Chapter 411 Why Not Raise a Baby Panda: Why Are You Afraid?

Happiness came so quickly that Ivanov was caught off guard and almost stunned on the spot.

Fortunately, he wasn't a hothead and quickly got into the zone.

Then he opened the drawer and groped around, revealing a look of shock.

Where are the condoms? In such a big, high-end hotel, how come there aren't even condoms in the drawers?

Ivanov panicked and quickly got out of bed to search everywhere. Unfortunately, he searched the entire place but couldn't find it.

He immediately called the front desk to demand why there were no condoms and to have them brought over right away.

Unfortunately, the hotel's night shift receptionist, who used to be a sweet girl with two big dimples when she smiled, has become Madham, whose presence is even more ferocious than the winter winds and snow of Sakhalin.

Madame wouldn't give any customer a friendly look; when faced with a request, her response was only one cold word: "No!"

This is Sakhalin, a failed experimental city built by the Soviet Union, and a large Far Eastern island that Russia is powerless to maintain.

There are nightclubs, male escorts, striptease performances, and international tour groups here; it's as lively as another world in Siberia.

However, it remains industrially desolate and lacks supplies. The hotel does not provide free condoms and currently has none in stock. Guests must go out and buy them themselves if they want them.

As a gentleman, Ivanov naturally couldn't afford to argue with Madham. In fact, if he did try, he'd most likely be no match for Madham.

The lethality of Russian madama is such that even someone like Wang Xiao, who could poison himself just by licking it, wouldn't dare to provoke it lightly.

For Ivanov, the even more unfortunate thing is that there are no 24-hour convenience stores in Yuzhno-Sakhalin. At this hour, the only option is probably a nightclub. Well, maybe a karaoke bar might have one too.

Wang Xiao was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe. It was so funny, it felt like the movie "Lost in Thailand".

She straightened up, got out of bed, and said, "Okay, you should go to sleep too. I'm going back to rest."

No, this alone is enough to make her and Lyuba laugh before bed.

Ivanov was going crazy. He hugged Wang Xiao, looking aggrieved, and said, "You can't just abandon me."

See, the reason he only realized he didn't have a condom at the crucial moment is because he's very honest.

He flew in from Moscow without a condom because he had no intention of indulging in debauchery here.

To be precise, he hasn't gone out at all since last Chinese New Year. Even when pretending to be a couple, he takes it very seriously.

Of course, both subjective and objective factors are involved.

Objectively speaking, he was very busy, working like a spinning top every day. There was no qualified factory manager; all sorts of things in the factory were brought to him, and he wished he could split himself into eight people to be used.

Once people get busy, their former buddies who used to party together naturally drift apart. They are also afraid of the king, worried that inviting him to join them would offend him and lead to retribution.

Secondly, Vladimir had made up his mind to have him marry the king. Knowing he was too young to control the king, Vladimir turned his attention to himself, much like a mother-in-law in the old society who was fixated on her daughter-in-law.

Of course, these are all objective factors, and they are actually insignificant.

Because as long as one has the desire to steal, one will inevitably have the courage to do so; no amount of difficulty or restriction will matter.

What truly determined his actions was his subjective factor: his willingness to be with Wang.

After finishing his work and having some free time, he was happy to stay by Wang's side. Even if they didn't say a word and each had their own things to do, just seeing Wang made him feel incredibly at ease.

He's been so well-behaved, shouldn't he be rewarded?

Ivanov knew all too well how to soften people's hearts, especially women's; it was a skill he had honed since childhood.

Unfortunately, Wang Xiao was very selfish. Once she changed her mind, she wouldn't offer any more help: "Do it yourself, I'm going back to sleep."

Ivanov was about to lose it, but could only watch her leave helplessly. Finally, he said with a pleading look, "You can't go find someone else."

"I'm not looking anymore, I really want to go to sleep."

Alcohol is such a strange thing; one minute it makes you excited, and the next minute fatigue envelops you like the sea.

Ivanov clung to the doorway, insisting on watching her return to her room before he stopped.

The door closed, and Lyuba, with a face mask on, glanced at the time: "Oh, it really wasn't even a quarter of an hour."

Wang Xiao couldn't help but burst into laughter again; she knew Lyuba definitely knew the reason.

Because the bodyguards would turn the room upside down before they checked in. Did Lyuba not know if there were condoms in the room? She also knew perfectly well what items the front desk would provide.

Oh, right, the boss didn't pack her own luggage; her personal assistant did it for her. So what's in the suitcase? Lyuba had a list in her head too.

Therefore, it is perfectly normal for the president to favor Korzhakov; the importance of bodyguards in their lives is unimaginable.

Wang Xiao found it funnier and funnier, and couldn't stop laughing.

Ivanov stood in the doorway, and through the door panel, he had to remind her, "Hey, ladies, you should be going to sleep."

He really cares about his image.

Wang Xiao laughed heartily: "Alright, alright, time to sleep, really time to sleep."

She didn't even put on a face mask before going straight to bed and crawling under the covers.

But after the lights were turned off, looking at the boundless darkness, her mood plummeted again, and she unconsciously called out, "Lyuba."

She didn't know how to describe her feelings; perhaps it was loneliness, an endless loneliness that only intensified the liveliness.

She often experienced this loneliness even before she traveled through time.

She had no one to rely on; she had only herself.

At that time, she could relieve her loneliness through stimulating sports.

But as time went on and her status rose, extreme sports became less relaxing for her.

It is no exaggeration to say that she believed she understood President Roosevelt in his later years.

His will is the will of America; this is the source of his glory, as well as the source of his immense pressure and boundless loneliness.

Why do novels often feature a mentor or guide for career-oriented protagonists? It's so that when the protagonist is confused or in pain, someone can step in to comfort them and point them in the right direction.

Unfortunately, real life isn't that kind of thing, especially as you get closer to the end, the fewer people can help you. The only person you can rely on is yourself.

Wang Xiao called out Lyuba's name again. She didn't expect the bodyguards to help her; she just wanted to call out to them.

But Lyuba still spoke up: "Let's get a pet."

She felt that her boss wasn't lonely, but rather needed to distract himself.

Her boss has high expectations of others, but even higher expectations of himself.

When her attention is focused on work, the constant pressure keeps her on edge. At that moment, she needs something else to grab her attention.

Normally, most people would choose their family. But the boss's family is in China, so they can't be relied upon for the time being.

“Get a pet,” Lyuba repeated. “I’ve had pets when I was on field assignments.”

Unlike Nikola and others who sometimes boast about their KGB careers, Lyuba has never mentioned them, as if she has automatically blocked out this part of her life.

So Wang Xiao simply asked out of curiosity, "What kind of pet do you keep?"

Lizard or snake?

Unexpectedly, Lyuba's choice was quite conventional: "A cat, I have a cat."

No one knows how much pressure an overseas agent is under unless they experience it firsthand.

In fact, when she was sent abroad to work, the Cold War was coming to an end and the Soviet Union was declining.

In other words, looking at it from a different perspective, she didn't face much real danger at the time, since it was long past the point of life and death.

However, those who personally experienced history cannot look at the issues from the perspective of history itself; those who were truly in the midst of it all felt just as much tension and fear.

During those tense and confused days, the big fat cat gave her countless comforts. Sometimes, only when she felt the cat's body temperature could she be sure that she was still alive.

Wang Xiao laughed: "The cats there are quite respectful to you."

Cats are such aloof animals. When she was a child, the cats that lived next door wouldn't even glance at her, so she raised dogs when she grew up.

But honestly, dogs are really clingy, and they'll cry if you don't have time to spend with them.

"Then what kind of cat should I get?" Wang Xiao began to think.

From a simple and convenient perspective, raising a tabby cat is the most suitable, as its fighting ability is top-notch.

However, tabby cats are not kept by humans, but rather they are kept by humans.

What kind of cat is easy to care for, pet, and won't run away from home every few days?

Lyuba laughed and teased, "How about we raise a panda? They're pretty amazing; they can even ride a bicycle by themselves."

She was grateful that her boss didn't press her for details—"What about your cat? Is it doing well?"

Because the answer is no, or rather, she doesn't know.

Much of the post-Soviet era was chaotic, and her evacuation was no exception. In fact, to this day she still doesn't understand why she was suddenly notified to evacuate.

When the Soviet Union was in power, she couldn't ask, much less ask.

The Soviet Union was gone, and she lost interest in asking.

She abandoned the cat.

She couldn't take anything with her when she left. Besides hastily burning some documents and flushing them down the drain, the only thing she could do was open the window so that the cat could find its own way out to survive when it was hungry.

In this life, there are very few things we can control; most of the time, we abandon and forget.

Wang Xiao laughed: "Pandas are no good. They're cute when they're young, but they're not as cute when they grow up."

Honestly, when she first saw a giant panda at the zoo, it was busy making movements that would easily be censored, and its overall image was anything but cute.

In fact, it's a metal-eating beast by nature, and it's not exactly known for its cuteness.

After saying it, Wang Xiao suddenly realized something—when faced with the suggestion of raising pandas, her first reaction was not whether it was a criminal offense, but whether she wanted to do it or not.

Yes, she simply didn't want to raise giant pandas. Otherwise, in the chaotic 1990s, she would have used both overt and covert methods.

If all else fails, she can build a zoo to raise them.

But she wasn't interested; she had already found her favorite adorable creature—a red panda.

That little national second-class good-for-nothing who never had an awkward period of being good-looking from birth, who would stand up and raise his claws when fighting, and who would whine and cry when he lost.

Yes, I'll raise it.

Lyuba also has an impression of red pandas.

So the two of them started discussing casually how to raise a red panda.

What do red pandas eat? Wouldn't eating only apples cause diabetes?

Why not just build it a manor? Like the one in "The Cherry Orchard," where it can run around freely.

As she talked, Wang Xiao became increasingly sleepy. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and she was about to fall asleep and start petting the little panda.

She doesn't even know if the red panda's fur is actually soft or not.

Unfortunately, the little panda from the dream didn't come the next second; instead, there was a cautious knock on the door: "Wang, are you asleep?"

Ivanov didn't dare call Wang Xiao's room directly, because the sudden ringing of the phone would startle her.

Even though he had been so considerate, she was still annoyed.

Nonsense! Who can be full of energy when they're about to fall asleep and get woken up? It's no wonder they're in a bad mood!

"Speak if you have something to say, otherwise step back."

"A phone call, a call from Chubais, from Moscow, it's urgent."

When Wang Xiao got out of bed and grabbed the receiver to listen to the satellite phone, the heavy, oppressive atmosphere and overwhelming resentment felt like it could crush the entire Sakhalin Island.

Chubais, considering himself a civilized man, knew he should apologize for disturbing someone so late at night: "I'm sorry, Miss Wang, something's happened. Korzhakov has arrested our people. But I can't contact him right now, and the president is asleep. I can't disturb him."

Wang Xiao almost cursed out loud.

The president wants to sleep, so I won't sleep?

You can't bother the president, but you can bother me?

She suppressed her anger, her voice as cold and hard as the wind on Sakhalin Island: "What exactly happened? Who did Korzhakov arrest? Why did he arrest them?"

If we're talking about the people Korzhakov hates the most, shouldn't Wang Xiao be in the top three on his blacklist?

She had already avoided his sharp edge and fled to Sakhalin Island, so how come there were still unlucky souls who ran into his gun?

“Listen, Wang, this is all a frame-up. It’s a typical Soviet tactic, an old KGB trick. They’ll put money or even drugs into the bag of the person they want to frame, and then falsely accuse the victim of stealing money and trafficking drugs.”

Wang Xiao was already feeling sleepy and had no interest in listening to his nonsense: "Did he bribe your people, or give them drugs?"

"money."

"How much?"

"US$500,000 and US$38,550"

"Wow, you've really gone all out," Wang Xiao teased cryptically, then asked the crucial question, "Where is it tucked in?"

Are you kidding me? The largest denomination of the US dollar right now is $100.

If you said $38,550 was stuffed into someone else's bag to frame them, she might still believe you.

$500,000, that's enough to fit in a large travel bag.

Was the suitcase from Chubais switched during a business trip?

Sure enough, the money wasn't stuffed into the bag.

Chubais honestly admitted: "In the box, it was packed in a Xerox cardboard box and carried in a bag."

Wang Xiao said meaningfully, "Sir, I didn't know your subordinates were so frugal that they couldn't even afford to buy briefcases and had to use boxes used for printing paper as briefcases. You really should pay them more."

Even across satellite phone and thousands of miles, Chubais was still somewhat flustered: "Miss Wang, you know, campaigning is a very complicated matter. We need a lot of campaign funds..."

Wang Xiao immediately stopped him: "Sir, you don't need to explain to me. I'm just a media relations person, not a finance manager."

Just how chaotic is the management of funds in a presidential campaign? Everyone knows the answer, but no one says it.

The allure of wealth is undeniable; with large sums of cash on the table, how many people can truly resist reaching for it?

It's hard to say whether the arrested bankers and Chubais's assistants were truly innocent.

If she were truly innocent, Chubais probably wouldn't have been so frightened that he had to make that long-distance satellite phone call to her in the middle of the night.

Wang Xiao only cared about one question: "Where did they catch them?"

“The White House,” Chubais explained. “At 5:20 p.m. this afternoon, Korzhakov’s men stopped people at the White House gate for inspection, and detained them as soon as they saw money. I must explain that this money is all legitimate campaign funds, and it is just temporarily stored in the White House warehouse for easy access.”

Wang Xiaozhen didn't care whether the money was legal or not; in Moscow, there wasn't much money that was truly legal.

She was astonished: "The Kremlin Chief of Staff has already extended his reach to the White House? Our President is far too magnanimous. Sir, whatever the situation, now is the time for His Excellency the Prime Minister to step in. Just anyone can come to the White House and act arrogantly; that would be an affront to His Excellency the Prime Minister's authority."

Chubais smiled wryly: "Miss Wang, your words are useless. Our Prime Minister never offends anyone, and he has been like this for five years."

Wang Xiao insisted, "No matter what, he should step in. If Russia wants to establish a society governed by the rule of law, then responsibilities and powers should be clearly defined. Just because someone has troops doesn't mean they can act like a big shot all over the world. Russia isn't a military government. If things are done this way, how will the federal government function?"

Qiu Baisi had no choice but to agree. He didn't want to dwell on the topic any longer because he had more important things to do and needed Wang Xiao's support.

“Listen, Miss Wang, we need you back now, back to Moscow.”

Wang Xiao was already yawning from sleepiness and asked curiously, "Why would I go back? Just because Mr. Korzhakov invited the two gentlemen for tea? He can't keep them locked up forever; he'll definitely let them out after tea."

“Miss Wang!” Chubais’s voice sounded utterly devastated. “Don’t you understand how serious this is? This is just the beginning. Korzhakov could very well arrest us all and throw us in jail!”

Fearing Wang Xiao wouldn't believe him, he emphasized again, "Do you know who he is? KGB! The KGB doesn't care about the law or evidence. If they want, they can pull out a gun and kill someone anytime, then arbitrarily pin a charge on them, like treason or corruption."

Good heavens, how is he supposed to explain this to foreigners in the Third World? Only people from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, East Germany, and countries where the eyes of the secret police were everywhere can understand the pain and torment of being constantly watched.

Wang Xiao had never experienced such a life, so she naturally couldn't truly empathize. However, she wisely expressed her acceptance, only emphasizing one question: "Although Korzhakov holds great power, isn't moving people from the campaign team a betrayal of the president? Without the president's support, he still can't do anything."

So why are you all so scared? What terrible things have you done that you're afraid of being interrogated by Korzhakov?

Chubais was truly getting anxious: "Miss Wang, don't take this lightly. Tomorrow he'll go to the president and tell him, 'Look, I caught a thief who stole a huge sum of cash. This entire campaign team is full of thieves, thieves who steal national property.' He'll force the president to make a choice, abandon us, and ruin us forever!"

Wang Xiao chuckled: "The president isn't a three-year-old. He's a wise and shrewd politician. Would he cooperate with Korzhakov in playing such a pointless game? Sir, are you kidding me?"

Honestly, he really wanted to know how the KGB recruited people back then. Was this president's bodyguard a nepotism hire?

Otherwise, she really couldn't understand why this guy always did such thankless and stupid things that backfired on him.

Chubais dared not think Korzhakov was stupid; he only found the man terrifying.

The KGB is like a ghost; even though the Soviet Union is gone, and even though the KGB no longer exists in name, this force is still like an invisible hand, ready to choke someone at any moment.

Chubais was really afraid that Wang Xiao would take it lightly, so he had to bite the bullet and explain to her in detail: "Wang, as you said, the president is very wise, and the security department is very important to him."

He wasn't afraid that the president was actually being misled by Korzhakov, but rather that the president would start weighing the pros and cons again and choose the security department that was more important to him.

He was terrified, he was worried, and the whole team was terrified of becoming victims of power compromises.

Especially for him, he had already experienced this once, and he never wanted to go through it a second time.

Moreover, this time, Korzhakov will absolutely not give him a chance to make a comeback. He will be kicked out of the campaign team, his political life will be over, and what's worse, Korzhakov will definitely put him in jail.

Wang Xiao couldn't help but scratch his head: "No, sir, aren't you mistaken? The security department is very important to the president, but isn't the campaign team important to him?"

She hadn't expected to have to remind him of this point: "The election hasn't even started yet. Although the president has a slight advantage now, and his approval rating is rising tomorrow, the first round of the election won't be until June. A lot can happen in two months. Even if they want to discard him after he's served his purpose, they'll have to wait until after the election!"

She encouraged Chubais, saying, "Sir, please believe in yourself and your campaign team. No one can replace you now. The key for the president now is the election. He needs all his supporters to unite and work together to secure his re-election, not to cause trouble."

She was truly impressed by these old men. "At this time, all contradictions are internal contradictions among the people, and they must be weakened, weakened, and weakened again, so that we can work together to deal with the external enemy."

She knew it! She knew it! This election is actually a contest of who has more incompetent allies.

Both sides can simply stop fighting and do nothing, just quietly wait for the other to make a foolish mistake.

If she were Zyuganov, she would be laughing in her sleep.

Look at these idiots in the Kremlin! They haven't even had a proper election yet, and they've already started killing each other and stealing credit ahead of time.

Chubais remained uneasy: "But Korzhakov is no ordinary man."

He was the president's confidant and drinking buddy; the president himself said he was the only person he could trust.

Wang Xiao chuckled: "So how could he be so ungrateful? The president trusts him so much, treats him so well, and has elevated him to such a high position. How could he not cherish it? Why would he cause trouble at such a crucial moment?"

To put it bluntly, all his power came from the president; if the president takes it back, he will have nothing left.

Does the security service lack leadership? No. Many deputies are just waiting for their superiors to fall so they can rise to power themselves.

But the campaign team led by Chubais is different. Now they are the ones who made the president. The president's approval rating is able to rise because of the support of this team and the forces behind the team.

Why belittle yourself?

The person who truly cannot do without the Chubais team now is the president!

He feared they would be angered and turn against him, supporting his opponents.

He would make a sacrifice to appease the entire team and ensure the election proceeded smoothly.

Wang Xiao sighed: "Mr. Chubais, the person who should really be worried now is Alexander Korzhakov. He has crossed a line and offended the president. Just wait, he will be the one to be dealt with after dawn."

Chubais, however, remained skeptical. Failure always undermines one's confidence, making one constantly doubt: Am I really that important, that great?

No, he isn't; his team needs support.

“Wang, please come back immediately. Although I can’t explain why, my intuition tells me that the situation is going to get very complicated. I’m also afraid that the Russian Communists will take advantage of the situation.”

Wang Xiao refused outright: "I've only been out for a few days? Less than a week in total."

Why was she lingering on the phone with him for so long so late at night? Wasn't it just so she could get him to hang up and go back to sleep?

He told her to go back to Moscow with just one sentence, how could she possibly sleep?

Chubais pleaded with her in a humble voice, "Your Majesty, you should come back soon. In Moscow, many things are unreasonable."

She had only been gone for less than a week, and her entire campaign team was almost wiped out.

What will they do if she doesn't come back?

Wang Xiao casually replied, "We'll see."

He hung up the phone immediately.

She was baffled. Why would such a small matter frighten a former First Vice Premier and so many oligarchs like this?

Ivanov sighed beside him, "Because our president is always so indecisive."

Wang Xiao glanced at him, but ultimately didn't say what she really wanted to say.

If the president sides with Korzhakov this time, then he shouldn't be re-elected.

Someone who is busy dismantling the bridge before even crossing the river has no right to be supported.

He probably wouldn't be that stupid.

He has a strong sense of power; he knows where his power comes from and how to firmly grasp it.

This is the biggest reason why he was still chosen despite his poor record in office.

Ivanov tentatively asked from the side, "So, tomorrow?"

Wang Xiao spat angrily. Annoying, so annoying. There's nothing in Moscow that makes people happy.

However, he really wanted to see just how scared those self-important oligarchs were.

Seeing her expression soften, Ivanov immediately patted his chest and assured her, "A little panda, right? I'll arrange it right away."

Wang Xiao turned around and glared at him. Given the oppressive environment in Moscow, she was really afraid that Little Panda would become depressed if he went there.

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[Let me see!] Red pandas are so cute! In my heart, they're tied for first place with chubby little pandas! [Hugs]