Andrei first took Xu Mingxuan and his wife, along with Xiang Xi, to the state-run department store in Ussuriysk. The store wasn't very large, perhaps around 300 square meters. While it couldn't compare to department stores in his previous life, the merchandise inside was quite comprehensive, offering a dazzling array of food and daily necessities.
Similar to the cooperative, canned food occupied a significant portion of the space. These canned goods were affordably priced and mostly locally produced.
As soon as Andrei entered the department store, he led Xu Mingxuan to his buyer friend. Chen Lan and Xiang Xi began browsing the store. They hadn't been browsing for long, and hadn't bought anything yet, when Andrei and Xu Mingxuan quickly completed a substantial transaction with the department store.
The department store purchased a large quantity of winter clothing, various styles of leather shoes and canvas shoes, as well as cotton socks, an assortment of small accessories, and the stockings that were always in high demand in the Soviet Union. In her previous life, Chen Lan had heard stories of people who became rich by reselling stockings in the Soviet Union. There were also many toys for children and kitchenware.
After helping to deliver the goods to the department store, Chen Lan and Xiang Xi continued to browse inside while Xu Mingxuan settled the payment with the store. Apart from some enamelware and small handicrafts, there were no oil paintings for sale, much to the disappointment of Chen Lan and Xiang Xi.
When Xu Mingxuan and Andrei emerged after the transaction, they saw Chen Lan and Xiang Xi purchasing a set of enamelware. Andrei, noticing the siblings' fondness for these artworks, began to explain, "Madam Mira, you like these artworks? When we get to Vladivostok, I'll take you to the largest flea market there. It sells works by many famous artists and art pieces from different countries around the world. It truly has everything. You can browse to your heart's content there and perhaps find something you like."
Chen Lan and Xiang Xi were overjoyed. Xu Mingxuan, fearing they might reveal themselves, interjected, "Andrei, are there oil paintings by famous artists sold at that flea market?"
Andrei replied, "Yes, there are stalls specifically selling oil paintings. There are also dedicated areas for museums and exhibitions, where many artists' works and jewelry are sold. Since these areas are state-run, the prices are quite reasonable."
Xu Mingxuan and Xiang Xi were naturally very happy to hear this, and Chen Lan was no exception. After all, every collector would visit local flea markets, much like Panjiayuan, Xiushui Street, and Longfusi in the capital.
Xu Mingxuan then discussed with Andrei, planning to stay a few extra days in Vladivostok to thoroughly explore the flea market. Andrei readily agreed. He had profited greatly from this trip, and could be said to have made a fortune. Moreover, Xu Mingxuan was covering the cost of the hotel.
After their discussion, they decided to visit two more rural cooperatives in the morning and then depart from Ussuriysk for Vladivostok in the afternoon. The two cities were only a hundred kilometers apart. Vladivostok was the most important city in the Soviet Far East, a significant military base, and the largest port facing the Pacific.
The group proceeded as planned. After exchanging goods at two rural cooperatives, they had a simple lunch of bread and then set off in their two vehicles.
The cars arrived at the outskirts of Vladivostok after more than two hours. They were close to the largest flea market in Vladivostok, so they decided to stay a night at a state-run hotel there. This would allow them to get to the flea market early the next morning to find bargains. By noon, most of the good items at the flea market would have already been bought by knowledgeable people, so it was best to go early.
The group took three rooms for the night. The next morning, they woke up early and gave the hotel attendant a pair of snow boots and a sparkling diamond hairpin. They planned to park their two trucks and goods in the hotel's parking lot. The attendant readily agreed, encouraging them to go early and saying they might indeed find something they liked.
After breakfast, Andrei led them to the flea market, which took about half an hour to reach. As they approached, they could feel the unique charm of Russian architecture. The buildings here were brightly colored and cheerful, with white as the base, and wooden and brick structures complementing each other.
It was indeed like a second-hand market back home, with almost everything available. There were oil paintings, amber, pocket watches, lacquered boxes with exquisite patterns, various matryoshka dolls occupying a large area, and unique Russian bark crafts. Some stalls even had porcelain that had found its way there, presenting a dazzling spectacle.
Chen Lan believed these were likely genuine. Firstly, it was a second-hand market, so there was no need to go to great lengths to forge items. Secondly, selling counterfeit goods in the Soviet Union carried severe consequences. As long as one had a discerning eye, they could find what they were looking for.
Many elderly people were also setting up stalls here, selling old items from their homes, such as military caps, helmets, medals, and books. These temporary stalls simply displayed their goods on the ground.
Andrei led Chen Lan and the others directly to the area selling oil paintings. When Xu Mingxuan inquired about the prices, he found that they varied. The sellers were mostly the artists themselves. If you stood by their stall to admire their work, they would enthusiastically introduce it to you. Whether you bought anything or not was secondary; as long as you gave them a thumbs-up to show your appreciation for their paintings, they would be very happy.
Bargaining was generally not allowed at this flea market. The price the stall owner stated was the price, as they believed their item was worth that much. Fortunately, the prices asked by the stall owners were not too high.
After selecting a few oil paintings they liked, the group went with Andrei to the state-run exhibition area and chose many oil paintings by well-known artists such as Levitan and Yury Kolyuta. Andrei was right; the prices of these oil paintings in state-run stores were indeed not expensive, practically a steal. After searching through, they even found several landscape paintings of Vladimir.
Chen Lan, of course, accepted them all and pocketed them.