novelslam Chapters 1448 and 1457: The Nagayama Family's Full Moon Banquet (Part 2)
Chapters 1448 and 1457: The Nagayama Family's Full Moon Banquet (Part 2)
Chapters 1448 and 1457: The Nagayama Family's Full Moon Banquet (Part 2)
Following the rule that the bigger the name, the later it arrives, the first batch should be those of lower status.
However, what has arrived at the Imperial Hotel has already shocked those who were watching from afar!
"That's Shinji Tanimura!" "Shinichi Mori is here too!" "And that's Yumi Matsutoya coming out."
"Big star Seiko Matsuda is here too! Didn't she and Akina Nakamori not get along well?" "Who said that? In the entertainment industry, appearances still matter." "Yoshie Kashiwabara is here."
Paparazzi and reporters standing far away on both sides of the road pressed their shutters, trying to record all the people coming!
"."
Following close relatives and friends, people from the entertainment industry came next, first the entertainers, then the directors and agency presidents, and then the famous film producers.
"The president of Ken-On has gotten off the bus!"
"The president of Watanabe's office."
"."
"That's Masahiro Ikegami, the head of Kobe Entertainment Company!"
The president of the Kobe entertainment company was greeted by Kaede Nagayama.
When Masaki Kobayashi and Masahiro Shinoda finished signing in at the guest list and came over together, they saw Naoki Nagayama escorting Yuki Maruyama, the head of Toho, inside.
Upon seeing the two friends despite their age difference, Naoki Nagayama wore a warm smile:
"Jeongju-sang, Jeongho-sang, welcome, welcome."
"Naoki-san, congratulations!" "Your eldest son has reached one month old; the family line is strong!"
The two senior artists greeted Naoki Nagayama with smiles, and Nagayama warmly invited them inside. These two had provided him with a lot of help when he first started out, and could be said to have been his constant supporters.
"I've been too busy lately to have any time for tea. Once things at home are settled, I definitely need to visit Sanmeiju for a proper chat!"
"Ha, Naoki-san, you're a really busy person these days."
Masaki Kobayashi laughed.
"Aren't we still filming 'Fast & Furious'?!"
"You can always find time to rest while filming a movie."
"Haha~ You're right~"
The three directors started laughing as they talked; this has become an unspoken rule in film production.
After helping the person to their seat, I went to the door again and saw a man in a white suit with a prominent nose walking over – it was Jackie Chan!
"Jackie"
Naoki Nagayama gave him a hug, and he naturally sent invitations to his friends in Hong Kong as well.
"Welcome, welcome."
"You absolutely must come to the Yongshan Sang family's full moon celebration!"
Jackie Chan laughed heartily. He had put aside the intense production of "Police Story 2" and specially flew to Tokyo to attend this full moon celebration!
"Thank you very much. Please come in and have a seat."
Only after Jackie Chan was also sent inside did they have a chance to catch their breath.
Shuichi Itō, who was also greeting customers at the door, joked with a smile:
"Naoki-san has such a wide circle of friends now, I wonder if he has any in Europe and America."
Yes, of course!
Soon, a number of Hollywood stars, especially the producers involved in the distribution of "Jurassic Park", arrived!
"Director Nagayama! Congratulations! Congratulations!"
Harrison Ford greeted him warmly in Japanese.
Thank you. Thank you so much for coming.
This really surprised the paparazzi outside!
Next, it wasn't just people from the entertainment industry who appeared at the door. When someone else appeared at the door, Nakai Genta went to greet them.
"Director Hidaka, you've arrived."
"Yes, how could we be late for Naoki-san's happy occasion!"
"Thank you very much. Please take a seat!"
Haha, okay~
Hidaka Yasuhiro's arrival was like flipping a switch; in addition to the entertainment industry, big names from the financial investment world also flocked to the scene.
Nomura Holdings, Taiga Capital, Yamaha Securities—the pillars of renowned investment companies in Ginza, as well as various business tycoons I've recently met, have also begun to make appearances.
Naoki Mulberry
"Welcome, Ueno-san!" "Minister Katagiri!"
Well-known companies such as Mitsui Fudosan, Toshiba Electronics, Sumitomo Bank, and Hitachi Electric, even if their chairpersons didn't attend in person, sent representatives at the level of department head.
Naoki Nagayama was unaware that he had crossed paths with many of the guests, and Otomo Yoshimura also became quite busy, as he was more familiar with many business tycoons.
Amidst this lively atmosphere, it was almost eleven o'clock.
The banquet hall was already more than half full, with members of the Nagayama and Nakamori families seated in the family-only section. However, some front-row seats remained empty, which piqued people's curiosity.
It was from this point on that a number of discreet cars began to stop frequently in front of the Imperial Hotel, where sharp-eyed paparazzi began to gasp in astonishment.
"That one looks like an official from the Ministry of Education. She seems to be Ikenobo Yasuko from the Ikenobo family, a prominent family of flower arrangers!"
"Vice Minister of Education Kiba Sadanaga!" "An official second only to the Minister of Education!" "Even he came?!"
"."
"That looks like Harada Kenji from the Financial Services Agency."
"I can understand that Naoki Nagayama is on good terms with the Ministry of Education, but why are people from the Financial Services Agency here too?!"
"Baka! Have you forgotten? Naoki Nagayama also has Tree Friends Capital, which is a rare and large capital group in the financial world!"
"."
At that moment, the paparazzi, who had been excited for a long time, started looking at the road with a strange expression.
"Why are there police cars?" "Has there been an accident?" "Looks like they're clearing the way?"
Amidst the murmurs, a police car pulled up in front of the Imperial Hotel, and a senior police officer in regular uniform stepped out of the back.
"That's... the Metropolitan Police Department's Public Relations Chief, Shinohara Tatsuya!!"
Many journalists recognize the public relations manager who frequently holds press conferences!
"The older one next to him"
"what!"
Suddenly someone exclaimed.
"Isn't that Nam Joon-woong?! From the Criminal Investigation Department."
"??"
"He's the real-life inspiration for the righteous policeman in 'Hayato'!"
"Ah, it's 'Police's Light'!"
"That's definitely coming."
The novel "Hayato" not only made Hayato Nagayama a legend in the yakuza world, but also made Toshio Minami a positive role model for the police system.
The fact that Nam Jun-woong, who was about to retire, was promoted one rank and became the head of the Criminal Investigation Department is just like that of a naval hero!
At this moment, some paparazzi tried to raise their cameras to take pictures, but were stopped by their companions.
"Baka! High-ranking government officials are here, so we can't just take pictures of the people behind them!!"
"Want to go to Sakuradamon for coffee?!"
"Then how should we report on this?!"
"Just point out a few celebrities in the entertainment industry, and use euphemisms for the others. Do I need to teach you that?!"
"."
After that, one after another, low-key black luxury cars arrived, and many representatives of zaibatsu (financial conglomerates) came, including Kenjiro Yasuda of the Yasuda family.
"The Yasuda family, Kenjiro Yasuda"
One reporter muttered to himself, "Now even chaebol families are starting to show their faces!"
Naoki Nagayama's connections and influence have grown so much! Is the Prime Minister and the Emperor about to arrive?!
After a brief reminder from Yoshimura Otomo at the entrance, he and Nagayama Naoki went to greet them, and Nagayama Naoki naturally welcomed them very warmly as well.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you, Mr. Yasuda, for attending my son's one-month celebration!"
"Not at all, I've long admired Mr. Nagayama. I'm so glad to finally meet him!"
Kenjiro Yasuda came to make friends, so he was very humble and actively exchanged pleasantries with Naoki Nagayama and Otomo Yoshimura. He even expressed his hope to see the Nagayama family's children and offered his best wishes.
When he arrived at his seat, he was surprised to see many familiar faces, some from the business world and others from wealthy families. Surprisingly, there were empty seats near theirs!
This is already the best spot in the banquet hall, surrounded by tycoons, celebrities, bureaucrats, and politicians.
Kenjiro Yasuda looked around and saw people from the Ministry of Education, the Financial Services Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and even Sakuradamon.
"There's actually someone above them? Is it a cabinet minister or someone from the royal family?"
As he was lost in thought, a commotion erupted, and an unremarkable man walked in. Yasuda Kenjiro didn't recognize him at first.
However, I overheard people from the political circles nearby saying:
"That's the Prime Minister's secretary? Kawabata Juto?"
"So he's here representing the Prime Minister?!"
"Naoki Nagayama. By the way, the Shuyu Group supports the Prime Minister; I didn't expect their relationship to be so close."
After Doi Tagako became prime minister, she represented Japan in all her public appearances, so sending her trusted secretary to a one-month celebration was the greatest show of sincerity.
Let's move the clock forward a little.
Naoki Nagayama asked Kaede Nagayama, Otomo Yoshimura, Genta Nakai, and others to go inside and help greet the guests, leaving only him and Shuichi Itō waiting at the door.
"Most of the people have arrived."
Naoki Nagayama glanced outside, then checked the time.
"Shuichi-san, is the prime minister's secretary you mentioned really coming?"
Shuichi Ido rolled his eyes:
"They've already given me a receipt! They'll definitely come! For Kawabata-san, it's work!"
Haha. Okay.
Naoki Nagayama shrugged; he could only wait a little longer.
"By the way, the Akihabara anime festival is already underway, right?"
"Yes, we've already spoken with the Comic Market organizers, and they're very pleased!"
Itō Shuichi said with a smile,
"Thanks to Mr. Otomo's efforts in connecting us, many anime groups have been reached. This anime convention is expected to officially open this summer!"
"Haha, that's good."
Naoki Nagayama was very satisfied; he even wanted to take Akina and Hana-chan to the anime convention!
Just then, another Toyota Century pulled up in front of the Imperial Hotel, and a man with a very ordinary-looking face got out.
Shuichi Itō quickly stepped forward:
"Kawabata-san, welcome, welcome. This is Naoki Nagayama!"
"Although this is our first meeting, I have heard a great deal about Nagayama-san!"
"Not at all. Secretary Kawabata is very busy assisting the Prime Minister; it's an honor for me to be here today."
Naoki Nagayama is quite adept at using polite phrases these days.
Please move on quickly.
"Alright, alright, we'll have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future, so let's not delay Mr. Nagayama's full moon celebration today!"
"Haha, please take a seat!"
Amidst laughter and conversation, Naoki Nagayama and Shuichi Itō finally entered the banquet hall.
Guided by Shuichi Itō, Kawabata Juto sat down in the seat that originally belonged to the Prime Minister. Everyone else knew he was there to offer congratulations on behalf of the Prime Minister, and their eyes showed some surprise.
The originally spacious banquet hall was almost full, with nearly a thousand people in attendance, all prominent figures from various sectors of Japanese society. At this moment, the Nagayama family's full moon celebration became a rare gathering of Japan's upper class.
With the arrival of the last guest, Yoshimura Otomo, as the host, began the proceedings of the full moon celebration.
Naoki Nagayama then entered the suite and found Akina, who was comforting the two children.
Only Nonaka Mari is helping out in the suite now; everyone else has gone to sit in the banquet hall. A few children have a special room right next to the banquet hall, where they are taken care of by a dedicated person.
However, Nagayama Natsuka and Nagayama Ren are going to go on stage with Nagayama Naoki and Akina!
"Flower sauce~"
Akina tidied the little one's hair.
"When we're in the banquet hall later, you can't run around or shout, okay?"
"Hi~~"
Xia Hua nodded. Even at such a young age, she felt the solemnity of the occasion, and a hint of fear crept into her eyes.
At that moment, Naoki Nagayama came over and picked her up:
"Don't worry, Huajiang, Daddy will hold you."
"Hmm~"
The little guy leaned against Naoki Nagayama's neck and wasn't nervous anymore.
On the other side, Akina picked up Nagayama Ren as well, skillfully checked him for any urination or anything, and then wrapped him in a thin swaddle, mainly to prevent him from moving around too much later.
Then he said to Nonaka Mari:
"Mori-san, please stay by my side later, I might need your help."
"Hi"
Mari Nonaka never imagined that she would be standing in front of so many people.
"Alright, let's go down together!"
In the banquet hall, Yoshimura Otomo was presiding over the full moon celebration.
"Thank you all for attending the full moon celebration of Nagayama Ren, the eldest son of the Nagayama family!"
“'Omairi' is a very important ceremony for a child. The presence of so many guests on such a day is a blessing for the child.”
"."
After explaining the significance of the full moon ceremony, Yoshimura Hirotomo once again expressed his gratitude to the guests.
Thank you again for coming.
"Next, we would like to invite the child's father and mother to come up on stage and say a few words."
Naoki Nagayama, holding Natsuka, and Akina, cradling the infant Ren, came onto the stage.
Looking at the countless eyes below the stage, Naoki Nagayama felt Natsuka getting closer to him, and her arms tightened around him a little. However, he himself did not feel nervous.
After taking the microphone, Naoki Nagayama and Akina bowed to the guests.
Thank you all for coming to my son's one-month celebration.
Then, smiling, she held Xia Hua up and showed her off:
"This is my eldest daughter, Natsuka Nagayama."
Then I glanced at the baby in Akina's arms next to me:
"The one Akina is holding is my son, Ren Nagayama."
Akina lifted the little guy up at just the right moment~
"There was a time when I still thought of myself as a child, how could I possibly raise a little person? I never imagined that time would fly by and now I would be a man with children!"
The guests in the audience laughed good-naturedly, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.
Naoki Nagayama didn't stop there; having undergone training in Greater China culture, he spoke fluently and eloquently:
Having children means having one more thing to worry about and one more responsibility in this world!
"I hope they grow up healthy and flourish."
"This journey is not easy; they will encounter all sorts of difficulties in life."
"May the blessings of everyone here accompany them."
"."
"Please allow Akina and me to express our gratitude once again."
As Naoki Nagayama and Akina bowed again, applause erupted throughout the room, accompanied by wishes like "Grow up healthy" and "Be happy!"—clearly the enthusiastic cheers of young people.
However, the atmosphere at the banquet became even more lively!
Yoshimura Otomo stepped forward, holding the microphone, and spoke again:
"Next, please invite the monks to conduct a blessing ceremony and light the eternal lamp."
Naoki Nagayama doesn't believe in gods or Buddhas, but his family regularly makes offerings to temples, so they invited a monk from Kiyomizu-dera Temple to perform a ritual. After chanting sutras and offering prayers, incense and candles were symbolically lit.
This religious ceremony didn't last long, because Akina had already prayed for Ren-chan at Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
After chanting the sutra, Yoshimura Otomo's tone became more relaxed:
"Next, the banquet will officially begin, and we can also get a closer look at today's main characters."
The band on stage began to perform, and soft city-pop melodies filled the banquet hall, while delicious dishes were served on the tables.
At this moment, Naoki Nagayama, along with Akina and two babies, began to tour the banquet hall.
"This is Yongshan Ren! She looks very energetic!"
Looking at the baby turning its head around in the swaddling clothes, most people said that it was very healthy, lively and energetic.
However, the guests certainly didn't neglect the little Natsuka that Nagayama Naoki was holding:
"Nagayama's daughter is also very cute; she combines the best features of both her parents."
"She's very pretty; she'll definitely be a great beauty in the future."
"."
The banquet hall was bustling with activity as guests interacted with the two children from the Yongshan family, presenting them with small gifts and having the photographer take photos of them.
Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, on the surface, everyone was full of goodwill towards the descendants of the Nagayama family.
Naoki Nagayama and Akina were constantly on the move at most tables, but they lingered a little longer at some.
In places with many families of officials, they would thank them for their visit together with Akina. When visiting relatives and friends, they would also ask everyone to take pictures of Ren-chan and Hana-chan together.
I said a lot, but it all boils down to one sentence:
"Please take good care of my Lianjiang and Huajiang from now on."
When you grow up, maybe something will happen to you, or you'll meet someone special, and you'll be able to say, "You were so tiny when you were a month old," instantly bridging the distance between you.
This is the network of connections that upper-class families cultivate for their descendants from a young age!