Chapter 28: The Meeting
Shanghai, Chuanbei Road Wafuu Restaurant.
The evening breeze blew gently, and a rickshaw passed through the crowded crowd and stopped at the door of this Japanese restaurant on Chuanbei Road.
Chen Yang got out of the car, tightened his clothes, and looked up at the restaurant in front of him.
During the day, he received an invitation from Ino Yusuke to meet at the Wafuu Restaurant in the evening.
Although Ino Yusuke did not explain in detail on the telephone why they needed to meet.
But Chen Yang could roughly guess that he had passed the initial assessment, and this time it should be to introduce the people on their line to him.
Materials business cannot be handled by one person alone.
Minister Suzuhara spent more than half a year front and back to create a safe interest chain for this business.
Chen Yang also wanted to know how strong this interest chain really was, which could play a certain role in his future construction of a materials sales network.
That said, through several contacts with Ino and others, Chen Yang had roughly gauged the character of Suzuhara, this old fox.
Suzuhara Shingo was very much like him, both having an extremely strong desire for control.
Although he now appeared willing to stay behind the scenes and do supporting work, in reality, he did not want to let go of a single step.
His goal was still to control him through Ino Yusuke and others; right now, it was a game between the two of them to see who would ultimately be the one in charge.
“Mr. Chen, you are very punctual.” A warm voice sounded.
Ino Yusuke quickly stepped forward, slightly bowed to Chen Yang, and said: “I have already prepared a banquet upstairs to celebrate our successful transaction this time.”
“By the way, I’ll introduce a few good friends to you.”
Chen Yang slightly bowed in return and said: “Ino-kun, you are too polite. Strictly speaking, I should be the one treating this time.”
“Mr. Chen, no need to be polite.” Ino Yusuke said with a smile: “Your success in sales of materials this time was completely beyond our expectations. We should be the ones thanking you.”
“Alright, let’s not talk at the door. Let’s go up; they are all waiting for you.”
Chen Yang slightly nodded and gestured with his hand: “Ino-kun, please.”
“Mr. Chen, follow me.” After saying that, Ino Yusuke led Chen Yang upstairs to the private room on the second floor of the restaurant.
This private room was on the other side of the second floor, and it was also the largest private room in the Wafuu Restaurant.
Ino Yusuke pushed open the door of the private room, and the several people inside all stood up together.
Chen Yang’s gaze swept lightly over them; these people really had distinctive features.
The person on the left had a body like a bamboo pole; although not very tall, he was truly skinny. How to put it, he somewhat resembled the kid who practiced mantis fist in Stephen Chow’s movie《 Shaolin Soccer》.
There was hardly any meat visible on his entire body; even his face was so skinny it was just bones wrapped in a layer of skin.
“This is Lieutenant Nagata Raishiro from the Inspection Department.” Ino Yusuke entered the private room and introduced to Chen Yang: “Nagata-kun is responsible for reviewing materials. Any disturbance in the Inspection Department, and he will notify us immediately.”
Chen Yang stepped forward and slightly bowed, then his gaze turned to the one beside him. This one was interesting: height less than 1.6 meters, but body weight visually at least 300 jin.
The whole person seemed condensed into a lump, but he was clearly more polite than this Nagata Raishiro. Before Ino Yusuke could introduce him, he stepped forward and said: “Hello, Assistant Chen. I am Matsuda Kazuo.”
Chen Yang hurriedly bowed and said: “Matsuda-kun, hello.”
When Matsuda Kazuo smiled, it was like Maitreya Buddha; all the fat meat on his face shook along with the smile.
“Mr. Chen, don’t think I’m fat now; when I first enlisted, I was also very skinny.”
“But you see, I was too poor growing up, so poor that we only had one meal a day. So after enlisting, I ate desperately.”
Everyone burst into laughter. Chen Yang seemed to understand as well; only with such experiences would Matsuda Kazuo dare to do this kind of business that risks one’s head.
He had been starved as a child, so when grown up, he valued money so much.
Besides, corruption is not for money; could it be for faith?
Ino Yusuke pointed to Ando Shinichi next to Matsuda and said: “Ando-kun is an old acquaintance of yours, so no need to introduce, right?”
Chen Yang slightly bowed to him and said: “Ando-kun, this time it was thanks to you; otherwise, the transaction wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”
“Mr. Chen, you are too polite. We are all in the same boat; you help me, I help you.” Ando Shinichi politely replied, then praised: “But seeing Mr. Chen’s means of handling matters, I knew we had not chosen the wrong cooperation partner this time.”
“No, no, Ando-kun is too kind.” Chen Yang humbly responded.
Ino Yusuke smiled and said: “You two stop complimenting each other. Mr. Chen, let me solemnly introduce the core member of our team.”
“This is Lieutenant Colonel Yamada Yasushi, Captain of the Comprehensive Public Security Brigade at Gendarmerie Headquarters.”
“Yamada-kun oversees public security, anti-smuggling, and transportation departments. Without Yamada-kun’s joining, our team could not have been formed smoothly.”
Chen Yang looked up; Yamada Yasushi was a very ordinary-looking man, height less than 1.65 meters, facial features unremarkable, completely unrelated to words like handsome or dashing.
But his aura was truly different from ordinary people; a pair of eyes like those of a hawk, sharp yet carrying a hint of bloodthirsty flavor.
“Mr. Chen, hello.”
Yamada Yasushi slightly bowed and said: “Very pleased to cooperate with you.”
Chen Yang hurriedly returned the bow and said: “Yamada-kun, you flatter me.”
Ino Yusuke quickly called out: “Everyone, let’s sit down and talk slowly. I have already asked Mrs. Sakata to prepare the best dishes.”
“You sit first; I’ll go urge them.”
“Ando-kun, come out with me for a moment.”
After saying that, Ino Yusuke pulled Ando Shinichi out of the private room and conveniently closed the door.
This action clearly seemed off; to urge dishes, did he need someone to accompany him? Obviously, there were some things they did not want to be involved in, or rather, could not be involved in.
Yamada Yasushi slightly turned his body in an inviting gesture and said to Chen Yang: “Mr. Chen, please sit. Ino-kun and Ando-kun probably won’t be back for a while.”
Chen Yang said thanks, sat opposite Yamada Yasushi, picked up the tea cup on the table, took a sip of tea, and slowly said: “Yamada-kun, do you have something you want to say to me?”
“Mr. Chen is indeed a smart person.” Yamada Yasushi smiled faintly: “Actually, I very much agree with what Mr. Chen said. Materials business needs to be fast in and fast out to quickly accumulate funds.”
“Unfortunately, Minister Suzuhara is too cautious; he does it but still remains timid and hesitant.”
“Isn’t this what you often call hypocrisy, covering one’s ears to steal a bell?”
“Heh heh, Ino-kun shares my thoughts, but because of Minister Suzuhara, some things are best not to involve him.”
“To cut a long story short, we few want to do a private transaction with you.”
“The profit on these things is very substantial; just don’t know if you dare to take it.”
