Chapter 84 New Year in Moscow (Bug Fix): How's the Natural Gas?

Regarding the question of where to spend the Chinese New Year, Wang Xiao would prefer to stay in Moscow.

Why is she so biased? China is clearly her homeland, and she has businesses in both Jinning and Xiaozhou.

As the boss, she should at least go back and warmly greet her employees, encouraging them to build on past achievements and strive for even greater success this year than next. After all, it would be a summary of a phase of work.

Especially since the international trade cities in Zhimen and Xiaozhou just opened last year, and the first year has been so successful, we should definitely hold a grand celebration to cheer everyone on.

However, after thinking about it for a long time, Wang Xiao finally decided to give up.

The year-end bonus should be generous. Ordinary employees will receive 3,000 yuan each, middle-level managers will receive 6,000 yuan, and senior managers will receive 10,000 yuan. Bonuses will be calculated separately.

They'll be giving out the same kind of welfare benefits as Jiangdong Steel Plant during the Chinese New Year; they have everything that other plants offer.

In short, we can't let everyone have a bad year.

But she herself doesn't show up.

There's no other reason than that tall trees catch the wind.

There are plenty of people in this world who can't or are too lazy to plant trees, and who only want to pick the fruit.

Unfortunately, they all have impressive backgrounds and are incredibly capable. If they set their sights on you, they can easily pin a label on you, and you'll be severely damaged, if not ruined.

Don't tell me that as long as you do business in a regulated manner, that's fine. In this day and age, the word "regulated" doesn't really exist.

Whether or not something can be done often depends not on rules and regulations, but on a leader's word.

When you see news reports of merchants holding IOUs issued by the government but failing to collect debts, don't you think the local government is really despicable?

But sorry, a government that can issue IOUs is already considered to be acting in accordance with the rules; more often than not, it's just a matter of a leader saying a word.

Can you believe it? China has not yet implemented a tax-sharing system. The central government's expenditures exceed its revenues, and ministries don't even have money to pay salaries.

So what can be done? Should the ministries collectively shoulder the burden?

That's impossible.

The finance minister personally led a team to various places to borrow money to make ends meet.

How do you expect local governments to collect debts borrowed from the central government?

Do they have money once they get to the local government level?

Forget it, if they were really rich, they wouldn't need to rely on family planning fines to support local government spending.

If they were truly wealthy, they wouldn't need to force farmers to pay exorbitant taxes and levies, practically tearing the land apart.

If it's really that big, then what about all those miscellaneous expenses and the endless stream of withheld funds?

The times are what they are, and the environment is inherently unpredictable.

So what can she do? She'll just have to endure it.

You've already made enough of a splash; it's best to keep a low profile and avoid being ostentatious.

As for how long she'll have to lie low? The Southern Tour has already begun, and all sorts of big names are about to make their grand entrance. When it comes to being high-profile and having a strong presence, she's definitely no match for them.

No sooner had Wang Xiao made her decision than her mother, Ms. Chen Yanqiu, arrived in a large group, each carrying a large bag and a small package.

Wow, the purchasing power of the general public is truly impressive!

Someone bought fifty wool scarves in one go, the pure wool kind.

Someone bought two sets of Soviet cadet uniforms, plus Soviet honor flags of various colors.

Some people bought strollers and folding beds, and there are a lot of them hanging around.

Someone bought canned fish. Seriously, canned fish is quite cheap in Moscow. You can buy a can for 15 rubles now, which is about one yuan in Chinese currency, and it tastes pretty good.

Someone bought two sacks of Soviet stamps in one go, but now that the Russian Federation uses new stamps, they're worthless.

However, because China is currently experiencing a stamp collecting craze, many people praised the buyer for having good taste and regretted not buying it themselves.

Of course, the two people are generally considered to have the best eye and the best purchasing skills.

A chemical plant worker bought a piano for 8,000 rubles. Although it was secondhand, the original owner had taken good care of it, and the piano looked about 70 or 80 percent new. It was perfect for their factory's auditorium.

Another one was a union cadre at the thermal power plant. He actually bought three motorcycles—not one! And he even wore two strangely nice shawls on top of them.

Wang Xiao had always known that motorcycles weren't worth much in Russia because of the short frost-free period. Try riding a motorcycle on the streets of Moscow in October, and you'll experience a truly unpleasant feeling.

But she never expected the motorcycle to be this cheap.

I guess the other party was in a hurry to sell, which is why they sold it in such a haphazard manner.

Fortunately, customs seems to be turning a blind eye to these things now, and they are tightening their control over them. Otherwise, these people probably wouldn't be able to return to China.

Sigh, I'm thinking about her scrap metal again. The customs declaration for export has been successfully completed.

Wang Xiao was also confused as to whether the Ukrainian government didn't take those old weapons seriously, or whether the government agencies were in disarray and simply hadn't noticed them.

Anyway, the ship of steel sailed away smoothly.

However, when he arrived in China, Wang Xiao found the process of customs clearance to be complicated and difficult to explain in a few words.

If Jiangdong Steel Plant has its own connections, there shouldn't be much of a problem, and it should be able to get in smoothly.

Everyone chattered away, discussing the matter animatedly.

Oh dear, the Russians really don't like to talk.

When people were riding the subway, they only asked a couple of questions out of curiosity, and the staff gestured for them to keep quiet.

Seriously, the whole country is full of cultured people. They read books and newspapers everywhere they go.

People read books and newspapers on buses, subways, while queuing in stores, and even on escalators.

What the factory workers found most unbelievable was how good the Russians' attitude was.

Prices are changing every day, just like they were during China's price reform in 1988.

How did the people in that big factory do it back then? The whole family pitched in, even if they didn't sleep, they would sleep on the street and queue up to exchange their money for goods as quickly as possible.

But what did the Muscovites do? They still went to the theater, to the movies, and to concerts.

I really don't understand what they're thinking. Although the tickets are very cheap, only a few rubles for a ballet performance, and the show is quite wonderful.

But how could they possibly care when their own families were struggling to make ends meet?

How would you describe these people?

Like the aristocrats of an old era, with a touch of petit-bourgeoisie, it's strangely heartbreaking to see them like that.

Someone joked, "That's because Moscow is too cold. If you make people sleep on the street in the dead of winter, they'll definitely freeze to death."

However, they discovered that some people were willing to endure the cold.

In the sanatorium where the factory workers lived, there was a cleaning lady who would get up at five o'clock every morning.

She wasn't going to the park for her morning exercise; she was going to queue outside the state-run store. After queuing for two or three hours, she would buy relatively cheap milk, butter, and bread, and then run off to the street to resell them.

If she's lucky, she can earn 100 rubles a day. That's more than her monthly salary, enough to support her three children.

What? You're asking about her husband?

Sigh, there are just too many divorces and widows in Russia. It seems like there are significantly more women than men in that country. So the women are all quite tough.

Many people commented that Muscovites are inherently rather lazy and would rather pay money for convenience.

So here, as long as you can endure hardship and swallow your pride, you can still survive.

Only those who cling to a facade of respectability end up worse off.

Don't they realize that if they can't even afford to eat, what dignity do they have left?

Wang Xiao listened patiently to their rambling. Although they only scratched the surface, their observations and experiences were still very valuable to him, who was too busy to delve into the market.

When everyone's conversation shifted to how to arrange the supplies they would buy after returning to China, she quickly discussed with her mother: "Mom, should we spend the Spring Festival in Moscow? Let's invite my uncle's family over too."

Chen Yidong and his family had already obtained their passports. Originally, they planned to come to Moscow as a family of three when Chen Jingjing started her winter vacation.

However, Chen Jingjing is a ninth-grade student this year, and the school is now very strict, even arranging extra classes for them. So her uncle's family's trip to Moscow was canceled.

Now that Chen Jingjing is finally on vacation, why not invite her uncle's family over for a visit?

Chen Yanqiu was taken aback: "Not going home for the New Year?"

How do people celebrate the Lunar New Year abroad? Muscovites don't celebrate the Lunar New Year, so there's no festive atmosphere.

Wang Xiao gave a vague answer: "I still have things to keep an eye on here."

This wasn't a lie; she truly didn't dare leave easily now.

First of all, with so many Chinese employees and their families from the commercial district coming to Moscow for the Chinese New Year, there are too many things that need to be coordinated.

Secondly, Russia's financial situation is truly complicated. Prices are rising day by day, and the ruble is depreciating day by day.

If they are not kept a close watch, they could easily become the "leeks" harvested by the Russian federal government's reforms.

Chen Yanqiu was an active contributor to the socialist cause, and she firmly believed that personal life should come after career.

Since it's a work-related matter, what else is there to talk about?

It doesn't matter where you celebrate the New Year.

With her mother being so agreeable, Wang Xiao had no room to put her prepared words into action and could only nod quickly: "Then I'll call my uncle and tell him."

The people around him started flattering him again: "Oh my, look at her, Chairman Chen, your Xiaoxiao is really hardworking."

Of course, once they turned their backs, some people were already whispering among themselves.

Oh dear, any family that marries a wife like that is doomed for eight lifetimes. She's never home and is always running around with a bunch of men.

As the two were chatting animatedly, the union official from the steel mill rolled his eyes at them and sneered, "Don't worry, who would want your family? They wouldn't want to cause trouble for you. Mind your own business, you don't know what's good for you."

The two of them were so embarrassed they wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.

Dr. Chen was also annoyed.

Just wait, I'll show you when we get back.

Wang Xiao has very sharp ears; she actually heard it too.

However, she didn't care, since she had heard plenty of people dreaming of choosing concubines before she transmigrated into the book.

For example, actresses like Faye Wong and Liu Yifei would absolutely never be able to get married in their village.

For example, a certain female celebrity who is extremely wealthy, oh dear, doesn't even have a child, and hasn't found a man to marry. She's doomed to be childless in the future.

People with different principles cannot work together.

They were just tools for manually promoting products on the commercial street; she didn't care.

She arranged for someone to take them to the airport to board the plane, while she went back to make an international call.

First, call my uncle to ask when it would be convenient for them to come to Moscow, and she will arrange the plane tickets.

Chen Yidong was taken aback. His niece was really fashionable, actually going to Russia's territory to celebrate the Spring Festival.

Wang Xiao chuckled: "Uncle, didn't you also go to Yan'an to celebrate the Spring Festival back then? You almost stayed."

Chen Yidong was a little embarrassed: "Back then, during the big tour, my whole body was burning with energy."

real.

When he traveled from a big city to the revolutionary holy land in his heart, he and his friends cried when they saw how backward the place was.

At that time, they all swore an oath to stay and work hard on the construction.

Of course, when they went home to get money to transfer their grain and oil rations, the group of seven or eight people were caught by their parents and given a good beating, and in the end only one person made it back.

Later, when the educated youth returned to the city, this person was unable to return due to various factors.

A few years ago, when we all got together and talked about the past, the young people from back then each had their own sighs.

Now that Chen Yidong has received a call from his niece, he feels that the new generation is not much different from the old generation.

Young people are daring and fearless, and they dare to take risks.

Just keep trying, and you'll find your way.

“I told your aunt and Jingjing that I’m really a country bumpkin; I’ve never been abroad to this day.”

Wang Xiao laughed even harder: "Then let's change locations every year, and next time let's try to go to a warmer place!"

Of the five continents in the world, apart from Antarctica being too exciting, the others are all worth considering.

Going to a warm place when it's cold feels even better.

With the matter concerning his uncle's family settled, Wang Xiao began calling his subordinates one by one to inform them of the subsequent work arrangements.

Year-end bonuses must be paid, dividends must be distributed, and Spring Festival benefits must be provided—none of them can be omitted.

Oh, and there's also something to do at the construction site.

Although the construction company is responsible for the construction, as the client, they should still show some appreciation, such as by giving each employee a benefit package.

Spending money makes people happy.

It's a pity we can't give them rubles, otherwise she would definitely be happier.

Feng Zhonglin readily accepted her decision to stay in Moscow for the Chinese New Year and even asked her a few questions: "Have you prepared your New Year's supplies? I'll get you a set and bring it to you on the plane."

Wang Xiao's attitude towards the New Year is to keep everything simple. He doesn't want to make too much of a fuss on someone else's turf.

However, Feng Zhonglin insisted: "We must have everything we need. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

He genuinely felt that this boss, despite his young age, was very clear-headed and knew exactly what he should do.

Unlike some people who, after making some money abroad and becoming leaders of their own associations, frequently fly back to China to participate in official events related to overseas Chinese affairs.

It looks high-end and classy, ​​and you can meet with local government leaders all the time.

But if you keep running around like this, how will you continue doing your business overseas?

Besides, what's the point of being so high-profile? The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

It's better that she doesn't come back; it saves us from a bunch of people coming to our door asking for freebies, which is incredibly annoying.

When Tang Yicheng received the call, he was just looking for someone to complain to, so he quickly started rambling, "Oh dear, I really don't know what to say this time."

It's almost the end of the year, and his youngest son, who's never home all year, should at least show some concern for his elderly father and mother. So he called home to ask: Is there anything we're missing for the New Year? He said there's plenty of supplies here, and there are even free-range chickens in the village, which we can take back with us.

The result was good.

His mother told him that the soap factory had given out good benefits this year, with plenty of items, so there was nothing he needed to buy.

Then his worldview collapsed.

What business is it of his to give out employee benefits at the soap factory? He's already taken a leave of absence without pay.

After returning from Moscow that time, he followed Wang Xiao back to the soap factory to complete the procedures for taking a leave of absence without pay.

More than half a year has passed.

His mother was even more confused than he was.

Every month, she went to the soap factory to collect her son's salary and sales commission, which added up to several thousand yuan. She didn't spend a penny of it; she saved it all for her son to use when he got married in the future.

Tang Yicheng was stunned.

He wasn't surprised by the high sales commission.

Since the soap factory became wealthy and introduced new equipment, its soaps and bar soaps are now competitive in the market.

Moreover, the soap factory had already established a reputation, so its sales channels were quite smooth. Even in commercial centers, the factory's soaps were available, and sales were not bad.

The problem is, he has already taken a leave of absence without pay, so how can he still receive money from the factory?

So, filled with the fear that "there are always treacherous people trying to harm me," Tang Yicheng made a special trip to the county soap factory.

As it turns out, HR had forgotten about it and kept making up his salary for several months before they realized it.

However, HR felt that it would be too troublesome to make changes, and since it was normal for sales staff to be away from the factory for most of the year, they simply decided to leave the mistake as it was.

The HR person even advised Tang Yicheng to just let it go, since he and Wang Xiao were the ones who initially got the hotel business. He'd get a few thousand yuan a year, which, even if he didn't care for it, would be some pocket money.

Tang Yicheng, of course, refused. He didn't want to become someone who was receiving a salary without working for them. If he were caught as an example and executed, wouldn't that be a wrongful death?

So he insisted on completing the leave-without-pay procedures.

But he still won't return those several thousand yuan.

The finance department only issues money based on the reports prepared by HR; it has nothing to do with them, so they don't get involved.

The HR department didn't dare accept the money and even asked Tang Yicheng not to tell anyone. Otherwise, if he made a mistake at work, the factory would definitely fine him, and he wouldn't be eligible for any awards or promotions.

What could Tang Yicheng do? He could only inexplicably receive a salary for more than half a year without working.

Wang Xiao was both amused and exasperated.

This kind of thing isn't really that strange.

Let's not even talk about now.

Her older sister, the school doctor at her university, originally worked at the General Hospital of the Military Region, but became a school doctor because she couldn't handle the workload.

As a result, even though she had been working at the school for more than half a year, the military general hospital was still depositing her salary into her old salary card. Unfortunately, he hadn't set up SMS notifications for that card.

She only discovered this when she went to cancel the card. She was so frightened that she thought it was a scam.

"Alright, alright," Wang Xiao said with a smile. "Want to come over and have some fun?"

Tang Yicheng hesitated for a moment: "I'll come over later and have New Year's Eve dinner at home."

He hasn't been home much for a year, and if he doesn't eat New Year's Eve dinner with his family, his mother will nag him to death.

As for their family going to Moscow for the New Year? That's impossible, because they have to pay respects to their ancestors.

Xiang Dong, on the other hand, was very enthusiastic and offered, "I'll come over too."

Wang Xiao asked curiously, "Aren't you going back to your hometown?"

In her memory, Xiang Dong's hometown still attaches great importance to the Spring Festival.

Xiang Dong insisted, "It's alright, I'll come over. I've never been to Moscow before."

He was just too lazy to go home and face his elders' criticism.

Because they travel all over the country doing business, they stick together very closely when they're away from home. Especially those from the same family, they're bound to side with their relatives regardless of right or wrong, and they're all in the same boat.

He turned his third cousin around last time, so he'll definitely get a public reprimand when he gets home this time. He's too lazy to put up with that.

Wang Xiao said indifferently, "Alright, come over here then."

After hanging up the phone, she flipped through her phone book and called the factory again.

In her memory, Japanese people celebrate the Lunar New Year, but they seem to eat rice cakes instead of dumplings.

But it's alright, the village where the factory is located makes rice cakes for the Lunar New Year anyway. It's fine for them to celebrate the Spring Festival as well.

Oh dear, we won't be able to get freshly made rice cakes this year. She still thinks freshly cooked rice cakes are the best.

Wang Xiao's main purpose in making the call was to inquire about the factory employees' New Year's benefits.

As usual, the year-end bonus is a must.

Considering that the factory has only been open for a few months, the year-end bonus is 500 yuan.

The benefits were already agreed upon beforehand.

All the pigs in the village were bought by the factory, then slaughtered and the meat distributed to everyone.

Actually, the village had already slaughtered a batch of pigs in the twelfth lunar month before this, because they needed to make sausages and cured meat for the New Year.

Besides pigs, all the ducks in the village were slaughtered so that everyone could take them home to pickle. This was a must-have dish for every household in the village during the Lunar New Year.

Chicken, duck, fish, and meat—it has everything.

The factory doesn't need to worry about the remaining chickens and fish. Every household raises chickens, and they'll slaughter a rooster to make chicken stew with beans for the Lunar New Year.

As for fish, the village distributes fish during festivals, so there's definitely enough to eat during the New Year.

With these four items, plus a box of apples, a box of tangerines, a box of Korla pears (purchased by the factory to support the local government's aid to Xinjiang), five catties of melon seeds, five catties of peanuts, and two catties of candy, we could live a pretty good year.

The factory workers were overjoyed.

One of the female workers shouted, "Boss, aren't you going to celebrate the New Year with us?"

"We're too busy." Wang Xiao said seriously, "The boss is out there running orders for you guys, so you should listen to him and work hard."

Laughter came through the phone, along with various assurances: "Definitely, definitely."

Wang Xiao then offered them a rosy picture: "We're all too busy at the end of the year. I'll arrange for you to travel abroad after the New Year."

One interesting thing about sexy lingerie is that its peak sales season is in the second half of the year.

The factory she worked with before she entered the book was producing swimwear for the first half of the year. The profit margin was certainly not as high as that of lingerie, but the factory had to keep operating; it couldn't work half the year and then rest the next.

Oh, and she also needs to boost swimsuit orders, at least to have some extra income.

As she was about to hang up, Wang Xiao asked one more time, "Is there anything else?"

The woman in charge hesitated for half a second before saying, "The five-guarantee households in the village don't have meat."

According to usual practice, the five-guarantee households would receive rice and oil during the Spring Festival, but the pork would usually be bought by the village when the village slaughtered the pig for the New Year.

Now all the pigs in the village have been bought by the factory. It's not so bad for other families, since someone from each household works at the factory to some extent.

But it's not an option for the elderly living alone; they're too old and it's difficult for them to get jobs in factories.

Wang Xiao readily agreed: "Then let's send them five catties of meat, after all, it's the New Year. If there's extra fruit, let's give them two boxes too."

Although she had never run a physical business in her past life, she had heard that when setting up a factory in a local area, it was crucial to cultivate good relationships with the locals. Otherwise, if they sabotage you, you'll suffer terribly.

The lady in charge immediately perked up and readily agreed, "Okay, okay."

Hehe, she can eat pork stew again.

I had a great time eating last month.

After arranging her work in China, Wang Xiao started calling her superiors one by one.

The emphasis was on the unpredictable nature of the situation in Moscow and the difficulty in forecasting its economic conditions. She needed to find ways to expand her market abroad, so she wouldn't be going home for the New Year.

Because of the time difference, she's here today to wish her boss a Happy New Year in advance.

Deputy Secretary Cao asked with concern, "Is the situation in Moscow very bad?"

There are all sorts of rumors circulating in China now, as if the former Soviet Union has become a living hell.

However, as a high-ranking provincial leader, she was all too aware of the influence of ideology on propaganda.

During her student days, she dreamed of rescuing the people of Europe and America from their suffering.

result--

I'm not going to say anything more.

When she first went to Europe to visit and learn, she was ashamed of her own narrow-mindedness.

Now that the Soviet Union has collapsed, is Russia going downhill, or has it, like Poland after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, recovered from extreme inflation through shock therapy and now has a sufficient supply of goods in the market?

Wang Xiao frankly stated: "The situation is not good. Prices are rising too fast, the ruble is depreciating sharply, and ordinary people's wages cannot keep up with the rate of price increases."

She shared what she knew, and added at the end, "Actually, apart from Russia itself, no one needs a strong Russia."

Eastern European countries don't need it; they've had enough of the Soviet Union's shadow.

The former Soviet republics don't need this either; in the current climate of rising nationalism, all other former Soviet republics feel they were invaded by Russia.

The United States and Western Europe don't need it. The anti-communist alliance of that time finally witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union, so why would they want to see Russia, which inherited the vast legacy of the Soviet Union, rise again?

Sadly, due to geopolitical influences, China doesn't actually need a powerful Russia.

After all, if it weren't for the Soviet Union's military threat, China's industrial development wouldn't be what it is today.

Deputy Secretary Cao remained silent.

She sighed and told Wang Xiao, "Be careful when you're out. Don't go out alone, and it's best not to go out at night."

When the economy is in a bad state, social order deteriorates rapidly.

It doesn't matter where you put it.

After all, if the economy is good, people have jobs and can make a living, there wouldn't be so many petty thugs causing trouble. Getting to work and earning money is the real priority.

Wang Xiao quickly agreed, "I will be careful."

Then she asked Deputy Secretary Cao again to help her find a brokerage business.

Her reasoning was that it's better to act sooner rather than later; now that the Soviet Union has collapsed, there are too many people trying to take advantage of the situation. If they are slow to act, they will suffer a great loss.

Moreover, when China began its industrial construction, it adopted many Soviet-style standards.

Although Soviet factories and equipment may be less advanced than those in Europe and America, they are still more advanced than those in China at present.

Most importantly, it's cheap.

Importing equipment from developed capitalist countries costs a lot of foreign exchange, and it may not even be compatible with the existing production system.

In the mid-1980s, state-owned factories competed fiercely to import a lot of equipment with foreign exchange, but many of these machines ended up gathering dust in the factories and can now be sold as scrap metal.

It would be a bit odd to say this to Deputy Secretary Cao thirty years from now. After all, how a company operates has little to do with the government.

My hand can't reach that far.

But it's normal now; the government and businesses are not separated at all.

To make his words more persuasive, Wang Xiao cited Jiangdong Steel Plant as an example: "When my dad and his colleagues went to inspect factories in Ukraine, everyone said that their steel plant's equipment and everything else was better than our Jiangdong Steel Plant."

Why was Comrade Wang Tiejun, such an honest and simple man, so insistent on getting Rybakov to the Jiangdong Steel Plant?

It's because the Ukrainian steel mills can't be moved.

Deputy Secretary Cao became interested: "Wow, that's amazing!"

She was truly smitten.

The leadership of Jiangdong Steel Plant had already grasped the significance of the Southern Tour speeches, let alone a high-ranking provincial government official like her.

The focus will be on economic development from now on. How to increase economic efficiency will be the key focus of our work going forward.

Deputy Secretary Cao also reminded Wang Xiao, "After the New Year, your large shopping mall should also start construction."

Uh, Wang Xiao really forgot about that.

The main reason is that she has too many things to do, and she's not in a hurry to develop that land immediately.

All I can say is, let things take their course.

After hanging up the phone, she contacted Vice Mayor Sun again, and gave the same answer.

Vice Mayor Sun must be quite busy; he was still signing documents while on the phone.

Since there are no flights from Xiaozhou Airport to Moscow, he is more concerned about the situation in Kyiv, Almaty, and the Baltic states.

Wang Xiao could only say that she would arrange another time to go and check on the situation next time.

It seems that Ukraine is having a better time than Russia right now.

But how long this good situation will last, who can say for sure?

Vice Mayor Sun actively encouraged her, saying that if she didn't want to go back, she should investigate the market more thoroughly and see if she could open up more routes to expand her market share.

Wang Xiao was truly impressed. It was fortunate that this person hadn't become a capitalist; otherwise, 996 wouldn't be the standard, but rather 007.

The two bodyguards exchanged knowing smiles as they watched her make one phone call after another.

The classic image of Chinese entrepreneurs that they see in Chinese newspapers is one of them sitting behind a table making a phone call.

Looking at it now, it's really a vivid description.

The two bosses each had an office and were constantly on the phone.

Wang Xiao had already hung up the phone, but Ivanov was still on the line, continuing to make calls non-stop.

"Besides factories, what else will drive privatization?"

"OK, oil and gas, yes, yes, I'm interested in those. Investments need to yield returns, and these are the industries where returns can be seen."

After he hung up the phone, Wang Xiao pressed, "Are you planning to invest in oil and gas?"

“We are us,” Ivanov emphasized. “I have been informed that oil and gas will also be privatized.”

He refused to buy the factory promoted by the Moscow city government because he knew that with soaring prices, raw materials would be a major problem. And when prices rise to a certain level, it directly dampens people's desire to buy, leading to a market downturn.

However, oil and natural gas are different. They have neither a shortage of raw materials nor a shortage of buyers. The only concern is the price fluctuations in the global energy market.

But he had to admit with a mixture of pride and sorrow that with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world would undergo tremendous changes, much like postwar reconstruction, accelerating at an unprecedented pace.

By then, demand will have increased, and energy prices will inevitably skyrocket.

Regarding this point, Wang Xiao really couldn't figure out how to unlock her cheat code. Because she didn't know the answer, and she hadn't paid attention to this aspect before transmigrating into the book.

So you'd better just shut up.

But her silence led Ivanov to misunderstand, and he excitedly waved his arms, emphasizing, "Hehehe, my dear king, doesn't China need high-quality natural gas?"

The two bodyguards looked at each other, not expecting that their boss's harsh words in Ukraine were not just a bluff, but a serious threat.

Before he even saw any signs of natural gas, he had already started looking for new buyers.

Ivanov began to tout the advantages of natural gas:

For example, clean energy. The whole world is now emphasizing environmental protection, and natural gas is much better than coal.

For example, it is cheaper. Compared to mining and transporting coal, natural gas, which is transported through pipelines, is much cheaper, which is very helpful for companies to control production costs.

He then pulled out a map and passionately pointed out the landscape.

He had even planned out the new pipeline route, and the drawing looked quite convincing.

“Your Majesty, this is a very promising business,” Ivanov said seriously. “It’s much more promising than buying shops and reselling steel.”

Simply put, this is a business where you can make money while lying down. Once you get it, you can save yourself a lot of worry for many years.

Unfortunately, although Wang Xiao was also quite interested, she still poured cold water on the idea: "Do you think this is something a company can decide?"

This is a matter between two countries!

Ivanov finally calmed down a bit.

Actually, he's not stupid; of course he understands that this is a matter of national energy strategy.

The problem, however, is that he believes China and Russia should strengthen their ties. He argues that the Russian Federation has become a puppet of the United States, a disgrace indeed.

On January 28, Moscow hosted a meeting of the Multilateral Talks Organization on Middle East regional issues, which was touted as a major step forward for Middle East peace.

However, Israel refused to allow the Palestinian delegation to attend the meeting. The Russian Federation, siding with the United States, also refused to allow the Palestinian delegation to attend.

This is truly a disgrace. Now the Americans are telling Russia to go east, and it absolutely dares not go west!

The reason why Moscow media coverage of this multilateral meeting was so scarce was not because the people of Moscow were only concerned with bread and how to get through the harsh winter; rather, it was because the Russian federal government knew very well that it had become a puppet and would do something very shameful, so it kept it hidden so that the people would not notice its weakness and incompetence.

Such a Russia is a huge joke; it has lost its teeth and claws, and it should quickly seek refuge with China.

Even if it wants to win aid from Western countries, it must demonstrate its strength so that others have no choice but to back down; even if they are unwilling, they have to take the initiative to pay money for fear of angering them.

Compassion will never make people give much; only fear, intense fear, can make people obedient.

But now that Wang Xiao has said this, Ivanov can only try to save face: "We have already begun privatization, and the government cannot interfere with the company's normal business activities."

Wang Xiao just watched him silently, without saying a word.

Honey, can you believe that?

Okay, okay, Ivanov doesn't believe it.

In Ivanov's view, the current Russian Federation not only inherited all the drawbacks of the Soviet Union, but also lost all its glory.

It will not only interfere, but high-ranking government officials will also try to seize it for themselves.

Why privatize? If they don't privatize, how can they turn state assets into their own?

In any case, he would never hesitate to speculate about governments with the worst possible intentions, whether it was the former Soviet government or the current Russian government.

The idea that everything belongs to the people is just empty talk.

Ivanov grew anxious and earnestly emphasized to Wang Xiao, "You shouldn't have turned against us in the first place. Just like in Eastern Europe, you should have at least gotten your hands on the natural gas first. That way, even if you turned against us later, at least you would have already gotten the real benefits."

Look at Eastern Europe now, look at the former Soviet countries, aren't they all using Russian natural gas while simultaneously criticizing it?

Wang Xiao just chuckled and rolled her eyes: "Thank you so much."

If that were the case, you probably wouldn't even look down on China anymore.

But Ivanov didn't want to give up.

He has so much money that he can spend it recklessly.

From the perspective of the Russian Federation government, it may not be willing to further strengthen ties with China.

After all, this would be seen as a sign of unrest by the Western world, represented by the United States.

But that's okay. The government's decisions are made by parliament, not by the people. Never.

It wasn't in the past, it's not now, and it won't be in the future.

Rather, it refers to certain leaders who hold power firmly in their hands.

This is a tragedy for the people of the Russian Federation, but an opportunity for Ivanov.

If he can get through to these leaders, then everything will be easy.

From the government's perspective, this may seem absurd. But with so many absurd things happening, one more doesn't make much of a difference.

Wang Xiao immediately stated, "My dear Comrade Ivanov, I absolutely support all your decisions."

Why not give it a try? You might just succeed.

She may not have the chance to be an oil princess, but being a natural gas queen wouldn't be bad either.

Hey! It would be really interesting if it really came to that.

Then the two of them began to discuss with great interest how to design the pipeline route.

They had to hire people to survey the area; building a natural gas pipeline was extremely complicated. Because the route was long, it was even more troublesome than building a subway.

By the way, the steel used to build the pipeline also has very high requirements; they need to find suitable steel.

The two bodyguards exchanged a glance, both seeing the same message in each other's eyes: "Okay, okay, maybe they can pull it off."

Many incredible things happened in the Soviet Union in the past, and the same could happen in Russia today.

that is--

Miss Wang, didn't you say you were going to spend the Spring Festival in Moscow? This is your Chinese New Year, shouldn't you do some preparations?

Wang Xiao really hadn't prepared anything.

What's there to prepare? Just go to a restaurant and eat.

There's no pandemic now, so why not give yourself a break?

Ms. Chen Yanqiu is not a person who loves cooking. Last year, her family also relied on the factory canteen for their New Year's Eve dinner.

This year, we've gone a step further and arranged for our New Year's Eve dinner to be held at the Beijing Hotel.

Yes, just like there's a famous Moscow restaurant in Beijing, there's also a Beijing restaurant in Moscow.

Back then, the children of high-ranking officials considered eating at the Old Moscow Restaurant a symbol of their superior status, and the Beijing Restaurant held a similar position in Moscow.

It's said that one of the most sincere ways a local girl is pursued is to invite her to dinner at a restaurant in Beijing. The person invited also feels incredibly prestigious.

The building is very grand, like the Jinning Grand Hotel, offering both dining and lodging. It is said that the presidential suite on the top floor has wool carpets and crystal chandeliers.

However, what makes this building even more attractive is that it houses the KGB's offices upstairs. From the 1950s to the 1980s, all the hotel rooms were monitored.

The two bodyguards, both former special agents, tacitly agreed to this.

However, they emphasized that such practices no longer exist, including those of Chinese students who remained in the Soviet Union back then, who are no longer followed or monitored by secret police.

Of course, they believe this is because KGB currently lacks sufficient funding.

It's clear that being poor can indeed make people more honest.

According to regulations, reservations should be made 10 days in advance for dining at the Chinese restaurant in the Beijing Hotel.

When Wang Xiao decided to stay in Moscow for the Chinese New Year, there was only a week left until then, which was definitely too late.

What should we do then?

The Eight Immortals each displayed their unique abilities when crossing the sea; cats have their ways, and mice have theirs.

Anyway, after making a round of phone calls, on New Year's Eve, Wang Xiao's family, his uncle's family, and Ivanov and others who came to join in the fun were all seated at the Beijing Hotel.

The restaurant explained that, considering the Chinese people's strong attachment to the Spring Festival, they specifically called other guests who had made reservations to explain and discuss the matter, and those guests gave up their seats for them first.

Chen Yanqiu felt particularly embarrassed, as she felt they had caused trouble for others.

Even though Muscovites don't celebrate the Lunar New Year, going to a fancy restaurant for a meal is still a serious matter.

After thinking for a while, she took out several brocade silk scarves and earnestly asked the waiter, "We are so sorry, please accept these and pass them on to the guests who made the reservations earlier. This is just a small token of our appreciation. We wish them a happy life."

The Russian waiters were stunned after hearing the translation, unsure how to react.

Chen Yanqiu pleaded with the other party repeatedly before they finally accepted the silk scarf and brocade box and left.

It's kind of funny, but the reason why brocade scarves and ties sell so well on Huaxia Commercial Street is at least half due to the packaging.

The brocade box designed by Wang Xiao with the help of a renowned Chinese painter perfectly suited the aesthetic preferences of the Muscovites. Everyone agreed that it was an extremely elegant gift, belonging to the category of luxury goods.

However, the socio-economic situation often exhibits a peculiar phenomenon: the worse the economic situation, the better luxury goods sell.

A single brocade scarf costs over a thousand rubles, enough to buy several pure wool scarves, yet this doesn't dampen consumers' enthusiasm.

Surprisingly, brocade ties sold better than silk scarves.

Russians probably prefer brightly colored products now because the state-run stores in the Soviet era offered a limited variety of colors and styles.

The bolder it is, the more eye-catching it becomes, and the more popular it is.

The ornate brocade ties, adorned with flowers and birds, have now become a fashion trend.

Many Western European customers also made a special trip to Huaxia Commercial Street, scrutinizing the ties as if trying to find the secrets to fashion trends.

When they left, they bought quite a lot of each kind.

Wang Xiao estimated that if things continued like this, legitimate luxury brands would start coming to him for OEM manufacturing.

This is good; with stable, large orders, the Nanjing brocade business can flourish.

While she was still pondering the order, Ivanov burst out laughing, teasing the departing waitress, "Who should she give the scarf to? The extra rubles she received?"

There are no enthusiastic Moscow citizens; it's just a matter of whoever pays the most money gets the spot.

"Really?" Wang Xiao raised an eyebrow, quite curious.

She knew that the Beijing Hotel was no longer what it used to be; it had long since fallen from its pedestal.

For example, when Chinese people come to dine, the waiters will lead them directly into a private room and then give them an expensive menu, with each person spending an average of fifty US dollars.

But if you're Russian, you can eat in the outdoor dining area, where the average cost per person is only five dollars.

The reason she invited Ivanov and the others over was that she was too lazy to argue with the restaurant and didn't want to be taken advantage of.

Because the food was the same, and the environment of the hall was just as good, with antique palace decorations everywhere, vermilion pillars, dragons and phoenixes, and carved beams and painted rafters.

Moreover, during the meal, there was piano music playing in the hall, creating a very elegant atmosphere.

If that's the case, why would she pay more? Was she trying to show off that she's naive and has too much money?

Ivanov nodded vigorously, then pointed to a traditional Chinese ink painting, saying with regret, "It's been changed now. This used to be 'The Soviet People Shaking Hands'."

The history of this painting is also a barometer of Sino-Soviet relations.

The first people to shake hands were not the Soviet people, but the leaders of the two countries in the early 1950s. Later, as Sino-Soviet relations deteriorated, the people shaking hands naturally changed, becoming a Soviet person in a white uniform and a Soviet person in a Zhongshan suit.

In the 1980s, a Moscow merchant named Kudrin made a fortune by buying and selling goods.

When he went to the Beijing Hotel for a meal, he suddenly had a whimsical idea. He took out a roll of banknotes, gave them to the manager, and asked to have himself painted on the canvas.

The manager took the money and immediately said there was no problem, and then found a painter to start making revisions overnight.

Thus, starting in 1983, the famous handshake image featured the weasel-faced Kudrin.

Whenever Kudrin wanted to woo a beautiful woman, he would bring her over for a meal and then admire this painting.

Several beautiful girls were led away by him, hand in hand.

Later, because the business of the Beijing Hotel was not doing well, it was renovated in the late 1980s, and that's when the handshake picture that was to be painted was changed into the current ink painting.

Everyone at the table was stunned. Chen Jingjing exclaimed in disbelief, "You can't believe it?"

Ivanov smiled meaningfully and sighed, "What magical thing can't happen in the magical Soviet Union?"

The same goes for amazing Russia.

There is still hope for the natural gas issue.

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Luckily I glanced at it; I completely forgot to post it last night! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-12-13 06:56:41 and 2023-12-14 06:59:37!

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