That said, to be safe, Hashimoto Maya still strongly suggested that Jiang Xia bring Suzuki Sonoko along when he went.
Mrs. Suho looked like a good person, but appearances could be deceiving. What if she lured Jiang Xia over, then tried some Entertainment Circle casting-couch routine, or refused to pay after he arrived?
Hashimoto Maya: "..." But it would be different if Suzuki Sonoko came along.
Mrs. Suho was Suzuki Ayako's friend, so she would surely give the Suzuki Family's younger daughter some face. She couldn't possibly try to trick Jiang Xia into joining her agency right in front of Suzuki Sonoko.
Besides, Hashimoto Maya was certain Suzuki Sonoko would help with this. Given how frequently Uzo's lackeys appeared, he surely had subordinates in the Entertainment Circle too. And Jiang Xia's time was limited. If he really entered that circle, Suzuki Sonoko would have far less time with him.
So the young heiress definitely would not let Jiang Xia enter that circle and create more competition. Overachieving coworkers might be irritating, but when their goals aligned, they made excellent teammates.
Hashimoto Maya did not explain his reasons in such detail, but Jiang Xia truly was a good boss who treated his assistant well. Rather than probing further, he immediately accepted the suggestion.
There was just one small problem.
Jiang Xia said, "Besides Sonoko, let's bring Ran and Conan too. I heard that lady's Villa has a lot of interesting collectibles. We can all take a look around together."
Hashimoto Maya remembered that bespectacled little brat. "..."
Damn it, another competitor had been added.
On the appointed day, Hashimoto Maya drove everyone to Mrs. Suho's Villa in the suburbs.
The surroundings were beautiful and the air crisp. Unfortunately, they had arrived on a cloudy day, and it was winter besides.