Chapter 437 You Must Learn to Grow: Times Change
Since he was already there, Chubais fired a few shots as well.
But he didn't seem very interested, and even complained, "Russia lacks everything, but it doesn't lack these guns and ammunition. If it weren't for them, and if they were all turned into civilian products, Russia wouldn't be what it is today."
“Yes,” Wang Xiao nodded. “Without them, how could Russia be a country that doesn’t have to look after others? It would certainly not be able to be independent and autonomous. It would have to cling to powerful figures at all times and dare not offend anyone in the slightest.”
How could military reserves really be useless?
During the Cold War, the United States developed high-tech equipment such as stealth fighters and electronic warfare devices, preparing to confront the Soviet Union and even the steel torrent of Eastern Europe.
As a result, by 1991, the US and the Soviet Union had not yet gone to war. The former could only pour its entire combat system and military force into Iraq.
That's like a max-level expert entering a newbie village. Dealing with Iraq is a piece of cake for them. They directly unleashed a god-like aura upon a primitive tribe, causing the whole world to tremble and directly rewriting the world order.
Switching to China, the initial preparations for war and famine were mainly to counter the military threat from the Soviet Union, and the weapons and equipment produced in large quantities were indeed not used much against the Soviet Union.
But in the later Sino-Vietnamese War, weren't the weapons and equipment used the same stockpiles?
Because of the ample reserves, the country was able to turn the war into what the world calls a training exercise, with almost no impact on national production, and it lasted for a full ten years.
Conversely, Vietnam's economy was completely dragged down and has yet to recover.
These are the military reserves that many people consider useless. They spent a lot of money and effort, wasting resources and manpower, but failed to deal with the ideal enemy.
But facts speak louder than words. Whether it works or not, only those who use it will know.
Chubais's face stiffened, and he gave a helpless, bitter smile: "Alright, Miss Wang, you're right. I just hope that Russian factories can produce more things that ordinary people can use."
He had no intention of arguing with her; her quick agreement to sell government bonds was an unexpected surprise to him.
Just say a couple of things to her, what's wrong?
If the other oligarchs were to cooperate in the same way, he would gladly shower them with sweet words.
Wang Xiao nodded: "I hope everything goes well."
Then she turned around and started shooting at the target.
Chubais nodded to Ivanov, knowingly preparing to wave goodbye.
Then came the sound of hurried footsteps outside. Nemtsov rushed in, his forehead practically steaming.
He waved his hands vigorously and shouted excitedly in Wang Xiao's direction, "Hey! I know, Miss Wang, I know how to replace the ruble!"
His response was a gunshot.
Wearing earplugs, Wang Xiao didn't even turn around and continued shooting.
Nemtsov had already rushed up to Ivanov and was about to walk forward when the latter blocked him with outstretched arms: "Alright, sir, what do you have to say to us?"
Chubais gave a wry smile: "Boris, my sir, please watch your words. What do you mean by 'replacing the ruble'?"
Good heavens, this loose-lipped guy is a real headache.
In his autobiographical novel, *The Country Folk*, he wrote that the president was rash and reckless. He even predicted Zyuganov's victory before the election.
Now they're even talking nonsense, saying they want to abolish the ruble.
"Boris, what the government is working on now is to stabilize the ruble, stabilize the market, and stabilize the economy."
As Chubais spoke, his temples throbbed with pain, “It’s not about abolishing the ruble as you’ve said!”
My God, if the old ruble were abolished again, the ruble would be completely dead, and the country might be finished!
Nemtsov said unhappily, "Hey, sir, you know what I'm talking about."
He returned to Moscow yesterday, but before he could reunite with his wife and daughter for long, he was summoned to the Kremlin by a phone call from Chubais, who inquired about his trip to China to inspect township enterprises.
Theoretically speaking, Nemtsov's first reporting person should have been Deputy Prime Minister Ivanov.
But since their Deputy Prime Minister is busy going home, and Mr. Chubais is the one who is now effectively exercising presidential power, what grounds does Nemtsov have to refuse to answer?
He reported his findings in detail, of course.
The most troubling problem is that, away from the major cities of Europe, people in Russia's vast rural and remote areas no longer trust the ruble and are only willing to barter; what should be done?
He also posed the question to Chubais, who, like Chubais, offered no answer.
Ha! If the Kremlin had the answer, they wouldn't have sent him, the governor of Nizhny Novgorod, abroad for an inspection.
In the end, he could only rely on himself.
In fact, it was at a Chinese restaurant that he treated his wife and daughter to a meal—well, after eating Chinese food for a while, he found it quite delicious.
Looking at the Chinese people coming and going, he suddenly had an idea to ask the diners for the answer.
As a result, someone told him that his family had never seen money before the 1980s.
Back then, rural areas were organized into production teams. At the end of the year, grain, oil, and other agricultural products were distributed to everyone according to their work points, which represented a family's annual income.
As for what to do if you need to buy something at home, like salt? You can exchange eggs at the supply and marketing cooperative's sales point in the production brigade.
There was a saying at the time that a chicken's rear end was a housewife's family bank, and it truly was a real bank. Eggs could be used as money.
A customer next to him nodded in agreement: "That's right, that's how it is in the countryside. You don't need money; you can exchange goods. For example, people bring apples to the village to sell, and they can directly exchange them for the newly harvested autumn grain. It's the same for people who come to sell watermelons in the summer; they can use the summer grain as money."
Nemtsov could hardly believe his ears. Was it still like this now?
Why didn't he see the same situation after traveling to rural areas in China for so long?
When the diners inquired about the specifics of his trip to the countryside, they immediately laughed and offered their explanations.
Some people said he went at the wrong time; people usually go to sell apples during the autumn harvest.
Some say that the places he went to were too rich; the villages had factories, so how could they lack money? If he went to another poorer place, there would be more things he could trade for with grain.
Nemtsov felt like he'd been opened to a new world and immediately wanted to call Wang Xiao. The bodyguard answered the phone, saying they were at the shooting club.
Without saying a word, he immediately took the subway and rushed over, just like a student handing in their exam paper after finishing a test, eagerly waiting for the teacher to grade them.
Now that Chubais was correcting him, he had no patience to listen: "Sir, let's get practical, not just talk nicely. What we need to do now is solve the problem. Hey! Miss Wang, what do you think? Let's use grain as a medium of exchange."
The biggest contradiction in barter is that the things the two parties exchange are not necessarily what each other wants, which is also the direct reason for the birth of money.
But now the situation has changed. Apart from gold, food is probably the most authentic natural currency in the world.
Everyone needs to eat; otherwise, they will starve to death.
If the exchanged grain could not be consumed, it could be sold directly to the government. Farmers hoarding grain and refusing to sell it to the government to combat the economic losses caused by the devaluation of the ruble was the government's biggest headache in previous years.
In the past two years, the government has implemented a tough fiscal and credit policy, keeping the budget deficit within 4% of national income and making curbing inflation the top priority of economic work, which has indeed achieved results.
Last year, Russia's inflation rate dropped to 21.8%. The year before, in 1995, that figure was 131%.
Therefore, theoretically speaking, the phenomenon of farmers hoarding grain will be greatly reduced. But that's only from a theoretical perspective.
Farmers already have little means of livelihood security, so it's quite normal for them to continue hoarding grain for the sake of their sense of security.
Enabling them to voluntarily contribute their grain and ultimately sell it to the state is of great significance for maintaining social stability in Russia.
As for what the government will do with all this grain they've collected? Export it!
As a major agricultural country, doesn't the United States still export grain?
If the United States can do something, what can't they do?
The thought of exporting grain, coupled with the fact that the country had been constantly importing grain to ensure that its citizens could at least afford to eat rye bread, filled Nemtsov with an indescribable excitement.
He spoke eloquently about his plan: how to acquire the company? How to sell it? He had already drawn up a clear roadmap in his mind.
Unfortunately, despite his animated speech, the audience he was hoping to hear seemed not to be paying any attention.
Finally, Nemtsov had to speak up again: "Miss Wang, I need your opinion. What do you think of this idea?"
Wang Xiao shook his head: "I don't know, you can discuss it yourselves."
Chubais could only plead, "Alright, madam, please don't avoid suspicion anymore, it's unnecessary."
He had a sudden inspiration. "Besides, don't forget, you are the president's advisor. Madam advisor, please give your opinion."
However, if Wang Xiao is determined not to get involved, she can always find a bunch of reasons: "Sir, I am the president's image advisor, not an economic advisor. This is not within my job scope, and I have no objection."
Chubais turned his gaze back to Ivanov, hoping the latter could offer some advice.
As a result, Ivanov shrugged, he had gone mad, he barely managed to become king?
No, he would never do something so stupid.
So, representatives from the Kremlin, the White House, and local Russian economies stood at the shooting range of the shooting club, discussing reform plans that would influence the direction of the national economy, accompanied by the "bang bang" of gunfire.
But they dared not leave, because both Nemtsov and Chubais harbored a secret expectation—that if they said something wrong, Miss Wang would not listen and would directly correct them.
Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed; Wang Xiao didn't say a single word from beginning to end.
She fired in silence the entire time.
The discussion ended, but Nemtsov was still unsure. He went to Wang Xiao and said, "We think wheat and soybeans are the most suitable grains for the exchange. Potatoes have too much water content and require high storage conditions, which is not conducive to circulation."
Then he hurriedly explained, "Potatoes can be like sweet potatoes in China. People who grow them can exchange them for other grains, and then use the grains as money."
After he finished, he looked at Wang Xiao expectantly, hoping that she would give him a high score.
Wang Xiao was receiving a massage from her bodyguard; her arms were already aching from holding up her arms to shoot for so long.
Seeing Nemtsov's expectant gaze, she chuckled: "Sir, believe in yourself. You're the first step to success. You're a successful man; you've already governed a state. You know what success is all about."
Nemtsov's heart finally settled back into his chest, and he nodded happily: "So you agree with our idea, right? Eggs, eggs can be added too, but it will be more complex. We plan to start with wheat and soybeans as a pilot."
Finally, almost as if he were bestowing a blessing, he said, "We'll definitely succeed, right?"
This time, Wang Xiao wasn't so generous with her compliments. She shook her head and said, "I don't know. I only know that if I keep doing it, even if I don't succeed, there will still be a result."
This result will support those who persevere and ultimately achieve success.
Yemtsov could not hide his disappointment; during his time governing Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, he had encountered almost no major setbacks.
He hopes his good fortune will extend to Russian farm businesses.
Wang Xiao smiled, put on her earplugs again, and finally offered her blessing: "Then I wish you all the best, gentlemen."
Then, another series of "bang" sounds rang out from the firing range.
Wang Xiao seemed to be obsessed with target shooting. In the Moscow winter, when hunting was not allowed, she would go to the shooting club almost every day and shoot for at least half an hour before leaving with sore arms.
Ivanov was worried that if the massage lasted too long, her ears might not be able to take it.
But a beast dwells within her breast, a roaring, howling beast that rampages wildly.
She needs an outlet to vent her emotions; otherwise, her surging emotions will overwhelm her body.
He couldn't ask her why her emotions were so volatile.
This is the king's habit; often, she prefers to think and process things alone.
As a partner, all he can do is silently accompany you.
Tell her that he has always been there for her.
By February 19th, Ivanov felt he finally understood the reason for Wang's emotional fluctuations.
On this day, an obituary was announced in China—the former national leader of China and the chief architect of reform and opening up had passed away due to illness.
Without a doubt, as an elderly man, he must have been hospitalized before his death, and the doctor probably issued critical condition notices more than once.
Of course, this is top secret, a country's top secret.
As Russia's Deputy Prime Minister, Ivanov had not heard a single word of this beforehand.
But he believed that Wang probably already knew something about the situation.
Because in hindsight, this matter was not entirely without clues.
Before the Lunar New Year, the Chinese government sent a number of high-ranking officials to various parts of the country for inspections, investigations, and checks. It was a lively affair, as if the world was at peace and all that was needed was for them to work hard and get things done in the new year.
However, their chairman, the top leader of the country, stayed in Beijing and didn't go anywhere else.
The high-ranking officials who were dispatched all at once did not, as in the past, spend the Spring Festival wherever they go and celebrate with the local people.
They all returned to the capital early.
These signs, combined with Wang's network of information sources and her keen intuition, were enough for her to guess what exactly was happening in Beijing.
It's perfectly normal for her to be emotionally shaken by this.
Even though that old man has stopped making public appearances in recent years and has tried his best to minimize his presence, he is still the spiritual leader of the Chinese people. His presence brings peace of mind.
His tough stance gave the Chinese people immense confidence.
His passing has shocked the entire nation of China and also signifies a shift in the global political landscape.
Ivanov didn't know how to comfort Wang; this pain and confusion was something he could only slowly process on his own.
All he could do was bring her the bad news and then hug her, saying, "It's okay, everything will be alright."
Having reached this point, China is unlikely to turn back.
Wang Xiao was taken aback for a moment.
Was she sad? Honestly, she wasn't that sad.
She wasn't even born when that old man passed away before she traveled through time.
After she traveled through time, she never had any contact with him, and never even saw him in person.
Wang Xiao is not an emotional person, so in this situation, it is impossible for her to feel anything like being heartbroken.
Now, a faint sense of melancholy, or rather, regret, welled up in her heart.
He played a key role in facilitating Hong Kong's return to China, and he looked forward to visiting Hong Kong in person after the handover to see it for himself.
But all of that is now gone.
How can this not be considered a regret?
But life is full of disappointments, eight or nine out of ten things don't go as planned.
Who can say they have no regrets?
So after feeling a tightness in her chest for a while, Wang Xiao let out a long sigh, shook her head, and comforted Ivanov instead: "I'm fine, let's continue talking about the convoy."
She wants to create an online shopping platform in South Africa and build her own transportation network. Warehouses are essential, but a fleet of vehicles is also indispensable.
Since they own both truck and car factories, they'll naturally use their own vehicles to keep the profits within the family.
The big vehicle she was planning to use was a Jill truck.
For the final delivery, she planned to use a modified three-wheeled vehicle and a minivan.
Ivanov felt that talking about something else would help distract her and alleviate her distress, so he nodded and continued with her plan: "So, is charging convenient?"
If you're using an electric vehicle, the biggest fear is running out of power and not being able to find a place to charge it.
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "South Africa's power infrastructure is very good, and electricity prices are cheap."
Just as Ivanov was about to reply, the sound of a car came from outside, followed by footsteps and the sound of people talking.
The door opened, and Punonin and Lydia walked in with their two children, Lena and Tonya.
When Lydia saw Wang Xiao, tears welled up in her eyes. She strode forward and hugged her tightly, saying, "My dear Wang, it's alright. Everything will be alright. God will bless us."
Wang Xiao was startled. Had something terrible happened? Had her commercial street exploded? Or had her container market caught fire?
Lydia choked, then her expression turned sympathetic, her grief deepening: "Oh, my dear, don't you know? God, I don't know how to tell you."
Wang Xiao almost roared on the spot, "If you can't explain it clearly, then shut up!"
Can someone come and tell me what exactly happened?
Punonin glanced at Ivanov with a reproachful look before extending his hand to shake Wang Xiao's. He spoke in a somber tone, "I'm sorry, Wang, I have received some very bad news. Your husband, Mr. Deng, has passed away. It happened today. Please accept my condolences."
Wang Xiao was at a loss for how to react.
How should she react in a way that fits the tax police major general's stereotypical view of how Chinese people would react in this situation?
Clearly, she couldn't meet his expectations.
Therefore, she could only remain silent.
Ivanov interrupted abruptly, "Alright, sir, let's not discuss this anymore. Your Majesty, what should we do with our cars?"
Wang Xiao couldn't wait to talk about work to escape the expectations of the Punoning family.
Upon hearing this, she immediately lowered her head and began scribbling on a piece of paper: "Our fleet must have a unified logo; it must be beautiful, and it must look high-end and professional."
Punonin readily agreed and took over the conversation: "What are you talking about?"
Ivanov replied, "It's about setting up a shopping website in South Africa."
Thank God, having this topic as a starting point allowed everyone to at least have a pleasant evening.
Lena was even more eager to try, looking at Wang Xiao with anticipation: "Miss Wang, when are you going to drive it to Moscow?"
Shopping is done with just one click of the mouse—that sounds so cool!
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Once I've gained experience in South Africa, I'll save the best service I've honed for our little princess."
Lena blushed at what she said; indeed, her heart was racing when Miss Wang smiled at her.
This is Miss King, the all-powerful Miss King!
Adults always thought she was a child who didn't know anything.
But she heard the information conveyed between the lines of their conversation and was able to piece it together herself.
The more she integrated the information, the more alarmed she became; she had no idea Miss Wang was so formidable.
Wang Xiao smiled and kissed the girl's cheek: "When the website opens in Moscow, you will be the first customer."
Fireworks exploded in Lena's heart. God! What glory that would be!
Her friends, her classmates, her cousins, her younger cousins—they would be so envious of her!
Tonya immediately protested, "What about me? Miss Wang, I also want to be Number One."
This is definitely enough for him to brag about for a whole year.
Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Ladies first, so you're number one among the boys."
The two middle school students happily left the villa, got into the car, and waited for their father to drive them home.
As soon as the car started moving, Lydia frowned: "Is the Queen going to South Africa? Good heavens, why is she always running around, leaving Ivan all alone?"
Punonin dismissed it: "He's not a child who needs to be waited on hand and foot. Don't we have a butler at home?"
Lydia exclaimed, "How can that be the same? Ivan is all alone, how pitiful!"
Punonin turned the steering wheel and got onto the main road: "What's so pitiful about him? Doesn't he have parents and family in Moscow? He has a whole extended family."
He just didn't like staying in a big family!
Lydia, however, remained adamant: "That's different. I should at least have a child, so that when she's out running around, at least Ivan will have a child to keep him company and give him some comfort."
Punoning was speechless for a moment. He looked at his wife in the rearview mirror and felt so unfamiliar with her.
What did she take Ivan for? A lonely, resentful woman from a romance novel? Or one of the Tsar's and other nobles' mistresses?
Life has no color or warmth; you're just relying on a child to get by.
Oh God, God!
He remained silent and drove home.
After getting off the bus, he sternly but gently instructed the child: "Go to sleep now, it's getting late."
Then he turned to his wife and said, "Lydia, come to the study for a moment."
After closing the study door and looking at his oblivious wife, a strong sense of powerlessness overwhelmed Punonin.
Even the children, including his Lena and Tonya, sensed something unusual and showed obvious signs of unease.
His wife, however, maintained a blank expression, seemingly oblivious to everything.
Exhaustion, like the waves of the Black Sea, crashed violently against Punoning.
A thousand words were stuck in his throat, but in the end, all he could say was, "Lydia, do you know who Ivan is?"
Lydia was startled and suddenly tensed up: "He's our friend, Flamigil, he can't be a spy."
An even stronger sense of powerlessness washed over him, and Punonin almost felt dizzy. He gritted his teeth and said, "He's not a spy. He's the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, the most promising rising star in Russian politics!"
Lydia looked completely bewildered. What was going on now? Wasn't this a good thing? Why did her husband's face look so distorted?
Punonin finally lost his temper: "He is a popular politician, and his supporters believe he is a strong contender for the Kremlin!"
He is young, handsome, energetic, popular, and has an excellent reputation.
Even political strongman Lebed admitted that his popularity was simply no surprise.
Lydia was truly frightened this time, and stammered, "But, but Ivan doesn't intend to run for president! Yes, he said that, he said on TV that he has no interest in being president."
As she finished speaking, she straightened her back, finally regaining her confidence. "You know, Ivan is a man of his word. Vladimir, he won't be your rival."
Punonin looked sad: "The presidential election is another four years away. Will what he's thinking now be the same as what he'll be thinking four years from now?"
He never even thought he would become vice prime minister, and he's doing just fine now.
You don't think about something when you can't reach it, but when you can get it, who wouldn't want to?
Moreover, he has a secret weapon by his side, Wang Xiao.
Look, she even went so far as to expand her business in South Africa, hoping to help the Moskva Automobile Factory and GIL Truck Factory gain recognition in South Africa.
Good heavens, according to her description, trucks and cars bearing the logos of GIL Trucks and Moskva were crisscrossing the streets of South Africa—they were like mobile billboards.
People are all different, and he never dared to expect Lydia to be like Wang Xiao.
However, Lydia should at least know just how much pressure her husband is under.
Even if she can't offer any help, she shouldn't say those ignorant and foolish things!
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[Transformed] Good morning! I have to go to work. By the way, I added over 1000 words to the beginning of the last chapter, supplementing some plot details.
Furthermore, if you don't like it, you can simply drop the story. I've never believed that a successful career woman sleeping with any man is a sin. It's perfectly fine if readers don't like a particular man; it doesn't require them to sleep with him. I painstakingly researched and wrote over 3 million words, building Wang Xiao's career empire, only to have some people only see her sleeping with men and break down over sleeping with men she doesn't like. I'm also devastated.
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