Chapter 120 This is not a one-person affair: Firefighters
Wang Xiao really wanted to quit.
But just like the Russian customer downstairs said, there are tens of thousands of Chinese businessmen in Moscow, and even more Russians in Moscow.
For the latter, it is basically unrealistic to expect them to accurately distinguish between people of different races and even more different languages.
In today's world where communication channels are extremely limited, if a mess made by a Chinese businessman is left unattended, it could easily escalate and become a ingrained impression within the community.
You're not without competition; there are plenty of businessmen from all over the world who want to develop in Moscow.
Wang Xiao rushed downstairs and went straight to the angry customer protesting her rights: "Babushka (the old lady), where did you buy this down jacket?"
The emotional elderly woman emphasized, "I bought this from you Chinese people; it's all my savings."
Currently, the retirement pensions of retired workers in Russia are generally meager. Even after several increases, they are now generally only around two thousand rubles, or about five US dollars.
With that money, they barely had enough to eat.
Buying a down jacket is a significant investment for them.
It's no wonder people are anxious when they buy inferior goods that are completely unwearable.
“Babushka, I’ll take you to find that person,” Wang Xiao assured him. “Don’t worry, we will definitely find a way to get him to you.”
Thank goodness, nowadays Chinese merchants either own fixed shops or set up stalls in fixed free markets to sell their goods; no one comes to their door to sell directly.
This elderly woman bought her down jacket at a free market next to the subway station.
As you walk through the underground passage and up the steps, you can see men, women, and children carrying all sorts of things, from brightly colored shawls to tableware, etc., lined up in an orderly fashion on both sides of the road, stretching all the way to the stadium, a distance of seventy or eighty meters.
This open-air free market has a larger flow of people than Huaxia Commercial Street.
The crowds were so large that it was almost impossible to move an inch inside.
More than half of the vendors were Russians, with the remainder being Vietnamese, Indians, Mongolians, Pakistanis, and of course, quite a few Chinese merchants.
Besides Russians, shoppers also come from other CIS countries, traveling long distances to buy goods, because Moscow has a more abundant supply.
The stall owner had a wide variety of goods, from small items like hair clips, socks, handkerchiefs, bras, and cigarettes, to large items like radios, rolls of carpets, and even luggage carts—virtually everything imaginable.
Besides hair clips, socks, and bras, the Chinese merchants mainly sold sportswear, sneakers, leather jackets, and down jackets.
Wang Xiao glanced around and noticed that, probably because it wasn't cold enough yet, there weren't many down jackets for sale; leather jackets were still the mainstream choice.
She went straight to a familiar face and asked, "Brother Fang, do you know who sold this down jacket to this old lady?"
When Fang saw the old lady, he was immediately overwhelmed with worry: "Oh dear, I already told you, this isn't the down jacket I'm selling."
He showed Wang Xiao his clothes, saying, "Little sister, I'm not bragging, but my clothes may not be as nice as those on your shopping street, but they're genuine designer brands. Feel them, they're authentic down jackets."
Wang Xiao touched it a couple of times, then pressed on, "Do you know who sold it?"
Fang Ge paused for a moment, then shook his head vigorously: "Who knows? People come and go every day. What's sold here today might be sold in a different place tomorrow. Hey, hey, hey, once you've made your purchase, make sure you look carefully before you buy."
A Chinese businessman selling high boots nearby chimed in, "That's right, the same principle applies wherever you buy things."
Wang Xiao looked at them calmly until they seemed uncomfortable, then spoke with a serious expression: "To be honest, I met this old lady when I was at the police station. She has already called the police."
She then pointed around and said, "Look, the Russians here make up at least 70 or 80% of all the buying and selling. Do you think it will be difficult for the police to find out who actually sold this down jacket?"
It's not difficult at all!
The saying goes, "Concentrate your efforts to accomplish great things," but let's not forget that Moscow also has the headquarters of KGB.
Who knows if these people walking around in the free market are their secret police?
Wang Xiao said slowly and deliberately, "I just wanted to make this a small matter and avoid a big one, so I asked the old lady to do me a favor. If we can resolve this privately, that's fine. If it really escalates to the police station, do you think the Russian police will respect us as foreign guests?"
That's obviously impossible.
The Russians are inherently arrogant and don't care about international influence; they have no concept of giving foreign guests preferential treatment.
On the contrary, they are particularly protective of their own, and will definitely side with the Russians in such matters.
Wang Xiao pressed on, "Who exactly sold the down jacket?"
Fang hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, his face full of sincerity: "I don't know, little sister, I really didn't notice."
Wang Xiao gave him a deep look, but didn't press him further. Instead, she took the initiative to invite him, "I need your help, but I'd like to ask the Chinese people in the market here to say that I'm treating everyone to dinner at the restaurant tonight. Please do me the honor of having dinner with me."
She then emphasized with a smile, "Today's rice is made from newly harvested rice, so please do us the honor of eating it."
Brother Fang breathed a sigh of relief and said with an embarrassed smile, "Definitely, definitely. We're in for a treat!"
Wang Xiao turned to the old lady and explained, "That person doesn't seem to be here today. Don't worry, since I said I'd help you find him, I'll definitely find a way to do so."
Although there are many Chinese businesspeople in Moscow, you can basically find out about them all by asking around. After all, when you're traveling abroad, you mainly interact with people from within your own circle.
The old woman grasped Wang Xiao's hand, her face full of pleading: "This down jacket is very important to me. I sold my piano to raise enough money to buy it. I can't afford to buy a new one now."
Wang Xiao assured her, "Don't worry, I will definitely find the person."
The open-air market opens at eight in the morning and closes at four or five in the afternoon.
Because Moscow is now rife with the Mafia, and the nights in late autumn are unbearably cold, Chinese business owners have followed suit and stopped extending their stall hours.
So when Wang Xiao arrived at the restaurant at seven o'clock in the evening, it was already bustling with activity.
Everyone was very kind to come, even the Third Sister and others who already owned shops and usually stayed open until 8 p.m. came over after receiving her call.
Wang Xiao bowed to everyone and apologized: "I'm sorry, it took me a while to calm people down."
The third sister immediately stepped forward and warmly took her hand: "Oh, why are you being so polite? Everyone knows how busy you are."
"That's right." A thin, long-faced man next to him said sarcastically, "Who can compare to our CEO Wang? Look at the way he's leaving."
The third sister glanced over instinctively and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, there are so many people again?"
Oh my goodness, eight of them have come!
Wang Xiao clutched her chest, looking shaken: "I can't help it, even now I get nervous when someone suddenly gets close to me."
have to--
The thin-faced man got stuck.
Not only was his nephew among the arrested members of the Beijing gang, but his nephew's mistress was also among those who kidnapped Wang Xiao.
Yes, she's just a mistress.
Their family was once very wealthy; how could someone like that possibly enter their home?
The third sister quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Oh dear, can we start eating now? I've been waiting for so long. I can't even remember the last time I had this preserved egg and tofu salad."
Wang Xiao smiled and invited, "Come on, everyone, let's get started. The duck eggs are laid by our own ducks, and the soybeans are also grown by ourselves."
Someone curiously chimed in, "Oh, ducks! Are you raising ducks to make roast duck? Salted duck would be fine too, I haven't had any in ages."
The other person replied without hesitation, "You want to make down jackets, right? Down jackets sell well right now."
As soon as he made that sound, the room fell silent instantly.
The thin, long-faced man who had spoken first jumped out to emphasize, "It definitely has nothing to do with Beijing. When it comes to manufacturing and selling counterfeit goods, who can compare to you Southerners?"
As he spoke, he gave the middle-aged man sitting diagonally opposite him a meaningful glare.
The middle-aged man was dark-skinned and thin, with a very heavy accent, so he spoke slowly: "Then you've really blamed the wrong person. If you're going to pin the illegal shoes on us, it'll be really hard for us to explain. Down jackets? We've never made down jackets before."
"So what if we don't do it?" the thin-faced man sneered. "You're all in it for the money, so you'd go out of your way to find small workshops to make this kind of low-class stuff for you."
Don't think he didn't know; his nephew was reported by this southerner. What was originally a trivial matter was somehow ruined.
The dark-skinned, thin man also frowned: "You need to provide evidence before you speak. Small workshop? Where is it? You seem to know it so well, is it your family's business?"
The thin, long-faced man slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "What did you say? Do you think they're all down-and-out like you?"
Seeing Wang Xiao's frosty expression, the third sister quickly stepped in to mediate: "Alright, alright, can't you even eat in peace?"
To everyone's surprise, Wang Xiao didn't get involved in the mess. Instead, she seized the opportunity and gestured for her bodyguard to show her the down jacket. She got straight to the point: "It's from the open-air market near the stadium. It's the jacket I sold the day before yesterday. The old lady who sold it has already reported it to the police. I finally managed to get her to admit it. She'll definitely admit it, return the money, and we'll call it even."
Her expression softened a bit. "After all, many people are self-taught these days, and not everyone can tell the difference between good and bad clothes."
“Exactly, exactly.” The third sister was determined to play the straight man today and cooperated perfectly. “When I first started selling clothes, I bought a batch of leather jackets. Don’t even mention it, the zippers would fall off as soon as you pulled them. I still feel embarrassed when I think about it now.”
Laughter erupted in the room, and someone emphasized, "That won't work now. In Moscow, the Russians wouldn't even give a second glance to this kind of leather jacket."
“Yes, yes, yes.” Someone else chimed in, “I only wore the down jacket when I got to Moscow. It was the first time the kids were buying it, so they didn’t know the difference between good and bad, and some of them got ripped off.”
“That’s right, that’s right.” A Chinese businessman stepped forward to speak from his own experience, “The Russians are making a mountain out of a molehill. If we’re talking about who got ripped off, we’re the ones who got ripped off the most. After all, who else would we Chinese rip off if not our own people?”
The laughter in the room grew louder, instantly filling the room with a joyful atmosphere.
Some people are reminiscing about how unlucky they were back then, being cheated by the factory.
The price was the same, or rather, the price I paid for the goods was higher, but all I received were defective products.
Those state-owned factories looked down on individual business owners and would deliberately mess with them whenever they had the chance.
There were also agents of state-owned factories present. Indeed, because Russia does not allow letter of credit trade, and there are many restrictions on barter, many state-owned enterprises are now adopting guerrilla tactics to try to get a share of Moscow's retail industry.
Now that people are pointing at monks and calling them bald, they naturally have to argue their point: "Come on, anyone with eyes can see that even defective products from state-owned factories can't make a feather coat."
Just then, the waiter brought the grilled fish to the table. Taking advantage of the sudden silence in the room, Wang Xiao spoke up: "Who sold it? We need to get this settled right away. This really can't be delayed. If we drag it out until they change their mind tomorrow, we'll sue them to the end. In the end, we'll be the ones who suffer the consequences."
The group exchanged bewildered glances. One of them couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up, calling out, "Old Zhao, I have a feeling you guys were the ones who shipped this. Don't drag us into this. I finally managed to get these down jackets; I was hoping to make some money this year. Damn it, those Russian cops are so corrupt."
When the Beijing gang was investigating unregistered residents, Chinese businessmen in other places also suffered significant losses.
Thankfully, the market is bigger this year, and there are a lot of people wanting to buy, otherwise they would have nowhere to turn for help.
The person whose name was mentioned looked uneasy: "This might not even be ours."
"Ask around, ask around quickly."
Wang Xiao's expression was grim. "It's such a small matter, yet it's blown up like this. It's so ugly. To be honest, these days, if everyone buys and sells a down jacket, they can make at least twenty or thirty US dollars."
That's enough. You can earn several months' salary in a day. We're at least making a living on their turf. Making such a scene is just asking for trouble.
Ask around, ask everyone right away.
Don't forget, many members of the Russian mafia come from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Everyone fell silent, looking at each other in silence.
Wang Xiao used serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish and put it in his bowl without looking up: "Let's eat first, and hopefully this matter can be resolved after we finish eating."
After saying that, she really buried her head in her food, eating fish and meat, and finally finished a big bowl of rice.
When she put down her chopsticks, the story returned.
To Wang Xiao's surprise, the visitor was an international student, the kind who was studying abroad at his own expense.
Compared to a year ago, the composition of international students coming to Moscow now is much more diverse.
They are mostly self-funded students, and most of them are not there purely for academic purposes, since Russia is not a popular study abroad destination these days.
They spend money to study abroad so that they can have a legal status to stay in Russia long-term and make it easier to work as middlemen.
According to the international student, he just wanted to earn some pocket money to help with his daily expenses.
He brought the clothes back from China, and he didn't know there was a problem with the quality of the down jacket.
He complained to Wang Xiao, "I'm also from a big factory, and my parents are respectable people. If I had known the clothes were of poor quality, I certainly wouldn't have cheated others, right? Oh dear, this time I didn't make any money, and I lost money first."
Wang Xiao didn't argue with him further, wondering whether he knew what was going on or not; instead, she turned her head and gave an order to the bodyguard.
Then everyone stared in disbelief as an elderly Russian woman walked out of a side booth.
Wang Xiao explained to her directly in Russian: "I'm sorry, ma'am, he's a student, so he brought a few down jackets with him to earn some pocket money to supplement his living expenses. He didn't know that there was a problem with the quality of the down jackets."
As she spoke, she gestured to the international student, "Give the money back to them."
"Ah ah—" The international student hurriedly reached into his pocket, clearly not understanding much of the conversation between Wang Xiao and the old woman.
Someone nearby asked in disbelief, "Someone with this level of ability can study abroad?"
It's obvious that he can't even understand the Russian language, so how can he get into their university?
"Go to some damn university." Those in the know didn't take it seriously. "It's just a language school, no different from going to the Japanese territory."
Everyone then realized why.
Sigh, Big Brother is really not good enough now, why is he still learning those tricks from the Japanese?
The elderly woman, unaware of the situation, was still earnestly concerned about whether the international students could make a living.
Universities these days are terrible; they give students too little financial aid, no wonder students have to find ways to earn money on their own.
Wang Xiaoxun asked her, "Is this enough money?"
The elderly woman hesitated for a moment, then nodded, indicating, "That's fine."
Wang Xiao pressed further, "How much exactly?"
Finally, the old woman took another two thousand rubles and worried about the international student: "What are you going to do? Do you have enough money to buy food? Those people are really bad; how could they even cheat students?"
Wang Xiao chimed in, "We'll contact the embassy and have him report it to the police in China. Whoever sold him the counterfeit goods should go to jail."
"Yes, yes, yes." The old woman nodded in agreement. "That's how it should be. We can't bully people for nothing."
Wang Xiao had her bodyguard escort her back, and then arranged for someone to buy her the same down jacket at a discounted price on Huaxia Commercial Street.
Under normal circumstances, the money the elderly woman collected would not be enough to buy a down jacket on Huaxia Commercial Street.
The reason why free markets thrive is because things are cheaper at street stalls.
After the old man left, the atmosphere in the restaurant noticeably relaxed.
Some people even joked with Wang Xiao: "President Wang, you're so generous and straightforward!"
A group of people around him chimed in, and the third sister responded enthusiastically: "Of course. Although our CEO Wang is young, there must be a reason why he has been able to build such a large business."
The waiter served pumpkin soup, and Wang Xiao ladled out a bowl. After everyone finished praising him, he finally spoke up: "Actually, the reason I went to all this trouble to bring everyone here is only part of the story about the down jackets. There's something else more important."
Why--
Everyone became interested. "What's going on?"
"Moscow is going to crack down hard." Wang Xiao said seriously, "They're going to investigate counterfeit goods strictly. Anyone who gets caught will be severely punished, if not killed."
The group exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions quite subtle.
Third Sister frowned and said, "Oh dear, why are those Russians never going to stop? Are they deliberately trying to make life unbearable for everyone?"
Others chimed in with complaints: "You bet the Soviet Union was better, Russia just isn't good enough."
After they finished complaining, Wang Xiao spoke up: "I came here today to remind everyone not to get caught in the crossfire. If you have any of these feathered jackets, or those monthly or weekly shoes, hurry up and throw them away."
Don't think about hiding things away and then taking them out to sell later when things have calmed down.
We all know how good Russian police are at rummaging through things.
Everyone in the room gasped in shock.
Thrown away? Lost?
Are you kidding me!
It's true that the well-fed don't know the hunger of the starving.
These goods were purchased from China with money and brought over with great effort.
If they throw it away or lose it, who will compensate them for their losses?
"Go find whoever you bought it from," Wang Xiao said seriously. "If we don't deal with it now, the Russian police will catch us. Then it won't just be a matter of not receiving the goods; they won't leave you with a single penny."
She was being very subtle in her statement.
The truth is, by then not only will they have nothing left, but they'll also be in debt.
Why?
If you get arrested and your friend bails you out, they can't possibly do both the work and pay you out of their own pocket.
The money comes from the sheep, so in the end you still have to pay for it yourself.
But even so, how many people are actually willing to treat illness before it occurs, rather than treat it already?
If something hasn't happened yet, then it might not happen.
Someone muttered under their breath, "How come I've never heard of this? My landlord's son is a policeman, and he never mentioned anything like this."
His friend chimed in, "Exactly. Mr. Wang, we're easily frightened, so don't keep trying to scare us with those Russian police. Um, Uncle Fu, do you have any news?"
Uncle Fu runs a service company that specializes in helping people obtain identity documents, and many people present have given him money.
Now his services have expanded. He organizes Russian students studying in China and retired KGB officers to serve as translators and guides for Chinese groups visiting Russia.
He was a prominent figure in the police force in Moscow, and even throughout Russia.
If we're talking about being well-informed, he's definitely a know-it-all.
The voices around him grew louder and louder, demanding an explanation from him on the spot.
One important factor in Uncle Kefu's business reaching its current scale is his ability to assess situations and never offend the people he should not offend.
For example, right now, he's gone mad; he's deliberately undermining Wang Xiao.
What does it have to do with him? He's in the business of dealing with people, he doesn't sell goods.
So Uncle Fu simply dodged the question: "How would I know? I never care about these things. The Russian police can't possibly tell me everything. They all know I'm an official, I don't get involved in these matters."
They were quite disappointed that they couldn't refute Wang Xiao with his help, and began to comfort themselves: "It can't be that bad. The security situation in Moscow is so bad right now, with a bunch of mafia gangs. How can the Russian police have the energy to deal with so many things?"
Xiao Gao, who was listening nearby, couldn't stand it anymore: "What's the benefit of managing the Mafia? Does it just make the police earn more money?"
Sometimes, he genuinely found the Chinese businessmen quite inexplicable.
They seem to have a split personality; sometimes they look down on the Russians and wish they could trample them into the mud; other times they have unrealistic fantasies about them.
Based on what Xiao Gao and his colleagues saw and heard while following Wang Xiao, they found that the problems that existed in Chinese public officials were also present in Russian officials with their "iron rice bowls" (secure jobs), and even more so.
"You guys don't think Russian police officers are short of money, do you?" Wang Xiao said, speechless. "Don't forget, winter is coming soon. Prices are rising so fast, and the ruble is depreciating so much. How are the police doing?"
It's definitely not going to be easy.
It is well known that police officers in Russia do not earn high salaries.
"What if the salary isn't enough?" Wang Xiao emphasized, banging on the table. "Think about it, how do police stations in China operate at the end of the year?"
What's going on? We're rushing to meet our KPIs at the end of the year.
This is what happens during an economic downturn.
What should be done if there is no money allocated from above and local governments lack sufficient administrative funds?
They live off the land, they live off the water, they live off the people—they just try every means to collect fines to supplement their administrative expenses.
"The police may not be enthusiastic about arresting the Mafia, since the Mafia has to pay them tribute. But if it comes to arresting and fining people, they'll probably run faster than anyone else."
Wang Xiao finished the rest of the sweet soup, wiped his mouth, and said, "Anyway, I've done everything I could. I didn't dare to say it on the phone because I was afraid of being tapped. I'm giving you all the information today, believe it or not."
She put down the napkin in her hand, looking quite displeased. "Business is business. To put it bluntly, if any of you get arrested during the crackdown on counterfeits, it means one less competitor for me."
If it weren't for the fact that something like this has already happened to Chinese businesses, and I don't want things to get too ugly, I really don't like meddling in other people's business.
Wang Xiao stood up and nodded to everyone. "Anyway, I've already given you the information. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Let me make this clear from the start: I don't have the ability. If anyone gets arrested and comes to me asking me to bail them out, I can't do it."
Excuse me, I have to go now. The bill has been paid, please enjoy your meal.
As she spoke, she actually lifted her foot and walked away.
As soon as Wang Xiao's figure disappeared, the restaurant erupted in chaos.
People were talking about it, some saying she was exaggerating and deliberately trying to scare people.
Some people say she doesn't need to, what good will it do her to scare everyone?
"She just wants us to destroy the goods so that the Russians can only buy goods from her China Commercial Street in the future."
"You're really good at thinking things through," the third sister said irritably. "If they arrest you and confiscate all your goods, wouldn't her business be even better off?"
She looked around and locked onto her target, "Xiao Fang, I don't want your batch of down jackets."
Fang Ge got anxious: "Third Sister, my down jacket may not be a famous brand, but the quality is not bad."
The third sister said irritably, "I still have a shop, after all. If someone comes looking for me to settle accounts, they'll find me without hesitation. No, no, I can't afford to gamble with my small business."
The thin-faced woman said irritably, "Third sister, I really didn't see that coming. I thought you were a heroine, but I didn't expect you to be such a lackey."
These words really didn't leave anyone any face.
The third sister sneered, "What? Just because I don't fawn over you, does that make me someone else's lackey? I'm not going to live my life kneeling in front of you."
The thin-faced woman jumped up, only to burst into a tirade: "What are you if not a lackey? You fawn over that Wang woman so sweetly! You believe whatever she says? Is she Guanyin Bodhisattva, so kind-hearted, even tipping us off? I don't think there's anyone more ruthless than her in this world. Colluding with the Russians to bully our own people, even traitors aren't as despicable as her!"
"How dare you say that!" the third sister retorted. "Even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow, and no one in the world would steal from their own people. Look at the despicable things your family has done!"
Those around them quickly tried to break up the fight, while others expressed the same doubts: "Why is Mr. Wang being so kind as to tip us off?"
"Isn't that fucking obvious?"
The chef, having finished his work in the kitchen, came out to greet the customers and immediately launched into a conversation, "The Russians see us all the same. If you get arrested, in their eyes, it'll be like Chinese people being arrested for selling counterfeit goods."
They don't care whether we come from the south or the north, or what the differences are between Beijing, Shanghai, Hunan, and Fujian.
In their eyes, we are all Chinese, and we share the same fate, whether it is prosperity or adversity.
"If the reputation of Chinese goods is ruined, how will business be possible on the Chinese Commercial Street? Everyone's business will fail."
He lit a cigarette, shook his head, and said, "It's not like China is the only country selling things. If one market doesn't work out, another will. If our reputation is ruined, the Turks and South Koreans will be happy, because they can take over the market."
The third sister wiped her mouth, stood up, and said, "You guys can discuss it slowly. I have to go back and take inventory. I can't control what you think, but I definitely won't get myself into trouble. I haven't even had a few days of peace yet, and I don't want to cause myself any trouble."
She went out the door and got into her Volga sedan.
These days on the streets of Moscow, imported cars, such as Toyotas, are the envy of everyone.
But Third Sister thought Wang Xiao was right; it was best to let the meat rot in the pot and not show it off too much.
They, the Chinese, are outsiders who have made a lot of money in Moscow, which already makes the locals uncomfortable.
If you flaunt your wealth and show off, aren't you just deliberately making people feel uncomfortable?
In this way, driving a common Russian car, keeping a low profile, making good connections with people, and avoiding trouble is not likely to happen.
Accompanying her to the banquet was her nephew from her maternal family. When getting into the car, her nephew hesitated: "Auntie, are we really not going to take those down jackets? The weather is getting colder, and down jackets are selling very well right now."
"No, no," the third sister waved her hand impatiently. "Don't make trouble for yourself later."
The nephew retorted, "I think this Ms. Wang is just spreading alarmist rumors and trying to scare people. The police station isn't her private property; do you think the Russians are under her command?"
"So what?" the third sister said irritably. "What if they go to the police station and report us for selling counterfeit goods? Do you think the Russian police will be happy to come and investigate?"
It would be strange if I wasn't happy.
One investigation could make all the police in Moscow rich.
Didn't you see that after investigating the Beijing gang, they immediately turned their attention to the Vietnamese?
Why are the police officers so proactive? Because they've tasted the benefits!
When it comes to managing their own people, they're afraid of offending the powerful and influential.
They don't feel any psychological pressure when dealing with foreigners.
Do you really expect the country to turn against Russia over something like this?
The country can't afford to lose face like this.
So, you see—
The third sister concluded definitively, "Even if it was a calculated scheme by President Wang, a deliberate deception, I had no choice but to jump into the trap. I couldn't afford to take that risk."
The Moscow real estate market is booming, and houses are getting more expensive every day.
She got a great deal when she bought the store for five thousand dollars.
The store is doing well now, and there are quite a few people eyeing it.
If she gets into trouble and gets arrested by the Russian police, it's highly questionable whether the shop will still bear her name after she's released.
Her nephew said angrily, "This person is really heartless."
How can you make money without being ruthless?
The third sister didn't take it to heart, saying, "Your aunt's heart is no whiter than hers, she's just not as capable as her, and she doesn't know how to make money as well as her."
My nephew was still muttering to himself, "What if the down jackets don't arrive in time? If they're late, business will be delayed."
Third Sister said meaningfully, "Don't worry about that. She knows how to handle people. This time, as long as we ask her for a chartered plane to transport goods, she'll definitely have as much as we need, and it'll clear customs very quickly."
My nephew was shocked: "She has connections at customs? Just how many connections does she have?"
"Who can explain this clearly? And they can't possibly tell outsiders."
Actually, this was a misunderstanding.
The reason why Wuzhou Company's planes can pass through customs so quickly is simply because they have leased planes from the 224th Squadron, and customs is giving the Air Force face.
Mr. Wang, who was mistakenly believed to be all-powerful, did not return to his own base this time, but went directly to the Chinese Embassy.
It was late at night, and everyone had gone home, except for the counselor and a few others who were still on duty.
When the counselor heard that Wang Xiao had come to visit, he felt a wave of dizziness.
Seriously, whenever they run into her, it means their embassy's workload will increase dramatically.
Honestly, the embassy really didn't interfere with the business dealings of speculators in the past.
The crime of speculation and profiteering has not been abolished in China to this day.
Ultimately, this kind of reselling is just exploiting loopholes and has no semblance of dignity.
The embassy only has so many people, and everyone is busy with their own duties.
As a result, so many Chinese people have suddenly flooded into Russia, and everyone is asking them for help.
Their embassy's staff size hasn't increased; the number of people is still the same, and everyone is practically working themselves to the bone.
If she causes them any more trouble, they really can't take it anymore.
When Wang Xiao heard the counselor's half-joking, half-serious complaint, he readily laughed and said, "I really wasn't trying to cause you any trouble. I was trying my best to smooth things over for you."
As she spoke, she recounted the incident involving the feather coat that had occurred that day.
The counselor shook his head as he listened: "These people are insatiable. If you let your guard down even a little, they'll do all sorts of despicable things."
Wang Xiao said seriously, "I have already advised everyone to get rid of the substandard goods they have. But this kind of thing must be controlled domestically. As long as these unscrupulous factories keep operating, counterfeit and shoddy products will definitely continue to be shipped over."
Even the counselor was a little confused.
They are in positions of power and should fulfill their responsibilities. They are the Chinese embassy in Russia, so how should they manage domestic affairs?
"Therefore, I would like to ask the embassy to contact the domestic police and industry and commerce administration departments to thoroughly investigate unscrupulous processing plants and small workshops, and cut off the unscrupulous industrial chain at its source."
The counselor wanted to shake his head.
This sounds good, but it's really wishful thinking.
These small processing plants and workshops are under the jurisdiction of the local government. There are many intricate details involved.
To put it bluntly, even an order from Zhongnanhai might not be effective, let alone an embassy taking the lead.
Wang Xiao emphasized, "This matter cannot be delayed; it must be done immediately. Because its impact is enormous. Let me put it this way—"
Firstly, down jackets are a product combining agriculture and industry.
Down is either duck down or goose down. Apart from a small portion coming from large-scale farms, most of the ducks and geese are raised by farmers.
With down jackets currently in high demand, the price of down in the domestic market will also rise.
Everyone buys when prices are rising, not when they are falling, and farmers are no exception.
Seeing that raising ducks and geese is profitable, as they can sell both meat and feathers, they will definitely increase their breeding volume next year.
But if our down jackets gain a bad reputation in the Russian market this year, they'll suffer in silence. They won't be able to buy our products next year.
At that time, the domestic duck and goose farming industry will be severely impacted. Both farms and farmers will suffer huge economic blows, possibly even going bankrupt, and triggering extreme events.
The same applies to industry, in addition to agriculture.
Economic development is underway across the country, and everyone is putting in their best effort to make money.
To put it bluntly, one of the characteristics of our Chinese culture is that if I see you making money doing something, I'll immediately follow suit.
Ultimately, making down jackets isn't exactly high-tech. Companies that didn't previously make down jackets can quickly get up and running once a production line is introduced.
Down jackets are in high demand and selling well this year. Next year, many factories will definitely start or expand their production lines.
But by then, everyone had produced a whole bunch of down jackets.
As a result, the Russians no longer want China's down jackets. Who are we going to sell our down jackets to now?
With so many goods piling up and the cash flow drying up, the blow to the factory would be fatal.
Moreover, at least half of their ability to expand production lines was due to bank loans.
If clothes can't be sold, funds can't be recovered, and banks can't collect loans, it will only exacerbate the burden of triangular debt.
"By the time we get to that point, it will be too late for regrets."
The counselor fell silent for a moment.
To be honest, he didn't think that much about it at first.
Having grown up in the planned economy era and truly benefited from its dividends, most public servants today are actually indifferent to the private sector.
Whether they are good or bad, what does it have to do with Guan Yu's family?
But once you go abroad, foreigners don't care whether you're a public or private individual. In their eyes, you only have one label: Chinese.
If a private individual causes trouble, the public will also suffer the consequences.
Wang Xiao further emphasized: "In terms of waging a war of public opinion, our country is really no match for foreign countries. If our reputation is damaged, we will have no idea how to conduct public relations or how to reverse the trend of public opinion. We can only stand there and take the beating."
In this respect, we are not fundamentally different from the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union, such a large country, was completely destroyed by it.
Let alone us Chinese businessmen?
Since this is not our strength, we shouldn't expect to solve the problem using it.
"To forge iron, one must first be strong oneself. If we do our own work well, making it difficult for others to find fault with us, then we can nip the crisis in the bud."
She went on and on.
The counselor laughed at the end: "Mr. Wang, you've chosen the wrong profession. You shouldn't be in business; you should be working at the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade. How about it? Interested? I can recommend you."
There is basically no such thing as a civil service exam right now.
To get into a government agency, you either get a job after graduating from university or through various recommendations.
If your boss thinks highly of you, then you'll be promoted.
Its main feature is its unconventional approach.
However, Wang Xiao refused without hesitation, giving a frank and honest reason: "No, I'm the kind of person who wants to eat well, dress well, use good things, and live well. I can't stand being wronged or suffering. I can't live on a fixed salary. But I don't want to embezzle or accept bribes, so let's forget about it."
The counselor laughed heartily: "Alright, alright, I'll report this to the ambassador."
Wang Xiao urged, "Hurry up! Moscow is a major transportation hub. Every day, a large number of merchants from all the CIS countries and even Eastern Europe come here to purchase goods. If the source problem isn't solved, our reputation in Europe will be ruined."
As she spoke, she handed a list to the counselor, explaining, "These are the main places where middlemen and middle-aged people source their goods in China."
The counselor glanced at it and saw that it listed places like Xiushui Street and Yabao Road Wholesale Market in Beijing, as well as Ritan Hotel, Tanggu Foreign Goods Market in Tianjin, and even Wuai Street Market in Shenyang.
There are dozens of locations, densely packed together.
The counselor was surprised: "So many places?"
He always thought that the middlemen and middlemen all sourced their goods from the capital, or at most from a commercial center.
Wang Xiao smiled: "There might be even more to come. As long as there's profit to be made, everyone will get involved."
She provided the list, but dared not place all her hopes on the embassy.
Because time was too tight.
Businessmen don't work nine-to-five, nor do they have days off; they are always much faster than public servants who work nine-to-five.
By the time they slowly finish the process, it'll probably be too late.
After leaving the embassy, the first thing Wang Xiao did upon returning home was to make a series of phone calls, starting with Tang Yicheng, asking him to find a way to contact the Heilongjiang government.
There's a border crossing there, and a lot of the goods entering the Russian market come from Heilongjiang.
There are also many down jacket manufacturers in Heilongjiang.
If the provincial government and other relevant departments handle this matter well, it will save a lot of trouble.
In Shenyang, Liaoning, the Wuai Street Market is also a key target for supervision.
Tang Yicheng was a little proud: "Now, we ship about half of the goods in the Far East."
How did they quietly seize the market? Well, it's mainly because the goods from Northeast China are too simple and unpretentious.
Even products of good quality are several years behind those from the south in terms of color and style.
Russians like lightweight and beautiful products; simply put, they like what catches their eye.
Southern goods have a particular advantage in this regard. Their Wuzhou Company also has airplanes. With the advantage of favorable timing and location, they can naturally occupy the market quickly.
Wang Xiao reminded him, "Don't get cocky. This matter could be very serious if not handled properly. You need to get moving quickly, mobilize all your connections, and don't be careless."
Tang Yicheng readily agreed: "No problem, I'll go find someone right away. Oh, and motorcycles, if you have any, get some more."
Good heavens! He never expected that Russian motorcycles were so incredibly cheap.
Eight thousand rubles per vehicle, which is equivalent to only twenty US dollars.
Even the cheapest motorcycles in China now cost at least two thousand yuan each.
The profits here are no less than those in the automotive industry.
"Alright, alright," Wang Xiao urged him. "Let's deal with this first. The motorcycle is fine. In Russia, you can only ride a motorcycle for half the time anyway."
After hanging up, Wang Xiao called Wu Haoyu again.
She needs to ask around in Beijing if they have any connections there, and see if she can push this matter forward from the capital.
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Tomorrow's a holiday! Friday is the most anticipated day of the week. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2024-01-18 07:03:02 and 2024-01-19 07:03:55!
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