Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 138 The Family Trial

November 15, 1988, 2 PM.

Bunkyo District, Saionji Honkekan.

In the tea room named "Shinshin" (meaning "purification of the heart"), the air seemed to freeze. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the shoji doors, casting dappled shadows on the tatami mats, with dust particles slowly floating in the beams of light.

Three men were kneeling beside a long, narrow rosewood table.

They were all elites from the Saionji branch of the Buddhist order, and usually influential figures in their respective fields. But at this moment, in this room filled with the scent of old-fashioned incense, they resembled a group of students awaiting judgment.

Sitting on the far left was my cousin Kenta, forty-two years old, the current department head of a large general trading company. He frequently picked up his teacup, but only moistened his lips before putting it down, his gaze occasionally drifting towards the tightly closed mahogany door.

In the middle is my cousin, Jiro, thirty years old, a former bureaucrat who recently resigned from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to start his own business. He stands ramrod straight, his hands neatly placed on his knees, but the unconscious rubbing of his fingertips betrays his mood.

On the far right is Masato Saionji. Thirty-four years old, former senior manager of IBM Japan's strategy department. He sat quietly, even having the leisure to observe the composition of the flower arrangement in the corner of the tea room.

No one spoke.

But beneath this deathly silence, undercurrents still flowed.

Over the past year, the family business has grown enormously. From the Crystal Palace in Ginza to the Pink Building in Akasaka, to the rumored SA Group that rakes in money every day, and all sorts of other unbelievable rumors. The astronomical profits have made everyone in the family green with envy.

Everyone can see that our family's giant ship is sailing to an unprecedented height.

Today is the opportunity to board the ship.

The head of the family announced that he would be choosing a leader for the newly established and mysterious "Saionji Intelligence System (SIS)".

The fierce competition for the spots is best left unsaid; the winners were these three men sitting in the conference room.

"Young Master Kenta, the head of the family invites you in."

The old butler, Fujita, pushed open the door and bowed slightly.

Kenta abruptly stood up, nearly knocking over the cushion behind him. Realizing he had been somewhat out of line, he awkwardly cleared his throat, quickly straightened his suit, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

The door closed.

Only Masato and Jiro remained in the tea room.

"I heard that Kenta has prepared a two-hundred-page business plan." Jiro looked straight ahead and suddenly spoke, his voice low. "He wants to sell that thing to small and medium-sized enterprises all over Tokyo."

Masato adjusted his glasses and replied casually, "It's a diligent idea."

"What's the use of diligence?" Jiro chuckled. "This is an era that needs 'control'. Without rules, even the best technology is just a disorganized mess."

Masato didn't respond. He knew that Jiro wanted to manage the company using bureaucratic methods.

He didn't want to argue with him, only saying that each had their own advantages, and ultimately it depended on what the main family's expectations were.

Ten minutes later.

The door opened.

Kenta came out.

The confident air he had when he entered had completely vanished. His face was pale, a fine layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, and he clutched the plan that had not been accepted tightly in his hand.

He didn't look at the other two, but simply bowed slightly to Fujita and left with unsteady steps.

The atmosphere inside became even more oppressive.

"Young Master Jiro, please." Fujita's voice rang out again.

Jiro straightened his tie and walked in with his head held high.

Masato glanced at the watch.

This time it's even faster.

Jiro came out in just five minutes.

The arrogant composure on the face of this former elite from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry had shattered. He pursed his lips, his eyes filled with incomprehension and a hint of...fear. It was as if he were facing not a kind elder, but a completely incomprehensible monster.

He even forgot to greet Fujita and walked straight out of the annex.

Only Masato remained in the tea room.

That invisible pressure had reached its peak after the failures of the first two.

Masato took a deep breath and adjusted his breathing. He knew that Kenta wanted to sell products, and Jiro wanted to manage people. But both of them had failed.

So, what exactly does the main family want?

Gentlemen, think this through.

"Young Master Masato." Fujita appeared in the doorway, stepping aside to make way for him. "It's your turn."

The man stood up and buttoned his suit jacket.

He didn't bring any business plan or resume.

He only brought his brain.

……

Inside the main study.

The heavy curtains were half-drawn, so the light wasn't glaring.

Shuichi Saionji sat behind his large desk. He simply sat there quietly, toying with a fountain pen in his hand.

The desktop was clean, with only a few photos.

The photo shows a man named Tsutomu Shimomura, wearing a greasy hoodie, eating pizza amidst a mess of servers.

"sit."

Shuichi's voice was very soft.

The upright man sat down as instructed.

"Kenta said he wants to sell this system to 10,000 companies and generate a billion yen in revenue." Shuichi pointed to the photo. "Jiro said he wants to put uniforms on these technicians, implement a time clock system, and regulate their behavior."

Shuichi raised his head, his gaze scrutinizing Masato behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

"They were all reasonable. But I refused them both."

He pushed the photo in front of Zhengren.

"Zhengren, you worked at IBM. If you were in this situation, how would you handle it? I want the truth."

Zhengren glanced at the photo.

The chaotic and disorderly environment made this elite, accustomed to standardized management, instinctively uncomfortable. But instead of rushing to comment, he astutely detected the trap in Xiu Yi's words.

If it's about selling products, Kenta is right. If it's about managing the company, Jiro is right.

Since they were all wrong, it means that... the core purpose of this company is neither to sell nor to manage.

"In this case, conventional management logic failed."

Masato adjusted his glasses, his voice calm.

"Oh?" Shuichi raised an eyebrow.

"Kenta wants to sell products, and Jiro wants to manage discipline. But in my opinion, the core values ​​of this company right now have nothing to do with products or discipline."

Masato pointed to Shimomura Tsutomu in the photo.

"The value lies in the person and what's in his head."

"In my evaluation system, Chief Technology Officer Tsutomu Shimomura is not an 'employee.' He is a 'high-value, high-risk core asset.'"

Zhengren paused for a moment, then gave his conclusion.

"When dealing with this kind of asset, 'management' is the wrong approach; 'maintenance' is the right one."

Shuichi leaned forward slightly, a hint of interest in his eyes.

"continue."

"Precision instruments require constant temperature and humidity, while geniuses need emotional stability and a stable life."

The upright man extends two fingers.

"I propose a 'dual-track system,' physically separating administrative authority from technological research and development authority. The CEO would be responsible for handling all external interference, government relations, and monetization, acting as the 'interface.'"

"And for the technology team..."

Zhengren pondered for a moment.

"The company needs to hire a professional 'logistics support team,' which consists of specially trained personal assistants and security personnel."

"They are stationed at the company around the clock, responsible for the technical staff's diet, living arrangements, and health management. On the surface, this is a service, but in essence, it is 'asset maintenance' and 'risk control'."

"We need to ensure that this 'expensive human computer' is in optimal working order 24/7, while cutting off all unnecessary physical contact between it and external competitors."

The room fell silent.

Only the clock on the wall was still ticking.

Shuichi looked at his cousin, who was a few years younger than him.

He didn't talk about so-called family sentiment, nor did he promise any vague sales figures, and he didn't even try to curry favor with the head of the family.

Efficiency and control.

This is the core argument of his proposed solution.

And that's exactly what my daughter wanted.

"A very calm judgment."

Xiu took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

"Let's not talk about feelings, just assets. That's good."

He opened the drawer and took out a pre-stamped employment contract and a brass key.

"You've been hired."

Shuichi pushed the key in front of Masato.

"This is the key to the Shinbashi office. Regarding the 'logistics support team' you mentioned, our company will directly assign trained personnel to be stationed there, and the cost will be included in the security budget."

Masato took the key, the cool metallic touch finally easing his tense nerves. He knew he had made the right bet.

"Gentleman."

Shuichi's voice suddenly lowered.

"In this company, technology is a black box. You are the interface responsible for monetizing the output of this black box. As long as you can ensure that the financial statements look good, you are free to do whatever you want."

"But there's one thing."

Shuichi stared at Masato.

"Don't try to understand or interfere with the core code. That's not your area of ​​expertise. That's directly under the jurisdiction of 'above'."

A righteous person felt a chill run down their spine.

He knew, of course, who this "above" referred to. The rumor circulating within the family about that young lady.

"I understand." Masato lowered his head, his tone respectful. "Professionals do professional things. I'm only responsible for the profit and loss statement."

"Go."

Shuichi waved his hand.

……

The moment I stepped out of the study, the heavy mahogany door slammed shut behind me with a dull thud.

Masato stood in the corridor and let out a soft breath. The back of his shirt was already a little damp, and the chill crept up his spine, causing him to subconsciously tighten his grip on the cold brass key in his hand.

He walked out along the corridor covered with a deep red carpet.

The afternoon sun slanted in through the carved glass window, illuminating the dust particles dancing in the air with exquisite detail.

Masato wasn't overjoyed at getting the job. On the contrary, he felt a deep chill. The interview he had just gone through was less about showcasing his abilities and more about passing a test. And he had given it a perfect score.

As I turned the corner of the stairs leading from the second floor to the inner courtyard, a slender figure blocked my way.

Saionji Satsuki.

She was wearing the dark blue uniform of St. Hua Academy, leaning against a pillar in the corridor, holding a can of fish food in her hand, casually tossing it into the pond outside the railing.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

The sunlight shone on her profile, making her clear, bright eyes look exceptionally beautiful.

"Congratulations, Uncle Masato."

Satsuki's voice was clear and crisp, and a polite smile played on her lips.

"It seems you've obtained the key."

Masato stopped and looked at the fifteen-year-old girl in front of him. Although her tone was congratulatory, Masato felt a sense of pressure, as if he were being scrutinized by a superior.

He adjusted his glasses, quickly composed himself, and bowed slightly.

"Thanks to the master and the great...you are blessed."

"Don't be so formal."

Satsuki handed the fish food container to Fujita Tsuyoshi behind her and patted the crumbs off her hands.

"Since you passed the test, it means that in Father's eyes, you are a qualified precision instrument."

She walked up to Zhengren, raised her head, and looked directly into his eyes behind his glasses.

"The equipment doesn't need rest, right?"

A chill ran down Zheng Ren's spine. Here she comes; rumors say the young lady loves to tell all sorts of riddles, so he must accurately grasp her intentions.

"Of course," he replied after only half a second of thought, "it can be operational at any time."

"very good."

Satsuki nodded in satisfaction.

The upright man, observing the man's expression, immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"The car is already waiting at the door."

She walked past Zhengren, her skirt stirring a gentle breeze.

"Let's go, Uncle Masato. I'll go with you."

"To... Shinbashi?" Masato paused for a moment, then followed.

"certainly."

Gaoyue walked downstairs without looking back.

"How can we know if that expensive 'biocomputer' needs lubrication if we don't go and see for ourselves?"

"and……"

Her voice drifted over.

"As CEO, you also need someone to keep things under control. Those tech fanatics can't be managed with just an appointment letter."

Zhengren paused for a second as he looked at the petite figure from behind.

He suddenly understood his place in the world.

Within this vast family machine, Shuichi is the face, Satsuki is the substance. As for Saionji Masato, he is the chosen arm to carry out the will, a calculator stripped of superfluous emotions, solely responsible for outputting efficiency.

This blatant exploitation actually gave him an unprecedented sense of security and excitement.

In the world of capital, being used means you have value.

"Yes."

Zhengren raised his head and followed.

He felt extremely honored to be used by this young lady.