Reborn in Tokyo: From Heiress to Global Tycoon

Chapter 392 A Speech for Everyone

(Thanks to "Dear Ya Daren" for the author's certification! Thanks to "User 11065770" for the author's certification! Two chapters today~)

Upon hearing this, Satsuki stood up.

In that instant, the entire auditorium fell silent.

Even when Principal Kuga was speaking, there were still very faint sounds in the auditorium.

Some people were flipping through the program, some were adjusting their posture, some parents were quietly reminding their children to sit up straight, and in the distance, the sound of camera cases being gently fastened could be heard. These sounds were very quiet and wouldn't disrupt the graduation ceremony, but they were enough to make the auditorium seem to be still in motion.

But after Satsuki stood up from her seat, all the sounds stopped.

She placed the process sheet on her lap on the chair, nodded to Ayako and Reiko beside her, and then stepped out of the third-year A group's queue.

Applause rang out at just the right moment.

First came the students' seats, then the parents' seats, and then the VIP seats in the front row. The applause was not chaotic; it sounded very restrained, consistent with the atmosphere of Sheng Hua Academy's graduation ceremonies.

Satsuki walked onto the podium, meeting those gazes.

She didn't walk quickly, nor did she deliberately strike any pose. She simply walked along the red carpet to the front of the stage and bowed slightly to Principal Kuga. Principal Kuga smiled and nodded back, then stepped aside, making room for her in front of the stage.

Satsuki stood in front of the podium, glancing up at the students and parents below.

The applause quickly subsided.

As the last sound faded, the auditorium returned to its previous silence.

The young faces in the student section were looking at her, and those in the parents' section who were more familiar with Tokyo's trends were also waiting for her to speak.

Satsuki did not use the reading style commonly seen at graduation ceremonies.

Her voice sounded relaxed, as if she were sharing a small thing she had just remembered with an acquaintance.

"Dear teachers, students, and parents."

"Today is graduation ceremony. As is customary, I should thank the school, the teachers, and my parents, and then wish all my classmates a bright future."

She glanced down at the speech prepared by the school for unforeseen circumstances on the podium, then reached out and closed the paper.

"Principal Hisagi has already said those words very well."

In the front row of the school's seats, some people's smiles froze slightly.

Satsuki looked at Shuichi below the stage.

Shuichi's expression was tense, as if he had finally confirmed that his daughter was indeed going to do something today. He looked at Satsuki, his eyes clearly saying "You'd better stop now," but with so many people between them, he obviously couldn't pull her down from the stage.

Satsuki smiled.

"Moreover, the total time I spent at school during my three years of high school was probably less than the time Principal Kuga and my father spent discussing official business."

"It's unlikely that my recollection of my vibrant campus life would be very credible."

The auditorium fell silent for a moment, then a soft laugh rang out.

Several students lowered their heads, as if afraid their laughter would be too obvious. Principal Kuga smiled as well, while Shuichi, sitting in the front row, raised his hand to press his temples.

The atmosphere in the auditorium relaxed a bit.

Satsuki's fingers rested lightly on the edge of the podium, her tone remaining steady.

"So, today I want to talk about something that you will encounter immediately after you leave the auditorium."

"Three years ago, when we entered the senior division of Seiwa Academy, the Nikkei index was still heading towards 40,000 points, land prices in Tokyo were still rising, banks were still willing to lend money, and large companies were still willing to hire people."

"I think many families believe that as long as they continue to follow the original methods, things will get better and better."

Some people in the audience changed their expressions.

The change wasn't obvious; the smile that had been on his lips slowly faded, and the fingers gripping the process sheet tightened a little.

"Back then, the questions fathers and mothers asked their children most often were which university to apply to, which department to choose, and which company to work for in the future. After gaining experience for a few years, they would then come back to help out at their family company."

She looked at the silent crowd below the stage, her voice still steady.

"These issues are certainly important today as well."

"But the parents sitting here probably can't just think about these things anymore."

"Will the bank extend the loan? Will the family company still receive orders? Will the factory resume operations next month? How much of the real estate that we used to be able to use as collateral will the bank still accept?"

The atmosphere in the auditorium underwent a subtle change.

Some students glanced discreetly toward the parents' section.

Some parents lowered their heads, as if avoiding the gaze of those around them. Others, on the contrary, sat even straighter, their expressions unchanged, though the process sheet in their hands had been crumpled slightly.

Of course, some people remained calm throughout, simply watching Satsuki on the stage, lost in thought.

Satsuki gave them some time and didn't rush to continue.

Many of the people sitting here would never have wanted their children to hear these issues. These words shouldn't be at a graduation ceremony, nor should they come from the mouths of student representatives.

But they have already entered every family's dining table, study, and company meeting room.

The bill won't disappear even if you plug your ears.

After a moment, Satsuki continued to speak.

"Of course, the fact that everyone here is able to come to the school and sit here already shows that you have better conditions than most people."

Her gaze shifted from the students' section to the parents' section.

"But these problems won't disappear from Tokyo just because the auditorium at Seiwa Academy is beautiful."

"This is Japan."

"Next, after we graduate, we will face Japan."

Over at the school's table, several teachers finally began to get restless.

The grade head glanced down at the process sheet in his hand, then looked up at Principal Kuga. The administrative director's gaze swept towards the sound system area, where the staff were sitting behind the equipment, their hands no longer on the switches, their eyes also looking towards the school's seats.

The emcee stood to the side, holding a card indicating the next step in the process. Upon hearing this, he was unsure whether he should step in and stop it.

They all realized that Satsuki was probably going to say something she shouldn't say at the graduation ceremony.

Logically, the school could have used the established procedures to remind students, had the emcee come forward, or found a reason to switch back to the graduation ceremony arrangements. However, the person standing on the stage was Saionji Satsuki.

Should we really be the first to stand up and stop her?

Principal Jiu Ge did not speak.

Shuichi didn't say anything either.

Whoever steps forward to stop it at this moment will become the center of attention.

So the people in the school's seats just glanced at each other and kept giving each other meaningful looks, their eyes almost turning into cross-eyed stares, but no one dared to actually step forward.

Satsuki seemed oblivious to these reactions.

"So I won't tell you here that hard work will definitely lead to success, nor will I say that as long as you get into a good university, you can rest assured about the future."

"A diploma is important, and so is family background. But in the next few years, banks need cash flow, businesses need orders, and employees care about whether their salaries will be paid on time."

"What could have sustained the company in the past may not be able to sustain it in the future."

"Relationships that provided peace of mind in the past may not be able to help people get loans in the future."

Her gaze shifted to the parents' section.

"You all should know this better than the students."

After those words were spoken, not a single word could be heard from the parents' seats.

Many people suddenly realized at this moment that Satsuki's audience on the podium today was never just her students.

She was addressing the entire auditorium.

He was also speaking to those who were not in the auditorium but would certainly hear these words.

Satsuki gripped the edge of the podium with both hands and leaned forward slightly.

"Therefore, the Saionji family will also give everyone an answer today."

Shuichi's fingers gently pressed on the armrest.

Principal Kuga paused for a moment as he looked at the podium.

Reiko looked up from the student section, her fingers unconsciously gripping the graduation certificate on her lap.

Satsuki continued:

"We will continue to open stores, expand warehouses, add food processing lines, invest in information systems, expand our procurement list, and continue to integrate other operating companies into our system."

"As long as your companies can still produce, please send us samples, quotes, and delivery schedules."

"We also have warehouses, fleets, factories, and stores at home, so you can send the documents over as well."

"If any of you are worried about not having a place in the future, please remember this sentence from today."

Satsuki looked around.

"The Saionji family is expanding."

"And we will continue to expand in the foreseeable future."

The auditorium became quieter.

This statement can no longer be taken as merely a speech by a graduate representative.

The school staff could tell.

Parents can tell.

The school board members sitting in the front row could also tell.

At the graduation ceremony of Seika Academy, Saionji Satsuki openly revealed the Saionji family's stance to everyone. She did not shy away from the outside world's discussions about the Saionji's expansion, nor did she choose to keep a low profile when the Seiwa Association tested the Isogawa family.

She made herself very clear.

The Saionji family will continue to expand.

This also indicates that the Saionji family will maintain an extremely assertive attitude, and is becoming even more assertive.

The Seiwakai wanted to know how Saionji would respond.

Now, the entire auditorium heard the response.

Inside the auditorium, a parent slowly lowered their head, as if deep in thought. On the other side, a student looked at their father, only to find him staring at Satsuki on the podium, his face devoid of the relaxed demeanor one would expect at a graduation ceremony.

Just when the atmosphere in the room became somber, Satsuki suddenly smiled.

The oppressive silence that had hung over the auditorium was gently dispelled by the smile that reappeared on her lips.

"Of course, you can also just take this as a whimsical remark by a representative of the graduates."

Satsuki turned to look at the principal's seat.

"After all, when Principal Kuga invited me to the stage, he probably didn't expect that a company briefing would be added to the graduation ceremony at the last minute."

A burst of laughter, neither too loud nor too soft, filled the auditorium.

Principal Kuga smiled and nodded, though his smile seemed somewhat forced. The teachers sitting next to him also smiled, but their expressions were much more complex than before.

Xiu lowered his head and his shoulder twitched slightly.

He has probably given up trying to pull his daughter back from this speech.

Satsuki bowed slightly towards the principal's seat.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Principal."

Principal Kuga nodded to her, as if accepting the apology.

Satsuki looked down at the audience again.

Happy graduation, everyone!

She paused for a moment.

"From today onwards, anyone who wants a seat can come to Saionji."

After the last sentence was spoken, the auditorium fell silent for a moment.

Then, applause broke out.

This time the applause was even louder than when she took the stage.

Some students started clapping, and the parents quickly followed suit. Applause also erupted from the front VIP seats. Many people hadn't even fully composed themselves before their hands instinctively began clapping.

Satsuki stood in front of the podium and bowed to the audience.

When she stepped off the stage, Principal Kuga took the microphone and continued to host the graduation ceremony according to the schedule.

However, the atmosphere could never be the same again.

The graduation certificates were awarded, student representatives gave speeches, and graduates left the stage—the process moved forward step by step. The school tried hard to maintain a respectable appearance, and the emcee's voice remained consistent, but the students and parents were clearly distracted.

Parents were constantly talking in hushed tones.

Some people said a few words, then turned back to look in the direction of Class 3-A. Others took out their business card holders, as if suddenly remembering something, and wrote a few words on the back of their cards. The same was true among the students; many clapped along with the proceedings while stealing glances at Satsuki.

When Satsuki returned to her seat, Ayako was already looking at her with an almost worshipful gaze.

"Saionji-kun..."

She seemed to have a lot to say, but in the end, she only managed to utter one sentence.

"That was really impressive."

Satsuki sat down, her tone very natural.

"Thanks."

Ayako wanted to say something more, but when she saw Reiko on her right, she stopped herself from speaking.

Reiko hadn't said much since Satsuki returned to her seat.

She still held the process sheet in her hand, but her gaze wasn't on the paper. Satsuki's words about protection, expansion, and where to stand kept echoing in her mind.

I can't delay any longer.