Chapter 100: Let's Change Tracks: The Competitors Are Here.
We spent too much time in the private room, and the chicken soup rice had already passed its best period of enjoyment; the rice had become mushy from soaking in the soup.
However, adhering to the principle that "every grain of rice is the result of hard work," Wang Xiao still picked up a spoon and scooped rice into her mouth.
A figure flashed by, and then a shout came from the next table: "Waiter, when did Jinning Grand Hotel become a beggar's den? It's full of beggars all day long."
The waiter quickly came out to apologize, and then repeatedly asked the person to leave: "Excuse me, this is a place to eat."
The woman muttered something, and was finally asked to leave.
The guests at the next table were still very unhappy and complained to the waiter, "I think your Jinning Hotel is getting worse and worse. All sorts of scoundrels can come in. It's not as good as when we only used foreign exchange certificates."
Many people around him echoed his sentiment.
They came to the Jinning Grand Hotel because of its high entry requirements.
High barriers to entry are necessary to naturally form circles, thereby filtering out people with social value and creating effective social interactions.
Now that the entry barrier is low, anyone can come in and take advantage of the situation, which naturally makes people annoyed.
If things continue like this, there's no need to come to the Jinning Grand Hotel anymore; they can simply move on to another battlefield.
Wang Xiao ignored him and just kept eating her chicken soup rice.
Unfortunately, the rice had become soggy. If it weren't for the two side dishes he had picked up with his chopsticks, Wang Xiao was afraid he wouldn't have been able to eat it.
She finally finished her meal, but her two bodyguards, Sergei and Nikolai, had already finished eating. Seeing this, they immediately got up and escorted Wang Xiao out, one on each side.
As Wang Xiao was leaving the restaurant, a group of people followed him. One of them struck up a conversation with him: "Mr. Wang, isn't that right? All sorts of shady characters are crowding your table. It's embarrassing for foreign businessmen to see you begging like this."
Wang Xiao simply nodded at him without any further reaction.
But that didn't stop the other person from speaking their mind freely, spittle flying everywhere: "If you ask me, we need to find a good place, a quiet place to sit down and eat and talk. I know a nice private restaurant; let's go there when we get together in the future. Hey, Mr. Wang—"
Laughter erupted around him, and someone teased him, "Your spittle flies too fast; you scared Mr. Wang away."
Wang Xiao had already reached the front desk area. Just as she was about to turn around and head towards the guest rooms, someone called out from behind, "Ms. Wang, isn't that shoe factory considered to have core competitiveness?"
Wang Xiao turned his head and looked at Chen Mengning's face.
She was still wearing the same corduroy jacket and jeans from last time, and her mohawk was drooping, showing that she no longer had the time or ability to maintain it.
Wang Xiao nodded: "Yes, it doesn't count anymore."
Actually, it's not that they don't count, because looking at the whole country, there are still very few shoe factories with such uniquely favorable conditions.
Even though everyone knows Yongnian Shoe Factory's tricks, very few people can still successfully copy them.
After all, not everyone has relatives living in Italy who happen to be in the shoe manufacturing industry.
Finding a reliable partner is actually quite difficult.
But for the rest of Leshui County, these are not problems.
Even if they weren't originally in the shoe business, they would still invest in it if they saw the huge profit potential.
As a seller, Wang Xiao only needs to find suitable sources of goods; she doesn't need to care who the supplier is.
She didn't need to explain these things to unrelated people.
Wang Xiao continued to lift her foot and walk forward.
Chen Mengning followed up with another question: "Then how do we determine that?"
Wang Xiao turned to look at her, not answering her question, but instead asking, "Can your company make color picture tubes?"
Chen Mengning was stunned.
"No, all the color picture tubes for domestically produced color TVs are either imported or made by joint ventures. Then they are distributed to various designated color TV factories."
Wang Xiao asked her seriously, "Now that your father has passed away and your electronics factory has been shut down for several years, can you still get color picture tubes? Will your old connections still be useful?"
Chen Mengning's face turned bright red, and she opened her mouth several times.
Wang Xiao said calmly, "Perhaps you're thinking of first securing the opportunity, attracting investment, and finding partners, and then figuring out how to solve the other problems later."
But have you ever thought about why investors would take the risk with you and gamble on a method that you don't even know if it will work?
If it's really as you say, and your color TV can't survive simply because it's being suppressed.
Now that the policy has been relaxed, you can continue to produce and sell according to the previous model.
"But why didn't your electronics factory do that?"
Chen Mengning stammered, "I...we..."
But after talking for a while, she still couldn't bring herself to say "we".
"Starting in the mid-1980s, various home appliance companies sprang up like mushrooms after rain."
On the one hand, it is due to the demand in the consumer market; people urgently need to buy home appliances to improve their living standards.
On the other hand, it's because the technological threshold is low; core technologies, such as refrigerator compressors and color picture tubes for color TVs, are all imported.
The job of domestic factories is assembly. To be honest, any factory can do this. The only difference is how well they do it.
Those who enter the market early, without establishing a reputation, securing a firm market share, or building a stable sales network, have no advantage whatsoever.
Someone else can replace you at any time.
Looking at her, Wang Xiao finally felt a pang of sympathy. "So, instead of wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly looking for opportunities, you should first figure out what you have, where your strengths lie, and what you can do."
Chen Mengning subconsciously bit her lip, as if to encourage herself, and emphasized again: "I want to inherit my father's business, and I want to prove that I am not bad."
"To whom should we prove it?"
“My dad!” Chen Mengning suddenly became excited. “My dad always said that if I were his son, I could inherit his electronics factory. He wouldn’t have gotten bored with the job.”
Logically speaking, Wang Xiao should be able to empathize with her.
However, she didn't empathize with her: "Are you living to prove yourself to others?"
“He’s none other than my dad.”
"Oh," Wang Xiao said dismissively, "I thought he left you the throne to inherit. It's just a factory; it has neither a sales market nor a supply chain."
She thought to herself, "Anyone who doesn't know better would think it's some kind of vast empire, what's so hard about carrying it all?"
Chen Mengning was stunned, as if struck by lightning, and couldn't react for a long time.
Adhering to the principle of doing one good deed a day, Wang Xiao kindly reminded her: "People can only live for themselves, don't confine yourselves to certain areas. Also, it's a favor if someone helps you, and it's their right not to. Don't assume everyone should help you. If they help you, they have something in mind. You need to consider whether you can offer what others are after."
Seeing that she was still in a daze, Wang Xiao didn't say anything more and turned to walk forward.
She hadn't taken two steps when she bumped into Director Wu of the Longhua TV Factory and General Manager Huang of the Jinning Hotel.
The latter smiled at her with his eyes crinkling, shaking his head repeatedly: "Oh dear, Mr. Wang, you... you..."
She knew this Chen Mengning.
Since the Lunar New Year, I've been loitering around the Jinning Hotel, not staying overnight, just going from one dinner party to another, trying to find a way in.
There are actually quite a few people like this nowadays. In their eyes, the Jinning Grand Hotel is now a ladder to heaven.
The problem is that people who want to find connections usually take turns hosting dinners and trying to build relationships.
Someone as stingy as her could initially get close to her fellow villagers, but later even they ignored her. She had no choice but to shamelessly stick around on her own.
The customers weren't happy about it, and the restaurant received several complaints.
As a result, even if you chase her away once, she always manages to come back.
She would make do with sleeping in the bathhouse for the night, and as soon as it was light, she would come back. Unable to get into a private room, she would wander around the lobby, trying every possible way to find an opportunity.
Mr. Huang was at his wit's end and was preparing to issue an ultimatum, barring anyone from entering the premises again.
Their restaurant is a business that operates openly, not a free tourist attraction.
Chen Mengning disturbed the customers, so the restaurant naturally had to take action.
To Mr. Huang's surprise, Wang Xiao was still patient and gave her guidance a second time.
Wang Xiao was quite surprised by the girl's persistence. He smiled and said, "People who are bold and willing to take risks always have more opportunities than others."
Especially in this era where opportunities abound, as long as she looks around, she can always find a suitable opportunity.
Standing to the side, Factory Director Wu chuckled: "You're picking on me, Mr. Wang? I'm too timid to take the plunge. I'm not even as brave as that young girl."
Just as Wang Xiao was about to deny it.
Factory Director Wu continued speaking at length: "Oh my, General Manager Wang, your words are more valuable than ten years of study. We definitely have to set up a factory in Romania."
He shook his head repeatedly, looking deeply moved. "Mr. Wang, you have such foresight, you saw the crux of the problem at a glance. We're not making color TVs, we're just assemblers. Without those foreign color picture tubes, we're nothing."
He emphasized again, "After hearing what you said, Mr. Wang, I, Lao Wu, have made up my mind. I will definitely set up a factory in Romania."
Wang Xiao didn't believe his story.
Investing in an overseas factory is such a big deal; given Director Wu's cautious nature, he would never make such a decision on a whim.
It's very likely that their factory's leadership has already held a meeting and reached a conclusion.
He's only saying this to please her and save face.
However, since it's all a matter of mutual support, Wang Xiao couldn't expose the other party and make everyone feel awkward.
She just laughed and said, "Then I'll wait to follow behind you, Director Wu, and drink the soup."
"Oh dear, you're trying to scare me." Factory Director Wu quickly waved his hand, "I'm just doing this to make a living off you."
He sighed again, "You're right, we don't make color TVs at all. We're just scavengers who follow behind others. Even today, we get our color picture tubes from them. They make the lion's share of the profits, and we can only afford a bowl of thin porridge."
But there's nothing we can do about it; our technology isn't up to par, so of course we can only eat what others have left over.
Factory Director Wu couldn't understand it: "You said we've already built atomic bombs, so why can't we make color picture tubes?"
Wang Xiao dismissed it: "The Soviet Union still had aircraft carriers one after another, but they still couldn't make good color TVs."
In fact, Soviet refrigerators weren't very good either. Not only were they crudely made, but they were also very noisy. Especially when the compressor started and stopped, it was practically an earthquake.
That's why she managed to sell Chinese refrigerators on Moscow's commercial streets and her business was just as good.
Muscovites also feel that their own products are utterly worthless compared to Chinese refrigerators.
Japanese goods are better and more refined, but Chinese goods are cheaper. If you don't have much money, just make do with the latter for now.
The Longhua TV Factory doesn't produce refrigerators, so Director Wu doesn't really care whether refrigerators are good or bad.
He was deeply troubled by this: "Why can't we make our own color picture tubes?"
The country has now spent a lot of money to import color picture tube production lines, and several joint ventures specialize in making them.
However, Director Wu had his own connections. He had inquired and found out that even though the production line had been running for several years, the core technology was still in the hands of foreigners.
Wang Xiao added insult to injury, thinking that it wasn't just in the last few years, but even until the color picture tube was phased out, China had never truly mastered this technology.
Whenever a series of products that were introduced were left unremarkable, the color cathode ray tube technology would always be brought up for a spin.
So she sincerely persuaded Director Wu: "If we can't make color picture tubes, let's make something else. I don't think there's anything good about color picture tube TVs. They're bulky and heavy, as heavy as a cement block."
Indeed, its bulky size is quite a nuisance for international long-distance transport.
Especially for exports to Russia, which lacks ice-free ports, the entire journey for several months relies on international trains that only run once a week, making transportation quite a headache.
Wang Xiao also suggested to the TV manufacturers at the time that they should think of a way to slim down the color TVs.
However, the answer is: no.
The principle of a color CRT television is to use a vacuum tube to emit an electron beam that strikes a fluorescent coating to produce light, thereby generating an image.
The larger the screen area, the longer the picture tube needs to be.
What's the big "butt" on the back of a color TV for? It's mainly used to hide the picture tube.
If you want to slim it down, you'll have to cut off the picture tube.
Factory Director Wu is a former military officer, so he doesn't really understand the relevant technology.
But upon hearing Wang Xiao say this, he still subconsciously retorted, "If there's no picture tube, is it still a color TV?"
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "In ancient times, people would ride horses when they went out, and those who could raise good horses made a lot of money. But after bicycles, motorcycles, and cars were invented, who rides horses on the street anymore? Except on the vast grasslands, who would still make a living by raising horses?"
Factory Director Wu felt like he both understood and didn't understand.
The use of a cart to replace a horse was something that everyone could see immediately after the cart was invented.
Before this, how many people could have imagined that cars could replace horse-drawn carriages?
In today's situation, if we don't use color picture tubes, then what do we use to make color TVs?
Without hesitation, Wang Xiao replied, "LCD, LCD TV."
Factory Director Wu looked completely bewildered, having no idea what an LCD TV was.
Wang Xiao looked around and gestured for Nikola to show off the Japanese digital watch on his wrist.
LCD electronic watches were introduced in Japan in the 1970s, initially to compete with European quartz watches.
As it turned out, its combat power was quite strong, and it quickly became popular all over the world.
For a long time, being able to wear a digital watch meant you were at the forefront of the times.
"Later, the Japanese started making smartwatches. The famous watchmaking company SEIKO launched a TV watch called T001 in 1982, which could display video using 10 different grayscale images."
Factory Director Wu was so engrossed in listening that he couldn't help but ask, "There are watches like this? I've never seen one before. Wow, that's so convenient! You can watch TV anytime you're out and about."
“No way,” Wang Xiao shook his head. “This watch has to be connected to a radio receiver by wire to receive signals and watch TV. Without the receiver, it’s no different from an ordinary watch. Plus, it’s expensive. In a sense, it’s more of a gimmick than a practical watch, so it doesn’t sell well.”
Wang Xiao first learned about this watch while watching a 007 movie in Moscow. The watch worn by James Bond, sponsored by a Japanese manufacturer, had the function of transmitting camera footage.
Ahem, the scene at the time featured a Bond girl with ample bosom.
Wang Xiao watched for a long time, making Ivanov feel embarrassed. It's like when parents watch TV with their children and see inappropriate scenes on the screen, they want to change the channel immediately.
But what Wang Xiao was really curious about was that the prototype of an LCD TV had appeared so early.
She originally thought this technology wouldn't be available until the 21st century.
Now that Director Wu has brought up the issue of domestically produced color TVs being unable to achieve the localization of color picture tubes, she naturally wants to urge them to switch tracks.
Technological development, to some extent, is a process of making choices.
Many scientific and technological advancements have been forgotten, not necessarily because they were not done well enough, but perhaps simply because they failed to adapt to the needs of the times.
At present, Wang Xiao has pointed out the future development trend of color TVs. Even if Longhua TV Factory has no ability to make LCD color TVs, at least the general direction is right, which is better than running on the wrong track.
Factory Director Wu was scratching his head again, imagining the scenario of not being able to watch TV on his watch.
Thank goodness, the Jinning Grand Hotel had prepared a number of foreign movie DVDs to meet the needs of foreign guests, including the James Bond film "Octopussy".
Factory Director Wu immediately borrowed the disc and watched it.
General Manager Huang laughed heartily and joked, "Director Wu will be quite busy this time. By the way, could you give us some advice?"
"What opinions do you have?" Wang Xiao laughed. "I have no opinions. I think our Jinning Grand Hotel is great. It's getting more and more lively now."
Mr. Huang sighed, "It's because it's too crowded. People feel like all sorts of weirdos are coming in, and they think we're not classy enough. Do you think we should implement a membership system and not serve non-members?"
Wang Xiao thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't think we need to rush. The new elite class hasn't formed yet. It's not up to a few people to push the restaurant's customers outside."
It was only March 1992, and the large-scale leave of absence without pay to start businesses had not yet begun.
Those who consider themselves beneficiaries are eager to protect their so-called class interests and engage in monopolies.
To put it bluntly, you're overestimating yourself. Are you even qualified?
They all want to screen customers for the restaurant.
In this era, there are countless people who were penniless a week ago and are now rolling in money a week later.
"Let's wait a bit longer, at least until next year," Wang Xiao advised. "If we're too eager to put up the door now, we'll be keeping potential customers out."
They were numerous, and when they moved to other places, they gained enormous influence.
So even people who used to frequent the Jinning Grand Hotel would now go there.
Because there are business opportunities there, and that's where they can make money.
So-called circles and so-called patterns are actually all linked by shared interests.
Mr. Huang was also a little worried: "But it's true that more than one regular customer complains that our restaurant is noisy now, and they can't even have a proper conversation because too many people come and bother them."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "That's simple. We don't need to make it a full membership system; we can just make it a limited-number membership system."
For example, issue 500 membership cards initially and design a minimum membership price. Each member can bring two friends to enter the members-only area upstairs.
The rest of the people could only stay in the upstairs lobby.
In this way, members can go upstairs to discuss business with peace of mind.
Those who want to get close to them can only wait downstairs until they are finished with their work before going up to hand over their business cards.
The two sides will not interfere with each other, but they will not be completely cut off either.
After a moment's thought, Mr. Huang asked for her opinion: "Shouldn't we add another passage so that members won't be bothered when they go upstairs?"
Wang Xiao laughed out loud and nodded: "That's fine too."
However, she added, "Let them choose between the two paths. Actually, it's like a big singer and their fans. When fans idolize a big singer, the singer gets annoyed by them. But if the fans stop idolizing them, the singer will feel disappointed. What they enjoy is the feeling of being idolized."
This sentiment is even more pronounced among the newly wealthy.
Thousands of years ago, the ancients said that if one does not return home in glory, it is like wearing fine clothes at night.
People who were once ordinary have now benefited from the era's dividends and become successful; it's time for them to enjoy the envious glances of others.
If they weren't allowed to walk through the hall, surrounded by countless people greeting them, the joy that wealth brings would be greatly diminished.
The process of walking through the hall is like walking on a red carpet.
How many celebrities can resist the allure of walking the red carpet?
Mr. Huang, unaware of what she was thinking, simply nodded: "Yes, arrange two lanes, and members can choose whichever they prefer."
Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Then I'll reserve a membership card first."
Mr. Huang patted her on the back with a smile: "You have to be the first one. What's the point of this membership card if it's not for you?"
Listen to that, no wonder she's a seasoned beauty, she knows how to talk.
Hearing this makes one's heart flutter with joy.
Wang Xiao smiled and waved goodbye to the person before heading upstairs.
She flopped onto the bed, as if she had no bones, and stared blankly at the ceiling without even turning on the light.
What is she thinking? It seems like she's not thinking about anything at all.
Did she enter a state of ethereal tranquility? Of course not.
At least one phone call brought her back to reality.
Wang Xiao picked up the receiver and lazily said "hello".
A soft sigh came from the other end of the phone: "You're back?"
The use of the word "回" is very subtle.
Because Wang Xiao is originally from Jinning, she has a family here.
Even if she doesn't go home, she can live in a resort under her own name.
Staying in a room at the Jinning Grand Hotel—what kind of "return" was that for her?
However, Wang Xiao didn't dwell on the matter and just lazily hummed in agreement.
Wu Haoyu keenly sensed her low spirits and cautiously asked, "Are you unhappy?"
"I'm not happy."
"Why?"
Wang Xiao kicked his feet haphazardly, staring at the ceiling, and said casually, "Because I didn't get to eat bear paws."
Wu Haoyu became increasingly puzzled: "Why didn't we get to eat?"
"The head chef said to soak it in cold water overnight before cooking it tomorrow."
Wu Haoyu breathed a sigh of relief and kindly advised her, "Then let's wait until tomorrow. Good things come to those who wait."
However, Wang Xiaoman was unreasonable: "I don't like waiting, I want what I want now."
Wu Haoyu was truly at a loss. He couldn't conjure up a cooked bear paw and deliver it to her, especially since they were currently separated by thousands of miles.
All he could ask was, "So what can make you happier now?"
Wang Xiao said casually, "You called me, shouldn't you try to make me happy?"
This question is beyond the scope of the curriculum.
At least Wu Haoyu didn't know how to coax her.
If the person is in front of him, he might still have a way to deal with it.
But what could he do while separated by a telephone line?
He racked his brains and finally offered a dry solution: "Then I'll tell you a joke."
He spoke very earnestly and vividly, and Wang Xiao listened and giggled: "Okay, okay, stop talking, my stomach hurts from laughing."
Wu Haoyu wanted to try again, but she blew into the phone receiver and said, "Please, kind person."
Poor Wu Haoyu was no match for her and could only retreat hastily, telling her, "You should get some rest. You've been so busy these past few days."
Wang Xiao hung up the phone with a "hmm hmm hmm" and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Making international calls from Tokyo to China is much cheaper than making calls from China, but the long travel time can still add up to a considerable expense.
She never gives her date pocket money because she believes that the other person is also enjoying the date.
At the same time, she was never willing to increase the other party's financial burden.
After all, she's a businesswoman, and money comes quickly. She doesn't keep track of small amounts of money, whether it's buying plane tickets or making international calls.
But for ordinary wage earners, this is a considerable burden.
Even if the other party is a diplomat.
Wang Xiao sighed listlessly, then got out of bed and dutifully began writing her internal anti-corruption plan.
This matter must be addressed while the police are engaged in a swift and decisive operation; otherwise, releasing it at a different time will have a much weaker impact.
Wang Xiao had just written two lines on the stationery provided by the hotel when the phone rang again.
She picked it up casually: "What joke are you going to tell me this time?"
Ivanov shouted excitedly on the other end of the line, "Hey, Your Majesty, I'm going to do something big today!"
Wang Xiao perked up and asked him, "What's the big deal?"
“I sent them all to prison.”
That's a bit of an exaggeration. After all, China has public security, procuratorate, and judiciary; these three entities shouldn't be confused.
At most, Ivanov simply sent the man to the police station.
How did he manage to do that? Actually, he didn't do anything special; he just dealt with things as they came.
After failing to find a leader at the steel factory to stand up for them, the parents of the quality inspector and product selector led their entire family to the commercial city, threatening suicide to find a leader.
They're serious.
An older woman threatened to hold a kitchen knife to her neck, while an old lady threatened to climb to the roof and jump.
This is when you discover a characteristic of the division of labor between men and women in the family: in matters that involve life and death, men are never the first to step up.
I don't know if they were scared, but their hands trembled and their legs went weak, and they really lost their lives.
They are so precious, how could they take such a risk?
Of course, it has to be the women.
I don't know what those passionate women have to be proud of. Did they suddenly realize their significance to the family?
While thinking casually, Wang Xiao asked Ivanov with a "hmm," "And then?"
“Then I called the police.” Ivanov was very excited. “I told them I had encountered the Mafia, I was very scared, and I asked the Chinese police for protection.”
Ha! Then he experienced VIP treatment. The police arrived quickly and arrested all the troublemakers.
The only thing that angered Ivanov was that a bunch of speculators, eager to see what would happen, rushed to the trade city, only to arrive just in time to be choked by police exhaust fumes.
They also complained that the Chinese police responded too quickly; in their country, the police might not have even set off yet.
Ivanov declared triumphantly, "I declare that China is now my favorite country because I have felt the profound international friendship and the love that China has for me."
Wang Xiao chuckled and said, "Yes, China is very friendly to all foreigners."
So, buddy, don't overdo it.
Ivanov finally realized what was happening: "Your Majesty, aren't you happy?"
"Yeah, I didn't get to eat bear paws tonight, I'm not happy."
Ivanov, a seasoned player in the game of love, had already taken the initiative and started trying to find ways to make people happy: "Then let me tell you something to make you happy."
Wang Xiao replied nonchalantly, "Okay, go ahead and say it."
Ivanov began to describe it vividly: "Last time when we took the train to the car factory, we met a beautiful woman on the platform. You said she was very pretty and wanted to ask her to be our model. Do you remember?"
Wang Xiao perked up: "Of course I remember. What, you found the person? How did you find them?"
That beautiful woman was truly stunning; Wang Xiao still remembers her elegant and noble appearance to this day.
She felt she could make many good films.
Ivanov started making noises and changing the subject.
Finally, when Wang Xiao pressed him, he told the truth: when he went to Siberia, people on the street would strike up conversations with him.
Why? Because her current identity has become that of a prostitute.
The collapse of the Soviet Union hurt the elderly, children, and single women the most.
Prices are racing to keep up with wages, and in order to survive, more and more women are resorting to part-time jobs selling their bodies.
Wang Xiao asked him ominously, "So you and her?"
Ivanov was extremely aggrieved: "Your Majesty, I am a normal man. I thought you would be happy."
Wang Xiao sneered, "Happy my foot! Would she be happy to see a cabbage being eaten by a pig?"
Such a beautiful woman, Ivanov really got a good deal.
Ivanov chuckled and started assigning tasks: "We've always lacked suitable models for our lingerie, haven't we? If she's willing to take promotional photos, let her do it."
To prevent Wang Xiao from criticizing him again, he quickly emphasized, "I gave her several options. She wanted to earn more money, and she was willing to shoot lingerie posters."
In Russia right now, this isn't considered anything outrageous.
It's worth noting that TASS's current magazines and tabloids all feature nude men and women on their covers.
Wang Xiao had no choice but to nod: "Alright, alright. By the way, there are some things I'd like to discuss with you."
Ivanov was particularly good at stating: "No need to discuss it, just tell me what to do."
Wang Xiao didn't believe in that kind of talk and only talked about specific work: "Don't you have four hundred hectares of land near Moscow? Let's use it to build a greenhouse picking garden."
What does that mean?
The idea is to turn all these lands into greenhouses and grow crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, strawberries, and watermelons inside.
When the long Russian winter arrives and Muscovites have nothing to do, they can take advantage of the weekend to visit fruit picking farms.
"We can design the target audience for this activity to be customers of the commercial street. Organizing a fruit picking activity is equivalent to a team building event for a customer group."
We can use this method to turn shopping in commercial streets into a social activity.
Because of our product positioning, participants in our fruit-picking activities are primarily from Moscow's middle class. They are numerous and have strong purchasing power.
Ivanov was dissatisfied, claiming that the society was in a phase of extreme inflation, and directly asked, "Why aren't they the nouveau riche, or the upper class?"
Wang Xiao wanted to roll his eyes. Dude, can you please wake up?
She was too lazy to explain any further and went straight to her trump card: "Because China's international standing isn't that high!"
It's that simple: a product's added value comes from its lineage.
For example, before Wang Xiao transmigrated into the book, there was a period when the Korean wave swept across China, and Korean pop culture filled the streets and alleys. For a time, it seemed that everyone was following the Korean wave route.
However, at the same time, South Korean brands are virtually absent from China's luxury goods market. The majority of consumers are still European, American, and Japanese brands.
Why? Because no matter how much the Korean Wave is hyped up, its international status remains unchanged.
In present-day Russia, Western European and American goods are the focus of pursuit for the upper class.
Even though Japan has become the world's second-largest economy, because it is an Asian country, its goods still have to be further backed away.
This kind of thing can't be reversed by short-term propaganda.
Because of the human instinct to admire the strong, people will actively approach those they perceive as strong.
Ivanov instinctively wanted to refute.
But Wang Xiao shut him down with one sentence: "Doesn't the collapse of the Soviet Union prove all of this?"
Ivanov fell silent and didn't utter a sound for a long time.
Wang Xiao continued, "Our product is positioned for the middle class. We must convince the middle class that we are the best value for money."
Team building activities at fruit and vegetable picking farms also meet the lifestyle requirements of the middle class. Even in winter, they still want fresh fruits and vegetables.
The upper class doesn't need to think about it; they can directly import it from abroad by air.
Ordinary people at the bottom of society don't have that kind of ability. The cost of growing vegetables and fruits is what it is. As long as they can eat their fill, stay warm, and get through the winter safely, that's enough for them.
Ivanov suddenly blurted out, "Isn't a picking garden just boring?"
Wang Xiao laughed: "Then what else do you want?"
"Barbecue, drinking, there should always be some activity."
Wang Xiao smiled and nodded: "That's easy, no problem. We'll definitely raise chickens, ducks and pigs when we grow vegetables, then we'll have the materials for barbecue."
Ivanov said enthusiastically, "And grilled fish, we can grill fish too."
The two of them chatted back and forth, and Wang Xiao felt like they could move the entire barbecue restaurant there.
After speaking his mind freely, Ivanov began to worry again: "Your Majesty, will we have guests?"
Wang Xiao reassured him: "Yes, yes, all social classes have their own social needs."
In the past, people's social activities included watching plays and ballets, and visiting various exhibitions, with a greater emphasis on spiritual enjoyment.
However, the rapidly depreciating ruble and soaring prices have forced people to shift their focus more towards material life.
In the winter, the orchard is bustling with activity, while snow falls heavily outside. Fresh fruits and vegetables, along with a constant supply of barbecue and drinks, symbolize an abundant material life.
Those who are able to go in and enjoy it will naturally find their companions.
In a turbulent era, people need to stick together for mutual support even more.
Wang Xiao's intuition told him that this orchard would probably be their most profitable agricultural investment in Russia.
Ivanov was convinced and became energetic again: "We can do the same thing in Siberia. Although almost all the people from the collective farms there have left, there are still people in the cities."
“OK!” Wang Xiao readily agreed, then urged him, “Go ask around and see if they have any materials for building greenhouses in Russia. If not, we’ll probably have to import them from Romania.”
Ivanov jumped up again: "Yes, definitely. We Russians inherited the legacy of the Soviet Union, what don't we have?"
Wang Xiao chuckled and said, "Then hurry up and start looking. You have to be quick. Russia's frost-free period is too short, so we have to get moving."
After hanging up the phone, she felt a little better, at least she could get a good night's sleep feeling refreshed.
The next morning, she ran back to Jiangzhimen.
Well, that's right. She went to the Jinning Hotel to escape the troublesome family members of criminals.
She was staying at a resort where many of the employees were children of employees from large factories. Since they saw each other all the time, she was easily confronted at the door.
Now that she has been taken to the police station, she is free to move around as she pleases.
To be honest, she wasn't afraid of people like the factory manager of Yongnian Shoe Factory at all; she wouldn't mind confronting him head-on.
But she also gets a headache when she encounters someone who resorts to crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide. If she can avoid them, she will naturally try every means to do so.
Wang Xiao got out of the car and happened to run into two middlemen talking.
One of them pulled the other away, saying, "Come on, don't buy anything from outside. If you run into counterfeit goods, you'll lose money."
Another person said reluctantly, "Isn't it said that the local government deals with counterfeit goods? If you encounter counterfeit goods, you can call the police."
The notice board displays reminders in multiple languages, including Chinese, English, Russian, Hungarian, and Romanian, urging everyone to carefully check the quality of the goods and to report any problems to the police.
It doesn't matter if you can't speak Chinese, English, or Russian; the trade city will provide translation services.
The bearded middleman glared at him: "What are you doing? If you call the police, how long will the investigation take? Are you going to wait here forever? Listen to me, you can't go wrong. Pick up your goods at the trade city now. If there are any quality problems, they'll replace them for you directly. Even if you're in Moscow, they'll send them directly to you. They're open about everything and never hide anything."
Wang Xiao was overjoyed; her painstakingly designed marketing plan had finally worked.
Just then, Romanian university students also got off the bus.
Because the goods in Xiaozhou and Jiangzhimen are not exactly the same, middlemen and traders often deal in both.
There are 16 buses a day, departing every half hour, and almost every trip is full.
After they select their goods, the transport team there will deliver them directly to them. They can choose to travel with the truck or return first.
The seasoned traders now have a high level of trust in the commercial city.
They often come back first, have a good meal, and then, once the goods arrive, they board a plane and leave.
When Deputy Secretary Cao came to inspect the work, he was filled with emotion.
Given the complete trust placed in them by their international friends, they couldn't afford to ruin their reputation.
That's why the leader got so angry when it came to counterfeit or substandard products.
Wang Xiao waved to Elena and the others, and the young men and women immediately ran over.
Truly, these past few days have been the happiest time of their lives.
Even though they had visited Paris before and explored so many department stores, which broadened their horizons, they had never felt this excited.
Why?
Because they fully experienced the joy of shopping.
Can you imagine being in a huge warehouse mall, surrounded by a dazzling array of goods?
No matter what it is, if they like it, it boils down to one word: Buy!
No need to compare prices or worry about the cost; the only criterion is whether it meets their standards.
This is so awesome! How can college students who have experienced and are experiencing an era of scarcity resist such a fatal attraction?
They were so happy they were almost fainting.
As for the fact that the items they bought don't actually belong to them; well, the most wonderful moment for any commodity is the instant you buy it.
What happened next wasn't so important.
It's like how many people buy things online, and when the goods arrive at their homes, the boxes pile up, but they don't remember to open them for a year or two.
Wang Xiao asked them, "How are you feeling?"
Everyone was chattering away, sharing their opinions. Wow, so much stuff! They were already dazzled by the sheer variety of bedding alone, not to mention the clothes, shoes, and all sorts of household items.
However, one product that was popular with everyone was unexpected for Wang Xiao: the Subor game console.
It actually captured the hearts of all the college students present, and everyone spoke of it with great enthusiasm.
In fact, before going to bed at night, they even had to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who could play video games.
Wang Xiaozhen was dumbfounded. She had always thought that Little Tyrant was a game for elementary school students, but she never expected that college students would like it too.
Well, I guess it's related to the fact that Romania was under too much lockdown before, and the government didn't like people having fun.
She nodded: "Okay, if you like it, order more."
The college students were even happier.
Wang Xiao asked them, "Do any of your relatives or friends engage in greenhouse farming?"
Immediately, someone raised their hand, saying that his grandparents grew vegetables in greenhouses in the countryside.
However, the greenhouse is now abandoned due to a lack of fuel.
"So what are they doing now?"
"Growing vegetables, planting vegetables in the fields."
Wang Xiao pressed further, "Would they be willing to go abroad to provide guidance on greenhouse vegetable cultivation?"
The male college student perked up: "Go abroad? Where to?"
"To Moscow."
Everyone immediately showed expressions of disgust.
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Ask your grandparents what they think. Two hundred US dollars a month, with room and board included."
The college students present all gasped in shock.
Two hundred US dollars, that's a lot of money.
Let alone the elderly in rural areas, even factory leaders can't earn such high wages these days.
Wang Xiao added, "Let's ask. We won't force you to do this."
The male college student reluctantly nodded: "Okay, I'll ask."
Wang Xiao waved his hand: "Alright, you guys go ahead and do your thing, I'll go over there."
She headed straight for the office, but before she even entered, Ivanov and Xiang Dong came out first.
Both of them were furious; they were completely lacking in martial ethics.
Wang Xiao asked in surprise, "What's going on?"
Ivanov was practically bursting with rage: "Tianjin, the airport in Tianjin has reduced the freight cost to $80,000!"
What do I mean by that? It means the flight path has been adjusted.
This year, the civil aviation authorities have relocated all routes from northern China to Moscow to Tianjin Airport.
Freight forwarding companies have also appeared on Yabao Road in Beijing.
These agencies don't own aircraft; instead, they lease them from Russian shipping companies.
Russian airlines are also struggling right now. The government can no longer subsidize them, and airfares have skyrocketed. Ordinary citizens simply cannot afford the high prices, so it's becoming increasingly common for pilots to be idle and doing nothing.
Coincidentally, an agency wanted to rent their plane, and they were more than happy to oblige.
On the one hand, Aeroflot can guarantee a stable income; on the other hand, by flying continuously, it also ensures the normal operation of the aircraft and the entire crew.
Originally, everyone could have lived in peace, but these guys, in order to snatch business from Wuzhou Company, actually managed to push the fee down to $80,000.
As a result, some customers are willing to save $20,000 on transportation costs and would rather fly from Tianjin to Moscow.
Ivanov stared intently at Wang Xiao: "Wang, should we lower the price too?"
These people are really going too far. $100,000 in shipping costs is not high at all! Aircraft maintenance and supporting the entire crew are very expensive.
No one has ever complained about their high prices before.
Wang Xiao sneered, "Fine, who's afraid of who? If it really comes to a price war, do you think we're afraid of them?"
Their advantage, Wuzhou Company, is its integrated operations, making them least afraid of price wars.
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To explain, the practice of "charter flights with taxes included" became widespread after 1994, when Russia reduced the value of goods that individuals could bring in duty-free from $5,000 to $2,000. Large-scale charter flights with taxes included then began to emerge.
This unique method of combining transportation and customs clearance is not unique to China and Russia; it is also prevalent between Russia and other countries, primarily Turkey, Arab countries, India, Pakistan, and CIS countries. Furthermore, other types of transportation and customs clearance methods have developed based on this, such as the larger-scale "chartered ship and tax-inclusive" model, "container and tax-inclusive" models for road transport, and "reduced tax customs clearance" models for rail transport. Moreover, Western companies also...
Various methods are employed to evade taxes in exports to Russia. For goods such as automobiles, home appliances, computers, alcohol, and cigarettes sold to Russia, customs clearance is largely handled by Russian customs brokers or import agents after the goods arrive at Russian customs territory. Russian estimates suggest that the annual value of imports through unauthorized trade reaches approximately $15 billion. Turkey has the largest amount of "chartered shipments with all taxes included," reaching $6 billion, followed by Western companies.
^O^ So, don't assume that only middlemen and traders are illegitimate. In fact, the business environment in Russia in the 1990s was abysmal. It was impossible to do business legitimately. The ones who really made the lion's share of the profits from charter flights and tax-inclusive deals were the Russians.
The agent charges $150,000 to $200,000 per flight, typically making a gross profit of $20,000, while the Russian side takes $130,000 to $150,000. This is because only the Russian side has a monopoly on customs clearance in Russia.
Chinese light industrial and daily consumer goods enter the Russian market through "chartered flights and tax-inclusive" trade, which offers a significant price advantage compared to normal trade methods. Because these products are priced close to the average Russian consumer, they can promptly meet the daily consumption needs of the general public, thereby alleviating the severe shortage of light industrial products in Russia and playing a positive role in maintaining social stability. This is the most important reason why the Sino-Russian "chartered flights and tax-inclusive" trade has been able to persist for so long.
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