Chapter 29 Westward March! Westward March!

With the corrupt police officers no longer coming to extort money, life returned to normal.

He Changyi's business was booming. Not only did Russian merchants come to her to buy her goods, but many Chinese traders were also willing to buy wholesale from her, saving them the time of going back to China to purchase goods.

Although changing from "one-way" to "two-way" means the profits are not as high as before, considering that it takes at least half a month to travel to and from Zhong'e by international train and the high transportation costs, purchasing goods from He Changyi is a more economical and practical choice.

After all, not needing to go back to China to purchase goods means no worries about not being able to buy train tickets, no worries about passports expiring and being unable to pass through customs to enter Russia, and it can also speed up the flow of funds, saving a lot of trouble.

Moreover, the goods provided by He Changyi can be described as high quality and low price. Even if they went back to China to purchase goods themselves, they might not be able to get a lower price for such medium to high quality goods.

Over time, He Changyi gradually made a name for himself as a wholesaler in the middleman's circle.

Meanwhile, some traders, unable to tolerate the increasingly deteriorating security situation and police inaction in Mosk, and unwilling to risk their lives for money, ultimately decided to return to their home countries.

Before leaving, someone tentatively asked He Changyi if he would buy any unsold goods they had.

After inspecting the quality of the goods, He Changyi bought the better quality items, sold them at a higher price, and made a small profit.

The weather is getting colder and colder, and heavy snow is falling in Moscow.

When you're outdoors, the air feels like it's filled with invisible ice spikes that prick your delicate nasal cavity when you breathe, turning each inhale into a small, uncomfortable ordeal.

It is at this point that the overly thick walls of the Emei-style architecture demonstrate their effectiveness, providing some insulation against the extreme cold, but not completely.

Grandma Vitalie refused to accept rent and living expenses from He Changyi, so He Changyi took care of all the daily food, necessities, and firewood and charcoal, thus indirectly subsidizing the household expenses.

The old lady cherished the supplies and refused to let her spend too much, so He Changyi exaggeratedly acted as if she had "frozen to death," which always drew Alexei's attention.

Therefore, Grandma Vitalie's house was especially warm this year; a gentle warmth greeted you as soon as you opened the door.

Every time He Changyi returned to Grandma Vitalie's house, she would see a group of old men and women gathered around the fireplace to keep warm.

The fireplace was burning hot, and with the help of the indoor heating, a happy blush spread across the faces of Grandma Vitalie's old friends.

He Changyi was somewhat dissatisfied when she first met these elderly people. If they needed to barter, they could come to her office instead of staying at Grandma Vitalie's house, which would attract the covetous eyes of petty people.

But Grandma Vitalie explained:

“These are all my old friends. In this difficult time, they need a little warmth, at least to get through to next spring.”

He Changyi then learned that, due to their pensions being insufficient to keep up with soaring prices, these former professors and engineers were now facing a dire situation where they could hardly make ends meet.

In the summer, they can grow vegetables in their suburban villa "Dacha" and be self-sufficient; but in the winter, heating becomes an insurmountable difficulty.

There was no firewood, no heating, and no thick warm clothing.

In order to survive, an engineer pasted old newspapers thickly on the walls, layer upon layer, until the room resembled a newspaper coffin.

He pushed up his glasses and happily shared his experience with He Changyi.

"When the newspaper is 15 centimeters thick, heat loss can be reduced by 30 percent."

There was also a philosophy professor who burned her family's complete collection of Tolstoy's works for warmth.

"It's very warm."

She said calmly, "Every letter releases calories."

Grandma Vitalie asked regretfully:

"Why didn't you leave behind 'War and Peace'? I remember it was your favorite book."

The philosophy professor remained silent for a long time before speaking:

"The cold night is longer than history."

How ironic, yet how realistic.

Knowledge is not only power, but also warmth.

He Changyi couldn't say anything, but silently bought more charcoal and placed some flawed down jackets next to the fireplace, asking Grandma Vitalie to help dispose of these defective items.

When He Changyi returned home that evening, the down jacket by the fireplace was gone, and an oil painting was placed there. It depicted a birch forest in the early morning, with a milky mist spreading and the outlines of the trees melting into the mist.

The weather continued to get colder, there were very few pedestrians on the street, and fewer customers came to the office, making He Changyi's office unusually quiet.

She stood by the window with a cup of black tea in her hand. Through the thick glass, snowflakes drifted down, shrouding Mosk in a veil of unspoken mystery, or perhaps, a fig leaf.

There were no beggars or drunkards in sight; they were all asleep in the snow.

The vast expanse of white made it particularly noticeable when someone walked straight toward the apartment.

Upon arriving at the apartment entrance, as if sensing something, the person looked up and met He Changyi's gaze by the window.

He pulled off his scarf, revealing a smiling face.

He Changyi raised an eyebrow. The next moment, the landline on the table rang, and the old lady from the doorman's room spoke through the receiver.

"Miss He, a Chinese man named Xiexun has come looking for you. Is he your guest?"

He Changyi wanted to say no, but she was also very curious about what Xie Xun, this little fox, wanted to see her about, so she asked the old lady at the gate to let him in.

After Xie Xun entered the room, he placed the two boxes of gifts he had brought by the door, sat down on the sofa very properly, and exchanged pleasantries with He Changyi in a polite manner.

He Changyi sat behind the desk with her legs crossed, and nodded at him.

"As the saying goes, no one visits a temple without a reason. You don't seem like the kind of person who chats and reminisces when you're bored, so don't waste time, just get to the point."

Xie Xun remained unperturbed by He Changyi's somewhat offensive and aggressive remarks, maintaining her usual delicate and charming smile.

“Ms. He, I have a business opportunity I would like to discuss with you. If all goes well, we could earn forty to fifty thousand US dollars in one trip.”

He Changyi looked puzzled and asked:

Why should I believe you?

Xie Xun calmly said:

"Perhaps because I'm trustworthy?"

He Changyi: ...

She asked Xie Xun very seriously:

Are you kidding me?

Xie Xun raised his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, I admit I did some things wrong before, but please understand. After all, we had only just met. Just like you can't trust me, I can't completely trust you either. I've been struggling in society since I was fourteen. I've seen all sorts of people, including ghosts. I've been ruined by 'friends' and almost killed by my sworn 'brothers'—"

He untied his scarf, pulled down his collar, revealing a hideous scar below his Adam's apple and above his collarbone.

"If I hadn't been lucky enough to survive, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you today."

He Changyi's gaze swept lightly over the throat-slitting mark, unmoved.

“I deeply regret your past, but what happened to you was not caused by me, and your suspicion should not be directed at me.”

Xie Xun pursed his lips, finally abandoning his mask-like smile.

"Ms. He, I sincerely apologize to you. I'm sorry."

He slowly lowered his head, as if confessing in a church, or perhaps it was just an illusion.

He Changyi looked at him for a long time, so long that she could almost hear the sound of snowflakes falling to the ground.

"Okay, I accept your apology, but that doesn't mean I have to forgive you."

Xie Xun thought for a moment, nodded, and agreed with He Changyi's words.

"Of course, you should always pay the price for doing something wrong."

He got up, opened the gifts he had brought, took out a packet of Da Hong Pao tea, boiled water, and brewed it using the tea set Zhang Jin had given him.

After a series of smooth and effortless actions, he served the first cup of tea to He Changyi.

The aroma of tea fills the air, and the warmth emanating from the porcelain cup seems to dispel even the chill of winter.

He Changyi didn't speak, but tapped the edge of the table lightly with his finger as a gesture.

Xie Xun poured himself a cup of tea, his fingers tracing the rim of the cup, and spoke first in the silence.

“I’m working independently now, and I’ve parted ways with Uncle Xie. He plans to move from the wholesale market to the Bee Market, and he’s rented three container spaces. He’s brought five young people from his hometown, and they’re going to settle down in Mosk.”

"But I think there are already enough Chinese people in Mosk. There are more than a dozen wholesale buildings alone, not to mention the newly opened open-air market. There are resellers everywhere, and leather jackets can't even fetch a good price. Business is obviously not as good as it was a few years ago."

"The attitude of the people from Ekaterinburg towards us is also very bad. Entry restrictions are becoming increasingly stringent, and sometimes even with an invitation letter, we can't get a visa. Not to mention the police and customs officers who extort money and favors; it's like being skinned alive when you enter or leave the country."

He Changyi didn't interrupt him, picked up her cup and took a sip of tea.

This seemed to encourage Xie Xun, who continued:

"However, I found that the former member states of the Union to the west of Oros are quite good. Some countries offer visa-free entry to Chinese citizens, and residency is easy to obtain. Moreover, they have a shortage of goods and not many middlemen, so business is very good, somewhat like Oros a few years ago."

Seeing He Changyi's thoughtful expression, Xie Xun added fuel to the fire.

"I've already been there once. The goods sell very well. Whether it's clothes, bags, or electronics, as long as you can bring them over, they'll sell out immediately, and the prices aren't lower than in Moscow. Some traders have already noticed Eastern Europe, but they're small-scale and can only bring a few dozen kilograms of goods at a time, so they can't cause much of a stir. But if it goes on for a while and more people go, there might not be such a lucrative opportunity left."

He Changyi raised an eyebrow and finally asked:

What do you want to do?

Xie Xun smiled and said with a hint of excitement:

"If we're going to do it, we'll do it big! I plan to ship large quantities of goods from China to Eastern Europe and open a wholesale market there. We'll grab the fattest piece of the pie first! By the time others realize what's happening, our wholesale market will have already seized the initiative, just like the first wave of traders who came to Moscow. They can just sit back and collect rent and have a steady stream of money coming in. Then we'll open a second, a third... and take over the entire Eastern European market!"

He said sincerely to He Changyi:

“Ms. He, I have limited funds at hand right now. If I rely on myself alone, it will take a lot of time just to accumulate the initial capital. If I fall behind at the beginning, I will fall behind at the end. If others catch up with me, no matter how good my plans are, they will be useless. If you are willing to cooperate with me, we can each invest 100,000 US dollars, and we can split the profits equally after the wholesale market is opened.”

Xie Xun's words were highly persuasive, but He Changyi remained extremely calm and unmoved.

"How can you prove that if we cooperate, you won't just use us and then throw us away?"

After all, Eastern Europe is not close to Moscow. If Xie Xun makes some underhanded moves, He Changyi, who is far away in Moscow, will not be able to find out at all, and it is very likely that he will end up doing the work for someone else.

Hearing this, Xie Xun calmed down a bit, thought for a moment, and tentatively said:

“I have no way to prove it right now, after all what Uncle Xie did before, it’s normal that you don’t believe me. However, if you agree, I can put your name on the wholesale market sign.”

He Changyi shrugged.

"Is a name worth $100,000? If so, just put your name on a sign and pay me."

Xie Xun remained expressionless, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm in He Changyi's words.

“That’s not impossible, but my name is too ordinary. It doesn’t sound as grand as Chairman Mao’s poem, ‘Look at things from a long-term perspective.’”

He Changyi was too lazy to beat around the bush with this little fox and said directly:

"It's not impossible for me to invest money, but there are a few conditions: First, I will send someone to Eastern Europe with you; second, I will check the accounts monthly; third, the $100,000 will not be invested all at once. I will invest $30,000 initially, and if the rate of return in the Eastern European market is indeed as you say, I will invest more later; fourth, a 50/50 ratio is not acceptable, it must be at least 60/40, with me at 60% and you at 40%. As for the rest, I haven't thought of them yet, I'll talk about them when I come up with them."

Xie Xun raised his hands in surrender.

“Ms. He, if we follow your requirements, I’m practically working for you, not collaborating with you.”

He Changyi said bluntly:

"Who told you to overdraw your credit with me? To be honest, I'm also very uneasy about cooperating with you. If you run away with the money, am I supposed to go to the wholesale market to ask Xie Shirong for the money?"

Xie Xun took out the contract he had prepared beforehand and said to He Changyi:

“Ms. Xie, I have signed and fingerprinted the contract. If I dare to breach the contract, you can take the contract to court and sue me at any time.”

He Changyi, however, refused to take the contract and rolled her eyes.

"The contract is just a piece of waste paper. When the day comes, can the court drag you back from abroad to pay back the money? Instead of having a useless contract, you might as well leave your ID card and passport with me."

Xie Xun's expression really changed this time, and he said with a bitter face:

"Miss He, I'll give you my passport, but how am I supposed to go to Eastern Europe now?"

He Changyi smiled and tossed him two words:

"Smuggling."

Xie Xun: ...

He asked He Changyi very sincerely:

“Ms. He, I remember when I first met you at the train station, you weren’t like this. What exactly happened to you during your time in Moscow?”

He Changyi picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

"It's nothing, just ran into some thieves, robbers, swindlers, gangsters, police officers, and skinheads—that's all."

Xie Xun sincerely expressed:

"Indeed, the environment shapes people. Golf is right; society is the best university."

He Changyi added a cold remark.

That's Gorky.

Xie Xun's smile cracked as he struggled to explain himself:

"I started earning money before finishing junior high school. I didn't study much, please excuse my poor education..."

He Changyi stabbed her again.

It's often said that many ungrateful men are scholars, while many righteous men are butchers. But that might not be entirely accurate here. What do you think?

Xie Xun: ...

Miss He's money is really hard to get.

After the two agreed, He Changyi transferred the first sum of US$30,000 and sent Chen Yue and Xie Xun to Eastern Europe.

Chen Yue would make an international call to He Changyi every day to report on the progress.

Xie Xun converted the $30,000 into RMB and, with the help of his relatives and connections in China, directly purchased goods from private factories at the lowest possible price.

He didn't limit himself to purchasing just a few types of goods, but rather purchased a wide variety of items in small quantities, ranging from leather shoes and bags to shirts and trousers, umbrellas, and electrical appliances, encompassing almost all the household goods that ordinary people need in their daily lives.

Afterwards, Xie Xun will assemble the goods he purchased in China into a container, transport it by sea to a Black Sea port, and then transfer it by land to the capital of Yugoslavia.

He found an vacant community supermarket in the area with more than 400 stalls, each less than 20 square meters in size, and the monthly rent was only 1,000 yuan.

He rented all the shops on the first floor, knocked down the walls, installed simple shelves, and then, together with Chen Yue, personally arranged the goods delivered in containers onto the shelves.

From small items like needles and thread to large household appliances, the entire wholesale market has everything; all daily necessities can be found here.

Even though the price of the goods is six times that of the wholesale price, it is still only at the average level of local prices. Moreover, the goods from Zhongguo are more varied and cheaper.

On the opening day, the crowds of locals almost overwhelmed the entire first floor.

"My God, this is so cheap! Why didn't you bring the Chinese goods sooner?"

"It's unbelievable that Zhongguo has developed to this extent. Your light industry level has far surpassed that of the former alliance!"

"I want this, and that... Oh, and give me three sets of each! I want to buy them for my parents, my wife's parents, and my own family!"

"Do you sell motorcycles? No? That's a shame, you should put motorcycles on the shelves."

They earned $50,000 from just this one container of goods.

In other words, during the initial trial phase in the Eastern European market, they not only recouped their $30,000 investment but also made a profit of $20,000.

Xie Xun immediately reported the good news to He Changyi, who decisively increased the investment and also sent Zhang Jin over. The next time, three containers were shipped from China at the same time, and all the remaining shops in the community supermarket were rented.

Xie Xun kept his promise and named the wholesale market in the capital of Yugoslavia "Changyi Market".

After learning the news, He Changyi made a cross-border call to Xie Xun.

"Even if you name it after me, we will still split it 60/40."

On the other end of the phone, Xie Xun remained silent for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty:

"Don't you have anything else you want to say to me?"

He Changyi pondered for a moment, then decisively said:

“Okay, I agree to increase the investment to two hundred thousand US dollars.”

Xie Xun: ...

He now completely understood what it meant to flirt with a blind man.

However, the pronunciation of "changyi" is too difficult for the locals, who are more accustomed to calling this huge wholesale market with abundant goods "Zhongguo Market" or "Dongfang Market".

The Eastern European market got off to a good start, but because the nascent wholesale market was still in a period of rapid expansion, it was making a lot of money but also spending a lot, which drained more than half of He Changyi's working capital.

He Changyi personally made several trips to Eastern Europe, and the wholesale market was developing well. Xie Xun was already planning to open the next wholesale market.

He Changyi also spotted many Zhong Guo-like faces at the train station, carrying huge packages on their shoulders and in their hands, just like the scene she had seen at the Beijing train station, in order to save up their first pot of gold.

A brand new, untapped market in Eastern Europe has attracted an increasing number of Chinese resellers.

Some people set up stalls, and others sold their wares on the train. It was a scene of vibrant activity, just like the Oros, which had just broken the ice with Zhong Guo. Wherever there were people, there were Zhong Guo's scalpers.

In the capital of Yugoslavia, besides the Changyi Market run by He Changyi and Xie Xun, some wealthy traders also opened wholesale markets, deliberately naming them "Dongfang Market" and "Zhongguo Market," clearly intending to steal business.

This time, however, He Changyi and Xie Xun seized the initiative and were able to take the fattest piece of the pie.

Xie Xun originally wanted to rent out the vacant shops in Changyi Market to the new resellers at ten times the original price, but He Changyi stopped him.

Not only did she not raise the rent, but the shop rent was actually 20% lower than the market price, but this came with a condition—

He Changyi requested that the business scope of tenants be reviewed, that no more than five shops selling the same type of goods be allowed in the wholesale market, and that the shops be uniformly arranged in adjacent areas.

Xie Xun didn't understand He Changyi's approach at first. In his view, taking advantage of the soaring rents, renting out the shops at high prices would maximize profits. It was the tenants' freedom to choose what goods to sell, and the location of the shops was up to the highest bidder.

However, this cunning fellow was very subtle in expressing his opposition, putting on a loyal appearance that said, "Although I don't quite agree, I will fully support you if you insist."

He Changyi asked only one question: "What do you think is the key to attracting more customers to the wholesale market?"

Xie Xun: "Cheap?"

He Changyi: "It's both, and neither. In my opinion, a wholesale market needs to be competitive in price to attract customers, but product diversity and economies of scale are also essential."

Xie Xun: ...

Xie Xun said sincerely, "You know I'm not well-educated."

He Changyi said kindly, "It's alright, just read more books."

Xie Xun: ...

However, Xie Xun quickly understood what He Changyi meant by "diversity" and "scale effect".

Although the wholesale markets opened by competitors attracted many customers in the short term, most customers eventually chose to purchase from Changyi Market after the initial novelty wore off.

The variety of goods here is the most abundant in all wholesale markets. Moreover, because the stalls selling similar products are adjacent to each other, it is easier to compare product quality and prices, allowing you to buy the best quality goods at the most favorable prices.

When you need to purchase a variety of small commodities, instead of running around between different wholesale markets, it's better to buy them all at Changyi Market in one stop.

Some Chinese business owners, with their quick thinking, immediately imitated the Changyi Market, adjusting the location of shops within the market, concentrating shops selling similar goods in the same area, and even trying to poach successful tenants from the Changyi Market to their own market.

He Changyi wasn't in a hurry. Together with Xie Xun, they smoothed things over with the local authorities, ensuring that anyone renting a shop in Changyi Market could register their business through the market, and that Changyi Market would handle all tax matters.

This solved a major problem for the tenants.

As a condition, she required tenants to renew their leases for five years, with low rent but outrageously high penalties for breach of contract.

In other words, He Changyi successfully attracted all the excellent tenants to his wholesale market.

She not only won over customers, but also secured shops.

Over time, Chang Yi Market established itself in Yugoslavia and became the largest Chinese wholesale market in the area.

However, there are also problems.

As the volume of goods purchased from our own shops increases, from one container to twelve containers per order, it's inevitable that some of our partner manufacturers will cause trouble.

Once, when the goods were delivered to Yugoslavia, Zhang went to the dock to pick them up, only to find that the container was full of bricks.

Some manufacturers submitted samples that fully met He Changyi's requirements; however, when actually shipping the goods, they found that the quality was substandard, with a yield rate of less than half.

These manufacturers only care about short-term profits, stuffing their stockpiled and substandard products into containers without considering future cooperation. They're like bandits, making a quick buck and running away.

After similar situations occur repeatedly, although compensation can be obtained afterward, the process of protecting one's rights is itself exhausting.

Xie Xun suggested to He Changyi whether they should set up their own factories in China to produce goods, or invest in some small factories. In short, they should keep a firm grip on the supply of goods and prevent the situation of transporting inferior goods from thousands of miles away from home from happening again.

Xie Xun actively promoted his hometown, a renowned hub for private enterprises.

He Changyi hesitated, after all, international trade is a completely different field when it comes to manufacturing, and he might easily get caught up in it.

Xie Xun wasn't in a hurry. He simply said that although the quality of the goods varied, the Eastern European market was so short of stock that even if there were defective products, they would be quickly snapped up as long as the price was slightly reduced.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Oros ushered in spring.

As the ice and snow melted, mud filled the streets, turning Mosk into a giant swamp.

That day, He Changyi had just gotten off the train from Eastern Europe and was carefully walking through the mud in the square when suddenly someone fell to the side, crying out:

"I'll fight you bunch of Russians to the death!"

Upon hearing the Chinese characters, He Changyi instinctively looked over.

On one side were several young people with black hair and black eyes, and on the other side were Gypsies with similarly black hair.

The two sides were scrambling for a package, in which several leather jackets fell to the ground and were quickly trampled into muddy footprints.

"Let go! I told you to let go!"

"It's one thing for the school to bully me, but even you bunch of thieves are bullying me! I won't let you get away with this!"

He Changyi thought they looked familiar, but she had seen so many people lately that she couldn't remember where she had seen them before.

At this moment, an undercover police officer joined the fray.

However, he was clearly taking sides, helping the Gypsy thief who paid protection money beat up several young Chinese men.

He Changyi raised an eyebrow. This isn't good, is it?

She stepped forward and pulled the plainclothes policeman away. The man, who kept insisting on calling her "Yasuka," strangely changed the direction of his fist after seeing He Changyi's face, and with an awkward smile, said:

"Ms. He, I'm sorry, but I'm on official business..."

He Changyi interrupted him rudely:

“I have eyes, I can see what laws they broke.”

The plainclothes police officer said uncertainly:

"Uh, assaulting a police officer?"

He Changyi gave a half-smile.

"I clearly saw them beating up a thief—or did the police station hire a group of Gypsies without my knowledge?"

The plainclothes policeman awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled dryly.

Just as He Changyi was negotiating with the plainclothes police officers, someone shouted in surprise:

"Sister He!"

He Changyi asked curiously:

Do I know you?

The young man, his face covered in mud, said in a tearful voice:

"Sister He, I'm Xiao Zhao, who's studying abroad! We met on the train!"

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Author's note: Please leave comments~ I really need some feedback [crying emoji]