Chapter 145 Labor Disputes: Capitalists and workers will always have conflicts.

With his tenacious, persistent nature, Ovechkin managed to turn himself into a mere accessory and follow Wang Xiao and the others back to the steel mill.

Along the way, as the car drove, Ovechkin discovered another interesting point.

Fur coats, so many fur coats on the street, at first glance she thought she was in Moscow.

Wait a minute, shouldn't Chinese people wear leather jackets, cotton-padded coats, and down jackets?

In Moscow, these three types of winter clothing sold by Chinese merchants are the best-selling.

Wang Xiao glanced at it and said succinctly, "Brought over by a Russian businessman."

The concept of "goose merchants" certainly doesn't just refer to Russian merchants, but includes everyone who does business in Russia.

Even Chinese businessmen would buy furs locally and resell them at a higher price.

Ivanov exclaimed in surprise, "People are still wearing this this year?"

The trends in the commercial city can change every twenty days at most. Last week, leather jackets were selling well, and next week, it's all about fur-trimmed bandit costumes.

This led Ivanov to develop a fixed mindset that Chinese culture spreads exceptionally quickly.

In his memory, fur coats were already popular in Jinning last year, and many resellers made a fortune from them.

"The trend is shifting to lower-tier cities."

Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Our commercial city is considered a trendsetter in Jinning, and many people follow suit. But our winter is short here, lasting only three months from beginning to end."

Last year, everyone wanted to follow the trend, but now that it's hot, they can't wear fur coats anymore.

So we had to wait until it got cold.

In fact, some people have made a lot of money by taking advantage of this hot and cold weather.

Why? Because the goods will die when they arrive at the destination.

Last year, the Russians discovered that fur was becoming popular in Jiangzhimen, so they excitedly brought over a bunch of furs.

However, they lacked market awareness and did not realize that Moscow was still bitterly cold in April, while in late February, one could sweat profusely in the sun while wearing a trench coat during the day.

Therefore, the Russians who arrived a little later to buy furs were dumbfounded and had no choice but to sell their furs at low prices or even at a loss in order to recover their funds as soon as possible.

Some shrewd Chinese merchants took advantage of the situation to buy up goods at low prices, hoarding them through spring, summer, and autumn, and then selling them in winter when prices immediately went up.

What? You're worried no one will buy it?

Sigh! Those who didn't get to indulge in fur last year are all waiting for the weather to change this year.

Those who reacted more quickly had already taken the fur coats to prefecture-level cities in Jiangdong Province to promote them.

Although prefecture-level cities may seem to be a level below provincial capitals, in some regions with thriving township enterprises, they are actually wealthier than provincial capitals, and locals are willing to spend money on clothes and follow fashion trends.

After all, who doesn't know how to spend money? They don't need anyone's guidance.

Looking at the people coming and going on the street, Ovechkin suddenly exclaimed, "You all really love to laugh."

Moscow winters, like the people of Moscow, are bitterly cold, and everyone's face, like the weather, is filled with coldness and melancholy.

The Chinese are quite strange. Even though it's winter, and a strangely cold winter at that, with a chilly, damp feel, the wind blowing across one's face still feels like being cut by knives.

Those faces, red from the cold, were all beaming with smiles, as if the smiles were etched onto their faces.

What kind of smile is this? It's warm and optimistic, like a sunflower under the sun, full of vibrant life and hope.

Looking at them, one can't help but believe that their future will be filled with sunshine and beauty.

Wang Xiao stared at the guy in horror. Good heavens! She hadn't realized he was a walking poet.

Look at all these sets of things.

She interrupted Ovechkin's rambling musings directly: "We are content with what we have."

Alright, buddy, stop this nonsense.

You have the nerve to brag, but we're too embarrassed to listen.

This is just the beginning. Don't exaggerate and make us think we're going to fly to the heavens and lose our bearings.

Ivanov emphasized: "Hope, their government has given them hope, hope that things will get better day by day."

Well, I can't mention the word "government" in front of Russians, or it will instantly turn into an awkward silence.

Fortunately, the car was very fast, weaving through the streets and alleys, and arrived at the steel factory's residential area in just over half an hour.

When Ms. Chen Yanqiu saw the large group of about ten people, she simply let go of the dumplings she was making.

With so many people, even if my handbag broke, I still couldn't keep up.

She's had dealings with Russians before; they're all big eaters.

Comrade Wang Tiejun and his wife have weathered storms together for over twenty years. Without even exchanging a glance, he simply opened a drawer, pulled out a stack of meal tickets, and led a large group, like a big brother, towards the school store—no, the steel factory canteen.

Everyone ordered a lot of food, from plates to bowls, including chicken, duck, fish, and meat. The duck dishes alone included roast duck in both northern and southern styles, as well as braised duck, stewed duck, and steamed preserved duck.

Wang Xiao was astonished. Had he stirred up a hornet's nest? Was he about to devour all the ducks?

"Down jackets," Chen Yanqiu explained. "Now, many people are making down jackets because they're busy raising ducks."

With Zhimen International Trade City located in Jinning, the locals naturally know the signs of things to come.

After discovering the growing popularity of down jackets, some people immediately took action and increased their duck farming efforts.

Currently, there are thousands of duck farms in the suburbs and towns of Jinning, raising tens of thousands of ducks.

In addition, almost every household in the countryside raises a dozen or twenty ducks, and some even have three or five, which have directly replaced the chickens in the past.

Because ducks can also lay eggs, even if you only eat salted duck eggs, duck feathers are much more expensive than chicken feathers.

Therefore, local farmers don't need to sell their grain outside the area at all; any surplus is used as feed for ducks. For the shortfall, they have to import grain from other places.

Ducks can be used to make down jackets, but once they've been plucked, they end up on the dinner table.

Wang Xiao felt a sudden tightness in his scalp, as if he were under immense pressure.

No, she has to further expand the sales market for down jackets, otherwise what will happen to all the ducks raised by so many people?

Farmers have a very weak ability to withstand risks.

Indeed, with higher status comes greater responsibility.

She needed to eat a braised pork knuckle with rock sugar to calm her nerves.

Chen Yanqiu and Wang Tiejun exchanged a glance, both seeing certainty in each other's eyes.

See? Even if their daughter hangs out with Ivanov every day, they don't have to worry about her finding them a foreign son-in-law.

What young girl would eat a braised pork knuckle with grease dripping from her mouth in front of her sweetheart, and still enjoy it so much?

Oh well, anyway, their Xiaoxiao will only be twenty-four years old after the New Year.

I'm still young, no rush to find a partner.

Chairman Chen warmly greeted the guests at the table: "Eat, eat, eat more, and have a good taste of our canteen chef's cooking."

It's quite interesting, actually. The Russians don't eat rice much on a daily basis, but every time she sees them eating Chinese food, they rave about rice and don't seem to mind at all.

But if you suggest that they eat rice regularly, they won't agree.

It's true, Russian rice does taste quite good, but unfortunately, the locals still prefer rye bread.

Everyone was enjoying their meal.

Suddenly, a large group of people arrived at the cafeteria.

The steel plant manager, beaming, introduced to the man next to him: "When we entertain guests at our steel plant, we never go out for lavish meals. Instead, we have simple working meals in the canteen."

When the leader tries to praise the simple and unpretentious hospitality, his eyes fall on the dining table, and he suddenly freezes.

Well, it's definitely not four dishes and a soup, there were a lot of people, a whole table full of people.

Even if there's one more dish than people, it still wouldn't be enough; there's simply not enough room on this huge table.

Wang Xiao came to the rescue for the leader, smiling broadly and taking the initiative to say, "We'll order only what we can eat, and we'll finish our plates so we don't waste a single thing."

As if to prove her point, a plate of sweet and sour pork with shampoo on the table was devoured in no time.

When Ovechkin realized that everyone didn't care, he even abandoned his self-proclaimed nobleman persona and simply mixed the remaining soup with his rice.

Oh, this tastes delicious.

The factory manager smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. Who knows the hard work behind every grain of rice on the plate?"

With that, he added, "Dear foreign friends, please enjoy your meal and drinks. Welcome to China for business negotiations!"

He then quickly led his superiors away.

Wang Xiao glanced curiously at the person's back and whispered to her father, "Who is that?"

Wang Tiejun wasn't entirely sure: "It's probably some department that came down to inspect our work."

Judging from this, they seem to be trying to crack down on the "eating and drinking frenzy."

Even if Comrade Wang Tiejun was a latecomer to cadre work and was forced into it, he still felt that form outweighed substance.

It's not that doing these things is wrong, after all, it's almost Chinese New Year, and many restaurants have IOUs but can't find anyone to pay the bill.

However, in practice, curbing excessive spending on food and drink will do more harm than good, at least for now.

Why? Because no matter how wonderful the ideas of those who design policies at the top level are, when all policies are implemented at the grassroots level, they are always applied in a one-size-fits-all manner, with the simplest and most brutal approach being taken.

However, the economy is booming right now, and the catering industry is developing rapidly along with business receptions. If you try to put on the brakes now, it will have no effect whatsoever.

In places like Wenzhou in the south, the authorities emphasize that the meal must consist of four dishes and one soup.

What did they end up with? Four big basins, with four dishes and a soup inside.

When inspectors came to check and ask questions, the local entrepreneur confidently replied, "This is four dishes and one soup. Look, aren't there four plates?"

Ovechkin and his companions listened with rapt attention, exclaiming in admiration, "How flexible! You Chinese are so ingenious in your work!"

What he really wanted to say was, "This is too good at exploiting loopholes," but he liked it.

As members of Russia's newly rich class, he and his peers basically made their fortunes by exploiting loopholes.

Wang Xiao smiled and shook her head; she didn't really approve of this kind of loophole-exploiting operation.

It's not that I feel this person is too cunning or dishonest.

It seems that this action by the entrepreneur was a blatant slap in the face to those in power.

What do you mean? Do you have a problem with the policy? Are you deliberately going against the policy and trying to embarrass the leaders?

Are you deliberately using your superiors as stepping stones to demonstrate your unruly and extraordinary nature?

Just wait and see.

The local economy needs you now, so the leaders can turn a blind eye and tolerate it.

But what will happen when time has passed and you are no longer the only butcher in the market?

Don't forget why the ancients always said that all things are inferior, only studying is superior.

Because only through studying can we pass the imperial examinations and become officials.

The power of officials is such that even a section chief can replace the richest person in the area.

You offended your boss, and now you feel good for a moment, making yourself seem like a unique individual.

When the reckoning comes, the days of tears are yet to come.

The relationship between businessmen and officials is far more complex than it seems.

Ovechkin let out a painful howl.

Oh God, it's true that it's the same all time and place.

These officials love to make things difficult for others.

Wang Xiao chuckled.

If you don't put a bridle on them, they'll fly to the sky.

Before she could even make a couple of jokes, a whole new wave of customers arrived at the cafeteria.

The leaders who were inspecting the work happened to turn back.

The middle-aged official was instinctively stunned. After a full two seconds, he said cryptically, "You have quite a few foreign businessmen who do business with you."

The factory manager had no choice but to force a smile and say, "We have an international trade city and an international airport here, so there are a lot of foreign businessmen coming here. We can't just let these good conditions go to waste."

Actually, that's not the case at all. The truth is that contracting out is all the rage now.

The steel plant's canteen has been contracted out.

According to the contract between the contractor and the factory, the existing meal allowance cannot be reduced, and the price cannot be increased.

So how does the contractor make money? Of course, by fully utilizing external reception services.

For example, the canteen provides boxed meals to small vendors who do business near the steel plant.

Since canteens do not pay taxes and contractors do not need to make upfront investments, such as decorating the store or buying pots and pans, their investment and operating costs are much lower than those of ordinary restaurants, which translates into a huge advantage in food prices.

Thanks to this strategy, the cafeteria is now making a fortune, and many people are eyeing the cafeteria's operating rights.

However, what stormed into the cafeteria in such a grand manner was not small vendors—

No matter how many foreigners there were in Jinning City, or how worthless they were, none of them actually went to the steel factory to work as small vendors. If they wanted to set up a street stall, they would do so at Jiangzhimen.

Today, Xiang Dong arrived with his models, a group of handsome men and beautiful women, all with high-value appearances.

Upon seeing the leadership team, his cautious spirit, cultivated over many years as a self-employed individual, immediately kicked in. He resolutely avoided unnecessary conversation and directly requested a private room.

Only when the door is closed can I eat properly.

He brought people to the printing factory to shoot posters today, so naturally they ate at the nearby canteen.

Wang Xiao finished eating and simply said to the people at the table, "You guys take your time eating, I'll go check on things."

Because of the angle, Xiang Dong probably hadn't seen them when he brought them in.

As the boss, she didn't need to be pretentious. Since she happened to run into them, she should go and say hello and offer everyone a toast.

We encourage everyone to keep up the good work and take their careers to new heights.

That's how you make money for your boss.

They are all golden hens that lay golden eggs.

Ivanov didn't really recognize Xiang Dong; he was more familiar with Tang Yicheng.

He recognized the models as Xiang Dong's group; after all, they were all tall, beautiful, and had their eyes on him.

As soon as Wang Xiao spoke, he immediately followed up: "I'll go too."

Ovechkin immediately forgot about showing off the roast duck and opened his mouth to continue being a decorative accessory.

Ivanov held him down firmly: "You stay put, don't bother anyone, and eat your food properly!"

Wang Xiao also felt that a large group of people rushing over would look like the Japanese invading a village, which would have a bad influence, so he also shouted to stop: "Just stay here. Can't you see there are high-ranking leaders here? Security is absolutely in place."

Ovechkin thought about it and realized it made some sense.

The roast duck in his hand smelled especially delicious, and he couldn't bear to leave it uneaten, so he pitifully emphasized, "Then you guys hurry back."

That tone is just like a child watching their parents leave for work.

The moment the thought crossed Wang Xiao's mind, he was startled and his whole body trembled.

Oh my goodness, she doesn't have such a good son.

She quickly stepped forward, with three bodyguards following behind; otherwise, she doubted the private room would be big enough to accommodate everyone.

Some people walked to the door of the private room, and Xiang Dong's voice came from inside: "Tell me, did you do the right thing or not?"

Hmm, something seems off.

Wang Xiao knocked on the door and went in, greeting him, "President Xiang—"

She smiled and emphasized, "Go ahead and talk about your business."

Inside the private room, three large tables were occupied by models, totaling thirty or forty people.

The girl sitting opposite me on the east side had her face slightly lowered, looking pitiful, truly deserving of the title "I feel sorry for her."

Wang Xiao's eyes lit up; this was a classic angelic face. Even if she were wearing a burlap sack, the photos would still look amazing, making you believe the sack was worth a fortune, exuding an air of natural luxury.

Xiang Dong quickly stood up and said, "Hey boss, sit down, sit down, I'm fine. It's just a kid who doesn't know any better. I'll just give you a brief report on my work."

Although he started his modeling career later in life, he was also a complete novice in the field.

But Xiang Dong could say with a guilty conscience that, thanks to his efforts, their model agency was still running quite well.

First, he fully leveraged the huge advantage of being backed by the International Trade City, focusing his main business on shooting print advertisements for various partner manufacturers.

To be fair, while he did leverage his former status as the head of the trade city, the more important reason people chose to collaborate with their modeling agency was because of their capabilities.

What kind of talent? Just a foreign model.

Model agencies across the country are still in their early stages. They have a large number of foreign models available, and they are the only ones in the country, at least in mainland China.

The manufacturers in the trade city are engaged in foreign trade and increasingly need foreign models to showcase their products.

Otherwise, the same clothes would look different on Asians and Caucasians.

Manufacturers need foreign models to help them showcase their products; both sides have their own supply and demand needs.

Especially nowadays, all the manufacturers are extremely entangled in this mess.

In addition to the catalogs and brochures provided by the trade city to the middlemen, they also produce their own advertising brochures, one for each business.

They provide advertising brochures regardless of whether the customers who come to their door will actually buy their products.

The hope is that when people are bored, they might flip through the advertising brochure, and maybe they'll find something they like, leading to a chance to work together again next time.

Seriously, this trick works really well.

There were even cases where large wholesalers didn't find anything they liked, but their friends saw the advertising brochure and came to them with the brochure to order the goods.

After the news spread, other manufacturers followed suit, and for a time, the modeling agency's business was booming.

Even more outrageous is that now, even those engaged in foreign trade exports who, due to the characteristics of their products, do not cooperate with the International Trade City, are starting to hire their company to shoot advertisements in order to get closer to foreign consumers.

Ten yuan for a photo.

Ivanov exclaimed, "Wow, amazing! Fantastic!"

Wang Xiao felt fine.

After all, she came from the e-commerce era and had seen too many foreign models working non-stop.

Seriously, they never have to worry about not having orders.

At its peak, a single foreign model could support a small company.

The door to the next private room opened, and singing could be heard coming from inside.

Xiang Dong then turned on the color TV in their private room, which happened to be showing a song request program.

He pointed to the TV screen and emphasized, "MTVs and music videos are also within our business scope."

On the screen appeared a blonde, blue-eyed woman in a bikini walking around on the beach.

Well, that's the style of music videos these days. Don't ask what the visuals have to do with the song; they're generally not that related.

Because the market demand is so huge, with TV stations and karaoke bars needing a lot of music videos, people are now just shooting them without thinking twice.

With a booming market, the demand for models is naturally high.

In addition to recruiting students from film schools and actors from film studios, music company owners also need to find new faces from outside.

Upon hearing the news, Xiang Dong brought his models to the door to offer his services.

He didn't emphasize other advantages, but focused on one key point—novelty.

Foreigners have always been rare on Chinese screens.

If there are foreigners in your music video, doesn't it instantly make you seem more sophisticated, more international, and more promising than others?

Before the music company owner could even get interested, the singer was already interested.

They want foreign models because it attracts attention and helps their songs become popular.

Once they become famous, their fees for performing at various events skyrocket.

It's true, although the number of celebrities nowadays doesn't reach 2.08 million.

However, it is not uncommon for someone to receive tens of thousands of yuan for singing a song.

In the 1980s, it is said that Mao Amin, a leading figure in the music scene, earned 60,000 yuan in just 5 days during a commercial performance in Heilongjiang.

Considering the current level of national income, this is not much different from 2.08 million.

Therefore, they are willing to spend 300 yuan to hire a foreign model to shoot a music video.

Once the music video was released, television further increased the models' popularity.

In short, modeling agencies are booming.

Just as Xiang Dong was still fuming, the girl who had been looking sullen suddenly raised her head, looking very indignant: "You've made so much money off us, but you give us so little. It's so unfair!"

Wang Xiao raised his eyebrows. Oh, this is a labor dispute.

She immediately perked up, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Xiang Dong with curiosity, wanting to see how their CEO would handle the matter.

————————

Regarding the payment for shooting the music video, the reference is an interview with Chen Xiaoyi. When the director approached her to film the music video for "The Outsider Girl" in 1990, she received the same amount. Interestingly, she was paid 200 HKD per episode for the TV series "The Outsider Girl," totaling 2000 HKD. The male lead, Tang Zhenzong, being a Hong Kong actor, received a total of 20,000 HKD. Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2024-02-09 14:46:30 and 2024-02-11 07:10:02!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: jade 20 bottles; Qiqi, Mu Huo Tong Ming 10 bottles; Yu'er, Xiao Mei, Miao Xiao Miao 5 bottles; 206558082 bottles; Yi Yue, Aurora, Audrey, Cornstarch, Xiao P, Happiness Forever, and My Dear Ghostly Drawings 1 bottle;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!