My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 52 is rotten to the core.
The following afternoon, at the appointed time, Qin Yuan stood alone in front of a rather imposing Russian-style apartment building on the banks of the Moscow River, carrying a beautifully packaged wine gift box and a rather heavy-looking wooden box.

This building has a typical Soviet style.

The thick stone walls, towering columns, and carved window frames exude a sense of majesty and solidity that is completely different from the ordinary houses around it.

Qin Yuan looked up at the building, which appeared somewhat austere in the winter sunlight, and quickly began to make calculations in his mind.

He inquired about the prices of apartments of similar size and location in the core area of ​​Moscow, and then compared them with those of Natasha's father.

The publicly disclosed salary level of a mid-level employee of a Soviet state bank.

Yes, the conclusion is clear:
This is definitely not a place that can be afforded with a "decent" salary.

The nameplate on the door, clearly engraved with the surname "Иванов-Войнович" (Ivanov-Voinovich), silently proclaims the ownership of this house.

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Qin Yuan's lips.

The Soviet Union in 1990 was rotten to the core.

The privileged class enjoyed a final feast, while ordinary people struggled in the quagmire of ruble devaluation and scarcity of resources.

This was undoubtedly a huge disaster for the Soviet people.

But for an "opportunist" like him, with foresight and a keen sense of smell...

That's really... great!

He took a deep breath of the cold air and rang the doorbell.

The door was quickly opened, and Natasha appeared behind it.

Today she was wearing a beige turtleneck sweater, her blonde hair simply tied up. She looked less rebellious and lively than before, but rather more gentle and intellectual.

When she saw Qin Yuan, a genuine smile appeared on her face. Her gaze swept over the red wine and wooden box he had brought, and a knowing look flashed in her eyes.

"Qin! Please come in! It's too cold outside." Natasha warmly ushered Qin Yuan into the house. "My father is already waiting for you in the study."

Qin Yuan thanked her politely and followed Natasha through the thickly carpeted entryway and the spacious, bright living room.

The living room was elegantly and comfortably furnished, with landscape paintings hanging on the walls and firewood burning in the fireplace, emitting a warm and dry atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the harsh cold of Moscow outside the window.

Natasha led Qin Yuan to a heavy oak door and knocked gently: "Dad, Mr. Qin has arrived."

"Please come in." A calm and slightly authoritative voice came from inside the door.

Natasha opened the door, gestured for Qin Yuan to enter, and then considerately closed the door.

Inside the study, the fireplace was also burning, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

A tall, middle-aged man with neatly combed hair, wearing a dark wool vest, was sitting behind a large desk.

He raised his head, his sharp gaze fixed on Qin Yuan with scrutiny, but without any obvious arrogance.

"Mr. Vladimir Ivanovich, hello. I am Qin Yuan, it is an honor to visit you."

Qin Yuan bowed slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, and placed the red wine and wooden box he had brought on a small table next to the desk. "It's just a small token of my respect, nothing special."

“Mr. Qin, please have a seat.” Vladimir Ivanovich gestured to the chair opposite the desk, a polite smile on his face. “Natasha often mentions you, saying you are a very…capable young man, and thanks you for your care of her.”

“Miss Natasha is very talented; we are just helping each other.”

Qin Yuan calmly sat down and got straight to the point, "Mr. Ivanovich, there are two main reasons for this unsolicited visit."

"First, I'd like to thank you and Ms. Natasha for your continued support of our team. I'd like to invite Ms. Natasha to intern at our company in finance management. Second..."

He paused, looking directly at the other man. "I've accumulated some rubles, and I hope to exchange them for some yuan, and... dollars, through you." Vladimir Ivanovich leaned back slightly, crossed his hands on the table, and his gaze deepened.

He had clearly anticipated Qin Yuan's intentions.

"I've heard about the internship, but as far as I know, the import and export trading company you registered in Moscow seems to be a shell company, right?"

He avoided the main point and asked the question evasively.

"A shell company?" Qin Yuan smiled faintly. "Mr. Ivanovich, may I ask how many companies Moscow has, with monthly turnovers exceeding one million or even ten million rubles?"

"Of course, we are still in the early stages. We have a small number of employees, most of whom are Chinese students studying abroad."

"But as you know, sir, this company is involved in international trade between China and the Soviet Union. It must be the first of its kind in Moscow, right?"

Ivanov had naturally investigated Qin Yuan's background and knew that what he said was true.

There is certainly a lot of trade between the two countries, but when it comes to private exchanges between the people, Qin Yuan's import and export trading company is indeed the first of its kind.

"Regarding Natasha's internship," he pondered for a moment and said, "I agree in principle, but there's one condition: no matter what problems arise with your company in the future, don't involve Natasha."

He also wanted to get to know this Chinese man better.

Perhaps this person will become his source of wealth in the future.

Although Qin Yuan didn't know what he was thinking, he could guess pretty much what it was: "Mr. Ivanovich, you can rest assured about that. My company's business is located on your territory, and we absolutely pay taxes in accordance with the law. We will not violate your country's laws, and there will be nothing that will involve Miss Natasha."

Qin Yuan wanted to expand his business, and smuggling was a sideline, a shortcut to accumulating his first pot of gold.

We must truly seize the opportunities presented by the collapse of the Soviet Union and reap the benefits of the fallen giant.

This identity must first and foremost be legitimate and legal.

Those British and American capitalists are now opening banks one after another on Mosco Street.

Which one is illegal?

These very legitimate Western banks, backed by European and American financial giants, reaped enormous profits when the Soviet Union collapsed.

"As for the second thing you mentioned?" Ivanovich finally brought it up after confirming Qin Yuan's future business plans.

Qin Yuan's body also leaned forward slightly.

“Exchange for rubles,” he began slowly, his voice carrying the caution characteristic of a banker. “Mr. Qin, you should be aware of the current situation… the value of the ruble fluctuates greatly.”

"Yes, I can relate." Qin Yuan nodded.

“Last month,” Ivanovich continued, “the ruble-yuan exchange rate was barely maintained at around 1 to 5. But now…”

He shook his head. "Market panic is spreading, and the ruble is depreciating rapidly. The safest exchange rate I can currently manage is about 1 ruble to 4 yuan."

"Moreover, this ratio may continue to decline."

He observed Qin Yuan's reaction and, seeing that the other party remained calm, continued, "As for the US dollar... the situation is more complicated."

"Official channels have almost completely frozen large-amount personal exchanges, and the black market is chaotic and extremely risky."

"If you need US dollars, I can try to find one, but the exchange rate... it needs to be 1 US dollar to 2.6 rubles."

“And,” he emphasized, “I need to take a 20% service fee from it.”

"After all, this involves using some... non-public channels and taking on the corresponding risks."

(End of this chapter)