Volume 3: My days in a college fraternity Chapter 148 My days in the fraternity have just begun
Freedom Avenue at Stanford University, a sunny morning.
"Tommy! Can you sign your autobiography for me?" A brown-skinned girl with a bright smile, waving a book in her hand, trotted up to the two of them, handed Tommy the pen and book she was carrying, and asked with a smile.
Tommy took the book and pen handed to him and said, "Of course, it's my pleasure."
"Can I ask you quietly, where can I buy the short film you participated in shooting?" When Tommy unscrewed the pen cap, the girl bit her lip for a moment, and finally asked Tommy in a low voice.
This made Jason, who was walking with Tommy towards the garage, stare: "Girl! Did you see some pirated news?"
While speaking, Jason flexed his right arm: "I am Jason White, the one who made the movie. Look at my biceps! Look at my biceps! I am the actor. I won the Best Actor Award. You should come and get my autograph."
"I'm sorry, I thought it was Tommy." The girl sighed regretfully when she heard Jason's words.
Tommy smiled and signed his name on the cover of the autobiography "I Should Die Now" that the girl handed over. It would be on the market soon after the verdict was announced. Then he put his hands back to her and said with a warm smile, "Thank you for buying this book, Miss."
The girl ignored Jason's endless complaints. After receiving Tommy's autograph, she happily turned around and left. Looking at the other person's figure going away, Jason White turned his head unhappily and asked Tommy:
"It was me who sold my beautiful face to save Actor Company. Why, after hearing the news, did these women either look regretful that it wasn't you who went to make a porn movie, or directly blame you for the most important turning point in Actor Company's history?"
"Maybe it's because..." Tommy noticed Jason's face gradually filled with murderous intent. He carefully considered that he was not far enough from Jason to escape the beating of this bastard. He said against his will, "The ladies are worried that your large golf clubs will scare them. After all, your body looks like you can participate in a bodybuilding competition. The only man in Stanford University who is qualified to make a living with his body is you, Jason Dad."
Jason nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, son, this answer saved you, and also solved a problem in my mind that was bothering me just now."
"What's the problem?" Tommy Hawke asked Jason with a sigh of relief.
Jason put his arm around Tommy's shoulders and said lightly:
"Nothing, I was just thinking, if the answer you just gave is not satisfactory to me, which American wrestling technique should I use to finish you off, a jaw-breaking blow to knock out all your teeth, or a guillotine to tear off your head."
When the two arrived at Garage No. 9, most of the items in the garage had been cleared out, leaving only a few packing boxes that had not yet been shipped away. In the empty garage, Holly, Susan, Mark, Sophia and Gary Goode, the part-time customer service team leader of Actor, were sitting on the boxes and chatting with smiles. When they saw the Stanford roommates walking in with their arms around each other, they stopped talking and looked at the two.
In other words, looking at Tommy Hawke, even Jason loosened his arm around Tommy's shoulders and looked at Tommy.
Actor has rented a larger office space in Silicon Valley, and its staff has rapidly expanded to more than 70 people, with the company still recruiting new employees. This garage is no longer sufficient to support Actor's rapidly expanding dreams.
Today, the place will be completely cleared and the keys will be returned to Stanford University.
"Time seems to have suddenly become precious, doesn't it?" Tommy looked around the garage, kicked the boxes a few times with his feet, turned around and said to a few people in a sighing voice:
"Jason, Holly has taken a leave of absence, Susan is busy with her studies at the community college, Mark is in charge of the Hope Human Resources Company, and Sophia has recently been busy serving as an assistant to Ms. Delia Keyes during her tenure as a visiting professor at Stanford Law School. Everyone has a bright future, and everyone has changed, except me. I am still the carefree, innocent college student Tommy."
Jason took out a cigarette and lit it. Then he looked at Susan, Holly and Mark who were looking at him with inquiring eyes, and finally shook his head:
"I failed to convince him to drop out of school, guys. Instead, he made me vomit successfully because he said he was going to continue his studies at Stanford University and use knowledge to change his destiny. Anyone who can resist the urge to vomit after hearing this kind of bullshit can try again. I can't do it anyway."
"Apart from the shares of Actor, you already have nearly a million in your bank account just from the money you earned from the book, Tommy. You can even teach a course at Stanford on how to get rich quickly." Holly sighed and said to Tommy, "You must have other reasons for insisting on completing your studies, right?"
Tommy Hawke is now a genuine millionaire and has not taken a penny from Actor Company, but this guy hid it from everyone and had Delia secretly contact a publishing house she knew to plan to publish a book. He even secretly found a ghostwriter to write the manuscript.
So the day after Actor won the lawsuit, a new book called "I Ought to Die Now" appeared in bookstores. It tells the story of Tommy Hawke's childhood, adolescence, how he was admitted to Stanford University, the original intention of founding Actor, etc. Let's put it this way, they privately jokingly called the book "Jesus's Road to Redemption in Modern America".
A book sells for twenty-five dollars, and the author gets 15%. As sales increase, the share ratio will also increase. Calculated at 15%, Tommy gets three dollars for every book sold. Then people realized that in addition to software, books can also be sold on TV. This guy went to various TV direct sales programs to sell inspirational stories that he had written to people who were eager to emulate Tommy's success. He sold nearly 300,000 copies, making a fortune and at the same time getting himself the title of best-selling author.
"This time we are not discussing the issue of my persistence in completing my studies. This issue is not worth discussing." Tommy did not answer Holly's doubts, but looked at the people in front of him:
"Today, I am announcing some internal decisions of the company for the last time as the CEO of Actor. I have communicated with two board members, Mr. Benjamin Rosen and Jerry Hughes, before. He has no objection, so it doesn't matter if he is not here. First of all, Holly Keener will take over as the chairman and CEO of the company. Jason needs to focus on other issues because he is the founder of EFF and has many things to deal with there. He cannot take care of Actor. So, like me, he will only retain a board position but will no longer participate in daily management."
Everyone had been prepared for Holly Keener to take over Actor, but Tommy just didn't make an official announcement. Compared to Tommy Hawke who was always talking, Holly was indeed the busiest person in the company. She had to make every word and boast Tommy put into practice, and she also served as the spokesperson for Actor to communicate with all walks of life. No one was surprised that she was the head of Actor, as this blonde beauty earned it through her diligence and ability.
"Tommy, I appreciate your trust in me, but I think you should stay for a while so that I can learn more comprehensive thinking from you. I..." Although Tommy had told her before that Actor would be handed over to her, when the moment really came, Holly was still nervous and subconsciously lacked confidence when facing Tommy.
After all, Tommy Hawke was too dazzling before. Who could have thought of those fantastic methods that broke the limits of imagination?
Actor Corporation has been in the eye of the storm since its inception, and Tommy Hawke is a calm and experienced captain who finally defeated its opponent. He firmly grasped the rudder of the Actor Corporation in the stormy waves, sailed calmly through the wind and waves, and stood proudly at the forefront.
From having nothing to now receiving a total investment of 30 million from two large companies, Compaq and AT&T, accounting for 20% of the shares, this means that Actor's valuation has reached 150 million, and it will obviously grow in the future.
Lotus, the company defeated by Tommy, was only valued at 1.2 billion based on its actual software sales. Actor did nothing but gave away plagiarized software for free and gained more than 600,000 users. In addition, it defeated Lotus in court and was valued at 150 million. This was all done by Tommy Hawke. Although both he and Jason had done a lot of work, they had never imagined that the returns would be so amazing, with a market value of over 100 million. His original 30% stake in Actor was now worth tens of millions, although it had been diluted with the investment. With each dilution of the investment, its value would only increase.
If he took over Actor, it would be impossible for him to achieve more brilliant results than Tommy. The most shining moment of Actor would never be repeated as Tommy Hawke chose to withdraw from the daily management of the company.
"Have confidence in yourself, Holly. Besides, I have already discussed with you some ideas for future development. If you encounter any problems that you think need to be discussed or are difficult to deal with, you can call me privately to make an appointment. Buy a box of Trojan in advance. I am willing to give you some advice. Thinking is not learned, but honed by continuous thinking and trying." Tommy walked up to Holly, reached out and touched her delicately made-up face and said:
"You have to learn to think about comprehensive problems yourself. This is a great opportunity. You can spend the investment from Compaq and AT&T to develop your company while improving yourself. This is a precious opportunity. You can't learn this knowledge even at Harvard Business School. You can waste money, but don't waste opportunities. If it weren't for our deep friendship, you wouldn't have this opportunity even if you paid me. Do you understand?"
"Understood." Holly looked Tommy straight in the eyes and nodded.
"Good." Tommy turned around and said to the others:
"The second question is about income. We have all worked so hard for so long, but except for Mark and Susan who received a salary of two hundred dollars a week, no one else has ever received a formal salary in the company. The main reason is that we have no money. But now the storm is over, and Actor is no longer short of money. It's time to turn the company's money into our own money."
When it comes to income, everyone looks at Tommy, who first turns his gaze to Jason and Holly:
"If shareholders work, they also need to get paid. I specifically asked about the salaries of shareholders of several other companies for reference. Mr. Seymour Rubinstein of MicroPort said that he gave himself 5,000 yuan in pocket money every week. Mr. Steve Ballmer, a small shareholder of Microsoft, earned 2,000 yuan a week. Mr. Benjamin Rosen only received a pitiful salary of 200,000 yuan a year at Compaq. Therefore, Holly, as the CEO, has an annual salary of 200,000 yuan. Jason, just arrange a position in Actor other than a shareholder, and receive 150,000 yuan a year. I will also buy him a medical insurance that covers the treatment of sexual frigidity. I am afraid that 150,000 yuan is not enough for his treatment. So, let's leave it at that."
"What about you?" But Holly immediately realized a problem, that is, this bastard didn't pay himself a salary.
Tommy shook his head at Holly. "I don't need a salary. A symbolic one dollar a week is fine. But you have to guarantee me other benefits, such as medical insurance that includes dental care, regular checkups at high-end private hospitals, and the highest-yield pension. Just don't forget to remit my dividends as a shareholder to my account quarterly. The royalties are enough to cover my college expenses. You all know that I don't care about money."
"Yeah, your ordinary medical insurance plus pension is enough for the company to hire five programmers." Holly rolled her eyes.
Tommy walked up to Gary Goode, a somewhat effeminate guy who had previously completed a lot of work for Jason. Later, he led the customer service team as a part-timer, providing various telephone consultations for a large user base. Seeing Tommy looking at him, Gary smiled and said, "Do I have a high salary, too? I mean, I was paid a part-time salary before."
"You think too much. You don't have it." Tommy destroyed Gary's poor fantasy with one sentence, and then asked, "You are an egalitarian, right?"
"That's right, otherwise why would I join the Stanford Women's Equality Organization?" Gary Goode didn't understand why Tommy asked this, but said it anyway.
Tommy nodded. "Very good. To thank you and the customer service team for your efforts, if you are willing to take a leave of absence from school, the company can give you an overseas job, perhaps to Europe or Asia, to help more people of other skin colors and countries. The company will also consider giving you some incentive rewards. Holly will discuss the details with you later."
Gary Goode looked at Holly in confusion, and Holly gestured to him to talk later.
Tommy thought for a moment and said to Holly, "Susan and Mark are not strictly considered employees of Actor. They are members of Hope Human Resources. We'll talk about their income later. As for the other employees of Actor, you don't need me to teach them, right, Holly? Follow Microsoft's example and outsource everything. Let Delia help draft the contract and make it as complicated and obscure as possible. Let Mark's human resources company recruit unimportant staff. Always remember to save company costs. We are a charity, but we are not a charity organization."
Tommy lit a cigarette, took a puff, and continued, "Don't let employees eat too much. If they eat too much, they will think about issues that have nothing to do with work, such as rights, unions, industry development, and other nonsense that they have no business worrying about. Of course, don't let them starve. Employees who worry about credit card repayments every day can't serve the company wholeheartedly. Let them always be 70% full. This is good for their health and work enthusiasm."
On the one hand, he gives himself a high salary, and on the other hand, he reminds himself to save company costs. Only Tommy Hawke could say such contradictory words, and do it so confidently.
"That's it. That's the arrangement with Actor." Tommy asked Jason, Holly and Gary, "Any other questions?"
Seeing the three of them shaking their heads, Tommy walked up to Mark, who was wearing a black pullover, and reached out to lift his hood: "How are you doing recently, Mark?"
"Compared to the big things you've done, it's nothing." Mark said to Tommy with a smile.
"It's insignificant. You may think that the Human Resources Company is insignificant compared to the Actor Company, and you may be cursing me in your heart. Look at what Tommy, that bastard, has done. Jason and Holly get a lot of money, while I only make a little bit every month!" Tommy exhaled a puff of smoke and stared at Mark and said:
"I want you to know that you are now the head of the human resources department of many companies, understand? Before, you only helped those companies find cheap people to serve tea and water. Next, I want you to work while trying to understand that there is a profession called headhunting in this world. You are a natural at this job, just like you used to dig out actors for small movies, collect money and then use various means to help those companies that pay you to dig out those computer geniuses. You will find that it is really easy to make money after pimping is replaced with a high-sounding term! It is easy to make money, as long as you work hard. The reason you earn less now is because Holly and Jason have proved their ability with their academic qualifications, but you haven't. You can only perform better and better in exchange for higher and higher treatment. This is the reality of America."
"I'll try my best." Mark nodded seriously: "I'll find out what a headhunter is."
"Very good, remember what I said? I want you to never fuck those bastards again, I want you to wear brand-name suits and luxury sports cars." Tommy smiled and took out a car key and slapped it into Mark's hand. In the other's surprised eyes, he smiled and said:
"It's parked outside your residence. It's the latest two-seater Lotus sports car. It costs 40,000 yuan. I bought it for you in the name of the company using the profits of Hope Company and some white paper expenses. The boss of Hope Human Resources Company should have his own car."
Mark looked at his sports car keys excitedly, then at Tommy, trying hard to say something, but the words couldn't come out.
"Don't be excited. This is the reward you deserve. If you perform badly, I will just get rid of you like I'm giving you a sports car now." Tommy patted the other person's shoulder and said to Holly:
"Holly, transfer some of your Hope shares to Mark later to give him some motivation. You don't have the energy to manage it anyway."
Then Tommy walked up to Susan. Susan had changed her outfit compared to when she worked at Hope. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she was wearing loose and comfortable casual clothes. She was playing with a pen in her hand. She sat there, looking more sunny and full of youthful vitality, as she should be at her age.
"A post-dated check for twenty thousand dollars." Tommy took out a check from his pocket and handed it to Susan.
Susan looked at Tommy in confusion, and Tommy nodded: "Put it away."
Susan took the check and asked, "But you've already paid for my community college tuition. I don't need this money. Hope's part-time job is enough to cover my school expenses."
"I also prepared Stanford University's tuition and other fees for you. Let me put it this way, girl, there is a price for me to help you pay for the community college expenses. This is an investment. If you get a transfer notice from Stanford University, I will add an A to your life transcript. If it is a public university like the University of California, it will be a B. As for the transfer notices from other garbage universities, there is no need to notify me. Congratulations, cash this check, and then disappear from my sight forever, because there are too many useless people in the world who don't work hard. I can't find a reason to congratulate the world for having another useless person." Tommy looked at this woman who always believed in herself and grew up in the mud:
“If you think climbing up is too tiring, take out this check and take a look at it. It will tell you that if you just lie down until graduation, the rest of your life will only be worth 20,000 dollars.”
Susan shook the check in her hand, shrugged cutely, and tore it into pieces. "I won't give it a chance to look me in the eye. Remember to cash a new check, Tommy Dad."
Tommy patted Susan's head affectionately: "Good Girl, just remember, if you don't work hard, you will be as worthless as these pieces of checks. I know you won't let me down, because since I met you, you have never let me down, and every performance is worthy of an A."
"Sophia will never be a good lawyer. Lawyers should not have emotional behavior such as crying." Tommy finally walked up to Sophia. Sophia's eyes were already red when Tommy was talking to other people. She took off her glasses and kept wiping away her tears.
Hearing Tommy's words, she choked up and smiled, "I'm just... just a little sad. I know we'll see each other again, but... but it won't be the same as before. I remember Jason and Holly bickering at the desk over there before, and I also remember Susan sometimes changing her clothes in a bold way..."
She tried to make herself laugh, wiping away the tears with her fingers. "This is all Tommy's fault... If he was willing to drop out of school and continue to run Actor, he could handle everything in an orderly manner, and we could still gather around him and see each other every day, instead of... like now, making everyone... separate... This feeling makes me very sad, I can't believe it. I have worked in this garage for so long, I thought it would be a relief not to have to work, and I wouldn't be so tired, but when it really didn't need me to be busy anymore... I actually... missed those days of hard work for Actor."
Jason, Holly, Mark, and Susan were all sad to see Sophia's reaction. Although Jason and Holly both worked in Silicon Valley and the EFF office was only three kilometers away from Actor, even if they met more often, they probably wouldn't be able to see the scene of them talking and behaving recklessly in the garage again.
Susan moved into the student dormitory of Dalport Community College, leaving Mark alone to continue living in the apartment they had shared. They might still meet from time to time at work, but they would no longer walk back home together every day like they did in the past, sit on the sofa, call to order takeout, and watch movies together.
No one has changed, but life has become completely different. Sophia thought about it for a long time and could only blame it all on Tommy, because Tommy was capable of handling all things. As long as he was willing to continue to spend time and energy, everyone would gather around him and act for his every decision. But he refused and divided these things among the people in front of him, completely breaking them up.
He's just a jerk, Sophia thought sadly as she looked at Tommy smiling in front of her.
Why can't we work happily together like before, with men and women fighting for the last cup of coffee or the last piece of pizza...
Tommy took out a tissue and handed it to Sophia, smiling and saying, "You should be happier, Sophia. These guys all have their vacations. It would be better to make an appointment every year and get together for a few days regularly than to be together all day. Besides, you and your friends need to keep growing and keep yourselves at the same level. Only in this way can you be lifelong friends, and I can always proudly tell the world that at this moment, everyone in this garage is my friend, not the poor chickens living under the protection of Tommy Hawke's wings."
Sophia took a breath and took the tissue from Tommy: "I'm just a little sad. Thank you, Tommy. This tissue makes me feel for the first time that you are also a polite human being."
"You didn't forget to attack me even at such a sad moment. I've taught you a bad lesson." Tommy laughed happily. "By the way, you have to go with me later."
Then he turned around, looked at the others, and opened his arms: "Come on, a few of us rich people will do it ourselves, move the things out, officially close Garage No. 9, and wait for its next tenant."
Several members of Actor company, who were worth a lot of money at the moment, moved the packing boxes out of the garage with great effort. After everything was moved out, they stood in a row and looked at the completely empty garage.
Tommy eventually pulled down the garage door himself, locked it, and tossed the key to Holly, who would return it to the Stanford administration.
"Work hard for your own life, everyone! I will study at Stanford University and cheer you on. Don't contact me unless necessary. The courses at Stanford University are very heavy." Tommy looked around at everyone, said this, then grabbed Sophia's wrist and walked towards the school.
Sophia was grabbed by the wrist and forcibly taken away by Tommy. While struggling, she asked him in confusion: "But I haven't said goodbye to everyone yet, Tommy, this is very rude!"
"Goodbye? I don't need to look back to know that these guys are giving me the middle finger." Tommy said with a smile without turning his head.
Sophia looked back curiously, and sure enough, except for Gary Goode, Holly, Jason, Mark, and Susan were all raising their middle fingers in the direction the two were leaving.
"They did that, but why? What you just said was not a swear word?" Sophia asked Tommy after seeing this scene.
Tommy said: "Because they also have to work hard for my life. The harder they work, the more money I make. But I, the one who makes the most money, don't plan to do anything. I just want to shout a few encouragements from the side. I think this is why they send me off with the middle finger."
"Tommy! You're a fucking bastard!" Holly suddenly shouted as she looked at Tommy Hawke's back as he walked away. After she finished shouting, tears started to flow out of her eyes. "I can't believe he has no attachment to Actor."
Jason exhaled and comforted Holly beside him: "You've already given the answer, because he's a jerk."
"God and the world have witnessed it!" Hearing Holly's shout, Tommy did not turn back, but raised his left middle finger high and shouted:
"Actor! The birth of a bunch of assholes!"
It wasn't until they walked back to the campus that Sophia adjusted her mood and asked Tommy, "Where are you taking me, Tommy?"
"Is your bed in the dormitory comfortable?" Tommy asked Sophia.
Sophia frowned, stopped where she was and glared at Tommy: "Tommy~~You can't always make such vulgar jokes to women that you think you are so charming but actually have no respect for women."
"I'm not going to sleep with you, Sophia. I have plenty of female readers who are willing to have affairs with me. As long as I agree, I can help the United States create a state's newborn population." Tommy put his hands behind his head, walked forward without stopping in the sunshine, and said as he walked:
"I just want to say that you have fallen asleep on my pillow countless times on red-eye flights. This time, it's your turn to be my pillow. I want to have a good sleep."
This jerk's words instantly reminded Sophia of the times when he would help her put on her eye mask and lend her his shoulder as a pillow every time she took a red-eye flight.
"Do you think if I get a breast augmentation, would you be able to sleep better if I lie on it?" Sophia imitated Tommy's tone, and with tears in her eyes, she said loudly to Tommy's back this vulgar joke which she found a little embarrassing.
"When you come back from breast augmentation surgery, I become as sleepy as before, which is even worse." In the sunlight, Tommy turned around, looked at Sophia, and waved tiredly:
"So, why don't you go to bed first? I'm sleepy and need a long enough sleep."
Sophia walked over and walked forward side by side with Tommy: "What happens after you wake up?"
"Of course I will continue to be busy. I stayed in college not only for the diploma, but also because the value of SSD has not been fully exploited." Tommy walked towards the dormitory and said:
"My work as an Actor has come to an end, but my time in the Brotherhood has just begun."
