Everyone thought the Xie Family's assets were all in the storeroom. However, the original owner of this body—attentive and always trying to win her parents' affection—had observed that there was a secret room in Mr. Xie's study.
The original owner didn't know how big the secret room was, only how to get in.
While no other Xie Family members were around, Xie Changning entered Mr. Xie's study and opened the door to the secret room...
The moment the door opened, Xie Changning was nearly blinded by the gold, silver, jewels, and various collectibles inside. A huge grin spread across her face. 'I've struck it rich!'
Without a moment's hesitation, she took it all, leaving nothing behind.
Xie Changning couldn't be bothered to catalog everything. As long as it was in the secret room, she took it. A quick glance revealed the haul included, but was not limited to—
Thousands of large gold bars, gold and silver jewelry, gold and jade artifacts, gold ingots, antique paintings and calligraphy, raw jadeite stones, Hong Kong and US dollars, all sorts of imaginable and unimaginable valuables, traditional Chinese medicines, famous liquors and fine cigarettes, and tea—all of it went into her possession.
Of course, after clearing out the secret room, Xie Changning didn't forget to raid the storeroom as well.
From the vaults of gold and silver down to the last needle and thread, it could be said that Xie Changning left them nothing.
She plundered everything that belonged to the Xie Family, then decisively grabbed her suitcase and left. When her parents returned, they thought their assets had been seized and their home stripped bare.
In that moment, they felt like their world had come crashing down...
*
At the train station, Xie Changning stood in the crowd with her suitcase, lining up to board as instructed by the station staff.
After boarding, Xie Changning found her seat according to her ticket. She looked at the two large suitcases in her hands, preparing to lift them onto the overhead rack.
Before she could lift them, a tall man sitting nearby stood up.
"Let me help you with that!"
The man had a buzz cut and wore a tunic suit. He looked a bit serious, but the moment he spoke, Xie Changning felt he was trustworthy.
It was all because of his thick Northeast accent. He was definitely from the Northeast!
"Thank you," Xie Changning said.
"Don't mention it. Where are you headed, miss?"
The man was very gregarious and started chatting with Xie Changning.
He asked, Xie Changning answered. Occasionally, she would ask a question or two herself. When she heard him say he was on his way to the Guangzhou Trade Fair, her eyes lit up.
"How many US Dollars in foreign exchange did this Guangzhou Trade Fair generate?"
"Don't even get me started!" At the mention of generating foreign currency, the man slapped his thigh in frustration, cursing how shrewd the foreigners were. They were constantly driving down prices. At this Spring Guangzhou Trade Fair, their machinery exhibition was constantly being lowballed!
A single S195 diesel engine cost 170 US Dollars to produce, but the final transaction price at the spring fair was 165 US Dollars, and they sold 3,000 units!
The foreigners kept pushing the price down, playing one supplier against another. To secure the foreign currency contracts, everyone had no choice but to keep submitting lower bids...
Thinking of this, the man's face was a mask of frustration. He wiped his face angrily.
Listening from the side, Xie Changning also grew angry, but she understood this was a path their predecessors had to walk. "It's okay. It won't always be like this," she consoled him.
The man sighed.
"Sorry about that, miss. I'm just dumping my troubles on you. You must be tired of hearing it, huh?"
"Not at all. I want to hear it."
'I want to know what stage of development the country has reached,' she thought. 'And whether I can contribute my own small part in this era to help push technology forward.'
The others who had been eavesdropping on the story also wanted to chime in, but before they could speak, a loud argument erupted from the next car, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
An attendant in a green uniform appeared at the door of the carriage. "Excuse me, comrades, is there anyone in this car who speaks Russian?"
Behind the attendant, the door to the next car was open. A stream of words in a language no one could understand sparked curiosity in everyone's eyes. 'What on earth is happening over there?'
After she spoke, no one stood up. A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes.
This was the last car, and still no one... The attendant sighed inwardly. 'There aren't even many people who speak Russian or English, so how could there possibly be someone who knows a less common language like this?'
'I was too naive.'
Just as the attendant was about to give up, a calm voice suddenly reached her ears.
"I can."
The voice was like music from heaven. The attendant immediately turned to look at Xie Changning, seeing a young woman in a fine polyester dress with a refined, scholarly air about her.
'There really is someone who can speak it!'
Excitement shone in the attendant's eyes, but she sensibly stepped aside to let her pass.
Xie Changning entered the adjacent car.
There, she saw several fair-skinned Russians arguing, their faces red with anger. The middle-aged man they were pointing at looked terrified and bewildered.
He didn't seem to understand how he had offended them.
In fact, one of them had even stepped on his foot!
"These Russians suddenly blew up for some reason and started insulting the other passenger," the attendant explained to Xie Changning, her brow furrowed.
Others couldn't understand, but Xie Changning heard them clearly.
They were buyers from Russia, here in Chuncheng on a purchasing trip. They were already in a foul mood because they saw it as grunt work. When the middle-aged man had passed by, one of the Russians had accidentally stepped on his foot.
The Russian immediately flew into a rage and began cursing the man.
Basically, they were just looking for trouble.
The middle-aged man was just a convenient target for them to vent their frustrations on.
Xie Changning disliked their condescending attitude. She turned to the attendant and said, "Have the man who was being yelled at move to the next car."
"They're getting violent."
"There are railway police, aren't there? Insulting someone without provocation and even assaulting an innocent passenger... I'm sure our country's police will handle this matter seriously!"
Xie Changning said this not only in Chinese, but also repeated it deliberately in Russian.
Her voice wasn't quiet, just loud enough for the noisy Russians to hear.
Hearing this, the Russians turned on Xie Changning. She met their gazes without fear. "We in China treat you as guests, which is why we show you courtesy. If you continue to cause trouble, do you really think there isn't anyone in this car who knows Chinese Kung Fu?"
Xie Changning's words made them hesitate.
The car was crowded, with many people dressed in worker's clothes—white shirts and green army pants. Capable people in China often liked to hide in plain sight. The Russians couldn't be sure if this place was a den of crouching tigers and hidden dragons.
However, they had always enjoyed VIP treatment in China. Now, being threatened by a young girl, they couldn't stand the loss of face. "You're asking to die!"
Furious, the Russian ignored the crowd and lunged at Xie Changning.
As the lead Russian charged, Xie Changning tilted her head to dodge his attack. Then, retreating to the car's connecting door, she pulled it open. As he lunged again, she used the door to slam into him.
"AAAAH—!"
The Russian clutched his nose and howled in pain, his eyes filled with terror as he stared at Xie Changning.
Just now, when Xie Changning had slammed the door into him, he saw half of her body seemingly disappear!
'What the hell is with these Chinese people!'
Clutching his nose, the Russian's heart filled with fear. He thought of some of the terrifying legends about China, and his bravado began to fade.
Xie Changning looked down at the Russian, who was bent over, clutching his nose and groaning in pain. "I will find out which company you work for and inform them of your conduct. I'm sure that when our country's manufacturers learn of your poor character, they will also question the sincerity of your business dealings."
Their procurement trip to Chuncheng was a mandatory assignment from their company.
This was because goods from other countries were more expensive than those from China. In the eyes of foreign companies, China was an undeveloped, juicy piece of meat.
Whether buying or selling.
They would never miss an opportunity to take advantage.
The Chinese were afraid of the deal falling through, but so were they. It was just that the deferential treatment they received from the locals had made them arrogant, causing them to forget they had a mandatory mission to complete.
Xie Changning played on their psychology, letting them know that China could also refuse to cooperate with them.
"Hah! Are you kidding? Not cooperate with us? Your Guangzhou Trade Fair isn't held again until the autumn!" a female Russian said, passing a handkerchief to her companion to stanch his bloody nose.
Xie Changning remained perfectly calm.
"Southeast Asia and Africa are also our markets. And Germany is a good friend of ours. I'm sure they would be willing to lend a helping hand."
Xie Changning's words infuriated them.
The female Russian was about to say more, but a companion tugged at her clothes. She turned her head and listened as he muttered a bunch of things in her ear.
A look of terror appeared in the female Russian's eyes, and she took several frightened steps back.
They didn't want their mission jeopardized, and the move Xie Changning had just pulled had intimidated them, making them afraid to keep running their mouths.
"If I see you bullying anyone again, I'll eat you," Xie Changning said with a perfectly innocent smile, but it was enough to terrify the Russians.
'After all, I heard everything they said earlier.'
Seeing that they had been cowed, Xie Changning turned and left.
Of course, she knew they wouldn't truly behave. In fact, she was counting on them not to. It would give her the opportunity to force them into a cooperation agreement with the manufacturers in Chuncheng.
The country was facing difficulties right now; earning foreign currency was a major priority.
Xie Changning returned to her seat. The man from the Northeast looked at her enthusiastically. "Miss, your Russian is amazing! You were rattling on for ages, and I didn't understand a single word!"
"...It's alright." 'Just good enough to negotiate with the Eight-Nation Alliance,' she thought wryly.
"Do you take on apprentices? My daughter isn't great at her studies, and I was thinking she could learn some Russian and become a foreign guest liaison at the factory."