Chapter 12: On the Global Distribution of Scalpers (Revised)...

While the Stan people were asleep, He Changyi found a legitimate currency exchange place outside the Baikal Hotel.

The exchange rate offered by this person was 1:175, much lower than the 1:150 that the Stanman had mentioned, which would only get you a little over six hundred US dollars.

However, considering the ruble's current situation of falling three times in a single day, a ratio of 1:175 is still reasonable.

After all, the people of Stan didn't really want to exchange currency; they were using the low exchange rate as bait to lure in those who were greedy for cheap deals.

He Changyi quickly exchanged all 110,000 rubles for US dollars. She had already seen several other Stans searching around the hotel, probably accomplices of the Stans she had knocked unconscious.

Some of them went into the alley, and soon a loud shout came from inside. The remaining Stan people ran over.

He Changyi, clutching the US dollars, hailed a taxi. Before he could even state his destination, he hurriedly urged the driver to start driving.

Through the rearview mirror, she saw the Stanman being carried out of the alley.

His expression was listless, but his eyes fiercely scanned the Chinese people at the hotel entrance, as if he were looking for someone.

As the taxi drove away from the Baikal Hotel, the figures in the rearview mirror grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared.

"@#￥%*&?"

The driver asked, and He Changyi guessed he was asking where she was going.

She handed a slip of paper to the driver in the front seat, on which she had copied down the street names.

The dilapidated taxi sped along the bumpy road, passing through the decaying streets of Mosk.

On the other side.

“Alexei, you can’t always be like this, hating your other half.”

The tall, young man frowned and said, "I'm just worried about your safety."

The short old woman was utterly unkind to her grandson, whose face she had to crane her neck to see.

"Not all Chinese people are bad. At least she's a good girl."

Alexei said coldly:

"A Chinese middleman?"

He didn't want to discuss the topic any further, so he took out a stack of rubles from his pocket and placed them on the table.

If you look closely, you can see that some of the banknotes have bloodstains on them.

“You don’t need to sell anything anymore; I can earn enough money for us to live on.”

The old woman's face showed a mixture of worry and anger.

“Alexei, even if I starve to death, I won’t spend a single penny! You have betrayed my education! You are committing a crime!”

Alexei simply pursed his lips.

"The alliance is finished, and Oros is almost finished too, but we still need to survive."

The old woman said sadly:

"Alexei, you were once a soldier. You swore to defend your country and people. Do you still remember your oath? Are your current actions worthy of your country?"

Alexei couldn't help but raise his voice a little.

"How could that country do this to us?! You dedicated your life to the country, but your retirement pension isn't even enough to keep you from starving. I fought for my country in the Middle East, but my medals couldn't even buy a single loaf of bread!"

The empty house fell into a deathly silence.

Alexei was the first to calm down.

“I’m sorry, Grandmother. I just want us all to survive, no matter what.”

After saying that, he turned and left in a somewhat embarrassed manner. When he opened the door, he found an uninvited guest standing outside.

He Changyi looked at him in surprise, just as she was about to raise her hand to knock on the door.

"Hello?"

Alexei's face was grim.

Why are you here? I told you, I don't want to see you again.

He Changyi ignored him completely, nimbly squeezed past his arm, and gave the old woman who came to the door to check the situation a warm hug.

"I really miss you after not seeing you for a day!"

She magically produced a brightly colored bouquet from behind her back and presented it to the old woman.

These flowers look perfect for you!

A look of surprise appeared on the old woman's face.

When she saw the silver teapot on the table that morning, she never expected to see this kind-hearted girl from Zhongguo again.

The old woman hugged He Changyi and affectionately kissed him three times on each cheek.

She took the bouquet and couldn't resist leaning in to take a deep breath.

Since her monthly pension could no longer afford a loaf of black bread, she has not bought any flowers, and the vase on the dining table was sold long ago for money.

She said in Ethnic language, "Thank you, these flowers are so beautiful. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

He Changyi didn't understand, but smiled sweetly and obediently, showing no trace of the way she had beaten up the Stan people earlier.

Alexei observed coldly, then suddenly spoke:

You can't stay here.

He Changyi had a smile on her face, but what she said was completely different.

"I'm not leaving, you're the one who has to go."

Alexei's face suddenly turned ugly.

He stepped forward and unceremoniously grabbed He Changyi's arm, trying to forcibly drag her out of the house.

The two were vastly different in height and build, making He Changyi look like prey captured by a wild beast.

She instinctively wanted to retaliate, but forcibly suppressed it, instead revealing a terrified expression and reaching out her hand to the old woman for help.

The old woman stood with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised.

"Alexei, let her go!"

Alexei didn't let go, his face tense.

“Grandmother, she can’t stay at home. I will find her a safe place.”

The old woman said without any politeness:

"Safety? Your very existence is the greatest danger. I don't trust you."

A look of hurt flashed across Alexei's face for a moment, but he quickly masked it, saying with a straight face:

"Whether you agree or not, I will take her away."

The old lady stormed over and grabbed He Changyi's other arm.

"If you take her away today, you're never allowed to come back!"

The grandfather and grandson reached a stalemate, and Alexei was the first to compromise.

I'll stay tonight.

He looked at He Changyi, his expression cold, and then spoke in Chinese:

"I'll be watching you closely, so don't try anything funny."

He Changyi only had one sentence to say about this.

"Your Chinese is quite good. Keep up the good work."

In the evening, He Changyi did not let the old woman cook.

Before coming, she bought a lot of food at a nearby restaurant, including potato salad, fish jelly, cheese pancakes, fried chicken, and a bowl of soup, which cost her more than 500 rubles.

This was a rare and sumptuous dinner.

But clearly, not everyone can be won over by a delicious meal.

Alexei sat at the dining table, but did not move. Instead, he looked at He Changyi with a scrutinizing gaze.

Like a wolf carefully examining its prey.

He Changyi seemed oblivious, exaggeratedly taking a bite of the old woman's homemade wasabi, which amused the woman to break into a smile on her serious face, and she got up to go to the kitchen to get the pickled cucumbers.

Only He Changyi and Alexei remained at the dining table.

As Alexei picked up his teacup and took a sip, He Changyi suddenly spoke:

"Are you a member of the Mafia?"

Alexei choked.

He Changyi observed him with great interest.

How interesting that a bear has a loving grandmother.

However, it seems he is trying to shave off the messy and unprofitable burdens of humanity, conscience, and morality.

His previous intervention at the train station to help Changyi, shifting the target of the Adidas-wearing young man's robbery to a passing sucker, was probably a resurgence of the remaining embers of morality.

I wonder how long it will take him to learn not to waste his remaining kindness on strangers.

Alexei did not answer He Changyi's question.

In fact, he didn't say anything. He just glanced at He Changyi, then simply put down his cup, left the table, and disappeared from the mansion.

He was like a elusive gray wolf, silently lurking in the shadows of the room, ready to bite the throat of any intruder at any moment.

He Changyi didn't necessarily need an answer.

However, after getting to know a Roma policeman, it would be even more helpful for her future reseller business if she could also get to know a local gangster.

With connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds, there's no need to worry about becoming an easy target for exploitation.

Before visiting the old woman's house, He Changyi went to the Moscow train station to buy a return ticket.

She has basically achieved her goal in coming to Eros: she has become familiar with the Zhong'e trade route and is well aware of the hidden dangers and undercurrents.

Moreover, the initial earnings exceeded $1,300—although $700 of that was thanks to the "generosity" of the Stantons.

If this was a trial run, then the next one will be a massive, chaotic leap forward.

He Changyi needs to return to China as soon as possible and then bring more goods to Russia.

However, when He Changyi handed the slip of paper with the pre-written ticket purchase details to the ticket seller at the window, she glanced at it and simply pushed the slip of paper away.

“нет (none)”

He Changyi, who was prepared, presented her with another slip of paper, asking when she would have tickets.

The ticket seller glanced at it impatiently and said "нет (no)" three times.

He Changyi was somewhat surprised. How could there be no tickets? Even when domestic and international train tickets were in high demand, at least one could know when a ticket would be available.

She wanted to ask again, but the ticket seller ignored her and asked the next person.

He Changyi was pushed to the outside of the line, somewhat dazed.

The service was... very friendly, or perhaps a little too friendly.

Even the worst-tempered ticket seller in China, one who relies on connections, couldn't be this bad.

However, when He Changyi went to several different ticket windows, the answer he received was always "нет (no)".

Even the most approachable-looking ticket seller could only shrug helplessly when He Changyi asked, indicating that there were no tickets available for her.

Standing outside the train station, He Changyi suddenly had a flash of realization, followed by a feeling of being both amused and exasperated.

No way...

Could it be that the older brother also raises yellow cattle at home?

Although we were once in the same socialist camp, there's really no need for us to be exactly the same in such details.

So, on her trip to Russia, she had to pay extra to Chinese scalpers to buy tickets before departure, and on her return trip, she had to contribute to the sales of Russian scalpers. Is the GDP of both countries going to depend entirely on her, this weak and helpless middleman?

Besides, she's unfamiliar with the area; where is she supposed to find a reliable ticket scalper?

Wait, someone Mosk knows...

He Changyi's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly hailed a taxi, telling the driver his destination in his broken Emei language.

"Moscow University".

A note from the author:

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Please don't let it get too long before it's finished; the author really needs some feedback T_T