National Tide 1980

Many ordinary people yearn for the upper class in their hearts.

Their imagination of personal success is to be able to attend high-end places in fancy clothes.

Whether it's a cocktail party, a banquet, attending a ceremony, watching a performance, whatever.

The key is that there must be a social atmosphere that emphasizes Yin Liding.

As long as you can get together with celebrities in high-end places that are difficult for ordinary people to enter, and have a good time with champagne in hand, this is enough to soothe the vanity of most people and bring them enough satisfaction.

But what these humble people who yearn for the upper class don't know is that in fact, some people who are truly qualified to attend such gatherings will regard such gatherings as a spiritual burden.

Going to such an occasion is purely a last resort.

…………

As we all know, the earliest shopping district in Tokyo that was famous overseas was Ginza in Chuo Ward.

Unlike the "hybrid" of rising stars "Shinjuku" and "Roppongi", Ginza has always maintained its own classics.

The earliest foreigners from the West poured into Japan in large numbers through Ginza, settled in Ginza, and brought Western culture and living habits with them.

Including cafes, Western-style bars, galleries, etc., they all first emerged in Ginza.

Therefore, this is almost Japan’s gateway to the world, the axis of Tokyo fashion, and a strategic location that Japanese department stores must compete for.

And in Yurakucho in the Ginza business district.

The most eye-catching commercial building standing here is the Nishiura Department Store Yurakucho store which just opened last year.

At 2:55 in the afternoon, Matsumoto Keiko, who had already changed into a dress, still disguised in a silk scarf and sunglasses, hurriedly walked into the garden-style restaurant called "Sakura Garden" on the top floor of Nishiura Department Store.

However, as soon as she entered the door, before she even had time to take a closer look at the environment, she was recognized by Michiko Harada, who had been waiting here in advance.

Then he grabbed his arm and led him hurriedly to the private room inside.

"Sister, why did you come here? Oh, it's true. Three o'clock is coming soon. It's just you, do you know? If the time passes, it won't work..."

Although her temperament is completely opposite, this fussy and complaining Harada Michiko is one of the few close friends of Matsumoto Keiko.

Michiko Harada is also a Japanese film actor, but she is six years younger than Keiko Matsumoto.

She was a young actress who signed a contract with "Shochiku" in 1973, shortly after Keiko Matsumoto switched from "Daei" to "Shochiku".

So from a working relationship point of view, the two of them are sisters who entered the same film company.

In addition, Harada is born with a docile and pleasant appearance, a young and good girl, which is completely different from Matsumoto Keiko's "eyes as silk".

The two of them have no competitive relationship at all in their careers, and they get along relatively harmoniously.

Not to mention, Harada, who was born in a poor single-parent family, has been very good at observing people's words and pleasing people since he was a child.

Not long after entering Shochiku, she realized that Matsumoto Keiko had the potential to become a popular "first sister".

So he took the initiative to curry favor with Matsumoto Keiko, always informing Matsumoto Keiko of various news circulating within Shochiku Pictures in a timely manner, and even personally served Matsumoto Keiko tea and water.

For this reason, she quickly won the trust and care of Matsumoto Keiko, and the two got along like sisters.

Harada's career gradually improved.

At first, in many of Shochiku's movies, Michiko Harada only played small supporting roles such as some female students and the daughters of certain characters, without even a few lines.

But it was precisely because of Keiko Matsumoto’s deliberate support.

Gradually, Michiko Harada's performance opportunities increased, and the roles she played became increasingly important.

By 1976, the eighteen-year-old Michiko Harada was still guaranteed and recommended by Matsumoto Keiko and starred in two movies: "Lullaby of the Earth" and "Youth Killer".

Finally, he showed his unique personality on the screen and attracted a lot of attention.

Not only has she successfully achieved transformation, she has broken away from the shackles of the image of a girl and a student.

She also won the Best Actress Award in the Xun Bao Film Festival that year, as well as the Newcomer Award in various film awards such as the Blue Ribbon Award and Bao Chi Film Award.

Today, she has participated in the filming of many films and TV series, and has also been involved in the field of drama and hosting.

It can be considered that she has a certain degree of popularity, and she is a moderate "hands-on" among young actresses.

Although she could take any job and her spare time life was too rich, she no longer focused on honing her acting skills.

It has always been difficult to make breakthroughs in his career, and he has never won any major film awards.

But then again, she has played too many roles. Even if she is lucky, she can always hit one or two distinctive roles that people can remember and talk about.

What's more, as long as the exposure is enough, it can at least become familiar in the audience's memory.

So despite the fact that Michiko Harada's acting skills are mediocre, her appearance can only be regarded as a 70% level at best.

It is impossible to be like Matsumoto Keiko, who can charm all living beings and turn men into thinking animals with just one look on the screen.

But she still managed to rank among the bottom of the second-rate actresses, with a salary income of almost 15 million yen per year.

This is considered a good income level in the current Japanese entertainment industry, at least more than 70% of artists.

And her blessings don't stop there.

Because of her pretty face, sweet temperament, sweet mouth, and ability to act coquettishly and cutely.

In terms of expanding personal connections, she is actually much better than Keiko Matsumoto. It can be said that she has become a master.

Without mentioning anything else, let's just say that she went to places frequented by these noble ladies almost whenever she had free time, and used tricks to make friends with more noble ladies.

This skill has brought her great benefits, giving her a unique advantage in shooting print advertisements and commercial performances. She can earn at least 10 million yen more in advertising fees every year.

You can also often get free gifts of various cosmetics and clothing.

Or as a companion, enjoy various beauty and care services with your ladies.

Nowadays, she is actually a fashion godmother and gossip mentor who meets many noble ladies on a daily basis.

Just like today, Keiko Matsumoto came to meet the wife of the director of Nishiura Department Store.

Not only did Michiko Harada know her, she was even more familiar with the circle of ladies of the director's wife than Keiko Matsumoto.

So it’s not surprising at all to see Michiko Harada and Keiko Matsumoto here.

The only thing that confused her was that she still couldn't figure out what Michiko Harada meant when she said "it won't work if you delay it."

Until the two of them actually entered the private room and saw clearly what was going on inside.

Matsumoto Keiko finally figured out the answer. It turned out that what Michiko Harada meant was... the noble ladies were doing fortune telling.

It has to be said that the so-called interactions in the upper class often cannot escape the three religions and nine streams.

In Japan's high-end gatherings, in addition to the rich and powerful as the main body.

Often there are also their family members, mistresses, illegitimate children, literary and artistic figures, religious figures, political and economic figures, doctors, lawyers, gangsters, liars, brokers, vests... involved.

It's like a revolving lantern, gaining momentum and leaving without hesitation, all showing the philistine human nature of following the trend.

Among the non-mainstream extra member groups, apart from celebrities in the literary and artistic circles, the most favored by noble ladies are religious figures.

In comparison, people in the literary and artistic circles are like jewelry that can be worn everywhere.

Having this kind of people around you can relieve the ladies' boredom, reduce their philistineness, and add dazzling luster.

And religious people are like tranquilizers.

They can relieve the ladies' fears and soothe their worries, as well as erase the guilt caused by decadent extravagance.

Especially the witches, fortune tellers and fortune tellers who know how to correct horoscopes, fortune telling, fortune telling and divination.

They can also provide a kind of mysterious stimulation to the spiritually empty ladies, which makes them more popular and loved by the upper class.

Just like today, these noble ladies invited a handsome fortune teller to their gathering.

Although Matsumoto Keiko herself didn't believe in these evil ways, she didn't know the name of this fortune teller.

But just based on the fact that this person is in his thirties, wearing gorgeous Zen clothes, sitting here with his eyes closed, murmuring in front of several noble ladies, and looking like an enigmatic preacher, we know that he should be a relatively well-known god in today's society. stick.

Otherwise, the three or four noble ladies in the room would not flock to him, and they would all look frightened and listen to his teachings.

Even after Michiko Harada dragged Keiko Matsumoto in, she didn't dare to disturb her.

Instead, he took Matsumoto Keiko and knelt down beside him, waiting for a while.

It wasn't until the magic stick finished preaching the so-called oracle and came to an end for the time being that she dared to pull Matsumoto Keiko to greet the people in the room.

Most of the interactions in the circle are exchanges of interests, and the relationships between these wives are also intricate.

Like the bespectacled wife of the director, because her husband Nishimura Musashi is a board member of Nishiura Department Store, of course she is the most distinguished person here.

Mrs. Ohno, who is closer to her, is also very prominent because her husband's family owns Taschi, the fifth largest jewelry company in Japan.

This brand specializes in pearl jewelry and is sold in almost every XJTLU department store.

Therefore, she is also the most gorgeously dressed, and all the jewelry on her body is high-end.

In addition, under the introduction of Michiko Harada, Keiko Matsumoto also met two ladies here who had never met before.

A lady named Kuroda with a slightly sharp appearance, her husband is a distant relative of the director's wife and a judge.

Mrs. Kuroda herself is running two restaurants in the Yurakucho store of Nishiura Department Store. The Sakurazono restaurant where we met this time is a property under her name.

The husband of another chubby Mrs. Miyamoto is the secretary of a member of Congress, and therefore becomes a bridge between power and money.

His ability is to arrange consultation opportunities for many junior dignitaries and wealthy people who have encountered obstacles and troubles in their careers, and to find feasible ways to successfully solve the problems.

Therefore, Mrs. Miyamoto also has an unclear interest relationship with these noble ladies.

In short, every noble lady has great energy and has a prominent family background.

And their gatherings every afternoon were basically brought together for utilitarian purposes.

Therefore, they not only pay attention to etiquette, but also pay more attention to face and whether they can actually gain benefits.

For example, Matsumoto Keiko didn't come for nothing when she came to ask for the director's wife today.

She had a certain awareness and was not only prepared to lower her profile, but also brought a generous gift prepared in advance - a painting "The Island Reflected by the Morning Sun" by the modern Japanese painter Kawai Gokudo.

She bought it at a well-known gallery for 800,000 yen. She knew that the director's wife liked Kawai Gokudou's works, so she spent a lot of money to buy it just to suit her liking.

So...since Michiko Harada is here today, she should also help to say good things, right?

Matsumoto Keiko thought so optimistically that she couldn't help but feel a little more sure.

Unfortunately, it seems that this is not the time to give gifts and talk deeply.

Although the director's wife was not surprised that Matsumoto Keiko was almost late, she still felt very honored that a big star like her could attend the circle party she organized.

But compared with receiving Matsumoto Keiko, it seems that the director's wife still values ​​the sanctimonious stickman more.

So she just greeted the guests with simple etiquette, and the lady focused her main energy on letting the master answer her questions.

"Master, let's continue. Is it time for the divination? I've been feeling restless lately, and I don't know why. I always feel that my stable life is a bit unreliable. Please give me some advice, Master."

Mrs. Ohno expressed her worries in more explicit words.

"Master, I also want to seek family harmony. Recently, my husband spends less and less time at home. He always takes care of me with work, and he doesn't even care about the children. Is there any way to keep him at home?"

The master did not refuse, coughed slightly, and started to show off mysteriously.

"What is the biggest difference between men and women? That is, after a man is satisfied, he often feels like this in his mind. Women are different, they will be moved by satisfaction. Therefore, after a man's desire is satisfied, it always ends in disappointment, while a woman's desire Contentment is always accompanied by joy.”

Several noble ladies couldn't help but look at each other, and they were in a daze for a moment before they realized that the master had already begun to give instructions.

Mrs. Kuroda's eyes lit up first and she couldn't help asking, "Master, what do you mean, women should find ways to make men unsatisfied?"

"It's about wanting but not being able to get it." The master smiled slightly, "Arousing desire is the prerequisite. Desire is the elixir that makes people closer. It can even control people's hearts."

The master paused again and twirled the beads in his hand.

Then he said with a more reserved smile, "Of course, men and women are very different. So ladies do not have to have such requirements for themselves, but should learn to be self-satisfied. Because only women who are satisfied are the happiest. You know , a soup bowl with a spoon is enough, a teacup with a pot is enough. But conversely, a spoon can also be put into countless bowls, and a teacup can also collect water from different pots. See through this , women can be completely free..."

After saying this, the master closed his eyes and made a meditative gesture. He stopped speaking and the beads in his hand became motionless.

"No more?" Mrs. Miyamoto couldn't help but exclaimed.

"Don't be too greedy, madam." The master picked up the tea cup in front of him and took a sip, still closing his eyes.

"Master, is there anything else? Can you say a few more words?"

Michiko Harada knew this and took the initiative to join in the fun. She approached the master and asked a question for the ladies.

The master smelled the woman's fragrance and was bewitched. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer, so he opened his eyes and started talking again.

"Eating and drinking are very important. Food is very important. Only women in the world know how to feel happy. But where does joy come from? It comes from food. Only when you are well are you happy, but when you are weak are you unhappy. Every woman will have a taste that best suits her taste. If you eat the food often, you will always be happy; if you don’t eat it, you will not be happy.”

"Oh..." The director's wife nodded with understanding at this time, as if she had some understanding.

Mrs. Ohno looked at her and nodded frequently, as if she understood.

Mrs. Kuroda and Mrs. Miyamoto also became more interested and looked rosy.

They looked at each other almost simultaneously and asked questions eagerly.

"Then if we want to be happy, besides taking supplements, what else do we need to do?"

Michiko Harada even clapped her hands and praised, "It's amazing. It's so interesting!"

Only Matsumoto Keiko, who looked on with cold eyes like an outsider, secretly lamented that these people were really crazy.

Inexplicably, I heard a charlatan talk nonsense, and his words seemed to imply something very obscene.

But the more disgusted she was, the more she couldn't avoid it. At this time, the master spoke, and the target was pointed directly at her.

"If you want to be happy, you must first understand the nature of your mind. Give me your palm and let me prove it for you one by one."

As he spoke, the master slowly stretched out his right hand and pointed at Matsumoto Keiko, "Please invite this lady who is meeting you for the first time to come first. I think there is something wrong with your appearance. If you don't resolve it in time, everything will go wrong in your life. You were originally rich and powerful. The fortune will also change..."