"Sorry, ma'am, you still need an appointment. If it's not scheduled, I won't listen to anything you say."
David showed a firm refusal, not wanting to hear anything Matsuhashi Miho had to say.
"You only need..."
"Ma'am, please don't disturb our company's employees. If you have any requests, you can discuss them with our receptionist."
At this point, two security guards had also approached.
David couldn't directly refuse, as per the agreement with Eden, he was supposed to keep Matsuhashi Miho hanging, so she wouldn't have time to talk to other retail companies in the short term.
So he could only use his eyes to signal the nearby security guards to try to escort Matsuhashi Miho away.
Just bluffing through for now.
Matsuhashi Miho obviously disregarded them and directly faced the two security guards, saying firmly, "This isn't your company's territory, it's still considered a public area in the United States. I have the right to do anything within the legal limits here."
The two security guards were taken aback by Matsuhashi Miho's words.
Actually, if it were a man being so troublesome, they wouldn't even bother listening, they'd just grab him by the arm and toss him out.
But facing a woman, being too forceful wouldn't look good either.
Meanwhile, David took the opportunity to walk behind the security guards and quickly head towards the company's interior.
Matsuhashi Miho wanted to follow, but was firmly blocked by the two security guards.
They didn't dare to directly lay hands on Matsuhashi Miho, but obstructing her was no problem.
Unless Matsuhashi Miho resorted to outright extortion, but doing so would almost be disregarding dignity, and would greatly affect the company's image.
Matsuhashi Miho took a few hurried breaths, surprised that the manager wouldn't even give her a few minutes to speak. It was quite infuriating.
Even someone as composed as Matsuhashi Miho was finding it hard to bear.
"You two can leave, I'll handle this."
At this point, a redhead woman walked out of the company gate and addressed the two security guards.
The two guards glanced at the redhead woman's badge and immediately stepped aside respectfully.
"Sorry, Ms. Matsuhashi, we didn't mean to block you, but we do have our own difficulties."
The redhead woman was David's assistant.
Perhaps out of sympathy as a fellow woman, or for other reasons, she couldn't help but want to be frank with Matsuhashi Miho.
It was the boss's job to keep Matsuhashi Miho hanging, not hers.
But that wasn't her concern. In the United States, employees weren't really afraid of their bosses. If the boss gave them a hard time, they'd just quit and find another job. There were plenty of places to work.
So the redhead woman was relatively confident.
Matsuhashi Miho's gaze was sharp, making the redhead woman almost want to dodge. She asked, "I just want to have a chat with Manager David about our products. At least give me a chance to present them."
The redhead woman shook her head. "You can't do that. Manager David doesn't have the authority to decide. If we agree to work with you, we might lose the opportunity to work with a big company. In comparison, your company's products don't seem worth the risk of angering a big company, even if your products are really good."
"Which... never mind, I understand. Thank you for telling me this. Without you, I might have wanted to persist a little longer."
Matsuhashi Miho wanted to ask more, but she knew that what the redhead woman had said was already the best she could get. She had no right to demand more information.
And as someone who had been in the industry for many years, she could easily identify several companies without much effort. She didn't need to rack her brain too much.
"Ms. Matsuhashi, if you have the time, you can try your luck with some small retail companies. Medium-sized retail companies might face similar situations."
This was the most sensible advice the redhead woman could offer.
Of course, whether Matsuhashi Miho would listen to her was beyond her control.
And the security guards also noticed that Matsuhashi Miho didn't seem to intend to enter the company premises again, so they naturally wouldn't take any further action.
After thanking the redhead woman, Matsuhashi Miho left without looking back.
The redhead woman glanced at Matsuhashi Miho's departing figure and sighed before returning to the company building.
Matsuhashi Miho, who had just entered her car, took several deep breaths.
There were difficulties and challenges in Japan, and different problems in the United States.
Indeed, nowhere was easy to navigate.
But at this moment, Matsuhashi Miho revealed a hint of a smile.
This kind of place was interesting enough.
Regarding the redhead woman's suggestion, she did take it into consideration, but before that, she needed to report to Takayuki.
Now it was early morning in the United States, probably late at night in Japan. According to the president's habits, he probably hadn't gone to bed yet.
So she called Takayuki's mobile phone, and the call was answered soon after.
At this moment, Takayuki was still in the company, researching the work for the next day, while also checking the game program codes produced by the three teams that day.
Hearing the phone ring, he instinctively answered it.
"Hello?"
"President, it's me, Matsuhashi Miho."
"Oh, Matsuhashi, how's the work going on the American side recently?"
Matsuhashi Miho sighed, "Not smoothly."
Takayuki immediately became serious, "Tell me more specifically."
Matsuhashi Miho briefly explained the negotiations with the retail companies over the past few days.
She had thought Takayuki would be angry.
Such behavior was humiliating.
But Takayuki's reaction was calm.
In Takayuki's view, this wasn't a big deal.
In his past life, Americans often did inexplicable things, and he wasn't surprised by whatever they did. This deliberate stringing along was already quite mild.
"What are your plans next?" Takayuki asked after hearing Matsuhashi Miho's account.
"Previously, a lady from Woodson Department Store suggested that I go and talk to some small retail businesses first. The success rate there might be higher."
Takayuki nodded. "That's indeed a good suggestion. This lady seems very nice. It seems not all Americans are unreasonable."
Hearing Takayuki's jest, Matsuhashi Miho's lips curved up slightly, but she quickly suppressed it.
"If you think this suggestion is good, then I'll go talk to some small retail businesses next."
"Well, take it slow. If negotiations with big companies don't work out, we can offer more to the small companies. After all, small companies often have weaker risk-taking abilities. They need some guarantees. But we can't compromise on some key issues, like selling prices. They must adhere to our regulations and timing for price reductions. They can't change prices arbitrarily."
"That's true," Matsuhashi Miho agreed. "I'll proceed cautiously with the negotiations. Thank you for your advice, President."
Takayuki chuckled. "No problem, Miho. Just remember, don't let them push you around too much. Stand your ground when necessary."
"I will, President. Thank you again."
With that, they ended the call.
Matsuhashi Miho sat in her car, contemplating Takayuki's words. She felt reassured knowing she had his support.
As she drove off, she couldn't help but reflect on the challenges of doing business in different countries. Each place had its own unique set of obstacles, but overcoming them was part of the thrill.
Arriving at her destination, Matsuhashi Miho prepared herself to face the challenges ahead with determination and resilience. She was ready to navigate the complexities of the business world and emerge victorious.