Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 65 Tea Party on the Snow Mountain

(As usual, it's time for a thank you to all the generous donors! Thank you to "随心欲雪" for the two God-level certifications! Thank you to "珈琲璃梦" for the 40 consecutive update reminders! Thank you to "卸甲岛的光明神" for the God-level certification! Thank you to "七曜的魔法使" for the 20 consecutive update reminders! Thank you to "怀着期待" for the God-level certification! Thank you all so much for your support, this book has already entered the top ten of the monthly gift rankings~ However, I, the author, have truly exhausted all my drafts thanks to you all, and this chapter was rushed out, so I can only add one extra chapter today, I'm very sorry.)

January 2, 1988.

As the Asama Limited Express train on the Shinetsu Main Line emerged from the long tunnel of the Usui Pass, blinding white light instantly filled the entire carriage.

The once barren and yellow Kanto Plain has disappeared, replaced by the thick and tranquil snow at the foot of the Asama Mountains.

Karuizawa.

The air in the station carried a frozen chill; inhaling it felt like swallowing a mouthful of ice.

Although it was the beginning of the new year, the first-class carriage of this train bound for Nagano remained demurely quiet.

Satsuki pressed her face against the cool car window, her breath creating a white mist on the glass. She stretched out her finger and aimlessly drew a duck on that mist.

She looked out the window at the snow-covered walls piled up along the roadside.

"The snow is really thick this year."

Shuichi was flipping through a gardening magazine when he heard this. He closed the book, took off his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Today he was wearing a thick tweed hunting suit, with a wool scarf around his neck, and he was sinking into a large velvet chair.

"yes."

Xiu Yi stretched, his joints making a slight cracking sound.

"In this kind of weather, the best thing to do is sit by the fireplace, or... take a few tumbles."

"You're really planning to skate?" Satsuki turned her head, a hint of teasing in her eyes. "Your knees haven't been used in a year."

"Don't underestimate your dad." Xiu smiled and put his glasses back on. "When I was in Switzerland, I won a silver medal in the amateur category. That feeling was like riding a bicycle—unforgettable."

Outside the car window, a huge "Seibu Lions" billboard flashed by. The ubiquitous lion logo was printed everywhere—at train stations, on buses, and even in roadside convenience stores.

Shuichi glanced at it briefly before looking away and continued discussing with his daughter whether to have sukiyaki or duck hot pot for dinner.

……

The Saionji family's villa, "Tōshū Sanso," is hidden deep in the larch forest of the former Karuizawa.

The noise of the station is absent. Only the soft rustling of snow falling from the treetops in the wind can be heard.

The fire in the fireplace was already lit. The dry birch wood crackled and popped in the flames, and the orange-red firelight reflected on the dark brown wooden floor.

Shuichi changed into a dark blue one-piece ski suit. It was custom-made for him in Zurich ten years ago; although the style was a bit outdated, the cut still fit him well. He stood in the entryway, struggling to fasten the buckles on his ski boots.

"Phew... It's a little tight." Xiu patted his stomach and said with a self-deprecating laugh, "Looks like I've gained some weight this year from drinking with those bank managers."

"Then you'd better be careful not to turn into a fat old man."

Satsuki walked down the stairs with a smile.

She was wearing a pure white ski suit and a fluffy white earmuff hat. Instead of skis, she was holding a snowboard covered in graffiti.

"Let's go, Father. Before the sun sets."

……

Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort.

The huge loudspeakers were blasting Yumi Matsutoya's "Lovers in Santa Claus".

Colorful ski suits flowed across the white slopes like scattered candy. Young couples shouted and yelled in the snow, and when they fell, they just laughed and splashed snow at each other.

Shuichi and Satsuki didn't squeeze into the long queue of the regular cable car; instead, they swiped their cards and entered the VIP lane directly.

The cable car slowly ascended.

The noise beneath our feet was gradually replaced by the sound of the wind.

The wind was strong at the mountaintop, whipping up the snow powder on the ground, which sparkled in the sunlight.

"This is what they call a 'panoramic ski run'."

Shuichi stood at the starting point, put on his goggles, and gazed at the distant, rolling mountains. He took a deep breath, the crisp air filling his chest and invigorating him.

"Satsuki, stay close."

Xiu Yi pointed with his staff and leaned forward.

Gravity took over everything.

He didn't pursue speed like the young people around him, nor did he use exaggerated, sleight-of-hand maneuvers.

With the two boards together and knees slightly bent, the center of gravity shifts in an instant.

"brush--"

The snowboard cuts through the compacted snow.

"brush--"

He was like a precise metronome, drawing perfect S-shaped curves on the steep slope. His upper body remained motionless, while only his lower body swayed rhythmically with the undulations of the terrain.

That's old-fashioned, textbook skating.

Calm and composed, elegant and restrained.

Satsuki followed behind on her snowboard. She had skied quite a bit in her previous life, and although her physical abilities were far inferior to her father's, making her movements less skillful, she was still agile. Her snowboard cut clean arcs across the snow, like a white bird closely following the lead goose.

……

Halfway up the mountain, there is a viewing platform with a wide view.

A group of people dressed in black suits are surrounding a man.

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi.

The commander of the Seibu Group, which possesses assets worth trillions, stood by the railing with his hands behind his back. He wasn't wearing a hat, his gray hair was slightly disheveled by the wind, and his eagle-like eyes were aimlessly scanning his territory.

For him, inspecting the ski resort was merely a routine matter, or rather, a process of confirming his authority.

Suddenly, his gaze stopped.

Among the group of tourists rushing around and moving in a distorted manner, a dark blue figure stood out.

That rhythm.

That kind of precise control over the center of gravity.

It maintains an aristocratic, upright posture even while gliding at high speed.

"who's that person?"

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi raised his hand and pointed downwards.

The ski resort manager behind him quickly raised his binoculars and looked for a long time before his expression changed slightly.

"President... look at the style of that ski suit and that movement... it looks like Mr. Shuichi Saionji."

"Saionji Temple?"

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi squinted.

"The person who built a glass house in Ginza?"

"Yes. I heard they just arrived at the villa in old Karuizawa not long ago."

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi watched as Shuichi skied to the bottom, making a beautiful side stop that kicked up a fan-shaped cloud of snow. Then he took off his goggles, turned around, and pulled the little girl who was snowboarding. The father and daughter seemed to be laughing and talking, and Shuichi even reached out to brush the snow off the girl's hat.

His relaxed and carefree demeanor made him seem neither like someone who was there to discuss business nor to build relationships.

They were just an ordinary father and daughter enjoying their holiday.

"That's interesting."

A faint smile appeared on Tsutsumi Yoshiaki's lips.

In this circle, everyone either treats him with trepidation or hands him their business card with a forced smile. It's rare to see someone so oblivious to his presence and having so much fun on his turf.

However, you could tell from their previous attitude. Yoshiaki Tsutsumi rarely bows his head willingly; his The Club membership card is still lying in his office.

"go."

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi said to his secretary behind him.

"Please invite Mr. Saionji to the 'Shirakaba-do' for a cup of coffee. Tell him that I happen to be here too, and that I saw his skiing skills are excellent and would like to ask him for some pointers."

……

A rest area at the foot of the mountain.

Shuichi unfastened his skis, plopped down on a bench, and gasped for breath.

"Phew... I guess I'm getting old." Xiu rubbed his thigh, complaining of being tired, but his face was flushed from exercise. "Ten years ago, I could have done ten laps in one go."

"You look really cool right now," Satsuki said, handing her a hot towel. "Several girls were looking at you just now."

"Really?" Xiu took the towel, wiped his face, and tidied his hair with a hint of pride.

Just then, a staff member wearing a Seibu Corporation uniform walked over quickly, his attitude almost excessively respectful.

"Mr. Saionji, I apologize for disturbing you."

The staff bowed deeply.

"Our Chairman Tsutsumi heard that you are here as well, and would like to invite you and your daughter to the lounge upstairs for a cup of coffee."

Xiu Yi paused for a moment as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

He glanced at Satsuki.

Satsuki was holding a bottle of hot cocoa, sipping it slowly, her face expressionless, only shrugging slightly.

Since we've run into each other, let's go!

"Is Chairman Tsutsumi here too?"

Shuichi stood up, handed the towel back to Satsuki, and smiled gently.

Satsuki had mentioned before that Tsutsumi Yoshiaki would be coming to inspect, and I didn't expect him to actually come. That girl must have some unique intelligence channels.

"Since it's Chairman Tsutsumi's invitation, we'd be honored to accept. We're tired from skiing and would like to find a place to rest."

……

The "Birch Room" is the most luxurious private lounge in the Prince Hotel.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows face the distant Asama Mountain, and the fire in the fireplace is burning brightly.

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi had changed out of his formal attire and was now wearing a casual turtleneck sweater, sitting on the sofa.

When he saw Shuichi and Satsuki enter, he didn't put on airs like a billionaire. Instead, he stood up and extended his hand.

"Happy New Year, Saionji-kun."

"Chairman Tsutsumi, Happy New Year."

The two hands are clasped together.

"When I saw your movements on the mountain earlier, I was thinking that you must have received formal training." Tsutsumi Yoshiaki smiled and invited them to sit down. "That's the Swiss style, isn't it? Young people these days can't learn that kind of elegance."

"I'm sorry to have troubled you." Shuichi sat down and took the Blue Mountain coffee from the waiter. "I spent a few years in Zurich when I was younger and learned a little bit. Now I just spend time playing with my kids."

"Not at all."

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi turned his gaze to Satsuki, who was quietly eating cookies beside him.

"This must be your daughter, right? I heard S-Collection is really popular in Shibuya lately. Even my niece, who's still in college, keeps asking to buy clothes from your brand."

"It's just kids' business, nothing serious," Shuichi said modestly, waving his hand. "It's all thanks to Seibu Department Store for their patronage, giving us such a great location."

"That's business."

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi shook his head and picked up his coffee cup.

"Business is business, and friendship is friendship."

He looked at Shuichi, a hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes.

"By the way, Saionji-kun. Land prices in Tokyo have been skyrocketing lately, everyone's been frantically buying up land. But I heard... you guys seem to have stopped?"

This question was asked very casually, as if we were chatting about everyday things.

But Shuichi knew that this was the key to today's "chance encounter".

As a dominant figure in the real estate industry, Yoshiaki Tsutsumi is intimately familiar with every subtle change in the market. The Saionji family's sudden halt to their buying spree after a year of frenzied purchasing clearly caught his attention.

Xiu put down his coffee cup, his expression unchanged.

"Yes. It's stopped."

"Why? Do you feel the price has stalled?"

"No, it will go up," Xiu Yi said frankly, "and by a lot."

He gave a wry smile and pointed to his aching knees.

"But, Chairman Tsutsumi, as you know, if you go too fast while skiing, your knees won't be able to take it."

"The Saionji family is ultimately poor. They've been eating too much this year and are having some indigestion. Land prices are too high now; small families like ours simply can't afford to buy."

"So, I brought my child here to get some fresh air."

Shuichi looked at the snow scene outside the window, his eyes revealing a genuine weariness and relaxation.

"I think I should rest for a while and digest what I have in my hands before doing anything else."

This is a perfect and logical explanation.

He acknowledged the market's boom (pleasing Yoshiaki Tsutsumi) while simultaneously demonstrating his own "weakness" and "caution" (lowering the other party's guard).

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi burst into laughter, his laughter hearty and cheerful.

"Saionji-kun is too modest. However, it's good for him to take a break. The market is indeed a bit crazy right now; even I think some of the land offers are outrageous."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the snow country that belonged to him.

That confidence as a "god of the land" was evident in him.

"However, as long as Tokyo exists, land prices won't fall."

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi turned around and looked at Shuichi.

"This year, Seibu Land will launch three new projects worth over 10 billion yen each."

"If the Saionji family has rested enough and is interested, we can cooperate again. Even if it's not about buying land, developing related facilities would be fine too."

This is an invitation.

It is also a form of support from a strong party to its allies.

Xiu stood up and bowed slightly.

"That would be our honor. I will have my staff visit you when we return to Tokyo after our vacation."

"Okay. It's settled then."

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi glanced at his watch.

"I have a meeting to attend. I won't keep you two any longer. Please put your expenses on my tab."

"You're too kind."

……

Stepping out of the Prince Hotel, the sun was still shining brightly.

"Father."

Sitting in the car on the way back, Satsuki looked at the scenery rushing past the window and suddenly spoke.

"What's wrong?"

"The coffee was good."

Satsuki commented softly.

"However, Chairman Tsutsumi seems really confident."

"Yes," Xiu nodded. "After all, he's the world's richest man. That kind of confidence isn't something he can fake."

"pity."

Satsuki looked away and gazed at the ski resort map she had just taken from the front desk.

"He wanted to control the monster, but little did he know that the monster's ropes had long since been broken."

Shuichi didn't say anything.

He recalled the commanding presence of Yoshiaki Tsutsumi standing by the window earlier. He was a man at the pinnacle, preparing to assault an even higher peak.

However, he didn't know that there was already a cliff ahead.

"However, this cup of coffee was well worth it."

Satsuki folded the map and put it in her pocket, her tone becoming more relaxed, as if she were commenting on the ski run she had just skied.

"With Yoshiaki Tsutsumi's words, by spring, the line of people begging us to give them money will probably be long again."

Shuichi smiled too.

He reached out and helped his daughter put her hat on straight.

"Alright, let's not talk about business anymore. Didn't we agree that this two-week break would be a holiday?"

"What do you want to eat tonight? How about I have Fujita buy some Shinshu beef and make sukiyaki? With some warm sake."

"OK."

Satsuki leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and a satisfied smile played on her lips.

"I want to add more konjac noodles."

The car drove into the quiet forest.

The sound of the engine startled a flock of birds.