Chapter 127 Who is Whose White Glove (Revised)...
“Mayor, you have to give me a reason.”
Upon receiving the sudden bad news, He Changyi calmly asked, "At least let me know why."
Mayor Smolensky pondered, “It’s complicated.”
He Changyi listened intently and said, "I think I have plenty of time."
Mayor Smolensky said meaningfully:
"You did nothing wrong, but in other words, your very existence is a mistake."
He Changyi glanced at him and said calmly:
“I do not believe that my ancestors crucified Jesus.”
Mayor Smolensky was drinking tea when he heard this and almost threw his cup away.
That's not what I meant!
He Changyi asked in bewilderment, "I don't know anything that could be more fitting to be called original sin than this."
Mayor Smolensky bluntly stated, "You are a foreigner."
"so what?"
He Changyi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you the first person to know this?"
“Of course I know,” Mayor Smolensky said, “but you don’t belong to us.”
He emphasized the word "we".
"You can buy scrap steel from military factories, you can buy a few insignificant factories, and you can open banks and funds, but oil is a different story."
Mayor Smolensky stared intently at He Changyi.
"This is a red line, you shouldn't try to cross it. This is my advice, and it's for your safety."
He Changyi asked, "If I don't belong to 'us,' then who does, Andrei?"
Mayor Smolensky said kindly, "Of course, Mr. Andrei certainly belongs to this group, and I don't think anyone would question him if he were willing to step forward."
He Changyi then asked, "Mr. Mayor, is this your decision, or—"
Mayor Smolensky winked suggestively and said, "You know, we're friends."
He Changyi stood up and said politely, "I understand, thank you for reminding me."
Mayor Smolensky also stood up, and this time, he was exceptionally polite in seeing her to the door.
“Ms. He, you are a loyal friend, and I hope this will not affect our friendship.”
He Changyi raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Of course not. Perhaps in the near future, I will introduce you to a new friend from Moscow."
Mayor Smolensky smiled like Santa Claus: "I look forward to your next visit with your new friends."
After getting into the car, He Changyi's smile vanished, and he directly ordered, "Go to Moscow."
She had to resolve this huge problem before the auction started!
Mosk is experiencing a short summer; the sun is shining, the grass is lush and green, and the whole city looks like a colorful, delicious ice cream ball.
The pretty girls wore trendy denim shorts popular in Europe and America, their long, muscular, tanned legs striding on the uneven cobblestones in their high heels. Even a blind person couldn't help but strain to listen.
Everywhere was vibrant with life, the bleakness of winter swept away. However, for some, it was a different story.
No, I refuse.
The man in the black T-shirt frowned and angrily pushed aside the suit in front of him.
"Who would wear something like this in the summer? A pretentious politician, a gigolo trying to pick up women, or both?"
He looked at the woman in front of him with a half-smile and said in a drawn-out voice, "It's such a pity. For the sake of your taste, perhaps I should give you two flowers."
Two flowers? Whose grave are you offering them to?
He Changyi grabbed the man's collar without any politeness, pulled him in front of her, and uttered a single word concisely.
"Take it off!"
When the man in the suit reappeared with a sour face, He Changyi magically produced a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, stood on tiptoe to put them on his face, and looked him over with satisfaction.
“Alexei, a beast in human clothing but not a beast, is clearly more suitable for you.”
Alexei glared at her, pushed up his glasses, and said in a somewhat resigned tone:
"Tell me, what do you need me to do?"
He Changyi winked at him happily, as if sharing a little secret.
"Congratulations, Alexei, you're now the boss behind the scenes."
Irbuyat.
On a mundane morning, just like any other, as the staff of the Far Eastern Development Bank began their workday as usual, they were greeted by an unexpected guest.
A convoy of imported luxury cars pierced into this small border town like a sharp blade, stirring up a black whirlwind. The owner of an older Lada was stunned and rolled down his window, only to be sprayed with exhaust fumes when he stuck his head out.
"...What the hell is this?"
The luxury convoy swaggered through the small town, stopping in the city center and brazenly occupying most of the street. A group of burly men in suits and sunglasses emerged from the escort vehicles, taking up advantageous positions and warily watching every passerby.
"Safety."
"confirm."
"confirm."
After a series of walkie-talkie calls, the extended Bentley, surrounded by bodyguards, finally opened its door after a long delay.
The first thing to appear before everyone was a pair of custom-made Italian handcrafted lambskin shoes, spotless and exuding an air of haughtiness that refused to tread on cheap ground.
Then came an overly long leg, wrapped in an expensive suit.
It wasn't until he stepped out of the Bentley that people could clearly see his arrogant and cold face with its gold-rimmed glasses, making them genuinely want to see him hanging under a streetlamp.
The group quickly entered the bank, leaving onlookers wondering who they were.
"I guarantee this guy is a damn rich European!"
"It could also be an American. I felt extremely disgusted the moment I saw him. My grandfather felt the same way when he saw American soldiers in West Germany!"
"Why not one of Mosk's big shots? Look at those bodyguards, they must all be veterans who've been to the battlefield!"
Inside the Far Eastern Development Bank, the staff were extremely nervous. They had never seen such a large-scale operation before. If the other party had come to rob them, they could have taken the entire vault right now.
The bravest guy stopped the group and boldly asked, "Hello, excuse me... are you here to conduct business?"
The bodyguard in sunglasses remained silent, while the man wearing gold-rimmed glasses said coldly, "Bring He Changyi out."
"Are you here to see our boss?... Do you have an appointment?"
The brave fellow's voice grew softer and softer. Under the intense gaze of the many burly men, he silently shrank down until he disappeared into the hole in the ground.
"Mr. Alexei, what brings you here?"
A familiar female voice rang out, rescuing him from the hole in the ground.
He Changyi strode forward, a warm smile on her face that the staff had never seen before, seemingly tinged with... nervousness?
"Your arrival is such a pleasant surprise! It's so sudden, I wasn't prepared at all... If I had known you were coming to Ilbuyat, I would have led everyone to the city gates to welcome you!"
Mr. Alexei was expressionless, and even looked somewhat disgusted.
"Do I need your prior approval to inspect my property?"
He said coldly, "Ms. He, you just need to do your job."
He Changyi's smile froze slightly, and she said somewhat awkwardly, "Of course, of course, you can come anytime..."
The bravest guy has stepped forward again!
"This...this is indeed...this is too...too sudden! You...you should have made an appointment in advance..."
Mr. Alexei looked at the brave fellow with a hint of surprise.
"Who is this kid?"
Mr. Alexei took two steps forward, carefully examining the young man who dared to speak up. His figure blocked out the sunlight, completely enveloping the other man.
"You mean I need to make an appointment in advance to see her?"
The brave fellow swallowed hard, and before shrinking back into the burrow, whispered, "Yes, yes... you should have been more polite to Miss He..."
"Oh."
Mr. Alexei looked at the little creature, then at He Changyi, and now he looked even more displeased.
"This is Manager Roman, our brilliant mathematician. Ninety percent of the bank's profits come from his hard work."
He Changyi stepped forward without making a sound, shielding Manager Roman behind her.
“Mr. Alexei, why don’t we go and take a look at the vault?”
Manager Roman only emerged silently from the hole in the ground after the group stormed into the vault.
The bank staff whispered among themselves, "Who is this? Why is Miss He being so polite to him?"
“Unless he’s going to deposit a hundred million dollars in a bank without interest, I can’t understand where his arrogance comes from.”
"Does he intend to buy our bank? Or is Miss He not the actual owner?"
After regaining his composure and hearing the murmurs around him, Manager Roman shouted at the top of his lungs, "Get back to your posts! You're here to work, not to attend a tea party!"
The crowd dispersed like birds and beasts, but the discussion did not end, and rumors flew around like wildfire.
Similar scenes were also seen at the Baiyang Foundation and Friendship Store, and even at construction sites undergoing large-scale demolition and construction, people were talking about it.
"Where did that bespectacled kid come from? He looks like he's inspecting his own farm, it's disgusting!"
"Isn't Miss He the real boss? I've read in the newspapers that those guys sitting in the White House and the Kremlin don't want to expose themselves, so they push others to the forefront..."
"Are you implying that Miss He is a front woman?!"
"This is unbelievable! How could a capable and conscientious person like her possibly work for the powerful and wealthy?"
“I knew it! How could a foreign woman make such a fortune in just a few years if she didn’t have powerful backers? Look at her businesses. Apart from the stores that sell Chinese goods, whether it’s banks, funds, or state-owned factories, she can get along with any of them without strong connections. She even put some big shots in Irbuyat in jail just because they got in her way!”
Even before that evening, almost everyone who knew the news agreed with the white glove theory.
After all, only this can explain all the irrationalities surrounding He Changyi.
For example, where did she get a large sum of start-up capital? How did she raise millions of vouchers? And after acquiring the state-owned factory with deep-rooted local power, how did she deal with the troublemakers and completely take over the factory?
Not to mention how she befriended the cunning Mayor Smolensky, which led him to side with her in the recent conflict.
The word "white gloves" explains everything.
Because the money wasn't hers, nor was the power; she was just a lucky, pretty girl who happened to be thrust into the spotlight.
Someone exclaimed in admiration, "That guy named Alexei is really too clever. He doesn't have to worry about being betrayed at all, let alone waking up one day to find his money stolen. A foreigner with no connections, yet he has too many enemies. Does he have any other choice but him?"
Throughout the entire ordeal, Mr. Alexei said nothing; he simply appeared before everyone.
But smart people will find the answers themselves.
"Is this the new friend you brought?"
Mayor Smolensky extended his hand suspiciously and shook hands with the arrogant Mr. Alexei.
“Miss He, I must say, this is indeed somewhat unexpected. I originally thought you were referring to Mr. Andrei Jr.”
Before He Changyi could speak, Mr. Alexei said in a cold, sarcastic tone:
"Mr. Andrei?"
He stared at Mayor Smolensky and gave a slight smirk.
"It's a pity, it seems you're not exactly welcoming of my presence. Perhaps I shouldn't be here."
Mayor Smolensky said in a tone that seemed apologetic, yet not truly apologetic, "Mr. Alexei, this may be offensive, but I have indeed never heard of you or your family..."
"family?"
Mr. Alexei said sarcastically, "I am not Mr. Andrei, everything I have comes from myself."
He tugged at his suit collar, revealing a long scar on his neck.
Mayor Smolensky was clearly surprised, then fell silent, looking at the dangerous and cold-faced man opposite him with a probing gaze.
He Changyi spoke up at just the right moment: "Mayor Smolensky, you don't need to worry. Mr. Alexei is now engaged in legitimate work. He cooperates with the government and is responsible for the governance of the vacuum area. Sometimes he also handles some civil disputes."
Mayor Smolensky muttered, "I never thought gangsters could be described like this..."
He cleared his throat and asked seriously, "So, Mr. Alexei, what's your plan for stepping out from behind the scenes and into the spotlight?"
Mr. Alexei and He Changyi exchanged a glance, and he impatiently tapped the table.
"Stop with the nonsense and let's get straight to the point. I've paid that damn oil company way too much, and you've taken way too much from me. It's time to pay me back! Otherwise, I'll send you to jail to eat rat droppings, just like those idiots in Ilbuyat!"
Mayor Smolensky was momentarily speechless, never expecting that the clever and sensible Miss He was hiding a rampaging wild boar behind her.
This is where Miss He's importance becomes apparent.
She coughed lightly and said in a friendly and gentle manner, “Mr. Mayor, if I cannot participate in the auction because I do not belong to us, then Mr. Alexei should at least be entitled to be called part of us.”
Mayor Smolensky hesitated, "Theoretically, that's true, but..."
"No buts!"
Mr. Alexei stood up; his tall frame looked like a wall.
"Don't try anything funny with me. Either give me the oil company, or nobody else will get it! You'll all go and die with my oil company!"
Mayor Smolensky said in a mixture of shock and anger, "Mr. Alexei, you can't do this..."
"Of course I can!"
Mr. Alexei impatiently glanced at his watch, then grabbed He Changyi and pulled him up. Before leaving, he suddenly turned around and gave Mayor Smolensky a great white shark-like smile.
"Don't try anything funny. I know where your family lives in the US, and you don't want to see them."
Before Mayor Smolensky could react, Mr. Alexei slammed open the door, grabbed He Changyi, and strode away.
After a long while, a loud crash came from the mayor's office as something was smashed.
Amidst the mess, Mayor Smolensky was breathing heavily, his old face flushed with anger.
If I had known the guy behind this was so difficult to deal with, I should have welded those white gloves to my hands!
I originally thought that it would be Mr. Andrei Jr. or someone he sent who would come forward, but who would have thought that it would be the mafia!
A damned, unscrupulous mafia boss who colludes with the authorities!
And this audacious guy even dared to threaten him with his family!
Mayor Smolensky grabbed the only landline phone on the table that had survived the ordeal and dialed the internal line.
"Change the auction rules... How? Go ask He Changyi! She says to change them however she wants, and that's how you change them!"
The phone rang and hung up.
A stretched Bentley driving on the road.
Alexei opened the car refrigerator, took out a bottle of chilled cola, and complained, "Cola again? Why isn't there any vodka?"
He Changyi stretched lazily without any regard for appearances, snatched the opened can of cola from his hand, gulped down several mouthfuls, and let out a comfortable sigh.
"If you want to drink, you can open the car door and jump out right now. There are plenty of watered-down industrial alcohol bars on the roadside."
Alexei loosened his tie and glanced sideways at He Changyi.
"Is this how you treat the people who help you?"
He Changyi tossed him the empty Coke bottle and sweetly called out, "Dear Mr. Alexei, besides the oil company, what else do you need? As your front man, I will do my utmost to meet all your needs~"
Alexei said with a half-smile:
"White glove? It's hard to say who is the white glove between us."
He Changyi said with a smile, "Obviously, everyone in Irbuyat now thinks that you are the real boss behind the scenes, while I am just a poor worker who may be replaced by a bad-tempered boss at any time."
The bodyguard in sunglasses in the front row leaned over and said loudly:
“Alexei, you really look like a real man in a suit. You don’t look like a thug or a gangster at all. You look like a born big shot!”
Alexei asked He Changyi expressionlessly, "Why is Nikolai still here?"
He Changyi pondered, "Is it because he's cheap?"
Nikolai protested, "I don't feel cheap at all with a monthly salary of five thousand dollars!"
Alexei scoffed, "Five thousand dollars? Did you sell her your brain along with it?"
He Changyi said, "No, although I buy scrap steel, I'm not willing to recycle just any scrap."
Nikolai hesitated and asked, "...What does this mean?"
Alexei said cheerfully, "It means your brain is worth less than scrap."
Nicola was furious: "By comparison, your taste in music is the one that's worthless!"
Alexei sneered, "At least I won't take two years' worth of salary in advance and sell myself completely to another person."
Nikolai sneered in return, "At least I'm entitled to a salary, instead of being like some people who sold themselves out for free!"
Alexei countered, "Sell?"
Lermontov, who was driving, looked like he was about to laugh so hard he could barely hold the steering wheel.
He exclaimed happily, "Yes, that's right! Our Alyosha has long since sold himself to Her Majesty the Queen. Let's applaud our respectable comrade-in-arms! We will forever remember your sacrifice!"
Nikolai, unaware of what was going on, quickly joined in the commotion: "Hail, Mr. Alexei!"
Alexei looked like he was about to unleash his fist.
He Changyi had to stop him, saying, "That's enough, I don't want to test the safety of this Bentley yet!"
She said seriously, "Mr. Alexei, as the boss behind the scenes, you should be more lenient with your subordinates."
Alexei scoffed: "If it's about being lenient with these idiots, then I'd rather stay behind the scenes forever!"
To hell with Mr. Alexei, to hell with white gloves!
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