw the heavy investment proposal into the deepest part of the drawer.
Let's wait until the real "brain" returns before making decisions on matters that require a "heavenly eye."
All he can do now is look after her house and make sure no one steals even a single coin.
Shuichi put his glasses back on and pulled a new one from a stack of documents next to him—it was a report on the maintenance of the family mansion's garden.
Looking at the trivial matters of pruning pine trees and changing the water in the pond, he felt a little calmer.
These tangible things make him feel safe.
However, once the silence subsided, another, deeper emotion surged up like a tide.
He glanced at the calendar on the table.
4 month 26 day.
It has been sixteen days.
For those sixteen days, he got up on time, ate on time, came to the company on time, and went home on time every day. Occasionally, he would go golfing with others or have a drink at The Club.
But when he returned to the empty mansion in Bunkyo Ward, he was greeted only by a neatly arranged line of maids and a respectful butler.
The little figure sitting on the sofa, swinging her legs and reading a book, was nowhere to be seen.
There was no longer the voice of someone holding a cup of red tea, looking at him with cunning eyes and saying, "Father, we're going to rob some money."
Even the teddy bear that she always held in her arms was gone.
This house, built with countless sums of money, suddenly resembled a cold tomb.
Shuichi felt a tightness in his chest. He loosened his tie, picked up his coffee, and took a sip.
It's completely cold.
A bitter taste spread through my mouth.
"Thump, thump".
The knocking sounded again.
Shuichi frowned. If Endo came back to explain that damn budget again, he swore he would throw the documents in that senile old man's face.
"Come in."
The door opened.
It wasn't the trembling subordinate who walked in, but the old butler, Fujita.
Fujita was wearing a brand-new tuxedo today, his hair was slicked back and shiny, and his usually stern and unsmiling old face was now beaming with an undisguised joy, even the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had smoothed out.
"master."
Fujita's voice had a lighthearted quality to it.
"What is it?" Xiu put down his coffee cup, his tone still somewhat somber.
"A message came from the airport."
Fujita stepped forward, speaking a little faster.
"The young lady's private jet has already taken off from New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido."
Shuichi's hand holding the cup suddenly stiffened.
"The control tower has confirmed the flight path. We expect to land at Haneda Airport in two hours."
"Clang!"
The coffee cup was placed heavily on the tray, some of it even overflowing, but Shuichi didn't even glance at it.
He suddenly stood up, his chair sliding backward and crashing into the floor-to-ceiling window with a dull thud.
The oppressive atmosphere that had been hanging over the president's office was instantly dispelled by an invisible gust of wind.
"Two hours?"
Shuichi raised his wrist, glanced at his watch, then at the wall clock, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
"What's the wind direction now? Is it a tailwind or a headwind? Will it cause delays?"
He walked around the desk, strode up to Fujita, and fired off a barrage of questions.
"Also, what about the traffic situation in Tokyo? Will there be traffic jams on the Metropolitan Expressway at this time? Has the transportation to the airport been arranged? Make sure to turn on the heating in advance; Tokyo is hotter than Hokkaido, but don't let her catch a cold."
Fujita looked at the somewhat out-of-control head of the family, and his smile deepened.
"Sir, rest assured. Everything is arranged. The convoy is already waiting downstairs, taking the smoothest routes at this time of day."
"That's good, that's good."
Xiu rubbed his hands together and paced back and forth in the office.
He suddenly stopped, pointing to the pile of documents on the table that hadn't been reviewed yet, and the 5 billion investment proposal he had thrown into the drawer.
"These……"
He waved his hand, as if shooing away a swarm of annoying flies.
"Tell Endo that we'll talk about the rest tomorrow. No, the day after. Don't call home unless it's something truly earth-shattering."
"Yes." Fujita bowed slightly.
"And dinner," Shuichi said, then remembered something else. "Have the chef prepare that foie gras that's flown in from France. Satsuki's been eating potatoes and seafood in Hokkaido for half a month; she'll definitely want a change. Oh, and that..."
As he spoke, he grabbed a coat from the hanger and, without even waiting for Fujita to help him put it on, hastily slipped it on himself.
"Get the car ready! Let's go!"
"Sir, there's still more than an hour left," Fujita reminded him.
"Go to the airport and wait."
Shuichi had already reached the door and was holding the doorknob.
"What if the wind is favorable and it arrives early?"
……
Haneda Airport, VIP terminal.
Outside the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, the setting sun was slowly sinking. The golden-red afterglow spilled onto the tarmac, bathing the silver steel behemoths in a warm hue.
Shuichi sat in his private lounge.
There was a cup of premium Blue Mountain coffee on the coffee table, but he didn't touch it.
He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the running track in the distance, then walked back and sat down. Less than a minute later, he stood up again.
In this lounge where he was all alone, this awe-inspiring man in Tokyo's political and business circles was as anxious as a young man waiting for his first date.
His attendant tried to come up and refill his water, but he waved him off.
He doesn't need water.
He needs to confirm those coordinates.
"How much longer?" Shuichi asked for the third time.
"Reporting to the patriarch, we will land in fifteen minutes." Fujita stood at the door and answered patiently.
Fifteen minutes.
Shuichi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
As he watched the planes taking off and landing outside the window, his thoughts drifted back to a few years ago.
At that time, Yuriko had just left.
The entire Saionji residence is like an airport at sunset; it is still enormous, but shrouded in the shadow of approaching night.
He spent his days smoking in his study, staring blankly at the account books. He thought he would slowly sink into darkness along with his family, becoming dust of the times.
Until that little hand grabbed his arm.
It is Gaoyue.
It was that twelve-year-old child who, with her tender shoulders, single-handedly shouldered the burden of this crumbling family and her despondent father.
She not only carried him, but also gave him wings and propelled him to a height he had never dared to imagine.
He was praised by the outside world for his sharp insight and ruthless methods.
But he knew it in his heart.
Without Satsuki, he would just be an old nobleman who lived off his family's property and drifted through life in the House of Nobles.
His daughter gave him confidence.
Only by his daughter's side could he shed the heavy armor of being the "head of the family" and transform from a weary manager back into a pure and happy father.
"They're here."
Fujita's voice interrupted his recollection.
Xiu Yi suddenly looked up.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, a deep blue plane pierced through the clouds and appeared on the horizon.
Like an elegant falcon, it glided gracefully across the runway, the navigation lights at the tips of its wings flashing in the twilight.
That's the "Midnight Ghost".
Shuichi felt his heart pound twice.
He straightened his tie and strode out of the lounge.
……
The wind was a bit strong on the tarmac.
The roar of the massive turbofan engine gradually diminished, eventually fading into a soft hum.
The hatch slowly opened, and the gangway was lowered.
Shuichi stood beside the car, his gaze fixed intently on the cabin door.
Fujita Tsuyoshi was the first to step out. He glanced around warily before stepping aside.
Immediately afterwards, a petite figure appeared at the doorway.
Satsuki was wearing a beige trench coat and a thin scarf around her neck, her long hair slightly disheveled by the wind. She stood on the high gangway, looked down, and immediately spotted Shuichi standing by the car.
A bright smile spread across her face, and she raised her hand and waved.
"Father!"
The sound traveled through the wind and clearly reached Shuichi's ears.
In that instant, Xiu Yi felt that the gloom and anxiety of the past two weeks had melted away without a trace, like snow that had seen the sun.
He disregarded all decorum and quickly went to meet her.
Satsuki hurried down the gangway. Amy followed behind, carrying the large bag.
"Slow down, be careful of the strong wind."
Shuichi stepped forward, reached out his hands, and steadily supported his daughter as she jumped down the last few steps.
He looked Satsuki up and down.
She looked well; her cheeks were flushed from the Hokkaido wind, and her eyes sparkled.
"Have you lost weight?" Shuichi pinched Satsuki's arm. "Are you getting used to the food there? I heard it's just potatoes and salted fish."
"It's not that exaggerated." Satsuki smiled and let her father look her over. "Mr. Otsuka's potatoes are delicious, and the sea urchins are very fresh. But Father, your dark circles seem to have gotten worse again."
She reached out and gently touched the corner of Xiu Yi's eye.
The slightly cool touch sent a shiver down Shuichi's spine.
"There's been a lot going on at the company," Xiu Yi said vaguely. "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
My tense nerves finally relaxed completely.
"Oh, right."
After exchanging pleasantries, Satsuki turned around and waved to Fujita, who had just come down from behind her.
"Fujita, bring that thing over here."
Fujita was carrying a large, beautifully packaged black box. He carefully stepped forward and handed the box to Shuichi.
"What's this?" Shuichi looked at the large box with some surprise.
"This is a gift I picked out for you in America."
Satsuki smiled mysteriously, put her hands behind her back, and tilted her head to look at her father.
"I think this is perfect for you right now."
Shuichi looked at the box with curiosity.
Hollywood?
Could it be some expensive movie prop? Or a signed poster of a celebrity?
He eagerly untied the ribbon and opened the box.
Lying on the black velvet padding was a pitch-black helmet with a menacing and oppressive design.
That original Darth Vader helmet.
The black mask reflected an eerie and cold light in the setting sun, and the empty eye sockets seemed to be staring into the abyss.
Xiu Yi was stunned.
Although he doesn't watch many science fiction movies, he does know this famous villain.
"This is……"
He looked at his daughter with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
"Father, please bow your head."
Satsuki tiptoed.
Xiu subconsciously complied with her, lowering his head slightly.
Satsuki stretched out her hands, laboriously picked up the heavy helmet, and then solemnly, as if performing some kind of coronation ceremony, put it on Shuichi's head.
The world suddenly went dark.
Shuichi's field of vision narrowed, and he could only see outside through the lens on his visor. His breathing became labored, and he could even hear his own heavy breathing echoing inside the helmet.
It's a very strange feeling.
Isolated from the outside world, yet full of power.
"This is the helmet of the Galactic Empire's commander."
Satsuki's voice came through the helmet, sounding somewhat muffled, but with an undisguised smile.
"Father, you have protected the family very well. But on this battlefield in Tokyo, those kind-faced bodhisattvas can't keep things in check."
She reached out and, through her gloves, grasped Shuichi's hand.
"You need this. This is the mask a tyrant in Tokyo should wear."
"Wear it, and no one will see your hesitation, nor will anyone see your weakness."
"As for the direction..."
Satsuki gently scratched Shuichi's palm with her fingers.
"I will tell you where our spaceship should go."
Shuichi stood still.
He stood on the tarmac at Haneda Airport, wearing a helmet only young people and nerds would understand, and an expensive custom-made suit. If his colleagues at the House of Nobles saw this scene, they would probably be astonished.
But he understood.
He understood the meaning behind his daughter's laughter.
She was telling him:
You can be that awe-inspiring executor, that dark knight wielding a lightsaber to cut down all obstacles.
And she will be the emperor who guides the way.
Shuichi's lips slowly curled up beneath the mask.
He raised his hand and adjusted the heavy helmet.
"Since it is a gift from Her Majesty the Queen..."
His voice, processed by the voice changer on his helmet, became deep and metallic, making him sound like a villainous big boss.
"Then I'll accept it."
……
The sun finally sank below the horizon.
The runway lights at Haneda Airport illuminated, with two rows of dazzling lights stretching into the distance.
Shuichi took off his helmet and held it in his arms as if it were a rare treasure.
He freed one hand and took Satsuki's hand.
"Let's go home. The foie gras is ready."
"Yes, I also brought you some red wine from California. Although it's not as good as Romanée-Conti, it has a very unique flavor."
The father and daughter walked towards the convoy.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long, until they finally merged together, becoming a huge, inseparable whole.
Amy followed behind, carrying the large bag.
She looked at the father and daughter in front of her, a pair whose power was among the highest in Japan, yet who seemed rather strange.
The usually imposing President Saionji was now carrying a comical black samurai helmet, walking as lightly as a child.
Meanwhile, Satsuki-chan, who is always shrewd and as cold as a robot, is tilting her head back and telling her father a joke about "potatoes".
Amy pushed up her glasses, a hint of envy on her lips.
Suddenly, Satsuki turned around, a smile playing on her lips.
"See you at school, Amy!"
With that, he got into the car with Xiu Yi. He said goodbye to Amy through the car window.
"Okay, see you at school, Satsuki-chan."
Amy waved and got into the car that had come to pick her up.
......
Half an hour later, Amy also developed "Satsuki withdrawal symptoms".