The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Asking for a Smackdown, I’ll Oblige Him

Kuno Hiroo was exasperated by Han Xiaorui’s words. ”Ms. Han, even if my pursuit was sincere, you still wouldn’t agree?”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”That’s right. Because the ’relationships’ you have are mostly about seeking physical thrills.”

”But that kind of thrill diminishes and eventually disappears as passion fades. What’s left is responsibility and obligation.”

”Let’s say you started dating my sister and you two broke up. I would, without a second thought, take her side regardless of who was right. I’d assume it was your fault and immediately terminate our partnership.”

Kuno Hiroo shrugged, unfazed. ”Ms. Han, it’s wrong to be so emotional. It’s irrational!”

Han Xiaorui had a strong personality to begin with and hated it when people told her what to do.

”Whether what I do is right or wrong isn’t for you to judge. It’s for me to decide.”

”While many people might see you as a good candidate for dating and marriage, I don’t see you that way.”

”We came together for business. Therefore, only business interests can deepen our partnership. If anything else gets involved, our collaboration will inevitably be affected.”

”My sister didn’t even ask who you were just now. That proves that to her, you’re a complete nobody. You mean nothing to her.”

”What’s more, the fact that you asked Ye Feng and me before even trying to pursue my sister proves one thing: you value our opinions, and you value the business we bring you even more.”

”You’re probably only attracted to my sister because she’s beautiful. An affection so tainted by self-interest is far from pure. My sister deserves a relationship that’s genuine and sincere.”

”Alright, you’ve paid. You can take your goldfish and go. Don’t you dare bring up pursuing my sister in front of me ever again.”

”Right now, you’re my business partner, which is why I can still speak to you calmly. But if you provoke me, you’ll be met with the sharp side of my tongue, and I promise you won’t like what you hear.”

Listening to Han Xiaorui’s harsh words, Kuno Hiroo said, ”Ms. Han, don’t you think you’re being too aggressive? As a woman, shouldn’t you be a little more... compliant?”

”As a good friend of Ye Feng, I know him pretty well. You’re both so headstrong. A relationship between you two is bound to have problems.”

Han Xiaorui frowned slightly. ”It wasn’t love at first sight, nor did we rush into marriage. We dated seriously and carefully before deciding to build a life together.”

”We may both be headstrong, but we respect each other! I, however, see no respect for women from you, despite your polite demeanor and your bows that are practically ninety degrees.”

The moment Han Xiaorui accused him of disrespecting women, Kuno Hiroo became flustered.

”Ms. Han, I am a gentleman! How could I possibly not respect women?”

Han Xiaorui shot back, ”Would a true gentleman be bothered by a woman’s strength? Only weak men are constantly preoccupied with the strength of others, wishing they were more submissive. My assertiveness is my style. It comes from upholding my principles, and I’ve earned the right to be this way.”

”But in your eyes, what you want is a woman’s meekness and obedience, her submission to a man. That’s a reflection of the deep-seated male chauvinism in your culture. So don’t give me that gentleman act. It’s all for show, a performance for others.”

”But that’s not how it is in Hua Country. One of our great leaders once said that women hold up half the sky. Half the sky is supported by men, and the other half by women. That is what constitutes a society and drives its progress.”

”As long as a woman’s actions are lawful and don’t violate public order and morals, she is allowed to be whoever she is—be it assertive or gentle. Everyone is different. Why must women be forced into a mold of meekness?”

Kuno was left completely speechless by Han Xiaorui. ’She has a point,’ he thought, reflecting on her words.

”Ms. Han, I feel like I’ve encountered true feminism today. It’s different from some of the ’independent women’ back in my country.”

Han Xiaorui chuckled and shook her head. ”No two people are the same, let alone women from two different countries.”

”Ultimately, it’s because your country’s revolution was incomplete. But never mind. Let’s stick to business and not talk politics.”

”You can go now! I’ve wasted enough time talking nonsense with you. Go on, get back to your business, and continue your life of wine, women, and song—that free-spirited, debaucherous life of yours. Don’t even think about settling down!”

Whether as a friend or an important business partner, Han Xiaorui really shouldn’t have spoken to Kuno Hiroo that way.

But Kuno Hiroo had pestered her about it again and again, and Han Xiaorui was simply fed up.

She wasn’t one to suffer in silence. Since Kuno Hiroo had come looking for trouble, not knowing what was good for him, she was more than happy to give it to him.

She had recently taken an interest in Taoism, in the principle of following the natural way.

Her main principle was to avoid draining her own energy with internal strife. If there was going to be any friction, it would be directed outward.

Kuno Hiroo was a strange one. Even after being so thoroughly rebuked by Han Xiaorui, he wasn’t the least bit angry.

Even Kuno Hiroo himself found this strange.

’If any other woman had spoken to me like that, I would’ve been furious long ago. I’d even hold a grudge,’ he thought.

But now, he wasn’t angry, nor did he resent her. In fact, he even felt she was absolutely right.

”Speaking with you is always fascinating. I feel like I always learn something new.” Kuno Hiroo bowed to Han Xiaorui, his demeanor extremely respectful.

Han Xiaorui jumped to the side, refusing to accept Kuno Hiroo’s bow. ”An attitude like this makes me feel like you’d stab me in the back the moment I turn away.”

Kuno Hiroo was exasperated. ”Rest assured, I’m not the type to be arrogant one moment and servile the next.”

Han Xiaorui sucked in a sharp breath, growing even more wary of Kuno Hiroo. ’This little devil actually used that idiom so precisely.’

’He’s a formidable man. I’ll have to be on my guard around him.’

’I don’t trust him. Not one bit.’

After Kuno Hiroo left, Han Xiaorui carefully replayed their conversation, but couldn’t find any openings he could exploit.

However, after Kuno Hiroo left, Yamamoto Yoshihiko showed up the next day, and he brought a lawyer with him.

”Mr. Yang Jianguo, I am deeply sorry for what my son-in-law has done in Hua Country. I have come today in good faith, hoping to earn your forgiveness. If you agree to forgive my son-in-law, I am prepared to offer you a tremendous amount in compensation.”

Since subterfuge hadn’t worked, Yamamoto Yoshihiko could only turn to his last resort.

Yang Jianguo’s expression changed the moment he heard the translator’s words. ”Don’t waste your breath. No amount of money will make me sign a letter of forgiveness. Yamamoto Ichiro kidnapped my daughter, and he will pay the price.”

No matter how poor he was, he didn’t need compensation bought with his daughter’s safety.

Yang Zhigang had an even more fiery temper. ”Get the hell out! Get out now, or I’ll beat the crap out of you!”

The translator quickly stepped in to stop the agitated Yang Zhigang. ”Don’t! He’s a foreign guest! You can’t hit him, it would damage relations between our countries.”

Yang Zhigang cursed, ”Who the fuck has any ’relations’ with these devils? And you’re their goddamn translator! You should be grateful we live in a society with laws, otherwise I’d have already killed the lot of you.”

”We don’t care how much money you offer, we will not sign any letter of forgiveness. He’ll get whatever sentence the law demands, and we will show no mercy. Tell that Japanese devil that the era when they could launch the Mukden Incident over a single missing soldier is long gone. Tell him to get the hell away from me and stay away.”