1979: Literary Master, Starting from the Return of Educated Youth

Chapter 189 Canned food for airplanes?
According to Xu Yuexin's memory, someone in later generations exchanged canned food for four Soviet aircraft.

Can I do the same?
Xu Yuexin pondered, and put his thoughts aside for the moment to continue watching the news.

During the subsequent news broadcast, he collected several more financial news that might contain money-making opportunities.

After reading the news, Xu Yuexin put the biscuit jar aside, opened the desk drawer, took out paper and pen, and wrote down these financial news, as well as the previous news about the Soviet Union’s economic difficulties, in a notebook.

This can prevent forgetfulness and omissions.

After chewing some biscuits for a while until his stomach was full, Xu Yuexin put down the biscuit jar and analyzed the news he had just recorded one by one.

As policies on self-employed businesses continue to be relaxed, the number of self-employed businesses in various regions has seen explosive growth?

Well, that's a good thing.

However, the main business scope of individual businesses is currently catering, food, and clothing, and Xu Yuexin has no plans to enter these fields.

The financial department will increase the issuance of treasury bonds to raise funds for infrastructure?

This is good news for the construction industry, but currently all the construction industry is still state-owned enterprises, and even the identity of contractor did not appear until the 90s when migrant workers moved to cities in large numbers.

As for making money by exploiting the price difference of treasury bonds between different regions?
That had to wait until 1988 when policies allowed private buying and selling of treasury bonds.

This means that Xu Yuexin is unable to make money from this information for the time being.

Xu Yuexin read them one by one, denying them one by one, until his eyes finally came to the news that the Soviet Union was short of supplies.

Since its establishment, the Soviet Union has been troubled by the problem of shortcomings in light industry.

In the 70s, their strategy was to utilize the abundant oil and gas resources, export them to earn foreign exchange, and exchange them for light industrial products to meet people's livelihood needs.

In the past two years, international oil prices have fallen, the oil business has been difficult, and the supply of daily necessities in the Soviet Union has become tight.

The story of exchanging cans for airplanes took place in this context.

The problem is that it was the late 80s when people could exchange canned food for airplanes, but now it is the early 80s.

Many situations now are completely different from what they will be in a few years.

For example, the Russians today are not as destitute as they were in the late 80s.

Also, in the case of cans for planes, the parties involved were looking for local airlines to transport the cans because they were the only ones willing to participate in such a high-risk trade.

The country's first local airline was not established until 1984 in Xiamen...

……

In short, although only a few years have passed, the conditions in all aspects are very different.

Xu Yuexin believes that he can use the canned food-for-airplanes incident as inspiration to make money through barter, but he must not copy it.

Details determine success or failure. Only by developing a completely new idea based on current conditions can we succeed in this barter trade.

Xu Yuexin pondered.

The first step in doing anything is to find the right person.

Especially doing business with the Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union implemented a strict control policy on foreign trade. Only by finding someone who had the final say could this trade route be opened up.

So the question is, how can we find this person?
Xu Yuexin thought about it again and again, and finally decided that starting from tomorrow, he would go to Lao Mo for two meals every day.

As the only Russian restaurant in Beijing, Lao Mo is frequented by many Soviet personnel stationed in China.

If you stay there for a while, you will probably find an opportunity.

After making up his mind, Xu Yuexin took immediate action and really treated Lao Mo as his home, eating there every day.

Even when he had a full class schedule, he would always leave school on his motorcycle and go to the Moscow Restaurant at noon.

Sometimes, he would take Chen Qiaoqiao with him to eat.

After a long time, Chen Qiaoqiao also began to doubt.

"Why do you eat here every day?"

On the way home, Chen Qiaoqiao asked Xu Yuexin curiously.

Xu Yuexin closed his eyes slightly and shook his head, looking like a master.

"The secret cannot be leaked."

Xu Yuexin spoke calmly and leisurely, which made Chen Qiaoqiao laugh.

"Look at you, are you the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang or Liu Bowen?"

"You're still playing secret with me."

"You want to know?"

Xu Yuexin pointed at his own face and said, "Now give me a kiss."

"puff."

"You are not ashamed to do it in public."

Chen Qiaoqiao smiled with her lips pursed.

After returning to the Duke's Mansion, the two walked towards the main courtyard.

At this time, Chen Qiaoqiao quickly walked up to Xu Yuexin, held his shoulders, tilted her face up and kissed him on the face.

"Can you tell me?"

"Yes, of course."

Xu Yuexin laughed, kissed Chen Qiaoqiao on the face and said, "You are my good wife, I can hide it from anyone but you."

Then, he told Chen Qiaoqiao about his idea of ​​opening up the Soviet market.

“That’s a good idea.”

After hearing this, Chen Qiaoqiao agreed and said, "This plan is feasible."

"It might take some time to run back and forth?"

“I try to do it during my vacation time.”

Xu Yuexin said after thinking about it.

It's December now, and the holidays are not far away.

It will probably be the winter vacation before the trade issue is settled.

I'll have time by then.

After informing his wife of the trade plan, Xu Yuexin continued to eat at Lao Mo every day, and actually got to know several staff members of the Soviet Embassy during the meal.

This is at least welcome progress.

Whenever Xu Yuexin met these staff members, he would invite them to dinner and chat with them. As time went by, the two sides gradually became familiar with each other, and the staff members began to reveal some of the real situation in the Soviet Union to him.

According to their information, the current economic situation in the Soviet Union is not very good. Since it stopped growing in the late 70s, it has shown signs of recession in the past two years.

Basic foods like bread and sausages have been in a tight balance.

“So, there’s no shortage of physical goods yet, right?”

One day, after Xu Yuexin heard the staff introduce the situation of queuing in Moscow, he asked him.

“Although the supply is tight, there is no shortage.”

The staff member named Alyosha answered truthfully, "As long as you are willing to queue, you can always buy it."

Hearing this, Xu Yuexin breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he had taken into account the difference between the current situation and the late 80s, and did not prepare canned food in a rigid way.

Otherwise it will be a waste of money.

"So what are you most lacking right now?"

Xu Yuexin asked.

“What’s most lacking…are probably high-quality cars and electronic products.”

"Lada cars, the handlebars fall off if you pull them. B2 TVs, the picture quality is poor, and they explode all the time."

Alyosha smiled bitterly and said, "From cadres to ordinary citizens, everyone is trying to get imported cars and televisions."

"Of course, you know, not everyone can get it. Even an overseas cadre like me cannot get an imported TV because of my low rank."

At the end of his speech, he spread his hands and showed a helpless expression.

"When you get through it, you can get the TV you want."

Xu Yuexin laughed and comforted Alyosha.

And his brain was already working at full speed.

He couldn't get cars, nor could he supply imported assembled televisions in bulk.

However, there was one thing he could offer.

Chips, mature process chips used to manufacture televisions.

Europe, the United States, Japan and South Korea have long blockaded the Soviet Union and restricted the export of technological products, resulting in a situation where they have difficulty in finding a car or a television.

If we can sell the chips that are the core components of televisions to the Russians, wouldn’t we be able to make huge profits?

Thinking of this, Xu Yuexin was moved.

However, while he was excited, he did not forget to ask some questions.

"I know you can't import finished cars and televisions because of the blockade. But why don't you import some parts and assemble them yourself?"

Before engaging in an obviously profitable business, you must find out why others are not doing this business.

This avoids possible pitfalls.

Alyosha smiled awkwardly.

"You should be able to find out if you look into it yourself."

He answered evasively.

Xu Yuexin read something from Alyosha's unnatural expression.

It must be because of the shortage of foreign exchange.

Since the global decline in commodity prices and the fall in oil prices, the Soviet Union's foreign exchange reserves have been depleting.

It even got to the point on the eve of its collapse that people couldn't even pay in dollars to buy canned food, and had to exchange them for airplanes.

Such precious foreign exchange will naturally not be used for non-essential items such as televisions and imported cars.

This fits perfectly with Xu Yuexin's barter plan.

"Okay, excuse my intrusion."

Xu Yuexin said to Alyosha politely, then raised his hand to look at his Rolex watch, "I have something to do and have to go. Let's talk next time."

After saying that, he stepped forward and paid the bill.

“I want to go back to the embassy, ​​too.”

Alyosha followed behind Xu Yuexin and had a very good impression of him.

At least... he is willing to spend money and he pays the bill every time we eat out.

After leaving the Moscow Restaurant, Xu Yuexin began to think about how to deal with Alyosha next time.

In the Soviet Union, diplomacy and foreign trade were two inseparable areas, and officials often rotated between the two departments.

Later, he will directly ask Alyosha whether he knows any leaders in foreign trade and economics and get into the topic of trade.

What needs to be considered is the method of asking, so that Alyosha will not be scared away by thinking that he has bad intentions.

As for why he didn't ask before, it was because Xu Yuexin felt the time was not right.

Asking rashly would be counterproductive.

A few days later, Xu Yuexin "accidentally met" Alyosha again in a Moscow restaurant.

As before, Xu Yuexin and Alyosha once again joined two tables together and drank and chatted happily with Alyosha.

"Brother, you have always been the banker in the past, but today it is my turn."

After all the dishes were served, Alyosha filled his glass again, raised it high and said, "Otherwise, if I don't invite you today, there will be no chance in the future."

Xu Yuexin's heart skipped a beat.

"how do I say this?"

He also raised his glass and said calmly.

"I will be returning home soon. Today should be the last time you and I meet."

Alyosha smiled regretfully and said, "What a pity, I just met a speculative friend like you."

He is going back.

It seems that I have to make it clear today and discuss barter trade with him.

Hearing Alyosha's reply, Xu Yuexin responded immediately.

(End of this chapter)