Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 360 Along the Way

Five minutes later.

Chizuru put the soldering iron into a separate small tool bag and labeled it "Carry-on Technical Equipment - Hand-held".

Chizuru's solution was to not ship it by mail, but instead put it in Fujita's security equipment briefcase and clear customs through the diplomatic channel.

Amy then got up from the ground.

Chizuru rearranged Amy's belongings in the suitcase by category—electronic devices and cables at the bottom, paper documents in the middle section inserted vertically, and clothes (Amy herself only packed two spare T-shirts and a pair of sweatpants) on top. After rearranging, the suitcase zipper could now close smoothly.

Amy squatted down beside them, watching the process, her lips pressed into a thin line.

His gaze lingered on Chizuru's fair and nimble fingers for a few seconds before drifting towards Satsuki—Satsuki had somehow settled into a wicker chair, holding a magazine, her posture languid, completely ignoring them.

Amy then shifted her gaze back to Chizuru.

This person has been standing next to Satsuki-chan since the beginning.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her T-shirt.

"...feed."

Chizuru pushed the closed box next to the three boxes and stood up.

Who are you?

Amy's voice wasn't loud, and her tone wasn't particularly fierce. But what was in her eyes was very clear—warning.

Like a cat with a strong sense of territory, suddenly discovering a strange presence in the room that is too close to its owner.

Chizuru stopped and turned to the side. She glanced at Amy but didn't answer immediately.

Satsuki peeked half her face out from above the magazine.

"Chizuru is my personal maid, and she will stay with me from now on."

Amy's body stiffened for a moment.

Always.

I've been following them.

The word "always" bounced through her mind several times, and with each bounce, her chest tightened a little more.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She wanted to say something, but she could never bring herself to say those words in front of Satsuki.

I want to follow along forever...

She glanced at Qianhe again.

Chizuru's expression was serene, her hands clasped in front of her, her gaze slightly lowered. Her posture was impeccable, like a carefully arranged object.

Amy reluctantly looked away. She squatted back down next to the box, rested her chin on her knees, and mumbled something indistinctly.

"...I can tidy it up too."

Chizuru had already walked to the door to retrieve a list for verification.

Another set of slower footsteps came from the corridor.

Shuichi walked into the side hall.

Today he was wearing a dark blue kimono jacket for home use, with the sash loosely tied, and he was holding a cup of barley tea in his hand.

He paused at the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the suitcases, clothes, documents, and tools scattered on the floor.

Then his gaze fell on the documents spread out on the low table.

Several folders had their covers opened, and the pages were scattered on the table.

The top document is Intourist's itinerary; the ones underneath have titles printed in bold.

List of Personnel (Confidential) of the Computing Center of the USSR Academy of Sciences

Summary Table of Throughput Capacity of Major Ports in the Far East (1989 Statistics)

Directory of USSR Optical Research Institutions (including addresses and contact information for responsible persons)

Japan-Soviet Cultural Exchange Fund: Preliminary Proposal (Draft)

Memorandum on Common Security Risks in Soviet Hotels for Foreign Guests

Xiu Yi's hand, holding the barley tea cup, froze in mid-air.

He stared at the file titles for a long time.

"Satsuki".

Satsuki nestled in the rattan chair, rubbing her toes against the woven pattern on the seat.

"Um?"

"...Didn't you tell me this was a trip?"

Satsuki put down the magazine. She pulled out a thin booklet from under the pile of magazines beside her—an officially published Moscow travel guide with a cover featuring the brightly colored onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral.

She held up the booklet and waved it at Xiu. Her expression was as obedient as a primary school student being checked on their homework by the teacher.

"Father, look. There's Red Square, the Winter Palace, and ballet here."

"Perfect timing for New Year's Eve—I'll take you to see the New Year's fireworks in Moscow."

Shuichi's gaze slowly shifted from the travel guide to the corner of another document peeking out from beneath it.

The top right corner of the paper was tagged "SAInvestment Internal Memorandum." Only half a line of the title was visible: "Initial Consultations on Oil and Gas Development on the Sakhalin Continental Shelf..."

The second half was overshadowed by travel guides.

Xiu looked up at his daughter.

"What about this one?"

Satsuki blinked.

She reached out and calmly moved the travel guide aside, perfectly covering the title of the memo.

Then she tilted her head, a smile curving her lips.

"Hey—it's on the way."

Shuichi didn't reply. He picked up the cup of cold barley tea, walked to the wicker chair by the window, and slowly sat down.

He spread the hem of his kimono over his knees and placed the teacup on the corner of the low table.

There was a few seconds of silence.

"If neither of us is around when things happen back home..."

"Endo is in Osaka, Dojima is in the Middle East, and Frank is in New York."

He didn't say the words "in case something happens," but the implication was left at the end of the sentence.

This marks the first time since the establishment of the Saionji Group that both of its leaders have left Japan at the same time.

Even during the time when Satsuki was in a coma, Shuichi was still in charge of the overall situation.

Satsuki put down the travel guide.

She looked at her father, her expression softening from obedient to gentle.

"Father."

"Um."

"I believe Endo can handle it (Endo: I don't believe it)."

Her tone was very confident.

"Moreover, the SIS hotline is open 24 hours a day, so you can call anytime you need to consult with them. Besides—"

She paused for a moment, reached out and picked up the black tea on the coaster, and took a sip.

"We've all been exhausted since 1985."

"Isn't that right?"

Shuichi looked at his daughter.

"It's New Year's." Satsuki placed the teacup back on the coaster, her voice slightly softer. "Although Moscow winters are cold, I've heard the New Year's ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre is beautiful. We should take a break too."

Shuichi also picked up his cup of barley tea and took a sip.

His expression didn't show any clear change, but his furrowed brows relaxed a little.

"...What about the group over there—"

"Maki is in Tokyo," Satsuki replied quickly. "She will be in charge of the monthly meetings. Documents requiring your signature can be sent via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' special envoy pouch (Shuichi is a member of the House of Peers), and will arrive within forty-eight hours."

"Masato has been handling things well with SIS. There's even less to worry about with Shimomura. Besides, he seems to have started dating Eri (one of the maids who takes care of Shimomura) recently, and he's been all smiles all the time."

"As for retail, you know Yanai, even if there's an earthquake, he'll get up and open for business himself—"

"Regarding the construction at Saionji Temple..."

Xiu Yi suddenly smiled and waved his hand.

"Alright, alright, I know you've thought it all through."

"I was worrying too much... I'm sorry."

He placed the empty teacup on the low table. As he stood up, the sash of his kimono swayed slightly.

"My suitcase is already in the bedroom." He paused. "As for clothes, is there anything else I need to add?"

"I heard that the wind in the Soviet Union could freeze people to death."

Satsuki nodded slightly.

"Minus 20 or 30 degrees Celsius. A long coat and a thick scarf are necessary. Bring two pairs of leather gloves, one as a spare."

The way she counted on her fingers suddenly made her seem like a proper daughter.

"And those tall leather boots—the ones I bought in Ginza last year. They have thicker soles, in case the road is icy."

Xiu nodded. He turned and walked towards the door, his steps slow and steady, just as he had come.

He stopped at the doorway. He didn't turn around.

"...This is the first time I've completely relinquished control of the entire group."

His voice was low, as if he were talking to himself.

"Alright."

The footsteps faded away down the corridor.

Satsuki watched her father's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor. She looked away, lowered her eyes, picked up her teacup, and took a sip. The tea in the cup had already cooled slightly.

The side hall returned to silence.

Chizuru closed the lid of the last suitcase. The aluminum-magnesium alloy buckle pressed shut under her fingertips—

"Click".

The sound was very soft. Very crisp.

Amy crouched down beside the box, hugging her knees. Her soldering iron had been properly stored away, but she still glanced instinctively toward the tool bag labeled "Technical Equipment."

Then her gaze shifted to Chizuru.

Chizuru walked back to Satsuki's right side and naturally stopped at that one and a half step position.

Although there were no extra movements or deliberate attempts to get closer, they were just that close.

Amy buried her chin in her knees.

Fujita walked over from the doorway and placed the checked dark blue folder into his black briefcase. He zipped it up and fastened the clasp.

The sound of bamboo brooms in the courtyard stopped; they must have finished sweeping. In the distance, crows were cawing, their cries muffled by the early winter air.

"Satsuki-chan".

Amy suddenly spoke. Her voice came from where she was squatting, with a slightly muffled quality.

"Um?"

Was the Soviet Union... really that cold?

Satsuki placed the empty teacup back on the coaster. Her finger gently traced a circle around the rim of the cup.

"The weather is alright."

She stood up from the wicker chair, her bare feet stepping onto the tatami mat, and walked to the window. Outside the French windows, only sparse branches remained of the ancient maple trees in the courtyard. The last few dark brown leaves still clung to the branches, swaying precariously in the wind.

She paused for a few seconds.

"What's even colder is something else."