dognovel Chapter 1677 A Double Act
Chapter 1677 A Double Act
Chapter 1677 A Double Act
The accident happened in an instant. Qi Yan reacted quickly enough, taking a step to stand beside him, seemingly trying to shield him from behind.
However, Li Xuewu was too close to the waiter, and he could not act rashly unless he discovered further danger.
It wasn't that he trusted the waiter, but rather that he was confident in his leader's skills; he believed that ordinary people couldn't easily harm him.
Having her identity exposed, Yoshiko Oshima stood there with her head down, trembling all over, her nerves stretched to the limit.
"It's nothing. I didn't expect it to be the daughter of an old friend."
Li Xuewu handed the cup in his hand to Qi Yan, looked at Oshima Yoshiko and nodded slightly, saying, "If you have anything you want to ask or say, I can sacrifice a little of my rest time. Please sit here."
He didn't bother to ask for the other person's opinion. After gesturing to the sofa, he went to the inner room to wash up, giving the other person some time to calm down.
Having already showered before the meeting, he simply washed his face and calmed himself down after a long day before returning to the living room.
Qi Yan had already put down the cup in his hand, but he was still staring at Oshima Yoshiko, who was standing there motionless. There was a hint of confrontation between the two.
“If you want to make a move, do it now,” Li Xuewu glanced at her and said, “so I don’t waste my time.”
This dismissive tone instantly diverted Yoshiko Oshima's attention. She looked up at Li Xuewu, who had walked over and sat down on the sofa, her eyes filled with inquiry and contemplation.
"You mean an old friend... is it..."
"Are you asking about his Japanese name or his Chinese name?" Li Xuewu said calmly, "It's already this late, and I have to get up early tomorrow."
“If the person who gave you the information wasn’t lying, you should know who I am, and you should also know who the person I just mentioned is.”
"..." After a brief silence, Yoshiko Oshima looked at him and asked, "My father... he..."
Perhaps intimidated by Li Xuewu's current aura, she tried hard to suppress her inner tension and fear, and asked, "Is he still alive?"
Didn't the person who gave you the message say anything?
Li Xuewu, of course, would not let go of any opportunity to counter-surveillance, and chuckled, "Don't tell me you don't know what your father does in the mainland."
"Since you were able to find me and went to great lengths to sneak into the hotel and get close to me, you must have something to say."
He picked up the glass of water that Yoshiko Oshima had poured, brought it to his lips, and "took" a sip, while his eyes were out of the corner of his eye observing her expression.
Yoshiko Oshima was indeed watching him, but it was impossible to be sure what she had done to the hot water earlier.
“I didn’t even know he was still alive before…”
At Li Xuewu's prompting, she moved over to the sofa and sat down opposite him.
Li Xuewu nodded slightly, it was unclear whether he believed her or not, his gaze sweeping over her without restraint, as if he didn't care at all.
"Have you ever been to China?" Seeing that Yoshiko Oshima had fallen silent, he took the initiative to start a conversation, asking, "How old are you this year? What do you do for a living?"
“I was born in China.” Yoshiko Oshima looked at him and said, “In Shanghai. I was only three years old when I returned to Japan.”
"So you must be twenty-nine this year? Thirty?" Li Xuewu looked her over again, comparing her appearance with his own guess.
"I returned to Japan with my mother in 49."
Yoshiko Oshima seemed to subconsciously resist Li Xuewu's exaggeration of her age, glancing at him before emphasizing, "Twenty-five years old."
"Oh—" From her reply, Li Xuewu already knew the background of her and her mother's return to Japan.
Because in those days, regardless of the time period or whether they were from the north or south, the circumstances of those who were repatriated to Japan were all different.
"It seems you had a difficult childhood," he probed further. "Is your mother still alive?"
“Yes, she’s in Osaka,” Miyaichi Oshima lowered his head and explained in a low voice, “After she brought me and my brothers back, she married an Osaka merchant.”
If you were to ask which region in Japan had the highest male survival rate during that era, Osaka would be the answer. It was a region with a very peculiar social atmosphere.
To put it simply, from a Chinese perspective, they were a group of people who had some conscience, but they weren't exactly good people either.
The reason why they shirked their duties on the battlefield was not out of kindness or justice, but purely out of fear of death and exhaustion.
These guys, true to their roots that even dogs can do business in their hometown, can apply the same business logic on the battlefield, making them truly unique in the world.
They even dared to do arms deals with the enemy, take the initiative to negotiate and demarcate boundaries, and even shamelessly desert in the face of battle.
One bad apple spoils the whole bunch, but this particular bad apple was also exceptionally good at surviving, which led to it becoming the group that returned to its homeland with the most survivors.
There's an old Chinese saying, "It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death," which truly encapsulates the depravity of these people.
Living is more important than anything else, even for the widows of those who possessed wealth and comrades-in-arms; they became the backbone of Japan's reconstruction and economic recovery during that generation.
Li Xuewu had enough information to reconstruct her life over the past twenty years from just a few words she spoke.
"So, you've come to avenge your father?"
Li Xuewu asked casually, "Do you remember what he looks like? Or do you know how he was able to contact you?"
Yoshiko Oshima looked up at him and said, "It was my mother who wrote to me that told me my father's pension had stopped."
It was clear that she had realized Li Xuewu was scrutinizing her past, and even deliberately setting traps in his words.
However, this initiative and openness prevented the atmosphere in the room from becoming too tense, although Qi Yan was still staring at her.
"She always knew your father was alive, right?" Li Xuewu smiled and said, "They've always been in contact?"
"I don't know. All I know is that the Osaka businessman is my stepfather."
Yoshiko Oshima shook her head slightly and explained, "My mother receives a pension every month."
“I never noticed who sent her this money before, nor did I think about why only our family could receive this protection.”
In those days, how could they, who had already been defeated, possibly receive any kind of pension? Just being able to survive was already a privilege.
So this kind of thing is quite bizarre, and naturally one can imagine where the money came from.
It must be said that they were quite trustworthy back then, and they continued to provide subsidies to Hu Zhengquan, who is also the family of Oshima Miyaichi.
The other party would certainly try their best to cover up the fact that Oshima Miyaichi exists, which would inevitably change the nature of the money.
The subsidy should not be called a subsidy; it should be called a pension.
But Li Xuewu was certain that Yoshiko Oshima's mother knew that Miyaichi Oshima was still alive at the time.
It could even be argued that her marriage with her children was part of a way to conceal her true identity.
You might ask how Oshima Miyaichi could tolerate his lover cheating on him while he was fighting on the covert front.
It's nothing. He was even prepared not to go home, hoping that his wife could raise the children well.
As for his wife's decision and how to choose, he was prepared.
Rather than believing his wife was chaste, it would be better to make a decisive decision and let him remain in the country to better remain hidden.
To accept that kind of mission, one must have a very patient and resilient nature; you can tell by how long he was able to remain hidden in the steel rolling mill.
If it weren't for Li Xuewu's "meddling," it's highly unlikely that anyone would have discovered him over the years.
Perhaps many years later, he will have the opportunity to return to his hometown through legitimate channels and become a successful person.
Unfortunately, he became a stepping stone for Li Xuewu's rise to fame.
Think about it, Li Xuewu came back from the south to work in the factory, and only managed to get along with Wang Jindong, who was insignificant. How could he possibly rise to a high position?
Ultimately, it was Oshima Miyaichi's case that brought his name into the sights of some people, and the gears of fate shifted.
So in a sense, Li Xuewu should thank Oshima Miyaichi for sacrificing his life, which gave him the opportunity to improve.
Of course, he wouldn't pity Yoshiko Oshima, nor would he feel any guilt for her difficult life after losing her father at a young age.
Because he has no right to forgive or pity his compatriots who lost their lives in this dirty war.
At least Yoshiko Oshima is back, she's still alive, isn't she?
Perhaps it was his subtly indifferent attitude that prevented Yoshiko Oshima from taking any radical action.
"They failed to keep their promise."
Li Xuewu seemed somewhat interested in teasing the group opposite him, and said with a faint smile, "They've really mastered the art of letting people go when they leave."
"So, who contacted you again and told you about my situation?"
He didn't want to beat around the bush anymore and asked bluntly, "Are they those stray dogs or that scoundrel Kenichi Nishida?"
Yoshiko Oshima seemed a little surprised by his sudden sharp tone. After a slight pause, she explained, "It should be Mr. Nishida that you mentioned."
"Yes, I think it should be him."
Li Xuewu nodded slowly and said, "He's not honest and he's not willing to give up. It seems I didn't beat him hard enough last time."
Yoshiko Oshima was taken aback again, looking him over, unsure whether he was serious or just bragging.
"Alright, if you have nothing else to say, then let's end our conversation here tonight." Li Xuewu raised his wrist to check the time and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you; it's quite a coincidence."
"He's dead, isn't he?" Yoshiko Oshima seemed determined to confirm her father's condition, looking at him and asking, "Is it you..."
"Yes, I'm the one who arrested him."
Li Xuewu nodded frankly and said, "He has confessed to the crimes he committed and has received the punishment he deserves."
"If you resent me for this, that's entirely your prerogative, but that's all I can explain to you."
“So he—” Seeing him stand up, Yoshiko Oshima also stood up and asked, “Did he mention me or my brothers?”
Is this important to you?
Li Xuewu glanced at her and asked, "Has he had a significant impact on your life?"
He tested her again, completely distrusting her, and now he only believed his own judgment of everything she said.
"He is, after all, my father."
Yoshiko Oshima covered her face with her hands and slumped weakly onto the sofa, sobbing as she said, "I really hope he can come back, come back soon."
“He had the opportunity to come back sooner,” Li Xuewu said indifferently. “He gave up that opportunity and became an accomplice to evil.”
"Waaah—" Yoshiko Oshima started crying. Qi Yan frowned slightly and looked at him, wanting to ask if he should call someone over.
Li Xuewu shook his head slightly and looked at the girl in the waitress uniform. From his observation, he could tell that Yoshiko Oshima was living a good life.
Not only her mental state, but even in the details, such as her fingernails and the area around her nails, there were no signs of physical labor.
People who frequently do manual labor can easily spot the calluses and wounds on their hands by simply looking at them; these are the result of years of hard work.
On the contrary, those who engage in mental labor or the service industry, whose hands are not exposed to the elements, are more likely to keep their hands clean and tidy.
To put it more bluntly, although Japan is already very developed at this time, there are still poor people everywhere in the world.
You can tell how well Yoshiko Oshima is doing just by looking at her face to see if she looks pale or sickly.
If even eating is a problem, then that proves she is in distress.
Does Li Xuewu care whether she is doing well or not?
No, he only cared about the other person's state, whether she posed a threat to him, or whether he could use this to find out who was behind her.
Kenichi Nishida, he really hasn't given up his wicked intentions.
He only said a few words to his family.
Li Xuewu waited until she had cried for a while and her emotions had calmed down before speaking, "I only know that you exist."
Has he mentioned me to you?
Yoshiko Oshima looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, and asked, "What...what did he say?"
“He mentioned your nickname when he was confessing to his past crimes,” Li Xuewu said, looking at her. “That’s all I can remember.”
“My mother never told me these things,” Yoshiko Oshima explained, crying, “even if I asked her many times.”
"Do you miss your father because your stepfather is bad?"
Li Xuewu was like a demon, or even a monster who controlled people's hearts. With just one sentence, he made Yoshiko Oshima burst into tears again.
"You want him to come back and protect you, right?"
"Waaah—" Yoshiko Oshima nodded through her tears, still willing to speak out despite recalling the terrible past.
Li Xuewu certainly wouldn't press the issue further; he had already said enough. His purpose wasn't to pry into other people's past or privacy.
"So Kenichi Nishida gave you a better life?"
He changed the subject, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Did you only find me in the last few years?"
“It was at the beginning of last year,” Yoshiko Oshima explained, sobbing as she lowered her head, “He mentioned my father’s situation.”
Li Xuewu heard the answer he wanted, his gaze sharpened, and he could already tell that Nishida Kenichi had crossed the line.
Why did he need to find Yoshiko Oshima, and why did he reveal his whereabouts to this girl, or rather, how did he find her?
It seems that Kenichi Nishida is a two-faced person. I wonder how much of Sanwa Corporation has been infiltrated.
It makes sense when you think about it. Very few companies can conduct business activities in mainland China, so it would be strange if Sanhe Co., Ltd. wasn't being targeted.
The Santayar Group certainly wouldn't give a damn about those people. Faced with absolute profit, Shantal could hang those people up and feed them to the fish.
Don't underestimate the ruthlessness of this French woman; if she values money too much, she will inevitably try to make up for it in some way.
Although Catherine has lived in Japan for many years, the Italian girl has better options and wouldn't be someone's dog.
Only a wicked little devil with a wicked heart would harbor evil intentions, and that's exactly what Li Xuewu was guarding against.
"You're working for him now?" Li Xuewu probed further, "Or does he have some other purpose in sending you here?"
“Li…” Yoshiko Oshima raised her head and looked at him, asking, “Mr. Li, may I ask what your identity is?”
"Then why don't you go first?" Li Xuewu sat down again, looking at her leisurely as he spoke, "At least let me know about your work, right?"
“I’m a reporter for the Tokyo Yomiuri Shimbun.” Only after mentioning her profession did Yoshiko Oshima regain her confidence and dare to look him in the eye.
"A great profession, isn't it?"
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at her, saying, "You have a bright future ahead of you. How can Kenichi Nishida help you? Is he very influential in Tokyo?"
Yoshiko Oshima lowered her head and did not answer his question immediately. After a pause, she explained, "I know his intentions."
Li Xuewu's eyelids twitched slightly, and he gestured for Qi Yan to pour a cup of hot water. She was a smart girl, and he could put her to good use.
Qi Yan glanced at Yoshiko Oshima before heading towards the tea cabinet.
Li Xuewu was not surprised that there was poison in his cup. She hadn't shown any signs of impatience in all this time, so she must have some other purpose.
If someone is clever and has ulterior motives, then things are easier to handle. What I fear most are fools who have no purpose and are only focused on avenging their father.
Intelligent people are good at communicating, and intelligent people are also easy to take advantage of.
"Thank you," Yoshiko Oshima said, taking a sip of the hot water Qi Yan brought her. She choked and coughed twice before bowing slightly in apology.
"I'm sorry to have troubled you."
Her apology was directed at Li Xuewu, but also at Qi Yan. Yoshiko Oshima knew that Qi Yan was wary of her.
Qi Yan remained unmoved and, at Li Xuewu's suggestion, found a seat near the door.
Li Xuewu was well-prepared to guard against Yoshiko Oshima; he even left the room door wide open.
At this time, anyone passing by could hear the conversation inside the room, and even see Qi Yan at the door.
We must be wary of Yoshiko Oshima, and also of those who have ears behind our backs.
-
"Hello, it's an honor to meet you."
Standard Japanese etiquette and greetings are followed by Western-style handshakes; the Japanese have made this set of workplace relationships very complicated.
If you don't handle it well, you'll just stand there awkwardly, showing your rudeness.
If you bow along with him, you've already lost, because you're not obligated to follow their bowing etiquette.
What did Li Xuewu do?
"Hello, Mr. Nishikawa."
He took a slight step to the side and gently supported the other person's arm with his hand, turning the tables and taking the initiative.
If the other person doesn't stand up to shake hands at this point, it means they are slow to react and it's impolite.
What an amazing young man!
Nishikawa Ichiro straightened up, squinted slightly as he looked at the young man in front of him, and extended his right hand.
"Although this is our first meeting, the name of Honggang Group is very well-known, and I have heard of it before."
He smiled and said, "I never expected to meet your company in Japan this time. It's a real honor."
"On the contrary, I was looking forward to meeting you the moment I received the news."
Li Xuewu's smile resembled that of a cunning fox. In terms of momentum and verbal attacks, he was in no way inferior to his opponent. On the contrary, because he was younger, he had a fierce and powerful presence, as if he could defeat an old master with his fists.
Ichiro Nishikawa, the vice president of Nippon Steel, is probably in his 50s. He looks like he has gray hair, but he is full of energy.
During last night's meeting, Li Xuewu mentioned Nippon Steel, the world's second-largest steel mill.
Last year, 70 years ago, it was formed by the merger of Yawata and Fuji Steel.
Our main products include crude steel, steel plates, special steel, and steel for shipbuilding and automobiles.
If we disregard its annual production capacity of 3000 million tons, this company is essentially a combination of Honggang Group's metallurgical plant and steel rolling mill.
Unlike the Honggang Group, which grew wildly during the early, unregulated period of China's industrial development, most modern Japanese companies have a history of inheritance.
For example, companies like Yawata and Fuji Steel had already laid the foundation for modern industry as early as the Meiji Restoration period.
Li Xuewu took notice of Nippon Steel and met with them on behalf of Honggang Group on the second day of his official visit. This was not only due to the overlap in their main businesses, but also because of the connection with Australia Railways.
Internationally, it is widely believed that Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Corporation, and Itochu Corporation control Australian Railways, but this is not actually the case.
It is undeniable that these three companies are the main players and hold the largest shareholdings, but metallurgical companies such as Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal are also involved.
According to Li Xuewu's understanding, Mitsui & Co. holds a 33% stake in the Lop Nippon Iron Mine, which is a joint venture with Nippon Steel (14%) and Rio Tinto (53%), and has obtained exclusive underwriting rights.
The Australian Rail Group, led by Oriental Times Bank, also followed the established pattern that Japanese companies had already figured out, and did not pursue absolute control.
Australians have a tradition of being dishonest; even the Japanese don't trust them, let alone Sister Lou's circle.
Japanese companies' control model is not to pursue absolute control, with most holding only 5% to 33%, but they want to obtain exclusive sales rights, pricing participation rights, and quality standard rights.
In order to control iron ore resources in the long term, Japanese companies have chosen to use long-term agreements to lock in quantities and prices for 10-20 years.
It can be said that in the next ten years, Japanese steel mills will rely on this to secure 90% of their Australian ore reserves.
The third step involved Japanese companies forming an alliance of trading companies and steel mills. In other words, Mitsui and Mitsubishi took the lead, with Nippon Steel and Sumitomo providing the funding, sharing both risks and benefits.
This resulted in a structure led by Mitsui & Co., with Mitsubishi and Itochu cooperating, and Nippon Steel and Sumitomo involved, using "equity participation + long-term agreements" to control the Australian iron ore supply chain, providing stable raw materials for its steel industry, and laying the foundation for future pricing power.
What made Ichiro Nishikawa take it seriously was that Honggang Group appeared on the shareholder list of Australia Iron Group. Although the number of shares was small, it was very conspicuous.
Having at least figured out the tactics of the Australian Iron and Steel Group, he was able to determine that Honggang Group held the same position within the group's inner circle as Nippon Steel, both being in the metallurgical and steelmaking sector.
In this two-way competition model, if the other party cannot see through Honggang's true strength, then they are truly wasting their influence in the international market.
The fact that the two immediately drew their swords upon meeting shows that they were already familiar with each other's tactics, so they might as well be frank and speak openly.
So, following procedure, after exchanging pleasantries with the reporters, the representatives from both sides entered the meeting room and began today's closed-door meeting.
Reporters were kept outside the conference room and guided by staff to the waiting area. Yoshiko Oshima, dressed in a white suit, looked extremely capable.
Thinking about the man who was repeatedly photographed by reporters just now, and then thinking about last night's experience, it feels like a lifetime ago.
It's bizarre that the two of them, who are clearly her father's killer, are now putting on a charade without trusting each other.
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P.S.: I'm so sorry, I suddenly received news that a relative from my hometown (my uncle, who is over 70 years old) fell off a wall and injured his lumbar spine (fractured). His condition is very serious, and he needs to come to Shenyang for treatment overnight. He is already on his way, and I have to go to the hospital to wait for him now. I only wrote this much tonight, and I will try to finish it tomorrow.
I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!