Inside the Johnston Family mansion.
Raymond Johnston had not yet returned from Western Australia, so dinner was only Janette's mother, Anthony and his wife, Simon, and Janette, a total of five people.
After dinner, Anthony and Simon went to the study in the mansion together, but Janette refused to get up, lingering by her mother's side, whispering.
"You and Janette are not taking care of anything, I've been on the verge of collapse these past two days", Anthony began to complain with a smile as the two sat on the sofa by the study window. "Yesterday, the Japanese stock market closed at down 0.5%, which is the largest single-day drop since the Bank of Japan announced an interest rate hike. Our fund's earnings shrank by $70 million in one day. Also, many people have been asking me about your purpose in coming to Melbourne this time. Raybould even called to ask if he should also come to Australia.
Takagi Tsutomu from the Japanese Embassy in Melbourne, whom you met last time, has been eager to see you since yesterday afternoon and has almost been guarding me for the past two days. All in all, the current situation is very dangerous, Simon. If we can't take measures to stabilize the situation, the Japanese stock market is likely to continue to fall sharply next week, or even completely collapse. By then, let alone continuing to profit, it will be unlikely for us to retain the gains we've made over the past few months".
Listening to Anthony, Simon also showed a wry smile on his face. He had not expected his trip to Australia to cause such a serious chain reaction.
After weighing it carefully for a moment, Simon looked at his watch and said to Anthony, "Alright, Tony, it's still early. I'll take Janette to the city to play later. You contact the media to take some photos and publish them tomorrow. The core message is that I came specifically to see Janette and have no other purpose".
Anthony hesitated, saying, "Simon, won't that seem too deliberate?"
Simon thought about it. Simply doing that would indeed have the suspicion of 'explaining is concealing', so he added, "Then be more direct. Don't shy away from the impact of my arrival in Melbourne on the Japanese stock market. However, the headlines of the corresponding news should be lighter, using a teasing tone as much as possible. I think the market was somewhat overreacting yesterday. If we put this matter on the table, everyone can calm down. The scale of the longs following Cersei Capital should be very large now, and those people also don't want the Japanese stock market to collapse immediately".
Anthony nodded, but still seemed to have something more to say.
Simon smiled and said, "Tony, there's no need for us to have any reservations".
Anthony said, "Simon, to cut off unnecessary speculation in the market, I think you should return to Los Angeles as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow".
Simon noticed the awkwardness on Anthony's face and proactively resolved it for him, saying, "That's indeed what I should do, Tony. If I had known this would be the result, I wouldn't have come so easily".
After discussing some more details, the two left the study together.
Simon didn't need to worry about contacting the media. Not to mention the Johnston Family's connections, several major media families in Australia were investors in Cersei Capital. Even for their own interests, they would do their best to cooperate with tomorrow's public opinion campaign.
Around 9:30 PM.
Two cars successively stopped outside the famous Crown Casino in downtown Melbourne. Four bodyguards got out and escorted Simon and Janette into the casino building.
The public security in Melbourne during this era was very chaotic, even more so at night. Considering Simon's identity, Anthony insisted on sending four bodyguards with him and Janette before he felt at ease letting them go out.
Crown Casino was just a casino by name. This 39-story building, standing on the south bank of the Yarra River, was actually a comprehensive entertainment complex integrating hotels, casinos, bars, and nightclubs, belonging to Australia's old-established Packer Family. Simon had met Kelly Packer, the current head of the Packer Family, at some of the Johnston Family's parties. He had a good relationship with the Johnston Family and was also one of Cersei Capital's investors.
Simon still remembered that James Packer, the next heir to the Packer Family, later dated American singer Mariah Carey, and the two even reached the point of discussing marriage. They broke up because James Packer couldn't tolerate the 'butterfly's extravagance.
Mariah Carey hasn't become famous yet; I wonder if she can catch this potential stock.
Simon wasn't interested in gambling games that were bound to lose. After entering the building, he and Janette simply chose a bar.
The filming of 'Batman' in Australia at the beginning of the year greatly increased Simon's exposure in Melbourne. He and Janette were quickly recognized in the bar. Simon was also a fun-loving person. Under the cheers and encouragement of the crowd, he personally went on stage and sang a song. The final electric guitar solo of Flight of the Bumblebee completely ignited the atmosphere in the bar.
The news of Simon Westeros appearing in this bar quickly spread throughout the entire building and continued to expand. Many people gathered towards this area, and the bar owner had to implement crowd control measures.
Feeling that one bar was becoming too crowded, Simon took Janette to another venue, inevitably causing another place to be packed.
After visiting several nightclubs and bars in the building, it gradually became late night. Simon and Janette, having drunk a lot, were both slightly tipsy. The two were dancing in a bar's dance floor to the deafening music when a petite Asian girl struggled to push through the crowd to Simon's side.
However, just as the girl was about to get closer to speak to Simon, she was blocked by a bodyguard standing nearby.
The girl did not give up easily, trying to explain something to the bodyguard and shouting loudly at Simon.
Simon noticed the commotion beside him and turned to look, feeling that the girl seemed familiar. After recalling carefully, he remembered that this was the 'gift' that Takagi Tsutomu, from the Japanese Embassy in Melbourne, had brought him when they met last time. So, he gestured for the bodyguard to let her through.
Yoko Kosugi came to Simon's side, looked up, and said loudly, "Mr. Westeros, may I have a word with you?"
Simon hadn't answered yet when Janette reached out and scooped the petite girl in front of her, hugging her and smiling, "Little girl, what's up? Talk to me".
"Miss Johnston, no, you misunderstood", Yoko Kosugi, hugged by Janette, tried to explain, then turned to Simon and said, "It's like this, Mr. Takagi is outside".
Hearing Yoko Kosugi, Janette roughly understood that the girl knew Simon. She loosened her grip, letting the girl turn halfway in her arms to face Simon, but still kept her arm around the girl's waist, and gave Simon a look that said, 'we'll settle this later'.
The hot girls on the dance floor, who had been watching Simon, saw Janette hugging an Asian girl and dancing with her, thinking there was an 'opportunity to take advantage', and flocked towards Simon.
Simon listened to Yoko Kosugi for a few more sentences before fully understanding what was going on, so he protected the two girls and left the dance floor.
Takagi Tsutomu was already waiting outside the dance floor, looking anxious.
Everyone came to a booth in the corner of the bar and sat down. Takagi Tsutomu said, "Mr. Westeros, I apologize for disturbing you so late, but this matter is really urgent".
Simon knew that Takagi Tsutomu had been looking for him these past two days when he chatted with Anthony after dinner: "Takagi, I understand what you mean, but regarding the situation in Japan, I can only express regret. It's not something I can control".
"It's not like that, Mr. Westeros, it's another matter. This isn't the right place to talk. Can we formally schedule a time for tomorrow?"
Seeing Takagi Tsutomu's anxious look, Simon thought for a moment and said, "Okay, tomorrow morning, um, at ten o'clock, at the Johnston Family's estate in the suburbs".
Takagi Tsutomu looked relieved when Simon readily agreed. After confirming the details, he stood up and took his leave.
Simon looked at his watch. It was already 11:30 PM, and he didn't expect Takagi Tsutomu to find him at this hour just to schedule a meeting for tomorrow.
Seeing the other party leave, Simon was still wondering what the Japanese wanted to discuss when Janette pulled him up again and led him to the dance floor.
Moreover, Yoko Kosugi seemed to have been forgotten by Takagi Tsutomu and was still being held by Janette like a doll, and the girl also looked very docile, letting Janette hug her.
They had originally planned to go home at 12 o'clock, but Janette dragged it out until past 1 AM.
Leaving the Crown Casino building, they let the reporters Anthony had arranged take some photos, then the two got into the car and left. Yoko Kosugi had been left behind by Janette at some point, and Simon wasn't worried if anyone would come to pick her up. Since they had scheduled a meeting for the next day, they left the city and went directly to the Johnston Family mansion.
The next day, Simon woke up at around nine in the morning, or rather, Simon alone woke up, as Janette was still fast asleep.
After washing up, he came to the mansion's dining room where Anthony Johnston was already waiting for him. Anthony instructed the servants to prepare breakfast for Simon, then introduced some of the day's newspaper headlines and showed Simon a few articles. They were basically titles like "Westeros and Girlfriend Party Late into the Night", and "Westeros' Weekend Date Causes Stock Market Crash".
Simon ate breakfast and flipped through a few newspapers, then asked, "What about Japan and North America? The news can't be limited to Australia".
Anthony said, "I temporarily organized a PR team. Similar news releases will appear in Japan and North America. I hope they work".
Simon nodded. This matter could only be left to fate after doing their best. Everything would depend on the Japanese stock market's reaction after tomorrow's opening.
If it really collapsed ahead of schedule, Cersei Capital would have to change its plan and liquidate its positions as soon as possible.
After a brief chat, Simon brought up Takagi Tsutomu finding him last night, but Anthony already knew; it turned out the Japanese had called again early in the morning to confirm the visit.
Simon finished breakfast, and it was almost time.
After a brief preparation, around 9:55 AM, a black Honda sedan drove into the Johnston Family mansion. There were four people in total: besides Takagi Tsutomu and Yoko Kosugi, whom Simon recognized, and a driver, there was another elderly man around seventy years old named Haruo Maekawa, who was the previous president of the Bank of Japan, having stepped down seven years ago.
The Bank of Japan is actually Japan's central bank.
With such a high-ranking figure present, Simon, who had not been too concerned, immediately became serious, and Anthony's expression also became a few shades graver.
Everyone came to the living room, and after formal introductions and pleasantries, Haruo Maekawa suggested talking to Simon alone.
Haruo Maekawa's English was not fluent, but he didn't even bring an interpreter. The two went to the study together, while Anthony, Takagi Tsutomu, and the others could only stay in the living room. The matter the Japanese intended to discuss next was clearly extremely confidential. Simon was still clueless and couldn't help but feel a sense of vigilance.
The two sat on the sofa in the mansion's study. Haruo Maekawa's English wasn't good, so he got straight to the point, saying, "Mr. Westeros, I'm here today because I hope to make a deal with you".
Simon nodded, still guessing in his mind, and gestured for Haruo Maekawa to continue.
Haruo Maekawa gave Simon a reassuring smile and said, "You must know about Friday's events, and we also noticed your party's attempts to recover today. We are very pleased with your optimism about the Japanese stock market. However, now everyone can see that you are a very dangerous variable for the Japanese stock market. Therefore, we hope to offer a sum of money to buy out Cersei Capital's entire investment portfolio. In exchange, we hope you can completely leave the Japanese financial market".
Finally understanding the Japanese's intention, Simon quickly weighed his options.
This crisis also made Simon realize that the Japanese stock market was too unpredictable. Although Cersei Capital had accumulated nearly $1 billion in profits, if the Japanese stock market collapsed ahead of schedule, Cersei Capital's final income would definitely shrink significantly.
If he could package and sell his investment portfolio to the Japanese and cash out early, Simon would certainly not refuse, as long as the price was right.
However, Simon quickly said, "Mr. Maekawa, completely leaving the Japanese financial market seems a bit excessive".
Haruo Maekawa had clearly anticipated this question and said, "In that case, you only need to not get involved in the Japanese financial market for the next five years. Mr. Westeros, the conditions we are discussing today will not appear in a specific contract, but I believe you are a man of your word".
Simon nodded. If an agreement could be reached, he would, of course, keep his promise.
Moreover, the Japanese clearly anticipated that the Japanese stock market couldn't hold on much longer. Offering conditions at this time actually had another purpose: to prevent him from short-selling after the Japanese market turned. Simon's accidental trip to Australia caused a sharp drop in the Japanese stock market, so it's conceivable that if he publicly bearish on the Japanese stock market, the result would be catastrophic.
In fact, Simon had decided from the beginning that he would never publicly release bearish news like Soros, as that would only completely offend the Japanese. Then, Westeros Company's other businesses would not be able to operate in Japan.
Now, such an opportunity would allow Simon to completely cut ties with the Japanese stock market, which would actually be for the best.
Of course, since they were willing to pay for peace, Simon naturally wouldn't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fleece them.