Chapter 423 You Underestimate Her: The Essence of Interpersonal Relationships is the Exchange of Value

In August, Jinning City was ablaze.

The sun boiled the water of the great river, and Jinning City became a steamer placed on the boiling water, steaming everyone living in it until they were covered in oil and sweat.

Even though it was already autumn, and even though the sun had set and only the stars were in the sky, Secretary Sun was still drenched in sweat from the short ten-minute walk from the provincial government compound to Secretary Fang's small building.

Upon seeing his secretary enter, drenched in sweat, Secretary Fang, who was sitting on the living room sofa, immediately stood up and greeted him with a smile: "Here, have a slice of watermelon, a new variety from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. I was just about to send some over to you. Thank you for your hard work."

Secretary Sun is indeed working very hard. He can't go home late at night and is still working overtime.

What are you doing?

Of course, it's about getting the materials.

The five-year plan for Jiangdong Province included a canal project, and this year they started dredging and digging a new canal.

It's only been six months since the project started, and it's mostly done by hand. It's impossible to finish digging the canal so quickly and demonstrate the power of unobstructed rivers.

But the merits of this project have already become apparent.

In which aspect? Flood prevention and disaster relief.

The Grand Canal may not yet show its former glory, but the dredging project has greatly increased the river's capacity, allowing the Jiangdong area to successfully weather the flood peak.

This alone prevented hundreds of millions of yuan in direct economic losses.

In addition, the dredging project increased the river's capacity and alleviated the drought caused by the prolonged lack of rain in the northern part of the province, which also contributed significantly.

Furthermore, the construction workers used in the Grand Canal project were almost all laid-off employees from small and medium-sized state-owned enterprises, which avoided social unrest caused by a sudden mass unemployment and actively responded to the national policy of "focusing on large enterprises and letting go of small ones" in the reform of state-owned enterprises.

With these achievements combined, the Grand Canal project became a positive example, and the higher authorities wanted to study it to see if it should be promoted in the future.

The central government urgently needed the materials from the province. As the secretary's top secretary and someone who had witnessed the entire project from start to finish, Secretary Sun naturally took the lead in organizing the writing of the materials.

He knew this was a genuine achievement, and the leader mentioning his name was giving him a chance to shine.

He's in his prime and certainly won't be a secretary forever; sooner or later he'll have to take on a real job.

For him, such work is an achievement that can be written on his resume.

Secretary Fang smiled and personally handed him a slice of watermelon, adding with concern, "You've worked hard. Have a piece of watermelon. The well water has been flowing all day; it'll cool you down."

The sweet and refreshing watermelon exudes a cool and sweet aroma, and looks incredibly tempting.

Secretary Sun, however, had no time to enjoy the gossip and waved his hand, saying, "Secretary, I'm not going to enjoy the gossip for now. I have something to report."

"What's the matter? Why is it so urgent? Can't we talk on the phone?" Secretary Fang laughed helplessly. "You're just so impatient, running around in this sweltering heat."

Secretary Sun couldn't wait any longer: "This is really big news! Mr. Ivanov has become the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia!"

Secretary Fang hadn't reacted yet: "Which Mr. Ivanov?"

Because of the existence of Jiangzhimen International Trade City, there are a lot of Russians in Jinning City, and Ivanov is a very common surname among Russians. She knows many Ivanovs.

In particular, when she went to Moscow two years ago to sign a sister city agreement and to attract investment, she met many officials named Ivanov.

For a time, Secretary Fang really couldn't figure out which Mr. Ivanov had become Russia's Deputy Prime Minister.

"Who else could it be?" Secretary Sun was so excited she almost jumped up. "Ivan! Mr. Ivanov! Mr. Wang's Mr. Ivanov!"

With a "thud," the watermelon that Secretary Fang was holding fell to the ground, its bright red flesh shattering and its sweet juice splashing out instantly.

Upon seeing this, the housekeeper quickly grabbed a broom and ran over to clean up the watermelon that had fallen on the floor.

Secretary Fang waved his hand, indicating that the housekeeper didn't need to bother, and eagerly pressed Secretary Sun for an answer: "Mr. Ivanov? Is it really Mr. Ivanov?!"

Secretary Sun nodded vigorously: "It's Mr. Ivanov, I've confirmed it several times!"

He knew it; he wasn't the only one shocked.

Even when Zyuganov defeated the incumbent president and took the throne in the Kremlin, he wasn't this shocked.

Because I was mentally prepared!

How can anyone compare to Ivanov? What does he have to do with politics? I don't think he's ever held an official position, yet he suddenly becomes Russia's Deputy Prime Minister!

"Let me make a call and ask." Secretary Fang still couldn't quite believe it. She knew that Russia was no longer the Soviet Union, but it was still the old Soviet Union after all. Surely they wouldn't joke about it like that.

Secretary Sun quickly looked at her leader with anticipation.

He couldn't believe it either, so the moment he received the news, he dropped the materials he was holding and rushed over to report to his superior.

The call connected, and the person on the other end chuckled and immediately started teasing: "I knew you, the top leader of Jiangdong, would call me. Was it to ask about the Russian Deputy Prime Minister? That's right, it's that Mr. Ivanov. I recognized him letter by letter, looked at his photo and his resume, it's him! I reckon when he's elected Deputy Prime Minister, you Jiangdong people will be even more shocked than the Russians."

The person on the phone laughed even harder as they spoke, "After all, Russians are used to changing deputy prime ministers, you won't have time to get used to it."

Secretary Fang didn't have time for any more pleasantries; he just laughed it off and quickly hung up.

Her chief secretary was still standing there, exclaiming, "Really, my goodness! He's only 32 years old."

At this age, within the normal civil service system, countless college graduates would be scrambling to secure a position as a section-level cadre.

He was promoted to deputy director at the age of 35 and was praised as a young talent and promising young man.

That's a 32-year-old deputy prime minister, and not from a tiny country, but from Russia.

Mr. Ivanov became the official in such a radiant way?

If you were to ask Secretary Sun about his impression of Ivanov, the answer would be simple—he has a good temper.

It's really good.

He had never seen Mr. Ivanov lose his temper. He always followed Wang Xiao around cheerfully, greeting him with a smile wherever he went, and never got angry at anyone.

Aside from eating and drinking, all he did was listen to people talk. Oh, by the way, the last time Secretary Sun met the other party was at the launch ceremony of the Grand Canal project.

What was Mr. Ivanov doing at that time? He didn't do anything. He and Mr. Wang were just like children, stepping on each other's shadows, jumping and hopping around, very lively.

When Secretary Sun recalls that scene now, she feels a wave of dizziness wash over her.

Russians are really open-minded! They actually dared to elect this guy as deputy prime minister!

“They didn’t elect them,” Secretary Fang shook his head. “Their president elected them.”

Russia is still in a mess, lacking a proper process for selecting officials. This is especially true for high-ranking officials, who are almost entirely chosen by the president.

The main point is to do whatever you want.

The housekeeper came over, cleaned up the watermelon on the floor, and then cut up a plate of watermelon and put it on the coffee table.

Secretary Sun, feeling parched, immediately grabbed a slice of melon and started eating.

The Academy of Agricultural Sciences' efforts paid off; the watermelons did indeed taste great—sweet, juicy, and tender.

As he was eating, a thought suddenly occurred to him, and he immediately reacted, abruptly raising his head: "Mr. Wang, you wouldn't be immigrating to Russia and settling down there from now on, would you?"

These days, going abroad is all the rage. Being able to live abroad is considered a skill by everyone. Marrying a foreigner is something to be incredibly proud of.

Moreover, she didn't marry some prince from a small country with no real power; she married a real Russian deputy prime minister!

If word gets out, it's practically a source of pride and honor for one's ancestors.

Secretary Sun had no complaints about her marrying a foreigner. He thought, "She's not his cat or dog, not his private property. Why should he care who she marries?"

His fear stemmed from the question: "What if she really doesn't come back and sells off all her businesses in China?"

That's how it is with immigrants. They sell off their family assets, pack up, and go abroad, never to return.

What will the Jiangdong Provincial Government do if Wang Xiao does the same?

Don't say things like "we can't eat hairy pigs without Butcher Wang."

In fact, an industry leader can be worth a thousand troops.

Do you think that just because the International Trade City is there, anyone who takes it over can run a thriving business and make money effortlessly?

dream!

How many once-thriving companies have been extinguished simply by changing leaders?

Moreover, her business is so large that it's not something one person could take over.

If the enterprises are fragmented and operate independently, it will resemble the Soviet Union after its collapse. How can they possibly grow bigger and stronger? They'll be lucky if they don't just disappear altogether.

Secretary Sun grew increasingly anxious, wishing she could call Wang Xiao right now and earnestly persuade her to reconsider her actions. Ideally, she should go to Wang Xiao's parents immediately and have them persuade her as well.

But as soon as the thought popped into his head, Secretary Sun realized how absurd it was.

These days, there's no such thing as a patriotic persona, nor is there such a thing as a patriotic meal.

When he was young, he did receive the kind of education that "foreign countries are in dire straits," but unfortunately, the people who compiled the textbooks and the officials who carried out the propaganda were generally among the first wave of people who went abroad and never came back.

The secretary of the provincial party committee's top leader has common sense and a sense of shame. He's too embarrassed to lie through his teeth and use fabricated nonsense that even the person making it up doesn't believe to fool people.

"What should we do?" The secretary, always quick to respond to his leader's concerns, was so anxious that even the watermelon tasted bitter.

Secretary Fang was also deep in thought.

A single hair can affect the whole body.

Why do ordinary people always focus on officials, businessmen, and celebrities? Because celebrities can mobilize resources a hundred times greater than ordinary people, and their influence is a thousand times or even ten thousand times greater.

Wang Xiao is a well-known businesswoman in Jiangdong. As the top official of a major economic province, Secretary Fang could not possibly be indifferent to her every word and action.

However, Secretary Fang quickly shook his head, a rather wry smile on his face: "If you're afraid of this, then you're underestimating her. She didn't put someone on the position of vice premier just to be a vice premier's wife."

Secretary Sun was hit with her second major blow today, her eyes wide with shock: "She, she helped?"

Good heavens! This is even more frightening than Mr. Ivanov, who has never held an official position, becoming the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia the moment he stepped in!

Wang... Wang Xiao directly promoted a political novice to the position of vice premier?

Secretary Fang sighed, "It couldn't have been Mr. Ivanov who did it all by himself."

As a woman who rose to the top position in a major economic province, she believed she had a good eye for people.

Yes, that foreign guy was a good person and well-liked. But these were never the key factors for him to rise to a high position.

The path upwards is always fraught with calculation and intrigue.

Secretary Sun also realized that when it came to talent and methods in being an official, even ten Mr. Ivanovs tied together probably couldn't compare to one General Manager Wang.

But he still found it unbelievable: "Could it be that Mr. Ivanov's family is pulling strings behind the scenes?"

This is a genuine third-generation Red family. Even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they were not purged and remained a powerful and influential family.

Secretary Fang shook his head: "The position of vice premier is not worthless; it carries real power. Their family is still a layer apart."

She believed that the one who could truly reach the ears of the emperor was actually Wang Xiao.

Why was Secretary Fang so certain? Because in martial arts novels and TV dramas, as soon as a disciple of a sect makes a move, everyone knows which sect he belongs to.

During the Russian presidential election, the Kremlin made several moves that seemed familiar to Secretary Fang.

That underlying logic and behavioral pattern is definitely not from the old Soviet regime—if the Soviet Union had such means, it wouldn't have collapsed so easily.

It's not the work of Europeans and Americans—she also follows elections in Europe and America, but it's never this style.

Considering Wang Xiao's familiarity with high-ranking Russian politicians and his frequent access to the Kremlin, Secretary Fang concluded that Wang Xiao was the most likely mastermind behind it all.

Once this is established, everything that follows makes perfect sense.

She made a significant contribution to the president's re-election; one could even say that she turned the tide when the country was on the verge of collapse.

Now that everything has settled and it's time to reward those who have contributed, it's not unreasonable for her to accept the position as a foreigner, but she did arrange for Mr. Ivanov to become a deputy prime minister.

The secretary is the leader's confidant, and Secretary Sun believed in his leader's analysis, but because of this, he was even more dumbfounded.

Good heavens! Although the leader has praised him several times, saying that if President Wang were to go into politics, his future would be limitless.

He himself believed that Mr. Wang did indeed have this talent.

But no matter how hard he racked his brains, he never imagined that the other person's talent could be this high.

What does it mean to be a good wife/husband? This is the perfect example!

Secretary Sun couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Oh dear, if she were..."

"What if?" The words were on the tip of his tongue when Secretary Sun's intelligence finally returned, and he immediately swallowed the rest of his sentence.

That's reckless! You've got your head caught in a door!

In front of his superiors, he wanted to say, "Oh dear, if she really gets together with your son, then you won't have to worry about your son's future political prospects."

If these words were to come from Secretary Sun, then he would be the one worrying about his political future!

However, as the top official of the provincial party committee, Secretary Fang possessed a keen insight far exceeding that of ordinary people, and she immediately understood what her secretary meant.

But she wasn't angry. Instead, she laughed and said it as gossip: "It's just a pity that Xiaoyu didn't end up with her, right?"

She shook her head, filled with emotion, "It won't work."

She sighed inwardly, only today did she truly understand the logic behind Wang Xiao's actions.

It's very simple: a win-win situation, an exchange of value.

This girl probably understood the essence of interpersonal relationships long ago—the exchange of value.

Love, family, friendship—it's all the same.

The core of her relationship with Xiaoyu was physical intimacy.

Male pleasure and female love are intertextual; both parties experience pleasure, and there is no question of one taking advantage of the other; their value is completely equal.

Therefore, it's impossible for Wang Xiao to give Xiao Yu more.

She said that she hoped to get more from Xiaoyu, and the only possible way was through herself, Xiaoyu's mother.

But besides being Xiaoyu's mother, she was also Secretary Fang.

Why would Wang Xiao, who is able to interact with Secretary Fang openly and honestly as President Wang, deliberately create trouble by dragging Xiao Yu into the middle?

No need.

Mr. Ivanov's situation was different; he was someone who could help Wang Xiao do business in Russia. His family background and his own connections were a huge asset to Wang Xiao.

So, in exchange for value, when she has both the need and the ability, she will naturally help Ivanov rise to a higher position.

Because of this high position, their careers can reach new heights.

Secretary Fang laughed and remarked, "At least now in Russia, the mafia shouldn't dare to mess with their businesses."

Don't be fooled by the rampant activities of the Russian mafia; they only target ordinary people.

If they really go up against the state apparatus, the mafia doesn't want to court death.

“That’s right.” Secretary Sun smiled as well. “President Wang, this will save you a lot of money.”

When he went to Moscow last time, he heard from Boss Wang that about one-third of the profits had to be spent on bribes at various levels throughout the year.

Now that one-third has been saved, what an amazing fortune that is!

Secretary Fang still smiled and shook his head: "She knows how to handle people, so she can't possibly take it all back. The lower-level clerks and the like can still get tea money."

Even so, it can save a lot of money.

Secretary Sun has already set his sights on this money. Wouldn't it be great if we could bring it back and invest it in Jiangdong?

Jiangdong is now trying to attract investment everywhere.

Secretary Fang laughed as he listened: "If outsiders knew what you were thinking, they would probably call us greedy and insatiable. Do you know what I said when I called Lao Tao just now? He said that we in Jiangdong should build a shrine for General Manager Wang."

Why go to such lengths? Because with this move by President Wang, the number of cargo planes and flights to Moscow were all kept at Wuzhou, at Jiangdong.

Such a lucrative market for private trade with Russia—how many people are eyeing it? How many want to grab a piece of it?

Civil aviation has long been dissatisfied with being excluded, and other regions also want a share of the pie.

To protect this revenue, Secretary Fang lost count of how many times he had traveled to Beijing, enduring immense hardship with gritted teeth.

But this time, with Mr. Ivanov as Russia's Deputy Prime Minister, who would dare to touch his business?

If anyone is ignorant and tries to interfere with his plans, they are violating the basic principle that there are no trivial matters in diplomacy, and it will cause an international incident!

International charter flight trade is the foundation of the Wuzhou Group. Only by stabilizing this business can the group focus on other major initiatives.

Secretary Sun nodded in agreement.

Indeed, business is business, and everything is negotiable in business. But when it comes to international politics, everyone has to be extremely careful, and they wouldn't dare to cause any trouble.

To take a recent example, a couple of years ago when Pudong was developing its economy, the land for the high-tech park was acquired by the Canadian company, Xinyuan, which then withheld the land and refused to develop it.

According to the original contract, the management company of the high-tech park should take back the land.

But the Canadians immediately took their complaint to their prime minister.

When the Canadian Prime Minister visited Beijing, he paid special attention to this matter. Now, Shanghai had to take it seriously, and the mayor even flew to Beijing overnight to explain the situation.

Later, the high-tech park didn't reclaim the land; the management company helped attract investment to expedite its development. (Note ①)

This is the influence of international politics—an influence that makes everyone hesitant to act rashly.

The position of Russian Deputy Prime Minister became Wang Xiao's talisman in the business world.

How could she not do everything in her power to put Ivanov on the throne?

Secretary Sun started eating watermelon again. Watermelon can't be kept overnight; once it's been cut open, it has to be eaten.

As he ate, he worried about Wang Xiao: "I'm afraid people's hearts are fickle. I wonder if President Wang will advise her husband to seek a title and honors."

He was a man, and an official at that; he knew all too well the inherent flaws of men with power.

After liberation, many veteran cadres, under the banner of freedom of marriage and opposition to arranged marriages, hurriedly changed wives and directly abandoned their wives and children in the countryside.

After the Cultural Revolution ended, how many cadres, after being rehabilitated, rushed to change wives again?

The reason why a wife who has shared hardship should not be abandoned is because she is rare!

So, if it were a Russian, they'd be exceptionally conscientious? Hey! Don't be so blindly worshipful of foreign things; don't men understand men?

Secretary Fang laughed as he listened, teasing his secretary: "When President Wang returns to China, I'll definitely have to treat you to drinks, for your sincere feelings."

Secretary Sun waved his hand: "Whether she drinks or not doesn't matter. I'm just worried that she'll be let down and suffer heavy losses! That would also affect the economy of Jiangdong."

He realized that the leader in front of him was a woman, so he quickly added a sentence to try to make himself seem more gentle, "The worst thing is that I'm afraid that President Wang will be completely heartbroken and won't be able to take it."

The television in the living room turned on, and the housekeeper, having finished her work, sat down in front of it without fail to watch "Empress Wu Zetian."

On screen, Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, is nearing the end of his life and is making arrangements for his funeral.

Secretary Fang glanced over, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

She recalled an analysis she had once read by a historian specializing in Tang Dynasty history: Wu Zetian, in essence, was Li Zhi's chosen political successor. Emperor Gaozong was merely physically weak, but possessed a strong will to continue his rule; he needed a powerful successor to perpetuate his political career. He simply hadn't anticipated that Wu Zetian would be so ruthless and ambitious, unable even to tolerate her own son.

Even now, when Secretary Fang thinks of that comment, he can't help but smile.

How interesting that male emperors never lived for their wives or their sons.

They absurdly assume that women should live for their husbands and their sons.

She clearly already held power; she was an empress, and she thought like an emperor.

Countless wise rulers in ancient times killed their sons.

How come it's considered a sin for her not to be completely open and honest with her son?

People who think this way have never respected the logic of power.

After eating a slice of watermelon, Secretary Fang slowly said, "Don't worry, even if President Wang gets divorced in the future, she can still treat Mr. Ivanov's family as her friends and make them willingly do things for her."

She's incredibly skilled at building connections and integrating resources. She knows how to turn everything around her into an asset.

Secretary Sun couldn't help but click her tongue, still feeling regretful: "That's still unfair to her. She's been busy all day, only to have someone else benefit from her efforts."

Secretary Fang shook his head: "Well, it depends on how you look at it. If Ivanov hadn't become Vice Prime Minister, and they had lived their whole lives together as husband and wife, their life would be an 80 out of 100. If Ivanov had become Vice Prime Minister, and they had lived a peaceful life without causing any trouble, then that would be a 100 out of 100. If they divorced, they went their separate ways, so you'd deduct 10 points, but it would still be a 90 out of 100. Isn't 90 more than 80?"

When the leader calculated the costs, Secretary Sun was completely stumped.

Secretary Fang was still laughing: "She's not the kind of person who's content with a little wealth. To put it bluntly, the idea that a simple life is the best is more of a self-comfort, a belief that she doesn't deserve a better life."

Who among those striving for advancement would think that way? At least she wouldn't, and neither would Wang Xiao.

Secretary Sun chuckled: "Oh! It's good that President Wang thinks this way; he's very open-minded."

I'll help you get to a better position, and I won't mind if you leave. Because in the process, I'll also get to a better position.

Hmm, why does this sound like a friendly parting between a meritorious employee and his former employer?

Well, as expected, business people always reveal their true colors when they do things.

At this very moment, it is still bright daylight in Moscow, which is five hours ahead of time.

Wang Xiao proudly showed off her little panda to Jiyachenko, saying, "Look how cute it is! It's been adorable since it was a cub, and it hasn't had any awkward phase in terms of looks."

That big tail swung back and forth, and it really hit her right in the heart.

Tyachenko also thought the red pandas were quite cute, but that was all; they didn't reach Wang Xiao's level of cat-loving fervor.

Besides, she was more concerned about something else: "Wang, do you really have to leave Moscow? You don't need to worry. You are the president's image advisor. It's only natural for you to stay in Moscow. There's no need to avoid suspicion."

Dyachenko now suspects that Ivanov may have begun to regret his decision. Now that he has become deputy prime minister, his fiancée, who is of East Asian descent, should avoid any appearances in front of the Russian public, otherwise, she could easily provoke the anger of nationalists.

Wang Xiao shook his head: "No, I have to leave. I was supposed to go to South Africa after the presidential election in July. No one has been watching the business there, and I don't know if it has been secretly taken over."

Dyachenko couldn't persuade her any further.

With Ivanov becoming deputy prime minister, the burden of their business naturally fell on Wang Xiao's shoulders.

Can she really expect people to ignore their business?

Just then, the male owner of the estate arrived, and Diachenko immediately gave up his seat: "I'll go check on how their gooseberry jam is coming along."

Ivanov nodded and smiled at her, then sat down next to Wang Xiao and remained silent for a long time.

He knew that Wang Xiao was going to South Africa. Wang Xiao had wanted to go back in March to escape the stifling atmosphere of Moscow.

He was also looking forward to it at that time, because they hadn't thought about the vice premiership yet; they planned to go together.

But in just a few months, his life had undergone a dramatic change. He lost his freedom, he was held hostage by the state, and he could no longer go to South Africa with her.

The inexplicable frustration and grievance fermented in Ivanov's chest, making him feel so bitter that he could hardly bear it.

He rested his head on Wang Xiao's shoulder and remained silent for a long time.

The latter let go of the little panda to eat bamboo shoots, and instead patted his head, saying softly, "Take good care of yourself, okay? Don't eat anything that other people offer you, and don't drink anything that other people offer you, understand?"

Ivanov nuzzled her chin with his head, his voice muffled: "I know, they'll be watching me."

Wang Xiao laughed and continued to advise him, "Drink less alcohol and don't listen to their nonsense."

Ivanov nodded, his thick hair tickling her chin.

He also had a request: "You can go play, but you have to hide it well and don't let me know, otherwise I'll be sad. I'm already very sad."

Wang Xiao smiled and touched his ear: "Alright, alright, I'm going to work. If I really want to have a good time, I'll let you know in advance."

Ivanov began to cover his ears, muttering, "I never want to hear you greet me like that again."

In August, the wind in Moscow is as if filtered through a forest; even under the blazing sun, it doesn't feel scorching.

Autumn will come soon in this city.

Punoning took a walk nearby, hoping to see the red pandas.

Upon seeing the young couple snuggling together, he immediately turned around instinctively, wanting to leave.

Wang Xiao called out to stop them: "Vladimir, take good care of Ivan for me. Don't let anyone bully or hurt him."

This time, Punonin didn't roll his eyes or think to himself, "Who gave her the right to say that? What kind of relationship do he have with Ivan? It's an unbreakable bond!"

Because now, she has the right to say that.

Punonin nodded: "I will protect him."

He added, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "I promise I'll return everything to you intact when you come back."

Wang Xiao smiled: "Then I'm relieved."

I'll fly to South Africa tomorrow without worry.

————————

[Let me see] Good morning!