Chapter 381 Midnight Crisis: I Don't Want an Old Man
After hanging up the phone, Wang Xiao rushed to the study.
Today, Punoning went back to the villa for dinner.
Like Wang Xiao, he believed that even if the president really wanted to teach Ivanov a lesson, he wouldn't need to specifically arrest him and take him to the Kremlin.
It should be fine.
But now something has happened.
Lydia had just brought out coffee for her husband when she saw this and instinctively tried to stop her: "My dear king, Flamikil is busy."
"My dear Lydia, please pray for us." Wang Xiao pushed open the study door forcefully, her words like a bombshell: "Vlamik, the president is in trouble!"
"What?" Punoning suddenly stood up, accidentally knocking over his coffee.
Lydia exclaimed in surprise and quickly went to help her husband tidy up.
But Punonin gently but firmly pushed her hand away: "Darling, go out for a bit."
Lydia was slightly taken aback, but as always, she followed her husband's wishes and quietly left the study.
Ignoring her scalded hand, Punonin grabbed her coat and chased after her, asking, "How did you know?"
Wang Xiao's words came out in rapid succession, like a barrage of bullets: "Ivan just called me from the Kremlin and said he can't come back tonight, which means he's been detained. If they wanted to arrest him, they wouldn't have allowed him to make a phone call, and in such a roundabout way. The only possibility is that something has happened to the president. Vladimir, you have to go to the Kremlin immediately."
Looking at the shocked tax police major general, she dropped an even bigger bombshell: "Ivanov was allowed to make phone calls, which means the worst is over. But they haven't contacted you yet, Vladimir. I guess that's not what the president wanted."
Last night at the White House, when Chubais received the call, his first reaction was not to try to hide it from Punonin, but to grab him and go with him without hesitation.
Punonin had already put on his coat and picked up his gloves: "The president wasn't in the Kremlin last night."
That's perfectly normal; their president is never the type to work through the night without rest or sleep.
On the contrary, because of his drinking problem, he was already grateful if he could maintain a sober working state for five or six hours a day.
It was past 10 p.m. last night. If the president was still working in the Kremlin, it wouldn't be good news for the whole of Russia.
Because if he did that, the only possibility would be that the country is doomed.
That's why Wang Xiao and Ivanov went directly to the Kremlin to see what was going on this morning.
That would be the most suitable option, allowing them to determine the wind direction while effectively avoiding suspicion that they were spying on the president's health.
Wang Xiao watched as Punonin prepared to leave the study to change his boots, and followed behind, emphasizing, "Vlamikil, you must stand firmly on the president's side tonight. There is no other choice. Your camp must steadfastly support one core, the only core."
Punonin placed his hand on the study doorknob, turned to look at her, and met her unwavering gaze. “If the situation is very bad and irreversible, this is also the best time and the best way for you to inherit the president’s support.”
The door opened.
Lydia stood anxiously at the end of the corridor, her eyes filled with apprehension, and called out her husband's name in a soft but urgent voice: "Vlamikil."
The thought of her husband, dressed in military uniform, going out on such a night filled her with an instinctive sense of dread.
The news of the president's accident was like a mountain, almost crushing this gentle and virtuous woman.
Punoning quickly stepped forward, hugged his wife, kissed her cheek, and softly comforted her, "It's alright, you stay home and don't go out tonight."
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wang Xiao, and as if remembering her, he added to his wife, "If you're ever unsure about anything, you can ask Wang."
Although this East Asian woman was cunning and treacherous, and although she was unscrupulous in her actions, thank God, she was a clever person.
A smart person will not easily give up all the connections they can build; they always think about maximizing profits and making long-term investments.
Therefore, in times of crisis, a smart person is always the most suitable partner.
Just like now, Wang Xiao nodded and assured them, "I'll stay with them the whole time, Vladimir. Be careful and good luck. By the way, if anyone keeps asking you why you were at the Kremlin tonight, just tell them that you heard what I relayed about Ivan's phone call, and you felt something was wrong and thought you should go and see for yourself to be sure."
She emphasized, "As a general, you should have this kind of vigilance."
With his wife's help, Punonin changed his boots, looked up at Wang Xiao, and said meaningfully, "You're a smart man. Everyone knows that you were the first to realize something was wrong."
Wang Xiao shook her head firmly: "No, I don't need to be smart. I'm just a woman burning with jealousy because I'm angry that men dare to stay out all night."
Punonin didn't want to ramble on with her any longer. After giving her a deep look, he patted the heads of his two children and left in a hurry.
The sound of the car engine faded into the night in the Moscow suburbs. Outside the window, the darkness was boundless, except for the autumn crocuses blooming on the windowsill, which gave the night a touch of vitality.
Lydia plopped down on the sofa chair, staring blankly out the window.
Although his two children, Tonya and Lena, were taller than Wang Xiao, they still looked very young, and in this situation, they were completely at a loss.
Therefore, in this country villa, the only one who could stand up and boost morale was Wang Xiao.
She clapped her hands and smiled, "Don't worry, nothing serious will happen."
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao quickly assured each other, "If there is any danger, we will definitely protect you."
Tonya remembered that he was now the only man in the family, and that boys were men too. A surge of pride welled up in his thin chest: "Yes, I will definitely protect you."
As a result, Wang Xiao, that scoundrel, didn't give the little boy any stage to perform his heroism at all, and directly poured cold water on him: "Calm down, gentlemen, if they really want to deal with us, it will probably be a regular army that comes."
As is well known, even the heroes in martial arts novels, TV series, and movies are useless against regular troops, as long as the creators are of normal intelligence.
However, seeing Tonya's face turn pale instantly, Wang Xiao still comforted the underage child, saying, "Don't worry, no matter which side's troops come, they will welcome money. And I happen to have plenty of money. I will ransom everyone."
Good heavens, this comfort is... well, so real, so real that it feels like it's not worthy of serious consideration.
Yet, inexplicably, it made me feel at ease.
Klena still felt breathless and blurted out, "What if it's the Communists? I mean, the real Communists. They don't want money; they just want to kill us. God, you have no idea how many people they killed during the Great Purge!"
Wang Xiao looked at the young girl's heaving chest and sighed softly in his heart.
Is this the image of the Communist Party in the minds of Russia's new generation?
She shook her head, offering no defense of the Communist Party's character. At this moment, in this room, it would be meaningless for her to say anything good about the Soviets or the Russian Communist Party.
She said only one sentence calmly and gently: "My dear Lena, don't be afraid. I am Chinese, and the Russian Communist Party does not want to cause unnecessary international disputes."
These words, however, triggered the sensitive nerves of the teenage girl in her rebellious phase. She immediately jumped up, pointing at her in horror: "You're all in cahoots! You're all red!"
“No, we’re not on the same side.” Wang Xiao shook his head firmly, pointing at Lydia. “If your history grades aren’t very good, you can ask your mother about the historical relationship between the Soviet Union and China.”
A mother's instinct snapped Lydia out of her worry for her husband. She reached out and hugged her daughter, patting her back to comfort her, "Lena, don't misunderstand, the King is our friend. Please trust your father."
The Slavic daughter's trust in her father was clearly more convincing to Lena than Wang Xiao's assurances.
She calmed down, leaned on her mother's shoulder, and stopped talking.
Her older brother, Tonya, who was a year older than her, stared at Wang Xiao, pursing his lips as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
"What do you want to say? Go ahead and say it."
Although Wang Xiao often attended Punoning's family gatherings, she never had the patience to deal with children, so strictly speaking, she didn't know much about Punoning's two children.
So Tonya blurted out, "Shouldn't you unite with the Russian Communist Party? Don't you share the same beliefs?"
Her reaction was simply to laugh awkwardly.
Good heavens! She didn't even know who to sigh for.
Is it that Russia lacks a sense of political family, or is it that the country itself is simply too fertile ground to produce politicians?
In a family with a similar background in China, which family would dare to raise a young master of the same age to be so innocent and naive, unless the family never intended to raise him at all?
Wang Xiao calmly said, "Why should we unite? Yes, China and the Soviet Union did unite once. In China's thousands of years of history, the only big brother it has ever recognized is the Soviet Union, but the ending was very bad."
Lyuba quietly served the snacks and milk.
Wang Xiao greeted the young people with a smile: "Sit down and have something to eat, I get hungry very easily."
Actually, she wanted ice cream more, but this wasn't her territory, and with limited resources, she had to make do.
Tonya glanced at her, sat down, and picked up a pancake.
That half-grown boy is going to eat his father out of house and homeless. He's the one in this house whose stomach is truly like a bottomless pit.
"In fact, the Soviet Union was never the true leader of the socialist camp."
Wang Xiao took a bite of the egg pancake, chewed and swallowed slowly, and then, under the surprised gazes of the two middle school students in the room, continued speaking softly.
"In the early 1950s, China experienced two wars, which we call the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Before the wars started, both North Korea and North Vietnam turned to the Soviet Union for help. However, the Soviet Union did not grant their requests and did not intervene."
She spoke up for the Soviet Union, saying, "Of course, we all understand that this choice is normal; no country would easily allow itself to be drawn into war. Because war is extremely cruel, and those who participate in it pay a huge price."
Neither Tonia nor Lena spoke in rebuttal, but the former pursed her lips again.
Wang Xiao sighed softly: "But at the same time, the Soviet Union's choice also shook its already established position as the leader of the socialist camp. The younger brother recognizes the elder brother because he hopes that you can step in at the critical moment."
“In simple proxy wars, such as when only North Korea and South Korea are fighting, or North Vietnam and South Vietnam are fighting, and the supporting forces behind them don’t get involved, everyone thinks it’s normal.”
"However, in the Korean War, the United States led the UN forces into the war. In the Vietnam War, France also joined the fight."
"No matter how they fight, or whether the outcome is as they wish, at least their actions have proven one thing to the world: when it comes down to it, they really will resort to real violence."
Tonya pursed her lips even tighter and subconsciously turned her head away.
He hated the Soviet Union, but he also felt ashamed because he subconsciously knew that the Soviet Union was part of his homeland.
In that instant, he even had an absurd thought: if the Soviet Union hadn't chosen to stay out of it and had instead joined in, would Russia be in a different state today?
The absurd idea terrified him, and he instinctively shook his head violently.
Lena also pursed her lips.
Wang Xiao seemed to sense the young man and woman's dilemma. She took another bite of her egg pancake and slowly comforted them, "The outcome may not always be as you wish."
She sighed, "Nearly 200,000 Chinese soldiers sacrificed their lives on the Korean battlefield. It can be said that every inch of our land is soaked in the blood of Chinese martyrs. But when the Zhenbao Island conflict occurred between China and the Soviet Union, didn't North Korea also stand on the side of the Soviet Union?"
She recalled reading in the documents, "At that time, the North Korean leader openly spoke out internationally, accusing China of 'undermining the unity of the socialist camp,' and cooperated with the Soviet Union to deploy troops on the border between China and North Korea, posing as if to support the Soviet army in deterring China. They did things like intercepting Chinese fishing boats and broadcasting messages. They also stopped using the hospitals that China had helped build for them within North Korea."
Tonya and Lena exchanged a glance, unable to feel any pride.
The only thought that came to mind for these middle school students, with their simple values, was—North Korea is a real scoundrel, a despicable villain!
Wang Xiao laughed: "It's not surprising that North Korea did this, because since 1965, North Korea has received a lot of aid from the Soviet Union, including low-interest loans and the import of industrial technology. As a result, North Korea began to become a rich socialist country. At the same time, China was a poor agricultural country that had to resist the Soviet threat, prepare for war and famine, and be ready to fight at any time. Naturally, its aid to North Korea was limited."
She casually remarked, "Whoever feeds you is your mother; that's international politics."
These things are really too much for the naive values of middle school students.
Lena even felt sympathy; she thought China was truly pitiful, with so many people dying and yet still being betrayed.
But she also knew that China and North Korea had a good relationship, so she couldn't very well accuse China of being too soft-hearted and forgiving such an ingrate.
So the little girl racked her brains and finally offered what she thought was a barely acceptable consolation: "It's all the Soviet Union's fault. If only there were no Soviet Union."
Wang Xiao really wanted to pinch her cute little face; what an innocent, bright, and kind girl she was.
She shook her head: "No, the Zhenbao Island conflict happened in March 1969, but by the end of 1969, relations between China and North Korea had eased again."
"Why?" Tonya couldn't help but exclaim. "How could you forgive them so quickly? And isn't North Korea afraid of offending the Soviet Union?"
Wang Xiaomosuo, holding a cup in his hand, said: "Because in April 1969, North Korea shot down an American reconnaissance plane. At that time, the Nixon administration in the United States was considering taking military action. North Korea was very panicked and hoped to get substantial military support from the Soviet Union. However, the Soviet Union did not want to confront the United States directly because of this, so it rejected the request and only assisted in searching for the remains of American soldiers."
Tonya, unable to contain herself any longer, cursed, "What a coward!"
Lydia stopped her son, saying, "Tonya, war is not a simple matter; people die in war."
Seeing that Tonya was about to retort, Wang Xiao tapped the table, reminding him, "Do you want to continue listening?"
The little boy then reluctantly shut his mouth.
"This incident made North Korea realize that in order to ease relations with the United States, the Soviet Union was always willing to sacrifice the interests of its ally, and this big brother could not be relied upon."
"At the same time, in September of that year, China invited North Korea's second-in-command to Beijing to participate in China's National Day celebrations, signaling a desire to ease tensions. The following year, in 1970, China's Premier visited North Korea and held long talks with the North Korean leader, after which relations between the two sides officially thawed."
Hearing this, Tonya muttered, "You guys are so easy to talk to."
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "This isn't a matter of being easy to talk to or not; it's about grasping the main contradiction and optimizing interests. Because of geopolitics, China will not allow the Korean Peninsula to descend into chaos. Otherwise, we wouldn't have persisted in resisting the US and aiding Korea under such difficult conditions in the 1950s. As for the Soviet Union, the interests in the Far East are secondary considerations; it is more concerned with its interests in Europe."
She clapped her hands, concluding with a final statement, "Alright, my dear young man and young woman, now you know why your imagined alliance of the three communist parties won't happen, right?"
Tonia and Lena glanced at each other again, then lowered their heads and remained silent.
According to their thinking, they've actually formed an alliance? It would be good enough if they didn't end up fighting.
North Korea is a classic example of someone who will follow whoever provides the benefits.
Sigh! Aren't these countries all pretty much the same? There are so few countries with backbone and principles.
"Chatting time is over." Wang Xiao smiled and looked at Lydia. "My dear friend, could you now bring our dear young men and women to help me with an important task?"
Before Lydia could speak, her eldest son, Tonya, couldn't wait any longer: "What are you doing?"
He felt trapped inside the villa, and he was eager to do something.
"I need to make a phone call right away, and I need your help to finish the call."
Five minutes later, Wang Xiao dialed the phone of the head of the news department of Channel One, his voice panting after a big laugh: "Mr. Volkov, I have some fantastic news to tell you! Our Mr. Punonin has agreed to be interviewed."
While on the phone, she turned around and shouted, "Hold him down and don't let him go back on his word. A real man keeps his promise!"
Lena quickly shouted, "Daddy, Daddy, you've already agreed, it's settled then!"
Lydia chimed in, "Alright, honey, you need to set a good example for the children and always keep your word."
Wang Xiao's voice returned to the microphone: "Tomorrow, you guys come over tomorrow, the address is..."
She gave the address and reminded the head of the news department, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you don't come by tomorrow morning, you'll miss out."
Then she complained resentfully, "I originally wanted him to film 'Our Day' for MTV, but she absolutely refused! You guys got off easy!"
Volkov laughed: "Miss Wang, you're also one of our shareholders, so supporting Channel One's work is only natural. We'll definitely go tomorrow!"
Good heavens! Mr. Punonin is the most popular and mysterious political star right now.
His photos went viral, and savvy publishers even made posters out of them, which sold better than posters of rock stars.
He is very low-key, and unless he has to appear in the news for work reasons, he has never given an interview in private.
How many viewers will be drawn to his first exclusive interview?
This is a temptation that no television professional can resist.
After hanging up the phone, Lena was the first to express her concern: "What if Dad doesn't come back tomorrow?"
"I'll be back." Wang Xiao patted her shoulder. Well, mainly because the girl was already taller than her, patting her head would be too much of a strain on her arm.
She told the two middle school students, "Go to sleep, or you won't grow taller if you don't sleep well."
Although she felt it wouldn't matter if they stopped growing.
When they visited her in the hospital in June, the brother and sister weren't even this tall yet.
In just a few months, they all looked like they'd been fertilized with chemical fertilizers.
After the brother and sister left, Wang Xiao advised Lydia, "You should go and rest too, it's getting late."
Lydia shook her head: "I'm not sleepy, I'll stay with you."
Although she seemed to be of no use, she felt she should at least sit there and express her opinion.
Unfortunately, Wang Xiao didn't need to. She advised the other person, "I'm not a robot. After I finish guarding the watch tonight, I'll definitely need to sleep tomorrow. If you don't sleep either, who will guard the watch tomorrow?"
Seeing the other woman's helpless expression, Wang Xiao thought for a moment and then gave her a task to do: "Why don't you help your husband prepare his clothes for tomorrow? He has an interview tomorrow."
Lydia quickly got up, took two steps toward the bedroom, then suddenly remembered something, turned back, and mumbled as if in a dream, "What if he doesn't come back tomorrow?"
Wang Xiao had already taken out his notebook, without even looking up: "Then I'll give the production crew two more red envelopes, and trouble them to make another trip."
Lydia stood frozen in place, her eyes fixed on Wang Xiao.
Unfortunately, under the lamplight, her shadow was too short to cover Wang Xiao, otherwise the latter wouldn't have looked up in surprise after not hearing any footsteps for a long time: "Is there anything else?"
Lydia opened her mouth: "No...nothing."
With that, she hurriedly left.
Yes, there are.
Her heart was pounding wildly; she had no time to care that the film crew had missed her.
Her concern was for her husband; what would happen if her Vlamikl didn't come back tomorrow?
But in Wang Xiao's mouth, such a big matter seemed insignificant, making Lydia feel like she couldn't find an outlet for her cries.
But strangely, Wang Xiao's nonchalant attitude acted like a hallucinogen, inexplicably infecting Lydia and making her have a sudden thought—it really wasn't a big deal, it wasn't a big deal.
Vladimir wasn't immune to staying out all night; he had carried out countless missions during the night.
Enveloped in this light, airy scent, like the barely perceptible fragrance of autumn daffodils that comes only in imagination, she rummaged through the clothes her husband was to wear the next day, and then, in a daze, she actually fell asleep.
Those who work the day shift tomorrow can finally get some rest, but Wang Xiao, who works the night shift, will have a much tougher time.
She buried herself in the lamplight, concentrating intently on crafting the interview outline.
Alas, every male character you fall in love with is actually the soul of a female writer.
This saying really applies everywhere!
She revised it five times, until she was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open, before she finally managed to finalize the first interview outline.
Then she washed her face, rummaged through the refrigerator and found a box of frozen cheesecake. After eating it, she continued writing furiously.
While Lydia was getting up to prepare breakfast for everyone, she was revising the final version of the manuscript.
When breakfast was served, she put on a face mask, not wasting a single minute.
Lena asked her curiously, "Does it work?"
Although she also uses cosmetics and skincare products, she is really curious whether the latter's effects are psychological.
Wang Xiao answered honestly, "I don't know."
Her common sense told her that a face couldn't absorb so many strange things.
But it's expensive!
When she can't even get a good night's sleep, it would be a shame not to treat herself to something expensive.
Wang Xiao concluded: "Because my face is expensive, I want to use expensive products on her."
Lydia shook her head in disapproval, believing that it didn't matter whether Wang used a face mask or not.
My God, the Creator truly favors East Asians; their skin is as smooth as a peeled egg, with virtually no pores.
But as the housewife, she couldn't spare much time to compliment her guests' good skin; her gaze would always unconsciously drift towards the villa's courtyard, hoping to spot a familiar figure there.
They might be pruning flowering branches and grapevines, cleaning the yard, or playing with a kitten.
In short, it shouldn't be this empty.
She was lost in thought.
So when the roar of the car engine sounded in the courtyard, she didn't even realize what was happening.
The children, like agile little leopards, rushed into the courtyard and ran desperately towards their father.
Lydia stared blankly at her husband, her eyes burning. If it weren't for the table supporting her, she would have almost lost her balance.
Punonin led his two awkward children back into the house—Good heavens, even if the middle school students are worried about their fathers, they don't want to be led by their fathers' hands when they actually meet.
Fortunately, when their father walked up to their mother, he let go of them, freed his hands, and hugged his mother tightly.
“It’s alright.” Punonin kissed his wife, emphasizing repeatedly, “I told you, it’s alright, I’ll come back safe and sound.”
It was such a heartwarming and touching scene that it deserved a close-up in the film.
Unfortunately, Wang Xiao is a businesswoman, not an artist.
She kissed Ivanov on the cheek as he got off the train and instructed him, "Go take a shower and tidy up. I'll tell you what to do next later."
After seeing the person off, she didn't have the patience to wait for the heartwarming reunion scene to end, and instead forcibly cut it off: "Alright, dear Vlamikil, Ivan just told me the situation, and our battle is about to officially begin."
Last night, the president suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the emergency room. His condition has only just stabilized and he has not yet truly passed the critical period.
And Russia's crisis followed.
"We must remain stable until the president is able to appear in public."
Wang Xiao handed him the interview outline that she had painstakingly revised five times. "I've already contacted Channel One to conduct the interview. You must accept the exclusive interview today and express your support for the president. Please familiarize yourself with the script as soon as possible. If you have any questions, I'll discuss them with you during dinner. Xiao Gao, go to Ivan's room and get the men's face mask."
She spoke so fast that Punoning was stunned and had no time to react.
Upon hearing the word "face mask," he finally snapped out of his daze and firmly refused: "No, no, no, I don't want it."
Good heavens, what kind of man looks wearing makeup? A face mask, for crying out loud! Only a good-for-nothing like Ivan, who's always trying to be a gigolo, would use that.
Lydia instinctively wanted to persuade her husband, after all, Wang Xiao had worked hard all night without sleep, hoping that Vlamikl's interview would be a success.
Wang Xiao gave up first: "OK, it's okay if you don't want to put on a face mask. How about you take a hot shower to make yourself look better, and then I'll give you a massage?"
Massage falls under the category of physiotherapy, which Punoning can accept.
Wang Xiao gave Xiao Gao a wink, and the latter understood immediately. If he didn't want to wear a face mask, he could just give him a facial scraping treatment.
Anyway, the boss would never allow Punoning to be photographed when he leaves the country.
Punonin was pushed away by his bodyguards.
Wang Xiao was still flipping through her notebook, reviewing the process.
Lydia looked at her, sighed, and said softly, "Your Majesty, if Ivan were 10 years older, you wouldn't have to worry so much."
Wang Xiao took a sip of juice and casually replied, "What do you mean, 10 years older?"
She looked up and was surprised to see a flash of panic on Lydia's face.
The latter stammered, "What I mean is, at least Ivan listens to you and doesn't have any objections."
Wang Xiao sighed inwardly. Sure enough, not everyone can adapt to the change in status, especially husband and wife.
Some people may panic and lose their composure because of this.
She laughed out loud and shook her head without hesitation: "No, if Ivan is 10 years older than me, I don't want him!"
She made no attempt to hide her feelings, whispering, "If Ivan is the same age as Vladimir, how am I supposed to live?"
As if remembering something, she hurriedly tried to cover it up, "I mean, dear Lydia, you're very lucky; Vlamikil is a wonderful husband. But a lady like me might prefer a young man like Ivan. You understand what I mean, darling?"
Lydia laughed out loud: "Oh, I see, I'm getting old."
"No, no, no!" Wang Xiao denied it outright, showering him with sweet words as if they were free, "A fairy will never grow old."
Then she added, "I'm not saying Vladimir is old; he's mature, and that's exactly what politicians need most."
Seeing Lydia nod vigorously, she hugged her tightly and warned, "Don't talk about this, and you absolutely mustn't tell Vlamikil. We're best friends, you can't forget our friendship for a pretty face. Ivan and I are counting on Vlamikil to protect us."
Lydia laughed until tears streamed down her face, nodding repeatedly to assure him, "Okay, okay, let me go, my dear friend, I need to get them breakfast."
When she stood up again, her figure was much lighter.
People can only relax after they find their place.
————————
[Fanfan] Good morning! Let's eat.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
