Chen Fan raised his head toward the voice, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
All told, Chen Fan had seen plenty of beautiful women, but the beauty of the woman before him was different.
She wore her hair in a simple Japanese bun, with a few loose strands falling beside her temples, making her neck look all the more fair and slender.
She wore a pale bean-green kimono, with a silvery-white Nagoya obi tied around her waist...
What puzzled Chen Fan most was that this petite woman looked both youthful and mature. She seemed to be in her twenties, yet dressed like a woman in her thirties.
If he had to compare her to a Japanese actress he knew, she bore some resemblance to Little Peach from the adult industry...
Perhaps the woman was accustomed to men looking at her this way. She stepped forward and asked politely, "Sir, was there something else you needed?"
Chen Fan had already checked her information through the system panel. He replied in Japanese, "Hello, Mrs. Inoue. My surname is Chen. I've just come from the Yamada Store."
"I heard that Mr. Yamada's property deed is in your husband's hands. I came to discuss the sale of the shop with him..."
"Oh, the Yamada Store. My husband has mentioned it, but that isn't something I can decide," Mrs. Inoue said gently. "Could you wait a little while, Mr. Chen?"
"My husband went out on business. He should be back soon."
Before Chen Fan could answer, he heard the front door being pushed open behind him.
Several men entered one after another.
Leading them was a man in his forties or fifties. The man beside him bore a strong resemblance to him, and a young man of about twenty followed behind them.
The two men in front had broad shoulders, thick backs, broad faces, and dark, rough skin. The young man who looked like an apprentice, on the other hand, had somewhat delicate features.
As soon as they entered, the young apprentice said indignantly, "Father, Mr. Yamamoto has gone too far."
"The price he offered was outrageous, and we still have to cover transportation. Doing business like this..."
The older man frowned and interrupted him. "Yuta, enough. Everyone does it this way now. If we don't change, we won't be able to stay in business!"
Inoue Yuta was about to argue when Mrs. Inoue stepped forward. "Darling, you're back."
"This Mr. Chen would like to talk to you about the Yamada Store!"
Only then did Inoue Shinichi notice Chen Fan standing inside the restaurant.
With a smile, Chen Fan gave the newcomer a slight bow. "Mr. Inoue, a pleasure to meet you."
Inoue Shinichi stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly broke into a grin.
"Here to talk about the shop? Good. I like dealing with straightforward people."
"Dear, open the private room upstairs and bring us some sake and two cups."
Mrs. Inoue murmured an acknowledgment, turned to take a bottle of sake and two cups from behind the counter, then headed upstairs ahead of them.
Inoue waved the other two away, and Inoue Kenji and Inoue Yuta tactfully left.
Then Inoue Shinichi gestured for Chen Fan to follow. "Please."
In the private room upstairs, the two sat down at a low table.
"Mr. Chen, please." Inoue Shinichi filled both cups, raised his own toward Chen Fan, then tipped his head back and drained it.
Chen Fan drank a cup with him. The sake felt slightly cool as it went down. It wasn't very strong, rather like watered-down glutinous rice wine.
"Good sake." Chen Fan set down his cup and offered an insincere compliment.
"This is rice sake from Hiroshima, isn't it?"
"You know sake, Mr. Chen?" Inoue Shinichi raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.
Chen Fan waved a hand. "I wouldn't say that. I've simply dealt with merchants from your country before and had it a few times."
"Hiroshima sake is brewed with soft water. It isn't strong, and it goes down smoothly."
"Just like your restaurant, Mr. Inoue. It looks simple on the outside, but there's real substance within."
Inoue Shinichi burst out laughing, his laughter making the cups on the table tremble slightly. "You have a way with words, Mr. Chen."
"If someone else offered me that sort of flattery, I might not appreciate it. But coming from you, Mr. Chen, it sounds pleasant."
"Your country has a saying: a thousand cups are too few with a kindred spirit, but half a sentence is too much when minds don't meet."
"The moment I saw you, Mr. Chen, I felt we would become friends."
"Since we're friends, I won't beat around the bush. You want that shop on Wusong Road?"
"Yes." Chen Fan nodded. "To tell you the truth, I've looked at several places in Hongkou, and this one suits me best."
"It's well situated, close to North Sichuan Road, with plenty of foot traffic."
"I'm opening an import-export firm. I don't need somewhere too busy, but I do need people passing by."
"The shop is spacious enough, with three units-left, middle, and right-and plenty of room to display merchandise."
"The location is just right, too, in the middle stretch of Wusong Road. Not too noisy, but still somewhere I can do business."
Inoue Shinichi poured himself another cup and said approvingly, "You have a good eye."
"Yamada mortgaged that shop to me."
"I have my hands full running this restaurant, and I have no inclination to manage that shop."
"If you're serious and we can agree on a price, I don't mind selling it to you. It's only gathering dust in my hands anyway."
Seeing that he was open to selling, Chen Fan was in no hurry to name a figure.
Instead, he changed tack and asked about the property's current circumstances. "Mr. Inoue, business is business."
"You hold the deed to this shop. I'd like to know whether there are any other disputes involving it besides your claim."
"Because I heard that Mr. Yamada lost his shop to you at the gambling table."
"As you know, once gamblers become desperate, they're capable of anything."
"I have to make sure there won't be any further trouble."
The corners of Inoue Shinichi's mouth lifted slightly. "You're cautious, Mr. Chen. That's how an experienced businessman should be."
"Rest assured, there are no disputes involving this shop."
"Yamada Otsu may be fond of gambling, but he's a decent man. Besides, my restaurant is right here. If you have any problems, you can come to me."
"Now, can you name your price, Mr. Chen?"
"I had six hundred silver dollars in mind," Chen Fan said, then added, "If you'd prefer yen, Mr. Inoue, I can exchange it and pay you in yen."
Inoue shook his head. "Yen or silver dollars makes no difference to me."
"But I'm not very satisfied with your offer of six hundred, Mr. Chen."
"You should know that although Hongkou isn't as prosperous as the French Concession, these three units are on Wusong Road."
"An agency would list them for at least a thousand silver dollars now."
Chen Fan smiled. "That's the market price, Mr. Inoue. But look at the times we're living in. There's war and chaos out there. Who knows when Shanghai might fall under another power's control?"
"As they say, the ruler's banner over the city walls keeps changing. Today gives no certainty of tomorrow."
Inoue Shinichi paused, picked up his cup, and took a gulp. "You have a point, Mr. Chen. Then I'll make a concession."
"Eight hundred silver dollars, deed tax included. If you agree, we can complete the transaction tomorrow."
"If not, let's forget it..."
Chen Fan considered it for a moment. Eight hundred silver dollars really was the limit. Shops on Wusong Road currently went for around three hundred each, putting the market price of three units at roughly a thousand. Getting them for eight hundred wouldn't be a bad deal.
After a while, Chen Fan raised his cup toward Inoue. "It's a deal."
Inoue immediately raised his cup and clinked it against his.
They both drained their cups. Chen Fan set his down and glanced around. "Business must be good here, Mr. Inoue."
The drink seemed to have gone to Inoue's head a little, and he poured out his troubles to Chen Fan. "Mr. Chen, what I earn from this restaurant is hard-earned money."
"My younger brother runs the place with me, and he's so busy he hasn't had time to find a wife. He has to handle purchasing as well as cook. My father is over sixty and still has to help out here."
"My son Yuta is run off his feet, too."
"Your son? Your wife looks quite young. How could she..."
"Oh, Keiko is my second wife. Yuta's mother died of illness eight years ago. That poor boy has had a hard life."
Chen Fan froze at that. A son from a single-parent family, an unmarried younger brother, and a widowed father.
Why does this plot sound so familiar?
After a long while, Chen Fan sighed. "Mr. Inoue, I suggest you send your father back to the countryside to retire and find your son another job. Most importantly, you should find your younger brother a place to open his own shop as soon as possible..."
"Trust me. I won't hurt you..."