Chapter 126 Spending Money is Not Enough, Making Money is Even More Important: That's 150 Million US Dollars
Whether the Lieutenant Governor is genuinely focusing her attacks on the Department of Energy, or is simply trying to play the good cop/bad cop and work in tandem with the Department of Energy officials, it doesn't matter.
Anyway, the draft contract was finally finished after everyone argued back and forth.
The debate over where to use the equipment ultimately resulted in the conclusion that, all else being equal, at least 50% of the equipment should be made in Russia or from foreign companies registered in the Russian Federation.
They spent six hours going back and forth just to add or add content.
During this period, everyone ate their meals in the office, consisting of bread and canned food.
Wang Xiao originally didn't want to eat canned pineapple, but the other accompanying cheese... well, there aren't many Russian cheese varieties she can accept. To her, the taste was almost the same as caviar.
During the meal, the deputy governor struck up a conversation with her: "This is canned food from China. Chinese canned food is quite good. We—" she gestured to herself and Wang Xiao, "we all like it."
Wang Xiao simply smiled, while Ivanov, seemingly oblivious to social etiquette, bluntly stated, "Chinese people don't like canned food. It's just that we have too few choices here; otherwise, she wouldn't touch it at all."
Wang Xiao ate another piece of canned pineapple and interrupted him, "Don't talk nonsense. We always save the best for our friends. I'm sure you do too. This canned pineapple is delicious."
The assistant, standing nearby, sensed that the bosses were implying something in their words.
The male boss said they actually had better options, but they were only reluctantly accepting the Sakhalin Island oil and gas development project out of politeness.
The female boss then echoed the words of the deputy governor, emphasizing the friendship between the two sides and stressing that they had already brought out their best and believed in and expected the governor's utmost sincerity.
As for whether that's the correct interpretation, the boss didn't say for sure, and they could only guess from the sidelines.
However, after the meal, both sides seemed to have absorbed energy, and their argument became even more intense.
Finally, after dark, when most of the state government employees had left for the day, the two sides were able to finalize the draft.
This independent company will need to invest a total of $1.5 billion, holding a 10% stake in the overall project.
Wait a minute, are they crazy? Where are they planning to get $1.5 billion? Even if you squeezed every last drop out of the Chinese business community in Moscow, you might not get that much!
No, no, no, don't be nervous. Investing in oil and gas projects is not a one-off deal; it involves adding investments in batches.
For example, the Sakhalin oil and gas project they are discussing has an estimated initial investment of $1 billion by 1995, when it is expected to produce oil. Subsequent maintenance and development costs are estimated at around $13 billion, subject to fluctuations depending on actual circumstances.
In other words, after investing $1 billion, they started selling oil and gas to recoup their investment and maintain their capital.
Otherwise, even the world's most famous and recognized oil giants would struggle to afford a sum of $15 billion.
It's important to know that offshore drilling costs significantly more than onshore drilling, ranging from $35 million to $100 million.
If you throw this ball down and it doesn't produce any oil, then the $100 million will truly be wasted.
That's precisely why Wang Xiao and Ivanov dared to take on this 10% stake. They could manage the initial investment of $150 million.
So, to the Chinese businessmen in Moscow, I'm sorry, but you can forget about this incredible fortune. I'm going to take it all myself.
According to the predictions of the major shareholders, American and Japanese companies, the actual returns of this project could reach approximately $50 billion. Even if the project is long-term and lasts for thirty years, it would still be a very good way to save for retirement.
After the draft contract was finalized, Wang Xiao and Ivanov did not rush to leave. Instead, they took the initiative to ask Deputy Governor Ulanova, "Are there any suitable vacant lands for rent on Sakhalin Island? We mean land with a relatively warm climate, at least suitable for building greenhouses."
The offshore oil and gas field project will start next year, so they need to prepare supplies before they even begin.
Such a large project must require at least a thousand oil workers.
Wow, so many people! Does everyone need to eat and drink? Grains are fine; they can be stored for a long time, and shipping them every two or three months is no problem. But fruits and vegetables are different. No matter how delicious canned goods are, they can't compare to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Therefore, supplies must be prepared before troops can move. They needed to get started quickly.
Ms. Ulanova and the representative from the Ministry of Energy both smiled.
The latter is because, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, although the Russian government is unwilling to admit it, capital flight has been very serious.
He saw an internal statistic through his connections that showed that in one year, the amount of capital that fled the country reached $560-700 billion.
That's right, stabilizing Russia's oil industry only requires $30-50 billion, while the wealth stolen by the thieves has already exceeded that figure.
Yes, they are traitors who stole the country.
It is well known that the holders of Russia's enormous wealth primarily obtained their wealth through privileges granted by close ties to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Komsomol, as well as through political connections with ministers of the Russian Federation government.
Since large-scale privatization had not yet truly begun to be implemented, the culprits behind the massive losses were undoubtedly those damned parasites at the top levels of the Soviet Communist Party and the Komsomol.
In this context, the fact that the clean-cut new rich individuals neither fled to the United States nor hid in Western Europe, but instead diligently engaged in construction in Russia, demonstrates their remarkable integrity and purity.
He even considered the food and lodging issues for the oil workers.
What a wonderful young man! Russia needs representatives of this new wealth.
Deputy Governor Ulanova was pleased to have secured new investment for Sakhalin Oblast.
Despite Sakhalin sounding like a state and having an area twice the size of Taiwan, it only has a population of 700,000, which is about the size of a county in China.
In addition, it is a cold and harsh place with poor infrastructure and lagging industrial development. Despite having abundant coal resources, it is still unable to be self-sufficient in coal. Overall, it is still an economically underdeveloped county.
In such a remote, economically underdeveloped border region that cannot rely on central government funding, every investment is crucial.
Moreover, Ivanov was going to invest in agriculture, which is generally known for its low returns and high risks.
If their greenhouses are large enough, then not only oil workers, but also Japanese and Korean tourists visiting Sakhalin Island and local residents can have their produce guaranteed.
It's important to understand that for many years, because the islanders have relied mainly on supplies of fruits and vegetables from outside the island, even though they receive a northern allowance, they don't feel that their quality of life is high. The allowance isn't even enough to buy vegetables.
Furthermore, with the availability of fresh vegetables and the abundance of seafood on Sakhalin Island, even if the supply of eggs, dairy products, and red meat is somewhat lacking, it can still retain some tourists.
Indeed, Sakhalin Oblast saw the experience of Vladivostok's tourism reopening over the past six months and believed that it could also develop tourism.
Moreover, they have a more unique advantage than Vladivostok.
First, the large number of ethnic Korean residents attracts a steady stream of South Korean visitors.
Secondly, the Japanese who lived on this island for decades also have a unique affection for it.
Even if the latter's feelings greatly displease the Russians, the fact remains that they can bring a steady stream of money to the island.
In short, greenhouses are great, greenhouses are wonderful, greenhouses are fantastic.
Wang Xiao even provided solutions to the problem of labor shortage on the islands, where young people would rather loiter in the streets than work in the fields.
We recruited farmers from China to grow vegetables.
That's how they came to work on farms in Siberia and Moscow—seasonal workers who left once the harvest was plentiful.
Wang Xiao emphasized this last point to appease the Russians' ulterior motives.
Don't always worry that the Chinese will come and never leave, and will take over your territory.
In fact, feeling guilty doesn't really mean much.
Because everyone knows that unless there is another major war, the situation will basically remain the same.
Ulanova happily made recommendations for them, noting that there was plenty of arable land on the island. There was land in the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kholmsk regions, where the soil was fertile and very suitable for farming.
She also extended an invitation: "You can also set up a factory here. You are welcome to set up a factory in Sakhalin Oblast."
Perhaps to dispel Wang Xiao's doubts, she emphasized, "The Japanese have also set up many factories on our island."
Wang Xiao felt even more uneasy. "Deputy Governor, why don't you emphasize South Korea?"
Since Sakhalin Island opened to the public in 1990, quite a few South Koreans have visited the island.
Who says only the Chinese language is meaningful? All human languages have hidden meanings.
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Okay, then we'll investigate further and see which factory is the most suitable."
It was pushed to the back of the line.
Their most important task now is to sign the contract and finalize the seafood deal.
Currently, there are flights from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to China, once a week, passing through Khabarovsk.
This is too troublesome and time-consuming. There are too many issues to consider when transferring goods along the way. It must be a direct route.
As usual, we'll work separately to resolve the route issue. It's best to finalize it as soon as possible.
Why? Because the Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner! Chinese people love to try new things during the New Year.
If conditions permit, they might even spend several months' salary to try something they would never normally be able to afford.
Moreover, the emphasis on economic development has been going on for more than half a year, and the households with 10,000 or 100,000 yuan in China have become more active, and their consumption desires and potential should not be underestimated.
Yes, in fact, some restaurant owners in Shanghai have already approached Tang Yicheng, wanting to get seafood from him.
This is the only place in the country that airfreights seafood from overseas to mainland China; there are no other branches.
But they haven't dared to agree yet.
Currently, with two domestic supply points, Suifenhe is supplying both ends, and there is indeed no surplus supply available.
In Xiaozhou, similarly, you should never underestimate the spending power of both the political and business circles when it comes to high-end seafood; they are truly willing to spend money on food.
People from surrounding cities and even neighboring provinces make a special trip to Xiaozhou just to try the imported seafood.
If we could include seafood from Sakhalin Island this time, it would be best to fly directly to Shanghai.
Because, apart from Shanghai, the entire Yangtze River Delta region also has relatively strong purchasing power, which helps to expand the sales of fresh seafood.
That's right, Wang Xiao really wants to make a good profit from imported seafood this time.
The main issue is that they'll have to spend $150 million over the next two years. And note that this is entirely in cash.
For any company, $150 million in cash is a considerable sum.
Unfortunately, this money is like gambling; you never know if it will end well. If you win, it's a 200% profit; if you lose, it's all gone.
Oh my god, even Wang Xiao has to admit that every time she thinks of this number, she can't help but feel a chill run down her spine, and she subconsciously thinks, why not just forget about it and use this money to speculate on real estate?
The price of courtyard houses in Beijing is going to rise too quickly, so we can't wait. We can invest in Hong Kong real estate first.
Seriously, she's watched a lot of TVB dramas, and she remembers it very clearly: before Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, housing prices skyrocketed because of rumors that the government would bail them out.
She wasn't greedy; she sold her shares six months in advance, and she could still make a fortune.
But you know, everyone has a bit of vanity, especially someone like her who came from a big online celebrity background.
Just thinking about oil queens, gas queens, and stuff like that makes me so excited, super excited.
After imagining the perfect scenario, Wang Xiao finally made up her mind.
That's it, consider it spending $150 million to fulfill a dream.
If she can earn this $150 million, she can earn the next one too.
Money always seems to be the most tempting thing to come.
The two registered a brand new oil and gas investment company on Sakhalin Island under the name of a subsidiary of Huaxia Commercial Street.
Why invest under the name of Huaxia Commercial Street? Because Ivanov is afraid the Russian federal government will treat its own people badly.
When the oil and gas are extracted, the government suddenly changes its mind and says that its allocated quota must be sold domestically. Where will it go to complain then?
Even though domestic oil and natural gas prices have risen, they are still relatively low compared to production costs.
Moreover, according to Order No. 93, oil-producing enterprises can only sell 40% of their output at market prices, while the rest must be sold at planned prices.
Meanwhile, the company itself has to purchase all the materials it needs at market prices.
With selling prices stagnant and buying prices skyrocketing, it's no wonder oil producers are losing money.
The old oil fields have been almost drained of their lifeblood; the next step is to create new oil fields.
When the time comes, government officials will issue an order that all of their own family's share will be sold domestically in order to maintain a low price and continue to meet the needs of the people.
That would be a time of national celebration, with the government easing the burden on people's livelihoods and the people reaping the benefits; a world where only investors are harmed would be completely achieved.
hehe.
Rather than arguing with the government later, it's better to plan ahead and patch things up in advance.
Ivanov was the one who first suggested the idea, and he himself felt frustrated when he did so.
Making this decision proves that he not only doesn't trust the federal government, but he also doesn't believe the people will give him justice.
In Chinese terms, this is called "redistributing land to the rich and powerful".
Alas, he now realizes he is a capitalist and he must protect his own interests.
Wang Xiao comforted him, saying, "People with different abilities will have vastly different results when doing the same thing. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility."
Go, Pikachu!
Signing an agreement does not mean victory; on the contrary, the battle has only just begun.
Do you think you're the only one who doesn't believe the Russian government? I find it even harder to believe.
If we're talking about business warfare, the government is currently the biggest adversary in Russia. Or, to put it bluntly, it could even be considered the villain.
Its policies are constantly changing and unpredictable, much like the current ruble exchange rate; even God doesn't know when it will stabilize.
Therefore, Comrade Ivanov, use your expertise to keep a close eye on policy changes before the oil is extracted, before the entire oil and gas field is developed, and before all the oil and gas is sold.
However, Ivanov was still frustrated; winter on Sakhalin Island tended to make people melancholy.
Fortunately, his faith emphasizes flexibility and adaptability, so he can still turn to God in times of crisis.
Ivanov went to the church to pray.
Wang Xiao also went to the church, but not to pray.
Everyone has their own area of expertise, and she didn't expect the pastor to act as a psychologist.
She was taking the opportunity to see Mikhelson again and find him work.
"In the Far East, you can look around and see if anyone still wants to continue barter trade. We'll figure out a way to keep it going."
She had Tang Yicheng look into the situation in the Suifenhe region and found that the barter trade between China and Russia was in even worse shape.
In particular, Russia's compliance rate in the second half of this year has dropped to less than 30%.
Most people are in the same situation as Bimikhelson; it's not that they intended to be deadbeats from the start, but the skyrocketing prices left them helpless.
Mikhailson licked his lips and subconsciously asked, "The suppliers only ship goods after receiving full payment."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "As long as the goods are good, we can advance the funds first."
This was indeed a risky move; it was essentially them buying and then selling the goods themselves, taking all the risks upon themselves.
However, high risk means high return. Even with Russia's low compliance rate, the trade demand between China and Russia will not disappear directly.
Two countries that both lack foreign exchange and whose light and heavy industries can complement each other are destined to be suitable trading partners.
As long as they have a suitable trading platform.
As it turns out, the Huaxia Commercial Street trading platform has performed very well since the beginning of this year.
To date, the combined commissions earned by Commercial Street and Wuzhou Company in this business have exceeded ten million US dollars.
On the surface, this intermediary business doesn't seem to be very profitable for direct trade, and it's also extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive.
In fact, in the process of acting as intermediaries, they accumulated a large network of contacts among large and medium-sized enterprises in both China and Russia.
This will be very beneficial for their future development.
However, due to geographical factors, they had previously chosen Russian suppliers mainly concentrated in the west, neglecting the central region and the Far East.
It wasn't that they hadn't considered exploring the area; Ivanov even called the guy in Vladivostok several times, hoping he could expand the scope of their business.
However, these people export seafood and import clothes and shoes, making a fortune, so they really lack the motivation to become proper barter middlemen.
Only Mikhelson, who originally started out in barter trade and is now heavily in debt and eager to pay it off, is the perfect candidate to be the operator who opens up the Far East market.
Wang Xiao said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "You're not really planning to give up the processing plant and the villa, are you? This is all your hard work."
Most importantly, if you think that giving them up will bring you a peaceful life, you are sorely mistaken.
As the saying goes, "When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain safe?"
Against the backdrop of an economic downturn, you will only lose more and more until one day, there is nothing left to lose, including your life.
Even with the churches well-heated, winters on Sakhalin Island are unbearably dry.
Mikhailson unconsciously licked his lips, finally mustering his courage: "Then I'll give it a try."
He is confident.
In a time of complete uncertainty, when Sakhalin Oblast had just opened up to the outside world and allowed foreigners to visit the islands, and no one knew how barter trade should be conducted, he took the first step.
He was originally in charge of a seafood processing plant, but when he first dealt with Chinese businessmen, he didn't use any seafood, but tinplate, cheap tinplate.
At the time, he didn't have the money to get tinplate from other factories, so he only paid a small deposit.
But when he traded tinplate for sugar and corn brought over by Chinese merchants, he quickly became rich.
He believed he was quite capable of seizing business opportunities; all he lacked was sufficient capital.
Wang Xiao nodded: "OK, then you go and find some clients."
She emphasized, "Don't look for spoiled customers; look for customers who have stock on hand, are eager to sell, and are sincere in their transactions."
The key is to act quickly. If you're slow and indecisive, just give up and look for another company.
You have to understand, business opportunities are fleeting. What's in high demand this month might be unwanted next month.
She watched as Mikhelson nodded vigorously and joked, "Mr. Factory Manager, we're waiting for your good news. We hope you can take back your processing plant and villa as soon as possible."
Ivanov's prayers lasted quite a long time; I wonder if the priest's ears grew calluses from all his nagging.
Anyway, Ivanov still hadn't returned by the time she finished talking with Mikhelson and signed the contract.
Wang Xiao finished off a frozen pear.
Indeed, the resourceful Chinese middlemen have extended their business of frozen pears and frozen persimmons to Sakhalin Island.
While she was wiping her mouth, Ivanov finally returned, looking calm.
Looking at his appearance, Wang Xiao couldn't help but admire God's great power and omnipotence.
Look at his energy and spirit; he has clearly achieved inner peace.
Unexpectedly, Ivanov waved the newspaper in his hand and emphasized in a contemptuous tone: "Even if I am the worst, I am still better than these parasites."
The newspaper article was about corruption.
A municipal official, a former KGB colonel, issued a large number of licenses without government authorization, including for oil, timber, non-ferrous metals, and rare earth metals, all of which were popular export commodities.
This kind of thing is not surprising; Wang Xiao knows a lot about it.
So at first she just glanced at it, and it wasn't until her eyes fell on a number that her pupils dilated in shock.
"The transaction price is one two-thousandth of the current price!"
She blinked hard twice, then counted carefully; it was indeed three zeros.
Then she became very popular and became somewhat dazed.
Honestly, she used to think that when their Wuzhou Company bought second-hand planes from the Air Force, the Air Force had already cleared out its inventory, and the planes were practically worthless.
As it turns out now, when it comes to playing tricks, officials are indeed a hundred times better than businessmen.
When they managed to get the goods for a tenth of the price, they were already so nervous that their hearts were pounding and their hands were trembling.
They're one in two thousand, yet they remain completely unfazed and composed.
Ivanov stood tall and proud, pointing dismissively at the newspaper: "Even if I'm morally corrupt, I'm still much better than them."
Truly, compared to those sanctimonious politicians, he was simply a pure person, a noble person, a person who had transcended vulgar interests.
Wang Xiao had no choice but to turn his head away and let him go crazy on his own.
She glanced at the last sentence in the newspaper, which stated that the investigation committee had handed the information over to the prosecution. It seemed that the KGB colonel would have to face the department he used to know so well.
She asked Sergei curiously, "Aren't these also under the investigation of the KGB?"
"He'll probably participate in the investigation," Sergei said vaguely. "After all, he's a government official and comes from the KGB."
"So how will this be handled? Will we make an example of them?"
“Ha!” Sergei shook his head and laughed sarcastically. “He couldn’t have issued this license without orders from his superiors. He’s a colonel; he can’t be a fool.”
Seeing that his boss seemed quite interested, Sergei went on to explain, "Even if this investigation yields results, it won't be of any significance."
He gave an example.
In the early 1980s, a KGB official accidentally opened a can of fish and found that it contained precious caviar.
It's important to know that in the Soviet Union at that time, fish was a very cheap food and a readily available source of protein for ordinary people.
But caviar was different. Soviet caviar was an important export product that generated foreign exchange and was very popular with European customers. It was also quite expensive.
Therefore, although the Soviet Union produced a lot of caviar at that time, ordinary people could not afford it at all.
Why would such a precious box of caviar be labeled as canned fish and served so openly on the dining table?
KGB officials were very perceptive and immediately suspected that there was something seriously wrong.
He immediately reported it, and KGB launched an investigation, which indeed uncovered a serious case of corruption.
It turned out that the relevant management departments colluded with each other, labeling canned caviar as fish meat in the Soviet Union and then exporting it at a low price using the price of fish meat.
Once abroad, it is relabeled as caviar and sold at a high price to various European countries.
The huge profit margin between caviar and fish meat was pocketed by them.
The investigation report was extremely detailed, covering everyone from top to bottom, leaving no one out.
But in the end, only the lower-level henchmen were punished, while the real big shots, such as the president's confidants and high-ranking officials who took the lion's share of the illicit money, escaped any punishment.
Sergei, getting emotional, couldn't help but complain: "They even have the nerve to say that the Soviet Union collapsed because the people couldn't stand us KGB."
In fact, without our oversight and investigation, these parasites would only have gone even further.
They are the people who hate us the most. We are the sharp blade that they might use to stab them in the name of the people at any time.
That's why they're relentlessly trying to smear us and shift all the blame onto us.
It's as if these executioners, corrupt officials, and bastards deserving of the gallows are the victims.
Ivanov suddenly interrupted him, saying, "It is obvious that the reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union was that the privileged bureaucrats were not satisfied with just having the power to manage the huge national wealth; they wanted ownership."
Because management rights mean that while he is alive and in power, he can enjoy whatever he wants, whether it's a luxury villa or a luxury car.
But once he dies or is brought down, these assets will be taken back by the state.
His family members who depend on him won't be able to enjoy that anymore.
Therefore, let's turn them into our private property. That way, we can openly pass them down from father to son and grandson to grandson, and legitimately seize the nation's wealth for ourselves.
Ivanov paced back and forth, muttering to himself, "So we must fight, we must be ready to fight them at any time."
Wang Xiao nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, then you fight well. Moscow is in your hands now, I have to go to Bucharest."
It was already late November, and she went to Bucharest, clearly not because of Bucharest's pleasant climate, but because she had to work.
She hadn't known before that small-scale engineering and agricultural machinery made in China was very popular in Russia, so she let it go.
Now that she knows there's a market for small machinery in China, as someone who makes a living in foreign trade, she definitely has to find a way to further expand that market.
Nowadays, most private individuals are engaged in the business of daily necessities such as clothing, shoes, and hats. There are very few private enterprises that deal in machinery.
Currently, taking Romania as an example, the advancement of land privatization has led to the division of large farms into small plots of land ranging from seventeen acres to tens of acres.
The original large-scale mechanized farming model is no longer suitable for current agricultural development.
Only small agricultural machinery is more suitable for agricultural production.
Since Chinese products have already been validated in Russia, they should make a concerted effort to expand into the Eastern European market, even if they lack geographical advantages.
If this agency business is done well, it can be another lucrative business.
Sigh, she doesn't understand how others view the relationship between earning and spending money.
Anyway, whenever she spends a lot of money, her desire to make money becomes even stronger.
Wang Xiao flew directly to Bucharest.
This time, her bodyguard team included a female bodyguard.
Also with a background in espionage, she was a young woman named Lyuba.
However, unlike the Bond girl image portrayed on television and in movies, although she was young, she was plain-looking, the kind of face that you couldn't remember even after watching it many times.
This is probably what real secret agents generally look like.
In any case, none of her bodyguards were particularly good-looking.
The reason Wang Xiao chose a Russian female bodyguard again this time was not because she had any prejudice against Chinese female bodyguards or did not trust their abilities.
Rather, she simply couldn't find it.
Because there are few female soldiers in China to begin with, and even fewer who are highly skilled.
Even after they retire, they are still highly sought-after. They are either assigned to good positions or become security personnel for leaders, and they all have bright futures.
If that's the case, why would they be so foolish as to give up their respectable jobs to become bodyguards for a private boss from mainland China?
KGB agents are different.
With the decline and disintegration of the Soviet Union, the number of spies who retreated to Moscow from East Germany, Eastern European countries, and all over the world was so large that it could be described as a swarm of locusts crossing a river.
With so many people, even more than the massive return of educated youth to the cities back then, where did the government get so many jobs to accommodate them?
Even if they were to be assigned a class, the salary on Weibo wouldn't be enough for them to support themselves and their families.
Therefore, there are many spies who find their own way out.
Being able to work as a bodyguard for a wealthy businessman is already a pretty good career path for retired special agents.
More commonly, a large number of agents have become members of the Russian mafia, reportedly accounting for more than a third of the total number of organized crime members.
So the legendary story that the long-established Italian Mafia learned from the rising star Russia is not just a simple joke.
After learning about Lyuba's family background, Wang Xiao nodded and accepted the female bodyguard.
In fact, her main task was only one thing—to accompany her to the toilet when they were out.
Indeed, although the kidnapping incident ended without serious harm, it left her with psychological trauma.
That means that when she's outside, she tries not to drink water and avoids going to the toilet as much as possible.
Now, thanks to Miss Lyuba, she can finally have the freedom to relieve herself whenever she needs to.
It is clear that human happiness is both simple and complex.
When the plane arrived at Bucharest's Ottobeni International Airport, Ruan Xiaomei had already sent a car to pick her up. Upon seeing her, she urged, "Hurry up and change your clothes, the wedding will start soon."
Whose wedding is it? Qiangqiang's, of course.
He was falsely accused of drugging himself with cocaine by the police in Moscow, and he chose to fight back and take the police station to court.
Although he eventually proved his innocence, he had offended the police and had no way to stay in Moscow any longer.
Later, Wang Xiao arranged for him to come to Bucharest and even asked his younger sister to help him buy two kiosks, which are now thriving.
Wang Xiao couldn't help but exclaim, "This guy is quick on his feet; he's even gotten his wife involved now."
He didn't marry a fellow Chinese, but a native Romanian girl.
Ruan Xiaomei laughed out loud: "Boss, isn't that your responsibility? You've forced his landlord's whole family to do business in the container market. Who's going to cook for him at home? If he doesn't have food, he'll have to find food outside."
Initially, most Chinese business owners chose to have their meals provided by their landlords.
Compared to eating out, this is both affordable and convenient. They only go to Chinese restaurants for a treat when they're absolutely craving something delicious.
Qiangqiang did the same.
After the landlord's family was too busy to cook, he mustered up his courage and took the initiative to ask his neighbor's neighbor for help.
The mother and daughter happened to lack sufficient income, so they happily accepted the business.
As a result, after eating there for a long time, Qiangqiang moved into her house and rented a place to live.
Then, everyone received invitations and learned that they could attend the wedding.
Ruan Xiaomei praised the bride, saying, "Andrea is a very nice girl. She's very kind, efficient, and a good person to live a good life with."
She gave an example: "When Qiangqiang first started cooking for her, she was worried that the food wouldn't suit his taste and he wouldn't stay, so she came over to ask us how to cook Chinese food."
Now, the person who stays at home to cook is her mother.
The young couple runs a business at the kiosk, and their business is booming, which is quite enviable.
Wang Xiao chuckled and said, "Oh my, I didn't realize Qiangqiang was so capable."
After she changed her clothes and took a car to the wedding venue, she saw the bride dressed up so beautifully and couldn't help but admire Qiangqiang even more.
Honestly, judging by looks alone, Andrea has the appearance of a star.
Moreover, she did appear on television; she made an appearance during the filming of "The Great Swordsman".
Romanian television is currently airing "The Great Swordsman," and quite a few people recognized her when she was doing business.
The girl didn't hide her fame at all; she clearly intended to monetize it by printing out her own posters and posting them outside her kiosk to attract more customers.
I must say, this trick works pretty well.
Some Yugoslavian merchants, who had already purchased goods at the wholesale market, made a special trip to her stall to buy a large box of Chinese-made pearl cream, intending to take it back to Yugoslavia to sell.
Anyway, the two countries are close to each other, and if you use a satellite dish in the border area, Yugoslavia can receive Romanian TV channels.
This is the product endorsed by a TV star.
As the big boss of the wholesale market, Wang Xiao's role as the officiant at today's wedding is equivalent to that of Qiangqiang's boss.
She greeted the newlyweds and their parents, spoke with other acquaintances, and even met the counselor from the Bucharest embassy.
The latter, representing the embassy, came to offer their blessings to the newlyweds and was to give a speech, emphasizing the enduring friendship between the two peoples and the increasingly close people-to-people exchanges.
When Wang Xiao mentioned a few things about small-scale machinery in China, the counselor said he would look into it further.
He also praised Wang Xiao: "You guys are even more impressive than state-owned enterprises in doing foreign trade."
Recently, he has been hosting quite a few state-owned enterprises that come to Romania to do business.
However, it must be said that these state-owned enterprises have a rigid mindset and are extremely backward in terms of information.
They still believe that Romania lacks everything and that any goods brought over will find a market.
Don't they realize that Romania only has a population of 20 million? Yet it already has such a large and comprehensive container market, with goods being shipped out like a never-ending flow every day.
The Romanian market today is nothing like it was a year ago.
The products that are eliminated from the domestic market have no market in Romania right now either.
In the eyes of the counselor, who had crammed on business knowledge, this kind of careless and perfunctory behavior was a typical example of a lack of respect for the market.
If you don't value your customers, they won't care about you anymore.
Wang Xiao made a few modest remarks, then turned around and suddenly realized what was going on. She looked around and couldn't help but ask Ruan Xiaomei, "Hey, where's your Dachun? Isn't he done yet?"
Ruan Xiaomei paused for a moment, then said softly, "He's not from my family. I'm already divorced."
ah?
Wang Xiaozhen's pupils dilated in shock.
divorce?
She really hadn't heard of it.
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Regarding the capital flight from Russia in the 1990s, the reference is from the current Russian president's article "Russia at the Turn of the Millennium," which states that Russia's GDP declined by 50% in the 1990s. This was accompanied by massive capital flight. Between 1992 and 1993, total capital flight from Russia reached $56 billion to $70 billion; from 1994 to 1998, it was approximately $17 billion annually. In other words, by 1998, a total of $125 billion to $140 billion in capital had flowed out of Russia.
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