Fumino thought she had misheard, or perhaps misunderstood.
She subconsciously clasped her hands together, leaned slightly forward, forced a smile, and cautiously asked, "Fujiwara-san, what do you mean by that?"
Toru sat opposite her, his head slightly lowered as he sipped the tea in his hand.
He glanced at her and smiled faintly. "Yukinoshita-san, I think my words were quite clear, weren't they? Do I really need to explain it in detail?"
"By then, I'm afraid you might be embarrassed, Yukinoshita-san, and perhaps unable to bear it."
Fumino's expression changed, but she still could not believe it. She forced a smile and said, "I think it would be better for Fujiwara-san to explain."
Toru smiled helplessly. "Yukinoshita-san, why make me spell it out? The one who will be embarrassed is you."
"But since you have asked, I will be direct. I don't need Yukino's sacrifice. I need your sacrifice, Yukinoshita-san."
"Do I need to be even clearer? In other words, I can lend you this money. I can even waive the interest and give you five years to repay it slowly."
"And within these five years, my only requirement is that you come whenever I call and serve me wholeheartedly."
Fumino's anger surged, and a trace of irritation flashed across her face. She thought Toru was insulting her, but she still managed to suppress her anger and advised him.
"Fujiwara-san, I am Haruno and Yukino's mother."
"Of course I know. It is precisely because you are their mother that it is even more interesting."
Toru's words left Fumino in utter disbelief.
Of course, it was not that Fumino thought such a request was impossible. As the head of the Yukinoshita family, as someone from so-called high society, she knew better than most that there were even more unbelievable evils hidden within high society.
She simply had not expected Toru to be this kind of person, to actually make such a request.
Fumino gritted her teeth. "Fujiwara-san, I am old and faded, and more than ten years older than you. I am not worthy of your affection."
Toru's gaze lingered playfully on Fumino as he said, "Yukinoshita-san, you must be joking. You are very well maintained. Judging by your appearance, you look like you are in your twenties."
"Moreover, you have a more mature temperament, one that Haruno and Yukino do not possess."
Hearing Toru mention Haruno and Yukino again, Fumino became even more shocked and angry. She said coldly, "Fujiwara-san, I really didn't expect you to be this kind of person."
"What kind of person am I?"
Toru's tone was somewhat exaggerated. "Fumino, weren't you just thinking that I was too young and would be easily swayed by emotions? Can you really say that you had no intention of using me just now?"
"I am simply treating others the way they treat me. I will return sincerity to those who are sincere with me, and those who try to scheme against me will naturally be schemed against by me."
Toru's words made Fumino panic.
Only then did she truly understand that this young man, who did not seem very old, was far more mature than she had thought, and his methods were more experienced and ruthless than she had imagined.
Her thoughts and schemes had been seen through by him, and he had even used them to turn the tables on her.
Toru then said leisurely, "This is just a transaction, one that both sides can accept. Yukinoshita-san can agree or refuse."
"After all, even if you refuse, I can't do anything to you, can I? The door is behind you, Yukinoshita-san. If you are unwilling, you may leave."
"This is a two-billion-yen interest-free loan, and the only price you need to pay is yourself, while saving the Yukinoshita family."
"To be honest, probably no one can offer better terms than I can. After all, are you really worth two billion yen?"
Toru's insulting words made Fumino unable to bear it any longer.
She stood up directly and said stiffly, "I truly misjudged you, Fujiwara-san. Let's just pretend I never came!"
With that, she turned around, ready to leave.
Toru said softly, "Yukinoshita-san, you are much more naive than I thought. You actually wanted to gain my help through deception alone."
"But Yukinoshita-san, you have lived for so many years. Don't you know that in the adult world, interests must be exchanged? No one gives to another without reason."
"Yukinoshita-san, you are not qualified for that yet."
Toru ignored Fumino, because he believed she would come back on her own.
This stubborn, unyielding, and extremely controlling woman would never watch the Yukinoshita family head toward ruin.
Because that would mean she would lose something. Her control, her dignity, and her pride.
If the Yukinoshita family collapsed, those enemies she once detested would also step on her head, gloating and mocking her. Such an outcome would be worse than suicide for someone with such a strong sense of self as Fumino.
Indeed, Fumino walked to the door, but she did not open it. She seemed to be struggling.
Toru did not speak.
After a long while, Fumino asked in a trembling voice, "Fujiwara-san, are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious. We can even sign a contract. As long as you fulfill the agreement, Yukinoshita-san, I can transfer two billion yen to the Yukinoshita enterprise account tomorrow. Cash, not installments."
"Fujiwara-san, since you already know that the Yukinoshita enterprise is having operational problems, can you still trust us to repay this money?"
Toru chuckled. "Although I don't like your personality, Yukinoshita-san, I do trust your ability and your efforts."
"I believe that under your leadership, the Yukinoshita family can regroup and return to its peak."
Fumino's heart completely softened after hearing Toru's words. Even her anger and resentment disappeared, and she even felt a strange sense of happiness.
Because her ability had been acknowledged, and that was something she took pride in.
Toru chuckled inwardly. Fumino herself knew that the real problem lay with the Shinomiya family. The Shinomiya family had used tactics to evade payment, causing the Yukinoshita family to suffer heavy losses.
Therefore, to solve the problem, they had to start with the Shinomiya family.
As long as he helped Kaguya gain control of the Shinomiya family, with the Shinomiya family's foundation and financial resources, they would quickly overcome their difficulties and repay the money owed to the Yukinoshita family.
That way, the Yukinoshita family would also overcome its difficulties, and his money would be safe.
He, Toru, would never do business at a loss. This was equivalent to making Fumino submit to him without spending a single yen.
Fumino finally made up her mind.
Losing her dignity and being toyed with only in front of Toru was far better than the Yukinoshita family going bankrupt, and then losing her dignity in front of all her former enemies and adversaries.
She could not accept her home being foreclosed on, could not accept those relatives baring their fangs at her, and even less could she accept having nowhere to go and no place to live in the end.
At that time, how many people would come to mock her, provoke her, and step on her head while laughing at her?
It was true that Fumino was good at managing relationships.
But the development of an enterprise was like a politician climbing the ranks. If you wanted something, you had to fight for it. While gaining friends, you would inevitably make enemies.
When you were down and out, those enemies would all kick you while you were down, and that was what Fumino wanted to avoid the most.
She took a deep breath and said, "Very well. As long as your funds are credited, Fujiwara-san, I will wait for you at a hotel."
"A hotel? No, no. I don't like delays. We'll settle it right here, Yukinoshita-san. Do you need me to help you take off your clothes?"
"Here?!"
Fumino was shocked again.
"Hmm? Did you not take a bath, Yukinoshita-san? It's all right, I have a bathroom here too. You can go take one first."
Toru's words made Fumino laugh from anger.
She was a woman who loved cleanliness and beauty, carefully grooming herself every day. How could she not have bathed in the morning?
Seeing the playfulness in Toru's eyes, Fumino knew this was his method.
Suppressing her shame and indignation, her hand slowly fell to the sash of her kimono.
The kimono fell, revealing the beautiful body that had given birth to the sisters Haruno and Yukino, exposed before Toru's eyes.
(To be continued.)