Chapter 278 What are you doing here? (Bug Fix): Game Theory
Wang Xiao did not accept the offer made by Miss Zhao, or rather the Zhao family, on the evening of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
Unexpectedly, just one night later, she came up with a new trick.
On the morning of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Wang Tiejun and Chen Yanqiu went to work at the factory.
It wasn't that they didn't want to spend more time with their daughter who had difficulty moving around, but rather that they only had three days off in total for the Spring Festival in 1994.
As leading cadres, they shouldn't be the ones to skip work.
Besides, the factory manager specifically called last night to emphasize that he refuses to act as an intermediary. The couple should definitely appreciate it. At the very least, they should get a private room in the cafeteria at noon and have a proper chat with the manager.
Wang Xiao didn't care.
On a fine New Year's Day, the morning sun streamed through the window, making the whole house bright, warm, and comfortable.
She leaned lazily against the sofa, playing a game of tag with her younger cousin while listening to the high school student talk about the public relations plan he had been thinking about all night.
As a result, my cousin couldn't help but laugh as she listened: "Why don't you hire a reporter from the Jinning Evening News to interview me and portray me as a heroine?"
Chen Jingjing nodded earnestly: "That's right, sister. You've always been a woman who's just as capable as any man, a hero in the business world! Now we need to let everyone know your abilities and your good qualities to counteract those messy rumors."
The early spring sunshine shone on her face, making her chubby, baby-faced features truly radiant; she could almost be called the hope of spring.
Wang Xiao's laughter stopped abruptly, and he tapped the sofa armrest with his fingertips: "Jingjing, the business world is like a battlefield. The label of hero is for martyrs."
"Besides, a young, beautiful, and wealthy woman is more attractive than any label of heroine than a sex scandal."
"So now, what we need to do is shift the public's attention from me personally to Wuzhou International Shopping Center, so as not to waste the hype."
Chen Jingjing opened her mouth, unable to hold back: "But are we just going to let them slander you and misunderstand you?"
Wang Xiao smiled and gently picked up a thin stick: "Jingjing, remember, a businesswoman is not a moral exemplar. At least for now, I don't need to be the perfect woman in the eyes of public opinion."
She immediately rejected this pointless public relations plan, saying, "What you need to consider now is what to do next? For example, how to deal with Old Mrs. Ruan?"
Chen Jingjing was completely dumbfounded, seriously doubting that her plan would be of any interest to her sister.
At the crucial moment, it was her mother who saved her.
Qian Xuemei jogged over and happily told her niece, "Xiaoxiao, Xiao Wu is here."
Wang Xiao casually replied, "Which Little Wu?"
"It's me."
The early spring sunlight of February shone on the courtyard, gilding everyone. Wu Haoyu, dragging his suitcase, stood in the sunlight, looking travel-worn, a blue and white checkered scarf wrapped around the collar of his cashmere coat.
He was tall and elegant, with slightly weary eyes. A quick snapshot at that moment would be perfect for a Hong Kong or Taiwanese romance novel cover.
Qian Xuemei couldn't help but admire him in her heart, "Wow, this young man is quite presentable."
When she saw him in Moscow, she thought he was well-mannered. Sure enough, he showed none of the arrogance of a rich young master and was genuinely attentive to Xiaoxiao.
Wang Xiao frowned slightly: "What are you doing here?"
Qian Xuemei didn't like hearing this, so she quickly winked at her niece: "Xiaoxiao, Xiao Wu rushed over from Beijing overnight."
“Auntie—” Wang Xiao interrupted her, smiling slightly, “Could you please make me some water chestnut and sugarcane soup?”
During the Lunar New Year, water chestnuts and sugarcane are common and easy to boil. However, both of these fruits need to be peeled.
Qian Xuemei immediately understood and stood up: "Okay, I'll go get it."
It's just that young people don't like having elders around.
She not only walked herself, but also took her daughter with her: "Jingjing, don't just stand there, come help me in the kitchen."
Chen Jingjing had been eagerly listening, but now she could only mutter to herself, reluctantly following her mother: "I'm with my sister, I'm not idle."
Qian Xuemei grabbed him directly: "You want me to accompany you? Come here!"
The footsteps faded into the distance, leaving only the ticking of the clock in the living room.
Wang Xiao tapped the pickaxe in her hand, frowning as she looked at the man opposite her: "Did you tell your mother before you came?"
Wu Haoyu was slightly taken aback: "I came here by myself."
The implication is that he's not a child who needs to report to his parents where he's going.
But at this moment, Wang Xiao felt that his political wisdom was no match for that of a child.
She felt so sorry for Secretary Fang.
At this moment, the saying "children are all debts" became a tangible reality for her, someone who had never given birth before or after her transmigration.
What are you doing here?
“If you see me and don’t speak well of Zhao Xiuzhi, you will offend Minister Zhao. Your two families are old friends.”
"If you speak up for Zhao Xiuzhi, you will offend me again."
She shook her head and put down the pickaxe. "I don't understand why you would put yourself in such a dilemma?"
The fine sand in the crystal hourglass on the coffee table is falling at a rate of three grains per second. Sunlight slants through the prismatic transparent cavity, turning the amber-colored sand grains into flowing gold leaf.
Wu Haoyu squatted down, gently placed his hand on Wang Xiao's knee, looked up at her, and said, "I came because I wanted to come. No matter what, I had to come. I had to come."
He never expected Zhao Xiuzhi to suddenly act crazy.
During the Chinese New Year, her childhood friends got together for a gathering, and after a few drinks, she suddenly confessed her feelings to him.
He assumed she was just drunk and refused her advances.
Unexpectedly, she actually came to Jiangdong and went crazy towards Wang Xiao.
How could he not come after something like this happened? If he didn't come, would he even be a human being?
It's really beautiful.
Even today, Wang Xiao still believes he has good judgment.
Look, the man she's sleeping with has such beautiful eyes.
She has a pretty face too.
Unfortunately, she was never one to show tenderness or compassion to women.
She calmly looked at the man squatting at her feet: "Then what are you doing here? Are you here to make love and peace, or to have a big fight with Zhao Xiuzhi and stand up for me? Don't be impulsive. Before you do anything, think about your mother. It wasn't easy for her to be parachuted into Jiangdong to take charge."
Inside the spherical glass pot, the dark brown coffee liquid churned and surged under the heat of the alcohol lamp.
The steam billowed upwards, condensing into fine droplets on the silver neck of the vessel, but ultimately could not withstand the gravitational potential energy and could only helplessly slide down the curve.
The rubber sealing ring made a soft "pop" sound, and the caramel-colored liquid filled Waiting's bone china cup like silk, filling the entire living room with its aroma.
Ivanov, who had only just gotten up, shuffled down the stairs in his slippers, muttering, "God, what a wonderful smell. I didn't want to get up—hi, hello, Wu."
He smiled, his eyes crinkling into crescents.
Wang Xiao sighed softly and looked at Wu Haoyu: "Let's go. Remember, I won't see you until you see me today. Your vacation is over, so go to the airport now, fly to Shanghai, and then transfer to Tokyo."
Ivanov shrugged, feeling he should extend a little hospitality, and warmly invited, "Would you like to try some coffee? It's from Yunnan, the taste is really different, it's amazing with freshly baked bread."
Wu Haoyu gave him a deep look, stood up, and politely replied, "No need, thank you."
He dragged his suitcase, didn't even drink a drop of water, turned around, and left.
Ivanov felt as if he were walking through a chilly autumn wind, even though it was the season of the approaching New Year.
Look at how his suitcase wheels roll over the remaining snow, kicking up tiny ice crystals that refract into a rainbow in the sunlight—what a poignant scene!
Wow, a handsome man is a handsome man indeed.
Even Ivanov admitted that being good-looking is a real advantage.
He couldn't help but speak up for him: "Your Majesty, isn't he a lovely boy?"
Wang Xiao rolled her eyes at him: "Should I thank you on his behalf? If you want to say someone is naive, just say so."
Ivanov, holding his coffee cup, laughed heartily: "He's adorable because he's innocent. Look, love drives him to do all this, how adorable! His world is all about love."
He winked at her and said, “Beauvoir was right, being a woman is a situation.”
If the circumstances were reversed, a man could be just like the woman mocked in "The Moon and Sixpence"—pathetic, with only love on his mind.
Wang Xiao chuckled, uninterested in discussing the Second Sex with him.
Everyone knows who else. When playboys and women say these things, they're trying to create the next step of a spiritual connection: the fusion of body and soul.
She simply told Lyuba, "Get ready, we're going out."
Like a curious cat, Chen Jingjing immediately darted out of the kitchen, asking expectantly, "Sis, where are you going?"
She had been pressing her ear against the wall for ages, but still couldn't figure out why that handsome guy was dragging his suitcase away again.
He was just like the male lead in a romance novel: well-born, handsome, and responsible. And at the crucial moment, he flew to her sister's side without hesitation.
Yes, in all the romance novels she'd read, this was definitely a classic scene of emotional sublimation, comparable to Mr. Darcy's appearance in "Pride and Prejudice," where he turned the tide in Lydia's elopement and saved the Linette family.
Unfortunately, her sister didn't give her a chance to speak at all, dismissing her with just a few words, which was completely out of character for the novel.
Instead of answering her question, Wang Xiao posed another: "Have you thought it through? How should I handle Grandma Ruan's matter?"
The high school student hesitated again, stammering, "Um, take her to the police station, yes, sue her, make her go to court. She's spreading rumors, sis, she's defaming you!"
Wang Xiao shook his head immediately: "No! If I do that, my name will be tied to hers. I'll be giving her a boost, helping her create a huge scandal for free. And don't forget, she's also your sister Ruan's mother."
Chen Jingjing was stunned.
Oh right, Sister Ruan Xiaomei is Ruan Rui's younger sister. Even if they never see each other again, they are still siblings.
She had completely forgotten about that.
Sister Ruan is her sister's senior executive in Romania, in charge of all local affairs.
Although Sister Ruan appears to have severed ties with her family, blood is thicker than water. If her mother suffers a tragic end, will Sister Ruan feel resentful and even secretly seek revenge?
Ugh, this is so troublesome.
It's like trying to catch a mouse but being afraid of damaging the jade bottle.
Wang Xiao left her cousin, who was deep in thought, and left home in her wheelchair, got into her car, and set off.
Where to go? Of course, to the provincial government to find Secretary Fang.
See? You can't just sleep with any man. Sleeping with someone like that can easily lead to trouble.
Now, she has to clean up her own mess.
Across half the city, Secretary Fang sat behind his desk, stretching his stiff neck as he listened to the report with squinted eyes: "Gone?"
The man standing in front of the desk answered respectfully, "He went into the room, stayed for less than five minutes, and then came out and left."
Secretary Fang slightly opened his eyes and took a sip of brown tea: "What did they say?"
"I don't know." The man looked troubled. "There's really no way I can know."
Secretary Fang smiled slightly, saying, "After all, she's KGB's security team; how could they let anyone know about her family affairs?"
It's a legacy of the Soviet Union. Back then, the Soviet Union planted listening devices in the US embassy for ten years, and the Americans were completely unaware.
The power that once belonged to a nation is now being used by private individuals.
The power of businessmen is still unknown and may become immense in the future.
Sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting a bright beam of light in the center of the provincial party secretary's office. Countless dust particles danced and swirled within.
This is roughly the meaning of "blending in with the world".
There was a knock on the office door, and with a "Come in," the secretary poked half her body in: "Secretary, Mr. Wang from Wuzhou wants to see you."
Secretary Fang nodded slightly to the man in the office, who immediately left.
She then sat up straight behind the dark brown camphor wood desk and nodded slightly: "Let her in."
Secretary Fang was as enthusiastic as ever, even personally greeting Wang Xiao at the office door. Looking at Wang Xiao, he shook his head disapprovingly: "You need to rest. It's not even the end of the cold season yet, why are you running around? You'll only suffer if you catch a cold."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "I wanted to come and see you. I need to listen to the leader's instructions so that I can make progress."
"You have such a big mouth." The office door closed, and Secretary Fang shook his head with a smile. "What? Did my silly son say something stupid that made you angry? Don't mind him. Boys mature at least ten years later than girls."
Wang Xiao looked surprised: "Mr. Wu? No, I don't know what he's trying to say. I haven't seen him."
Secretary Fang was slightly taken aback, and then an indescribable feeling filled his chest.
She certainly believed that her men wouldn't lie; they had met and spoken with each other.
So now, the only reason Wang Xiao said this is to exclude Wu Haoyu.
This allows him to act impulsively without thinking, and still escape unscathed without offending anyone.
At that moment, as a mother, Secretary Fang felt an overwhelming sense of regret.
It's a pity that she was so focused on her work that she couldn't teach her youngest son to be a capable person.
She doesn't mind that her daughter-in-law is capable, because she herself is the capable daughter-in-law of the Wu family.
One more person, just in time to inherit the glory of the next generation.
Unfortunately, Haoyu is as naive as a child in front of the person she admires. To this day, he still hasn't figured out his place in Wang Xiao's world.
Secretary Fang almost sighed, but in the end he just let out a long breath and patted Wang Xiao on the back reassuringly: "About Xiao Zhao's matter..."
Wang Xiao interrupted her, speaking in a relaxed tone, "Comrade Zhao grew up in a simple environment and has always lived in Beijing before coming to Jiangdong; she probably doesn't know how many eyes are watching a parachuted-in cadre like her. She's soft-hearted, easily trusting, and can be fooled by people with ulterior motives."
Secretary Fang felt a pang of regret once again.
That makes perfect sense! If Zhao Xiuzhi had even a tenth of Wang Xiao's brain, she wouldn't have done something so stupid.
What are parachuted-in cadres? In the eyes of the local cadres who were born and raised here, they are just robbers who come to reap the benefits!
People have worked hard for over a decade, finally achieving results, and then, oh my, the higher-ups immediately see the opportunity and send someone down to gild their resume.
The power struggle between local and central governments has never ceased since ancient times, especially now that the tax-sharing system has been implemented.
Zhao Xiuzhi is probably still proud of her planning and execution skills; at least the farce she orchestrated at the shopping mall, orchestrated by Old Lady Ruan, was a success.
But Wang Xiao immediately saw that the reason she was able to move freely was because countless local officials from Jiangdong were hiding behind her, waiting to see Secretary Fang, who also came from the capital, make a fool of herself.
From the perspective of the local faction, this is a typical case of dogs fighting each other, resulting in a mess!
This is why, even in the dead of winter, Secretary Fang's office is filled with the aroma of bitter tea.
She had a sore throat, and her back molars swelled up.
Secretary Fang finally sighed, "Don't worry..."
Her words were interrupted by a knock on the door. She had just frowned and asked unhappily, "Who is it? What is it?" when the office door was forced open impatiently.
Zhao Xiuzhi rushed in like a happy little bird, and immediately began to whine, "Aunt Fang, I don't want to go to the Party School. I feel that I can learn more and better by staying with you."
Wang Xiao immediately turned her head away, pretending that she didn't exist.
Her mother was right; it's not easy being in a high position.
For example, right now, she even suspects that the veins on Secretary Fang's forehead could break the world high jump record.
The higher the veins throbbed, the deeper Secretary Fang's voice became: "Comrade Zhao Xiuzhi, please be mindful of your status and the occasion in which you speak."
Zhao Xiuzhi then noticed that there was a wheelchair in the office, and someone was sitting in it.
Her lips pursed slightly, her gaze swept over Wang Xiao, and without greeting him, she continued to plead with Secretary Fang, "Secretary, I'm new here and not familiar with the environment in Jiangdong yet. Let's give the opportunity for the young cadres' training course to other comrades."
Secretary Fang picked up his teacup and took another sip of bitter tea: "The list of trainees was decided in a meeting. Besides, everyone else has other things to do and can't get away."
She abruptly stopped Zhao Xiuzhi from saying anything more, saying, "Alright, I still have work to do, you can go out now."
Zhao Xiuzhi pouted, looking like a wronged child in front of her elders, and dawdled as she went out.
As she left, she ignored Wang Xiao, turning her head away quickly as if she didn't want to see anything dirty. Only the pearl earring on her earlobe flashed a bright, almost blinding arc in the sunlight. The earring struck the door frame with a crisp clatter.
That's truly her true nature.
The young lady certainly has the confidence and genuine personality.
The training opportunities that grassroots workers have worked hard for years, hoping for the best but never getting, are just a pretext for the young lady to be transferred away.
The door closed behind them, and Wang Xiao, as if a segment of time had been edited out, skipped over Zhao Xiuzhi's part and looked at Secretary Fang with a smile: "Secretary, actually, the reason I came here this time..."
"Don't worry," Secretary Fang promised her, "she will not return to Jiangdong."
This spoiled idiot who wasn't properly raised at home should be sent back to Beijing so her family can discipline her properly.
She had no interest in cleaning up the messes of other people's pet idiots time and time again.
Wang Xiao laughed: "Secretary, what do you mean by that? I don't care about cadre transfers. I came here today to ask about the current status of that building on Shanxi Road. I heard from the construction company that the longer a building is halted, the more likely there are to be problems later. It's been stopped for almost a year now."
Speaking of the Min'an Building on Shanxi Road, its history has been quite tumultuous.
Behind it lies the provincial and municipal dispute between the Jiangdong and Jinning governments, and the investors involved are Taiwanese and Hong Kong capital.
The first to acquire the land were Taiwanese businesses, who started negotiations in 1990. However, the stock market crash that year left them without the funds for development, so they turned to Hong Kong businesses, which provided the initial capital. Construction began at the end of 1991.
If all goes well, the building should be completed by now.
Unfortunately, another thing happened. After Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour in 1992, the real estate market was booming, especially in Hainan, where land speculation went completely crazy.
Hong Kong businessmen then diverted construction funds from here to speculate on land in Hainan.
Initially, they made a profit, but later, as national policies tightened, Hainan's housing prices plummeted. Hong Kong businessmen who failed to cut their losses in time became the suckers, losing all their principal.
The unfortunate Min'an Building was beginning to show signs of becoming an abandoned project.
Secretary Fang raised his eyebrows: "You want to take over the Min'an Building?"
Wang Xiao nodded: "If we keep putting it off, we don't know if the building will be ruined. Moreover, the worst thing about this kind of project is that it gets delayed. The longer it gets delayed, the more complicated the property owners become. Even if we have money later, if each property owner has their own opinion, and if even one of them disagrees with the solution, the building can't be built."
Secretary Fang agreed with this statement.
Just like returning occupied properties after the Cultural Revolution ended.
For those properties occupied by a single organization, it's the easiest to deal with; just hold your nose and move them away.
The worst situation is being assigned to urban residents as rental housing—a dozen or so households, each with their own families. If you try to force them to move out, they'll fight you to the death.
She knew that a friend of hers had nominally returned the property 10 years ago, but to this day, he couldn't even get his hands on the door to move in.
However, Secretary Fang was still slightly worried: "What about your funding? The shopping center is still under construction, and the LCD screen factory is a huge expense."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Thanks to Secretary, the shopping center's revenue exceeded ten million on its opening day. I think that, given this trend, the pressure of the funding gap for the construction can be greatly reduced by relying on the shopping center to support the business."
Secretary Fang gasped in surprise, the ink from the pen in his hand staining the paper.
She thought that the sales volume of over 2 million in the morning yesterday was already the peak after a long period of hype, and that a sales volume of 5 million for the whole day would be quite good.
Unexpectedly, it doubled.
She was right when she said it was a golden hen.
Secretary Fang took a slight breath and nodded: "Then we can try answering it. How about this—"
She rested her fingers on the desk that smelled of camphor wood. "I told them to sort out the situation at Min'an Building and I'll talk to you about it later."
Wang Xiao smiled broadly: "I'm sorry to trouble you again, Secretary. You're busy, I won't bother you any longer."
The secretary came over to see Wang Xiao out, thinking to herself: What do you mean by causing trouble? She's clearly here to help the boss out of his predicament.
Ensuring delivery and a smooth transition is a major strategic move being made nationwide.
Tsk, he really is someone who can do big business. He's here to give his boss achievements, and he's even saying such nice things.
Turning back to Secretary Fang's office, the secretary remembered something and quickly reported, "Secretary, what should we do about the renovation of the People's Department Store?"
Secretary Fang flatly refused: "If they have the ability to raise funds themselves, then let them do it themselves. The government can't interfere that far, and we shouldn't be stopping them from making progress. If they don't have the funds, they shouldn't beg the government for money. Where there's no shortage of funds?"
The secretary understood.
Tsk tsk, this People's Department Store is really unlucky.
The shopping center was a huge success when it opened, with money flowing in like water. The leaders wanted to push for an upgrade of the People's Department Store.
Otherwise, it would be inappropriate for Jiangdong's high-end department store industry to be dominated by a single private joint venture.
But since Mr. Wang took the initiative to bring up the matter of taking over the Min'an Building, the leadership will definitely support the Wuzhou Shopping Center and will not support its competitors for at least the next two years.
Otherwise, if the funds cannot be recovered, the Min'an Building will be abandoned and become an unfinished project. Wouldn't that be a disgraceful mark on the leader's record of achievements?
In the sunlight, dust motes floated like gold dust, settling on Secretary Fang's shoulder.
She put down her cup of bitter tea and sighed softly, "They've already lowered their stance so much, the government can't just not appreciate it."
She was showing her loyalty, silently indicating that even with Zhao Xiuzhi causing trouble, she wouldn't distance herself from her and had no objection to her handling of the situation.
How could I not appreciate it?
But some people just don't appreciate it.
When Wang Xiao left the provincial government compound, he ran into Zhao Xiuzhi again.
The latter snorted and gave her a disdainful look, raising her chin and directing the government car to drive off ahead of Wang Xiao's car.
The driver muttered under his breath, "Damn it, are you in such a hurry to be reborn?"
Wang Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly smiled.
That's really interesting.
What exactly gave Ms. Zhao the misconception that she had no choice but to suffer in silence?
Wang Xiao, who was an orphan with nothing when she was in elementary school, still managed to pin the daughter of a cadre who bullied her down in the toilet and beat her to death.
The car drove out of the provincial party committee compound. The snow piled up in the corner behind the gate had melted most of it after two days of sunshine.
The last bit that remained was crushed into ice shards by the tires of the Golf.
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My laptop crashed and I had to restart it several times. In the end, I updated it using my phone. Thank goodness, I had a backup on my USB drive.
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