Chapter 204 Great, it's raining! : Why should he pay for your stupidity?
On the evening of the 13th, the producer finally couldn't take it anymore and took the initiative to call Wang Xiao, saying that they could have a good talk.
Wang Xiao replied with a smile: "Of course, we are all looking forward to a great concert."
She was now confident because the producer had already been handing out free tickets at the hotel entrance during the day.
He did this probably to emphasize that the concert was real, and that Michael was real, not a stand-in.
Sadly, ticket sales did not improve as a result, and there were still no queues at the ticket office.
If this trend continues, the concert is bound to be canceled.
This isn't a rehearsal, how is Michael supposed to perform in front of an empty stage?
Wang Xiao met the producer and Gasparov at the coffee shop.
The former was knowledgeable and experienced, so his complexion was still good.
The latter's first attempt at organizing a concert ended in failure, and the blow he suffered was unimaginable; he looked haggard and anxious.
“Miss Wang, if I were to put you in charge of ticketing now, then…”
"20% off." Wang Xiao stated his demand directly, "I can only acquire these tickets at 20% off right now, and then resell them."
“That’s impossible!” Gasparov exclaimed. “Michael’s concert tickets can’t be slashed like that. Everyone will laugh at us. They’ll do all sorts of slander. It will become a huge joke.”
Wang Xiao calmly emphasized, "The 20% discount is the price we negotiated; the retail price is naturally the original price. It's already a miracle that Michael Jackson's concerts aren't driven up by scalpers; how could we possibly offer discounts?"
Gasparov shook his head: "Give me tickets at 20% off and sell them at the original price? That's too ruthless. No way, the 20% discount won't cover it all. I'll lose too much money. You know, I've already invested a lot of capital by now."
Ivanov shook his head and sighed, "My dear friend, do you know what you're saying? You're definitely going to lose money. We're here to help you lose less."
Wang Xiao chimed in, "If tickets don't sell, there's no revenue. Even if Michael treats it as a benefit performance and doesn't charge a penny, your investment in venue construction, stage costs, and travel and accommodation expenses won't disappear. With a 20% discount, we'll cover the tickets, which will at least save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses."
Gasparov couldn't accept it: "You guys are too ruthless. You're getting something for nothing and taking 80% of the ticket revenue directly."
Wang Xiao gestured invitingly: "If you think it's a loss, then you can do it yourself. Do you think we're only making 80% profit? It's already the evening of the 13th, and we only have two days at most to sell tickets. We don't even have time to advertise on TV, radio, and in newspapers. Do you know how much we'll have to invest in selling tens of thousands of tickets at the original price?"
“From the beginning until now, the only reason we have approached them is that I am a Michael fan. I cannot bear to see a great artist suffer such an embarrassing situation.”
"The die is cast, and there's no turning back. If the concert is canceled now, he'll be caught in a huge media storm, with all sorts of rumors circulating."
"This is not the treatment he deserves. He should not be held responsible for your rashness, assumptions, and miscalculations."
"You made the mistake, but he's the one who has to pay the price. Do you think that's fair? Is it really fair to do this to a great artist?"
Gasparov blushed and looked embarrassed as he tried to defend himself: "There are too many enemies. They are trying every means to stop this concert. You know, we have made countless efforts to thwart their schemes."
"The problem now is that if the tickets don't sell, the concert can't go on." Wang Xiao wasn't going to listen to his sob story. "A 20% discount is the best price I can offer as a fan. We're going to have to subsidize it. Of course, we're willing to. We look forward to the success of the Moscow concert, and we look forward to the Beijing concert."
The producer turned to look at Gasparov, who looked dejected and pursed his lips. Gasparov finally spoke, "But we have a condition: during the sales, we can't damage Michael's image, um, we can't say anything weird. He's a great singer, a great dancer. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Of course!" Wang Xiao assured him confidently, "Give us the tickets, we need to set up tonight, and sales will officially begin tomorrow."
She nodded to the producer and extended an invitation, "You can come and supervise on set, Mr. Gasparov."
The producer stood up: "Let's go, may God bring us good luck."
The nights in Moscow are not exactly wonderful.
There are too many shootings and crimes in this city now.
Every stranger arriving in Moscow is warned not to go out alone, especially at night.
But the theater was still brightly lit, and you could see the beautiful lights from afar, so dazzling, a dazzling brilliance that seemed out of place in the cold and gloomy Moscow.
It has always been there.
This is also what Gasparov couldn't understand.
Muscovites are willing to spend money on art. In their poorest times, artistic performances soothed their painful and cold souls.
Michael was clearly so popular—God, if you just saw how many fans were waiting outside the Metropolitan Hotel, you'd know he wasn't exaggerating.
People eagerly anticipated seeing his performance, yet were stingy, unwilling to part with a single ruble—well, a face value of fifty thousand.
Is this love sincere? If it is sincere, why does it feel so fleeting?
Wang Xiao couldn't read minds, otherwise she would definitely have rolled her eyes and said: "Why don't they eat meat porridge!"
The reason Muscovites still go to the theater today is largely due to the low ticket prices. Try paying 50,000 rubles and see who'd still be willing to buy a ticket.
Once Wang Xiao received the tickets, he didn't dare to waste a minute and immediately called on the commercial street to get moving.
That's right, where can she sell tickets? It has to be in the shopping district.
How will she sell tickets? She'll offer a full set of support items with every ticket sale.
Includes a double-sided fleece coat and a glow stick.
If you don't like the coat, that's okay. You can switch to a fleece tracksuit, which is also double-sided fleece.
On the morning of September 14th, people rushing to work passed by Huaxia Commercial Street and found it bustling with activity.
The color TVs in the store were on, all playing Michael Jackson's Bucharest concert, and there was a big sign outside that read: Buy a ticket and get free fan merchandise.
Muscovites don't yet have the concept of fan support, and after curious passersby inquired, they became even more interested in the support clothing: "Is it warm?"
"Of course!" the salesperson in the fleece coat said confidently. "Try it and see for yourself. It's very warm and very light. This is a high-tech product from America, worn by the US military. In America, you can't buy a coat like this for less than several hundred dollars."
A passerby hesitated: "Really 50,000 rubles for a ticket?"
"Yes, the cheapest ticket is 50,000 rubles." The clerk warmly invited, "Why don't you give it a try?"
This is in a store. If it were on a train or even in a free market in Moscow, no one would dare let customers try on clothes like this.
Because they'll run away once they put on their clothes.
The summer of 1993 in Moscow was mostly rainy, and the autumn was not sunny either.
Early in the morning, the wind was chilly. But customers who tried on the fleece coats quickly showed expressions of surprise.
She never expected that such a light and airy garment could actually keep her warm.
The salesperson enthusiastically introduced it: "It's even warmer than cashmere, and most importantly, it's machine washable, so you don't have to worry about care at all. Want this one? Put it on, grab your tickets, and let's go to the stadium tomorrow to cheer for Michael!"
The passerby initially wanted to refuse, as she didn't want to see any American star's concert.
Good heavens, on a September night, she would rather stay home and look at the phone or go to the theater to see a ballet.
But she couldn't bear to take off her fleece coat.
It's so comfortable, a light and warm coat, she loves it.
50,000 rubles is equivalent to 50 US dollars.
She saw an American pure cotton trench coat yesterday, priced at $70, which was not as cheap as this fleece coat.
She hesitated for a moment: "What if I don't buy a ticket, but just clothes?"
"I'm sorry," the shop assistant said with a regretful smile, "These are special support items we prepared for the concert. Why don't you go see the concert? Moscow needs more singing to get through the dark night, don't you think?"
The woman was still hesitant, but the customers behind her couldn't help but urge her: "Can you hurry up? I have to go to work."
So she had no choice but to pull out a brand new 50,000 ruble note, which was her salary from last month.
God, how lucky I am to receive my salary in the middle of the month.
Many people are owed wages.
The soft, warm fleece soothed her wind-chilled heart. She carefully put the ticket into her pocket and left wearing her new coat.
The customer behind him couldn't wait to pick out a tracksuit. Ah, he saw it; Americans wear it hiking, how convenient!
Wang Xiao stood by the second-floor window and pointed to the producer: "September is the busiest season for us retailers. Every year at this time, Muscovites are busy buying winter clothes and boots to prepare for the coming winter."
"Michael's concert has no problems. Everyone welcomes him and likes him."
"But this is Moscow. When autumn comes, the first thing everyone has to think about is how to get through the winter."
"Muscovites basically don't save money. The ruble has depreciated so much that people generally convert their wages into goods as soon as they get paid."
"We don't have time to do more promotion to get those with spare money to come to the concert. This is the only way we can do it so that people don't have to hesitate between physical warmth and spiritual warmth. They can dress warmly and enjoy the most wonderful performance in the world."
What she didn't say was that while MJ was very famous in Russia, he wasn't exactly a mainstream star. She had asked her Russian employees in the shopping district, and most couldn't name more than two of Michael Jackson's songs. In this situation where he had star power but lacked widespread popularity, promotion was crucial for ticket sales.
Clearly, time is running out.
Gasparov remained silent.
He has absolutely no grounds to say that this cunning Chinese woman and the insidious Ivanov conspired to greedily take 80% of the ticket revenue.
Because he knew how expensive clothes made of this fabric were. It was a luxury item, and even in the United States, it wasn't something the average person could afford.
Even if she has a factory in China, her production costs will certainly be lower than in the United States, but they will not be much cheaper.
Wang Xiao smiled slightly: "When the time comes, all of us fans will wear the same support outfits and wave glow sticks, which will definitely create the most dazzling sea of light in Moscow."
She glanced at her watch and gave an apologetic smile. "Excuse me, I'm afraid I must take my leave. I need to hurry and invite our distinguished guests. We Chinese have a saying, 'Make guests feel at home,' and I hope you will feel at home here as well."
The producer gestured: "Please make yourself at home."
He wanted to check the ticket sales figures again.
Although it was a bit embarrassing and awkward, the tickets were sold, and a large number of fans wore the same clothes to the concert, which was much better than Michael facing an empty stage.
Good heavens, where are all the fans still waiting outside the Metropolitan Hotel? They should be here; what's the point of just waiting at the hotel?
Gasparov said, "Don't worry, sir, she'll find a way to get them over here."
Moscow is often described as a chaotic East, a paradise for gold diggers.
But in this land, those who can carve out their own niche are all masters.
Huaxia Commercial Street has grown to occupy half of Moscow's retail industry, so how could its owners not know what kind of customers to attract?
Gasparov was truly annoyed; he had gone down the wrong path and should have focused on adding to what he knew.
However, letting so many drunkards into the stadium would probably cause chaos.
Besides, how could a drunkard possibly pull out 50,000 rubles at once? They'd try every way to exchange 100 rubles for alcohol.
Wang Xiao did not intentionally leave the guest unhelpfully; that's why she made up an excuse to leave.
She really did have a distinguished guest to invite; she went to the Chinese Embassy and invited the embassy staff to watch Michael's concert.
The ambassador is here this time.
The ambassador was quite surprised.
"Going to a concert?"
Their embassy really doesn't have much experience with this kind of thing.
They've seen quite a few cultural performances in Moscow, including ballet and plays. To be honest, the cultural atmosphere in Moscow, and indeed throughout the former Soviet Union, is quite vibrant.
The original ideal of the revolution was to ensure that the working masses could not only obtain potatoes and beef, but also enjoy the literary and artistic works of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and others, rather than making literature and art a special privilege detached from the working people.
But they've never actually seen an American singer's concert before.
"It's not really appropriate," the ambassador said frankly. "The impact might be negative, so we won't go. The tickets are quite expensive too. It wouldn't be convenient for us to go."
Wang Xiao smiled broadly: "You really have to go. You have to attend this concert. This isn't just for your personal enjoyment; it's also part of our foreign affairs work."
"Is our country bidding to host the Olympics? To showcase Beijing and China's open attitude of actively integrating into the global community?"
"As we all know, Michael Jackson is an icon of American culture, a symbol as significant as Coca-Cola. If we can accept Coca-Cola, why can't we accept his concerts?"
The ambassador interrupted her: "Oh dear, we've seen his dance on TV too. The movements aren't very elegant, and it's not a good thing."
Wang Xiao readily agreed: "You mean grabbing the crotch, right? Well, it depends on how you interpret it. Aren't there Latin dance competitions in China now? How do you interpret that? You can also think of grabbing the crotch as a way to maintain balance in dance."
"Besides, any public figure will be over-interpreted and will have points of controversy. We don't have to focus solely on the points of controversy."
"In terms of dance moves alone, his most famous move isn't grabbing his crotch, but rather the moonwalk."
"Moreover, he is also an artist who is passionate about charity. He donates all the proceeds from his concerts to charitable foundations."
"He was also a human rights activist who always took action against racial discrimination, just like Martin Luther King Jr."
"If we categorize him as a villain because of a little controversy, then what about Martin Luther King Jr.? He also had an affair. And what about Mao Yisheng? He had an affair, had an illegitimate child, and caused the death of his wife who wholeheartedly supported his work. How is he any better than Chen Shimei?"
The ambassador was embarrassed: "This is not the same thing."
Wang Xiao smiled and didn't press the issue further. Instead, he made a direct request: "Actually, the reason I invited you leaders to the concert was to ask for your help. I have a cultural company in China that handles performances by foreigners. We'd like to invite Michael to hold a concert in China. I'd like to ask you to help vet whether his performances are truly toxic and unacceptable to Chinese audiences. If so, I wouldn't have bothered with this."
"It's true, now that the Soviet Union has collapsed, there aren't many socialist countries left. Our country has faced a lot of prejudice and misunderstanding in the process of integrating into the world. Michael's concerts have always been a focus of global attention. When he goes to a place to hold a concert, he is promoting that city."
"Personally, I really want to make his performance in Beijing possible, so that more people can get to know Beijing and have a more direct impression of it."
The ambassador hesitated for a moment and said that he could not give her an answer at the moment, and that they needed to consider it.
There are no small matters in diplomacy.
Sometimes, things that seem insignificant to normal people can be used by those with ulterior motives to make a fuss.
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Then I will look forward to your arrival. I'll leave the tickets here."
"No, no, no," the ambassador quickly pushed it back. "Take the ticket first."
Wang Xiao refused: "It's alright. To tell you the truth, the Russians can't sell tickets, but I'm the one selling the tickets for this concert."
The ambassador chuckled: "Oh, Mr. Wang, your business scope is truly boundless."
Wang Xiao chuckled and said, "There's no other way. Business is tough, and there are people everywhere trying to collect money. I have to think of new ways to make a living. By the way, Ambassador, you must come to the trade fair. I still have us freelancers to rely on, so this trade fair is what we're all looking forward to."
The ambassador answered readily this time: "No problem, we will definitely all go."
He saw Wang Xiao to the door and asked with a smile, "Mr. Wang, if we succeed in bidding for the Olympics this time, will you donate money to the venues?"
It's not that he's trying to force donations, but rather that he considers it perfectly normal at the moment.
For example, Beijing hosted the 1990 Asian Games. At that time, the national treasury was short of funds, so people across the country donated money to the Asian Games.
There are also singers, like Zhang Mingmin who sang "My Chinese Heart," who held a special concert tour and donated all the ticket revenue to the Asian Games.
Wang Xiao was very generous: "Absolutely no problem. I can guarantee it to your face right now. For such a big national event, if you asked me to buy a piece of land in Beijing and build a special stadium for the country to use for competitions for free, I wouldn't hesitate."
The ambassador was shocked: "Mr. Wang, this is quite a generous gesture!"
Wang Xiao laughed heartily: "So Ambassador, you should come with all the leaders to support tomorrow's concert. Otherwise, how will I recoup my costs after the venue is built? Besides sports competitions, we rely on singers to hold concerts to make money."
But the ambassador still wouldn't give a definite answer: "We will give this matter serious consideration."
Wang Xiao didn't press the matter: "Then you go ahead with your work, I'll head back now. I look forward to seeing you at the stadium."
She got into the car, and Xiao Gao, unable to contain his excitement, asked, "President Wang, will we be able to win the bid this time? What kind of stadium do you want to donate?"
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "We'll see what the country needs at that time."
In fact, the bid in 1993 was for the 2000 Olympic Games.
Before she traveled through time, countries around the world viewed hosting the Olympics as a way to rip people off, and few were willing to take on the task. But now, bidding for the Olympics is still very popular.
The 2000 Olympics, in particular, was of extraordinary significance as it marked the beginning of the 21st century, and many countries fought tooth and nail for it.
As far as she was concerned, Sydney won the final bid.
It is said that Australia bribed voters before the election to gain two extra votes.
But Wang Xiao had no intention of getting involved or trying to turn the tide.
After all, this is not a major event that will affect the fate of the nation.
The application was successful, which is great. It can boost the national self-confidence of the Chinese people and allow Beijing to be re-planned and rebuilt ahead of schedule.
But so what?
Firstly, its effect on boosting the economy is limited, and it may even burden the Beijing municipal government with heavy debt.
Secondly, she won't gain any real benefit from it.
Yes, land prices will likely rise, but she hasn't acquired any large plots of land in Beijing yet.
Besides, what's the point of rising land prices now?
When the manufacturing industry hadn't even taken off yet, and ordinary people were struggling to buy a color TV or a refrigerator, where was the real estate industry headed?
Real estate will only take off when the manufacturing industry takes off or even reaches saturation, and ordinary migrant workers and rural families can afford refrigerators and color TVs.
Otherwise, there would be no source of water.
If you don't believe me, just look at Beijing after the Asian Games. Developers who thought they could make a fortune from skyrocketing housing prices are now crying their eyes out at the high prices they can't sell.
Wang Xiao never does anything that doesn't offer significant benefits.
On the 15th, the day of the concert, it started to drizzle again in the cold and gloomy Moscow.
When Wang Xiao went to the airport to pick up Wu Haoyu, Ito Sachiko, and Yamada Saori, the two girls were still worried: "Won't it rain all night?"
Fearing that Wang Xiao would be worried, Wu Haoyu quickly comforted him, "It's okay, it's all over during the day, and the rain will probably stop tonight."
Wang Xiao didn't take it seriously.
If you don't hold concerts on rainy days, then the Rain God won't be able to hold a single concert!
She was more concerned about someone else: "By the way, how's Tao Yafen doing?"
Wu Haoyu's face instantly filled with a mixture of emotions: "Her? She's busy."
Sachiko Ito and Saori Yamada exchanged a glance, and the former added, "Miss Tao has already appeared in court once and given an interview to reporters. A publishing house has commissioned her to write a book about her experiences."
What the two girls didn't dare say in front of the shop owner was that they planned to buy the book once it was released.
Seriously, I'm just so curious.
It feels like something from another world.
This was also the biggest headache for Wu Haoyu and the people at the Tokyo embassy, as they felt the situation was getting increasingly serious.
Wang Xiao burst into laughter upon hearing this: "Great! I'd love to read the book when it comes out."
She is growing to appreciate Tao Yafen more and more.
I admire her courage and decisiveness.
Rather than letting others use her experiences as weapons to attack her, she should openly expose them herself and use them as a tool to make money.
All of life's suffering, apart from the physical pain caused by death and illness, stems from self-awareness.
If you treat it as a weakness, you'll become conflicted and vulnerable to manipulation. If you treat it as a spear, it will be your sharpest weapon to overcome all obstacles.
Wu Haoyu didn't know how to comment, so he could only change the subject: "The rain seems to have lessened a bit, it should stop by tonight."
Unfortunately, his mouth wasn't blessed.
On September 15th, the rain in Moscow not only didn't stop, but actually got heavier.
By evening, the rain had even intensified from a drizzle to a downpour. Without exaggeration, you could easily describe it as a torrential downpour.
Because there were so many people, everyone was crammed together, and the steam rising from their breath made them look like a pot of dumplings being boiled.
Wu Haoyu didn't know how to comfort Wang Xiao.
Judging by this rate, the rain has no chance of stopping. He almost wondered if he was a jinx.
Wang Xiao, however, was full of excitement and chased after him, asking, "Are you cold?"
Wu Haoyu was taken aback, then shook his head firmly: "I'm not cold, I'm not cold at all."
Wang Xiao then turned to Ivanov and the others around him and asked, "Are you cold?"
Ivanov felt offended.
He was a strong, young man. You know, on the Moscow subway, even if there are plenty of empty seats, young men rarely sit down.
This is the pride and tenacity of Slavic men!
"Of course, how could I be cold!"
Wang Xiao felt that asking this kind of person was completely pointless, so she skipped him and asked Lyuba, Ito Sachiko, and Yamada Saori, "What about you? Do you feel cold?"
Yamada Saori hesitated for a moment before honestly answering, "My feet are a little cold, but my body isn't."
She underestimated Moscow and didn't wear boots.
Lyuba and Ito Sachiko both said they weren't cold and felt fine.
Wang Xiao snapped his fingers excitedly: "OK! Our fleece jacket's windproof and cold-proof test was a success. After this night, everyone will know it's a reliable choice!"
Everyone was surprised. Hey, it really is true.
That heavy rain during the concert was absolutely timely.
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