Chapter 539: The Old Fox and the Little Fox
Facing Xu Wentao's sad face, Lu Yiming couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Want to get the world's richest man to pay? That's impossible, don't even think about it. The richer they are, the more stingy they are. Don't you understand this truth? They will never do anything that doesn't benefit them greatly."
To be the richest man in the world, he must be a ruthless person who is good at making money. How can you make money from such a person just by treating him to a meal? What does the richest man need from you?
Xu Wentao sighed and said, "So, it's impossible to get the richest man to invest?"
Lu Yiming changed the subject and said with a smile: "It may be a little difficult to get Bill Gates to invest, but as long as there is a good project, you never know. Wait a minute, I will help you find out about Bill Gates' background."
With Lu Yiming's words, Xu Wentao finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then I'll have to ask you for help."
After much anticipation, Bill Gates' private jet finally arrived in Zhonghai.
Suddenly, gongs and drums sounded and firecrackers blasted.
Bill Gates, who had just walked out of the cabin, was so frightened that he staggered and almost rolled down the gangway.
Looking down from above, Bill Gates saw Lu Yiming's high-spirited face at a glance. After he got off the gangway, he quickly walked towards Lu Yiming, opened his arms, and said with a smile: "Oh, my friend, it's nice to see you again."
Lu Yiming hugged Bill Gates and said, "My dear Bill, welcome to Zhonghai."
Although the two of them looked very affectionate, in fact, they each had their own thoughts.
In Bill Gates' eyes, Lu Yiming is a dangerous person who can bring huge profits.
In Lu Yiming's eyes, Bill Gates is a sucker who can be exploited. If he wants to reap profits in the United States with peace of mind, he has to rely on this powerful figure to secretly watch over him.
"Heh, little fox."
"Humph, old fox."
After each of them said this in their hearts, the two looked at each other and once again became old friends who had met after a long separation.
Lu Yiming took Bill Gates and introduced him to the leading figures of Zhonghai City one by one. Then he said seriously, "Bill, I'm not bragging to you. Zhonghai's future development potential is absolutely second to none even in the world. Are you interested in investing in Zhonghai?"
As the world's richest man, Bill Gates has already maxed out his skills in dealing with big scammers, and he was not moved by Lu Yiming's "enthusiasm". He said calmly: "Zhonghai is indeed a good place, but the issue of investment involves the adjustment of Microsoft's strategic decision-making. I must discuss it with other shareholders of the company before making a decision."
Bill Gates is very clear that in the current situation where cash flow is like a lifeline, any investment must be thought twice before making. Although he is optimistic about the future development of Xiaguo, he will never make any promises easily.
After hearing what Bill Gates said, the officials who came to greet him all showed disappointment to varying degrees on their faces.
Lu Yiming didn't care. Bill Gates' response was within his expectations. In fact, if Bill Gates agreed too readily, he would have to consider whether there was some fraud.
However, Lu Yiming knew very well that these capitalists would not get up early unless there was profit. As long as he could offer sufficiently tempting conditions, there would be no problem that Bill Gates would not give in.
"You've come a long way, come on, I'll take you to the hotel first, and we'll have dinner together tonight."
Lu Yiming invited Bill Gates into the Bentley 728 and headed towards the Sheraton Hotel where they were scheduled to stay.
In the hotel, while Bill Gates' team was checking in, Xu Wentao privately found Lu Yiming again and asked, "Is the investment really hopeless?"
Lu Yiming smiled and said, "Secretary Xu, don't panic. Didn't I just promise you? As long as Bill Gates nods, I can pay for the investment. After the investment is completed, Zhonghai City will gain a reputation and I will benefit. This is a win-win situation. But Secretary Xu, we have to make it clear in advance that I must also have the preferential policies that foreign-funded enterprises should have."
Lu Yiming had actually been eyeing Zhonghai for a long time. After all, he had seen the prosperity of this region. If he didn't find a reason to join in at this time, he would be losing money.
Xu Wentao was speechless and said, "You are investing in China Overseas Investment and you still want foreign investment treatment?"
Lu Yiming swore, "The money I have is also in US dollars, right? How can it not be considered foreign capital? Besides, it is said that good things should be kept within the family. We Xia people can't just turn our arms outside, right? Besides, you claimed that it was invested by Bill Gates, but in the end you didn't even treat it as foreign capital. Isn't this fooling fools?"
Xu Wentao was speechless after hearing what Lu Yiming said, and could only ask, "Can you really get Bill Gates to agree?"
Lu Yiming blurted out, "Of course, he and I have been in cahoots in the United States for a long time, and our relationship is very close."
When Xu Wentao heard this, he immediately relaxed a lot and even joked, "Is this how you are supposed to use this idiom?"
In fact, as a veteran in officialdom, how could Xu Wentao not understand what Lu Yiming was doing?
It’s nothing more than Lu Yiming wanting to invest and looking for a reason to get some policy benefits.
However, if they could really borrow Bill Gates' name to give Lu Yiming some concessions, it would definitely be within the acceptable range for the government.
According to Lu Yiming, this is truly a win-win situation.
"Okay, Mr. Lu, how much do you plan to invest?"
Lu Yiming said without hesitation: "Four hundred million US dollars in cash."
"How much? Four hundred million? US dollars?"
Xu Wentao suddenly lost his composure.
You have to know that in 2000, the country's foreign exchange reserves were only 170 billion US dollars.
This amount of money is definitely not a small amount. Even in Zhonghai, 400 million US dollars is definitely a large investment, and Lu Yiming's investment is pure cash.
Unlike some businessmen who came back from Taiwan to invest, they said they were investing hundreds of billions, but in fact most of the money was loans from mainland banks. The money was all raised domestically, and they only provided technology and management, which is almost like getting something for nothing.
Some are simply fraud gangs that defraud banks of their investments and then run away, leaving behind a bunch of unfinished buildings.
In fact, the psychological expectation of this city meeting was to get a project , and that would be considered a goal. But now Lu Yiming asked for 400 million USD, which was far beyond their expectations.
Lu Yiming was not expecting Xu Wentao to be so excited. In Lu Yiming's impression, Zhonghai, as the city with the best economic development in China, should not lack this little money.
But in fact, Zhonghai at this moment is not the same as it would be a dozen years later.
Xu Wentao said with certainty: "As long as the investment is implemented, you will definitely have the same preferential treatment and benefits as foreign investment."
With this promise, Lu Yiming's goal was achieved, and he immediately said: "That's no problem, just wait for my good news."
After Bill Gates settled down, the bigwigs in the city took the lead in hosting a banquet for Bill Gates in the evening.
It was Lu Yiming's first time eating and drinking at public expense, and he enjoyed the meal to his heart's content.
Li Yiwen smiled and said, "Do you really need to do that? With your wealth, you can afford to eat. You are making yourself look like a starving ghost. Aren't you ashamed?"
Lu Yiming argued: "Spending your own money on a fancy meal is the same as eating at a government-funded meal, how can that be the same?"
Afterwards, Lu Yiming asked Bill Gates beside him considerately: "How is it? Are you used to the food?"
Bill Gates was gentle and elegant, chewing slowly. When he heard Lu Yiming's question, he swallowed the food in his mouth, wiped his mouth, and said, "Xia Country's food is indeed well-deserved."
For this banquet, the city invited several chefs, and they just prepared it according to the standards of a state banquet. The taste is naturally not bad, but you may not be able to eat it just by having money.
This time, Lu Yiming got to eat a meal with Bill Gates for the first time and ate a lot of food.
After having a good meal and a good drink, Lu Yiming said to Bill Gates, "Let's go to my place and have a look."
Bill Gates readily agreed.
When they arrived at Yan's Garden, Bill Gates took a look and commented: "Your house is nice, but it seems a bit too old-fashioned. It doesn't match your status as a tech upstart."
Although strictly speaking Lu Yiming became a billionaire by making his fortune in finance, in the eyes of Bill Gates, Lu Yiming has strong software technology capabilities and most of his investments are in Internet companies. He will definitely become a giant in the technology field in the future.
Lu Yiming smiled and said, "If you like it, just buy it and live in it first. When you build a new mansion in the future, you will definitely install all kinds of advanced technology."
Bill Gates laughed when he heard this: "Haha, I really like what you said. We are indeed the same kind of people."
Technology tycoons naturally like cyberpunk deep down in their hearts. That is why Bill Gates and Lu Yiming, despite the big age gap between them, still have many common topics.
Upon learning that Bill Gates was coming, Lu Ding and Lu Xuehua hurried to prepare fruit pastries.
Even Shi Caijiang and Su Yunjin, who were used to big scenes, felt a little at a loss. After all, a person's reputation is like a tree's shadow. All the distinguished guests they had ever received combined were not as "noble" as Bill Gates alone.
You know, Bill Gates' current personal net worth is as high as 63 billion US dollars, and this is the result of his generous donation to establish a charitable foundation.
Since Microsoft's stock price hit a new high in December 1996, Bill Gates' daily book income has reached 30 million US dollars. Making a fortune every day is not enough to describe the speed at which he makes money.
Such a "distinguished guest" is naturally "distinguished" to the extreme.
But Lu Yiming happened to be able to invite such a distinguished guest to his home. How great an honor was that?
At least Shi Caijiang and Su Yunjin couldn't imagine it. It was not until then that they truly realized how big the gap was between their social circle and Lu Yiming's social circle. It was no exaggeration to say that there was a world of difference.
"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Aunt, this is Bill Gates. I believe I don't need to introduce him any further, right?"
"Bill, this is my dad and mom, and this is my girlfriend's dad and mom. Aunt Fang, come over here and be the translator."
After meeting and greeting each other, Lu Yiming took Bill Gates to visit Yan's Garden and took this opportunity to talk to Bill Gates about investment.
"I plan to build a software industrial park in Zhonghai to support the development of the software industry in Xiaguo, especially to cultivate excellent programmers."
Bill Gates became nervous when he heard this. After all, Xia Kingdom is not the third brother. It has a complete industrial chain and is a unified country. The society is stable and harmonious, and the people are full of fighting spirit. Its potential is huge.
Now that Lu Yiming said he wanted to build a software industrial park, it would be a lie for Bill Gates to say he was not panicking. After all, he was used to being prepared for danger in times of peace and always remained highly vigilant.
Seeing Bill Gates's face was a little grim, Lu Yiming knew what he was thinking and teased him, "Why, are you worried that I will also make operating software and steal Microsoft's business?"
Bill Gates said bluntly: "Based on what I know about you, you are capable of doing this."
He thought of the investment in VALinux. At that time, Lu Yiming had dealt a heavy blow to Microsoft over this issue. Although Lu Yiming later sold all his shares to prove his innocence, how could Bill Gates be completely trusting of Lu Yiming?
Even in the company, Bill Gates always emphasized that "Microsoft is always only eighteen months away from bankruptcy", which shows how insecure he is deep down.
After the birth of the Internet, his idea was proven to be extremely correct.
Even eighteen months is too long. For many Internet companies, their life cycle is less than eight months.
Lu Yi knew that Bill Gates was suspicious, so he had to patiently explain: "You misunderstood. Given our friendship, I can't do this. Don't worry, your dominance in PC operating software is unshakable, and I won't waste money in this field. After all, I never do a business that loses money."
Bill Gates frowned and said, "So what do you want to do?"
Lu Yiming did not directly answer Bill Gates' question. Instead, he said to Bill Gates: "In order to resolve the antitrust crisis, you should have begun to consider a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice, right?"
The U.S. Department of Justice, as a biting "hyena", is certainly not easy to deal with.
Now that Microsoft has been ruled to be a monopoly, if it does not want to be broken up, paying the price is the inevitable result.
But even many senior executives of Microsoft didn't know about such an important matter. Bill Gates looked at Lu Yiming in shock, wondering how he knew it.
But after all, he is a cunning old fox. Although he was shocked, Bill Gates remained calm on the surface: "Where did you hear this news? It's not true..."
Lu Yiming smiled slightly and looked at Bill Gates sharply: "Really? Not really. Microsoft's current situation is no longer something you can continue to hold on to. Compromise and concession are the only way to survive. I don't believe you haven't considered this matter."
Bill Gates still wanted to fool people, but how could Lu Yiming let him do as he wished?
Lu Yiming knew very well what kind of agreement Microsoft would reach with the U.S. Department of Justice.
After all, in his previous life, he was one of the beneficiaries of this incident.
First, the U.S. Department of Justice prevented Microsoft from participating in exclusive transactions that could harm competitors, required computer manufacturers to use uniform contract terms, and required Microsoft to allow manufacturers and customers to remove icons that identify some Microsoft features.
Finally, they even asked Microsoft to release some technical data so that Windows applications written by software developers could have performance comparable to that of Microsoft products.
In exchange, the Justice Department did not require Microsoft to change any existing code, nor did it prohibit Microsoft from bundling other software in future Windows.
However, this lawsuit successfully provided more software companies with opportunities and jobs, and set off the first wave of development of the PC software industry.
This wave even affected the third brother and Xia Guo in the next few years. It was also due to this that Lu Yiming became a programmer after graduation.
Now that he has been reborn, he naturally does not want to miss such an opportunity. After all, if Xia Country wants to develop its software industry, it must seize every opportunity it can.
You can earn money from foreigners and cultivate domestic software talents. It's such a good deal. You'd be a fool not to do it.
While everyone is still not reacting, Lu Yiming naturally has to prepare for a rainy day and make arrangements in advance. When the waves surge, he will naturally be able to take the lead and ride the waves.
However, this matter requires the involvement of Bill Gates, otherwise Lu Yiming alone will lack the appeal.
In order to dispel Bill Gates's vigilance, Lu Yiming immediately stated: "I have no intention of developing PC operating software. I just want to make money. Even the programmers trained in the industrial park must be dependent on the Windows operating software platform."
Lu Yiming said sincerely, "By then, not only will I not be a threat to Microsoft, but I will be able to greatly enrich Microsoft's software ecosystem and become Microsoft's moat. This is a win-win situation, Bill. I tell you, we Xia people love win-win situations the most. You have to believe me."
After listening to this, Bill Gates felt that it did make sense, and that the opening of Microsoft's operating software platform was indeed inevitable, so it was not a bad idea to let Lu Yiming get a piece of the pie.
But Bill Gates became even more defensive about Lu Yiming's abilities. Everyone was still discussing when Microsoft would be split up, but only the young man in front of him could tell at a glance what move he should make next.
Therefore, Bill Gates was still cautious and asked, "Can I invest in this thing you are working on?"
For Bill Gates, no matter how wonderful Lu Yiming's promises were, he could go back on them at any moment. After all, how much is sincerity worth these days?
Therefore, Bill Gates asked to buy shares so that he could have a direct say in the company and at the same time play a supervisory role. Once Lu Yiming goes astray, he will know at any time.
"Wow? You want to invest?"
Lu Yiming really didn't expect that Bill Gates would also invest money in this project. After all, it was spending his own money to help other countries train talents. No one would do such a thing unless he was stupid enough.
