Chapter 499: Akina Nakamori, The Idol Training Plan
Night had fallen, yet the streets near Ginza grew even livelier.
In front of the newly purchased Land Corporation skyscraper, it was no different.
The main entrance teemed with pedestrians, weaving and bustling like a flowing ribbon of color under the neon lights.
Shop signs flickered competitively, decorating the street with a modern, prosperous atmosphere.
Tonight, Lin Haoran wasn't in a rush to leave by car.
Instead, he walked along the street.
Li Weidong and Li Weiguo flanked him closely, vigilant.
A dozen hidden guards blended into the crowd, ready to respond to any sudden threat.
One Japanese driver who spoke English followed nearby, acting as an improvised interpreter.
Since Lin Haoran hadn't found a personal secretary yet, this arrangement would do for now.
To be honest, despite the media coverage in Japan about his arrival days ago, few locals actually recognized him.
His influence in Japan was still limited.
His businesses here were minimal too.
Thus, most people simply saw him as an ordinary young man.
His security risk remained very low.
The vibrancy of Ginza reminded Lin Haoran somewhat of Mong Kok in Hong Kong —
bustling, packed, alive —
but the goods here skewed heavily toward luxury items, more akin to Hong Kong's Central District.
However, unlike the skyscraper-filled Central, Ginza's buildings were typically only a few to a dozen stories tall, giving it a distinctive urban charm.
Walking along, Lin Haoran soon noticed something unusual —
a Chinese restaurant decorated with surprising opulence.
Through the windows, he could tell it was a high-end establishment — rare to see outside of Ikebukuro's Chinatown district.
Curious, he decided to dine there.
Lin Haoran, Li Weidong, and Li Weiguo sat at one table,
while the other bodyguards scattered among nearby tables.
Lin Haoran had long instructed them:
wherever he ate, they ate too — expenses fully reimbursed.
He treated them equally, fostering greater loyalty.
The restaurant owner, a young man barely thirty, came out personally to greet them.
"Boss, where are you from?" Lin Haoran asked in Mandarin.
Hearing his mother tongue, the owner's enthusiasm grew.
The man turned out to be of northeastern Chinese descent.
His parents had moved here decades ago to do business.
Choosing to open in Ginza instead of Ikebukuro had been costly —
and with few Chinese tourists passing through, the restaurant's profits remained modest.
Listening to this, Lin Haoran understood why the place was relatively empty despite its luxury decor.
Nonetheless, the northeastern dishes he ordered were delicious.
And it was conveniently close to Land Corporation's Tokyo branch — less than 100 meters away.
He made a mental note:
he could come here whenever he craved Chinese food.
After dinner, as he prepared to return to the office building,
something on the street caught his eye.
A young girl was singing and strumming a guitar.
She had delicate features, a gentle aura, and a head of silky black hair that fluttered softly in the breeze.
Though only a few passersby stopped to listen, Lin Haoran found her striking.
Not because of her song —
her voice was sweet but immature, her song choices unfitting for her youth —
but because of her face.
He knew this face very well.
Akina Nakamori.
The future queen of Japanese pop music.
A goddess-level idol admired across Asia.
And here she was —
just a teenager, busking in the streets of Ginza.
She looked no older than 18.
Still, Lin Haoran wasn't entirely sure.
Maybe it was just someone who resembled her?
He stepped closer, studying her carefully.
Her features were exquisitely delicate, her smile like a hidden dimpled spring.
Her long lashes fluttered against her porcelain skin, exuding a fragile, ethereal beauty.
Even compared to the many Hong Kong beauties he had met —
like his current lover Kwan Ka Wai, considered one of Hong Kong's top beauties —
this girl offered a different, more youthful, breathtaking charm.
After she finished her song, the young girl finally noticed Lin Haoran standing there.
Smiling warmly, Lin Haoran pulled a 1,000-yen note from his pocket and dropped it into her collection box —
a huge tip compared to the usual 100-yen coins.
The girl's eyes instantly lit up.
She quickly stood up and bowed repeatedly, gratitude written all over her face.
Lin Haoran turned to his driver.
"Ask her what her name is."
The driver chatted briefly with her and quickly returned.
"Boss, she says her name is Akina Nakamori.
She's a student."
Confirmation.
It was her.
Akina Nakamori —
the future national goddess, still in her raw, untouched form.
As a time-traveler and a now immensely wealthy man,
Lin Haoran naturally had a keen interest in beautiful, talented women —
especially those destined for superstardom.
And Akina Nakamori was unquestionably one of them.
In the early 1980s, there weren't many Hong Kong actresses who caught his interest.
Girls like Vivian Chow, Joey Wong, and others were still too young.
And Yip Ching, another Hong Kong movie goddess, was already married.
That's why, among all the beauties,
he had only taken Kwan Ka Wai so far.
Had he arrived a few years later, the field would have been much richer.
Holding a significant stake in TVB and being a co-owner of Oriental Daily News,
Lin Haoran now wielded immense influence over Hong Kong's entertainment world.
If he favored any actress, he could easily make it happen.
But here in Tokyo, there was a communication barrier —
he spoke no Japanese,
and Akina clearly didn't speak Chinese or English.
Still, that wouldn't stop him.
"Ask her why she's busking," Lin Haoran instructed.
The driver chatted again and quickly translated.
Apparently, Akina Nakamori had dreamed of becoming a singer since childhood.
But her family was poor — two older brothers and sisters, plus a younger sister.
At 13, she had participated in a talent show but was eliminated because the judges felt her song didn't suit her age.
At 15, she tried again — and failed again for the same reason.
Unwilling to give up, she now busked at night —
both to hone her singing skills and to earn some spare cash for her struggling family.
At 16, she planned to try again in a few months.
Learning all this, Lin Haoran understood the situation fully.
Here was a raw, priceless gem —
but who would imagine that the future queen of pop once had to busk in the streets?
Money problems?
That was easily solvable.
An idea sparked in his mind.
He would "train" her personally.
Nurture her into the superstar she was meant to become —
but this time, under his control.
And grooming her wouldn't be difficult.
She already had the looks, the voice, and the perseverance.
"Tell her," Lin Haoran said to his driver,
"that Land Corporation is offering a long-term part-time modeling contract.
If she's interested, she can come to our office tomorrow.
I'll arrange everything."
Tomorrow was Saturday —
she should be free.
The driver relayed the message.
Akina's face lit up with joy.
A stable, well-paying part-time job?
Of course she was interested.
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