Daisy was startled by the Japanese people's almost fanatical determination. She stammered, "My current financial situation isn't very good, so..."
The consul, who had been observing the commotion, spoke up, "Please don't worry, Ms. Johnson. You bravely rescued our citizens, and we will offer some rewards as a token of our gratitude. Ms. Matsumoto also has her own earning capabilities, so you don't need to worry at all!"
The remaining three Japanese women and several consulate staff members all had expressions that screamed, "Say yes to her! Say yes to her!"
Meanwhile, Ms. Matsumoto Maki waited for Daisy's decision with an unwavering conviction, determined not to give up until she achieved her goal.
Daisy truly couldn't refuse. The Japanese consul hinted that they would use official channels to deal with those criminals, ensuring no future repercussions. She could only accept the ten thousand-dollar reward in a daze and leave the Japanese consulate with Matsumoto Maki, her new "retainer."
A cool breeze blew, and only then did she understand the deeper meaning behind the smiling old consul's words. He didn't want her to publicize the incident. By accepting this "retainer" and the hush money, she couldn't go around spreading the news.
In this era, everyone valued credibility. People like the Daredevil protagonist, who took compensation and still investigated the truth, were actually rare.
After marveling at the cunning of politicians, the impoverished Daisy gratefully accepted the ten thousand dollars.
She then turned to Matsumoto Maki and asked what skills she possessed.
Firearms, driving, cold weapons, stealth, assassination—she couldn't do any of it!
Ms. Matsumoto only had a Japanese lawyer's license and hadn't even completed her internship before being lured to America.
Her credentials weren't recognized here, so she would have to retake the exams. She also needed to master English proficiently. Now, Daisy would have to cover all her living expenses.
On the way, she connected to the internet and hacked into several cameras near her rental apartment. The Japanese she imagined didn't appear, and she suspected the consulate had already intervened.
But Daisy still felt a sense of crisis. In the eyes of Westerners, all Asians looked similar, but these Japanese people were different; they had seen Daisy's face. Hell's Kitchen was both large and small.
Finding an eighty-point beauty like her wouldn't be difficult.
After instructing Ms. Matsumoto to wait where she was, Daisy called her black friend, telling her to stay at her parents' house for a few days. Daisy then took a shortcut and quickly ran back to her rental apartment to pack.
Some electronic devices needed to be taken. A hacker's leverage, once caught, would put them at a disadvantage.
Some clothes also had to be taken. Although they were cheap clothes, she had worn them. Who knew what perverted things the Japanese might do if they got their hands on them? Her black friend's clothes were also packed. Then, she ran out of the rental apartment with a backpack and a suitcase.
After meeting up with Ms. Matsumoto, they rented an apartment in Brooklyn.
"Let me find you some clothes, since yours are ruined." Daisy handed two of her own clothes to Matsumoto Maki; the latter's clothes had been torn by the Japanese.
After thanking her, Ms. Matsumoto didn't seem to find anything wrong and started changing in front of Daisy. Daisy wanted to avoid her gaze, but driven by some indescribable reasons, she didn't leave.
Matsumoto was a bit shorter than Daisy, and her calves were a little thick, not as slender as Daisy's, clearly indicating a lack of exercise.
However, to be chosen by the Japanese as someone not to be trifled with, Ms. Matsumoto Maki must have grown up on something special, as her butt and breasts were quite substantial. Daisy's current judgment wasn't refined enough to determine the exact size, but the way she filled Daisy's shirt made her speechless.
After tidying her own room, Daisy discovered that Ms. Matsumoto could cook, which was a pleasant surprise. Upon detailed inquiry, she learned that in Japan, they took home economics classes, and girls usually learned to cook by the age of ten.
This made her sigh with emotion. In another timeline, in that indescribable country, men had somehow taken over cooking.
As a former struggling writer, she could, of course, cook some dishes, but she was just too lazy to bother.
Coupled with her poverty, now that she had a little money, she immediately rolled up her sleeves, ready to help.
"Please don't do that. This is not something you should do!" Ms. Matsumoto adamantly refused her help, pushing her out with an undeniable tone.
If she wasn't going to help, then so be it. Daisy wasn't a particularly diligent person to begin with. She had gone out to wash cars in the morning, then hijacked Americans, fought Russians, and battled Japanese. After a busy morning, she was truly hungry now.
In the West, lunch wasn't given much importance. They ate well in the mornings and evenings, but lunch was usually just a quick bite.
Daisy had never adapted to this eating style.Now, she could finally improve her life a bit.
Before long, Ms. Matsumoto prepared two dishes: one looked somewhat like Mapo Tofu, and the other was stir-fried greens and bean sprouts.The main dish was ordinary rice.
"I am very sorry. Time was too short. I will definitely try harder in the future!" Ms. Matsumoto expressed her apology with a standard kneeling bow.
Daisy felt very embarrassed; this was already a hundred times better than the bread she had been eating before.
"Let's eat together. It's relatively safe here, but you should still keep a low profile for the next few days."
"I've caused you trouble!"
After exchanging pleasantries, the two officially began to eat.
Daisy now possessed superpowers, and her digestive system was very fast. This was also one of the reasons for her financial difficulties; most of her money was spent on food.
She really wanted to eat some meat now, the kind in large bowls and platters, but Japanese portion sizes were notoriously small. They were exquisite, but not filling. Most of one bowl of rice and two plates of dishes were eaten by her, but she was actually less than half full.
She really wanted to shout "I want meat!" like Luffy, but since they had just met, she didn't want to leave Ms. Matsumoto with the impression of being a glutton. She cheerfully said she was full.
After finishing her meal, Ms. Matsumoto began clearing the dishes, then busily started cleaning the interior of the apartment. Daisy, who was lying with her legs crossed, digesting her food, felt too ashamed to stay in the room.
Leaving Ms. Matsumoto to clean the room, she went out and bought a large stack of law books and beginner English materials. She also inquired at the consulate, and they said they would help with Matsumoto Maki's everyday documents.
Daisy bought a pile of books. As soon as she opened the door and took off her shoes, she found Ms. Matsumoto had finished cleaning the room and was washing clothes—Daisy's clothes, including some underwear.
"Oh! This is too embarrassing!" She rushed forward to stop her. Ms. Matsumoto said in a normal tone, "It's fine. I often help my family with laundry at home. Please don't feel any burden."
After saying that, she added something that made Daisy's whole body tingle: "Ms. Johnson smells very nice..."
She was so scared that she broke out in a sweat and could only try to change the subject: "I bought you some law books. You should have a foundation. First, get your lawyer's qualification, and also English. Your English pronunciation is a bit strange."
Matsumoto bowed and nodded again, saying a lot of words of thanks