Chapter 553: Chapter 366 Mrs. Yanxia_2
The General was a middle-aged man in his forties, slightly overweight. After knocking on the door, he bowed to the two people inside the private room in greeting, then moved to the back of the grill.
The seating was bar-style, with a semi-oval wooden table surrounding the grill.
The lighting used warm tones, and after inspecting the interior facilities, the General turned on the ventilation machine above the grill.
The server followed closely behind, bringing in the ingredients for today.
—Guinea fowl.
Uesugi Sakura didn’t pay much attention to the ingredients because Sasahara Gen’i put away his phone and entered.
Seeing the chef in white working behind the grill, he was a bit surprised: "Mr. Uesugi, are you treating us?"
"Have a seat. How did Iwakashi Sumiko respond?"
"She’s available and will be here soon," Sasahara Gen’i replied.
The chef, the General, personally handled the chicken, cutting it into small pieces and skewering it with scallion knots.
As they waited, they ate the barbecue.
Uesugi Sakura tried to tactfully inquire about any connections with the Yakuza, but Sasahara Gen’i saw through all these maneuvers and deflected them with a smile.
It was strange, Uesugi Sakura originally thought he was commissioned by the Yakuza.
But now his client... seemed to just be Iwakashi Sumiko.
After half an hour of skewers, they still hadn’t seen Aei’s mother arrive.
Uesugi Sakura was curious about what kind of person she was.
From the current impression, irresponsible, incompetent...
Full of flaws.
Iwakashi Sumiko arrived.
A fashionable woman, with a beauty mark below her left eye, a delicate face with make-up, well-dressed, carrying a stylish purple handbag at her waist, and her movements had a hint of arrogance, but she could indeed be described as beautiful.
But this beauty came with ill intentions, her gaze first locked onto Uesugi Sakura.
"Are you the guy trying to take away my two daughters?"
The tone wasn’t good, but Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to argue.
Iwakashi Sumiko didn’t sit down but continued to question: "You called me out today, what do you want? I’m telling you, you have no chance in matters of guardianship because I’m their biological mother, and you, you’re just some rude upstart!"
Uesugi Sakura looked up at her: "I want to know why you want to retain custody of Chiaei and Aei."
"Why!? Isn’t that a joke?" Iwakashi Sumiko sneered, crossing her arms, displaying the demeanor of an alluring woman, "I’m their mother, why wouldn’t I want to retain their custody."
"Aren’t they burdensome to you?" Uesugi Sakura said, "Alright, let me put it this way, by retaining custody of Aei and Chiaei, what do you gain? What’s your motive?"
Uesugi Sakura’s gaze clearly startled Iwakashi Sumiko for a few seconds. She was about to speak but quickly shut her mouth, finally spitting out disdainfully:
"None of your business."
Sasahara Gen’i intervened to mediate.
He looked at Uesugi Sakura and said, "Mr. Uesugi, I think any mother wouldn’t want custody of her children to fall into others’ hands, regardless of Iwakashi’s motives; wanting one’s child’s custody means having no ulterior motive."
Uesugi Sakura ignored Sasahara Gen’i’s words and continued to stare at Iwakashi Sumiko and asked:
"The other day some Yakuza came looking for me, does Ms. Iwakashi have anything to do with that?"
"I just can’t stand you." There was impatience in Iwakashi Sumiko’s words.
When she spoke, there was a hesitation, and Uesugi Sakura suspected it was just an excuse.
Iwakashi Sumiko threatened Uesugi Sakura: "I advise you, you have no chance at guardianship."
Uesugi Sakura smiled faintly: "May I know what Ms. Iwakashi does for a living? What have you been up to recently?"
"Why are you asking all these random questions?"
"Both Aei and Chiaei miss you as their mother, asking for them shouldn’t be out of line, right."
When Uesugi Sakura brought up Aei and Chiaei, Iwakashi Sumiko was momentarily speechless.
"Stop talking nonsense, just say if you are willing to drop the lawsuit."
Uesugi Sakura answered unhurriedly: "Ms. Iwakashi, even if you want me to drop it, I have to understand your situation first, don’t I? You left two small children alone at home for half a year with leftovers from days before. I’m not comfortable handing back such irresponsible guardianship, especially since I’ve developed feelings while taking care of them."
"What business is that of yours! Besides, is it my fault!?" Iwakashi Sumiko suddenly became emotional.
"Leaving aside your issues, what were you doing that half-year? You also often didn’t return home before and brought strange people back home."
"You brat! Stop slandering people!!"
Iwakashi Sumiko suddenly swung her handbag at him with force, intending to rush at him but was stopped by Sasahara Gen’i. Even the chef grilling was startled by her aggressive demeanor.
"I’m telling you! Watch your step when you go home! Don’t think—"
"Ms. Iwakashi." Lawyer Sasahara interrupted.
"Sorry, Mr. Uesugi, Ms. Iwakashi is not in a good mood today."
Uesugi Sakura said nothing, just watching Iwakashi Sumiko, who vented her anger easily.
She was stopped, but her anger hadn’t completely dissipated.
As for whether it was slander, he knew the truth.
Aei often inadvertently revealed things during conversations.
"Let go!!"
While blocking her, Sasahara Gen’i said, "Ms. Iwakashi, please calm down."
"Let go! This brat is making things up!"
"Ms. Iwakashi!"
Sasahara Gen’i raised his voice, finally getting Iwakashi Sumiko to stop.
She stood frozen for a few seconds, then adjusted her hair and squatted down to pick up her handbag from the floor, leaving the room without looking back.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Uesugi Sakura hadn’t expected his meeting with Aei’s mother to end like this.
He especially hadn’t anticipated Iwakashi Sumiko’s volatile temperament.
Or perhaps his words hit a nerve?
Although it was indeed a bit harsh to say, it was the truth. Even if it hit a nerve, it was just her desperate attempt to cover up an ugly past.
Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to judge Iwakashi Sumiko’s character, but as a mother, she was completely incompetent.
Uesugi Sakura feared she would take Aei and Chiaei back for other purposes.
Once that purpose was achieved, she would again neglect the two little girls.
The two girls, who would then have their lives ruined forever.
Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to see that happen.
After seeing Iwakashi Sumiko off, Sasahara Gen’i returned to the room.
"Sorry, Mr. Uesugi."
"She’s your client, so why apologize to me?"
"Regardless of whether what you said was true, she was the one who got angry, and hitting someone is unacceptable."
"Lawyer Sasahara, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
"Sorry, I’m just a lawyer. I’m hired and bound by contract to resolve the client’s troubles. Even if the client is a murderer, a lawyer is obligated to defend them."
Sasahara Gen’i bowed before taking his leave.
Five minutes later, as Uesugi Sakura was finishing the last of the barbecue, he received a text message from Lawyer Sasahara.
[Mr. Uesugi, the custody case will open in court in a month. Regardless, your chances aren’t great. I hope you can consider our client’s settlement offer carefully.]
"A five million yen settlement?"
After glancing at his phone, Uesugi Sakura put it away.
He picked up his cup and drank the cool ice water down in one gulp.
"Sakura-kun....."
"It’s okay; we can’t admit defeat in this matter either."
"Sakura-kun, don’t you find it strange?"
"What?"
"Ms. Iwakashi’s handbag is Samantha... a famous brand, but the purple handbag she had is a factory production. Samantha doesn’t have an official purple handbag."
Uesugi Sakura didn’t understand handbags: "What does that imply?"
"The factory used the Samantha brand, Samantha allowed their brand to be used, although it’s the same brand, the production methods and locations are different, and the prices vary by about ten times. An official Samantha handbag is two hundred thousand yen, while the factory one is only twenty thousand yen."
"So... a knock-off?"
"Yes... Given Ms. Iwakashi uses a factory-made handbag and isn’t wearing expensive clothing... bought at bargain prices in Akihabara... as Lawyer Sasahara’s client, Ms. Iwakashi shouldn’t be able to afford the settlement fee, the five million yen you mentioned."
That’s right.
It’s impossible to afford it.
"The little dummy got smart." Uesugi Sakura smiled at her.
"I’m not a dummy..."