Silicon Valley has become synonymous with technological innovation. Each March, a science and technology exhibition attracts world-renowned tech companies that come to showcase their products, making this a lively time for the area.
Small companies and individual entrepreneurs also flock here to seek opportunities. If their products catch the attention of investors, they can experience exponential growth. Silicon Valley is known for being the hub of venture capital as well!
The success of Silicon Valley is undeniably tied to the investments from venture capital firms.
Hundreds of venture capital companies from around the globe converge in Silicon Valley, resulting in one of the highest entrepreneurial rates in the world. Don't let the appearance of an ordinary supermarket salesperson fool you; they might have once been a billionaire with a market value of tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars!
Henry's company participates in the tech exhibition every year, often discovering valuable acquisitions or promising startups in the process.
The exhibits at the technology fair can range from the bizarre to the incredibly valuable; some are nothing short of money pits! Venture capitalists must keep their eyes sharp! This year, Prestige Capital, for the first time, is participating in the technology exhibition, and Henry decided to accompany Kailena. When it comes to sharp business insight, few can match Henry's two decades of experience and intuition!
Henry aims to have Prestige Capital acquire companies or technologies he deems promising at this exposition. Ultimately, he envisions a future where people associate Weifeng Capital's investment returns with maximum profitability, perhaps even hundreds of times!
Currently, Prestige Capital has gained foreign investments, attracting investors to entrust their funds to its management. So far, they have raised $50 million, promising an annual return of at least 10%. Under Kailena's management, however, the return has been an impressive 25%! By absorbing foreign capital, Henry intends to forge connections with powerful and wealthy businesspeople while using their funds to strategically position his company within the market.
If Prestige Capital can control hundreds of billions of dollars, it would wield significant influence in the financial realm. Events like the 1997 Asian financial crisis showcased how entities like Soros's Quantum Fund operated, positioning Prestige Capital to be a dominant player!
Kailena was dressed in a crisp white shirt and black shorts, exuding professionalism. As she drove, she casually remarked, "I heard you spent $10 million on a bronze dragon head last night. Was that to impress a woman?"
Henry's body tensed at her words, and he quickly glanced over at her. "What do you mean? I'm a quarter Chinese! How could I turn a blind eye to a national treasure? So, I bought it!"
"You needed to spend ten million?" Kailena scoffed.
"I feared others might compete with me..."
Henry's reluctant explanation sounded weak even to his own ears. Kailena quipped, "Sounds like you're just jealous!"
Henry simply smiled, choosing not to argue as he gazed into Kailena's eyes, ambiguously saying, "What? Are you jealous?"
"Why would I be?" Kailena scoffed.
"Then why are you giving me the cold shoulder?"
"I am not angry!" she replied, crossing her arms.
Just then, the car suddenly accelerated, and Henry's heart raced.
"Slow down!" he thought. "Is she crazy?"
He quickly produced a striking phoenix jade pendant from his pocket and said, "Kailena, I deliberately bought this for you! Don't underestimate it; this pendant was worn by the famous beauty Yang Guifei in ancient China. It's a top-quality piece, both in terms of craftsmanship and material!"
Kailena glanced at it out of the corner of her eye, her grip on the steering wheel loosening as she eased off the accelerator. However, she pretended to be indifferent and remarked, "It's just a jade pendant…"
"Don't you want it?"
Kailena continued driving without responding.
Henry sighed, "Well, since you don't want it, I suppose I'll give it to Helen!"
Suddenly, the car lurched as Kailena pressed the accelerator, taking off like a cheetah!
Henry's heart raced. "Just kidding! I bought it especially for you. How can I give it to Helen?" He smiled weakly, trying to keep things light, "Kailena, wait! The car is going to attract police attention!"
Kailena's face remained stern as she continued to speed.
Trying to lighten the mood, Henry pretended to toss the jade pendant out the window.
"Don't believe me? I'll throw it away!" Henry gestured dramatically, attempting to get a rise out of her.
"Wait! You're crazy! Don't throw it away!" Kailena shouted, panicking.
"Since you don't appreciate it, what use do I have for it?" Henry joked.
Kailena opened the door to retrieve it.
"What are you doing?" he asked, bewildered.
"Picking up the pendant!"
Henry chuckled as he pulled the jade pendant from his pocket, revealing it to Kailena. "No need to go! The jade pendant is right here!"
"Didn't you throw it away?" she asked, confused.
"I tossed a lighter instead…"
With a grin, he presented the pendant again. "Do you want it? If not, I really will throw it out this time!"
Realizing Henry was serious, Kailena hesitated but ultimately decided, "It's still valuable! It would be a shame to throw it away, but I won't accept it for any ulterior reasons!"
At that moment, as she reached out to take the pendant, Henry suddenly grabbed her hand. "I knew you would accept it…" Then he leaned closer, pressing his lips against hers.
Kailena initially resisted, but gradually, she returned his kiss passionately.
After a few minutes of heavy breathing, Henry triumphantly remarked, "Your body tells a different story!"
Kailena flushed. "Kissing doesn't mean I like you!"
"It doesn't matter what your mouth says! Just wait until I kiss you again!"
Henry leaned in once more.
Kailena exclaimed, "You rogue!" but she offered no real resistance.
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a knock on the window, and a traffic policeman barked, "No parking here! Move along!"
Kailena groaned and straightened her hair. "This is all your fault!" she complained.
Henry just smiled, enjoying the moment.
After Kailena spoke briefly with the officer and handed over her driver's license for inspection, they managed to avoid any repercussions. As she closed the window, she noticed Henry watching her with a smirk.
"What are you staring at? I need to drive!"
Henry chuckled. "Just remember to drive slowly! Don't speed; it makes me worry about you!"
"Why do you care!" she shot back.
"I have to! I will take care of you for the rest of my life!" he replied earnestly.
Kailena felt a shiver at his words.
Henry leaned forward and lightly kissed her forehead. "Let's drive; we have to get to the tech exhibition…"
She nodded obediently and started the car.
---
The car ride lasted about half an hour before they arrived at the tech fair, where crowds of people had already gathered.
Henry had just reached Prestige Capital's booth when he overheard a group nearby laughing.
"What's the point of this chat software you developed? Does everyone need a computer to chat?!" a middle-aged man in gray scoffed, shaking his head.
Those around him sneered.
"What a stupid design! It's useless! A mobile phone can do the same!"
"Only the Chinese would think this is worthwhile!" another added mockingly.
In the crowd, a young man dressed in black was red-faced as he stood his ground. "It's not useless! The chat software I developed allows users to connect and make friends online!"
The gray-suited man wasn't convinced, dismissively asking, "And how many users do you have?"
"More than seven hundred…" the young man admitted, his face flushing.
"Only seven hundred?!" the man scoffed.
The young man clenched his fists, stammering, "Once a venture capital firm invests, we could promote it properly, and the number of users will definitely increase!"
"Even if a venture capital firm backs you, what's your plan for the company? Do you even have a profit strategy? If you can't answer these, why do you think you deserve funding?!" the gray man jeered.
The young lad found himself speechless, his face reddening.
He hadn't considered those factors. He just wanted to develop a solid chat software, believing that if he gained users, the profits would come eventually.
"What's wrong? Can't say a word? Hah! I've seen many wannabe entrepreneurs like you! With no plan, you dare ask for venture capital? Think you can use us as a bank machine? Huh?! Talk about ignorance!" the gray man continued to ridicule.
"Mr. Smith, you can laugh at me, but don't belittle the Chinese!" the young man exclaimed, though his physique was smaller than most Americans, his voice resonated powerfully enough to fill the space.
"Very brave of you!" Smith laughed. "But am I wrong? Just take a look at how simple the interface is and how low your user count is. Are you really expecting venture capital from all that? Daydreaming? You really think you're something special?"
Laughter erupted in the surrounding crowd.
Suddenly, a voice called out from among the onlookers, "I'm willing to invest in you!"