Chapter 290 A Half-hearted Breakup (Bug Fix): It's a pity I could sing the national anthem since I was a child.
The twilight over Tokyo Bay was like ink-soaked rice paper, staining the glass facade of the police station with a deep gray hue.
When Wang Xiao and the others finished giving their statements, the city of Tokyo was already lit up with streetlights.
Outside the police station, wisteria trellises hung with withered tassels, their pale purple petals swirling in the draft and cascading onto Wang Xiao's camel-colored trench coat, like a still frame of a painting.
Wu Haoyu looked at her, his feelings mixed, and finally couldn't help but blurt out, "Actually, this matter can be resolved privately, there's no need to take it to the police station."
Wang Xiao's feet touched the wisteria petals, and the feeling of solid ground beneath her feet was wonderful. Once you've ever broken a leg, you can truly appreciate how wonderful a healthy body is.
She raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on her lips: "Oh, how do you plan to resolve this privately? Is it a self-punishment of three drinks?"
The May evening breeze in Tokyo Bay ruffled her hair, casting shadows on her face and revealing only her bright eyes.
With a hint of mockery, a hint of sarcasm, a hint of all-knowing understanding, and... disdain.
A sense of powerlessness welled up inside me.
Looking into her eyes, Wu Haoyu could only subconsciously emphasize, "She was just upset because of what happened at home, so she misunderstood for a moment. After all, there are rumors circulating that the Shougang incident was caused by Jin Gang reporting it. So this is just a misunderstanding, there's no need to—"
"No, this is not a misunderstanding, it's just a little bit of power arbitrarily." Wang Xiao sneered. "I suppose Mr. Wu, you are already used to this kind of arbitrariness. After all, we have similar backgrounds, so it's easier for us to empathize."
Wu Haoyu rubbed his temples wearily; he was nearly driven mad by the afternoon's ordeal. Even his voice sounded weak: "Why do you keep twisting my meaning? I meant we need to consider the international repercussions, she…"
"Yes, it's you and her, it's all of you!" Wang Xiao suddenly raised her voice, her sharp tone like a blade slicing through porcelain. "You, Zhao Xiuzhi, Zhou Beifang, you people always think that rules are made for ordinary people. Did she think about 'international repercussions' when she threw the oil?"
Wu Haoyu tried to make her understand: "But her father has already been placed under investigation. Hot oil was poured on her, and she was burned badly."
"Oh, how pitiful! It's like a tiger fallen into the plains being bullied by dogs, or a phoenix with its feathers plucked being worse than a chicken. So, is it my fault? I'm truly guilty of a heinous crime."
She raised her hand and brushed her hair, which had been ruffled by the Tokyo evening breeze. The neon lights illuminated the blisters on the back of her hand from the hot oil.
"I was wrong. I shouldn't have hidden. I should have stayed put and let Miss Zhao vent her anger. How could I have called the police? How would Miss Zhao have another chance to throw sulfuric acid next time? And you, so high and mighty, um, 'elite,' would only be able to say—"
She cleared her throat and mimicked his tone, "One should be lenient when possible, and consider the national image."
As she spoke, she laughed. "I was wondering how Zhao Xiuzhi, who was in her twenties, could be so stupid. Turns out, it's because the old servants were too attentive in wiping her bottom. That's why she dared to defecate everywhere! It's a pity I learned to sing the national anthem when I was young. Arise! Ye who refuse to be slaves!"
Ivanov opened the car door for her, and Wu Haoyu rushed forward, urgently emphasizing, "You know perfectly well what I mean. This shouldn't be blown out of proportion. Japanese journalists will be like flies to blood, relentlessly pursuing this matter. The parliamentarians will use this as an excuse to reduce the number of international students."
Wang Xiao rested her hand on the inside of the car door; the cold door made her scalded hand feel a little better.
"Isn't this a good thing? Instead of spending tens of millions of US dollars in foreign exchange every year to raise idiots like Zhao Xiuzhi, the country would be better off building more Hope Primary Schools."
"Don't deliberately confuse the issue." Wu Haoyu gripped the car door, his face full of anxiety. "If this gets out of hand, it will cause a lot of trouble and involve many people."
Neon lights danced across his face, the interplay of light and shadow making his pain and anxiety seem tangible.
Unfortunately, human joys and sorrows are not shared. Wang Xiao chuckled and said, "Don't worry, you don't need to worry about Zhao Xiuzhi. The Japanese right wing will probably welcome her. After all, a stupid, vicious, and arrogant young lady from a noble family like her is perfect for being a traitor."
She bent down, got into the car, and slammed the door shut.
The slamming door made Wu Haoyu jump.
The car window was rolled down, and Wang Xiao looked at the man standing outside the car door with a half-smile, tapping lightly on the bottom edge of the window with her finger: "Mr. Wu, you certainly have no right to stand with me, but please don't forget another thing, you are not qualified to tell me how to do things either."
The bulletproof windows rolled up, and the black sedan sped away.
With nowhere to vent his frustration, Wu Haoyu could only take a few quick steps forward and kick the flower bed hard. He immediately started complaining, "Doesn't she know what the consequences will be if this gets out of hand? How will Japanese society view Chinese students? How will they view China? The embassy will have to clean up the mess."
"Last year, Tao Yafen's case caused a huge uproar. Japan investigated Chinese laborers who had stayed in Japan, which caused quite a commotion. Now that things have finally calmed down, it's about to start again."
"How can she be so lacking in perspective and do whatever she wants?"
Wu Haoyu felt a pain in his chest, and his gaze fell on the newsstand next to him.
LED lights illuminated the words on the magazine:
I'm like a pocket watch in your pocket, wound taut, yet you can't feel it. This watch patiently counts the seconds for you in the dark, calculating time for you, accompanying you on your journeys with a silent heartbeat, while in its millions of ticking seconds, you may only glance at it hastily.
— Stefan Zweig, *Letter from an Unknown Woman*
Wu Haoyu's eyes stung because he felt that this was talking about him.
She didn't care; from the beginning until now, she has never cared about him.
Chen Bin didn't get a chance to speak from beginning to end; he could only act as a wallflower.
Now that only the two of them were left, he couldn't help but curse: "No way, buddy, are you out of your mind?! You're defending another woman in front of your girlfriend? Are you out of your mind? Everyone knows Zhao Xiuzhi is pursuing you."
Damn it, birds of a feather flock together. No wonder Zhao Xiuzhi wouldn't leave him alone; she's just as clueless and can't grasp the point.
The enka melody of "Until the End of the World" drifted from the open-air beer halls along the Sumida River, and drunken office workers roared at the river: "I want to drink!"
Chen Bin urged his colleague, "Let's go! We still have to write a report when we get back."
Ugh, so annoying. I can't even rest after getting back from my business trip; a whole bunch of things have inexplicably piled up.
Under the same night sky, cars sped by.
"Property!" Wang Xiao, sitting in the car, analyzed seriously, "Regardless of whether a man loves a woman or not, as long as that woman loves him, he will regard her as his property. Right now, Zhao Xiuzhi is Wu Haoyu's property. People are most proactive when they are protecting their property and social class."
Ivanov burst out laughing and exclaimed repeatedly, "God, God!"
Poor Wu, he's out, he's completely out.
This time, even Secretary Fang probably can't object. After all, it was her son who was too stupid and ruined everything.
He stroked his chin and gossiped with Wang Xiao: "It's a pity that the Zhao family has already run into trouble, otherwise Zhao and him would have been a match made in heaven."
"Have some decency," Wang Xiao rolled her eyes at him. "Secretary Fang didn't offend you."
Ivanov laughed heartily: "Your Majesty, isn't this what you meant by 'having students all over the world, but reaping bitter fruits in one's own garden'?"
Wang Xiao gave him a look, letting him figure it out for himself.
She thought that if her time-travel experience were a novel, then that novel would be absolutely doomed.
The career line, love line, and family line are completely unbalanced.
She time-traveled four years and still couldn't find true love. How tragic her life must have been; she didn't even have a soulmate!
What growth did she experience? What character arc did she develop? She was a complete tragedy.
Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to care at all.
When she was little, she thought she lacked love. Her father and mother didn't care about her, and the only person who was willing to raise her was her grandmother. Her cousins were the ones who cared more about her. She was such a pitiful little girl.
But as she grew up, she stopped caring.
Because the lack of love is a false proposition; what she truly lacks is power.
Once she has power, all love will come her way.
Ivanov stood by confidently and said, "Next one, I will definitely screen you carefully, and there will definitely be no family backgrounds as complicated as this."
Look, he dumped a bed partner and still had to consider his mother's feelings. What a difficult life!
"Shut your mouth," Wang Xiao said irritably. "You'd be better off thinking about what to eat tonight."
Ivanov cheered up again; he was indeed hungry. They had gone to the hospital and then the police station, and hadn't eaten yet after all that.
The big boss's cheerfulness on the bus failed to inspire the small boss.
Xiao Hei's business was delayed for half a day, and he looked dejected, staring blankly at the convenience store sign outside the window, his brow furrowed in worry.
Wang Xiao waved his hand in front of him and said, "Hey, snap out of it. Think about how you're going to deal with all these reporters when you get back."
Xiao Hei was startled: "A reporter...?"
“Of course.” Wang Xiao nodded seriously. “With such a heinous crime happening and the perpetrator being of such a background, it’s no wonder Japanese reporters are paying attention. You should think carefully about how to capitalize on this wave of attention.”
Now Xiao Hei was genuinely worried: "How am I supposed to answer this? I've never dealt with reporters before."
Wang Xiao simply shrugged: "I don't know, I've never run a restaurant business before. But—"
She gave a strange smile. "It's okay if you can't capitalize on this wave of popularity. You'll have plenty of opportunities to make a fortune later."
If it weren't for money, Xiao Hei wouldn't have come to Japan to make a living. But the moment the topic of getting rich came up, he perked up instantly, eagerly asking, "How do you get rich?"
"Wait for the Zhao family to send you money," Wang Xiao said with a grin. "Now that the police have opened a case, if the Zhao family wants to get Zhao Xiuzhi out, they can only start with you. If you recant your testimony and help Zhao Xiuzhi commit perjury, maybe she can turn the tables."
Xiao Hei was startled and waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, I won't do it."
Wang Xiao clapped her hands with a smile and praised him sincerely: "Smart!"
Xiao Hei couldn't follow her train of thought. His refusal to betray her showed his high moral character. What did that have to do with whether he was smart or not?
Wang Xiao had already launched into a barrage of praise: "You saw through their scheme at a glance. You're going to take the Zhao family's money? Just you wait, you'll be in court, you'll be in jail. They can sue you for extortion."
Xiao Hei was genuinely frightened this time, and his words were slurred: "Extortion? His family was trying to bribe me, how did it become me extorting them?"
"Why would his family give you money? You're not the victim, the Zhao family has no obligation to compensate you. The only reason is that you have something on Zhao Xiuzhi, and you threatened them, so they had no choice but to give you money," Wang Xiao laughed. "Once you take the money, you won't be able to explain yourself. After all, nobody's money grows on trees, and who would give money to someone else if there was nothing wrong with it?"
The small business owner from Fujian's heart was pounding, and all his previous excitement vanished in an instant.
He instantly hardened his stance and even directly attacked the Zhao family members he had never met: "They are corrupt officials after all, their hearts are really black, and they can still cheat people like this. They should all be arrested."
Wang Xiao smiled and said slowly, "In Japan, it's illegal to try to bribe or buy off witnesses."
Xiao Hei's heart was pounding in his chest.
Send the Zhao family to jail? Wow! They're high-ranking officials.
But if high-ranking officials are all placed under investigation, then they're just paper tigers. What's there to be afraid of?
Xiao Hei puffed out his chest, deciding to go for something big.
Zhao Xiuzhi caused trouble in his restaurant, getting him into big trouble. If a child is not properly taught, it is the father's fault. Shouldn't her parents take responsibility?
Ivanov made a firework-setting motion, and *biu*, he ascended to heaven.
Given that Zhao Xiuzhi's father and brother have been arrested, and she herself has also been arrested, the only person who could come to Japan to help her is probably her mother.
God bless us, now the whole family is truly together again.
Wang Xiao smiled and encouraged Xiao Hei: "I look forward to you opening Chinese restaurants all over Japan, just like Panda Express in the United States."
Xiao Hei laughed heartily. He didn't know anything about Panda Express; he'd never even heard of it. But he was quite pleased with the idea of opening Chinese restaurants all over Japan.
He said happily, "Great! Then when you and Boss Ivan come to Japan, you won't have to worry about not having good food anywhere."
Ivanov extended his hand and shook it with his: "Of course, I look forward to that day coming soon."
Xiao Hei's nationwide chain store plan is still a long way off, but Zhao Xiuzhi's atrocities have already taken hold in Japan.
Thanks to the media, Wang Xiao learned that Zhao Xiuzhi's actions constituted Article 208 of the Japanese Criminal Code—the crime of violence.
Since the hot oil was mainly poured on her, she will most likely be charged with "attempted assault" or "damage to property," facing imprisonment for 6 months to 2 years or a fine of 100,000 to 300,000 yen.
However, some media outlets interviewed legal professionals who believe her actual crime should be attempted murder, as scalding hot oil can cause fatal injuries.
If prosecuted on this charge, she could face up to 15 years in prison.
In addition to being sentenced, Zhao Xiuzhi, as a government-sponsored student, violated the residency obligations stipulated in the Immigration Control and Repatriation Act of Japan. The school can cancel her enrollment and notify the Immigration Bureau, and she may ultimately be forcibly deported.
Of course, if there are any irregularities in her study abroad process, such as falsifying documents, she will be subject to additional penalties, including the cancellation of her residency status.
The embassy also became the target of media attention, with countless reporters wanting to know the embassy's stance, given the perpetrator's unusual identity.
What can the embassy do? The embassy can only assist in contacting lawyers and providing translations, but it has made it clear that it will absolutely not interfere with Japanese justice and urges Zhao Xiuzhi to cooperate with the investigation.
For a time, the newspapers were filled with all sorts of conflicting reports.
The Sankei Shimbun, in an article titled "Red Prisoners from China Commit Crimes in Japan," highlighted the potential security risks.
The Asahi Shimbun focused its discussion on "psychological stress and social integration of international students".
Some media outlets even dug up Hong Kong newspaper reports about the "Four Young Masters of Beijing" and the "Four Princesses," effectively giving Japanese netizens a lesson on the privileged children of Chinese elites.
However, some people say that these titles are very unlucky.
Because the son of Shougang Group and the son of the Beijing Party Secretary, two of the "Four Young Masters of Beijing," have already been investigated, and now Miss Zhao, one of the "Four Princesses," has also been arrested in Japan for committing a crime.
The reporter interviewed overseas Chinese in Japan to ask for their opinions.
The old woman, however, had a righteous heart and earnestly emphasized: "The Qing Dynasty perished long ago. China has no more young masters or princesses. To be given such titles, to be unashamed and unreflective, but instead to be proud of it—these are all bad people. Sooner or later, trouble will ensue."
It's very popular.
Wang Xiao paid little attention to the commotion in the newspapers.
Why should she care? Let the professionals handle the professional matters. It's just a matter of spending more money.
Zhao Xiuzhi is not worth wasting your time on.
Her purpose in going to Japan was to purchase a production line, specifically an LCD screen production line.
In the hotel's Western restaurant, Kazuro Yamashita cut a steak, his expression hesitant: "Actually, I don't know if I'm creating a competitor for Sharp, or for the entire Japanese LCD screen industry?"
Wang Xiao really wanted to give him a thumbs up.
You have a good eye! You really have a good eye!
The person sitting in front of you now is a future giant.
But at this moment, Wang Xiao still kept a low profile, simply raising his eyebrows and saying, "Yamashita-san, I'm surprised. Why would you say that?"
“There are too many people, you have too many people.” Yamashita Shichiro made a gesture. “With so many people, you can quickly gather together and do whatever you want.”
His remarks were related to the model by which the Japanese semiconductor industry rose to prominence.
Contrary to popular belief, Marxist economics dominated Japan after World War II. Yes, that's the same Marx who wrote *Capital*.
This economic model also determined that Japan could adopt a national system to develop semiconductors.
The reverse R&D energy of the national system, namely the Japanese government's strategy of combining industry, government and academia, with the government taking the lead and enterprises and university research institutions cooperating to develop semiconductor technology.
This kind of leadership isn't just lip service; the government has actually invested real money.
Taking the semiconductor industry-government-academia project as an example, a total of 73.7 billion yen was invested in the project over the three years from 1976 to 1979. Of this, 40% came from government industrial policy subsidies.
Does the term "government subsidy" sound familiar? Japan is the pioneer in using government subsidies to support industrial development.
It is this national system that has enabled Japan's semiconductor industry to dominate the world and outperform the United States.
And socialist countries are precisely the ones that find it easiest and most natural to implement a national system.
Unfortunately, China is a populous country.
Wang Xiao laughed and shook his head, saying, "Thank you for your affirmation of China. As a Chinese, I am very happy to hear this. My national sentiment is greatly satisfied. However, I think you may be worrying unnecessarily. China's large population has created a cheap labor force that benefits the development of light industry. But no matter how large China's population is, it cannot impact Japan's semiconductor industry."
The moment the blade sliced through the fat, the sweet aroma of meat mingled with the steam of sake, filling the tatami room.
She shook her head: "What the semiconductor industry needs to grow is a large number of cheap engineers, not workers."
She sighed, "Unfortunately, China clearly doesn't have enough cheap engineers right now. It may take ten years."
Yamashita Ichiro said solemnly, "But ten years from now, your advantages will make you unstoppable."
Wang Xiao shook his head again: "I don't think this is a problem that you and Sharp should be worried about. What you are facing now, the pressing issue, is how to break the American strategy."
"In 1987, the United States spearheaded the establishment of the SEMATECH technology research and development alliance, recruiting companies such as Samsung of South Korea, ASML of the Netherlands, and Carl Zeiss of Germany, but excluding Nikon and Canon of Japan. What this means, Mr. Yamashita must know very well: it means that Japanese companies have been excluded from the field of lithography machines."
"In 1992, Samsung of South Korea developed the world's first 64M DRAM chip."
"That's why I say you don't need to worry about China surpassing Japan. Because before that, it's very likely that South Korea has already taken your place as the leader."
The beef dipped in sansho pepper powder melts in your mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste.
Wang Xiao had to admit that Kobe beef was indeed delicious.
Yamashita Shichiro took a sip of red wine, put down the glass, and the amber-colored wine swirled slightly in the glass.
His gaze swept forward, where an old man was reading a newspaper.
"Miss Wang, we're a little worried about whether the production line can actually be shipped to the destination we want."
His expression was subtle. "After all, it seems you've offended someone you shouldn't have."
Wang Xiao picked up his wine glass, gently swirling the wine, and said with a half-smile, "Oh, it seems your information is outdated. The person I offended might not be doing too well lately."
Yamashita Shichiro smiled slightly and said, "That's good. After all, the STN-LCD production line has made great contributions, and we all hope it will have a good ending."
Wang Xiao clinked glasses with him, took a sip of wine, and then looked at him seriously: "I look forward to Sharp, Panasonic, NEC, and other Japanese semiconductor companies breaking through the US's layout and continuing your glory."
She smiled and said, "That way, we can look forward to importing your current production line in the next step."
She wasn't entirely insincere; she genuinely wanted to see just how far Japan's semiconductor industry could advance.
After all, the history before her time travel had already proven that integrating into the US semiconductor industry chain in order to achieve the same level of success as South Korea and Taiwan was not a viable path.
Even a country like Japan, which needs American military protection, cannot tolerate this, let alone China, which defeated the United States on the Korean battlefield.
So, sir, please take a few more steps.
The lessons of the past serve as guidance for the future. With your experience, we can avoid making the same mistakes.
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