Chapter 398 Self-Destruction: The Russians are Completely Insane!

The atmosphere in the reception room was already harmonious and pleasant.

When two women who are not single get together, at least on the surface they are not single, the conversation will inevitably circle back to men nine times out of ten.

Lydia, with a tender, girlish heart, softly complained to Wang Xiao, "Actually, I'm very unhappy today."

“Of course.” Wang Xiao stood by her side without hesitation. “You just wanted to celebrate your birthday with your family, but Vlamikil turned it into a social party.”

Lydia, the One-Aware One, said, “Look, you can see it so easily, but Vlamikil knows nothing about it.”

Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Men and women naturally have different focuses."

But these words did not convince the resentful woman: "Then what about Ivan? Ivan can sense even the slightest change in your mood and immediately return to your side."

Wang Xiao had to patiently adjust his facial muscles to make the appropriate expression: "Can Ivan and Vlamikl be compared? Ivan has had to rely on his grandmother and aunts to save him from being beaten since he was a child. You know he doesn't like to study. If he weren't a little more perceptive, he wouldn't have had the chance to live peacefully until now."

Lydia laughed. She was almost ten years older than Ivan and had changed his diapers when he was a child.

Wang Xiao seized the opportunity to emphasize: "Can Vlamikl be the same? Ivan told me that when he met him, he was very serious and upright, so much so that even adults were afraid of him."

As she spoke, she added with ill intent, "When you were dating, was he like this too? God, I have no idea how you two had those two kids."

Lydia's face turned bright red, and she really wanted to stuff a shovel into her mouth: "God, what are you saying?"

Wasn't it said that Easterners are reserved and introverted?

Wang Xiao chuckled.

Lydia laughed, a hint of nostalgia in her voice: "Back then, my friends all said I'd found myself a party and government official. You know what I mean?"

Wang Xiao nodded: "Those kinds of party and government cadres from the Soviet Union?"

Seeing Lydia nod, she took the other's hand again and said seriously, "But Lydia, the Soviet Union no longer exists, and the Soviet social model is no longer applicable. The head of state has no private life, and neither do the head of state's family. Every activity is a social occasion."

She sighed, “Your family’s birthdays and your children’s future weddings are important social occasions. Lydia, when we can’t change society, we have to adapt to it.”

Her hands were trembling.

Lydia's voice trembled as she spoke: "But I'm afraid I can't do it, Your Majesty, do you understand? I envy you. You always manage to handle everything with ease. You know what to say, what to do, and how to face them. But I... I don't know."

Wang Xiao gently patted her back with his other free hand: "It's okay, you can learn it. These are all skills that can be learned."

She sighed, "Lydia, do you think I like socializing? No, given the opportunity, I can daydream all day long. Don't believe me? Ask Lyuba."

The female bodyguard who was singled out thought to herself, "No, Miss Wang, you never daydream all day. Because you wouldn't allow yourself to indulge like that."

You can only space out for half an hour at most; that's your limit. After that, you'll frantically flip through newspapers and reports, analyze market trends, or read books and magazines, eagerly absorbing knowledge.

But now that she's being asked in public, Lyuba certainly can't say the truth.

So she replied with great eloquence, "Miss Wang prefers to stay quiet and doesn't like crowds."

Wang Xiao readily chimed in, "I don't like it, but I have to force myself to adapt. Because I'm in business, I have to deal with all sorts of people from all walks of life. It's like when I was a kid, I didn't like studying, but I had to force myself to learn."

There's no such thing as liking or disliking.

How many people in the world truly enjoy learning and working? And how many can afford not to learn or work, or dare to do so?

Even if you come from a very wealthy family, if you don't want to exile yourself and be abandoned by your family at any time, you have to grit your teeth and fight desperately.

Wang Xiao comforted the confused and fearful Lydia: "Don't be afraid, your husband loves you. He will tell you exactly what he needs, so you don't have to rack your brains to guess. Don't be afraid, we all love you. We will always stand behind you, help you, and support you."

Lydia was on the verge of tears: "Does it have to be this way?"

Wang Xiao didn't give her a chance to escape, nodding affirmatively: "Absolutely."

"Don't be afraid."

Thank goodness, Punonin didn't jump through the window. Instead, he pushed open the door and came in. He opened his arms and hugged his wife. "It's okay, darling, we'll always be together."

Wang Xiao stood up decisively and made way for him.

She picked up the porcelain bowl of ice cream, gulped down the melted ice cream, and then without hesitation picked up the plate of tarts, turned to Lydia who was leaning against Punonin, and winked: "This, mine, no matter why, was made for me by you."

As she spoke, she brought the plate of tarts to her lips, kissed it, winked, and then smiled and turned to leave.

Lydia's face immediately turned bright red.

Lyuba pretended not to see anything. What could she possibly think about her boss?

The boss was quite adept at seducing women.

Wang Xiao walked forward, munching on a plate of tarts as she went.

It was indeed quite delicious. Lydia had put a lot of thought into it, because she doesn't like things that are too sweet, and this tart dish clearly had less sugar.

Lena, like a nimble little deer, lightly ran up to Wang Xiao and asked in confusion, "Miss Wang, Uncle Ivan, are you leaving? You haven't had dinner yet."

Wang Xiao smiled and gently touched her cheek: "No, darling, tonight is a time for your family to spend alone. It's Mom's birthday, so I want to be with you all even more."

The car door opened, she waved, turned and got into the car, "Goodbye, darling, have a wonderful evening."

Ivanov got into the car too, opened his mouth, and uttered a sentence: "Lydia, she..."

"It's alright, it will be fine." Wang Xiao's voice was calm, but it left no room for argument. "It has to be fine."

Since Lydia is not a company manager, if she were, she wouldn't be able to adapt to the job changes, and the company could adjust her position.

She is Punonin's wife, with whom he was married for 20 years and has two children.

Unless something catastrophic happens, Punonin's name will definitely be associated with her.

Otherwise, if the family falls apart, not only will Punonin be unable to accept it, but voters will also not vote for him.

So even if Lydia has a thousand or more problems now, Wang Xiao will solve them one by one for her.

Isn't this what political investment is all about?

Moreover, Lydia's dependence on her would also help maintain their relationship with Punonin.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the distant birch forest was bathed in a golden glow, so bright it was almost blinding.

Wang Xiao leaned against Lyuba, her hair glistening with golden light. She glanced sideways at Ivanov, a half-smile on her face: "Don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Ivanov's back stiffened instantly, and a look of embarrassment flashed across his face.

He instinctively wanted to hide, at least to prevent Wang from seeing his face clearly.

Unfortunately, the final burst of light was so intense, it seemed to set the entire sky ablaze. No matter how fast the car drove, it couldn't escape the golden glow.

He could only awkwardly touch his nose and whisper, "I shouldn't have acted impulsively and started fighting with Yura."

Wang Xiao's voice was lazy: "So what if he hit me? He really deserves it."

As she spoke, she added with some doubt, "Why is he so fragile?"

He's a member of society, a third-generation member of the elite and a high-ranking government official. Even if he hasn't eaten pork, he's seen pigs run.

Such a trivial matter could cause him to drink heavily and break down.

Why would the third generation of Red Army soldiers be so afraid of the Red Army?

Ivanov instinctively explained, "He had a fight with his grandfather. His grandfather said it was good that the Red Army was back, and that he could hang himself. Because as a veteran of the Red Army, he hadn't fought to the last drop of blood for the Soviets, so it was only right that he be hanged."

Wang Xiao was at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, but in the end, her words landed on Ivanov: "Since you already know he's been traumatized, why did you still..."

Ivanov dared not look him in the eye, and could only strategically touch his nose.

Just like his thoughts as he looked at Yura, who could possibly be satisfied in the presence of the King? Everyone wanted more of her, including him.

Yes, he knew that, apart from her parents, he was the most important and closest person to her.

But that's not enough.

Human desires are an insatiable chasm; one is constantly worried about gains and losses, and always wants more.

But his reason told him to stop, to stop, that he had crossed the line.

So now, facing her gaze, Ivanov could only cover his face with his hands and apologize softly, "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

Wang Xiao's voice remained gentle: "Anything else? Just an apology?"

Ivanov gritted his teeth and hardened his heart: "I'll order two dolls for you right away."

Wang Xiao stretched out her arm, took his hand away, and laughed out loud: "Only dolls? Sir, you're so stingy. I thought you'd at least order two male models for me!"

Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao felt like their ears were playing tricks on them. Their boss really knew how to play the game; they couldn't be judged by ordinary social standards.

Ivanov's face flushed red, and he blurted out, "No way!"

Wang Xiao raised her eyebrows and looked at him leisurely: "Why?"

The setting sun shone through the car window, enveloping her in a huge halo of light, like the radiance of a holy icon.

Ivanov stared blankly at the scene, and in his desperation, he actually came up with a reason: "Because male models are for making money."

Yes, that's right. Male models who are favored by both Wang and him are definitely top-notch, walking money-printing machines.

If we don't package it up and let Xiang make money, Xiang will turn on us.

Wang Xiao laughed out loud: "OK, this reason is reasonable and perfect."

After she finished laughing, she leaned back against Lyuba, lazily closing her eyes to rest.

She only flew to Moscow yesterday evening, and barely rested the whole way. She still hasn't adjusted to the time difference.

Ivanov thought for a while, then reached out and took her hand, before closing his eyes without hesitation, looking as if he had already fallen asleep.

Anyway, spring hasn't arrived in Moscow yet, and the temperature is quite low, but his hands are quite warm.

So Wang Xiao didn't shake off his hand, but closed her eyes and fell asleep.

How to describe Moscow in March 1996? Spring did not arrive early, but the speeches in the streets and the verbal battles in the newspapers were in full swing.

Interestingly, five years ago, when Wang Xiao went to Moscow, those who were keen on street politics and newspaper feuds were the so-called reformists, the same group that pushed for the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The most famous example is the current Kremlin master who, during the August 19 coup, stood atop a tank, held a megaphone, and called on all Russians to defend Russia.

Now the roles have reversed, and the Communist Party is now actively seizing control of the streets. Clearly, they've learned from their mistakes and are getting back up from where they fell.

It is said that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation mobilized tens of thousands of activists to go door-to-door in various places to win over voters face-to-face, which can be described as a great effort.

This made Yura and the others quite nervous.

During a campaign team meeting, he suggested, "Should we also form a campaign team and go door-to-door to win over voters?"

Zyuganov was truly cunning. He was the first presidential candidate to be registered in this election, so he successfully launched his campaign ahead of everyone else, making his campaign seem like he was destined to be the next one to enter the Kremlin.

No, they have to stop him.

Wang Xiao looked at Yura, utterly speechless.

It seems his brain wasn't poisoned by alcohol. Even if he stopped drinking, he didn't seem to become any smarter.

She had to bang on the table to remind the daydreamers: "Preaching? Who do you plan to send to preach? The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, loyal members! Who among us will take orders?"

What are you thinking about!

Why did the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) win last year's State Duma elections? It's because the CPRF remains the largest and most cohesive political party in Russia.

Other righteous paths are just for show; they can't even clearly explain what their own party platform is, let alone have any loyal followers.

Yura was speechless: "I...we can find people to do these things."

Wang Xiao sneered: "Where would we get manpower? How many people are in Mr. Chubais's team? Russia is so big, and how many families are there? How can a few people infiltrate it?"

She immediately dismissed what Yura was about to say, “Don’t talk to me about hiring people. First, the people we hire have all sorts of beliefs. If we let them go door-to-door preaching, they might smuggle in their own agendas. We’d spend money and end up doing their work. Second, how do we calculate the expenses for hiring people? To compete with the Russian Communist Party, we’d need at least tens of thousands of people. The travel, accommodation, and food expenses for so many people would be a huge sum, not to mention their wages. Who’s going to pay for that?”

Wang Xiao shook his head, making it clear that he didn't want to be taken advantage of. "With this money, we could pay the workers several more months' wages."

Yura was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear underground.

However, among the people sitting around the table, one person asked in bewilderment, "How did the Communist Party of the Russian Federation raise so much money? Didn't they have limited campaign funds?"

Yura really wanted to go up and cover the other person's mouth.

However, it was too late. The next second, Wang Xiao had already given his answer: "Because they have their own Party organizations in various places, their transportation and accommodation expenses can be greatly reduced. Most importantly—"

She glanced at the other person and said, "Communist Party members are willing to work for their beliefs without asking for a single ruble."

The person who asked the question muttered awkwardly, "Oh, I see."

Chubais interrupted the conversation in time.

Because the campaign team members present were basically recruited by him, and they were almost all top henchmen of financial tycoons.

For example, Luzhkov's right-hand man, Shakhnovsky, the organizer of the Sparrow Mountain Club; Alexander Oslon, the chief business pollster; and Yevstafiev of Channel One, among others.

They are all known for their competence.

Chubais emphasized, "We cannot easily give up any vote. If door-to-door canvassing is effective, we must continue. As for expenses, there are always ways to manage them."

Wang Xiao wanted to roll her eyes.

She knew what the former First Deputy Prime Minister's method was: issuing treasury bonds.

Bankers acquire treasury bonds from the government at low prices and then resell them to Russian citizens at higher prices.

Even when it comes to fully supporting the president's rise to power, the newly rich tacitly agree not to spend their own money.

She was certainly not noble enough to insist on following the rules of the game; after all, there were no rules in Moscow, and her money didn't come from thin air either.

She just felt that good steel should be used where it's needed most, and money shouldn't be wasted to avoid making things worse.

“There’s no need,” Wang Xiao emphasized again. “We don’t need to follow the trend. On the contrary, we can take this opportunity to stir things up.”

She pointed to the newspaper, the result of their campaign team's efforts to get the conservatives and reformers of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation arguing in the paper.

"Arguing in the newspapers isn't enough. Since the Communist Party members are going door-to-door to spread their message, shouldn't they express their views face-to-face and tell us which side they're on? These tens of thousands of members going door-to-door to spread the message won't all have the same opinion. If they have any differences in opinion, then we can make an issue of it."

Wang Xiao reminded her temporary colleagues, "What we need to do is to incite infighting among them, weaken their power to the greatest extent possible, and force Zyuganov to publicly state whether he stands with the conservatives or the reformists of the Communist Party?"

Chubais finally understood the style of their team's publicity and public relations.

She is good at using someone else's strength against them, and she would never confront them head-on.

Could this be considered a kind of guerrilla warfare spirit? It's a completely different style from the direct combat that Russia excels at.

He thought it, and he said it.

Wang Xiao almost couldn't suppress the urge to roll her eyes, silently thinking, "Come on, stop bragging. You're really good at this? The Soviet Union won World War II mainly because of its spiritual guidance."

She curled the corners of her lips, offered no comment, and continued to patch up the previous plan: "As for publicity, we don't need to go door-to-door. Any on-site publicity is bound to cause conflict, and we don't need to create trouble for ourselves. Because we have a TV station, we have radio, and we have newspapers."

She held up three fingers. "Door-to-door outreach, if everyone in a town is informed once, that's already quite effective. But by using media tools, we can make sure they hear the same message every day."

Is it that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation doesn't want to use television broadcasting? No, it's that they simply can't use it.

If you're not on stage, who will give you access to these resources?

Chubais nodded: "We must make full use of our advantages and strengthen our publicity."

Wang Xiao added from the side: "We also need to turn the Russian Communist Party's advantages into their disadvantages. Our goal is to find fault with their face-to-face exchanges. Finding fault is much easier than doing anything. And as long as we find fault, there will be conflict. Conflict will attract more people to watch and create a greater impact. Conflict is also a news point. If it is reported, it can attract more attention."

What's the deal with elections? They're just a large-scale reality show; their essence is nothing more than variety entertainment.

What is presented to the audience cannot be said to be fake, but it has definitely been edited.

Approaching the entire election campaign with the same mindset you would use to create a hit variety show will yield remarkable results.

Chubais made a quick decision: "Okay, Miss Wang, you take charge of this, and the rest of you will cooperate. MTV is the best at making variety shows."

Wang Xiao nodded in agreement: "Okay, we need to speed things up."

She was really worried about entrusting this matter to others, because although there were many media people present, their mindset was still stuck in the old-fashioned way of thinking that "the media is a propaganda tool".

If this continues, even if they control the vast majority of Russian media, they won't be able to achieve even half of their intended purpose.

After returning home from the meeting, Wang Xiao couldn't help but complain to Ivanov: "What are they thinking? Don't they have any rhythm of their own? They just follow what others are doing, thinking, 'I'm richer than them, I'll bury them in money.' They don't consider the situation of either side at all. What kind of mindset is that?"

Ivanov opened his mouth, but dared not say that when he first heard the plan, he did not notice anything wrong with it.

Even though he didn't say anything, it didn't stop Wang Xiao from glaring at him: "I understand, you're used to being rich and powerful. Because you're not spending your own money, you're extravagant."

Ivanov was deeply ashamed; the list of banks that had acquired treasury bonds at low prices also included those of the Wuzhou Group.

They can't possibly pay for this election themselves, can they?

How terrible.

He couldn't help but sigh: "What kind of future are we choosing for Russia?"

Wang Xiao told him not to think about it any further; the more he thought about it, the more hesitant he became.

"We've come this far, so let's keep going."

Ivanov swallowed his question, "Wouldn't it be better if we supported the Communist Party of the Russian Federation?"

He wasn't afraid of being scolded by Wang Xiao if he spoke out; who else could he talk to besides Wang about this? Wang would only analyze the feasibility of the matter with him.

But Wang has already made his choice, so there's no point in him bringing it up again.

He simply couldn't help but wonder how the Communist Party of the Russian Federation would respond to this attack, and when Zyuganov would finally declare himself a conservative or a reformer.

However, what he, Wang Xiao, and everyone who had formed an alliance at the Davos Forum did not expect was that the Russian Communist Party had gone mad.

Ivanov clearly remembers March 15th. At that time, he and Wang were accompanying the client from England to inspect their newly established computer company in order to secure outsourced programmer orders.

Berezovsky rushed over, sweating profusely, his bald head covered in beads of sweat.

He waved frantically at Ivanov, who, seeing Wang Xiuzheng chatting happily with the client, quickly took a moment to walk over to Berezovsky and whispered, "What's the emergency? Why didn't you call?"

Berezovsky blurted out: "The Communist Party of the Russian Federation wants to restore the Soviet Union, and the State Duma has already passed a resolution."

He didn't even have time to make a phone call. When the decision was made, his mind went blank, and he rushed out of the meeting room to ask them what to do.

They're doomed, they're really doomed!

"What?" Ivanov couldn't believe his ears. "The Russian Communist Party really wants to restore the Soviet Union? You're not kidding, are you?"

Berezovsky became agitated: "How could I joke about something like this? Today, the State Duma passed two resolutions, one of which declared the abrogation of the Belovezh Accords and the other of which affirmed the validity of the results of the 1991 referendum on 'preserving the Soviet Union'."

What are the Belovezh Accords? They are the agreements signed on December 8, 1991, by the Presidents of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus and the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus in the Belovezhskaya Forest, establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Simply put, it directly led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The State Duma's abrogation of the Belovezh Accords and its recognition of the results of the national referendum before the collapse of the Soviet Union, which demanded the preservation of the Soviet Union, fundamentally negates the fact that the Soviet Union disintegrated.

"I knew we couldn't let them take control of the State Duma," Benezovsky said angrily. "They're a bunch of lunatics! They're turning back the clock of history, trying to revive the Soviet Union!"

A gasp rang out from the side: "What? The Soviet Union is back?"

The person who shouted was the owner of the British client company, and his face showed panic.

He didn't speak Russian, but he had a translator with him, so he understood what Berezovsky was saying.

His poor translator reacted even more strongly than him, her face turning deathly pale, and she stammered, "Sir, we've finished reading, can we leave sooner?"

Wang Xiao was also stunned, and didn't even have time to say anything to persuade the customer to stay.

Because she didn't know how to ask them to stay.

In Davos, Ivan could get Zyuganov to endorse them, emphasizing that even if the Communist Party of the Russian Federation came to power, it wouldn't hinder their business.

The issue now isn't about the Communist Party of the Russian Federation coming to power, it's about reviving the Soviet Union!

Wang Xiao had only one thought in his mind: it's not the god-like teammates that are scary, but the pig-like opponents.

Only then would someone come up with such a terrible idea that would stab the enemy in the back and destroy eight thousand of their own?

Do they even know what restoring the Soviet Union means? It's not just a matter for Russia alone; it involves all the CIS countries!

People who have already separated from their families and still want to interfere in their siblings' homes are definitely out of their minds!

Berezovsky solemnly emphasized to the British guests: "Sirs, you really can't stay out of this. Zyuganov is definitely not as charming and peace-loving as he pretends to be. You see, as soon as he regains power, he will reveal his true nature, his cruel, terrible, and ambitious nature."

He could speak English and knew how to use the right words to emphasize the seriousness of the matter, successfully making the British businessman turn pale.

Europeans were afraid of the Soviet Union.

The fact that they can still carry on this fear of Russia even years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, preferring to have American troops stationed there to counter the military threat from Russia, speaks volumes.

The British boss's lips trembled as he kept emphasizing, "My God, this is absolutely unacceptable, this is utterly outrageous."

His subsequent words were broken and disorganized, interspersed with a lot of meaningless intonation, making it impossible for Wang Xiao to understand what he was saying.

It didn't matter if they didn't understand, because they had no interest in visiting any computer companies anymore; they were just busy making phone calls and contacting people in the UK.

Wang Xiao was truly numb and had no desire to continue trying to secure orders.

She reached up to her forehead, then rubbed her face vigorously, and called to Berezovsky, "Alright, sir, we've already won."

The international community may not care if the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) comes back to power. With its claws clipped, the CPRF poses less of a threat to Western countries.

But they will absolutely not tolerate a Soviet comeback.

Even without the president actively demonstrating his strong desire for re-election, the international community will support him in the fight against the fanatical Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

The governments of the CIS countries will also oppose it fiercely.

She had to call out "God!"

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation has only been out of power for a few years, yet they've already lost all their workplace wisdom.

It's simple for one organization to split into two, because each has its own leadership team, which effectively means that half the people get promoted.

However, merging two units into one is extremely difficult. After the merger, who will be in charge? Everyone was originally the top leader, so why should I listen to you now?

Besides, was the Soviet Union a matter between two separate entities? It involved 15 independent countries.

The Russian Communist Party is trying to revive the Soviet Union with its words. What are you plotting? Do you think we other countries can't see through it?

You just want to practice that great power chauvinism. Back in the Soviet era, Russia sucked our blood until it was bloated and bloated.

Now that we've separated, we're no longer letting you suck our blood. But you still crave our blood because it's so sweet and delicious, and you want us to be your little brothers, obediently feeding on your blood.

Dreaming! What kind of delusional daydream are you having?

Give me liberty or give me death! We would rather die than agree to that.

Wang Xiao spoke so quickly and urgently that Berezovsky wished he had two more ears.

Yes, yes, yes, the State Duma's resolution has thoroughly exposed the true face of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

But Wang Xiao slammed on the brakes again, still looking at him suspiciously: "Dear Boris, please tell me, are you really not wrong? Is the resolution passed by the State Duma really like this?"

Berezovsky made a gesture: "I swear to God, I memorized the original text, not a single word wrong."

Well, Wang Xiao really didn't know what to say.

She only had one thought in her mind: no wonder Russia and India have maintained a good relationship for so many years. India is notoriously crazy, and Russia is probably just as crazy at heart.

Otherwise, how could the Communist Party of the Russian Federation do something so foolish as to stab itself in the back?

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On March 15, 1996, the Russian State Duma passed a resolution initiated by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) to abolish the Belovezhskaya Pact and restore the Soviet Union. This is a true event. Therefore, frankly speaking, it's not entirely unjust that the CPRF lost the presidential election that year, despite having a strong position. [Eating popcorn]