wavenovel Chapters 1235 and 1244: We're about to pull off an unprecedented, grand operation!
Chapters 1235 and 1244: We're about to pull off an unprecedented, grand operation!
Chapters 1235 and 1244: We're about to pull off an unprecedented, grand operation!
During the smooth editing process of "Departures", it was soon the end of June.
The film's pre-release promotion also began at this time, with promotional posters appearing in various prominent advertising spaces, and previously edited trailers starting to be shown in cinemas and on television.
The specially edited erotic scenes between Momoe Yamaguchi and Tomokazu Miura drew attention from many.
"How could Momoe Yamaguchi make a film like this?! How could Naoki Nagayama's movies be like this?"
"This is a huge breakthrough from the past! The trailer is already so popular, what will the rest be like?"
"My goddess, how could this happen?! Where has my pure and innocent Momoe gone?!"
When will it be released? I want to see it.
In short, it sparked some discussion among former fans of Momoe Yamaguchi, causing the previously somewhat dormant popularity of "Departures" to rise rapidly, and it quickly made the cover of newspapers and media again.
People are also a bit confused. The movie title clearly indicates that it's a film about "Departures," so why is there suddenly an extra sex scene?!
As their popularity soared, some even wanted to invite Momoe Yamaguchi and Tomokazu Miura to be interviewed on variety shows—but these requests were all turned down by the fans.
Therefore, the target fell on director Naoki Nagayama.
"Director Nagayama."
In a coffee shop, reporter Renji Tabata was asking Naoki Nagayama a question.
"Did Momoe Yamaguchi and Tomokazu Miura really have a sex scene in 'Departures'?"
At this moment, Naoki Nagayama was being interviewed by Kinema Junpo, a special feature that had been arranged beforehand as the film personality of the year.
The coffee shop is now fully booked, with only a few people in the entire place. Naoki Nagayama's window seat was being filmed by two video cameras, and a photographer was taking pictures from time to time.
"There's a romantic element to it!"
Naoki Nagayama did not give a direct answer, but gave a vague reply.
"After all, as the protagonist of a movie, having to come into contact with a profession like mortician means that not only he himself, but also his family members will experience some emotional changes."
"The scenes involving his interactions with his wife, Momoe Yamaguchi, are all based on this purpose."
Tabata Ren nodded:
"So, does it exist?!"
Faced with this persistent guy who wouldn't let go of the details, Naoki Nagayama could only loosen his grip a little:
"It's a bit borderline."
"All right!"
Kenjiro Tabata, a reporter for Kinema Junpo, sighed, knowing that further questioning was pointless, and began to continue with the interview outline he had already prepared:
"Director Nagayama expressed immense confidence in 'Departures' at both the production and wrap-up announcements."
"Do you really think this movie will be a huge hit and win international awards, like an Oscar?!"
"Haha, of course no one can say 100% certainty until the final result is out. An Oscar is just my goal~"
Naoki Nagayama chuckled, glancing at the pedestrians outside the window.
"Just like people outside, they all move towards their goal and eventually reach their destination!"
Tabata Ren was not entirely satisfied with this answer, so he continued to ask:
"Director Nagayama is so young, yet he has already won the Palme d'Or at an internationally renowned awards ceremony. Now everyone has very high expectations for you. Does this put pressure on you?"
"pressure?"
Naoki Nagayama nodded immediately and said seriously,
"I'm under so much pressure! So please, everyone, support the movie 'Departures'!!!"
"."
Ren Tabata felt that Naoki Nagayama seemed to be using this interview as a promotional channel for the film, which was unacceptable. This year's Kinema Junpo feature on film personalities was meant to be in-depth and impactful!
"Director Nagayama."
Tabata Ren closed the original outline, deciding to increase the intensity, hoping to break through Nagayama Naoki's psychological defenses.
"Your achievements in the film industry are already remarkable. You have won numerous awards, established the Shuyu Group, facilitated the Tokyo International Film Festival, and founded the Tokyo Film Industry Association."
"But you're still working so hard on 'Departures,' have you ever thought about what your ultimate goal is?!"
"The ultimate goal?"
Naoki Nagayama paused for a moment, then suddenly thought of his earliest ideal.
Back then, all I wanted was to get rich quickly and live a life of poetry and distant places. But after all these years, I've certainly gotten rich, but the idyllic life of poetry and distant places seems to have become unattainable.
Now I have a wife, daughter, relatives, a group of friends, and many other people who are centered around me.
If I suddenly said I was going to stop making movies, quit the company, and take a break to enjoy life, everyone around me would think I was crazy!
So when you reach a certain social class, you realize that the saying "It's cold, so we'll give you a yellow robe" sometimes really means that you're being asked by those around you to wear it!
"In the past, I probably just wanted a comfortable life."
Naoki Nagayama's initial professional expression softened slightly, and his answers became much more sincere.
"Right now, I guess I want to show everyone what's in my head!"
I have countless great ideas, movies, and creative concepts in my head. Keeping them bottled up will make me sick!
"Is that so?!"
Tabata Ren was surprised by this answer. Actually, he wouldn't have been surprised if Nagayama Naoki had answered "become prime minister" or something similar.
Because now the tree friends are indeed promoting a "proposal" for the film industry, gradually extending their reach into the political arena.
"Director Nagayama, what else is on your mind? Could you share it with us?"
"Haha, I need to film this bit by bit!"
Naoki Nagayama said with a smile,
"But besides the current film 'Departures,' I can tell you that the next movie I want to make is 'Jurassic Park'!"
"Oh, the novel of the same name as Jurassic Park?"
Tabata Ren quickly took notes.
"Is Director Nagayama trying his hand at science fiction? This is quite different from his previous films!"
"Haha, let's give it a try!"
Naoki Nagayama said with a smile,
"At worst, we'll just lose money!"
"I don't think you'll lose out, Naoki-san."
Renji Tabata had complete confidence in Naoki Nagayama.
"Haha, then I'll take your good wishes."
After talking about the movie for a while, the two started chatting over coffee in the coffee shop, and Tabata Ren quickly asked about his family.
"Director Nagayama, what's the difference between marrying a star like Akina Nakamori and marrying an ordinary person?"
Tabata Ren seemed somewhat curious.
"How would I know what's different? I've never been married to anyone else."
Naoki Nagayama remained silent.
"Tabata-san, if you ask a question like that, people will think I have a lot of marriage experience!"
"Haha~ Sorry, sorry."
It was only then that Ren Tabata realized that although this guy had a reputation for being a womanizer, his public romantic history was surprisingly clean!
"However, Mr. Nagayama should understand what I mean: how is it different from the married life of ordinary people?"
"It probably means I can't go out for walks, can't go out to buy groceries, and can't take Xia Hua to the park."
Naoki Nagayama thought about it and realized that apart from avoiding unnecessary attention, there was actually no difference.
We eat together, watch TV together, sleep together, and take care of the children together after they are born. The Yama-Ying-Yuan branch has been expanded and is very large, with comprehensive housekeeping services, making everything very convenient.
"When we close the door, we live the life of an ordinary married couple, except that our jobs are a little different."
"."
Tabata Ren was somewhat surprised.
"Really? I don't believe it!"
"Huh?! What's there to disbelieve?"
"Shouldn't the lives of great directors, writers, and stars be like those in novels, full of enviable scenes?!"
As he spoke, Renji Tabata pulled a novel out from behind his back.
"It's just like a scene from the novel 'Full House,' full of joy and surprises."
"?? Tabata-san, how did you get this novel?! It hasn't even been released yet!"
Naoki Nagayama accepted it in surprise. The novel "Full House" has already been printed by Shogakukan. He saw a trial print a few days ago, but it will not be officially released until July.
"Haha, we at Kinema Junpo do have some connections in the publishing industry!"
Tabata Ren shook his head modestly and did not continue to explain.
"Nagayama-san, isn't your new novel based on your own life?"
"of course not!"
Naoki Nagayama looked at Renya Tabata.
"The main characters in the book are a big star and a small-time writer. The big star fits the bill, but the small-time writer?"
"."
That's definitely not true; there's no way around it, Naoki Nagayama can no longer be considered a minor writer. However, Ren Tabata still thinks that Naoki Nagayama is a bit shameless—what Japanese person is so unhumble!
"This book doesn't have any real-life story prototypes; it's purely fictional."
Naoki Nagayama said,
"It's just that some of the scenarios are inspired by our own dating moments."
Things like hiding from fans, reporters, and being chased by paparazzi are things that Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nagayama can relate to deeply.
"I see."
Tabata Ren nodded,
"Mr. Nagayama, this novel returns to the theme of youthful romance. With the currently popular film 'Long Vacation,' this novel will probably be adapted into a movie in the future, right?!"
"Haha, I have that idea!"
"Have you come up with any ideas for the lead role? Should we ask Akina to play it?"
"Akina isn't good anymore!" Naoki Nagayama sighed. The chubby Akina of the past was gone. "The current Akina can't portray that youthful and cute image anymore!"
"Cough cough cough."
Renji Tabata choked on his coffee after taking a sip.
"Wait, Nagayama-san, are you saying that Nakamori Akina is old?!"
"Hey~~~ Nagayama-san, you know that everything you say now will be reported, right?"
Renji Tabata had an expression that said, "What you're saying now is evidence in court."
"!!! Mr. Tabata, don't deliberately cause family conflicts!"
Naoki Nagayama quickly explained,
"What I mean is, Akina already has a queen-like, mature aura, so playing a young female lead wouldn't suit her!"
"Oh~~~"
"Moreover, we, the members of the Tree Friends group, have already pre-selected the female lead for this TV series."
"?! Which idol is it?!"
"Hey~~~ Nagayama-san, you know that everything we say now will be written down, right?"
Ren Tabata became curious; Shuyu's agency now has many idol artists!
"It's Rie Miyazawa who only appeared in magazines and 'Our Little Sister'."
Naoki Nagayama said,
"What an adorable little girl! She has the potential to become a star!"
"Then we can look forward to it!"
"."
This special interview lasted for almost three hours, covering a wide range of topics from career and family to personal ideals.
I had lunch with Ren Tabata at noon before it was finally over.
However, this year's Kinema Junpo annual film personality feature includes much more than just this interview. It includes interviews with other film industry figures about Naoki Nagayama's opinions, information on various film projects from Kiyu Pictures, and finally, details about "Departures."
It will likely be published around August or September, which coincides with the Tokyo International Film Festival. It will be a great promotional item as a complimentary publication for the festival!
In the afternoon, Naoki Nagayama thought about it and decided not to go back to editing the film.
The interview took place in the core area, and he also happened to be passing by Shuyou Capital to check on the account opening situation for Hamada Koichi.
Upon arriving at the office building in Ginza, Naoki Nagayama went straight to the 12th floor.
"Naoki-san?!"
Shuyu Capital's receptionist, Kanai Hiroka, spotted Nagayama Naoki at a glance and quickly came out to greet him.
"Why did you come today?!"
"I just happened to be passing by and stopped by." Naoki Nagayama nodded. "Is Yuan Tai-san here?"
"Hi, Minister, you're back this afternoon!"
While speaking, Kanai Hiroka led the way, taking Nagayama Naoki directly to his office.
"Naoki-san, please wait a moment, I'll go and inform the minister to come over."
"it is good"
Naoki Nagayama sat down in his office and casually flipped through the monthly performance reports.
Those rows of positive data clearly show that TreeFriend Capital's current investment performance is simply outstanding.
"Naoki-san!"
Nakai Genta walked into the office, looking somewhat surprised.
"Why did you come here so suddenly? Did something happen?"
"Nothing much, I just stopped by after the interview."
Naoki Nagayama pulled him down to sit with him and asked,
"What's the status of the account that was previously opened for Congressman Hamada Koichi?"
"Ah, Hamada-san's account."
Nakai Genta realized what was happening and laughed.
"Actually, it should be Mrs. Hamada's account. He opened the account in his wife's name!"
"So cautious?" Naoki Nagayama was also somewhat surprised. "What's the point? If something goes wrong, won't they still find him anyway?!"
"Haha, Naoki-san, you don't know this."
Nakai Genta smiled and waved his hand.
"If anything unexpected happens, we can just get a divorce and leave with nothing. That way, the law won't be able to touch the other party, and the money will still be in our own family's hands!"
"Given the relationship between the Japanese couple, who divorced and divided their assets as soon as they retired, isn't he worried that his wife would run off with the money?!"
Naoki Nagayama was even more surprised, considering that Jackie Chan's views on marriage are very popular among the wealthy.
"There's no need to worry. Hamada-san is from the yakuza, so Mrs. Hamada probably wouldn't dare."
Nakai Wonta said.
"Okay. So who's managing this account now?!"
"I specifically instructed Sakaguchi Masamichi on this; his trading is very prudent. We've made a small profit these past few days."
"Yes, I'm not worried about profitability."
Naoki Nagayama nodded, not wanting to hide anything from Gen Nakai.
"I had Hamada Koichi open an account here to cultivate a good relationship with him. So, Yuan Tai-san needs to make sure this account doesn't suffer any losses!"
"Hey, I understand!"
Nakai Genta nodded. With such a large Ponzi scheme in hand, ensuring that no account suffered losses was quite simple. He just needed to manage it incidentally while operating the large Ponzi scheme.
Naoki Nagayama continued:
"After that, I need to communicate with the account holder about every two weeks to report on the performance."
In short, you need to give them the impression that TreeFriend Capital is consistently making money for them, but the profits can't be too large!
"Hi!"
"."
After giving detailed instructions on how to maintain the account, Naoki Nagayama relaxed and chatted with Genta Nakai about future investment directions.
"Naoki-san, thanks to your previous instructions, we now have a significant portion of our funds invested in the US stock market!"
Based on Naoki Nagayama's strategy of quietly escaping the Japanese stock market before the bubble burst in 88, Nakai Genta had been using a piecemeal approach to move funds to the US stock market for over a year.
We're gradually achieving our goals!
"The US stock market is in a bull market right now! Making money here is just as good as in Japan!"
"Yes, the US market is expected to be a bull market for the next ten years!"
Naoki Nagayama laughed and said that in his memory, until the subprime mortgage crisis in 08, the US stock market had been in a bull market except for one Black Monday stock market crash!
"!"
Black Monday?
It was as if a keyword popped up, leaving Naoki Nagayama stunned.
Immediately, information related to the "Black Monday" crisis began to flood my mind!
On October 19, 1987, after the New York Stock Exchange opened, hundreds of millions of shares were waiting to be sold in the first hour, which directly destroyed the stock exchange's computer system. What followed was a complete market collapse, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeting by 20% and the US stock market crashing!
The crisis is spreading globally, and the next step will be a complete collapse of the stock markets in Hong Kong, the United States, West Germany, Japan, and Australia!
This caused a staggering $1.8 trillion in assets to evaporate from global financial markets, with the United States alone losing over $5000 billion.
Fortunately, governments around the world acted quickly to issue more loans to stabilize the economy, and large companies also began to buy back shares, which allowed global stock markets to return to normal in November!
You should know that the last stock market crash like this triggered the Great Depression and even caused a world war!
How come I didn't think of this global stock market crisis before?!
"Naoki-san, what did you say?"
Nakai Genta didn't quite catch what Nagayama Naoki had just said.
"What's wrong with Monday?"
"."
After a moment of stunned silence, I shook my head to calm my thoughts.
October, there are still three months left!!
Now that he knew about the crisis in advance, the crisis has turned into a huge opportunity!
Naoki Nagayama then looked up at Genta Nakai:
"Yuan Tai-sang, we're about to pull off an unprecedented, grand operation!"
"???!!!"
Nakai Genta looked completely bewildered!
They were chatting happily just a minute ago, how come they suddenly have to pull off a major trading maneuver? This has never happened before?
Naoki-san, you're scaring me!
(End of this chapter)