Chapter 123 Large-scale Demolition and Construction (Revision)

Irbuyat.

At the negotiating table, there was an excessively long silence, and the air seemed to freeze, until one of them could no longer contain himself and spoke first.

"Miss He."

The middle-aged man in a coat and suit looked suspiciously at the foreign woman opposite him who was too young and too calm.

"Excuse my bluntness, but what is your reason for wanting to cooperate with me? To be honest, I don't think there is any basis for a friendly cooperation between us, unless you intend to do business with revolvers."

As he said this, he subconsciously glanced at the newly recruited bodyguards behind him, which gave him a slight sense of psychological comfort.

“Mr. Trotsky, it really upsets me that you would think that way.”

The woman's brows were slightly furrowed; she looked sweet and harmless, unlike the crazy woman who had pointed a gun at her own head in the casino.

Trotsky remained unmoved, and seemed even more wary.

Seeing this, the woman sighed sadly.

"Wasn't our previous cooperation amicable enough? To be honest, I've never met a more generous and trustworthy partner than you. We didn't even send assassins to each other afterward. Isn't that amicable enough?"

Trotsky: ...

—Is that what he calls keeping his promise and refusing to send assassins?

—He was clearly afraid of this crazy woman!

Who knows if he might send out an assassin, only to have her show up with a bomb and take him down with her?

Trotsky gathered his thoughts and asked incredulously, "Miss He, I am deeply honored, but why did you choose me?"

"The reason is very simple."

The woman said tenderly, "Because you're afraid of me."

Trotsky: ...

The boy in the hat next to him let out a snicker, and when Trotsky glared at him angrily, he raised his finger and lifted his hat, revealing a hateful and familiar face.

“I’m sorry, but it’s certainly humorous, isn’t it, Mr. Trotsky?”

Trotsky gritted his teeth and turned his gaze away.

"Miss He, this is not funny at all!"

He said righteously, "If you just want someone to laugh at, there are plenty of jesters out there. You have no need to make fun of a friend you've already reconciled with. It will only make you an unnecessary enemy!"

After speaking, Trotsky stood up, straightened his tie, and made as if to leave.

Do you think I'm just joking?

The woman also stood up and said softly, "In your opinion, would I be a shallow, casual fool?"

Trotsky paused in his steps, then hesitated and turned to look back.

As a woman, she might be a bit too ruthless and cruel; but as a businesswoman, she must have been blessed by God.

The woman tapped the table with her finger and sat back down in her chair first.

"Please have a seat. I do have a lucrative business opportunity to discuss with you."

She glanced at the boy in the hat next to her, who had a cheerful smile on his face and produced a huge map from somewhere, which covered the entire negotiating table.

The woman tapped the map, her expression resolute yet sharp.

"Would you be interested in building a new Irbyat, Mr. Trotsky?"

Trotsky finally sat down.

In this spring, which was no different from any other year, a seed was quietly planted in Irbuyat.

On the muddy streets after the snow and ice melted, pedestrians struggled to find a slightly drier spot to stand amidst the mud and water.

Some people stopped by the roadside and looked up at the workers who were carefully removing the glass and iron frames from the building windows.

What are they doing?

"I don't know, maybe the old men at the city hall have come up with some new tricks again."

"I really hope they can cut down on their tricks and get Smolensky to Moscow as soon as possible!"

“Then I’d rather he stay in Irbuyat. Who knows what kind of guy will be sent next as mayor?”

Similar conversations took place in other parts of the city, and a low-key demolition operation was quietly underway throughout Irbuyat.

The first batch of houses to be demolished were old, dilapidated, and vacant buildings that seemed ready to collapse in the fierce spring wind, threatening to randomly kill a few passersby with bricks.

The neighbors were overjoyed when these dilapidated houses were demolished.

"That's great! I'd rather this old building be demolished into ruins than have my house ready to be crushed at any moment!"

As the bricks and cement were cleared away, and the unfamiliar construction crew began digging foundations and driving piles, looking ready to get things done quickly, the neighbors asked curiously and puzzledly, "Who wants to build a house here? The last time a new building appeared in the city was back in the Alliance era."

The workers pointed to the signs on their chests and said loudly, "We are from the Trotsky Company. The boss said we are going to rebuild all the houses in Irbyat!"

The neighbors were both amazed and skeptical: "Rebuild all the houses in the city? You're a private company, right? Do you really have that much money?"

"Does the snail-paced city government really think they'll let your company start construction smoothly? I'm really worried that you won't get all the approval documents by winter, and then the land will be frozen over..."

The worker proudly said, "There are many construction teams like ours. Don't worry, our boss is a very capable person. You won't find anyone more capable than her! She goes to the mayor's office as easily as if it were her home!"

A gasp rippled through the crowd, and a quick-thinking neighbor immediately asked worriedly, "You're not going to tear down our houses too, are you?"

Although this building is over fifty years old and leaks everywhere, and its condition is not much better than the dilapidated buildings next door that have been demolished, it is still their warm home no matter how run-down it is.

All the neighbors looked anxiously at the construction worker, while he scratched his head and said honestly, "I don't know. But I guess the boss won't tear down your houses."

Someone pressed further, asking, "What makes you so sure?"

The worker replied heartily, "Because she's demolishing houses to make money. Your dilapidated houses obviously don't offer any profit!"

Neighbors: ...

This is truly bittersweet news; I don't know whether I should be happy about it or not.

While all the old and dilapidated buildings in the city were undergoing major construction, Trotsky brought his accountant to He Changyi's office.

"I'm not trying to question anything, but until now, I've been spending money without receiving any return!"

He Changyi didn't even glance at the report the accountant handed him, and casually pushed it aside.

"Trotsky, you actually came to me for such an idiotic question. I can hardly help but doubt whether your wealth was acquired through legal means."

Before Trotsky could speak again in a fit of rage, He Changyi asked bluntly, "Besides the cost of construction materials and labor, did you pay any extra fees? Or did you not make any money from the ruins? Those steel bars, copper wires, bricks, glass, and even intact doors—recycling building materials can be a lucrative business."

Trotsky's expression, which was meant to be accusatory, froze awkwardly on his face.

Although the demolished houses looked like a mess, there was a gold mine hidden in the construction waste. Even the most inconspicuous concrete and brick fragments could be used as raw materials for paving roads, not to mention the steel bars that formed the building's framework and the copper wires in the electrical wiring.

Trotsky waved his hand, and the accountant, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly slipped out of the office with the report in hand.

“Ms. He, I’m just a little worried that we’ve invested too much in the early stages, while the returns in the later stages are too little.”

Trotsky pulled up a chair and sat down at his desk, speaking frankly to He Changyi: "Why don't we ask the city government to contribute some money? There's oil here, surely they have the funds?"

This is a way to pressure her into pressuring the municipal government in order to gain more benefits.

"Yes, why doesn't the city government contribute money? They're incredibly stingy, aren't they?"

He Changyi looked at Trotsky, his expression changed, and he said sternly, "That's because they've already provided the old house and land for free!"

Trotsky tried to argue: "But we need cash more now..."

He Changyi pressed on, asking, "Are you joking? Or is it that in your career as a builder, the majority of costs have come not from land purchases, but from demolition and reconstruction?"

"Mr. Trotsky, do you think there is only one intelligent person in the world?"

She looked at the seemingly sincere tycoon with a half-smile: "If you are not satisfied with the cooperation model, I don't mind finding a new partner. You need to know that in this cooperation, no one is indispensable except for me."

Trotsky's expression changed, and he stood up abruptly.

"Then find a new partner! I'm withdrawing my investment! Unless you show me the respect I deserve!"

He Changyi didn't move, looking down at the documents, and said nonchalantly, "Then you can leave now. I will have the accountant return the remaining investment to you after deducting the value of the recycled building materials. By the way, according to our agreement, it's interest-free."

Trotsky stood at the door, unable to move forward or backward.

...She was truly the most difficult business partner he had ever encountered, always easily thwarting his attempts to seize control!

Trotsky was caught in a dilemma; he wanted to continue his anger, but he was also reluctant to give up the huge benefits that were within his grasp.

After thinking it over, since it wasn't the first time he'd been humiliated in front of her, he decided to just throw his pride out the window and pretend nothing had happened.

Trotsky's expression changed again, and he put on a friendly smile once more.

"Why are you angry? This is just a minor friction during our cooperation, and it won't affect our friendly relationship."

Seeing that He Changyi remained unmoved and was still looking at the documents, Trotsky simply flattered him:

“Miss He, you are the wisest woman I have ever met. Your wisdom and courage even make me feel ashamed. I really hope I haven’t hurt you too much, otherwise I will never be able to eat a piece of bread again…”

"Yes, you can't eat bread, but you can eat sausage, steak and caviar."

He Changyi finally put down his pen and looked up at Trotsky.

"The first batch of dilapidated building reconstruction projects must be completed within three months. If you can't even wait three months, I suggest you withdraw and choose stocks or gambling. The investment return cycle is so short that it only takes a few minutes, which will definitely meet your needs."

Trotsky quickly replied, "It's only three months, of course I can wait!"

He Changyi lowered his head to look at the documents again, while raising his hand to indicate the direction of the door.

“I have other things to take care of. If you need someone to chat with, I think Mikhail can meet your needs.”

Trotsky: ...He'd be crazy to go and chat with the KGB!

After Trotsky left dejectedly, the office door was gently opened, and a brown head peeked in.

"Mr. Trotsky looks very unhappy."

He Changyi said, "He's only happy when he sees money, fine wine, and beautiful women."

Mikhail walked briskly into the office and asked curiously, "I've always had a question: why did you choose Trotsky as your partner? To be honest, he's greedy and shameless, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and he'll only cause trouble for the pallbearers after he dies."

He Changyi asked doubtfully, "Is the answer to this question really that hard to guess? I remember I've already said it once."

She shook her head, like a desperate kindergarten teacher explaining that 1+1=2 instead of 1+1=34567.

"Because he didn't have the guts to snatch food from my mouth."

Although Trotsky had many underhanded tactics, he had been terrified by He Changyi during the roulette game, and he absolutely did not want to truly be her enemy again.

The housing reconstruction project in Irbuyat sounds impressive, but its actual operation is extremely simple. Anyone could do it, as long as they can establish a relationship with the municipal government. Even a bear could easily snatch it from He Changyi's hands.

The municipal government provides free housing and land, while He Changyi demolishes the old houses and renovates them. The completed houses are then split 50/50. The municipal government can solve the city's increasingly serious housing pressure, while He Changyi can sell the houses on the real estate market and make a profit.

In this process, apart from material and labor costs, He Changyi did not even need to deal with the government, which is usually a major expense besides land purchase.

Trotsky certainly knew all this; he started his career in real estate, initially building his first fortune from scratch with an illegal construction team that built quick and easy suburban vacation homes. He understood the ins and outs of the business better than anyone else.

He brought up the investment return cycle and the government's lack of investment, just to take advantage of He Changyi's lack of expertise and test her capabilities to see if he could take control of the cooperation from her.

"He only dared to go this far."

He Changyi said to Mikhail, "Even if it's just taking one more step forward, I don't need to do anything, he will take a step back on his own."

Mikhail said thoughtfully, "It seems the roulette game last time really left a deep impression on him, but perhaps not deep enough..."

He cheerfully suggested, "I have an even more interesting game, like having him balance an apple on his head, and you can choose between throwing a knife or a pistol—that would surely leave an even deeper impression on Mr. Trotsky!"

He Changyi said seriously, "I'm a legitimate businessman—"

She changed the subject abruptly, "So, where is the throwing knife?"

Perhaps sensing He Changyi's expectations, Trotsky refrained from provoking him in the days that followed. It's also possible that he genuinely couldn't bear to part with the Irbyat project, given its substantial profits.

Three months passed in the blink of an eye. When the first batch of rebuilt houses were completed, Mayor Smolensky specially requested a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion.

Facing the reporter's camera, the mayor, dressed in an old-fashioned suit, smiled like Santa Claus.

"Yes, yes, we will accomplish what the Alliance failed to do—give every citizen their own home! We have broken free from the Alliance's outdated and corrupt system, and under the President's leadership, our nation will move towards a brighter future!"

Mayor Smolensky's image and his loyal statement were printed in the newspapers and rushed from distant Irbyat to Moscow, which would bring him a one-way ticket to the White House.

Beyond the potential political gains in the future, Mayor Smolensky also reaped immediate and tangible benefits from the old building reconstruction project.

In the past, although Mayor Smolensky held power over the entire city, the resources he could directly access were limited; most of the resources required were indirect resources that needed to be exchanged for permits.

However, as new houses sprang up, the resources he controlled suddenly increased. The allocation of these new houses became a new, and one of the most important, sources of power and income for him.

The shrewd old bureaucrat immediately realized this and his opinion of the foreign businesswoman changed drastically.

When Mayor Smolensky looked over again, he saw not Mr. Andrei Jr., but He Changyi.

“My dear girl, you are so capable, but we need more, more, and more new houses.”

He Changyi said with a smile, "Of course, as I said, I will build a new Irbuyat for you."

Trotsky stood forlornly to one side, while Mayor Smolensky merely shook hands with him casually, completely ignoring the other partner.

Should we snatch this project?

Trotsky thought maliciously, but when he thought of the roulette game, he immediately lost his courage and had no thoughts at all.

Forget it, he should just stick to making money by hitchhiking and forget about grabbing projects. After all, he doesn't have a second brain to play roulette, and God won't kiss his forehead.

Riding on the momentum of the successful first wave of cooperation between the two parties, He Changyi took the opportunity to promote the Friendship Store, Far East Development Bank and Baiyang Foundation to Irbuyat.

With the backing of Mayor Smolensky, the three companies quickly expanded their businesses locally. Not only did the Friendship Store move into the new building and become the most popular store in Irbyat, but the Far Eastern Development Bank also set up a branch next to the municipal government office building and became the designated bank for government departments to pay salaries.

In this remote, undeveloped Far Eastern wilderness far from Mosk, the Poplar Foundation absorbed a large number of vouchers locally, so many that it had to temporarily hire several staff members to pack them up, and the shops were sold out of rubber bands.

Gradually, just like in Vladimir, the people of Irbyat began to frequently mention "Zhongguo".

"Today I bought a bag of white sugar at Zhongguo Store. Look at this snow-white powder, it only cost half the original price!"

"I never imagined that Zhongguo had developed so well. No wonder fewer and fewer Zhongguo people are fleeing here. It turns out they are living a better life than us."

"Did you go to the Far Eastern Development Bank to deposit your money? Damn it, you haven't gone yet! Hurry up and take your money to that bank. Everyone who makes a deposit today can get a free case of milk!"

"Vouchers? Didn't you use all the vouchers at home to exchange for vodka? I don't have any more vouchers for you... What, you mean you want to invest the vouchers in a fund? Is that reliable? It's not a scam, is it... Okay, I'll go look for them. There should be some vouchers in the box."

When summer arrives, even toddlers who have just learned to speak will point outside and say in their unclear, childlike voices, "Jong-kook, Jong-kook..."

The young mother lovingly picked her up and gently bit her fair little face.

"Okay, okay, let's go to Jong-kook Store. I know it's your favorite place. Is it a new toy or snacks this time?"

A wave of Chinese culture swept through Irbuyat. People ate Chinese canned food, wore Chinese clothes, bought Chinese products, and even lived in houses built by Chinese people.

During the short summer, the soil, which had been frozen all winter, thawed completely, making it perfect for large-scale construction. As a result, construction sites were everywhere in the city, and the sounds of construction never stopped from morning till night.

However, the public's reaction wasn't entirely negative. While some complained about the noise and dust from the pile driving, many more asked expectantly:

"Isn't it our turn next time?"

"Why haven't they come to demolish our houses yet? I swear, if they do demolish them, I'll be the first one to move out!"

The newly built house is not only beautiful but also of good quality, warm in winter and cool in summer, with brand new heating pipes, so there is no need to worry about the heating being cut off during the coldest part of winter due to pipe breakage.

People who were previously afraid of their houses being demolished have now all changed their tune. What they look forward to most is the demolition team stopping downstairs with buckets of paint and painting a large "拆" (demolish) on the wall in bright red paint—it's said to be a Chinese custom that represents good luck and wealth.

There were so many people who had high hopes for her. Whenever He Changyi went to the municipal government to handle some business, she would always be stopped by smiling civil servants on the way.

"Honey, which area are you planning to demolish next?"

"Hey, this is my home address. You know, my biggest hope this year is to move into a new house!"

"I assure you, this is definitely a dilapidated building... What, it's only twenty years old? Twenty years is a long time. Believe me, a twenty-year-old building should be demolished and rebuilt!"

When they arrived at the mayor's office, Mayor Smolensky, who was sitting down, stood up from behind his desk upon seeing He Changyi, opened his arms, and warmly embraced the young woman from Zhongguo.

"My dear girl! Even though we just saw each other yesterday, I still miss you terribly!"

He Changyi politely touched cheek to cheek with the other person, then familiarly found a seat to sit down. This time, Mayor Smolensky had specially called her over, saying that he had something to tell her in person.

"It's about an oil company."

The old mayor winked slyly at her and said with a smile:

“I think no one deserves this oil company more than you.”