Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 474 Another Tough Task _1

Chapter 474: Chapter 474 Another Tough Task _1

On March 15, Khodorkovsky ended his tour of Asia and returned to Moscow.

Without bothering to rest, he called Wang Ye over on the phone.

As soon as they met, Khodorkovsky exclaimed, "I heard you invested ten billion in the Crimea Peninsula? Have you lost your mind?! What industry in that godforsaken place is worth that much money? And for that matter, can you even afford such a huge investment?"

Although his tone was harsh, it was clear that Khodorkovsky was speaking out of concern.

Wang Ye nonchalantly took a seat, lit a cigarette, took a deep puff, and then replied, "Uncle, have you forgotten about the gold mine partnership with A Bu? The dividends from that alone should cover the investment in Crimea over ten years."

Khodorkovsky paused, apparently recalling the matter but still retorted grumpily, "With all that money, wouldn’t it be better to acquire some oil fields? If you have nowhere else to invest, buy shares in the Russian Gas Company; that way you can earn decent dividends each year."

Clearly, in the eyes of people like Khodorkovsky, the only industry worth investing in Russia is the energy industry.

Any other industry is unworthy of mention!

Therefore, he couldn’t understand Wang Ye’s actions, particularly since Wang Ye has never discussed the matter with him in detail.

While Gavriil could understand, Khodorkovsky simply couldn’t.

"Heh, never mind that. How did your investigation trip to China, Japan, and Korea go, Uncle? Any progress to report?" Wang Ye deflected the conversation.

Speaking of this, Khodorkovsky lay back exhaustedly on the sofa and motioned Wang Ye for a cigarette.

Wang Ye quickly took out a cigarette, lit it with a "snap" of his lighter, and passed it to him.

Khodorkovsky seldom smoked, so it was clear that he was tired from the trip, and hadn’t had time to rest since returning to Moscow.

"We did make some progress. I spoke with relevant Chinese departments, and they showed considerable interest. They are also discussing natural gas matters with the Russian Gas Company. If possible, they want to consider our oil and their natural gas together. However, because this matter is extensive and requires a huge investment, it will probably take some time to resolve."

Khodorkovsky gave a brief overview of his trip to China.

It should be expected that commodities transactions inevitably can’t be achieved in small increments, especially when it requires the presence of Khodorkovsky himself.

His negotiations must be for long-term supply contracts that involve an astonishing amount of money.

However, such contracts cannot be settled in one or two meetings. Considering how the contracts with Russian Gas have taken years to finalize, it’s quite clear.

Wang Ye was about to say something when Khodorkovsky startled him with a follow-up remark.

"I’ll leave this matter to you to carry forward. Your Chinese is excellent, so it would facilitate communication with our counterparts. Don’t just draw your director’s salary and do nothing. It’s your job to handle these significant business negotiations," Khodorkovsky said, smiling.

Wang Ye was stunned. Why did this fall to him?

It wasn’t that he couldn’t be entrusted with it, but given his dual identity, wouldn’t he be "exposed" if he were to discuss the matter with domestic departments?

Obviously, for this kind of super-sized negotiation, domestic departments would certainly conduct thorough research and preparation. If he were the principal negotiator, he’d definitely enter their field of vision, and his background would certainly be investigated...

Wang Ye felt that he would not be able to hide his real identity from them.

He chuckled bitterly to Khodorkovsky, "My identity... Uncle, have you forgotten? I should avoid getting involved in such matters!"

Khodorkovsky paused and almost didn’t understand what Wang Ye was saying. However, he quickly grasped it.

He laughed sheepishly, slapped his forehead, and said, "Ah, I must have been too tired and almost forgot about your Chinese identity. Really, if you hadn’t brought it up, I would have totally forgotten that you’re Chinese!"

Indeed, with Wang Ye making more and more outstanding contributions, Khodorkovsky has long considered him as his own "nephew."

Although he had intentions of using Wang Ye, he genuinely cared for and trusted him.

If Wang Ye did not betray his trust, he really planned to hand over the management of the Yukos Group to Wang Ye.

Even if his own children’s capabilities disappointed him in the future, he wouldn’t let them work in the Yukos Group, preferring to let Wang Ye manage it continuously.

As for his own family, they could behave as modest, behind-the-scenes shareholders...

"Yeah, with my situation, it’d be inappropriate for me to take up the case," Wang Ye quickly responded.

He genuinely didn’t want to get involved in this. The troubles in Moscow were troublesome enough already. If his identity were discovered by the country, it would stir up a huge mess!

Isn’t it way better to lie low and profit in silence? He had no desire to get caught up in the spotlight.

"No, no, I don’t see it that way. Your dual identity actually makes you the ideal person for this negotiation. Once the other party knows you, they will be more forthcoming. It makes perfect sense for you to act as the middleman, as both parties trust you," Khodorkovsky retorted, shaking his head and smiling.

"Ah? Aren’t you worried that I’ll harm the company’s interests?" Wang Ye asked unwillingly.

"You won’t do that, plus, this kind of partnership also requires approval from the board of directors. You alone don’t have the power to finalize the terms of the partnership," Khodorkovsky calmly replied.

Wang Ye was left speechless.

Khodorkovsky was right. Even if Wang Ye were to betray the company by giving an unbelievably favorable price to China for the contract, the contract could not be executed without the approval of the Yukos board of directors.

Therefore, Wang Ye’s dual identity became a "lubricant". Both sides trusted him somewhat, which could very well promote this partnership.

In the end, he could only say reluctantly, "Alright, I will take care of this matter."

Khodorkovsky patted his shoulder and said comfortingly, "Don’t look so unwilling. If this partnership really comes to fruition because of you, your prestige in the Yukos Group will further rise. When you take over the company in the future, you’ll face much less resistance because everyone will acknowledge your abilities!"

There wasn’t much left to say at this point...

Fortunately, this partnership probably couldn’t be finalized right away and might be delayed for a year or even several years. That was normal.

Moreover, Wang Ye was not planning to negotiate this alone.

He planned to hitch a "free ride", that is, allow the government to lead the negotiations, while he could lend his support from behind...