At the foot of Mount Fuji.
There is a folk street.
This place is full of izakayas, tourist shops, and places with maid cafes and other local attractions.
This season's "Time Music King" is being held in Japan.
Many people from other countries have already arrived, and the folk street is the best place to visit.
The street is not as lively as imagined, but the shops on the sides are packed with people.
Some people are drinking, some are enjoying hot springs, and others are shopping.
Su Yu and Morita Yui walk side by side on the street.
The sound of singing occasionally drifts from the nearby pubs, not only Japanese songs but also some amateur singing in other languages. These are clearly tourists who have come to visit, singing out of excitement.
"Mr. Jiangnan, what do you think of the scenery here?" Morita Yui asked.
This street is also part of their family's business.
In fact, it's one of the top few folk streets in Japan.
"Hmm, it's very nice. China also has many streets of this type," Su Yu said with a light smile.
In Japan, besides folk streets, there are also entertainment streets. The difference between the two is that the former is like a pleasure garden, primarily for watching performances and experiencing local customs, while the latter is more akin to a brothel, where beautiful girls stand outside shops to welcome guests and interact with them.
Su Yu and his companions are on a folk street, and since they are here, they naturally want to visit a pleasure garden to listen to music.
"Huh? Someone is singing this song?"
Su Yu suddenly looked into the distance.
It was an izakaya over there, and judging by its decor, it was the most upscale one in the area.
There was a queue outside, not only Japanese people but also many foreigners.
At that moment, a husky voice could be heard from inside the izakaya, singing "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies."
However, the lyrics seemed to have been modified and were being sung in Japanese.
"Mr. Jiangnan, if you're interested, we can go sit in the izakaya." Morita Yui's eyesight was keen, and she could tell from Su Yu's tone that he was interested in the song.
"Let's forget it. So many people are queuing. It looks like we'll have to wait for an hour," Su Yu said, shaking his head.
Although the singer of "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" evoked some emotional resonance in him, Su Yu felt that waiting for over an hour just to listen to a song was something only a fool would do.
"Mr. Jiangnan doesn't need to queue." Morita Yui quickly said, knowing that her opportunity to shine had arrived. "Mr. Jiangnan, you might not know this, but this izakaya is my family's property."
"Your property?" Su Yu was slightly surprised.
In his mind, someone with Morita Yui's background would more likely own large corporations.
"Just a small private establishment where I occasionally meet with friends," Morita Yui said, then led Su Yu towards the izakaya.
Similar to how some celebrities like to open private clubs, Morita Yui also had her own small businesses, not for profit, but for having private gatherings with friends.
...
At the entrance of the izakaya.
The arrival of a group of people caused a commotion, mixed with exclamations.
They bypassed the queue and walked straight in.
The guards at the door did not stop them, and those queuing showed no dissatisfaction.
"Miyamoto, you're quite well-connected in Japan."
The group consisted of several producers participating in "Time Music King," but three of them were absent – those who had lost to Ting Yu and were marginalized, like Losov.
Among this group, the most popular was naturally the host, Miyamoto Ze.
In Japan, Miyamoto Ze's status was similar to Ting Yu's in China. When he arrived at the scene, many fans screamed.
Of course, besides Miyamoto Ze, Jin Chengxian was also very popular. The entertainment industries in South Korea and Japan are quite intertwined, with celebrities from both countries developing careers in common.
However, what was surprising was that Sean, the most talented among them, did not have much popularity.
His expression was not very good either because he had a difficult few months. Despite being the world's number one in terms of fame, he was consistently surpassed by Ting Yu on the points leaderboard, a torment that almost drove him to depression.
This was not all; because he had been overshadowed, his fame was rapidly declining, and some fans had even stopped following him, turning their attention to that Chinese artist, Ting Yu.
"Do you know who owns this izakaya?" Miyamoto Ze asked with a smile.
"You own it?" Jin Chengxian raised an eyebrow.
If Miyamoto Ze owned it, they certainly wouldn't have to queue.
"No." To his surprise, Miyamoto Ze shook his head and then whispered, "Do you know Morita Yui?"
"Of course!" Jin Chengxian's eyes lit up!
He certainly knew Morita Yui, the second daughter of the Morita family.
If Morita Yui was considered the ideal wife candidate due to her gentle personality, then this Morita Yui was playful and very intelligent, making her the perfect candidate for a lover.
Jin Chengxian had once considered pursuing both sisters. However, while Jin Chengxian was considered a top chaebol in South Korea, his family's status was not significantly different from the Morita family's. Marrying one might have been possible, but pursuing both sisters simultaneously seemed like a pipe dream.
"I have some influence with the Morita family," Miyamoto Ze said, appearing much more active after returning to his home ground in Japan.
"Naturally. You have the approval of Morita Sho. After the competition ends, you and Morita Yumi will be married soon, right?" Jin Chengxian asked.
After entering the izakaya, the group headed straight for a private room on the second floor.
This was a reserved space for their own people in the izakaya.
"Of course. As long as my performance is not too poor, Morita Sho will definitely marry his daughter to me because they have no better candidate." Miyamoto Ze said with great confidence.
Then, he beckoned to a server and asked them to prepare drinks and set meals.
"Haha, what about Sean?" Jin Chengxian's lips curled as he looked at the silent Sean and teased him.
Sean smiled indifferently upon hearing this. "I can't compare to Miyamoto, and I'm only interested in the Morita family's resources. I have no interest in Morita Yumi."
After speaking, he kindly reminded them, "This is not the time to discuss this. The most important thing is to target that Ting Yu. I believe everyone can see Morita Yumi's infatuation with Ting Yu. In this competition, Miyamoto, your opponent is him again. Do you know the consequences if you lose?"
"I know," Miyamoto Ze nodded. "If I lose, my standing in Morita Sho's eyes will be greatly diminished!"
Morita Sho was a businessman, and businessmen valued worth.
After all, everyone was focused on who could end the dark horse, Ting Yu. If Miyamoto Ze defeated Ting Yu, his fame would likely skyrocket to unimaginable levels. If he lost, his commercial value would be greatly reduced, and Morita Sho would undoubtedly reconsider his marriage to his daughter.
"I will not lose!" Miyamoto Ze said with great certainty.
"Alright, the competition doesn't start until tomorrow. Let's talk about something more relaxed," Jin Chengxian said, changing the subject as the atmosphere turned a bit heavy.
"Come, let's drink. Go and call some maids for me!" Miyamoto Ze said to a nearby server.
The restaurant had girls in maid outfits serving drinks, which was a feature of the izakaya.
"Hahaha, Mr. Miyamoto truly understands me," Jin Chengxian chuckled.
The private room on the second floor had a glass wall for a better view of the performances. While waiting, they all looked outside, enjoying the show in the main hall.
However, Miyamoto Ze suddenly froze, then shot up from his seat!
"Nani???"
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and after confirming, his eyes flashed with intense surprise!
At the entrance on the first floor, the second daughter of the Morita family, Morita Yui, was walking in with Ting Yu, chatting and laughing!