Chapter 2 Section 1

  Cheng Chou never knew he would be so lucky.

  He was actually sent on a business trip abroad in his third year of work?

  Cheng Zhou couldn't help but take out his handkerchief and wipe away the corners of his eyes.

  Cough, maybe someone will find it strange, isn't it just going abroad on a business trip? It's not the 80s or 90s when it was hard to go abroad, does this person need to be so excited?

  People are always different.

  What some people consider a matter of course or easy as pie may be more difficult than climbing a mountain for others.

  Some people work hard their whole lives and still don't know if they can afford a house, while others casually buy a lottery ticket and win tens of millions. Otherwise, why would there be a saying that goes: "Comparing to others will drive you crazy?"

  But our Cheng Chou was unfortunately always the one who got suffocated to death.

  Who doesn't want their efforts to be recognized and appreciated by others?

  Chengzhou felt that his hard work and dedication in the company for three years had finally paid off.

  Look, after all, his hard work and efforts are still being taken into consideration, aren't they?

  Although the company did not promote him once in these three years, the percentage of salary increase was always the lowest in the same department every year. In each weekly meeting, monthly meeting and annual meeting, his name never appeared on the list of leaders' praise, but!

  The company's front line, the most important sales department, has had many people come and go over the past three years, but he is still here.

  There are many employees who have been in the company for more than three years and have never left the province, but now he is going to represent the sales department and the company on a business trip to Country J.

  Isn't this an affirmation of him by the company's upper level?

  As for the fact that all those who have not been dispatched out of the province by the company are clerical personnel, it was thoroughly ignored by him. In addition, among the business personnel who come and go in the sales department, except for a very small number of people who resigned themselves, most of them were either transferred or promoted, which was also put behind his mind.

  This person... to put it bluntly, is actually a master of self-deception and comforting himself. However, he apparently hasn't realized this about himself.

  Cheng Zhou finally suppressed his excitement, adjusted his tie, and prepared to thoroughly review the work he had accumulated over the past two days. The more critical the moment was, the less he could afford to relax. His superiors, as well as those jealous colleagues of his, were all keeping an eye on him.

  Suddenly, Cheng Zhou's hands, which were typing on the keyboard to reply to the email, came to a standstill.

  If... he said if. If this time he went to J country on a business trip and didn't complete the tasks assigned by his supervisor, if he did something impolite when meeting with colleagues from the J country company, if he suddenly became nervous and couldn't speak during the meeting, if he only found out that he hadn't brought all the necessary materials when boarding the plane, if...

  What if nobody comes to pick him up after he gets off the plane?

  What if he suddenly forgot how to say everyday conversations in Japanese?

  What if he loses his wallet and passport?

  What if he oversleeps in the hotel and misses work?

  What if he is not used to eating raw fish and gets food poisoning?

  What if at the airport police found unwashed laundry detergent in his pocket and suspected it was white powder, what should he do?

  If... if the plane crashes...

  Cold sweat trickled down Cheng Chou's temples and into his neck.

  "Hey, Lao Cheng, I heard you're going to Japan on a business trip this time? It's about time, our Lao Cheng is also going to ascend to heaven!" Sales department's old salesman Wang Kunliang walked over and patted his shoulder heavily, saying loudly.

  I'm not old... I'm only twenty-six. Cheng Zhou didn't like it when others called him "Old Cheng", because that's what they also called his dad.

  "Hehe, don't be ridiculous. It's just a short business trip, only for a week, and I'll be back soon. Besides, the supervisor said that this time the task is relatively simple, it's something anyone can do." Cheng Zhou raised his head and smiled perfunctorily.

  "That's also true. Difficult tasks won't let you go either, what if you mess up? You say is that right?" Wang Kunliang nodded.

  "Ah... haha." Cheng Zhou scratched his head and smiled foolishly.

  "Alright, Wang Kunliang. Stop always undermining Chengchou, okay? Chengchou originally didn't have much confidence, and when you undermine him, he'll get flustered and mess up even simple things. Chengchou, don't listen to him. I'm asking you, have you prepared the materials that the supervisor asked you to prepare? Have you backed up the important documents? How's your Japanese conversation practice going? Have you exchanged your currency?"

  Probably the only one who dares to speak to Wang Kunliang, the sales kingpin, like this is Chen Yan, who is in charge of general affairs. Most people in the company like Miss Chen very much, but Cheng Zhou can't quite take her.

  He knew that the girl often spoke for him out of kindness, but more often than not, she was adding fuel to the fire and causing trouble. So Cheng Zhou really, really hoped he could switch tables, as long as he could get away from Chen Yan's sharp ears and meddling ways, he would be willing to go anywhere.

  The problem is that the name Cheng Zhou has already been engraved on the position of Sales Department next to the glass door.

  No matter if he has been in the company for three years, no matter how many times he has hinted to his supervisor that he wants to change positions at least a hundred times, three years have passed and he still hasn't moved half a step from the door.

  "Cheng Zhou, Miss Chen is asking you a question." Wang Kunliang glared at him.

  "Uh, sorry, I was thinking if I've prepared my materials..."

  "I think you'd better confirm with the supervisor again, just in case something is really missed." Chen Daguang didn't take it kindly and gave a cold stare to Mr. Wang.

  "Oh, I see. We'll go confirm it later."

  "You'd better go now, otherwise you'll forget again when you get busy later."

  "Oh, okay... I'll go now." It makes sense when you think about it. Heaven knows how busy he'll be later on. His performance isn't great either, but somehow he's always rushing around like a headless chicken every day.

  Cheng Zhou hastily got up and suddenly thought of bringing his notebook, remembering that Chen Yan had warned him many times that the supervisor liked people who were organized.

  He remembers putting it in the second drawer on the left... uh, no, it's the middle one. Important and frequently used things are all there, so his work notebook should be there too.

  "Ow!" In her haste, she accidentally knocked her elbow against the corner of the table.

  "Ow!" The poor man groaned in pain and clutched his elbow.

  "Haha! Old chap, what's the hurry? No one is rushing you. What a bird!" Wang Kunliang burst out laughing and actually swore in front of Chen Yan.

  Coming out of the general manager's office, Cheng Zhou's waist and back were slightly straighter than usual.

  This time on a business trip, he must do his best to perform well and not disappoint the director's trust in him. He must make the director look at him with new eyes. If he can get the J country side to call the director again to praise him a few words... Hehe, hehehe!

  He finally made it to the top! Ha!

  I don't know if he'll agree to let him go home early today. I wonder if it's cold in J country, does he need to bring a blanket? Oh right, he hasn't told his mom about the business trip to J country yet. He's doomed!

  Just thinking about having to call his mom later to report this matter... made him swallow hard, and Cheng Zhou's two eyebrows drooped instantly into an eight-character shape, just like his shoulders.

  Just as Chengzhou was preparing his passport and waiting for his visa to come down, he received a message from a certain mansion in Edo, Japan.

  "Congratulations to you, sister-in-law." The man with a slightly bald head flattered with a flattering face, sat at the low table with his legs together and his head lowered.

  "I'm no longer your sister-in-law, don't call me that." The middle-aged woman said unhappily.

  "Hey, don't say that. Although you're no longer my sister-in-law in the eyes of the law, as long as you still live in this house, we are still related." The bald man looked up and smiled.

  "Ah!" The middle-aged woman didn't want to lose her composure, so she suppressed her anger and sat up straight with a composed expression.

  "I, Azuma Chitose, have nothing to do with the Kawabe family anymore. I'm already divorced from that man, and this house is my compensation for the divorce, which your family owes me. It's laughable that you're coming here saying we're related now. If you've come to move the old woman's spirit tablet, go ask your older brother - he's already moved it. If you have nothing else to do, you can leave." The woman gave a blunt order to leave.

  "Alright, Chiyoko, since you don't like me calling you 'sister-in-law', I won't. However, regarding this house, I think we need to discuss it further. Don't you think that without a will from your mother, it's unfair for the house to be transferred to you just like that by your older brother?" The middle-aged man maintained his smile, not budging an inch.

  "Unfair?" The woman sneered, "Do you think the house deed transferred through legal procedures is also unfair? If you feel it's unfair, go find your elder brother instead of coming to me, someone who has nothing to do with this."

  "I also wanted to go to my brother's place, but as far as I know, he's in a tight spot right now, especially after the divorce from you. It seems like you took quite a bit of alimony from him too? In other words..."

  "In other words, you couldn't squeeze out even half a drop of oil from him, so you ran to me? Kawabe Osamu, if you don't leave now, I'll call the police!" The woman said, suppressing her anger.

  "Don't be like that, Chiyoko. We used to be relatives, after all. Even if we didn't keep in touch, at least there's still some sentiment left. Chiyoko, living alone for such a long time, you must be very lonely, right?" Kawabe Osamu showed a concerned smile and moved next to Chiyoko.

  The woman glared at him and turned her head to look at the phone on the coffee table.

  "Chiyoko, you know, I've always felt about you..."

  "Stop! What are you doing?" The woman shrieked, slapping away Kawahara's outstretched right hand.

  "This is my final warning to you, if you don't leave now, I'll really call the police!"

  Kawauji Osamu saw Chiyako shake off his hand, and his expression also turned a few shades darker.

  "Chiyoko, you must have heard that my work has run into some trouble. With the economic downturn in Japan, companies are desperately laying off employees and I'm almost 50 years old now. At this age, being kicked out by the company makes it nearly impossible to find another job. I still need five more years to pay off my pension insurance, but now I don't even have the money to pay for it. My son has just started working and hasn't been earning much for long, my daughter is in vocational school, my wife doesn't work and her health isn't good..."

  "Don't try to make it sound so good. Who doesn't know that you're being reported by female employees collectively because of your drunken misconduct and harassment? Your savings are probably all used up for paying compensation to the female employees, right? I heard you even sold your house? How many female employees did you harass exactly? You come to me with this, but there's nothing I can do to help you. You can leave now." The woman looked at Kawauji Osamu with eyes full of contempt.

  "Chiyako, I'm asking a favor of you, can we temporarily move in with your family? The rent in Edo is too expensive and we can't find a suitable house for the time being. Once we find a suitable one..." Kawabe Osamu showed a pleading expression.

  "It's that easy to just move in? Hmph! I think, if I really let you move in, it would be like opening the door to welcome a thief. Who knows when I'll mysteriously die someday. In short, thinking of moving in - don't even think about it!" Dongcheng Chiyo glared at Kawabe Osamu's sinister intentions and mercilessly refused him.

  Kawauji Osanai suddenly sat up straight, his face no longer smiling.

  "Chiyo, since you're being so unreasonable, I have no choice but to lose face too."

  "What does it mean? What are you going to do?" Chiyako backed away and grabbed the phone.

  "I won't do anything to you, but as for your son, I don't know."

  "What does it mean? Tell me clearly!"

  "Chiyako, I heard that your son is working as a manager at some well-known big company, isn't he?" Kawai Osamu's face showed a self-satisfied expression.

  "He's just a low-ranking employee with a meager salary. You won't be able to squeeze any benefits out of him." the woman replied calmly.

  "He may not have any money on him, but his wife... heh heh, you know."

  "Are you thinking of taking advantage of my daughter-in-law's money?" The woman could hardly believe her ears.

  "I just want this house. You can move out and live with your son."

  "What's going on?!" Chiyako was driven mad by Kawauji Osamu.

  "Just because I can make your son leave that beautiful and rich woman anytime, anywhere. With just one word from me, with just one sentence." The man's face showed more and more delight.

  "Hmph." Chiyako's expression gradually turned cold. "What are you going to say to him? Don't forget, you're involved in that matter too."

  "What's it to you? Since I won't get anything out of it anyway, why should I let your whole family be happy?"

  "Why don't you just go ask her directly?" The woman sneered.

  Rubbing his hands together, Kawahito smiled and said: "Heh heh, Chiyako, you know, her father is a big shot."

  "You don't dare to find her directly, so you come to threaten me?" Chiyo's face turned blue with rage.

  "This, huh, I know you and I both attach great importance to this daughter-in-law who has status and a lot of money. If Hiromichi were to find out..." Kawabe Osamu deliberately paused at this point.

  Chiyako vaguely understood what Kawauji Osamu wanted to say, and her face turned slightly pale.

  "You won't go and tell Hirohiko a word, you can't afford it." Chiyako said slowly.

  "I didn't say I was going to directly look for Kazuhiko, but I think this thing will be more useful than just my words." Kawabe seemed to have been waiting for Chiyoko to say that, and slowly, like a slow-motion scene in a movie, pulled out a photograph from his breast pocket.

  "Look, isn't this a great shot? I specially edited it out from that video tape." Kawabe Osamu calmly pushed the photo in front of Chiyoko.

  Chiyako didn't even glance at the photo.

  "If Hiroshi saw this, he would definitely be heartbroken. If I send him an anonymous letter now and tell him that it's all because of him... Hehe, what will happen next, you should know without me saying it. Chiyako, I can give you two days to think carefully. You choose: hand over the house or destroy your son."

  "How dare you threaten me?" Chiyo's eyes turned sharp.

  "A threat? What are you talking about? This is a negotiation, a transaction. Isn't it very fair? Hehe." Kawabe Osamu smiled and stood up, adjusting his clothes.

  "I won't give this house to anyone. No way! It's mine."

  "Is that so? Then just wait for your son to be finished. Think about how those women will look at you in the future. Remember, Chiyako, I'm giving you two days, only two days."

  "Kawauji Osamu, if you dare to do this, I'll kill you!" The woman's anger rose.

  "Haha, kill me? If you can do it." Kawabe Osamu laughed loudly with his head thrown back, walking towards the entrance to put on his shoes and leave with a completely different air from when he came.

  Ichikawa left, and Chiyako immediately picked up the phone receiver.