I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Chaebol Family-Chapter 63: Collapse of the Soviet Union (1)

She was oddly on edge around me, but she did her job quickly, which I liked.

But still...

“You’re still lacking, Yeon-ha. Coffee goes with the paper. Don’t you think?”

Si-hyun had just been promoted to chief of staff, and honestly, she could be a bit stiff now. Seo Joo-eun handled work well but was kind of awkward when it came to hosting me.

“Huh? Ah, yes! I-I’ll go get coffee right away!”

-Scurry.

Choi Yeon-ha stumbled a bit as she turned but ran off steadily toward the instant coffee.

Tsk. My taste’s gotten too refined lately. Cheap coffee doesn’t really cut it anymore...

Still, flying a chef all the way to Moscow would be overkill, so I had to suck it up.

Yeah.

This is Moscow—the heart of the Soviet Union.

I had come to the Soviet Union.

“Russia’s... too cold for my liking. But the scenery’s nice.”

It was only manageable because it was early summer. If it were winter, I probably couldn’t have come.

I slowly pressed my finger against the window, blankly staring out at the Kremlin. There stood a beautiful woman—her baby fat completely gone, no trace of a child left.

The icy glass stung my fingertips like a cold blade.

-Haa...

A faint fog spread across the hotel room’s window. My gleaming eyes contrasted with my drowsy lids, and my long, ebony hair blurred in the dim light.

Wearing only underwear and a thin negligee, I looked incredibly sensual.

‘It’s cold, but thick pajamas are uncomfortable.’

I definitely told them to keep the room well-heated... but it’s still chilly. So this is Russia, huh?

-...Wouldn’t it make more sense to just wear pajamas?

That’s what Lee Si-hyun would’ve said. And I would’ve snapped back that without my nanny’s nagging, I’d rather enjoy the texture of the blanket tenfold.

She’s not here now, though.

“Ahaha, what the hell. Guess I got attached.”

I laughed softly. It wasn’t such a bad feeling.

-Click-clack.

“...Miss. I brought your coffee.”

“You’re a bit late. But sure, I’ll forgive you.”

Choi Yeon-ha returned with a cup of instant coffee just in time. I let go of my sentimental thoughts and got up from bed.

-Whoosh—

A sharp gust of Russia’s morning wind whipped through.

“Hmm... good. Everything’s good.”

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Now... this is our turf.

***

The collapse of the Soviet Union didn’t happen overnight, just like Germany’s reunification didn’t.

There had been signs for years, and what really struck the final blow were the August Coup and Ukraine’s independence vote at the end of 1991.

Looking back, the Cold War effectively ended in the late ’80s, and South Korea even established diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union in 1990.

That’s why I could come here—to the Soviet Union, not Russia.

‘When Oppa said the USSR would fall this year, he sounded surprised, but he never denied it. That’s why.’

The Soviet Union had already lost the systemic race.

Lithuania and Armenia withdrew last year, and in March this year, there was a referendum on the USSR’s continuation. General Secretary Gorbachev was desperately trying to reform it, but...

I doubt it’ll work. Some argue there was still one last chance before the August Coup, but that’s coming soon anyway.

The USSR is finished. That much is certain.

At lunch, I subtly offered that metaphor to the person I was meeting, as I explained my reason for investing.

“Mr. Chebrikov. So... this is why I want to invest here. The USSR is already opening up to capitalism. Whether the General Secretary’s reforms fail or succeed... it’s going to open up, one way or another. No question.”

When I smiled kindly, he faltered a little. His eyes flicked to my chest before quickly darting away. I could # Nоvеlight # guess why.

Men.

“Ah... Yes. I understand, milady.”

-Crunch.

The crisp sound of fries breaking apart echoed. I hadn’t expected much, but they were surprisingly good.

Yeah, as the mention of fries might’ve tipped off—it was a McDonald’s lunch meeting.

Seems unorthodox, right? But not when you realize this was the first McDonald’s in the Soviet Union.

There’s no clearer symbol of victory than the heart of the USSR hosting capitalism’s icon.

“Ahaha, take your time. I’ll give you plenty of space to think. I won’t be staying in the USSR for long, but it’s open now, right? I can always come back.”

I smiled with my eyes, brushing aside my long hair.

“Open... Yes. Right. So this is what people in capitalist countries eat regularly...”

The man, who ran a small energy business in the USSR, stared at the hamburger with a peculiar expression.

“We don’t eat this much, honestly. Just once in a while.”

Well, the reasons for that might be different, but people are people.

“But I haven’t heard of a beautiful young East Asian lady like yourself working with Alpha Fund. Haha, you almost look like a teenager.”

“Thanks for the compliment. I get told I look young all the time. And strictly speaking, I’m not part of Alpha Fund. They’re just showing a lot of interest in the East these days, so they’re linking up with local firms...”

A seasoned capitalist would’ve caught the weirdness in that line. But the young man in front of me was an inexperienced entrepreneur from a communist system.

And he had a beautiful woman in front of him.

“Hmm... this really is difficult.”

You could say it doesn’t matter, but men always get dumber around pretty girls.

Yuri Chebrikov seemed to have decided to dedicate his limited brain capacity to the pretty girl across from him instead of trying to understand capitalism’s complexities.

Which worked for me.

I got both admiration from the competent and leverage over the clueless.

.

.

.

“Still, you’re doing great. You’re the most capitalist-minded person I’ve met in the USSR. I believe you could be a great partner for us.”

Emphasizing partner, I grasped his hand tightly in a firm handshake.

“Haha, yes... hmm, I think so too. Booze tastes better with a beauty beside me.”

A dim, shadowy bar.

We chatted between business talk and small sips of alcohol. Then I leaned in close, whispering softly near his ear.

“By the way... could I meet one of your friends? I heard that people doing business in the USSR have lots of friends.”

Even with reform, this was still a communist country. Business required ties to the government.

A young guy doing business here? There’s a 100% chance he’s connected to the KGB or a high-ranking official.

The guy, face flushed from booze, seemed to miss my meaning and tried to flirt by lightly touching me.

“Hmm, let’s drink first. Miss, how about some vodka—now that you’re in Russia?”

Wow. Offering vodka to a child. A classic Russian move.

I brushed his hand away and reached for the bag beside me.

“Hmm, we’re not quite at that level yet, Mr. Yuri.”

-Clack.

I opened the bag I brought. Inside, it was packed with gold bars.

‘Took some work to carry this.’

Obviously, I hadn’t come to the USSR empty-handed.

You never know when your business partner might try to become a sex partner. I wasn’t about to entertain one of those “she seduced me first” male dominance fantasies.

-Snap.

I signaled, and a few large bodyguards stepped in, stacking more 007-style briefcases.

“Th-this is...”

Sobered instantly, Yuri Chebrikov stared at me in stunned silence.

“Hmm... a small token of appreciation? Or maybe a taste of capitalism?”

Seeming to finally get it, Chebrikov sprang up and pretended to be angry.

“...Is this because of my uncle? I don’t know how you found out, but an American company offering a bribe to the KGB? I’m shocked. This is offensive.”

He pretended to knock over the bag while peeking inside. The bricks of gold glinted even in the dim light.

-Gulp.

“Oh my, I heard this is how business is done... no? About ten million dollars’ worth... give or take. Most of it’s for the KGB, of course, but wouldn’t ten percent be fair for you?”

Smiling playfully, I handed him one of the heavy bags.

“Here. A small gift for your friend.”

“...Hmm.”

Too much money to say no to.