Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 58 The Huge Profits of the Cowardly

Autumn is deepening in Tokyo.

The old ginkgo tree in the courtyard has started to shed its leaves, and the golden fan-shaped leaves have covered the bluestone path.

It's 1 a.m.

In the study of the Saionji family's main residence, the fax machine, which had long been overheated, finally stopped its teeth-grinding "buzzing" sound.

"Click."

The paper cutter fell.

Shuichi reached out and picked up the still-warm thermal paper. The paper was long, trailing across the carpet. The densely packed English letters and numbers resembled a swarm of ants, arranged in a dizzying array.

SA Investment (Cayman) Ltd.

Account Summary - Oct 22, 1987

Xiu's gaze swept over the complex transaction details, finally settling on the bolded number at the bottom.

Total Equity:$685,000,000

$685 million.

At the current exchange rate, this is equivalent to nearly 100 billion yen.

Shuichi's fingers trembled slightly.

A week ago, the number was only around 500 million.

In just four days.

It was only four days.

On "Black Monday," the average net worth of the world's richest people shrank by 20%, and countless people lined up on rooftops. However, the Saionji family's assets bucked the trend, increasing by more than 30%.

"This is simply..."

Xiu Yi swallowed, feeling a dryness in his throat.

"This is like finding gold in a pile of dead bodies."

"Ring ring—"

The red secure phone on the corner of the table rang.

Shuichi took a deep breath, calmed his racing heart, and picked up the receiver.

"Feed".

"Boss! Have you seen the report?!"

Frank's voice came from across the ocean. This time, there was no fear of facing the end of the world, nor the gambler's madness.

His voice was hoarse and tired, yet it conveyed a sense of piety.

It was as if I had just witnessed the miracle of Moses parting the sea.

"I saw it." Xiu tried to keep his voice calm. "Well done, Frank."

"No, I didn't do it. I was just the monkey that pressed the keys."

Frank gave a nervous laugh on the other end of the phone.

"It's Miss Satsuki... She's God. No, she's a witch. How did she know Greenspan would make a statement on Tuesday morning?"

Let's go back two days.

Monday's plunge turned Wall Street into ruins. Panic continued to spread before Tuesday's opening.

But at that very moment, Satsuki issued a second order:

Close out all put options. Buy Microsoft, Intel, and Cisco with all available funds.

Frank thought he'd misheard. Buy now? Wasn't that like catching a flying knife?

However, less than an hour after the order was issued.

Newly appointed Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan issued a brief but resounding statement: "The Federal Reserve is ready to provide liquidity support to the economy and the financial system."

This sentence is the anchor of stability.

Banks started lending, and listed companies started buying back shares.

U.S. stocks rebounded on Tuesday and surged on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded more than 10% in two days.

SA Investment, on the other hand, accurately completed its "short-to-long" reversal at the lowest point.

They first used a very small amount of option principal to make dozens of times the profit from the sharp drop, and then used these profits plus the principal at the bottom to buy back the high-quality tech stocks that they had previously sold at high prices at bargain prices.

The number of stocks I hold is 30% more than before the crash.

A perfect double kill.

"Frank".

Satsuki's voice rang out. She was sitting in the high-backed chair next to her, holding a cup of hot milk.

"Don't make me sound like a fortune teller."

"This is just basic logic."

Satsuki took a sip of milk, her tone flat.

"This crash is a 'technical collapse,' a result of a combination of machine failure and panic. The fundamentals of the US economy are not bad; they are neither in a true recession nor facing war."

"In this situation, as long as the central bank is willing to inject liquidity, the market will rebound sharply."

"Greenspan was a smart man. He knew that if the market wasn't bailed out at this time, the Great Depression of 1929 would repeat itself. He couldn't bear that historical responsibility."

Frank remained silent for a long time on the other end of the phone.

"Logic...yes, logic."

Frank muttered to himself.

Everyone understands the logic. But in a moment when all of humanity is screaming in fear, it takes suppressing your instinctive fear and calmly executing this "logic."

This is the difference between gods and mortals.

"Boss."

Frank took a deep breath.

"Everyone on Wall Street is asking who 'SA' is. That George from Goldman Sachs invited me for drinks yesterday, trying to get information out of me. I didn't say anything."

"However, they've already put you on their list."

"'Ghosts from the East.' That's what they call us."

"Let them call."

Satsuki put down her cup.

"Keep a low profile. We have enough chips now. Clean up those junk bonds and keep some cash."

"You can go on vacation this week. Buy a Ferrari, or go sunbathe in Hawaii."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Frank hung up the phone.

The study returned to silence.

Xiuichi looked at the long report that was still on the ground.

"One hundred billion yen..."

He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack.

A cold breeze blew in, cooling his feverish brain a little.

"Satsuki, this money is too hot to handle."

Xiu was somewhat worried.

"We've made so much money in the US, we're bound to be targeted. Whether it's the US SEC or Japan's Ministry of Finance."

"Don't worry, the money is in the Cayman Islands."

Satsuki picked up the Rubik's Cube again and started turning it with a click-clack sound.

"Moreover, this money won't sit there for long."

"They will be back in Tokyo soon."

"To become steel bars, to become concrete, to become the land beneath our feet."

……

October 25th, noon.

Otemachi.

This neighborhood, home to Japan's top financial institutions, maintains its facade of seriousness and bustle. Although the aftershocks of the stock market crash haven't subsided, the bankers' lunches must continue.

A high-end teppanyaki restaurant hidden deep inside an office building.

There are only six seats here.

The heavy iron plate was polished to a shine, and the chef, dressed in a white chef's uniform, was skillfully flipping imported Australian lobsters. The butter sizzled under the high temperature, emitting an enticing aroma.

Shuichi sat in the main seat, next to a middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes.

Davis. Goldman Sachs' chief representative in Tokyo.

"Mr. Saionji, the Kobe beef here truly lives up to its reputation."

Davis picked up a perfectly grilled piece of beef with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and showed an exaggerated expression of enjoyment.

"Just like the Saionji family's performance in this storm, it was impressive."

Davis put down his chopsticks, his blue eyes fixed on Shuichi.

"We noticed that SA Investment almost perfectly timed every move during this period of volatility."

"Clear out all positions on Friday, short sell on Monday, and buy the dip on Tuesday."

"This level of operational precision is something even Goldman Sachs' proprietary trading desk at headquarters hasn't achieved."

Davis picked up his sake glass and swirled it gently.

"Mr. Saionji, headquarters asked me to ask... Is there someone behind SA that we don't know about on Wall Street?"

To test the waters.

A blatant test.

The sharks of Wall Street smelled blood and wanted to know who this new predator was. Did they have inside information? Or were they guided by a mastermind?

Xiu smiled.

He picked up a napkin and elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth.

"Mr. Davis, you're joking."

Shuichi's voice was gentle, exuding the composure of an old-fashioned aristocrat.

"SA is just a small business that the Saionji family uses to let their children practice their skills."

"As for operational precision..."

Xiu pointed to the flickering flames on the iron plate.

"Perhaps it's because we have to be a little timid to survive in this turbulent world. If you're timid, you can run faster."

That's all.

Tai Chi.

They neither admitted to any inside story nor denied their own capabilities, attributing everything to "cowardice" and "luck."

But Davis heard these words in a different light.

Can a "small practice business" really mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars? Are people "timid" enough to go all in on shorting on the day of the crash?

This Easterner is unfathomable.

However... who in the financial world doesn't have a few little secrets?

Knowing that the Saionji family has this power is enough. There might even be opportunities for cooperation in the future.

He raised his glass.

"In any case, respect the coward."

"In this market, only the timid survive in the long run."

"Respect the timid."

Shuichi returned the favor.

Amidst the crisp clinking of glasses, representatives of capital from two different worlds reached a subtle tacit understanding.

Goldman Sachs will no longer delve into SA's background, because they know that SA is also a shark. Sharks can cooperate.

……

New York, Manhattan.

World financial center.

SA Investment is located in an unassuming office in Midtown.

Frank did not leave immediately after hanging up the phone.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at the crowds below, still bustling about like ants.

Just two days ago, many people here were crying in despair. Now, with the stock market rebounding, greed has returned to their faces.

Frank lit a cigarette and took a deep breath.

His hands were still trembling slightly.

It wasn't out of fear, but out of excitement.

He opened the drawer and took out a photograph. It was sent to him by Xiu Yi for processing some documents. In the background of the photograph, the silhouette of a little girl sitting in a high-backed chair could be vaguely seen.

That's Satsuki.

Frank didn't know what she looked like or how old she was.

But he knew that was his god.

"God bless America."

Frank exhaled a smoke ring and looked out the window at the hazy sky.

"No, it is Satsuki who blesses America."

He closed the drawer and picked up his coat.

He's going to the Ferrari showroom.

Since God said it's okay to buy, then buy the red one. The brightest one.

……

Tokyo, Saionji Main House.

Satsuki sat on the veranda, a thick asset report on her lap.

The afternoon sun was a bit too bright, making the paper appear white.

"One hundred billion."

She looked at the number.

In 1987, this amount of money was enough to buy most of the commercial real estate in Shinjuku. Or, enough to buy controlling stakes in several large banks.

But she knew that wasn't enough.

Compared to the crazy year of 1989 that was about to come, compared to the bubble peak that would drive Tokyo land prices up to "buy up the whole of America," this amount of money was just an entry ticket.

"Father."

Satsuki closed the folder and looked at Shuichi, who had just returned from Otemachi.

Shuichi took off his coat, loosened his tie, and sat down next to her.

"Did you manage to handle things with Goldman Sachs?"

"Hmm. Davis is a smart man." Shuichi took the tea from the maid. "We've reached a preliminary understanding. Wall Street shouldn't make any big moves against us in the short term."

"That's good."

Satsuki stood up and stretched.

"The money is back, and the reputation is back too."

"Now, let's get down to business."

She pointed into the distance.

Through the courtyard's fence, one can see the towering buildings rising from the ground in the port area. Tower cranes rotate in the air, and the sound of pile drivers can be faintly heard.

"How's the takeover of Gondo's Daito Construction going?"

"All the formalities are complete," Shuichi replied. "Itakura has already sent a finance team in. Although Gondo still looks miserable, he's very obedient now."

"very good."

Satsuki squinted.

"Get ready, Father. Soon, Japan will experience its craziest year ever."

Shuichi looked at his daughter.

In the shadow of the sunlight, the small figure seemed to be growing infinitely taller, casting a huge shadow that covered the entire city of Tokyo.

The exorbitant profits of those who go against the tide are not just financial.

It is the only sober control in this era that is about to spiral out of control.

The wind blows through the courtyard.

Ginkgo leaves fall.

Golden leaves covered the ground, like a carpet of gold or a pile of paper money.