99: Chapter 99: The Marriage is Officially Confirmed; Lin Long's Power

The banquet at Suzuki Manor came to an end amidst the clinking of glasses.

After seeing off several accompanying representatives of the Zaibatsu, only Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki, Lin Long, and Suzuki Sonoko remained in the living room.

The sweet fragrance of champagne and the rich aroma of high-end cuisine still lingered in the air, but they were quietly replaced by a tacit solemnity.

“Mr. Lin Long, why don't we go sit in the study?”

Suzuki Shiro was the first to break the silence, his tone carrying an expectation he couldn't hide.

“Sure.”

Lin Long smiled slightly, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Suzuki Sonoko beside him—she was wearing a light blue dress, her face still flushed from the wine. When she heard the word “study,” her fingertips curled slightly, clearly guessing what was about to happen.

Suzuki Sonoko picked up the teapot: “I'll go make some tea; you guys go ahead.”

Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible nervousness, and as she turned toward the tea room, her pace was half a beat faster than usual.

Suzuki Tomoko watched her daughter's receding figure, a flash of relief in her eyes.

The girl seemed carefree, but she knew what was important at critical moments, understanding that she should leave the elders space for a private conversation now.

Inside the study, mahogany bookshelves reached from floor to ceiling, filled with gold-embossed classics and antique vases.

Suzuki Shiro personally pulled out a chair for Lin Long, while Suzuki Tomoko sat opposite them. The three formed a triangle, creating a subtle, invisible standoff.

The moonlight from outside filtered through the sheer curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor and adding a sense of secrecy to the atmosphere.

A moment later, Suzuki Sonoko entered carrying a tea tray and served hot tea to the three of them in turn.

The rising steam from the tea blurred her expression. As she set down the teacup, her fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of Lin Long's hand; she pulled back as if struck by lightning, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson.

“Then... I'll head out first. You guys talk.”

Sonoko lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, as she turned and quickly walked out of the study, gently closing the door behind her.

The moment the door closed, the atmosphere in the study suddenly became serious.

Suzuki Tomoko picked up her teacup, her fingertips gently rubbing the rim as she spoke first: “Mr. Lin Long, you don't mind if I call you that, do you?”

Lin Long took a shallow sip of tea; the flavor was rich with a sweet aftertaste, clearly high-quality Pre-Rain Longjing. He set down the teacup with a gentle smile:

“Of course not, Aunt Tomoko, Uncle Suzuki. Since Sonoko, Miss Ayako, and I are all friends, it feels closer if you call me that.”

He spoke the word “closer” naturally and candidly, yet it was like a pebble dropped into the hearts of the Suzukis.

The two looked at each other, both seeing relief in the other's eyes—Lin Long's peaceful attitude indicated that he was at least not resistant to this “talk.”

Suzuki Tomoko felt at ease and changed the subject, her tone carrying a hint of admiration:

“Speaking of which, Mr. Lin Long, you only arrived in Tokyo a few years ago, yet in such a short time, you've built such a large family business for the Lin family. You're truly a formidable young man.

I've heard from insiders that although the Lins Information Consulting Company is nominally a consultancy, it actually has layouts in fields like energy and finance. Your methods are so efficient that even established Zaibatsu feel inferior.”

These words seemed like praise, but were actually testing Lin Long's background.

She wanted to know how much power this man really had and if he could truly influence the decisions of the Eagle Sauce, as General White had said.

Lin Long smiled and spoke modestly: “Aunt Tomoko, you flatter me.

I was just lucky and caught a few trends. Compared to the century-old foundation of the Suzuki Conglomerate, the Lin family is still far behind.”

He didn't directly respond to his industrial layout, nor did he deny it. This perfect “show of weakness” made Suzuki Tomoko even more wary—truly powerful people never show off intentionally.

Suzuki Shiro couldn't hold back and leaned forward:

“Mr. Lin Long, since you and Sonoko are friends, we'll get straight to the point.”

Lin Long looked up, his gaze calmly meeting his: “Please go ahead, Uncle Suzuki.”

“Regarding General White... we've already heard his thoughts.”

Suzuki Tomoko took over the conversation, her tone solemn, “He said that Mr. Lin Long has a deep background and extensive connections over in Eagle Sauce, and more importantly... you have a good impression of Sonoko.”

When she mentioned “good impression,” she stared closely at Lin Long's expression, trying to catch any sign of a crack.

The smile on Lin Long's face remained unchanged, but his eyes softened slightly:

“Sonoko is excellent—lively, cheerful, and kind-hearted. She's a very lovely girl. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I have a good impression of her.”

He didn't directly admit it, but he didn't deny it either. This ambiguous attitude made the Suzukis even more certain of General White's words.

Suzuki Tomoko took a deep breath and finally posed the core question:

“We've asked for Sonoko's opinion, and she... admires you very much as well.

So, we want to ask for Mr. Lin Long's thoughts—if the Suzuki Family wants to form an alliance with you and have Sonoko marry you, would you be willing?”

This sentence was like a huge boulder thrown into a calm lake; the study instantly fell into a dead silence.

Suzuki Shiro's breathing became rapid, and he clenched his fists tightly, waiting for Lin Long's answer—an answer that would determine the future fate of the Suzuki Family.

Lin Long picked up his teacup and took a slow sip, as if savoring the tea or weighing the pros and cons. Time ticked away, every second feeling as long as a century.

Just as the Suzukis' hearts were about to leap into their throats, Lin Long set down the teacup, the bottom hitting the table with a crisp sound.

He looked up, a trace of seriousness in his eyes, and nodded:

“Aunt Tomoko, Uncle Suzuki, to be honest, I do admire Sonoko. If she has no objection, I would be honored to marry such a beautiful and intelligent girl.”

“Boom!”

Suzuki Shiro felt a roar in his head as immense joy instantly overwhelmed him.

He was so excited he almost stood up from his chair, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out like a child who had received candy.

Suzuki Tomoko also let out a long sigh of relief, her tensed shoulders finally relaxing.

She knew this wasn't just a marriage alliance, but the beginning of the Suzuki Family climbing to higher branches—with this connection to Lin Long, the position of Prime Minister and even more power would be within reach.

Outside the study door, a slender figure was pressed tightly against the door panel, eavesdropping on the conversation inside.

Suzuki Sonoko had originally just wanted to come and check the situation, but she had stopped at the door as if possessed.

When she heard Lin Long's “I would be honored,” her cheeks instantly burned hot, and her heart beat so fast it felt like it would leap out of her throat.

“Marry... marry Mr. Lin Long...”

She murmured to herself in her heart, both shy and filled with a strange anticipation. Thinking of Lin Long's steady gaze, calm demeanor, and the occasional gentle smile, her heart skipped even more beats.

“Eee...”

Sonoko covered her burning cheeks, unable to listen any longer, and turned like a startled little rabbit, running back to her room with a red face.

Inside the study, Lin Long had already noticed the movement outside the door, and an imperceptible smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

With his perception, he knew the moment Suzuki Sonoko approached. This girl's reaction was much cuter than he had imagined.

To be honest, in his past life, Lin Long also greatly admired carefree girls like Sonoko.

“Since the marriage is settled, we are now family.”

Lin Long's tone became even more friendly as he picked up his phone and dialed a number, “Ochiai, bring the materials I prepared over.”

A respectful voice came from the other end: “Yes, sir.”

The Suzukis looked at each other, both curious—what “meeting gift” would Lin Long prepare?

Not long after, there was a knock on the study door, and Lin Long's butler, Ochiai, walked in.

Wearing a crisp tuxedo and with his hair combed meticulously, he presented a black folder with both hands, then bowed and withdrew. He didn't make a single unnecessary sound the entire time, impeccably professional.

Lin Long picked up the folder and pushed it toward Suzuki Tomoko:

“This is a little token of my appreciation for the Suzuki Family. Since we're forming an alliance, I should show some sincerity.”

Suzuki Tomoko opened the folder in confusion, but with just one look, her pupils suddenly contracted and her breathing stopped instantly.

Inside the folder were several detailed investigation reports, clearly recording evidence of top Zaibatsu like Ooka, Tanaka, and Mitsui privately contacting the US military—including meeting times, locations, conversation contents, and even a few blurry but identifiable photos.

One of them even detailed a secret deal between the Tanaka Zaibatsu and General White: the Tanaka Family promised to transfer their subsidiary chip factory to the US military at a low price in exchange for US military support for Tanaka Masao in the “Prime Ministerial election.”

“This...”

Suzuki Tomoko's fingers trembled slightly from shock as she looked up at Lin Long, her eyes full of disbelief. “How do you have these?”

These were core secrets of the top Zaibatsu. Not only could the Suzuki Family's intelligence department not find them, but even the government's intelligence agencies might not have such detailed information.

Lin Long shrugged and spoke casually: “Since Aunt Tomoko has heard about me from General White, you should know my power over in Eagle Sauce. A small matter like this is just a simple task for me.”

His nonchalant tone carried a chilling confidence.

The Suzukis finally truly realized that General White might not have been exaggerating—Lin Long's influence might be even more terrifying than they had imagined.

“With these,”

Lin Long looked at Suzuki Tomoko, his eyes sharp, “you won't have to worry about other Zaibatsu pulling small stunts behind your backs. The Tanaka Family wants to use the US military to rise? If this information is leaked, Tanaka Masao can just wait for his reputation to be ruined.”

Suzuki Shiro took the folder, becoming more excited as he read, and couldn't help but slap his thigh:

“Good! Great! Mr. Lin Long, you're something else! Now let's see how those old fogies can compete with us!”

Suzuki Tomoko also calmed down. She closed the folder and gave Lin Long a deep look:

“Mr. Lin Long, this gift is too valuable.” She knew that this information was not just “sincerity,” but also a form of deterrence—if Lin Long could get the Tanaka Family's secrets, he could naturally get the Suzuki Family's as well.

“Family doesn't speak like strangers.”

Lin Long smiled slightly, “As for Uncle Suzuki's campaign for Prime Minister, I'll put in a word with Eagle Sauce and have them give full support. Those members of parliament I'm friendly with will also help pull some strings.”

“Really?!”

Suzuki Shiro's voice cracked with excitement, “That's wonderful! With Eagle Sauce's support, my chances of being elected are even greater!”

“However,”

Lin Long changed the subject,

“Eagle Sauce's support can only help you clear the external hurdles; the domestic situation in Japan still depends on you. The hearts of the Zaibatsu Alliance, the support of the people, the votes in parliament... you'll need to win these over step by step.”

“Don't worry!”

Suzuki Shiro patted his chest as a guarantee, “As for the situation here in Japan, the Suzuki Family still has it well in hand! As long as no one trips us up from behind, it won't be a big problem!”

Suzuki Tomoko looked at her husband's excitement and then at the composed Lin Long, a trace of concern still in her heart. She hesitated for a moment before speaking:

“Mr. Lin Long, there is something... I don't know if I should say it.”

“Aunt Tomoko, please feel free to speak.”

“The Suzuki Family only has two daughters, Sonoko and Ayako, and Ayako has already married into the tomizawa family...”

Suzuki Tomoko's tone carried a hint of difficulty, “We've been worried about the future inheritance of the Suzuki Conglomerate.”

This was her greatest worry.

Once Suzuki Shiro was elected Prime Minister, his energy would inevitably be divided. After Sonoko married out, the Suzuki Family might face the awkwardness of having “no successor,” and the family business they worked so hard to build could eventually fall into the hands of collateral branches or relatives by marriage.

Lin Long had long guessed her concerns and smiled slightly:

“You don't need to worry about that, Aunt Tomoko. The first child Sonoko and I have in the future will take the Suzuki surname to inherit the Suzuki Conglomerate.”

“What?!”

The Suzukis' eyes widened simultaneously, their faces full of disbelief.

In Japan, children usually take their father's surname, and a powerful man like Lin Long would be even less likely to let a child take the mother's surname.

This promise from Lin Long was essentially a reassurance for the Suzuki Family.

“Mr. Lin Long, are... are you telling the truth?”

Suzuki Tomoko's voice was trembling.

The thing she cared most about in her life was the Suzuki Family's legacy; she didn't want the assets she had worked a lifetime to build to fall into the hands of collateral branches.

And Lin Long's promise moved her more than any gold, silver, or jewels.

She knew that if Lin Long and Sonoko's child inherited the Suzuki Conglomerate, would Lin Long not help his own child if something happened to the conglomerate?

Suzuki Tomoko began making her own calculations in her head.

“Of course it's true.”

Lin Long's tone was solemn, “Once I marry Sonoko, I'll be the son-in-law of the Suzuki Family. The Suzuki Family's affairs are my affairs. It's only right to let the child inherit the family business.”

Suzuki Tomoko could no longer contain herself; she stood up and gave Lin Long a deep bow: “Mr. Lin Long, thank you!”

At this moment, the last trace of wariness in her heart vanished.

Lin Long Not only can it give them power， It can also continue the Suzuki family line.， Such allies， It's simply a gift from heaven.。

Suzuki Shiro was also too excited to speak, only patting Lin Long's shoulder repeatedly: “Good lad! Good lad! I didn't misjudge you!”

The atmosphere in the study became completely harmonious, with previous testing and wariness vanishing without a trace, replaced by a closeness of being “one of our own.”

Lin Long looked at the couple before him, the smile on his lips deepening. He knew that this alliance was finally truly solid.

At the other end of the manor, Suzuki Sonoko hid in her room, rolling around on her bed clutching a pillow, the flush on her face not fading for a long time.

She thought of Lin Long's tone when he agreed to the marriage and her parents' joyful conversation; her heart felt like a trapped deer, both nervous and full of anticipation.

“Mr. Lin Long...”

She muttered the name softly, her lips curling upward uncontrollably.

The moonlight outside shone gently into the room, illuminating the girl's shy and longing face.

An alliance that would decide the future direction of Japan was quietly reached in this study.