Back in 1995 #1-50
Author: 月阳之涯
Date: 2026-03-09T22:46:34+00:00

Chapter 1: The Ball at the Start

When Song Yang woke up, he saw a hospital bed surrounded by various medical equipment, and his forehead still throbbed faintly.

“It’s not too serious, probably just a mild concussion. Of course, if you need it, Greck, we can do further examinations!”

A tall, grey-haired, chestnut-eyed doctor, after checking Song Yang’s eyes, said this to a middle-aged man of similar appearance but with a serious expression standing nearby. They seemed quite familiar with each other.

“Thank you, Brie!” The middle-aged man, addressed as Greck, forced a smile and thanked the doctor who had examined Song Yang.

“I told you not to cause trouble anymore!”

After the doctor left, Greck couldn’t help but speak sternly to Song Yang on the bed, clearly very displeased with him. However, seeing Song Yang lying in the hospital bed with bandages wrapped around his head, he ultimately suppressed his anger.

“I’ll handle this. He’ll pay the price he deserves. You stay here and rest today.”

Greck sighed. As the only bloodline left by his sister, even though he was very dissatisfied with Song Yang’s continuous troublemaking over the years, Greck, this opportunistic uncle, had still grudgingly accepted him. Today, upon hearing that something had happened to Song Yang, he rushed over immediately.

“Stay out of trouble for a while. I’m trying to get someone to write you a university recommendation letter, so behave yourself!” Greck told Song Yang before leaving, then got up and departed without waiting to see if Song Yang had heard him.

It was then that the bewildered Song Yang seemed to “wake up.” He had no idea how he, who had been undergoing surgery in the 21st century, had suddenly ended up here.

A sharp pain suddenly struck his head, and a flood of memories poured into Song Yang’s mind, finally making him understand what had happened. For a moment, Song Yang didn’t know whether to be happy or helpless.

In his previous life, Song Yang had attended a university in China. Having grown up immersed in the internet and electronic technology, Song Yang had a talent for internet and electronic design. During his studies, he had secured internships at several major tech companies.

However, before he could fully showcase his talents, he was diagnosed with a malignant illness shortly after graduation. Over the next few years, he underwent several surgeries, but it was clear that the last one ultimately failed.

And now, Song Yang found himself thousands of kilometers away in America, specifically Houston, Texas!

He reached up and rubbed his forehead, a headache flaring up, and cursed inwardly. That guy from the baseball team had really played dirty.

The main reason Song Yang was lying here was because of that guy who had played dirty during the school baseball team’s internal training match. The original owner of this body was the team’s pitcher. During the internal training match, a batter hit the ball directly into his head, which is why Song Yang woke up here.

Taking a small breath, Song Yang stood up and walked towards the mirror in the ward. What greeted him was the face of an East Asian mixed-race individual.

Looking at the face in the mirror, Song Yang couldn’t help but touch it. Black eyes and chestnut hair; even compared to Hollywood actors and models, this face was in no way inferior.

The unique softness of the East combined with the sharp features of the West made Song Yang’s current appearance quite striking. Moreover, the original owner was a key player on the school baseball team, frequently exercising and working out, resulting in a lean, well-proportioned body full of explosive power.

As Song Yang stretched his limbs, he could feel the strength in his body. The person in the mirror was exactly the type most popular with girls at school. Song Yang recalled those memories and suspected that the guy from the baseball team who had played dirty against him probably did so because of a girl.

Lying on the bed, Song Yang recalled those memories, gaining an understanding of this body’s background.

Song Yang’s father was one of the first people to come to America from China. He was an unadulterated genius. After graduating from a prestigious American university, he successfully stayed on as the youngest associate professor, where he met Song Yang’s mother.

Chinese-Americans and Italian-Americans in America actually had quite close interactions. Both groups shared similar lifestyles and values, such as a preference for saving money and valuing credit. Of course, there was another significant similarity: both cared deeply about “face.”

However, when Song Yang was less than three years old, his parents were involved in an accidental tragedy. His paternal relatives, thousands of kilometers away, never received the news. Song Yang was consequently adopted by his maternal family, specifically the opportunistic uncle Greck he had just met.

Song Yang’s mother and Greck were part of the Bruno family, of Italian descent, and were multiracial, possessing Italian, Irish, and Germanic bloodlines, which explained Song Yang’s striking looks.

As for the situation of his paternal family in the distant East, Song Yang had no idea, only hearing that they were a scholarly family in the local area, but he couldn’t contact them now.

His maternal Bruno family was not some European aristocracy but an ordinary family that had moved through several European countries before arriving in America. He heard they still had a few relatives on the Italian peninsula.

However, the Bruno family had many members. Including Song Yang’s mother and Greck, there were six siblings in total, and Greck himself had three children, making the Bruno family quite numerous.

While he was thinking about this, the ward door was pushed open. A girl about Song Yang’s age, eighteen or nineteen, entered, her eyes red as if she had just had a good cry.

“Song, are you okay? Stanton was really too rough!” Ibeila said as soon as she entered, looking very concerned about Song Yang.

If it had been the original Song Yang, seeing Ibeila’s expression, he probably would have forgotten everything else. But Song Yang didn’t feel much for this girl, dressed fashionably in hot pants, with a few freckles on her face.

Song Yang noticed that although Ibeila’s eyes were red-rimmed, there wasn’t a single tear, and her eyes were discreetly observing Song Yang’s physical condition, clearly calculating something.

Although Ibeila was condemning Stanton, the one who had attacked Song Yang, her feelings were actually quite different.

Today, news had spread like wildfire throughout their school: two members of the school baseball team were fighting over her out of jealousy, even coming to blows. This had significantly boosted Ibeila’s popularity at school, after all, what girl her age wouldn’t want to be the center of attention?

But Song Yang didn’t respond much to Ibeila’s words, only telling her that Greck would handle the matter on Song Yang’s behalf and would definitely make Stanton suffer.

Greck was a lawyer. Though not a prominent one, just a small lawyer at a Houston law firm, dealing with a rookie like Stanton was a piece of cake.

“Stanton might have just been accidental!” Ibeila said, testing Song Yang’s reaction.

“I’ll leave this matter to the lawyers.”

Song Yang’s decision to let Greck handle the matter surprised Ibeila. She thought that, given Song Yang’s personality, he would surely want to personally get his revenge and have another “duel” with Stanton.

This would have kept Ibeila’s popularity at school going, making her the talk of the school until the graduation prom a few months later. But she never expected Song Yang to play it so differently this time.

Seeing that Song Yang had no intention of discussing it further, Ibeila stood up and said, “I ran out from school, so I need to go back. Song, I’ll wait for you at school. The school baseball game is in a few days; I’ll be there with the cheerleading squad to cheer you on!”

With that, Ibeila leaned down and lightly kissed Song Yang’s cheek, leaving behind a scent of perfume, then walked out of the ward.

Song Yang watched Ibeila’s retreating figure and gently shook his head. The previous Song Yang might not have noticed anything, but now, observing as an outsider, Song Yang could see some things about Ibeila. Her “tea art” wasn’t refined enough. Stanton’s sudden dirty play against Song Yang – Ibeila probably played a significant role in instigating Stanton from behind.

Today was clearly not a day for Song Yang to rest well. No sooner had Ibeila left than the ward door was kicked open again.

“Wow, the next Rivera, got sent to the hospital by a baseball!”

A man in his twenties with long hair, wearing sunglasses and a trendy striped outfit, walked into the ward.

Before he even fully entered, just hearing the teasing voice, Song Yang knew who it was. Who else could it be besides Greck’s eldest son, Song Yang’s older cousin, Gallo!

Gallo knew that the original Song Yang’s favorite baseball player was Mariano Rivera, one of the hottest stars in baseball in recent years. His entry into baseball was also quite talked about, a true late bloomer who was now showing his superstar qualities.

Song Yang didn’t pay much attention to Gallo’s teasing. He could imagine that Gallo wouldn’t be the only one making fun of him. A baseball player being sent to the hospital by a baseball would definitely spread like wildfire.

“I’ll buy Rivera’s baseball team and make him play for me!” Song Yang retorted to Gallo.

Gallo burst out laughing, not taking it seriously at all, thinking Song Yang was just joking. Rivera played for the New York Yankees, an absolute powerhouse in the sports world, valued at over one billion US dollars. Usually, they just watched games on TV; live tickets were really expensive. As for Song Yang mentioning buying the Yankees, Gallo had never even considered it.

Gallo took off his sunglasses and looked at Song Yang. He was far more rebellious than Song Yang. Song Yang’s knack for causing trouble paled in comparison to Gallo’s.

Once, Gallo, because he loved racing, tore up a university recommendation letter for a New York university that Greck had painstakingly acquired for him. He then turned around and joined a small startup racing company, hanging out with a few young founders. To this day, Gallo and Greck’s relationship remained very strained.

“Do you want me to help out?!” Gallo said, punching Song Yang’s shoulder. Having repaired cars for years, Gallo’s punch was almost too much for Song Yang to handle.

Song Yang knew what Gallo meant, but just as he told Ibeila, Song Yang still insisted on letting Greck handle the matter.

Hearing Song Yang’s words, Gallo was surprised. He knew Song Yang’s temper and personality—always reckless and very concerned about “face.” It was truly astonishing to Gallo that he wasn’t eager to get his “face” back now. If it weren’t for the fact that the person in front of him was Song Yang, he would have started to doubt.

After Gallo, several more people arrived. Several of Song Yang’s friends from school, along with a few members of the Bruno family in Houston, came by. However, seeing that Song Yang was not seriously injured, most of them just circled around and left, with only Gallo remaining.

Chapter 2: Enemies Cross Paths

Speaking of Gallo, he was actually somewhat reliable. He had been fussing about in the hospital room for a while; after all, they had grown up together, and Song Yang had essentially lived in Greck’s home for many years.

Song Yang’s parents had passed away far too early, leaving no real estate behind. There was a payout from compensation and insurance, but it wasn’t a massive sum.

Gallo stayed in the ward, lounging on a chair while munching on fruit, occasionally whistling at the young nurses passing by. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought he was there on vacation.

Song Yang underwent several more check-ups and took some medication. Since Stanton’s family was footing the bill, Song Yang didn’t feel the slightest bit of pity for their wallet. The tests confirmed that there was nothing seriously wrong with him.

In the room, a small, old-fashioned television was playing a program from a local Houston station.

Song Yang’s mind wasn’t on the TV; he was feeling a bit dazed. The date he had just heard on the news was the beginning of 1995. He had no idea what the world outside looked like right now.

At that moment, a stern-faced Greck walked into the room. His expression soured the moment he saw Gallo.

“Stanton’s family is willing to pay compensation—three thousand dollars. Furthermore, Stanton will publicly apologize to you in front of the school baseball team. This matter ends here!” Greck said to Song Yang.

Three thousand dollars was by no means a small sum in this era. Currently, the average annual income in America was less than thirty thousand dollars. It was a well-known fact that the majority of people worldwide earned less than the statistical average, not to mention that Americans were famous for spending ahead of their means. They rarely kept a cent in savings, so forcing them to cough up several thousand dollars was definitely like pulling teeth.

Song Yang wasn’t sure about the specifics of Stanton’s family, but they certainly weren’t exceptionally wealthy. Devers School, where Song Yang was currently enrolled, was a school in Houston that could barely be called “somewhat well-known.” Most of the students came from families that were middle-class or below.

“I understand,” Song Yang replied, nodding at Greck’s words. He stood up and began gathering his things to leave. Song Yang’s reaction caught Greck off guard, leaving the rest of his prepared speech stuck in his throat.

Given Song Yang’s past personality, he would have definitely been throwing a fit right now, demanding to settle the score with Stanton and refusing to listen to a word Greck said. But now, it seemed Song Yang didn’t care about Stanton at all.

“Da’anna has already prepared dinner,” Greck said, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw that Song Yang really wasn’t planning on looking for more trouble with Stanton. As for Gallo, Greck didn’t show any intention of acknowledging him.

Da’anna was Greck’s wife, a standard housewife primarily responsible for looking after the Bruno household. She was very kind to Song Yang; it was no exaggeration to say that Song Yang wouldn’t have made it this far without her care.

Song Yang and Greck left the hospital and got into a somewhat aged Ford. Behind them, Gallo waved at Song Yang before hopping into a custom-built, patched-together off-road vehicle and roaring away with a heavy stomp on the gas.

Sitting in the slightly bumpy Ford as they drove toward Greck’s house, they entered a middle-class residential community. Although Greck was a lawyer—a profession considered high-income in America—he hadn’t made a name for himself as a top-tier attorney, so his income wasn’t remarkably high.

Furthermore, he was the sole breadwinner for the entire Bruno household. He had to support three children plus Song Yang through school, pay for various insurance premiums, and cover living expenses. In reality, Greck’s life wasn’t exactly easy.

Greck’s home was a detached house—not luxurious, but with enough rooms. Song Yang, Gallo, and the others each had their own bedroom. There was a garage in the back and a small swimming pool.

It was enough to maintain the dignity of a lawyer, but for this, Greck had to pay a significant amount in property taxes every year. Song Yang remembered hearing Da’anna complain about that specific expense more than once.

“Song!”

The moment they walked through the door, Da’anna, who had been busy in the kitchen, came running over. Seeing Song Yang with bandages wrapped around his head, she immediately pulled him into a hug, crying out, “Praise the Lord!”

“I’m fine,” Song Yang said, forcing a smile as he pulled off the bandages and spoke to her. He could tell her concern was genuine. He then addressed the two children who had come over: “Logan, little Milly!”

Logan and Milly were Greck’s middle son and youngest daughter, both several years younger than Song Yang. Unlike Gallo, Logan was very quiet and excelled in his studies. Greck had high hopes for him, though he wasn’t particularly close to Song Yang.

Milly was not yet seven years old. Compared to Gallo, who was rarely home, and Logan, who often kept to himself, Milly was very attached to Song Yang, who frequently played with her. As soon as she saw him, she leaned against his side.

“God bless, at least it wasn’t anything serious. I told you, he shouldn’t have joined that school baseball team. It’s too dangerous!” Da’anna complained to Greck while setting the table, still believing that his decision to let Song Yang join the team had been a mistake.

Greck grunted but didn’t say anything. He had agreed to let Song Yang join the baseball team in hopes that he could use the sport to earn a recruitment offer and a full scholarship to a prestigious university. After all, heaven knows why Song Yang’s original self hadn’t inherited a single shred of his father’s genius. His academic performance was a disaster, even worse than Gallo’s.

Greck had the utmost respect for Song Yang’s father. Back then, the Bruno family hadn’t harbored any prejudice or discrimination regarding the union between Song Yang’s mother and father. As for skin color, that was even more of a non-issue.

After all, for a man to come to America single-handedly, graduate from a top university, and become the youngest associate professor in the department—his future had been brilliant. To this day, no one in the entire Bruno family had surpassed Song Yang’s father in the academic world.

The result, however, was Song Yang. It was as if something had gone wrong in his genetics. Greck wanted to send him to a prestigious school, but from childhood to now, Song Yang’s academics had been nothing but a headache. Forget the Ivy League; even getting into a regular college was a struggle. This was a constant source of frustration for Greck.

“Song, I made your favorite Chinese dish!” Da’anna said excitedly, placing a mushy-looking dish in front of Song Yang. It was clear she had put a lot of effort into it.

Song Yang’s brow twitched violently as he looked at the plate. However, seeing Da’anna’s expectant gaze, he braced himself and took a bite.

It wasn’t a “culinary disaster” in the traditional sense, but it was essentially tomatoes, potatoes, and beef boiled together with very little seasoning and a strange sweetness. The taste was truly nothing to write home about.

With Da’anna watching him, Song Yang had no choice but to eat heartily. When she wasn’t looking, he used his spoon to scoop a large portion of her “delicacy” onto little Milly’s plate. After all, such “fine food” shouldn’t be enjoyed by him alone.

Seeing Song Yang eating with such gusto, Da’anna flashed a satisfied smile. As a housewife, her greatest daily achievement was seeing her family clear their plates.

Da’anna’s cooking was primarily Italian. Compared to the high-calorie, high-sugar burgers and creams typical of poor neighborhoods, the Bruno family table actually featured quite a few vegetables. Consequently, the family members were all of a healthy weight.

After dinner, Da’anna finished cleaning up and sat down with Greck to watch soap operas. Song Yang retreated to his room.

Lying on the bed that felt both familiar and foreign, looking around the modest room with baseball star posters on the walls, Song Yang began to organize his thoughts from the day.

It was 1995. There was no doubt about that. He was in America, thousands of miles away from the East. Thinking about his current situation and his worries about his family in his previous life, Song Yang felt a wave of mental exhaustion. He soon fell into a deep sleep.

In the morning, Song Yang was shaken awake by Milly, who had burst into his room. Dressed in a skirt, Milly tilted her head back and shouted at him, “Time for breakfast! You’re going to be late!”

Milly and Song Yang went to school in the same direction, so it was naturally Song Yang’s job to drop her off. Looking at the little girl acting like a mini-adult, Song Yang couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch her chubby, baby-fat cheek, making her yell in protest.

He got up, grabbed a quick bite, and led Milly out the door. Along the way, looking at the street architecture so different from 21st-century China, Song Yang felt as if a lifetime had passed.

Taking in the sights, Song Yang took a deep breath. He planned to get a clear picture of his current situation before making any moves. However, after spending a full day at school, he felt entirely numb.

The original owner of this body was essentially an academic failure. There wasn’t a single shred of useful knowledge left in his memory. The basic curriculum here—history, geography, and the like—was completely different from what he had learned in China. By the end of the day, aside from math, which he could handle easily, the rest of the courses felt like an absolute disaster.

At this rate, Song Yang felt that forget a prestigious university, even getting into a community college would be a stretch. And given Greck’s status, there was no way he could secure a letter of recommendation for a top-tier school based on connections alone.

It wasn’t just academics. When he arrived at the school baseball team practice, Song Yang’s performance was equally abysmal. Sports require an extremely high level of physical coordination.

While he now had the original Song Yang’s memories and was familiar with the rules of baseball, it was a bizarre experience for him, having never actually played before. It felt familiar yet utterly foreign. By amateur standards, he wasn’t bad, but in a competitive setting where “a miss is as good as a mile,” his performance was predictably terrible.

During the team drills, Song Yang looked completely out of place, leaving his teammates puzzled. Coach Old Mark was absolutely fuming, wondering if Stanton’s ball had actually broken Song Yang’s brain.

After only a short period of practice, Song Yang took the initiative to leave the field. Removing his glove, he massaged his face. He realized that the path of using baseball to get recruited into a top university was likely a dead end.

Given his current state, it would take a significant amount of time to return to the original owner’s skill level, let alone with games against other schools looming. And even if he did recover his previous form, Song Yang likely wouldn’t be the top-tier talent needed for that route anyway.

Just as Song Yang was sighing to himself, a figure entered the training grounds. The moment he saw the person, Song Yang’s fist clenched instinctively. He knew exactly who it was. Who else could provoke such a visceral reaction but that bastard Stanton?

Chapter 3: The World Has Changed

Song Yang’s instinctive reaction was enough to tell what the original body felt about this guy—he was practically seething with hatred.

But Song Yang himself, now in control, didn’t have much feeling toward Stanton. If not for that baseball incident, Song Yang probably wouldn’t have come here at all.

Stanton was quite tall and burly. At first glance, someone unfamiliar might think he played football. But compared to Song Yang, in terms of looks, Stanton resembled more of a bear.

Only someone like Stanton would be fooled by a tea art master like Ibeila into having trouble with Song Yang. Anyone with eyes could tell which girl would choose between Song Yang and Stanton.

As soon as Stanton entered the school baseball team’s training ground, the entire team turned to look at him.

Stanton walked toward Song Yang. Coach Old Mark also looked over. Stanton’s face was flushed red, glaring at Song Yang with disdain. He didn’t want to apologize to Song Yang, but remembering yesterday’s incident and what Greck had told his family, Stanton had no choice but to apologize to Song Yang in a barely audible voice, right in front of the entire baseball team.

But seeing the aggrieved look on Stanton’s face, it was clear he wasn’t willing. The one who could make him come was naturally Greck.

Although just a small lawyer, dealing with the Stanton family was a piece of cake—threatening to sue Stanton and so on. Even if he couldn’t send Stanton to jail, he could ruin Stanton’s college prospects and his family’s future.

Like Song Yang, Stanton and the other team members were counting on baseball to catch the eye of prestigious schools, hoping to be directly recruited. If they were lucky enough to enter the professional baseball major leagues and become stars, that would be enough to change a family’s fate.

If this path was cut off, it would be a huge blow to the Stanton family—years of effort would be wasted. This was why the Stanton family was willing to compensate. It showed the role lawyers played here.

No one wanted to offend lawyers who were like vultures. Even if Greck was just an unknown small lawyer, focusing on the Stanton family’s tax issues and other problems, he could make this family unable to live normally.

After finishing, Stanton glared at Song Yang, “I will never let go of Ibeila!”

Song Yang looked at Stanton and casually waved his hand. He really didn’t have the heart to argue with Stanton over a tea art master. But in Stanton’s eyes, this was blatant disregard and provocation.

“From today on, you two are both benched. If anything like this happens again, disappear from the Devers baseball team!” Old Mark shouted at Song Yang and Stanton with an unfriendly expression. A fight within a team was undoubtedly a challenge to the head coach’s authority in the locker room. If he couldn’t even control the locker room, what was the point of playing?

Hearing that they were being benched, Stanton’s mouth fell open, his face full of dejection. This was quite a blow for him. But Song Yang didn’t feel anything.

During school baseball team practice, Song Yang used the team’s equipment for basic training. Since getting sick in his previous life, Song Yang had never been this drenched in sweat.

When Song Yang was at the training ground, several groups of people came to see him. They were mostly girls from Devers. Originally, the most popular players at Devers High were definitely the football team guys. But since Song Yang joined Devers’ baseball team, the baseball team’s popularity, especially among Devers girls, had skyrocketed.

The girls who came to watch practice by the baseball field mostly focused their gazes on Song Yang. Without comparison, there’s no harm. Compared to the other baseball team members, Song Yang’s looks were undoubtedly far superior.

Seeing this scene, Stanton could only train with more frustration. He was already used to it. Like how he had initially pursued Ibeila, but when Song Yang appeared, Ibeila became very close with Song Yang.

Stanton could only watch Song Yang bitterly, then continue training with heavy breathing, seemingly preparing to use a baseball bat next time to crack open another opponent’s skull.

“Song!”

When Song Yang just came off the field to rest, someone immediately handed him a bottle of water. Song Yang looked up and couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.

The person before him was over 1.6 meters tall, with long light golden hair. Unlike those celebrities who were too thin, her facial features were very delicate, her lips somewhat full. When she smiled, her face showed dimples. She somewhat resembled Daniel Campbell, but more importantly, her figure was far more explosive than Daniel Campbell’s.

Compared to tea art master Ibeila, the girl before him, aside from dressing more provocatively, was basically just a skinny sparrow.

Perhaps influenced by the original body, Song Yang, who considered himself a gentleman, after taking in the magnificent sight before him, finally looked up, “Jenny?”

Hearing Song Yang mention her name, Jenny, whose face had turned slightly red from being stared at, sat down beside Song Yang.

“Are you okay, Song?” Jenny saw that Song Yang hadn’t joined team practice and looked at his head with concern. She had heard that Song Yang’s head had been ambushed with a baseball by that big bear Stanton. Fortunately, Song Yang still remembered her.

Song Yang vaguely replied, “It’s had some impact. I might need some time to get back in form!”

Even though he had no intention of using baseball to get into a prestigious school, he couldn’t just quit immediately. He needed to pin the blame on Stanton—when people mentioned Song Yang, they should regret that because of Stanton, a genius comparable to Rivera had left baseball in disappointment.

Looking at Jenny sitting with Song Yang, the girls around the training ground didn’t know how many times they had cursed “slut” in their hearts. They felt Jenny was taking advantage of Song Yang’s injury to move in, but they regretted not seizing the opportunity themselves.

“I interviewed at the art college of Southern Methodist University. I wonder if I’ll have a chance to get in!” Jenny said excitedly to Song Yang. Southern Methodist University was the top choice for upper-middle-class old white families in Texas and throughout the American South.

Now, with less than half a year until Song Yang and the others graduated from high school, everyone was starting to look for universities. As for those who said American universities don’t rely on family connections, that’s basically nonsense. Just the recommendation letter requirement alone—if you don’t have family connections to get backing from powerful figures, countless prestigious schools would close their doors to you.

“Song, which university are you planning to go to?”

Hearing Jenny mention this, Song Yang felt a headache coming on and could only shake his head. It wasn’t about which university Song Yang wanted to go to now, but rather which ones he could get into.

“I’m still choosing!”

Inside the baseball training ground, Song Yang and Jenny became more familiar. Compared to Ibeila, Song Yang was more willing to interact with Jenny.

Seeing Song Yang and Jenny getting along so well, Old Mark couldn’t watch anymore and called Song Yang over.

Song Yang said a few words to Jenny, left his phone number, and followed Old Mark to the office in the training ground.

“Song, you need to get back in form as soon as possible. You only have half a year left. If you can’t catch the eye of NCAA college baseball team scouts watching the games, you’ll lose the chance for college baseball team recruitment and won’t be able to get a scholarship!” Old Mark had many forehead wrinkles and some white hair, showing he had put considerable effort into the baseball team.

Old Mark’s most glorious moment was in college when his school baseball team won the state baseball league championship. Although they lost in the NCAA Baseball Championship College World Series, he was still considered a genius. But even with Old Mark’s talent, he couldn’t enter the professional baseball major leagues to become a professional baseball player and could only stay as a high school baseball team coach.

Song Yang was recruited by Old Mark into the school baseball team, so of course he knew Song Yang’s talent. In fact, the entire Devers school baseball team members weren’t particularly talented. There was no way around it—recruiting and cultivating talented players cost money, and given Devers’ situation, being able to support a baseball team was already very difficult.

Although entering the professional baseball league was somewhat difficult, using baseball to get into college was still possible. Old Mark didn’t want Song Yang to waste this opportunity.

Looking at Song Yang leaving the office, Old Mark sighed deeply. He had noticed that Song Yang seemed to have lost his passion for baseball. Originally, he just needed to give Song Yang some encouragement, and Song Yang would get excited, treating the girls coming to the training ground as if they didn’t exist. But now it seemed completely useless.

Over the next few days, Song Yang’s life seemed to stabilize. He traveled between Devers School and Greck’s home every day. Academically, except for math, his other courses were a mess. Although he was still on the school baseball team, Song Yang mostly went there to exercise and then spent time getting close to Jenny.

Song Yang had thoroughly understood his current situation, but the more he understood, the more helpless he felt.

Undoubtedly, Song Yang was most familiar with the tech industry. And through information collected over these few days, Song Yang had gained an understanding of the current tech industry.

It was now 1995. Microsoft and Cisco had just been selected into the NASDAQ index components. Although they had already become representatives of the tech industry, they were far from becoming global industry dominators.

The internet, even in America, was still just a concept, mainly serving office work rather than mass entertainment. The highest-valued companies in the tech industry now were Microsoft and Cisco. Apple was just playing a supporting role.

As for the few internet concept companies, they made Song Yang even more helpless—he had never even heard of them. The highest-valued internet companies now were WEB, which handled website hosting, a home rental online company, and Springer Group, which claimed to be the world’s third-largest internet company.

As for those tech giants whose names were as loud as thunder in Song Yang’s previous life, he couldn’t see any of them. Yahoo was still called an internet navigation guide, Amazon hadn’t even appeared, and Google, Facebook, and others weren’t worth mentioning. Song Yang had only seen reports about the Silicon Valley rising star Netscape on an economic channel of a TV station.

Chapter 4: The Stepping Stone

The technology boom had not yet begun, and the internet’s wealth-creation myths were still unknown. Even companies like Microsoft and Cisco had taken several years to reach their current standing, still a bit too early to be called true giants.

For Song Yang, it was even more so. He was still just an ordinary student at Devers School. His immediate challenge was getting into a university in six months. Otherwise, half a year later, Song Yang might find himself wasting several years at a fast-food restaurant like McDonald’s or KFC.

A clever housewife cannot cook without rice; a single penny can stump a hero. Even if he knew about companies like Yahoo, he had no chance of latching onto them. As for investing, that was even more ridiculous. Even if he sold Greck, he probably wouldn’t get much money, let alone convince Greck to willingly hand over money for Song Yang to invest.

Knowing his predicament, Song Yang felt even more helpless. Now he understood why so many people took risks for their first pot of gold.

The first pot of gold was like a key; without it, one couldn’t reach the next level and would be stuck in place.

Walking down the streets of Houston, passing by the city’s largest BBVA Compass Bank, Song Yang couldn’t help but glance at it a few extra times.

If he could get a sum of money now, just investing in those well-known tech giants, perhaps in a few years, Song Yang could also earn the title of “stock god.”

But that was impossible now. No one would give money to an unknown nobody, especially a young kid without even a professional economic license, to invest in the so-called internet concept industry. They would basically be considered a lunatic.

Now, let alone elsewhere, even in America, the internet concept was a new thing, and many people still saw the industry as a scam.

After all, the entire American internet population was less than six million, which was already the region with the most internet users globally. Other regions were even less populated.

Leaving Devers School, Song Yang, feeling a bit down, arrived at an apartment.

As soon as he entered, he saw a woman in a bathrobe emerging from the bathroom. Seeing Song Yang, Hayley, wrapped in her bathrobe, greeted him, “Song, Gallo told me you got hurt. It didn’t injure your face, did it?”

At first glance, this woman didn’t seem like a good person. Seeing Song Yang’s somewhat depressed expression, Hayley giggled and returned to Gallo’s bedroom.

This apartment was Gallo’s hangout, a place where the original Song Yang and his friends often gathered for parties. Hayley was Gallo’s girlfriend, currently a minor model, doing some commercials and magazines to get by. Many girls wanted to enter the good film and television industry, but few could truly establish themselves. Most, like Hayley, just drifted, waiting for an opportunity that might never come.

Song Yang familiarized himself by turning on a TV. Gallo’s place wasn’t large, but it had everything: a TV, speakers, a VCR, a Sony game console, and more. Parties were constant.

A moment later, Gallo and Hayley emerged from the bedroom together, took a few bottles of alcohol from a worn-out refrigerator, and handed one to Song Yang. One of the reasons this place attracted many men and women was the alcohol supply. After all, other places couldn’t openly sell alcohol to someone of Song Yang’s current physical age, but here, he could drink.

Hayley lit a ladies’ cigarette. Having entered this profession, Hayley had picked up some bad habits. Leaning against Gallo, she teased Song Yang again, “Song, do you need me to introduce you to a girl? She definitely won’t be worse than that I… Ibeila!”

After a long time, Hayley finally remembered Ibeila’s name. She remembered Song Yang bringing that skinny girl to the apartment party. As a model, she naturally knew many girls in the industry. With Song Yang’s looks, Hayley felt it wouldn’t be a problem at all. He was a notch above the male models she knew, enough to make those wild girls fall head over heels.

Moreover, by introducing Song Yang to those wild girls, Hayley might even gain some resources. It was killing two birds with one stone.

Under Hayley’s gaze, Song Yang felt like he was being stared at by a wolf. He felt that Hayley wasn’t a good person; he wondered what kind of woman she would introduce to him.

He quickly waved his hand in refusal. “Stanton, that idiot, started this. I’m not in the mood right now. I’ve been moved to the bench on the baseball team, so it might be difficult to get a university scholarship!”

Hearing Song Yang’s words, Gallo looked up. He naturally knew the original Song Yang’s terrible academic performance. To be frank, Gallo’s grades after messing around for a few years were better than the original Song Yang’s. If he couldn’t get a university scholarship for baseball, Song Yang’s path to university might be cut short.

“Did your athletic nerves get injured?” Gallo scrutinized Song Yang. It wasn’t uncommon for athletes’ performance to decline significantly after injuries, but Gallo always felt that Song Yang had changed somewhat these days, though he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.

Song Yang took a sip of alcohol. “I don’t know, but I can’t get into game-ready condition. I might need to slowly find my rhythm!”

Inside the small apartment, the atmosphere became a bit heavy. Gallo and Hayley had already entered society and experienced its harsh realities. They had long understood how absurd their idea of not going to university a few years ago was. To say they didn’t regret it at all would be ridiculous.

Gallo had thought that if he had followed Greck’s arrangement and gone to university to major in law or finance, he would be interning at a law firm or on Wall Street by now, instead of being busy all day at a repair shop disguised as a racing company.

Hayley also thought that if she had an art school background, her chances of making it in Hollywood or becoming a TV station reporter would be much greater than being an independent model now!

Now, hearing that Song Yang might not be able to go to university, Gallo and Hayley both felt a bit down. Gallo patted Song Yang’s shoulder and clinked glasses with him.

At that moment, someone else entered the apartment. A tall, thin man came in and casually sat on the sofa. Song Yang remembered his name was Ryan; he worked with Gallo at the same racing company.

After sitting down, Ryan said to Gallo, “We got a big job. Cole sent three Toyotas. We need to ‘repair’ them!”

Cole was the leader of a small gang in Houston. Those people liked to tattoo a red viper on their arms, so they were called the Red Viper Gang. Such small gangs were almost as numerous as cattle in America.

The name “Red Viper Gang” sounded quite impressive, but they actually engaged in petty theft and reselling, making a living by stealing cars and reassembling them.

This was clearly “under-the-table work,” but Gallo was already used to it. His current racing company sounded like it focused on designing high-performance racing cars, but this required a lot of money. Without wealthy patrons to support their research and development, they had to find ways to raise funds themselves.

That auto repair shop was the main business of the racing company now, but sometimes they would take on some profitable “under-the-table jobs.” They were practically starving; how could they care about anything else?

If that racing company didn’t make a name for itself in the future, then so be it. But if it succeeded, today’s blemishes could all be whitewashed. This was essentially the first pot of gold!

Gallo, Hayley, and Ryan chatted, planning to hold a party that night. Hmm, the excuse was to celebrate Song Yang’s return from injury. How could this even be about Song Yang?

Song Yang wasn’t paying attention to any of that. His focus was entirely on the NBC TV station. This was an NBC economic talk show, and the host was with two people in the same control room.

One was a minor but well-known investor on Wall Street, primarily investing in traditional industries. At this moment, he was locked in a fierce debate with the other person in the live studio.

“The internet is a scam, just like Netscape, which those Silicon Valley people are hyping up. It doesn’t even have a profit model right now, it can’t prove it can survive!”

This investor, who mainly focused on traditional industries like banking and aviation, completely dismissed the internet, which wouldn’t make money anytime soon, viewing it as a scam.

The one being refuted was a professor from a university’s network lab in New York. Avoiding the topic of profitability, he said, “The America United Network Committee has defined the internet as a global information system. In the future, the number of American internet users will grow at a rate of 23% annually. As long as there are enough users, this market will definitely exist. The future will certainly belong to the internet!”

This professor’s vision was naturally excellent, but the investor opposite him relentlessly pressed on, “Then how will it profit? Investors put their money into companies like Netscape; how will they get it back in the future?”

The university professor in the NBC control room was cornered, looking embarrassed. This was indeed a very realistic problem. The cake was drawn, but it was unclear if it could be eaten.

Then the show host called a Wall Street analyst to ask for his opinion. He was essentially taking sides, very optimistic about the internet’s potential, but couldn’t explain how to make a profit and return money to investors. He couldn’t just say that after going public in the future, those venture capital firms would just cash out and run, could he?!

Currently, the profitability of the internet software industry basically relied on selling software, like Microsoft and Oracle. But how many companies in the entire internet industry became indispensable presences like Microsoft and Oracle?

Song Yang’s eyes were fixed on the TV, watching the investor named Christian Barnard blabbering on. His mind was buzzing, and a vague idea appeared in his head, leaving Song Yang both hesitant and excited.

For the internet to develop into what it became later, one thing that countless internet users detested but which sustained internet companies was essential: internet advertising!

Just as advertising was crucial to TV stations, without it, the television media industry could not have developed to what it is today. TV advertising transformed the media industry.

Internet advertising was no different. In later generations, nearly half of the revenue of major internet giants came from it.

Song Yang watched the TV, oblivious even to Gallo’s calls nearby. This was an opportunity, an excellent opportunity for Song Yang. A key lay before him, but acquiring it wouldn’t be so easy.

Chapter 5: The First to Eat the Crab

Seeing Song Yang staring blankly at the TV, completely deaf to his words, Gallo couldn’t help but feel a wave of worry. He turned to Hayley and whispered, “Song… he hasn’t actually gone crazy, has he?”

Hayley, meanwhile, was looking at Song Yang’s focused expression. He looked like an exquisite oil painting. She felt that if those wild friends of hers saw him like this, they wouldn’t be able to keep their composure.

“It’s just over a woman. I’ll invite a few more girls over tonight. I guarantee Song will forget all about that skinny sparrow by tomorrow!” Hayley told Gallo.

“Song?!” Gallo slapped Song Yang on the shoulder.

Song Yang turned his head at that moment and looked at Gallo, uttering a seemingly nonsensical sentence: “Someone has to do it. Why can’t it be me?”

Hearing this cryptic remark, Gallo became even more concerned. He felt he might need to find a Native American shaman to perform a séance or something for Song Yang. He had heard that there were many things doctors in hospitals simply couldn’t diagnose.

In a country where everyone was religious and even the President placed his hand on a Bible during inauguration, people weren’t lacking in superstition. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many cults, shamans, and psychics operating in these parts, making a fortune off the gullible.

Song Yang had no idea what kind of nonsense was swirling in Gallo and Hayley’s heads. At this moment, a thought was rising within him, making him both apprehensive and exhilarated.

This was the eve of the global internet wave. Those legendary tech giants were either just being founded or were still stumbling around, trying to find their way.

Previously, Song Yang had never thought about standing up and clashing head-on with those titans who would eventually grace TV screens, magazines, and even textbooks.

He was just an ordinary person from a future university, someone with a bit of a knack for technology. His previous ambition was merely to land a job at a top-tier internet company after graduation to earn a decent living.

But now, Song Yang saw a path opening before him. It made him both excited and uneasy; he didn’t know what it would be like to face off against those giants whose names would one day be known by everyone.

However, just now, a sentence had inexplicably popped into his head: Someone has to do it. Why can’t it be him?

This thought made his heart pound. If he stepped up now, even if he didn’t become a founding patriarch of the internet in the history books, he could at least leave the name Song Yang etched into the global industry.

Thinking of this, Song Yang stopped hesitating. He practically had nothing to lose. At worst, he’d waste six months, fail to get into college, and end up clearing tables at a KFC. But if he succeeded, the script would be flipped—universities would be begging him to grace them with a visit.

“Gallo, help me buy the latest issues of Popular Magazine, Wired, The New York Observer, and Computer Magazine!”

Looking at Song Yang, Gallo’s expression of worry deepened. He knew that Song Yang used to have zero interest in such things. The ball court, parties, and girls were Song Yang’s true loves. Now, he was willing to ditch a party tonight for a stack of useless magazines. If that wasn’t a sign of a problem, what was?

Gallo looked at Song Yang and said tentatively, “Song, I remember there’s a famous psychic on 13th Street. Maybe we should take a trip over there.”

Song Yang ignored Gallo’s babbling. He planned to go downstairs and buy all the latest tech and economics newspapers.

Before heading out, Song Yang changed his shoes and said to Gallo and Hayley, “This is important. It’s not just about me. It’s about whether that repair shop of yours can turn into a racing company, and whether you, Hayley, can make it into Hollywood. Everything depends on this!”

After Song Yang left, Gallo, Hayley, and Ryan stood there looking at each other. Ryan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter as he looked at Gallo and Hayley. “You guys don’t actually believe him, do you?”

“But I have a feeling that this time, Song might actually have a chance,” Hayley murmured softly. Song Yang was more serious than she had ever seen him. Of course, this might have had something to do with the boy’s looks—if the same words had come out of Ryan’s mouth, she would have treated it like hot air.

“Believe me, Gallo,” Ryan took a sip of his drink and said with the self-deprecating experience of someone who had been there, “Gallo, I don’t know what that guy Song wants to do, but you’ve seen what our racing company has gone through these past few years. Do you really think he can pull it off?”

Looking at Ryan, who was shaking his head, Gallo also felt unsure. However, he still retorted for Song Yang’s sake, “No matter what Song wants to do, I’ll support him this time. When we started this racing company, nobody supported us either!”

Seeing Gallo and Hayley get up, actually prepared to scour all of Houston for a few magazines for Song Yang, Ryan couldn’t help but shake his head. Tonight’s party was definitely a bust for them. He stood up, preparing to find another venue.

It was already late at night. Inside Gallo’s small apartment, the lights were still burning bright. Hayley had long since fallen asleep. Gallo sat by bored, keeping Song Yang company. A pile of empty beer bottles and cigarette butts already cluttered the floor.

Seeing Song Yang finally put down the last magazine and begin rubbing his temples, Gallo couldn’t help but ask, “Song, what exactly are you planning to do?”

Gallo continued to observe him. He wasn’t afraid of Song Yang doing something ridiculous; he was genuinely afraid that Song Yang had been possessed by something unscientific and was still debating whether to call in a psychic to clear the air.

If Song Yang knew what was going on in Gallo’s head, he would have poured a few bottles of whiskey over him to cool him down.

He pulled a cigarette from Gallo’s pack and took a drag. Song Yang, experiencing this for the first time, couldn’t help but cough, but it cleared his head significantly.

He knew he had to give Gallo and Greck an explanation. He would need their help for what came next.

“Today, I was watching the debate between Professor Tristan from New York University and Barnard. An idea came to me. I think I might have a way to solve the internet’s current predicament.”

Song Yang took another puff and followed it with a large gulp of alcohol. It certainly wasn’t healthy, but it was stimulating—a sensation his past self had never experienced.

Listening to Song Yang, Gallo’s eyes widened. He considered his own IQ to be decent, but this guy just watched a little TV and discovered a breakthrough? He wondered if they were watching the same TV, because all he saw were soap operas and celebrity gossip, while Song Yang saw solutions to global problems.

Gallo opened his mouth, wanting to ask how Song Yang saw all that, but on second thought, Song Yang did have the genes of his genius father. Being able to see these things was probably just a minor detail for him.

However, Gallo did have some experience. Even though the racing company he was in was basically a ragtag operation, he knew how difficult it was to actually get things done.

“What do you plan to do?” Gallo asked, looking at Song Yang.

Song Yang leaned back on the sofa, stretching his tired body. “I have to find Uncle Greck. I need to take out that compensation money.”

Song Yang knew that Greck was holding onto a sum of compensation money from when Song Yang’s father and mother passed away. For all these years, Greck had never touched a cent of it.

Greck’s character was beyond reproach, not to mention his status as a lawyer. Over the years, while he might not have treated Song Yang exactly like his own son, Song Yang had been treated no differently than Gallo or Logan. He never lacked for food or clothing. Greck had once said that the money was meant for Song Yang’s college education.

Hearing that Song Yang was eyeing that money, Gallo gave him a “good luck with that” look. He knew Greck’s temper; the man was not easy to bargain with.

Gallo put on an expression that said he couldn’t help. If Gallo were the one asking Greck for that money, it would likely turn into a father-son shootout that would move the heavens.

“You’ll have to talk to the old man about that yourself. But if there’s anything else you need help with, just say the word.”

Although Gallo gave his verbal support, in reality, his heart was just like Ryan’s—he didn’t harbor much hope for Song Yang. Every year in America, people starting businesses were as numerous as fish in the sea, but those who actually succeeded were one in ten thousand. Not to mention, Song Yang had zero experience and zero capital. Gallo felt that once this initial enthusiasm passed, Song Yang would probably give up.

“There is indeed one thing I need your help with,” Song Yang said, scouring his memories. “I remember you have a classmate from the Computer Science department at the University of Houston named…”

“Jaden. Bledsoe Jaden. You’ve met him before. Remember at the graduation prom? I brought you along. You even hooked up with a senior girl. She’s at the University of Houston now too; she was asking Jaden about you before!”

Speaking of this, Gallo was no longer sleepy. He remembered instantly and began talking with great enthusiasm.

Song Yang’s face darkened. What kind of mess was this? He felt like his predecessor was incredibly unreliable. Who knew how many more social landmines were buried out there for him?

“That’s the one. Jaden. Can you help me get in touch with him? I might need to meet him.” Song Yang quickly interrupted Gallo’s trip down memory lane.

As soon as Gallo heard this, he immediately took charge. “No problem, anytime. Jaden is my brother!”

Song Yang automatically filtered out Gallo’s bravado. Talking was cheap; only when actual dollars were involved could you truly see a person’s character.

Exhausted after the long night, Gallo went to his room. Song Yang made do on the living room sofa. At this moment, he couldn’t sleep. The thought of stepping onto the stage and clashing with those giants from the textbooks made him toss and turn.

The next morning, with dark circles under his eyes, Song Yang went to Devers School. His mind wasn’t in the classroom at all. He didn’t even go to the baseball field in the afternoon. After a brief explanation to Jenny, whom he had been hitting it off with lately, he hurried back to Greck’s house.

“Aunt Da’anna!” As soon as Song Yang entered, he poked his head around, looking toward the study.

Da’anna was surprised to see Song Yang back so early. He rarely came home this early; staying out all night was more the norm. Seeing him look toward the study, Da’anna couldn’t help but wonder if Song Yang had caused more trouble. At this point, even if he brought home a grandchild for her one day, she wouldn’t even be shocked.

“Greck is in the study. Is something wrong? Do you want me to talk to him for you?” Da’anna asked.

“No,” Song Yang took a deep breath. “I’ll talk to Uncle Greck myself.”

Less than two minutes after Song Yang entered the study, just as Da’anna had expected, Greck’s roar of anger erupted from within.

Chapter 6: The Garage

Greck stared at Song Yang across the desk, his face grim and his anger barely suppressed. “That money is the last thing Catherine left behind, and you want to squander it now?!”

Catherine was Song Yang’s mother and the youngest of Greck’s siblings. When the elder Brunos were busy working away from home, it was mostly Greck who had looked after her. Naturally, they had been very close.

Song Yang did not flinch. He looked Greck in the eye and said, “I need that money, but not to squander it!”

The two of them stared each other down for a long while. Greck saw the solemn expression on Song Yang’s face and realized he wasn’t joking. Finally, he spoke slowly. “Why?”

Song Yang felt a wave of relief. The original soul of this body was clearly terrified of this “cheap uncle” Greck; just now, his calves had been trembling involuntarily.

Song Yang repeated the explanation he had given Gallo. Greck listened, looking somewhat bewildered. He knew what computers were, of course—the small law firm where he worked had already begun using them for office work. However, the things Song Yang mentioned—internet companies, websites, digital advertising—left Greck at a loss. These concepts were outside his range of understanding, and he had never handled a lawsuit involving such matters before.

Nevertheless, Greck tried to process the information using his own logic and managed to find a thread. “You want to start an advertising agency?”

“An internet advertising media company,” Song Yang corrected him.

Greck wouldn’t be led in circles again. He waved a hand dismissively. “It’s an advertising agency. Who are you planning to advertise for, and where are you going to put those ads?”

Song Yang felt a headache coming on from the questioning. But seeing Greck’s dead-serious expression, his eyes landed on a bill on the desk from Roth Insurance, one of the ten biggest insurance giants in America.

The bill cost Greck several thousand dollars, which of course included Song Yang’s share. This was a payment Greck had to make every year; as long as you lived in America, there was no escaping it.

Pointing at the Roth Insurance bill, Song Yang looked at Greck and said, “Perhaps in the future, Roth Insurance will use an internet advertising company to place ads on Microsoft!”

Hearing this, Greck couldn’t help but let out a short laugh. He thought Song Yang was joking. He was all too familiar with Roth Insurance; every year, they acted like vampires, sucking a large sum of money out of him.

As for Microsoft, Greck had heard of them long ago. The media reported on them constantly, and there were even rumors that Bill Gates might become the richest man in the world this year.

To hear Song Yang suggest that a vampire like Roth Insurance would advertise through his non-existent internet company and even collaborate with Microsoft… Greck felt it was far too whimsical.

“Do you know how much it costs to establish a company? How much red tape you have to handle? How many people you need to hire…?” Greck threw a barrage of questions at Song Yang.

Song Yang listened and then gave an answer that left Greck speechless. “Don’t I have you for that, Uncle Greck?”

Looking into Song Yang’s eyes, the corner of Greck’s eye twitched violently. It turned out Song Yang had calculated his “cheap uncle” into the plan from the very beginning.

Greck let out a long breath and recited a line commonly used by his boss, the most famous lawyer at his firm: “I’m very expensive!”

Song Yang simply spread his hands, implying Greck could write himself whatever check he wanted—after all, the money was still in Greck’s hands.

“And the location? Even if I give you that compensation money, I’m afraid it won’t be nearly enough!”

Song Yang thought for a moment and then said, “I remember the Bruno family has a garage near Highway 7 in Harris County.”

Greck glared at Song Yang. He felt the boy was truly being brazen, “plucking feathers from a passing goose.” He seemed determined to strip the Bruno family bare.

The senior Brunos didn’t have much property. That garage had once been the Bruno family’s base, but over the years, as Greck and the others started their own families, the garage had been largely abandoned.

In the study, Greck pondered the matter. He felt it was unreliable, yet looking at Song Yang’s resolute expression, he realized this was the first time in years Song Yang had spoken to him so formally about something.

“Song, you need to know what you’re doing. You only get one shot at this!” Greck exhaled deeply and looked at Song Yang, his tone turning serious.

“Give me half a year. If there’s no progress, I’ll let it go,” Song Yang promised. The lifespan of internet startups was notoriously short. If things didn’t pick up at the start, there was no hope, not to mention that Song Yang’s funds would likely only last that long anyway.

“Twenty-seven thousand, six hundred dollars. That is the compensation Catherine left behind.” Mentioning the money brought a hint of sadness back to Greck’s face.

Seeing Greck stand up to get the money from the safe in the corner of the study, Song Yang said, “I will put this money to good use!”

Greck glanced at Song Yang with a look that suggested the boy was overthinking things. He pulled a stack of bills from the safe and placed them on the table. “This is five thousand dollars. I need to see you actually doing work before you get the rest of the funds!”

Song Yang felt that Greck still didn’t quite trust him, but Greck clearly had no intention of changing his mind. If Song Yang expected to get the whole sum at once, he was dreaming.

“You’ll see,” Song Yang said as he took the money.

At the Devers School baseball training field, Old Mark was breathing heavily as he looked at Song Yang. “You want to quit the school baseball team? Do you know what you’re saying?”

Song Yang was going to be very busy for the foreseeable future. He would likely need to take frequent leaves of absence from Devers School, let alone show up for baseball practice.

“I think something is wrong with my condition. I need to seek treatment. If I can find my form again, I’ll come back to the team!”

Song Yang spun a tale for Old Mark. Seeing that the rest of the team, including Stanton, were watching them, Song Yang continued loudly, “I love baseball. I want to be the next Rivera. I won’t give up on baseball unless the hospital gives me no other choice!”

As he said the last sentence, Song Yang pointedly glanced at the bear-like Stanton. Hearing this, Stanton’s eyes practically spat fire. What was that supposed to mean? Was it all his fault? Had he, Stanton, ruined a Rivera-level talent?

This “black pot” of blame was too heavy for Stanton to carry. If the media got wind of this, who knew what kind of rumors would start flying.

Old Mark, however, could hear the hidden meaning in Song Yang’s words. He knew Song Yang simply didn’t plan on wasting any more effort on the baseball field.

As Song Yang left the training grounds, he waved goodbye to the rest of the team. He walked out of Devers School and climbed straight into a waiting car.

“Are you ready?”

Chapter 7: Poaching

Wearing his aviators, Gallo sat in the driver’s seat chewing gum. He spoke with his usual nonchalant tone, yet a trace of uncharacteristic seriousness seeped through as he questioned Song Yang.

Gallo had walked this path himself. Even though the racing company he’d been involved in was just a front, he had experienced everything one goes through in such ventures. He understood the price one had to pay for a single spark of an idea—not to mention someone like Song Yang, who had left himself no way to retreat.

Song Yang didn’t say a word. He simply patted the pocket containing the US dollars. Once the arrow is released, there is no turning back. For Song Yang, this was the only way to resolve his current predicament, even if it promised to be a difficult road ahead.

The car drove along Highway 7 in Harris County. Houston is the county seat of Harris County, and along the road, stone statues commemorating Sam Houston could still be seen. If he hadn’t pushed for Texas to join America, Texas cowboys would probably still be herding cattle on what would be Mexican territory.

Aside from dozens of skyscrapers in the central area, the buildings elsewhere were generally not very tall. As a region without zoning laws, it perfectly reflected the free-spirited and casual character of cowboys; the entire city’s architecture was quite scattered.

However, along the way, Song Yang saw the signs of giant corporations in oil, chemicals, energy, shipping, ports, and aviation. These were the primary industries of Houston at this time.

Thanks to Houston’s unconventional development, the location of the Bruno family garage was no longer considered remote. There were even residential communities, stores, and a McDonald’s nearby.

Looking at the old garage and then glancing around, Song Yang felt that at the very least, he didn’t have to worry about going hungry.

Gallo took out the key and opened the garage door. A cloud of dust immediately billowed out, and Gallo quickly jumped to the side. The garage was currently being used mainly as a storage shed for junk.

The area wasn’t large, but it wasn’t small either—it was enough for a few people to work in. However, it clearly needed a thorough cleaning before anyone could even set foot inside. Barring any accidents, this would be the registered location of the first company Song Yang would establish across his two lifetimes.

“It looks like this place needs the next Rivera to clean it personally!” Gallo looked at the dust-filled garage, unwilling to go inside and breathe it in.

Song Yang gave him the middle finger. “The next Disney, Hewlett-Packard, or Apple will be born here, and yet you refuse to join!”

It wasn’t exactly a lie; companies like HP and Apple really were born in garages. By that logic, this company was already starting on the same line as Apple and HP.

Gallo didn’t buy the nonsense. Holding his nose, he walked in. Seeing the thick layer of dust inside the garage made him scratch his head, but he grit his teeth and helped Song Yang start tidying up.

While Song Yang cleared out the garage, he discovered various items among the junk. Gallo would let out shouts of surprise from time to time.

“Song, remember this? You pestered Greck for the longest time. Finally, for your birthday, Nathan and I pooled our money to buy it for you!”

Nathan was another of Song Yang’s older cousins, the son of a different aunt. His family had moved to New York a few years ago due to a job change.

Song Yang looked at the action figure Gallo was holding; it was a Superman doll. Its appearance was slightly different from those of later generations. Song Yang felt a bit hazy about the event Gallo mentioned, but a vague memory remained. Clearly, many years had passed.

Dust flew everywhere in the garage, but they found quite a few things: early Marvel comics, posters, and action figures of Superman and Batman. Song Yang put all of these away.

These things weren’t worth much now, but in a few years, when Song Yang and Gallo’s generation reached middle age, these items would likely become rarities. To satisfy a craving for nostalgia, they would probably be fought over at auctions.

Cleaning the warehouse wasn’t the only task; they also had to check the wiring and plumbing, set up internet access, and bring in daily necessities. By the time they finished tidying up, both Song Yang and Gallo were covered in grime.

Finding two broken chairs, Song Yang and Gallo lay down at the garage entrance. They pulled out the drinks Gallo had planned to bring to the party and finished a bottle each.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here,” Gallo said with a slight sigh as he looked at the garage, which was starting to look like he remembered it.

In the past, the whole Bruno family was in Houston. Gallo, Nathan, and the others often took Song Yang and the rest of the Bruno clan running all over the place. They had spent plenty of time messing around in this garage, but now Nathan and the others had all moved away.

It was rare to see Gallo like this, but Song Yang knew he wouldn’t stay lost in nostalgia for long. Sure enough, after a few minutes, Gallo glanced at the time and jumped up. “Damn it, the party is about to start! Hayley is still waiting for me!”

While busy changing his clothes, Gallo didn’t forget to ask Song Yang, “Do you want to come to the party? Hayley invited a few great girls. If you need anything else, I’ll bring it over tomorrow!”

Song Yang shook his head and handed a piece of paper to Gallo. Gallo looked down and saw list of various models for monitors, motherboards, and graphics cards. He looked at it with total confusion.

“Computer parts. I need you to help me buy them.”

Song Yang spoke helplessly. Currently, a mainstream computer cost over three thousand dollars. With the small amount of funding Greck had provided, if Song Yang didn’t buy parts and assemble them himself, he probably wouldn’t even be able to afford a single pre-built machine.

Gallo was stunned. He looked Song Yang up and down. He had never heard that Song Yang knew how to build computers. In an era where computers weren’t yet common, this was considered a highly technical skill. “You know how to assemble them?”

“I read the manual.”

Gallo was speechless. He gave Song Yang a thumbs up. He was starting to realize that Song Yang was much more resourceful and bold than he was.

“Right, let me meet with Bledsoe Jaden as soon as possible,” Song Yang told Gallo, who was in a hurry to leave for the party.

Bledsoe Jaden was going to be crucial for Song Yang moving forward. Song Yang could write code, of course, but there was a fundamental difference between programming now and how it would be decades later. Furthermore, it was impossible for Song Yang to write an entire suite of programs alone; he definitely needed help.

Gallo gave Song Yang an “it’s handled” gesture and then hurriedly drove away.

At Devers School, Jenny, who still hadn’t seen Song Yang at the training grounds, was preparing to leave in disappointment. She hadn’t seen a sign of him for several days, and when she called, it was always Mrs. Da’anna who answered.

“Song quit the baseball team. His performance in games was being affected.”

A passing member of the school baseball team saw Jenny and his eyes lit up. He spoke with a look of regret on his face, while inadvertently flexing his well-trained muscles.

However, Jenny didn’t notice any of that. Compared to Song Yang’s, the face in front of her was unbearable to look at. She gave a quick thanks and walked away with her head held high, leaving the baseball player looking depressed.

For the past few days, Song Yang spent almost all his time crouched in the garage, assembling the computer parts Gallo brought over. One computer was already finished.

Rats have their ways, and snakes have theirs. Song Yang didn’t care where Gallo got these parts, but the price was truly cheap. To assemble a computer with the same configuration as a Gateway or Dell, the total cost was under 1,800 dollars, while similar machines on the market cost over three thousand. It had to be said that this was an era of exorbitant profits for computer hardware.

Gallo was perched on a chair, playing Microsoft’s Minesweeper on a computer Song Yang had assembled. It had a HP logo stuck on the case, but the internal components were a hodgepodge from various brands.

“I really didn’t think you had this skill, Song. I guess talent is genetic after all,” Gallo said, looking up for a moment before turning back to the game. Seeing Song Yang still assembling computers, a crooked idea popped into his head. “I think it would actually be pretty good if we opened a brand-name computer shop!”

This guy saw that Song Yang had actually managed to make this “International Legion” of parts work. When he considered how little the parts cost versus how much a built machine sold for, it was much more profitable than exhausting himself to repair a car.

Song Yang glanced at Gallo and ignored him. He knew exactly what kind of devious idea Gallo had—build some off-brand computers and sell them as brand-name machines. It was just taking advantage of the fact that most people back then didn’t know much about computers. Song Yang wasn’t that unscrupulous yet.

“How is the contact with Jaden going?” Song Yang asked, looking up.

Just then, Gallo’s second-hand Motorola phone suddenly rang. Gallo answered it. “Brother…”

Song Yang pricked up his ears, knowing it was Jaden calling. Sure enough, after bragging for a bit over the phone, Gallo hung up and said proudly to Song Yang, “Fixed! Jaden is attending a party today. We’ll head over together!”

“But I still have to say, even if Jaden is my brother, your idea of getting him to come here is a bit…”

Gallo waved his hands helplessly, a bitter smile on his face. He knew Song Yang’s plan. To have Jaden, a university student in Houston, come here to work like a beast of burden for Song Yang—Gallo felt it was somewhat of a joke.

“That’s my business.” Song Yang tightened the last screw. Now there were two computers in the garage. These were the only things Song Yang could rely on from here on out.

Quickly changing his clothes, Song Yang said to Gallo, “Drive me to Devers!”

To attend a party, one naturally needed to bring a girl, even if it was just a typical student party.

It was already afternoon. After arriving at Devers, Song Yang made his way to the dance studio with practiced ease. Song Yang didn’t know why he was so familiar with the route—he’d have to ask his former self, as it clearly wasn’t the first time he’d been there.

Jenny was in the training room doing basic drills along with some other art students and cheerleaders. However, Jenny had no one else around her; she was alone. On the opposite side, Ibeila was surrounded by quite a few girls.

Ibeila was a prominent figure at Devers. Even if she wasn’t the most beautiful, she was the one who generated the most gossip—especially recently, with Song Yang and Stanton coming to blows over her. This had made Ibeila the center of attention at Devers.

Moreover, Ibeila’s family background was quite good by Devers standards, so she naturally had no shortage of followers. Surrounded by the girls, Ibeila cast a slightly provocative glance toward Jenny. She had heard that Jenny had been getting very close to Song Yang lately, which gave Ibeila the feeling that her territory was being poached.

Chapter 8: The Signboard

Song Yang was already seen as private property by Ibeila. Although she hadn’t officially established a relationship with him, she certainly didn’t want anyone poaching him.

Ibeila hadn’t paid much attention to Jenny before. It was only after Song Yang’s injury, when Jenny started getting closer to him, that Ibeila felt provoked.

She glanced at Jenny, who was dressed in a tight-fitting training outfit. Her figure was slightly more curvaceous than Ibeila’s, and her facial features were a bit more refined, but Ibeila believed that catching a man required more than just looks and a body.

Watching Jenny stretch, her body curving into a perfect S-shape, Ibeila cursed internally, Big-chested airhead. Bitch!

Jenny also noticed Ibeila’s gaze but acted as if she hadn’t seen a thing. She didn’t want to start a conflict here; she would be the one to lose out in a scene. Jenny had a good body, but she wasn’t stupid; she knew exactly how to pick the right moment to get closer to Song Yang.

The door to the dance studio was pushed open, and a tall, slender figure stood at the entrance. The light of the setting sun fell perfectly across Song Yang’s face, looking like a scene straight out of a manga. The girls in the studio who turned their heads were momentarily dazed by the sight.

It had to be said that good looks were truly unfair. If any other guy had shown up at the training room right now, he would have been met with a chorus of complaints. But with Song Yang standing there, not a single person complained. Even the girls gathered around Ibeila were looking at him with burning intensity.

“Song!”

Ibeila was the first to speak. Seeing Song Yang at the door, a smile broke across her face. She shot a subtle glance toward Jenny, and seeing the disappointment on the other girl’s face made her smile even wider. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I didn’t see you at the baseball field!”

“I’ve had some things to deal with these past few days,” Song Yang replied casually.

His gaze swept over the training room, noting the various curves and heights of the girls present, before settling on Jenny. His eyes lit up. He had sensed it back at the baseball field, but seeing Jenny in her dance gear gave him a much clearer perspective.

Walking up to Jenny, Song Yang extended a hand. Under Jenny’s surprised gaze, he made his invitation: “Would I have the honor of inviting you to a party with me tonight?”

Jenny looked on in disbelief. The smile on Ibeila’s face froze. Despite her shock, Jenny placed her hand in Song Yang’s.

It wasn’t until Song Yang led Jenny out of the studio that the other girls began to look at Ibeila with strange expressions, many of them wearing smirks of schadenfreude.

“What a pair of scumbags,” Ibeila cursed in her heart, feeling the eyes on her. She insulted Jenny with a string of F-words in her mind, but as for Song Yang, she still believed he had simply been seduced…

After taking Jenny home to change, Song Yang, Jenny, Gallo, and Hayley headed toward the southeast area of Houston. The University of Houston was located there, and tonight’s party was being held in a student apartment nearby.

“So, what have you been busy with these last few days?” Jenny asked, still feeling a bit dazed but happy as she sat in the car. She was also a bit conflicted; by tomorrow, the news that Song Yang had invited her to a party would likely spread throughout Devers School. She wasn’t sure what this meant for her relationship with him.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Song Yang said, turning from the window to look at her.

Unlike Ibeila, Hayley got along quite well with Jenny. Both wanted to pursue careers in the arts and film industry, and before long, their conversation shifted to makeup, clothes, and celebrities.

When Song Yang and Jenny walked into the apartment where the party was being held, it was already filled with men and women swaying to deafening music. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and sweat.

Being at an upperclassman party for the first time, Jenny seemed both excited and a bit intimidated. She noticed several gazes land on her as soon as they entered. If she hadn’t been holding onto Song Yang’s arm, someone would likely have come over to hit on her already.

Song Yang had little interest in the party itself. He simply followed behind Gallo, thinking about the man he was about to meet—Bledsoe Jaden.

As they entered, Gallo frequently bumped fists and greeted people, clearly familiar with the scene. After asking around, he led the group to the backyard, where a swimming pool had been set up. A group of girls of various ethnicities in bikinis were splashing around.

These girls were clearly not students; they had been hired from modeling or talent agencies to liven up the atmosphere. It was clear that the host of tonight’s party had spent quite a bit of money.

“Jaden!”

Gallo walked up to a man wearing glasses, a plaid shirt, and jeans, who was holding a drink and talking to several others dressed similarly. Gallo threw an arm around his neck. “My brother, long time no see!”

“Gallo,” the man, Bledsoe Jaden, said to those around him. “This is Gallo, an old classmate of mine.”

Song Yang observed Jaden. He had the typical look of a tech geek. There was no need to ask how Song Yang knew—most of the senior students and colleagues he’d known in his past life dressed exactly like this. It was a universal uniform.

Gallo chatted with Jaden for a bit before introducing Song Yang. “This is Song. You should remember him.”

“Vividly,” Jaden said with a laugh when he saw Song Yang. “I remember at our graduation dance, he collected quite a few girls’ numbers!”

Having his past embarrassments brought up again was a bit awkward for Song Yang. He didn’t know how many other unreliable things his predecessor had done that were now waiting for him to deal with.

“You were so urgent to see me just because of him?” Jaden looked at Song Yang and then back at Gallo, somewhat confused.

Gallo shrugged. “I think it’s very important. At least for Song!”

“Jaden, can we talk? This is indeed very important to me, and it might be just as important for you,” Song Yang said.

Seeing Song Yang’s solemn expression, Jaden just shook his head, clearly not taking Song Yang’s words too seriously. However, he looked at Gallo and finally nodded.

Song Yang gave Hayley a look, signaling for her to look after Jenny. Hayley was a total party animal and very experienced; without her looking out for her, Song Yang was afraid Jenny might get taken advantage of.

They went into a room and closed the door. Although the vibrations from the music could still be felt, at least they didn’t have to yell to be heard.

“What do you want to talk about?” Jaden looked between Gallo and Song Yang, still not taking it very seriously.

Song Yang didn’t touch his drink, pushing the glass aside to keep his mind sharp. “Gallo told me you’re the best computer technician in Houston.”

Hearing this small bit of flattery, Jaden just chuckled. But what Song Yang said next left him not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“You want me to join your Internet project?”

When Song Yang extended the invitation, Jaden spoke with a mix of amusement and disbelief. He even doubted if Song Yang knew what the Internet even was. Jaden had heard that the wave of Internet startups was surging at Stanford and other colleges near Silicon Valley, but he didn’t realize it had started appearing in Houston as well.

And it was being proposed by—Jaden glanced at Song Yang again—someone who wasn’t even in college yet.

Song Yang didn’t back down; he still wanted to convince Jaden to work like a dog in his garage—no, to start a business together. “I believe that once you see my project, you’ll definitely want to join. It’s the key to opening a new world on the Internet!”

The pitch was passionate, but Jaden didn’t agree. If a university professor or a well-known figure in the tech industry had said this, Jaden might have believed it. But coming from Song Yang, he remained skeptical.

Seeing this, Song Yang changed his approach. “Then I’d like to hire you, Jaden, to help me complete this project. I will pay you well.”

Hearing that Song Yang wanted to pay him, Jaden realized he wasn’t joking.

“I need to see the project before I can make a decision and set a price,” Jaden said, still wanting to wait and see.

“Ten thousand dollars to help me finish this project,” Song Yang offered immediately.

Gallo was startled and frantically winked at Song Yang. Their entire budget was limited, yet Song Yang had just offered Jaden such a high price.

“Thirty thousand dollars,” Jaden countered after a moment’s thought, looking at Song Yang.

“Jaden, we’re brothers!” Gallo was unhappy that Jaden was trying to gouge Song Yang. He called out Jaden’s name several times in protest.

Jaden put on an air of helplessness. “I’m about to graduate. I need to work on my thesis and look for a job in Silicon Valley. All of that takes time.”

“You could stay on the project,” Song Yang suggested, still hoping to get Jaden’s labor for free in the long run.

Jaden shook his head. It was clear he wanted to go to Silicon Valley. Even helping Song Yang was only for the sake of the money.

“Fifteen thousand dollars. Help me finish the software development by May,” Song Yang said, raising his price.

Seeing Jaden still hesitate, Gallo stood up. “Jaden, what are you still hesitating for? It’s fifteen thousand damn dollars! Are you still my brother or what?!”

Jaden let out a reluctant-sounding laugh and then reached out his hand to Song Yang. “If the project actually succeeds, don’t forget about me.”

Neither Song Yang nor Gallo took that last comment to heart; even Jaden had only said it in passing. However, human nature is often hard to predict.

Since they were essentially acquaintances, the contract Song Yang had Greck draft wasn’t overly harsh. Furthermore, because the Internet was an emerging industry with little precedent to follow, the terms weren’t strict—other than clearly stating that the company equity and patents belonged to Song Yang. Some parts were even just verbal agreements.

The next day, when Jaden arrived at the garage and saw the environment, he felt a twinge of regret. But having already agreed, he could only bite the bullet and sign the papers.

On February 25, 1995, when Greck delivered a stack of registration documents, Song Yang’s ragtag team was finally established. Outside the garage door, the words “Doubleclick Advertising Company” were spray-painted in place of a proper signboard.

Chapter 9: Tyrant

From the outside, Doubleclick Advertising Company looked pitifully sparse. Aside from a spray-painted sign, the only things of any value inside the garage were two generic mixed-brand computers and some second-hand equipment like a printer and a fax machine.

For Song Yang, this was his first company of his own. Considering the limited funds Greck had provided, being able to pull all this together was no small feat.

Greck’s expression remained as solemn as ever, but as he surveyed the garage on Highway 7, he had to admit it looked the part. He knew Song Yang hadn’t squandered the money.

Outside the garage, Gallo and Hayley were busy taking photos with a borrowed Kodak camera. Today was a day worth commemorating, after all. Though Gallo and Hayley both felt that Song Yang’s “Doubleclick Advertising Company” seemed a bit unreliable, they still helped document the occasion.

After Song Yang took a solo shot, he called Jaden and the others over for a group photo. Song Yang yelled toward Greck inside the garage, “Uncle Greck, you need to stand here too! You’re the legal counsel for Doubleclick Advertising, our future Chief Legal Officer!”

Hearing this, Greck’s brow twitched violently. Song Yang really wasn’t letting a single opportunity for free labor go to waste, directly handing the company’s legal affairs over to him. But then again, besides Greck, Song Yang couldn’t find any other lawyers. More importantly, hiring someone else would cost money, while Greck was effectively free—in fact, Greck would probably end up putting his own money into the company.

Regardless of his private thoughts, Greck stood beside Song Yang, and the moment was frozen in time.

There were three people in the photo: Song Yang was all smiles, looking full of anticipation; Greck was as stern as ever, looking like he was facing a mortal enemy; and the last one, Jaden, wore a face of pure misery, looking as if he had just been dragged into a wolf’s den.

Once the photos were done, it was time for Gallo and Hayley’s contribution. A party would be held here tonight to celebrate the founding of Doubleclick Advertising.

“Uncle Greck, in the future, there will be a lot of legal matters for Doubleclick that will need your attention!” Song Yang called out to Greck as he prepared to leave.

Greck didn’t take the words to heart. He produced another envelope containing funds and placed it in front of Song Yang. “I don’t care how you do it, but the next round of funding will still depend on how much progress you’ve made!”

Watching Greck’s departing figure, Song Yang turned and grabbed Jaden, who was still calibrating the computers, and hauled him outside to help set up the venue. “Tonight is your last chance to relax. Tomorrow, your life in hell begins.”

Jaden already felt that being in this garage was hell. He couldn’t imagine how much worse it could get.

By evening, a large crowd of young men and women had gathered at the Highway 7 garage to revel. The crew from Gallo’s auto shop and a bunch of Song Yang’s classmates from Devers School came to join the fun. Naturally, Jenny was there as well.

Hayley had invited a group of her model friends. When the explosive DJ music started and bottles of booze were hauled out, the scene quickly turned into a wild frenzy, regardless of the humble surroundings.

“So, you’ve really started a company during this time?” Jenny looked at the garage, her eyes wide with wonder. This was completely beyond her expectations.

Song Yang nodded, naturally embellishing his words a bit in front of the girl. “An Internet media company. In the future, every Internet company will need it!”

“Like Microsoft?!”

One of the few tech figures she had heard of was Bill Gates. Jenny’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Song Yang. “Will you reach the level of Bill Gates?”

“If I reach Bill Gates’ level, I’ll make sure you become an Oscar-winning actress!”

Hayley, passing by and overhearing the conversation, couldn’t help but roll her eyes and mutter, “Scumbag.” Just a few days ago, Song Yang had said almost the exact same thing to her.

Sure enough, Hayley turned back to see Jenny proactively leaning in to offer her red lips to the “scumbag.” Hayley thought to herself, Poor naive girl. She felt Jenny was still too green; once she entered the art industry, she would realize just how deep and murky those waters were.

The revelry lasted late into the night. Song Yang and Jenny shared some intimate time before he finally took her home, just before the curfew her parents had set.

When Song Yang arrived at the garage the next morning, there were still a few drunks passed out inside and out. Jaden had also drunk himself into a stupor the night before.

Song Yang kicked the drunks out and spent some time cleaning the place. By the afternoon, Doubleclick Advertising officially began operations. Very quickly, however, Jaden realized he had encountered a tyrant.

Song Yang placed the architecture and design requirements for a software system in front of Jaden. Seeing the list of requirements, Jaden’s head throbbed, and his hangover seemed to intensify.

What lay before Jaden was a design specification for an ad delivery system. Specifically, it was an ad management hub. Through this system, one could perform initial ad planning and design, then deploy them to partner websites. The hub would allow for the management of these deployed ads while tracking click-through rates, deployment timing, sales shares, profits, and more.

Of course, Song Yang didn’t expect to accomplish everything overnight. The requirements for this delivery system were incredibly high; even five or six years from now, the technology wouldn’t be entirely obsolete.

Even Microsoft’s operating systems took over a decade of iterations to mature. Thus, the system Song Yang was launching for Doubleclick was essentially a “bait-and-switch.” As long as it could deploy an ad to a partner site and track the click-through rate, that was enough for now. The rest of the features could be implemented slowly.

But even so, the workload was immense. Jaden looked at it and felt that his ten thousand dollars was being earned far too painfully.

In addition to this system, Song Yang had added several inconspicuous “minor technologies” to the design, intended for patent applications.

The two primary ones were “Interactive Networking” and “One-Click Ordering.” The former, put simply, was the technology behind the action of a user seeing a webpage element and clicking on it to open a link.

Whether this qualified as a “troll patent” or not, Song Yang didn’t care. He knew that if he could push this through and get it patented in America and Europe, every single website in the world would eventually have to pay Doubleclick Advertising a tribute!

As for the second patent, “One-Click Ordering,” the name said it all. It was designed for e-commerce, allowing a purchase without entering tedious information or verification codes—just one click to buy.

This was one of the most infamously aggressive patents in Song Yang’s memory. In his past life, it was only when he saw this that he realized how deep the waters of the tech industry truly ran. Amazon had used this patent to annoy its competitors to the point of tears. From the moment they launched it, they raked in hundreds of millions of dollars just from licensing fees.

Besides “Interactive Networking” and “One-Click Ordering,” Song Yang also threw in several other patents like “One-Click Payment.” Even if Doubleclick Advertising failed to survive, in a few years, Song Yang could live quite comfortably off the ad delivery system and these major patents.

Looking at his boss, who was significantly younger than him, Jaden clutched his hair and groaned, “Have you ever even studied programming? Do you have any idea how much technical work this requires or how many lines of code need to be written?”

“I’m self-taught. I’ve read the programming manuals,” Song Yang replied blankly. “Now, it’s time for you to fulfill your promise. The liquidated damages for breach of contract are five hundred thousand dollars.”

Only then did Jaden remember that when he signed the employment agreement yesterday, Song Yang had specifically added a clause for liquidated damages. This completely cut off any thoughts Jaden had of running away.

After staring blankly for a long moment, Jaden began programming with a bitter face. Glancing over inadvertently, he saw that Song Yang was also clattering away at a keyboard.

Curious, Jaden walked over and saw that Song Yang actually was coding. Although his speed was slow and he frequently consulted a programming textbook, Jaden was genuinely surprised. He pushed his glasses up his nose and gave Song Yang a long look. He hadn’t expected Song Yang to be telling the truth—he really had taught himself to code.

Seeing his employer working so hard, Jaden could no longer complain. He resigned himself to his fate and began working like a tireless drudge.

Song Yang was building an official website for Doubleclick. Appearance mattered—as the world’s first Internet advertising company, they needed to look the part.

Since no one was currently competing with Doubleclick, Song Yang plastered the site with grandiose labels: “The World’s First Internet Advertising Technology Company,” “World-Leading Internet Media,” “America’s Leader in Internet Advertising Technology,” and so on.

However, the programming languages of this era were different from those of the future after all, and Song Yang found it heavy going. This was where having a workhorse like Jaden proved invaluable. Otherwise, doing it alone, Song Yang wouldn’t have finished for ages.

But for Jaden, this was not good news. Song Yang’s requirements for the ad delivery system were extremely high, and he was even able to spot Jaden’s bugs and errors, forcing him to constantly revise his work. Jaden truly felt like he was living in hell.

After Doubleclick Advertising was established, the crowd from the party initially hung around out of curiosity. But once the novelty wore off, everyone vanished—except for Gallo, Hayley, and Jenny, who frequently came to find Song Yang.

Song Yang essentially spent his time commuting between Devers School and the garage. Jaden did the same, shuttling back and forth between the University of Houston and the garage to avoid that five hundred thousand dollar penalty.

Chapter 10: Running Out of Funds

“This system must be improved! The backend has to be able to perform dynamic tracking on the published advertisements!”

“That’s impossible! It simply can’t be done with current technology!”

Inside the garage off Highway 7, the sound of arguing rang out once more. Ever since Doubleclick Advertising Company was founded, such arguments happened several times a day.

Both Song Yang and Jaden were breathing heavily, staring each other down, neither willing to take a step back. Ultimately, it was the threat of the five hundred thousand dollar compensation fee that suppressed Jaden’s fury.

“You’re a tyrant. I don’t know any other boss in the world who would have so many demands!” Jaden didn’t forget to complain as he sat back down.

That’s because you haven’t met Steve Jobs!

Song Yang muttered to himself. If Jaden were dealing with the “Apple Boss,” he’d probably be so berated he’d shut down entirely. Song Yang felt he was being quite merciful.

Arguments and busyness—these were the two things that defined Song Yang’s life lately. Because of this, he hadn’t even found the time to “taste” Jenny’s cream cake.

Despite the constant bickering, the core of Doubleclick Advertising Company—the ad delivery system—was moving forward steadily. “The DART system must be completed. It is our everything!”

“It’s your everything!” Jaden snapped petulantly. This system was torturing him so much he was starting to doubt his dream of going to Silicon Valley.

The DART system was the software Doubleclick was currently developing. Its primary focus was “Dynamic Advertising and Reporting Targeting.” For this era, such an ad system was quite advanced—at least in concept. As for what exactly Bledsoe Jaden could actually produce, only God knew.

In theory, this DART ad delivery system could track and analyze advertisements to see which types had the highest click-through rates, and whether users preferred dynamic, static, or sponsored ads.

Seeing Jaden mumbling and cursing him under his breath, Song Yang simply pretended not to hear. He knew Jaden had a massive workload. Even with Song Yang’s assistance, Jaden was still working constant overtime, being driven forward like a workhorse.

Song Yang had no other choice. Jaden was the only talent he could find right now. As for hiring a tech guru from Silicon Valley, that was just a pipe dream. Jaden’s fees alone were nearly driving Song Yang to bankruptcy.

A roar of an engine came from outside the garage. Hearing the sound of that beat-up car, Song Yang knew exactly who it was.

Sure enough, a moment later, a modified car screeched to a halt in front of the garage. Before the driver even stepped out, his voice preceded him. “The future Bill Gates, Houston’s richest man—it’s time to come out and eat!”

Ever since Jenny had made those comments that day, Gallo hadn’t missed a single chance to tease Song Yang with them.

Gallo and Hayley got out of the car together. Gallo placed a meal in front of Song Yang. “Da’anna prepared this for you!”

After entering, Gallo immediately hogged Song Yang’s computer and started playing games. Although Song Yang’s computer was a custom-built mutt machine, it had been expertly tuned. It ran much faster than any other computer Gallo had encountered elsewhere.

Hayley also sat to the side, bored, picking up a magazine and flipping through it aimlessly.

The initial excitement Gallo and Hayley felt had long since faded. Doubleclick Advertising Company had been established for nearly a month, yet nothing big had happened. All that talk about getting into Hollywood through Song Yang was turning into more of a running joke.

“Da’anna was complaining to me that you haven’t been back in a long time,” Gallo said while playing on the computer.

Song Yang looked at the food Gallo brought. Perhaps having realized her previous attempts at Chinese food were a bit off-base, Da’anna had stuck to Italian cuisine this time: pasta, salad, and roast chicken.

Song Yang set aside half for Jaden, who was sick to death of fast food. For the past month, whenever Song Yang and Jaden were in the garage, they ate almost exclusively from the McDonald’s down the street. It had gotten to the point where Song Yang entertained the thought that if he ever got truly rich, he’d force McDonald’s to sell Chinese street snacks instead.

Taking a large bite, Song Yang said to Gallo, “Lately, I haven’t even had enough time to sleep.”

He had been taking leaves of absence from Devers School every few days, and at night, he was busy in the garage until almost midnight before crashing. Song Yang was actually somewhat grateful to that bear of a man, Stanton; if it weren’t for him, Song Yang would have had a hard time finding excuses to miss school.

After Gallo played a few rounds of games, another car pulled up outside. Seeing it, Gallo turned to Hayley and said, “We should go.”

When Greck got out of the car, he acted as if he didn’t even see the “worthless couple.” It wasn’t just that he had an issue with Gallo; Greck had an even bigger problem with Hayley. He had wanted Gallo to marry an Italian-American girl, so it would be a miracle if he had a good impression of Hayley.

“Uncle Greck!” Seeing him, Song Yang immediately stepped forward. Greck was the benefactor now; whether this little garage could survive depended on whether Greck, the financier, would provide the funds.

Song Yang led Greck into the garage. Before Greck could speak, Song Yang familiarly opened the computer. “The system is still under development, but progress has been huge. Right, Jaden?”

Jaden, who was currently gnawing on a roast chicken leg, gave Song Yang the back of his head. Song Yang’s eyelid twitched a few times, but he still turned to Greck and said, “Look at this.”

Greck sat down at the computer, clicked the mouse a few times, and entered a website. Over the past month, thanks to Doubleclick Advertising Company, Greck’s Internet experience was becoming increasingly rich.

Looking at the website on the screen, Greck knew it was Doubleclick’s official site. Having seen a few other websites recently, Greck looked at this one and couldn’t help but feel his eyes light up. A sense of “beauty” welled up in his heart.

Jaden, still eating his chicken, looked up. Seeing Greck’s expression, he wasn’t surprised at all. When he had first seen the official website Song Yang had built, he had been just as stunned.

Jaden didn’t want to admit that geniuses existed in this world, but sometimes there was no arguing with reality. In terms of web design alone, Jaden felt that Song Yang—who was self-taught and had only read a few computer books—seemed to have far more talent than he did as a professional.

From the architectural design of the DART ad delivery system to the design of the official website, everything was completed by Song Yang. Jaden was essentially being used as a workhorse, writing code according to Song Yang’s architecture.

Compared to the current websites that were mostly crude or entirely text-based, Doubleclick’s website didn’t have any gaudy elements. The entire page was composed of three main colors: blue, black, and white.

By future standards, the home page might look a bit retro, but in an era where web design hadn’t yet taken off, Doubleclick’s site was definitely exquisite, fashionable, and trending.

The top and bottom banners were white on a black background, with the name of Doubleclick Advertising Company in the upper left corner. The main body of the homepage was white text on a blue background. In the most prominent position was a bold claim that made even Jaden blush; he had never seen a website with such thick skin.

“You are seeing the world’s best Internet media company.” That was the first thing one saw upon entering the site.

Since there were no competitors yet, Song Yang could brag about Doubleclick however he wanted, and no one could refute him. Phrases like “World’s Number One Internet Advertising Company,” “America’s Technology Leader,” and “Market Share Leader” all appeared in the company description.

The entire site was divided into sections for company introduction, technical cooperation, official contact info, and so on. Looking at the website alone gave off a high-end, sophisticated vibe. Song Yang estimated that compared to existing websites around the world, they were all more humble than Doubleclick. No one would ever imagine that if they followed the network cables back to the source, they would end up in a garage!

Greck looked at the website, then glanced back at the scene in front of him, marveling at the disconnect between the Internet and reality.

Greck stood up and went to the lounge chair by the garage door to sit down. A few umbrellas and lounge chairs had been placed there as a break area.

According to the “motivational speeches” Song Yang gave to Jaden, it didn’t matter that they were sleeping on lounge chairs by a garage door now. In the future, once Doubleclick was rich, they would build an outdoor terrace on the building opposite the Empire State Building in New York. They would lie there, and the first thing they’d see when they opened their eyes would be the Empire State Building. However, Jaden wasn’t buying any of that “chicken soup.”

Looking at Song Yang, whose hair was messy and who had dark circles under his eyes, Greck knew Song Yang was truly giving his all for Doubleclick.

“Several patents have already been filed with the America Patent Office. Patent applications for Europe, Asia, and other regions will also proceed. However, you need to think carefully—after applying for a patent, you have to pay annual maintenance fees. That is not a small sum of money!”

Greck’s law firm had a patent agency business, but patent applications weren’t a one-and-done deal; fees had to be paid every year. Applying simultaneously in Europe, Asia, and other places made the costs even higher. For Song Yang, these patent fees were a significant burden.

“Apply for all of them!” Song Yang said without hesitation. He had to have these patents in hand; otherwise, all his hard work might end up being for nothing.

Greck handed another envelope to Song Yang. As Song Yang reached for it, Greck pressed down on the envelope and whispered, “I need to remind you—at Doubleclick’s current burn rate, all funds will be exhausted before the end of May. And that doesn’t even include the commission you promised Jaden!”

Song Yang glanced guiltily at Jaden. He hadn’t given Jaden all the money yet; he had paid a portion, with the rest due upon the system’s completion. But if Doubleclick went under, it wouldn’t be a matter of him getting compensation from Jaden—it would be Jaden suing Song Yang.

“I know. But Uncle Greck…”

Before Song Yang could finish, Greck said plainly, “We talked about this. Once that money is gone, you go back to school—whether it’s a community college or whatever—and continue doing what you’re supposed to do!”

Watching Greck drive away, Song Yang rubbed his cheeks. If he really needed to, he could probably get some more money from Greck, Gallo, or even old Bruno.

But he had to consider moving to the next stage as quickly as possible. He didn’t have that much capital, and he didn’t have the time to keep dragging this out!

Chapter 11: The Water Gun

After spending over half a month cooped up in the garage, Song Yang was finally dragged out by Jenny. Today was the day of the baseball league game between Devers School and another school in Houston.

Back at Greck’s house, Song Yang freshened up and changed his clothes. Upon arriving at the baseball field near Devers School, Jenny clung to his arm almost the entire time, seemingly staking her claim in front of the crowd of Devers girls who had come to watch the game.

Ibeila, sitting with the school cheerleading squad, felt her teeth practically gritting to dust at the sight. Yet, she had to maintain a smile for the eyes constantly turning toward the cheerleaders.

Song Yang didn’t pay much attention to any of that. He looked toward the baseball field; even from a distance, he could hear the roars of Coach Old Mark.

Given Song Yang’s current physical state, playing in a match was out of the question, but he still had an eye for the game. On the field, the situation was looking grim for the Devers school baseball team. Before, Song Yang had held the team together; regardless of their overall skill, they at least had a reliable pitcher. Now, they were being utterly suppressed.

It wasn’t just Old Mark fuming; the crowd of Devers students watching from the sidelines was filled with curses and complaints.

Old Mark shot a sour look toward Song Yang, who was sitting on the sidelines. If Song Yang were on the field right now, the game wouldn’t look this pathetic. If they kept playing like this, Old Mark began to doubt whether Devers would even have a school baseball team after this year.

“Song!”

Suddenly, from the area where the Devers students were gathered, a chant of Song Yang’s name erupted. Most of the voices were female, demanding that Song Yang get on the field.

Seeing so many eyes turning his way, Song Yang retracted the arm Jenny was holding. He put on an expression of anger and helplessness, as if he were devastated that he couldn’t play for Devers. He even gingerly patted his head, looking like he was in pain.

Stanton, who was sitting on the bench, suddenly felt the atmosphere shift. He turned around and saw countless students glaring at him with fury. Stanton had no idea how he had managed to offend so many people!

Thus, Stanton was forced to be the scapegoat once again. After all, it wasn’t that Song Yang was unwilling to play and win the game for Devers—it was all because Stanton had played dirty and injured him. The blame for Song Yang’s regrettable retirement from the baseball field was now firmly pinned on Stanton.

The game ended without much suspense. While they didn’t set a record for the largest point gap, the final score of 22 to 5 still left Old Mark with no dignity to speak of.

By the end of the match, Stanton could clearly feel that even the way Old Mark looked at him had become quite unpleasant.

After the game, Song Yang went to offer a few words of greeting to Old Mark. However, when Old Mark asked him to return to the team to help out in this emergency, Song Yang flatly refused. Not only was he currently swamped with the Doubleclick Advertising Company, but more importantly, if he went back now and performed poorly on the field, the one getting cursed wouldn’t be Stanton—it would be Song Yang.

As they left the baseball field, Jenny, having finally managed to snag Song Yang, wasn’t about to let him go. She pulled him toward the main streets.

Song Yang had been under high pressure lately, so he welcomed the chance to get out. He accompanied Jenny for a stroll around the city, shared some dessert, and then they headed into a movie theater.

As the most mainstream form of entertainment and consumption at the time, cinema was globally in its golden age, let alone in America, the home of Hollywood. These few years were seeing a constant stream of blockbusters that would eventually be carved into film history.

When Song Yang and Jenny arrived at the theater, they saw numerous movie posters. Even though it wasn’t the summer blockbuster season yet, it was already a chaotic clash of titans. Posted in the most prominent spot in the theater was this year’s epic production, Waterworld.

Beyond that, a host of other films were vying for attention: Batman Forever, Braveheart, Heat, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Se7en, starring Brad Pitt—the current pinnacle of Hollywood leading-man looks. Several animated films, including Toy Story, were also gearing up for release.

In a corner, Song Yang spotted a promotional poster for another movie. Seeing the man on that poster, Song Yang couldn’t help but lapse into a brief moment of contemplation. What exactly would happen to turn the man in that poster—a man worshipped by millions of women worldwide—into the guy squirting a water gun on a beach…?

He glanced at The Basketball Diaries, starring a young Leonardo DiCaprio. This was a low-budget independent film, and the people buying tickets were mostly young girls.

After browsing the options, Jenny finally picked The Bridges of Madison County, a film branded as a classic romance of the century—one that could make those with strict moral views question their outlook on life.

Inside the screening room, Song Yang couldn’t see the expressions of the other men, but many of the women, including Jenny, were moved to tears, several of them sobbing uncontrollably.

As they left the theater, Jenny was still talking about the plot. Suddenly, she said, “If only I could have Meryl Streep’s acting skills one day.”

“Song, do you think Meryl can win the Oscar for Best Actress this year for The Bridges of Madison County?” Jenny asked. Fresh out of the theater and still caught up in the emotion, Jenny likely viewed Meryl as the absolute ceiling of acting talent.

“She should have a chance,” Song Yang said vaguely. “But whether or not someone wins an Oscar depends on the film’s campaign and the whims of the Academy Committee.”

Winning an Oscar was always full of surprises, with various “award-chasing” tactics being deployed constantly. Furthermore, the Academy Committee had always been conservative. Crucially, this wasn’t decades in the future; public morals weren’t quite as liberal back then. It was already a feat for this film to get a nomination; winning was almost impossible.

Since Jenny hadn’t truly entered the arts or the film industry yet, she was still unfamiliar with the field and didn’t know the rules of the game. She looked a bit bewildered by Song Yang’s words.

Returning to the small garage, Song Yang jumped back into work. Watching his funds dwindle bit by bit, he couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“Based on our current pace, I expect development to be finished by next month!” Bledsoe Jaden said, sounding like he was about to escape a prison cell.

The reason he said “expect” rather than “certainly” was that Jaden didn’t know how many more requirements or corrections Song Yang would throw at him. That was the true source of his pain—laboriously writing lines of code only to be told to delete them himself. Only those who had experienced it could understand that agony.

Doubleclick’s DART ad delivery system, along with the patented technologies Song Yang had him work on, were built from massive amounts of code. One had to realize that mainstream software back then usually only had tens of thousands of lines of code, or even less. For instance, Mosaic, the predecessor to the Netscape browser, only had nine thousand lines—it was truly lean and efficient.

Jaden glanced at Song Yang, who had suddenly fallen into deep thought, and felt a surge of joy at his impending “escape.” He swore that once he left this dump of a garage, he would never set foot in here again!

Song Yang wasn’t thinking about the code; he was thinking about how to promote Doubleclick and this system. This wasn’t the future; even if you had money to spend on promotion, it wasn’t that easy.

Internet software was still in its infancy. In the future, if you wanted to download software, you had browsers, app stores, and internal download channels.

But now was different. The browser was almost the only channel connecting computer users to the network. And as for how to download a browser? There was no channel on the computer itself. You had to buy a physical floppy disk or hard drive and load it onto the computer. One could imagine how cumbersome that was.

Song Yang also had a bit of a headache. The famous websites now were few and far between—Netscape and a handful of others. Those were the ones he would have to partner with, but he needed an opening.

He flipped through the latest issue of Wired magazine. Though it had only been founded two years ago, Wired already held significant weight in the tech industry before the internet became mainstream. it had become the vanguard of internet culture.

This year, some were even comparing it to Rolling Stone, the magazine that led music trends in the 1960s.

Song Yang flipped through a few pages and suddenly sat up straight. Two reports caught his attention. The first was from the founding editor, Kevin Kelly, who announced in this issue that Wired would be launching an online version, setting up its own website and webpages.

The second piece of news was even more shocking. Netscape, which had been founded less than thirteen months ago, was likely to officially begin its public offering and rush toward NASDAQ. Its market value was expected to reach a staggering one billion dollars.

This news was explosive. One had to understand that Netscape was still losing money and had only been around for a year, yet it was already preparing for an IPO. This speed far exceeded even Microsoft, which had long been considered the representative of the tech world.

Song Yang stared at the copy of Wired in his hands for a long time. He stared until it grew dark and the lights flickered on in the garage. Then, he stood up abruptly.

“You can go home early and rest today. I have to go out tomorrow, and I might not be back for a few days. Jaden, your job is to finish this system as quickly as possible!”

After giving his instructions to Bledsoe Jaden, Song Yang left in a hurry, taking the magazine with him.

When Song Yang rushed back to Greck’s house and pushed open the door, all eyes in the room turned to him. They were holding a small family gathering. Song Yang saw that the people present were mostly neighbors and a few acquaintances.

Seeing so many people, Song Yang quickly straightened his somewhat messy clothes and greeted everyone. Many of them looked at him with smiles, treating him as nothing more than a hasty young man.

Song Yang recognized many familiar faces, including Dr. Brie, who had examined him the other day. Those present today were mostly of Italian descent. Although Greck didn’t strictly follow the old-fashioned Italian tradition of only living in Italian-majority neighborhoods, he naturally interacted more with them.

“I heard from Greck that your motor nerves were affected. I think we need to do a more detailed checkup!” Dr. Brie said, looking at Song Yang.

“I’ll do the checkup, but I have something very important to deal with right now,” Song Yang said, turning his gaze toward Greck. “I need to talk to you.”

Greck studied Song Yang for a moment, then nodded. He said a few words to Brie and the others, then stood up and headed upstairs with Song Yang.

Chapter 12: The Bugler

Greck held a glass of liquor and gestured downstairs, indicating he still had guests to attend to and signaling for Song Yang to hurry up.

“I need one more sum of money!”

Seeing Greck’s furrowed brow, Song Yang rushed to explain, “Doubleclick Advertising is at its most critical stage. I need to find partners for the company!”

“Once this is over, IBM, Intel, AT&T, Procter & Gamble, Volvo, Compaq, and of course, Roth Insurance will all be partners of Doubleclick!” Song Yang counted them off on his fingers as he spoke to Greck. At this stage, he had to talk big, whether Greck believed him or not.

“AT&T?!”

Greck wasn’t sure if he’d had too much to drink or if he had misheard. Song Yang really had the gall to brag. If he had said he was going to try his luck with some local Houston companies, Greck might have actually believed him.

But to say he was going to cooperate with giants like AT&T and IBM—behemoths in their respective fields across America—Greck found that impossible to believe.

Greck took a sip of his drink and couldn’t help but chuckle. “You think AT&T is going to cooperate with Doubleclick?”

It wasn’t that Greck didn’t want to believe him, but compared to the Doubleclick Advertising Company operating out of a dilapidated garage, he couldn’t see any link to a prestigious giant like AT&T. The contrast was simply too jarring.

“In China, there’s a saying: ‘Borrowing the East Wind.’ It’s not just Doubleclick that wants to work with AT&T; other companies will want this cooperation too!”

Hearing Song Yang quote an Eastern proverb, Greck looked at him with profound skepticism, making Song Yang feel a bit uneasy.

Greck didn’t know if Song Yang had learned those words himself or if his father had taught them to him in a dream. Though Greck felt it was unlikely, Eastern mysticism was still quite intimidating to him.

Greck pondered for a long time before finally sighing. “Are you sure you want this last bit of money?”

This final sum wasn’t just what Song Yang’s parents had left behind; a portion of it was also what Greck had saved for Song Yang’s college education. Even if he only went to a community college, it would still be better than being a workhorse at KFC.

Song Yang nodded very seriously. For him, this was the final push. Although he didn’t know exactly what was behind the door, he wouldn’t be satisfied if he didn’t kick it open.

Seeing that Song Yang had made up his mind, Greck took out the money. After glancing at Song Yang a few times, he pushed the envelope toward him, then turned and went downstairs.

While still at Greck’s house, Song Yang made a phone call and ate something to fill his stomach. When he stepped outside, a car was already waiting at the door.

“You’re going to San Francisco right now?” Gallo, who was hanging out with Hayley in his small apartment, had received Song Yang’s call. He couldn’t believe Song Yang was rushing to San Francisco in the middle of the night.

Song Yang told Gallo to head for the airport. “Drive. I need to be in San Francisco before tomorrow morning!”

This decision was also beyond Gallo’s expectations. He hadn’t expected Song Yang to run off to San Francisco. “Why San Francisco? I feel like New York or Los Angeles would be better. If we went there, I’d be more than happy to help…”

“You just want to go to the nightclubs in those cities!” Song Yang mercilessly exposed Gallo’s ulterior motives. The only things Gallo cared about in those places were the clubs and crazy parties.

Being exposed didn’t make Gallo blush at all. He just whistled. “Song, I remember you were the one who mentioned going to parties in those places!”

Song Yang froze for a moment and rubbed his face. He had no idea what his “previous self” had told Gallo.

After arriving at the airport, Song Yang didn’t let Gallo follow him further. “Keep an eye on Jaden for me. Tell him to finish the development as soon as possible!”

Purchasing a ticket with United Airlines, Song Yang boarded the plane. He didn’t even think about first-class treatment. As for the flight attendants—anyone accustomed to domestic flights in China would likely have a very different impression upon seeing international crews.

After nearly four hours of turbulence, Song Yang finally returned to solid ground. He found a random motel, took a brief rest, and changed into a suit he’d snagged from Gallo. He tied a somewhat crooked tie to make himself look more mature before heading toward Third Avenue in San Francisco.

Keira, an intern at Wired magazine, arrived early at the office. She wanted to secure a position at this magazine, which had grown increasingly influential in recent years, and naturally needed to perform well.

When Keira arrived at the Wired office, she saw a tall figure already standing there.

The visitor was standing casually by the glass door, holding a cup of coffee. Noticing Keira’s arrival, he turned his gaze toward her.

When she saw his face, Keira couldn’t help but stare for a moment. Looking at Song Yang, she was reminded of a film she had watched with her family years ago called The Last Emperor. Keira felt that the man in front of her was not inferior to the lead actor in that film, or even most Hollywood stars.

“May I help you?” Keira asked.

Song Yang gave a warm smile and extended his hand. “Bruno Song. I’m here to see Editor-in-Chief Kevin Kelly.”

As Keira opened the office door, she asked, “Do you have an appointment?”

Hearing the word “appointment,” Song Yang felt a bit of a headache. He didn’t have much time to waste here. “I believe Editor-in-Chief Kevin will certainly want to talk to me. It’s very important for both of us.”

Keira looked back at Song Yang. Since Wired had grown in influence, an increasing number of people had been coming to see Kevin Kelly, hoping for a chance at instant fame. However, looking at Song Yang, Keira didn’t have the heart to turn him away. “I’ll report to Editor-in-Chief Kevin, but I can’t guarantee he’ll have time for you.”

“Thank you, Keira. I won’t forget this,” Song Yang said, taking her hand briefly.

Keira’s face reddened slightly. She withdrew her hand and hurried away, leaving Song Yang alone in the waiting room.

Song Yang let out a long breath. That move just now was an instinctive reaction of his “previous self”—it had nothing to do with the gentlemanly Song Yang of his current life. But just like in the movie Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo DiCaprio, sometimes good looks really did help. Song Yang pinched his own cheek.

As an assistant, Keira was responsible for helping Kevin Kelly with his work, including his daily schedule. She was quite trusted by him.

She glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly 10:00 AM, the time Kevin Kelly usually had his coffee. Keira decided to speak up for Song Yang, who had been in the waiting room for over an hour.

“Mr. Kevin, there’s someone who claims to be the founder of Doubleclick Advertising who wants to see you.”

“Does he have an appointment?” Kevin said without looking up, busy processing news and manuscripts for the next issue.

“No, but he seems to have something urgent…”

Kevin looked up curiously and glanced at the slightly flustered Keira. He didn’t remember this little assistant ever saying so much on behalf of a visitor.

“Then show him in. Also, get me a cup of coffee. No sugar, I need a pick-me-up!” Kevin Kelly told her.

When Song Yang entered, he saw a standard Western face with a thick Caucasian beard. The man looked energetic, reading through documents while sipping coffee.

After nodding slightly to Keira to express his thanks, Song Yang sat down across from Kevin.

“Please, have a seat!” Kevin gestured without looking up, and then casually raised his head. “So, tell me, why did you want to see me?”

The moment he saw Song Yang, Kevin Kelly immediately understood why Keira had spoken up for him. If he hadn’t known for certain they were in San Francisco, he would have suspected Song Yang had walked into the wrong building.

Seeing that Song Yang was much younger than he had imagined, Kevin couldn’t help but feel a flicker of interest. He picked up Song Yang’s simple business card.

“Editor-in-Chief Kevin, I’ve admired your reputation for a long time. I’ve always wanted to meet you. Out of Control is the most valuable book on the internet I’ve ever read!” Song Yang said without blinking an eye as soon as he sat down.

This clearly hit Kevin where he was most vulnerable. “You’ve read Out of Control?”

To be honest, in the future Eastern internet industry, Out of Control would be revered as a “god-tier” book, but its influence in America currently wasn’t that large, selling only a few thousand copies.

Even Kevin Kelly himself was known in the American tech world primarily as the Editor-in-Chief of Wired. His influence was nowhere near the level of the titles he would later hold in the East, such as “Prophet” or “Godfather of the Internet.”

However, because of Wired, he did have good relationships with tech figures like Steve Jobs and Netscape’s Marc Andreessen, and that was exactly what Song Yang wanted to leverage.

Wired was more like a bugler, sounding the charge for the internet and tech industries, drumming up momentum for tech figures. Conversely, those figures increased the influence of the magazine.

Song Yang nodded without hesitation. He had indeed read the book. Although it was over-interpreted in the Eastern internet industry later on, it indeed contained many visionary concepts. Song Yang had read it out of curiosity in his past life.

“Decentralization, sharing, cloud computing, the Internet of Things—these will all become the mainstream of the internet in the future. The future world belongs to the internet!”

Song Yang talked with Kevin, citing the core philosophies of his book. The two of them hit it off quite well.

Although they inevitably had different perspectives in some areas, Song Yang’s ideas were very much to Kevin’s taste, and Song Yang expressed strong agreement with many of Kevin’s views. This gave Kevin the rare feeling of having found a kindred spirit.

As of now, Kevin Kelly’s primary identity was the Editor-in-Chief of Wired. He had yet to receive the treatment of an honored guest in the East. In America, he had some fame, but Silicon Valley tech companies, New York institutions, and internet forums had far from deified him. It was rare to encounter someone who identified so much with his philosophy, so their conversation naturally became quite heated.

Song Yang decided to add more fuel to the fire. “After reading Out of Control, a thought occurred to me. Perhaps I should bring its concepts to the silver screen, so more people can see them!”

Chapter 13: Borrowing the East Wind

“Bring it to the big screen?”

This latest round of bold claims left Kevin Kelly somewhat stunned. The leap was simply too grand. He had never imagined that his book, which barely anyone in America was reading, would ever be linked to a movie.

“Of course!”

Song Yang spoke without blinking. “After reading Out of Control, I had a realization. Future technological development will penetrate every aspect of human life. Society, systems, machines, and biology will undergo fundamental changes.”

“If the opportunity arises in the future, I want to hire professional Hollywood screenwriters to pen a script that can bring the concepts of Out of Control to the screen. I want more people to see the culture of the internet!”

Song Yang spoke to Kevin with a straight face, claiming it was all for the sake of internet culture and that he didn’t care about the money.

As for the movie Song Yang wanted to put on the big screen, it was naturally the Wachowski Brothers’—no, the Wachowski Sisters’—The Matrix.

Kevin was quite moved by Song Yang’s words. Ancient sages had taken disciples to ensure their teachings would last through the ages; for a modern man, it was naturally desirable to see his ideas recognized by a wider audience.

Seeing Kevin’s expression, Song Yang struck while the iron was hot. “Chief Editor Kevin, if there’s an opportunity in the future, I’d like to invite you to be the consultant for this film!”

Kevin Kelly couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He suddenly realized that he had been unwittingly led along by Song Yang, but even though he sensed it, he wasn’t angry in the slightest.

“I look forward to that day!” Whether it was to promote his views on the tech industry or his philosophical theories, Kevin had no reason to be dissatisfied with Song Yang. As for the boy’s little schemes, he didn’t mind them at all.

“So,” Kevin’s expression turned solemn, “Song, what exactly did you come here for today?”

Song Yang nodded and pointed to a copy of Wired magazine on Kevin’s desk. “I saw that Wired is about to launch an online version. This is very important for both of us!”

Under Kevin’s questioning gaze, Song Yang placed a roughly organized set of documents for Doubleclick Advertising Company in front of him.

“Doubleclick Advertising Company?” Kevin flipped through the materials, which were, of course, a bit “watered down” with exaggeration. “Internet digital advertising?”

As he read about Doubleclick’s core business, Kevin murmured to himself. With his years of intuition in the tech industry, he felt a strange sensation in his heart. These few pages of paper might very well impact the entire tech industry.

“Doubleclick has developed DART, the best internet ad delivery system in all of America. Relying on the DART system, we can interface with websites to deliver ads including banners, integrated text-and-image ads, and dynamic Flash ads. In the future, we will implement pop-ups, email advertising, and other technologies, along with data tracking for all delivered ads!”

Regardless of what kind of thing Jaden, who was currently acting as a workhorse in Houston, actually ended up developing, Song Yang was certainly talking a big game.

Setting the documents down, Kevin adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose. This time, he looked at Song Yang with real seriousness. He had been running a tech magazine for many years and had seen plenty of geniuses, some even younger than Song Yang, but Doubleclick still managed to surprise him.

“Why do you want to start this company? Do you know what kind of impact Doubleclick will have on the tech industry?” Kevin Kelly asked, staring intently at Song Yang.

Song Yang wasn’t surprised by the question. Not only would Kevin ask it, but many more people would likely ask in the future.

“I saw the debate on TV between Professor Tristan of New York University and Wall Street investor Christian Barnard. Internet companies, including Netscape, are debating how to survive. I had some ideas!”

Song Yang, who had prepared for this question countless times, spoke fluently to Kevin. “I don’t know exactly how internet websites will become profitable, but I think a website is just like a TV station. It needs more people to watch it and more users to use it; then it gains the attributes of a medium. If websites introduce advertisements, they might generate some revenue.”

“When more websites cooperate with Doubleclick, I think it will lead to more people flooding into the tech industry!”

“Far more than that!”

“Song, you might just be creating history,” Kevin said, his voice filled with excitement. “Doubleclick might be the final key to opening the door to the new world of the internet!”

It had to be said that those in the media had a flair for words. Kevin Kelly immediately elevated Doubleclick and digital advertising to a new height. Phrases like “the final key to opening the internet’s door” and “the last mile in solving internet profitability” all tumbled out of Kevin’s mouth.

“Does Doubleclick really want to collaborate with Wired on an online digital advertisement?” Kevin asked.

Song Yang nodded without hesitation. “I hope to work with you, Chief Editor Kevin, to launch the world’s first internet digital advertisement!”

Kevin glanced at Song Yang a few times. This was a matter involving both fame and profit. The world’s first internet ad would be enough to be recorded in the annals of internet history and would influence the entire industry. Whoever was the first to “eat the crab” would certainly be talked about by countless people.

“However, Chief Editor Kevin, Doubleclick has some hurdles,” Song Yang finally said. “I hope the first batch of digital advertisers can be companies like AT&T, IBM, Intel, and Volvo. We can place their ads on the Wired website, Netscape, and others, so that more people can see what digital advertising is.”

To make a big splash with the first shot, they needed a big reputation. Advertising for these giant corporations was the only way to attract enough attention.

By itself, Doubleclick stood no chance. AT&T probably wouldn’t even give them a second look.

But if Wired stepped in, it would be a different story. Wired’s weight in the tech industry today was very heavy.

Kevin understood what Song Yang wanted to do—he was simply borrowing the prestige of Wired. However, Kevin had no intention of declining. If Wired, which was seen as the banner of internet culture, could co-launch the first digital ad, its influence on the industry would be even greater!

“Wired can cooperate with Doubleclick and is willing to introduce some clients to the company. However, Song, you will still need to handle the negotiations with these partners personally!” Kevin told him.

“Thank you very much, Chief Editor Kevin!” Having secured Kevin Kelly’s promise, Song Yang hurried to express his gratitude.

By the time he left the Wired offices, Song Yang was famished. However, the half-day’s effort hadn’t been in vain. He and Kevin had reached a preliminary agreement.

Wired would use its resources and network to introduce Doubleclick to advertisers like AT&T and websites like Netscape. As for whether a deal could be struck, Song Yang would have to go in person.

And regardless of how many advertisers or websites Song Yang eventually brought on board, Doubleclick would ultimately collaborate with Wired. Naturally, the advertising fees would have to be paid.

After all, Wired also needed to put food on the table; they couldn’t put out a magazine on an empty stomach. In fact, to make a profit, Wired was struggling and had even considered selling out to media giants several times.

But for Song Yang, this was already the best possible outcome. He had essentially achieved his goal.

Coming to see Kevin Kelly wasn’t just to use Wired to “borrow the wind” for Doubleclick; Song Yang also wanted to use the opportunity to make Kevin Kelly his guide into the tech industry.

Entering an industry requires a guide, and a qualified one is crucial. If Marc Andreessen hadn’t met a seasoned veteran like Jim Clark, he could never have reached his current position so smoothly.

Song Yang needed a guide, and given his current status, the most suitable person he could reach was undoubtedly Kevin Kelly. With Kevin, Song Yang could understand the layout of the internet world and gain access to certain networks.

Besides acting as a guide, he also needed Wired to act as his herald to increase his visibility.

To become famous, one needs someone to sing their praises. Once famous, investors and venture capital firms would come knocking. In the short term, Doubleclick needed external power to survive.

Wasting no time, Song Yang headed straight for Silicon Valley early the next morning. If anyone were to ask who was the brightest star in Silicon Valley—or even the entire California tech industry—right now, there would be no suspense. The answer was Netscape!

With news of its sprint toward a NASDAQ IPO, Netscape had effectively ignited the fires of the internet across America. Nearly overnight, a vast number of new companies had sprouted across Silicon Valley, and not a few of them were browser companies hoping to pick up the scraps behind Netscape.

When Song Yang arrived at Netscape’s headquarters, he saw a scene completely different from the small, dilapidated garage where Doubleclick was located.

With a staff exceeding a thousand people, Netscape was already a giant in the industry. Unlike Wired, it was essentially impossible for Song Yang to meet Netscape’s two founders, Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark.

Lately, more than a few people had been knocking on their door, wanting to invest and catch a piece of the action.

Not only were those two unavailable, but Song Yang also couldn’t see the current CEO, Jim Barksdale. The only person Song Yang could barely manage to see was Netscape’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Mike Homer—and that was only because of the connection with Wired. Otherwise, he likely wouldn’t have even met a senior executive.

Chapter 14: Creating Momentum

On his way to see Homer, Song Yang saw the entirety of Netscape buzzing with activity. Just by observing the state of mind of the Netscape staff, one could understand why they were currently hailed as an internet giant.

Every member of Netscape, from management to general staff, was working desperately for the company’s upcoming IPO. They were all waiting for the moment Netscape went public, expecting to become millionaires or even multimillionaires overnight.

As he passed a conference room, Song Yang heard a sudden outburst of shouting and roaring. Through a gap in the glass window, he saw a man about six feet tall with thinning, graying hair roaring inside the room. Song Yang felt the man looked familiar, but with only a fleeting glance, he was led away to another office.

After waiting for over half an hour, the office door finally pushed open. Mike Homer froze for a moment when he saw Song Yang. “Sorry, I…”

Looking at Song Yang’s young face, Homer truly doubted if he was meeting the right person. “I thought someone from Wired magazine was coming!”

Song Yang placed a set of documents in front of Homer. “In fact, Doubleclick Advertising Company is collaborating on a project with Wired. I’m here today because I hope Netscape will also join this project!”

Looking at the dead-serious Song Yang, Homer let out a snort of laughter. “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that, but I feel like you’d have a much better chance in Hollywood than here!”

Homer shook his head. These days, there was no shortage of companies knocking on Netscape’s door wanting to collaborate, let alone the scores of self-proclaimed “geniuses” bringing bizarre plans and looking for Netscape to invest.

Homer didn’t deny that geniuses existed in this world—the two founders of Netscape, Jim and Marc, were both geniuses—but how many Jim Clarks and Marc Andreessens could there be?

As for the Song Yang before him, Homer truly felt that if the boy went to Hollywood, he could probably knock directly on the doors of movie studios instead of hanging around the internet industry. Out here, people didn’t do business based on how handsome a face was.

“I’ll take that as a compliment from Vice President Homer,” Song Yang said with a wave of his hand. “However, I still hope you will agree to let Netscape join this plan.”

Homer looked at the “Internet Digital Advertising Plan” in his hand. After flipping through a few pages, his expression became rather odd, carrying a look that was both amused and absurd. “You want Netscape to abandon user experience and turn into a company that sells ads?”

Currently, Netscape’s primary way of making money was selling its browser. The Netscape browser wasn’t a free trial; the company charged users a fee of forty-nine dollars per year!

Hearing Song Yang suggest that Netscape change its profit model naturally made Homer greatly dissatisfied. He felt Song Yang was completely ignorant of the world—a nobody with absolutely no reputation in the internet industry trying to tell Netscape how to run its business.

Song Yang quickly spoke up. “I have no intention of changing Netscape’s core identity. However, I’ve spoken with Kevin Kelly, the Editor-in-Chief of Wired, and he agrees that in the future of the internet industry, digital advertising will become one of the primary sources of revenue!”

“Rivals will certainly emerge for Netscape in the future. To seize market share, these competitors might use any means necessary. Making their browsers free to the public will likely become their primary weapon against Netscape. By introducing advertising revenue and offering the browser for free, you can crush your competition!”

Hearing Song Yang bring up Kevin Kelly, followed by his subsequent points, caused Homer to fall silent for a moment. However, he was merely the Vice President of Marketing, having just taken the post this year. Netscape had hired him to handle promotion for the IPO, not to change the company’s revenue model.

“I believe the users will make the right choice. Netscape possesses the best browser technology in the world!” Homer glanced at Song Yang a few more times before preparing to close the file in his hand.

Homer still believed that users would choose the technically superior browser. Whether they would choose a paid, superior browser or a free piece of junk every year—he believed the users would decide.

Most importantly, Homer didn’t believe anyone out there was crazy enough to make their browser free just to compete with Netscape. How much of a “screw loose” would someone have to have to make such a cutthroat decision? It was a “kill a thousand enemies to lose eight hundred” strategy. Why wouldn’t they just sit back and make easy money? Why fight for a few scraps of ad revenue?

“Please tell Editor-in-Chief Kevin that I regret we cannot cooperate. However, Netscape’s partnership with Wired will remain unchanged…” Homer checked the time. After talking with Song Yang for this long, he felt he had given Kevin Kelly enough face.

Seeing that Homer was about to see him out, Song Yang spoke again. “I would like to ask Vice President Homer to pass this plan to Director Jim. Introducing digital advertising might not immediately increase Netscape’s revenue significantly, but if investors in Silicon Valley and Wall Street know that Netscape has added a new profit model, they might have new expectations for the company!”

Homer’s movements stiffened. He locked eyes with Song Yang and felt as if Song Yang had grabbed him by the throat.

Seeing Homer’s reaction, Song Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had spent ages talking to Homer, and in the end, nothing was as effective as a single sentence about potentially raising Netscape’s stock price.

Netscape was currently preparing for its IPO, and the biggest concern and source of controversy for Silicon Valley investors and Wall Street institutions was Netscape’s profitability. Unlike traditional companies, Netscape was still losing money.

If news broke now that Netscape had added a new profit model—even if it was just hype—it would likely stimulate the stock price. For Netscape’s major shareholders, including Jim and Marc, this could drastically increase their personal net worth.

Song Yang made a “please” gesture to Homer. Homer glanced at him, then stood up and headed toward Jim Clark’s office.

When Homer went in, Jim was discussing the IPO with Marc Andreessen and several Wall Street investors. Jim was indeed the same man Song Yang had seen roaring in the conference room earlier.

Jim Clark, now over fifty, was essentially the spiritual leader of Silicon Valley. He was the founder of SGI, a company with a market value exceeding one billion dollars. After being forced out due to internal power struggles, Jim Clark hadn’t faded away. Instead, he made a massive comeback. In just over a year, he had built Netscape, which already had a valuation of one billion dollars even before going public.

The current Jim was naturally at the height of his power. Sitting beside him, surrounded by several investors, was a blonde, slightly chubby young man brimming with confidence. This was the Silicon Valley genius currently being worshipped by the media: Marc Andreessen.

Marc Andreessen certainly had the right to be confident. At only twenty-four years old, he was already the founder of a billion-dollar company. His net worth was likely to exceed hundreds of millions of dollars, making him the new generation of tech heroes in Silicon Valley, pursued by countless people.

American youths of his age were mostly still in school, yet he had already achieved the American Dream.

Homer reached Jim’s side, handed him the plan, and whispered a few words in his ear. Although Marc Andreessen was the one currently being hyped to the outside world, Jim was the one actually at the helm of Netscape.

Listening to Homer, Jim flipped through several pages of the documents. When he saw Doubleclick Advertising Company, he couldn’t help but say, “A Texas company?”

Jim, also a native of Texas, didn’t necessarily subscribe to the “fellow countryman” sentiment, but encountering a company from Texas in Silicon Valley still piqued his interest.

The first time Song Yang met Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen was in Homer’s small office.

Jim undoubtedly carried the aura of a big boss. He was no longer just a technical specialist; he was a top-tier tycoon worth hundreds of millions, a powerful figure in Silicon Valley with close ties to several members of Congress in Washington. He could even influence policies within the tech industry.

The blonde, chubby Andreessen following behind Jim looked at Song Yang with curiosity. He didn’t know who could possibly make Jim drop his meeting with Wall Street institutions to come and see them.

“Song?” Jim looked Song Yang over with some interest. “You want to collaborate with Netscape?”

Facing Jim, Song Yang didn’t dare to be careless. Netscape was one of his most important targets. With Netscape as a “tiger’s skin” to back him up, everything else would be much easier; otherwise, things would likely be much more troublesome.

Song Yang repeated what he had just told Homer to Jim and Andreessen. Unlike Homer, Jim and Andreessen, who came from technical backgrounds, grilled Song Yang on several key technical points.

“So, technically speaking, internet digital advertising is no longer a difficult problem?” Marc Andreessen was more focused on the technical aspects.

“Doubleclick’s DART ad delivery system can automatically process and deploy advertising orders. It can reduce costs by a third or even half compared to traditional media!” Song Yang said without blinking, hyping the still-in-development DART system to high heaven.

After Marc Andreessen asked a few more questions, Jim finally spoke. “Song, why do you think an internet company would dare to fight Netscape for the browser market in the future? Who do you think it would be?”

As the words fell, both Andreessen and Homer looked at Song Yang. Song Yang felt Jim’s highly aggressive and pressuring gaze. He paused before saying, “Once Netscape goes public, copycats will surely appear. No industry consists of only one company. IBM was once the same!”

As the former leader of the computer industry, IBM had been repeatedly challenged and overtaken by various latecomers in recent years, losing money hand over fist. If they hadn’t been lucky enough to bring in Louis Gerstner to save the day, they would have been finished long ago.

Jim wasn’t satisfied with this answer, but he didn’t say more. After looking at the Internet Digital Advertising Plan a few more times, he also felt that advertising wouldn’t become the mainstream, but with Netscape facing an IPO, having the gimmick of digital advertising might help raise their profile even further.

“Netscape can participate in the plan, but Netscape must be the center of this initiative!”

Chapter 15: Under the Banner

“No problem!”

Song Yang readily agreed to Jim Clark’s demands: making Netscape the centerpiece of the plan—the primary focus of the publicity—and ensuring that the initial advertising partners were all top-tier corporations.

Song Yang didn’t care about “fame.” He was perfectly willing to give Netscape the credit for being the first to introduce digital advertising and let Wired magazine take the hollow title of the visionary behind the idea. As long as he could hitch a ride on Netscape’s soaring momentum, Doubleclick Advertising Company would have a fighting chance at survival.

“Director Clark, I hope we have the opportunity to meet again!”

Seeing that the deal was struck and noticing more people entering the office to find Jim and Andreessen, Song Yang stood up to take his leave.

Once Song Yang had left, Andreessen turned to his partner and mentor. “Do you truly have high hopes for this guy? Do you really believe his theory that free browsers supported by ad revenue can replace paid ones?”

“The concept of internet digital advertising might be useful for Netscape’s IPO, but it won’t fundamentally affect us,” Jim replied with a chuckle. He then turned and called over an assistant. “Go find out more about this Doubleclick company and the background of this Bruno Song!”

Jim Clark was indeed intrigued by Song Yang, but for now, it was merely curiosity. Marc Andreessen remained the golden boy in whom Jim placed all his grand expectations.

As Song Yang walked out of Netscape, he glanced back at the building. He didn’t know when he would return, or what Netscape’s attitude toward him would be when he did.

However, with Netscape’s endorsement and Wired magazine’s resources, Song Yang finally had some real leverage for his next round of “persuasion”—or rather, for finding partners.

Trading on the prestigious names of Netscape and Wired, Song Yang met with a string of internet companies in Silicon Valley. In truth, there weren’t that many; currently, there were only a few dozen noteworthy websites in the entire region.

His meeting with Yahoo was the smoothest part of the trip. Although he didn’t see the two founders, who were currently flying across America searching for investment, he had a very pleasant conversation with Yahoo’s first employee and product manager, Bradley. At the very least, the hospitality was far better than what he’d received at Netscape.

Yahoo was currently hunting for capital. Their partnership with Netscape earlier this year—becoming Netscape’s web search provider—had made them famous. A horde of giants was circling like sharks, eager to swallow them whole. Reuters, AOL, and Microsoft were all interested. Looking at Yahoo now, many believed it could become the next Netscape.

Jerry Yang and David Filo, busy chasing funding and fending off corporate giants, were not at Yahoo headquarters. But Bradley welcomed Song Yang warmly. Yahoo was in the middle of a transition, gradually repositioning itself as an internet media outlet—a “portal.”

But Yahoo didn’t have a stable income yet. It wasn’t as dominant as Netscape; it couldn’t just sit back and rake in money through licensing fees. It had been losing money since its inception, which was exactly why Jerry Yang was so desperate for investment.

The arrival of Song Yang and Doubleclick was naturally a cause for celebration for Bradley. Regardless of whether it was too good to be true, Bradley signed a cooperation agreement with Doubleclick on behalf of Yahoo.

Song Yang and Bradley discussed the agreement in the small Yahoo office. This office wasn’t much better than Doubleclick’s own dilapidated garage.

Pizza boxes were stacked like mountains, dirty clothes were strewn in the corners, and the heat radiating from the servers made the room feel like a sauna. The whole place was dim, and it had taken Bradley ages to find a chair for Song Yang to sit on.

However, the environment didn’t dampen their spirits. Bradley looked over the draft agreement and turned to Song Yang.

“So, by next year, Doubleclick will provide Yahoo with over $500,000 in advertising revenue, and no less than $2 million annually for the following three years?”

At the moment, this agreement seemed filled with sincerity—it was even a bit intimidating. After all, Yahoo had no stable income, so the terms offered by Doubleclick were incredibly generous.

“Of course. If we fail to meet the terms, Yahoo can terminate the agreement unilaterally. Very soon, Yahoo will see the first wave of ads from Doubleclick,” Song Yang said with a straight face, as if he weren’t setting any traps at all.

This strategic agreement essentially made Doubleclick the exclusive general agent for Yahoo’s internet advertising. While Yahoo could technically work with other agents, Doubleclick retained the right of first refusal for ad placements as long as they met the financial targets.

Furthermore, if the targets were met for three years, Doubleclick would have the priority right to renew the contract.

As for whether this was a “trap,” only the future would tell. No one could have predicted that Yahoo would go public within two or three years of its founding and even surpass Netscape. Bradley, sitting across from Song Yang, likely couldn’t have even dreamed of such a thing.

Therefore, signing this agreement was not a bad move for Yahoo. Once the news got out, it might even help boost Yahoo’s valuation.

By the time Song Yang left Silicon Valley and arrived at the AT&T headquarters in New York, Jerry Yang and David Filo finally returned to Silicon Valley, looking travel-worn.

“How did the talks go?” Bradley was Jerry’s old classmate and Yahoo’s employee number one. He had drafted Yahoo’s current fundraising plan and shared a close bond with Jerry.

Jerry Yang, not yet twenty-seven, looked much younger than the man who would later appear in the media. He took a large bite of pizza and said, “We talked to WorldCom, AOL, and Microsoft, but the offers aren’t ideal. They all want to acquire Yahoo outright.”

“However, we met with Mike Moritz from Sequoia Capital. He’ll be coming to do a site visit on behalf of Sequoia.”

Yahoo was different from Netscape. Regardless of whether Netscape lost money, they could at least earn revenue from browser fees. Yahoo, however, was free. Even though they had considered introducing ads, exactly how much they could earn remained a question. This was the investors’ biggest concern regarding Yahoo.

“By the way, I signed an agreement on behalf of Yahoo with a company called Doubleclick. Its founder is Chinese-American, just like you, Jerry.” Bradley handed the agreement to Jerry Yang.

Listening to Bradley’s description, especially when he mentioned Song Yang’s age, Jerry Yang had a strange expression on his face. He had never heard of Song Yang or Doubleclick. If the company were famous, he would have known; the internet circle was very small back then.

“Is there a problem with the agreement?” Bradley asked immediately, noticing Jerry’s expression.

Jerry shook his head and set the agreement aside. “I don’t see any obvious issues, but don’t you think these terms are a little too good? If this Doubleclick company is really that powerful, how come we’ve never heard of them?”

Bradley paused, a faint feeling of being “bamboozled” creeping in. He realized he might have been a bit too earger.

“Don’t worry about it. The most important thing right now is the meeting with Moritz. As for Doubleclick, didn’t they say they were partnering with Netscape? We’ll know the truth in a few days.” Jerry didn’t feel that Doubleclick would have much of an impact on Yahoo and didn’t give it much more thought.

Meanwhile, in New York, Song Yang used the names of Netscape and Wired to secure a meeting with a senior manager at the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. However, the manager wasn’t particularly welcoming. To put it bluntly, the internet was still a niche toy and had not yet impacted mainstream society.

“Digital online… advertising?” Bartley, the senior sales manager for AT&T, felt a mix of interest and confusion upon hearing Song Yang’s pitch. “Putting ads on a computer?”

“Doubleclick possesses the world’s most advanced ad delivery and management system. Through our DART system, ads can be automatically placed on web pages. Users see them as soon as they open their browser. Unlike TV or newspaper ads, online digital advertising allows you to track the exact click-through rate!” Song Yang touted the advantages of digital ads to Bartley.

Bartley looked intrigued but eventually shook his head, saying helplessly, “I’d love to try it, but you should know that AT&T’s advertising budget for the second half of this year has already been fully committed.”

“Manager Bartley, this will be the first internet digital advertisement in history. It will be remembered by the world. Do you really want AT&T to miss out on that?”

Seeing that Bartley seemed moved, Song Yang added fuel to the fire. “AT&T will be the pioneer. It will show everyone that AT&T is the best telecommunications company in the world, the bridge to the future!”

Bartley fell into deep thought, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desk. Finally, he looked up. “AT&T’s advertising budget is indeed fully paid out.”

“However,” just as Song Yang thought it was a lost cause, Bartley continued, “I am willing to authorize a small ad spend for Doubleclick. But the amount won’t be large—thirty thousand dollars.”

Thirty thousand dollars was a sum so small that even if it were a total loss, it wouldn’t affect Bartley’s career.

“I’m sure the President of AT&T will recognize your vision, Manager Bartley. You are undoubtedly the most forward-thinking person in this company!” Song Yang offered a small bit of flattery. In the future, AT&T might become Doubleclick’s biggest client; Song Yang needed the support of this “cash cow.”

Bartley couldn’t help but smile. “I hope to see AT&T’s ads on Doubleclick’s network soon. And of course, I hope we can sign a formal contract afterward!”

After securing the $30,000 from Bartley, Song Yang visited a string of other major corporations: IBM, Compaq, Intel, Volvo. Naturally, some welcomed him, but most were cold. Those willing to cooperate were mostly like AT&T, putting up a small sum of money just to test the waters.

By the time Song Yang finished these matters and returned to Houston, half a month had passed. After getting off the plane, he didn’t even take time to rest before heading straight for the small garage.

As he reached the garage door, he heard the sound of an argument coming from inside.

Chapter 16: The East Wind Rises

“He’s a fraud! I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him!”

This was Bledsoe Jaden’s voice, shouting at the top of his lungs, with Gallo’s voice chiming in beside him.

Inside the garage, Gallo was facing off against Jaden, his brow furrowed deeply. “Song said he’d be back!”

“You still believe him?”

Jaden let out a couple of harsh laughs and cursed again, “He’s an absolute tyrant, a liar! He has to give me the rest of my money, or I’m suing him!”

“Jaden, we’re buddies, we’re brothers!”

Hearing this, Jaden grew even more furious. “I only came to this dump because I believed your bullshit! Otherwise, I’d be in Silicon Valley right now, not squeezed in here eating this junk food. Song is nothing but a flat-out liar!”

When Gallo heard Jaden insulting Song Yang, he surged to his feet. The two men glared at each other, though looking at Gallo’s massive frame, Jaden felt a bit faint-hearted. This was Texas, the land of the cowboy; it wasn’t uncommon for words to lead to blows, or even for someone to start shooting if things got heated enough.

Though he was a bit scared, Jaden didn’t back down. He had finished the development of the DART system, but Song Yang had vanished. Not only was the promised development fee gone, but Song Yang was nowhere to be found, and his phone was unreachable. Naturally, Jaden assumed he had been played.

Just as Gallo and Jaden were locked in a staring contest, the garage door was pushed open. Song Yang walked in, looking travel-worn and covered in dust.

Seeing Song Yang, Gallo felt a wave of relief. He had been distracted and frustrated for the past few days trying to deal with Jaden. However, that relief was quickly followed by worry; he knew Song Yang had taken their last bit of cash. Right now, the company was just an empty shell.

Jaden crossed his arms over his chest, watching Song Yang with a cold, skeptical eye. He was convinced Song Yang was a con artist.

“Gallo, Jaden!”

Song Yang greeted them, tossed his small travel bag to the side, and pulled off his crooked tie. He turned on the computer and saw that the DART system belonging to Doubleclick Advertising Company was finished. However, it hadn’t been tested yet—evidently, Jaden hadn’t been willing to do the follow-up work.

“Jaden, we need to talk. Doubleclick Advertising Company has entered a new phase. If you stay, you won’t regret it.” Song Yang still hoped to keep Jaden; after all, the man was skilled and already familiar with the project.

But Jaden wasn’t buying any of this “chicken soup” talk. He clutched his head with a pained expression and then shouted angrily at Song Yang, “I want the money that’s owed to me! I’m not staying in this hellhole surrounded by liars!”

“Jaden, do you even know what you’re saying?!” Gallo was getting worked up by Jaden’s words and looked ready to charge forward to teach him a lesson.

Song Yang held Gallo back, then reached into his pocket, pulled out a check, and held it out to Jaden. “Jaden, I really hope you’ll reconsider. Doubleclick Advertising Company already has clients.”

Jaden hesitated, struggling with himself for a moment, before snatching the check. He looked at the TD Bank seal on it with some doubt, wondering if the check was actually real.

TD Bank checks were among the most convenient in America, with branches in almost every community, making them very practical for small amounts.

“I’ll be checking if this is real. I hope I never have a reason to come back here again!” Jaden got in one last verbal jab before leaving, which almost made Gallo want to punch him again.

Once Jaden was gone, Gallo immediately slammed the garage door shut and whispered to Song Yang conspiratorially, “Song, is that check actually real?”

Seeing that even Gallo didn’t believe him, Song Yang gave him an exasperated look and unzipped his small travel bag. When Gallo saw the dozen or so checks inside the bag, his brain completely stalled.

He picked up the checks and looked through them one by one. Gallo’s face turned bright red, and he suddenly grabbed Song Yang’s head and planted a massive kiss on it, letting out a wild, howling cry. “Song! I knew you could do it!”

“My sports car… Hayley’s Hollywood… it’s all really going to happen…”

Seeing Gallo trying to lung at him again, Song Yang pushed him away in disgust. “Now, get me some food. I haven’t eaten a thing all day!”

While Song Yang ate, Gallo was still counting the checks, acting as if he could never get the math quite right.

Gallo hugged the bag of checks tightly and complained to Song Yang, “You should have called me to pick you up! Do you have any idea what would happen if the gangs in Houston knew you were walking the streets with this much cash?!”

After rambling for a while, Gallo lay down next to Song Yang and grabbed a beer. “I really didn’t expect it, Song… You actually brought back this much money…”

Gallo’s head was still spinning. He had just counted a total of 380,000 dollars. If they hadn’t paid Jaden his share, it might have reached as high as 400,000 dollars.

What did that even mean? Greck had been a lawyer for years and hadn’t managed to save that much—it wasn’t even close. The gangs in Houston would probably start a street war in a heartbeat over a sum like this.

Looking at Gallo, who was still dreaming of grandeur, Song Yang poured cold water on his fantasies. “Only a portion of this money belongs to Doubleclick Advertising Company. We have to pay the websites, the ad designers, the servers, and the bandwidth costs. We also need to hire more people. Only what’s left after that belongs to the company.”

Gallo felt a headache coming on. “Then how much actually belongs to Doubleclick?”

“Around 20%, maybe not more than 30%.”

It was the early days of the internet and there were no competitors yet, so Song Yang could still bargain with the websites. In the future, it might become a business of razor-thin margins.

Gallo couldn’t help but let out a surprised cry. He knew that even with those numbers, the profit was incredibly high—certainly much higher than in traditional industries.

After filling his stomach, Song Yang reclined in a lounge chair. With Jaden gone, he didn’t even have anyone to handle the technical side. His gaze drifted toward Gallo.

Seeing Song Yang looking at him, Gallo quickly waved his hands. “I only knew one person with tech skills like Jaden, and now he’s gone!”

“I know.”

“We’ll find technical staff. But right now, what Doubleclick needs most is sales!”

It all depended on whether this plan succeeded. If it did, Song Yang only needed to run a soft advertisement in Wired magazine, and technical talent would naturally flock to them. If it failed… well, there basically wouldn’t be a “next step.”

Gallo was a bit confused, wondering why Song Yang was bringing up sales.

“I need you to find the best sales people in Houston for Doubleclick.”

An advertising agency was essentially about landing clients and then selling ad space. Doubleclick followed the same model. If skilled sales people brought in clients to advertise, and then sold those ads to websites, human labor would still be indispensable in this pre-fully-automated internet era.

Back in Houston, Song Yang returned to his previous lifestyle, though it was much busier than before.

At school, besides spending time with Jenny, he did “recovery” training at the baseball field. As for his academic courses, Song Yang had basically given up on everything except math.

Greck knew Song Yang was back, but he didn’t say anything, acting as if nothing unusual had happened.

For the past few days, Gallo had been stationed in the garage acting as a dispatcher, coordinating between advertisers like the American Telephone and Telegraph Company and sites like Netscape and Yahoo. Even Hayley had been drafted into service.

Hayley, having a background as a model, was actually quite useful. She knew many people in advertising agencies and helped Doubleclick establish connections.

The event that was about to happen—what would be recorded in history as the first digital internet advertisement—was, in reality, nothing particularly special.

“The American Telephone and Telegraph Company has decided that the theme for this advertisement will be ‘You Will’!”

Song Yang was discussing the details with a representative from a local Houston ad agency. This person, brought in by Hayley, was looking at the web pages of Netscape, Yahoo, and Wired that Song Yang was showing him. It was also his first time encountering this emerging network advertising platform.

“I think we can place a banner ad. It’s the most appropriate method that doesn’t ruin the user’s viewing experience,” the professional advertiser offered his opinion immediately.

The first digital ad definitely needed to be seen by as many people as possible, and it needed to be eye-catching on the webpage. To put it bluntly, the content of the webpage didn’t matter as much as ensuring everyone—especially the advertisers—could see that the ad worked!

“Thanks!” Song Yang said to the advertiser and gave Gallo a look. Gallo immediately handed the man a bottle of beer and led him to the side, boastfully claiming that they were going to throw a massive party in a few days and that Hayley would invite her entire circle of model friends.

Song Yang sat at the computer, thought for a moment, and began typing on the keyboard. He didn’t need to worry about the design or theme of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company’s ad. For the sake of their brand and image, giants like AT&T never spared any expense when it came to advertising.

For this “You Will” campaign alone, the American Telephone and Telegraph Group was placing ads on TV stations, newspapers, and magazines. Between the placement and design fees, the total cost exceeded 10 million dollars. The fee they were paying Doubleclick was truly just a drop in the bucket—likely less than what they spent on the ad’s design fee!

After finalizing the ad placement method and format, Song Yang began contacting Wired, Netscape, Yahoo, and others. He was preparing to launch the American Telephone and Telegraph Company’s ad—the world’s very first internet digital banner advertisement.

By the time he finished, it was late at night. The garage was quiet, and Gallo had already left with Hayley. When Song Yang finally hit the “Enter” key, he let out a long breath of relief. At 8:00 AM tomorrow, this ad would appear on websites led by Netscape. What kind of impact it would truly have, even Song Yang didn’t know.

Chapter 17: Like a Spring Breeze Overnight

Song Yang didn’t return to Greck’s house until the middle of the night. In his daze, he felt a pair of chilly little hands sliding into his blankets, followed by the sound of Mi Liya giggling.

“Brother, my gift!”

Opening his eyes, he saw Mi Liya’s small face right in front of him, looking at him with eyes full of anticipation.

Song Yang looked confused for a moment. Seeing that he seemed to have forgotten, Mi Liya immediately puffed out her cheeks, and it looked as if a thunderstorm of tears was about to break. Song Yang suddenly remembered that before he left a few days ago, he had indeed promised the girl he would bring her a gift when he returned.

“There’s a gift, of course there is!”

Song Yang pulled Mi Liya onto the bed. “I was planning to take you to Toys”R” Us this weekend when you’re off school so you can pick it out yourself!”

“Really?” Mi Liya looked at Song Yang with wide, darting eyes, filled with hope but also a hint of skepticism.

Song Yang promised her earnestly, “Of course. We’ll go together, bring Gallo and the others, and maybe we can even go to the amusement park!”

“And Logan!” Mi Liya didn’t forget her second older brother.

After Mi Liya went downstairs, Song Yang got out of bed. As his mind began to clear, his thoughts naturally turned to the advertisement launch. However, Greck didn’t have a computer at home, and Song Yang had to head to Devers School soon, so he would have to wait until he got back.

By the time Song Yang arrived at Devers School, the websites for Netscape, Yahoo, and Wired magazine had all gone live with the first digital advertisements pushed by Doubleclick Advertising Company.

In an office building in Silicon Valley, a man named Thomas, who had been sleeping on the floor, woke up with bleary eyes. After brewing a cup of coffee, he turned on his computer.

There were countless people like Thomas in Silicon Valley. Like the founders of Yahoo, they were internet pioneers—or perhaps “gold miners.” Some worked in small teams, while others, like Thomas, were building companies single-handedly, developing websites in the hopes of being scouted for investment by a venture capital firm, just like Netscape.

Once his computer was on, Thomas went straight to the Netscape browser. These days, there weren’t many places to go on the internet besides Netscape.

But today’s Netscape seemed a bit different from usual. As a developer, Thomas spotted the change at a glance.

When Thomas opened a webpage, he saw a banner at the top labeled “You Will.” Curiosity is human nature, especially for those in research and development. Thomas clicked the banner immediately, and a linked webpage opened.

On the linked page, Thomas saw images of the Louvre in France, the Library of Congress in America, the Warhol Museum, and various other architectural landmarks.

The image quality wasn’t particularly high—about the same as a large-format Marvel art book—but for Thomas, it was a staggering virtual journey. Through these pages, he saw the portrait of the Mona Lisa, Warhol’s works from Pittsburgh, and more. Behind each of these pages was the “You Will” slogan, followed finally by the AT&T logo and a single sentence: “Technology Creates Miracles.”

After looking through it several times, Thomas finally realized that this was an advertisement—an ad from the AT&T Corporation.

Thomas clicked through the links in the web ad as if saying “Open Sesame.” Every click revealed something he had never experienced before. For Thomas, it was a dreamlike experience.

Looking at the banner ad on the page, Thomas sensed keenly that the internet industry was about to undergo a massive shift.

This banner ad didn’t just appear on Netscape; it also showed up today on Yahoo and Wired magazine’s website. This sudden appearance captured the attention of the entire internet and tech industry.

In the latest issue of Wired magazine, published that very day, Editor-in-Chief Kevin Kelly personally penned a heavy-hitting report, declaring: “This is the New Year One of the Internet!”

“In collaboration with this magazine, Netscape has launched the world’s first digital advertisement. The introduction of internet digital advertising provides the industry with a solution to the problem that has plagued it for years: how to achieve profitability!”

“If the scale of internet digital advertising can expand, it will allow the internet to profit not just from selling software, but also through advertising revenue, much like TV stations and newspapers. Furthermore, the introduction of digital ads will allow more websites to survive. The internet is entering a new era!”

Wired magazine praised the digital ad launched today with wild enthusiasm, arguing that its appearance solved the internet’s profitability crisis, even elevating its importance to the survival of the entire industry.

Currently, Wired held immense influence in the tech industry. When they began their praise, it naturally drew more widespread attention.

While it was unclear if digital advertising was truly as vital as Wired claimed, many other tech media outlets began reporting on it as well.

Netscape, which was currently preparing for its IPO, also took the opportunity to ramp up publicity, constantly increasing the hype by claiming Netscape had found a new way to monetize.

As the “darling” of Silicon Valley and the rising star of Wall Street, Netscape’s influence far exceeded that of Wired. If this had only involved Wired and Doubleclick, the impact might have been limited to tech circles and would likely have failed to catch Wall Street’s eye.

But when Netscape was involved, everything changed. Wall Street was currently singing Netscape’s praises; venture capital firms across Silicon Valley and investment institutions across America were all waiting for it with bated breath.

The only thing troubling Netscape, or rather what critics pointed out, was its lack of profit. Relying solely on browser fees seemed unlikely to support the hyped-up market value of one billion dollars.

However, once the concept of digital advertising appeared, Netscape didn’t even need to say much. Wall Street began to move on its own, and their ability to mobilize was far greater than that of Wired.

As the Wall Street media machine revved up, mainstream American tech and financial TV stations and newspapers began blanket coverage: “Netscape Launches New Profit Model!”

Regardless of what digital advertising actually was or whether it could truly make money, in the mouths of these media outlets, internet digital advertising was the miracle drug that would solve Netscape’s predicament.

When Song Yang returned to the garage and saw the backend data, he was stunned. The click-through rate for the ad placed on Netscape today actually exceeded 44%. What did that mean? Nearly half of every ten people opened the ad page. This conversion rate absolutely crushed traditional media.

Looking at these click-through rates and then at Netscape’s actions today, Song Yang had a premonition that Netscape was likely preparing a major move.

“Song, people from Netscape, Wired, and a website called Yahoo all called you today!” Gallo said to Song Yang.

Just as he finished speaking, the phone in the garage rang again. After Gallo answered, his face immediately showed a look of surprise. He mouthed to Song Yang: “It’s someone from Netscape, Jim Clark!”

After dealing with the internet industry for the past few days, Gallo had learned who the major players were. Jim Clark was undoubtedly one of the giants.

Song Yang took the phone, steadied his emotions, and said into the receiver, “Jim, congratulations. The ad launch results are very good!”

Jim Clark’s laughter came through the phone; he sounded like he was in an excellent mood. “Song, you have a share in this too. Doubleclick is a partner of Netscape!”

Hearing the underlying tone in Jim’s voice, Song Yang felt like Jim had something more to say.

The background noise on the other end dimmed significantly; evidently, Jim Clark had moved to a more private spot. “Song, I hope Doubleclick can sign a strategic cooperation agreement with Netscape as soon as possible!”

Hearing him bring it up voluntarily, Song Yang naturally wouldn’t refuse. “Of course, no problem!”

“Also, I hope you and Doubleclick can cooperate with Netscape’s promotional efforts,” Jim said, seemingly in passing. “For next year, Netscape’s projected revenue from digital advertising is over ten million dollars!”

Song Yang froze, clutching the phone with his mouth hanging open. He almost cursed Jim Clark right then and there.

This was blatant exaggeration without a shred of a draft. This was like attaching a jet engine to a cow—sending the bullsh*t into orbit. Right out of the gate, he dropped a bombshell. Song Yang wasn’t even sure if Doubleclick would survive until next year, yet Jim Clark dared to claim that Netscape could sell over ten million dollars in ads alone. Where was Song Yang supposed to find that many wealthy suckers to buy ads?

Then Song Yang calmed down. Thinking about Jim’s words, the slogan of earning ten million in ad revenue was clearly for the sake of the IPO. This definitely wasn’t just Jim’s decision; it likely represented the wishes of Wall Street.

Jim didn’t rush Song Yang, as if knowing he had calmed down. Only then did Jim continue, “I’m very optimistic about Doubleclick’s development, and I hope Netscape can continue to work with Doubleclick for a long time. Netscape doesn’t mistreat its partners!”

This was a blatant hint. Cooperate with Netscape, and Netscape would give Doubleclick a leg up. If they didn’t, Netscape would surely kick Doubleclick out and find someone more obedient.

This was a multiple-choice question with only one answer. Even knowing there were pitfalls, Song Yang had no choice. Netscape was currently the only “thick thigh” Doubleclick could cling to.

Song Yang responded, “Doubleclick certainly has the confidence to provide Netscape with an advertising market of over ten million dollars next year. After all, you are Netscape!”

Jim Clark couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh. “Song, I’ll be waiting for you in Silicon Valley. And of course, I hope you can handle the media well.”

After hanging up, Jim raised his glass to the several Silicon Valley and Wall Street big shots standing near him and said with a smile, “A very interesting young man who knows the rules.”

Song Yang hung up the phone. That last sentence was Jim warning him not to speak out of turn to the media.

By the next morning, while Song Yang was eating breakfast prepared by Da’anna at Greck’s house, he finally understood why Jim Clark had called him so urgently the night before.

“Wall Street institutions have once again raised their valuation estimates for Netscape. Market feedback shows that investors are very bullish on Netscape’s digital advertising strategy. Netscape President Barksdale announced that the company’s projected revenue for its digital advertising business next year will exceed ten million dollars… Currently, Netscape’s market value has reached a staggering 1.1 billion dollars!”

Chapter 18: Adding Fuel to the Fire

Song Yang watched ABC’s morning news report on Netscape with wide-eyed shock. He finally understood why Jim Clark had suddenly sought him out.

With its market value surging by a hundred million dollars in an instant, it was no wonder Netscape had started boasting about its digital advertising business, and it was no wonder the investors behind Netscape were going wild.

Song Yang was witnessing firsthand what they called a “frenzied era.” Even if it was just a boast, and even if it was still uncertain whether internet digital advertising could actually make money, the moment it was associated with Netscape, it was treated as if it were already a proven success.

It wasn’t just Netscape blowing its own horn; Wall Street was also in motion. That very morning, an analyst from a Wall Street firm released a report claiming that within the next two to three years, the market for internet digital advertising would grow from zero to over 800 million dollars!

In a single morning, Netscape became the global leader in digital advertising, and the digital ad business seemed to become one of the hottest industries in the world.

Reporters and media outlets intercepted Jim Clark as he was about to enter the Netscape office building that morning to ask him about the matter.

“Netscape has indeed established a digital advertising department. We have already partnered with Doubleclick Advertising Company, and Netscape will launch an ad settlement system as soon as possible!” Jim said, his face beaming with satisfaction.

The reporter interviewing Jim asked skeptically, “But according to our understanding, Doubleclick Advertising Company is a startup that has been around for less than six months. Is Doubleclick truly capable of handling an advertising business worth ten million dollars for Netscape…”

Jim unceremoniously interrupted the reporter. “It’s true that Doubleclick is a startup, but they possess the world’s most advanced ad delivery system, DART. Its costs are half those of traditional advertising, while its efficiency is twice as high. I am very optimistic about Doubleclick and its founder. Besides, we are Netscape!”

In front of the media cameras, Jim lavished praise on Doubleclick, hyping up the DART ad system—a system he hadn’t even seen yet—to the heavens.

This could be considered fulfilling his promise to Song Yang. Though in reality, he was just supporting the boast Netscape had already made; if he didn’t speak highly of Doubleclick, he would be slapping Netscape’s own face.

Netscape wasn’t the only one hyping digital advertising. A big piece of news also broke from Yahoo, also located in Silicon Valley. Yahoo, which had only been founded a year ago, announced it had secured five million dollars in investment from Sequoia Capital!

This set a new record for the internet. In the photos appearing in the newspapers, Jerry Yang, David Filo, and Bradley, posing with Mike Moritz of Sequoia Capital, were all smiles.

How could the two Yahoo founders and Bradley not be happy? Just as Moritz arrived at Yahoo, the site had just gone live with ads delivered by Doubleclick.

Netscape’s sudden praise of digital advertising had caused Sequoia Capital to double their investment in Yahoo from the original two million dollars to five million dollars. Yahoo, which originally seemed unable to profit due to its free operation model, might become the biggest winner with the emergence of digital advertising!

When facing media interviews, Jerry Yang’s attitude was nothing like it had been when he faced Song Yang and Doubleclick. Instead, he praised them vigorously.

“We have reached a strategic partnership with Doubleclick Advertising Company. Doubleclick will bring sufficient advertising revenue to Yahoo!”

“Song is a genius. The cooperation between Doubleclick and Yahoo is a match made in heaven. I very much look-forward to meeting with Song!” Facing the camera, Jerry Yang refused to say Song Yang was a liar even if it killed him, and instead gave Doubleclick the highest praise.

Though the spotlight belonged to Netscape and Yahoo, Doubleclick Advertising Company managed to establish a foothold in the internet industry thanks to them. Whenever the media reported on Netscape and Yahoo, they would mention Doubleclick in passing.

When it came to hype, one still had to rely on their own people. Wired magazine, on its newly launched website, provided substantial coverage of Doubleclick and Song Yang.

On the Wired website, Kevin Kelly wrote about his first meeting with Song Yang: “Song possesses an incredible intuition. When I first met him, he mentioned to me that he had found the key to unlocking the final door of the internet…”

“The emergence of Doubleclick is epoch-making. The changes in Netscape and Yahoo have already proven everything. In the future, countless internet companies and websites will emerge and change because of Doubleclick…”

As the premier hype-man of the current internet industry, Wired magazine carried significant weight. When Kevin began to praise Song Yang, the tech industry, Silicon Valley, and Wall Street all began to slowly turn their gaze toward the company behind Netscape and Yahoo: Doubleclick Advertising Company. As for Song Yang, he had finally begun to build a name for himself in the internet industry.

When Song Yang returned to the garage from Devers School, he heard the constant ringing of the telephone. A frantic Gallo saw Song Yang and couldn’t help but complain, “I’m going crazy! You have no idea how many people called today!”

Gallo had indeed spent the day driven mad by phone calls. For the entire day, advertisers and websites had been calling to inquire about or discuss partnerships, barely leaving him time to eat.

“Yes, this is Doubleclick Advertising Company, you want to…” Gallo, who was on the phone, suddenly sat bolt upright. “Investment?”

Gallo looked toward Song Yang with a look of disbelief. “A venture capital firm from Silicon Valley!”

Previously, Gallo had only seen venture capital firms in news reports and movies. They were always portrayed as wealthy and powerful entities that threw around tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars at every turn. The appearance of a VC usually meant that one was about to strike it rich!

Gallo had never imagined that one would ever come knocking for him. Swallowing hard, Gallo asked into the phone, “How much do you want to invest?”

“Four hundred thousand?” Gallo couldn’t help but shout.

Seeing this, Song Yang stepped forward and hung up the phone. Those calling now were basically looking for a bargain. Over the next few days, many people would likely rush over, trying to get in on the cheap.

Seeing Song Yang hang up, Gallo let out a wail. “Song, do you know what you’re doing? That was four hundred thousand dollars!”

“Now is not the time!” Song Yang also felt his heart rate accelerating, but he forced himself to stay calm.

With Doubleclick now backed by Netscape and Yahoo, even if he were to sell the company, it would certainly fetch a good price. Song Yang would wait for the right bidder; he wasn’t going to sell Doubleclick in such a rush.

While Gallo was still in the garage wailing over the loss of four hundred thousand, Bledsoe Jaden was eating at a small restaurant at the University of Houston with a few classmates.

After leaving the garage, Jaden felt like he had escaped from a cage. Taking a sip of his drink, Jaden said to the people at the table, “You have no idea what I went through. I am never going back to that hellhole. If you ever see a company called Doubleclick Advertising Company, I suggest you call the federal agents for help immediately…”

“My God, this is crazy! Netscape’s market value has reached 1.1 billion dollars! It’s only been around for how long?”

A person at the table with Jaden couldn’t help but exclaim after hearing the news report on the restaurant’s TV. He then said to Jaden and the others, “Marc Andreessen is a true genius. We should go to Silicon Valley; that’s where we belong!”

“Doubleclick Advertising Company, which provides digital advertising services for Netscape, is also currently receiving attention from Silicon Valley. A well-known analytical firm has given this startup from Space City a valuation of three million dollars…”

Hearing the words from the TV, Jaden looked up dazed. He suspected his ears were failing him or that the TV station had made an error.

But as he looked up and saw the Doubleclick logo—the one he never wanted to see again—appear on the screen, Jaden’s face suddenly turned pale. He felt a roar in his head that left him feeling lightheaded for a moment.

The people at his table also couldn’t help but turn to look at the stunned Jaden. Jaden was still staring at the TV. When he saw the interviews with Netscape’s Jim Clark, Yahoo’s Bradley, and Wired’s Kevin Kelly regarding Song Yang and Doubleclick, Jaden finally felt his last line of defense collapse.

“Jaden, what was the name of that company you just mentioned?!” one of his tablemates asked.

“This is impossible, impossible…” Jaden could only mutter to himself. Then he suddenly stood up and ran out of the restaurant.

Some of the people at the table thought about chasing after him, but ultimately stayed seated. They looked at each other with various expressions, but they all knew why Jaden had reacted that way. To lose his status as the founder of a company worth millions of dollars for nothing—if it were them, they would likely be sick with regret for the rest of their lives.

In a two-story building in Houston, this was the law firm where Greck worked. He had spent many years at this firm. Although he wasn’t a prominent lawyer, Greck provided for his family.

Checking the time, Greck began to pack his things. He had an appointment to go to a bar for a drink with a few old friends later.

Having reached middle age, Greck had begun to experience a mid-life crisis. His career hadn’t progressed in years, and his ambitions were slowly being buried deep in his heart. Various family matters and expenses were weighing him down, and Gallo and Song Yang especially gave him no peace. He needed the alcohol to numb his frayed nerves.

“Greck!”

Just as Greck was about to stand up, the door to the boss’s office suddenly swung open. The head of the firm, Josiah, walked out quickly. Looking toward Greck, he waved his hand, signaling him to come in.

Looking at the uncharacteristically eager Josiah, Greck walked toward the office with a sense of trepidation, various thoughts flashing through his mind. He had heard earlier that the firm’s finances didn’t seem to be doing well, and Josiah was quite stressed about it. Thinking of this, Greck felt even more bitter.

However, contrary to what Greck expected, as soon as he entered the office and before he could speak, Josiah rushed over excitedly and slapped Greck on the shoulder. “I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t let me down, Greck!”

As he spoke, Josiah opened a bottle of brandy that had been displayed in the office for years and poured a glass for Greck.

While Greck was completely bewildered, Josiah finally spoke. “You’re the one in charge of the legal affairs for that Doubleclick Advertising Company, right?”

Chapter 19: Public Persona

Inside the senior partner’s office at the law firm, Greck stood holding a glass of wine, his face masked with surprise. He hadn’t expected Josiah to suddenly bring up the Doubleclick Advertising Company.

Doubleclick’s legal affairs were indeed registered under Greck’s name, but Josiah’s sudden interest left him somewhat perplexed.

Seeing Greck nod blankly, Josiah was overjoyed. He clinked his glass against Greck’s, then turned up the television volume. After flipping through a few channels, he finally stopped on a local Houston station.

A news anchor was reporting, “Latest news from California: the tech giant Netscape has announced a strategic partnership with Doubleclick. Doubleclick is a local Houston startup. According to our sources, the company was founded by a Houston genius, Bruno Song. Investment firms in Silicon Valley have valuated Doubleclick at over three million dollars. Our reporters will be bringing you more in-depth coverage of Doubleclick…”

Watching the broadcast, Greck’s mouth hung open, his heart racing with shock. Only one thought crossed his mind: That dilapidated garage by Highway 7 is now worth three million dollars?

“Greck, I knew you wouldn’t let me down! This is a company partnered with Netscape…”

Josiah spoke to Greck with irrepressible excitement. He knew that landing the legal business for Netscape—the darling of Wall Street with a valuation exceeding a billion dollars—was impossible for them. However, securing the legal work for Doubleclick, a company backed by Netscape, was an absolute windfall for a small firm like Josiah’s.

Greck didn’t remember how he made it home. When he woke up the next morning, all he heard were Da’anna’s complaints; in all their years together, she had never seen him get so drunk.

His head throbbed with a post-alcohol ache as he tried to piece together the gaps in his memory from the previous night. After work, Josiah had dragged him to one of the best bars in Houston.

Thinking of this, Greck stole a glance at Da’anna. Seeing that she was only complaining about his drinking, he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he hadn’t committed any major blunders.

Though his memory was hazy, Greck remembered that back at the bar, Josiah had showered him with promises: head of a department, general manager, even the status of a partner!

These were things Greck hadn’t even dared to dream of in the past, yet Josiah had offered them all at once. Greck knew exactly why.

“Where’s Song?” Greck rubbed his forehead and suddenly remembered Song Yang, quickly asking Da’anna.

Da’anna looked at the frantic Greck, wondering what sort of madness had gripped him. “Song didn’t come home at all last night!”

As she spoke, the house phone rang again. Da’anna couldn’t help but exclaim, “What is going on today? It’s nothing but reporters and media people, all looking for Song!”

Seeing Da’anna’s expression, Greck could only imagine how many persistent journalists were calling to find Song Yang.

“I need to find Song and handle this!” Greck hurriedly stuffed a few bites of bread into his mouth and rushed out the door. He had to find Song Yang to deal with the media.

It wasn’t just Greck’s house phone that was ringing off the hook. Because they couldn’t reach Song Yang directly, some well-informed local Houston reporters had rushed straight to Devers School to conduct interviews.

For a school as ordinary as Devers, this was the first time they had seen such a crowd of media and reporters camped outside the gates.

The principal of Devers, having received the news, rushed to the school to accept interviews. The principal, a man in his fifties, spoke confidently into the cameras. “I completely believe Bruno Song is capable of this. He was the most outstanding student at Devers. He will undoubtedly be one of our most distinguished alumni…”

The principal, who actually had very little memory of Song Yang, praised him and the school seamlessly in front of the cameras. He declared Song Yang a true genius with exceptional grades—straight As all year—and noted that he was a key player on the school baseball team…

Inside Devers School, rumors about Song Yang and Doubleclick were spreading like wildfire. Anyone who had been skeptical before was now fully convinced by the presence of the reporters.

When Ibeila walked into the dance studio, she saw a group of girls surrounding Jenny. It was obvious these girls now viewed Jenny as the girlfriend of Song Yang—the girlfriend of a newly minted millionaire.

This was America, a place where status, position, and power were strictly defined by wealth and net worth. A young millionaire with visible potential was enough to make people flock to him!

Seeing this, Ibeila felt a sharp pang of envy. She believed all of this should have belonged to her. The status of being the new millionaire’s girlfriend, the compliments and flattery from those around her—it should have been hers. She felt as though Jenny had stolen it.

At the Devers baseball team’s practice field, the members felt dizzy after seeing off yet another group of school administrators and having their photos taken by reporters.

Song Yang, who had quit the team, had started a company and suddenly possessed a net worth of over a million dollars. Although it was only a theoretical net worth, it was far too shocking for the players. It completely overturned their worldview.

A few players who had been on good terms with Song Yang were naturally happy; having a millionaire friend might even change their own futures.

Those who were distant from Song Yang regretted not building a relationship earlier. However, most eyes were fixed on the tall, bear-like figure of Stanton.

At that moment, Stanton was pale and miserable. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be like from now on. He didn’t dare think about the consequences of having offended a millionaire.

When Greck arrived at the garage, Song Yang, who had been busy all night, finally caught a break.

Short-staffed and needing to coordinate with Netscape and Yahoo, while also contacting advertisers like AT&T to report data and handling various technical issues, Song Yang had been working non-stop.

“We need to hire people as soon as possible. Technical staff, sales, customer service—we need them all. We also need to move the office!”

Greck heard Song Yang speaking to Gallo as he walked in. It was still the same garage, but in Greck’s eyes, it felt fundamentally different than before.

“We need money. The account is almost empty. If you hadn’t rejected another million dollars from that venture capital firm, we’d have money right now!” Gallo complained to Song Yang.

From last night until this morning, the calls from investors had never stopped. The investment offers kept climbing, from several hundred thousand to one million dollars this morning, but Song Yang had rejected them all.

“Wall Street estimates Doubleclick’s market value at only three million. An investment of one million is already very good!” Gallo didn’t understand why Song Yang kept refusing.

“It’s five million!” Hayley said, holding up a newspaper she had bought on the way while delivering a Chinese-style breakfast.

In the past, Hayley had no interest in tech-related things. But now, seeing Song Yang’s company become more valuable by the day and his net worth skyrocketing, she felt closer than ever to Hollywood. Song Yang had promised to help her get there, so she was naturally very proactive.

Gallo took the paper and took a look, unable to help swearing. In just one night, Silicon Valley and Wall Street had raised Doubleclick’s valuation again. It had jumped by two million dollars overnight. Gallo was now seeing the madness of the internet industry; it really was no different from printing money.

“I’ll handle the office situation. We must hire staff as soon as possible. As for funding, we can go to the bank for a short-term loan to bridge the gap!”

Greck began making arrangements as soon as he entered. With his years of experience as a lawyer, his expertise was vast.

Seeing Greck, Song Yang felt a weight lift from his shoulders. For all his technical knowledge, this was Song Yang’s first time building a company across two lifetimes. While he was confident in tech, he was less experienced in operations, financial management, and recruitment. With Greck helping, he could finally relax.

With Greck’s involvement, the chaotic garage environment began to stabilize. Greck made several calls; Gallo was sent out to scout for office space, and Hayley went to contact headhunting firms.

“There are reporters and media outlets that want to interview you. I think you should accept one. We can contact the local Houston station and have them do a feature on you!” Greck suggested.

Currently, reporters from New York and Silicon Valley were in Houston, all keen on Song Yang and looking for a scoop.

Local Houston media would likely be the most supportive. Since Song Yang was from Houston, the local press wouldn’t intentionally make things difficult for their hometown “genius.” The same couldn’t be said for the media from New York or Los Angeles.

“Reporters?”

Song Yang pondered for a moment before nodding his agreement. Doubleclick would eventually have to accept investment, and increasing its brand awareness now would be very beneficial for future funding rounds.

While Song Yang didn’t have a burning desire to craft a “genius” persona like Microsoft or Netscape did, he knew that in this era of “making gods” in the tech industry, having a public profile was highly advantageous. Just as Microsoft had packaged Bill Gates as a boy genius and Netscape had built Marc Andreessen into a “Silicon Valley Hero” to attract massive investment and top-tier talent, a strong public image performed miracles.

Song Yang didn’t expect to attract thousands of followers like those two, but if the interview could draw some technical talent to Doubleclick, it would be well worth his time.

Chapter 20: The Spotlight

Even though Greck wasn’t a professional manager, his years of experience as a lawyer made him far more seasoned than Song Yang in certain matters.

He made several phone calls, first setting up appointments with several banks in Houston. Besides the major ones, Greck also reached out to several smaller local banks.

The massive banks might not necessarily look twice at a company like Doubleclick—a firm that looked impressive on the outside but was currently little more than a hollow shell.

Smaller and mid-sized banks were different. To them, a rising star like Doubleclick represented a potential windfall, and they were often willing to take a gamble and offer higher credit limits.

After finishing with the banks, Greck made a few more calls, leveraging the network of his firm’s boss, Josiah. He managed to contact several local media outlets, including a Houston TV station and the Houston Chronicle, to arrange a joint interview for Song Yang.

Watching the massive spectacle Greck was orchestrating, Song Yang couldn’t help but feel a slight headache. However, he knew Greck’s approach was standard practice—countless people in America were desperate for fame.

Fame brought prestige. Invitations for TV interviews and newspaper features came with appearance fees. Later, one could publish their life story as a book or, with enough luck, see it adapted into a movie. As long as there was hype, fame was a bottomless well for making money!

After changing his clothes, Song Yang and Greck arrived at the local KHOU TV station in Houston.

Although the station had its own branding, like almost every other TV station and newspaper in America, it was part of a larger camp owned by media giants like ABC, NBC, or CBS. This particular station was a CBS affiliate.

As soon as Song Yang and Greck entered, a station manager came out to greet them. Song Yang and Doubleclick were currently a hot topic for the media. While the hype wasn’t as explosive as Netscape’s, an interview with him was guaranteed to pull in ratings.

“Audrey!”

A tall woman wearing a grey professional suit and black-rimmed glasses walked up to Song Yang and extended her hand.

“I’ll be in charge of this interview. May I call you Song?” Audrey was a stunning American woman with a mane of blonde hair, a slightly rounded face, and full, pouty lips.

Though she was dressed quite conservatively, her height and long legs were more than enough to catch anyone’s eye.

Audrey looked Song Yang over. Although he had dressed up to look more mature, his age was still apparent.

Seeing that his looks were on par with any Hollywood star who came to KHOU for promotion, and remembering his status as the genius founder of Doubleclick—a company valued in the millions—she realized he was the definition of young and wealthy. Audrey felt that in the future, Song Yang would certainly become a most eligible bachelor that many would fight over!

“Of course.” Song Yang thought it might be his imagination, but as he shook Audrey’s hand, he felt her pinky finger brush against his palm a few times.

While Greck was occupied talking to the station manager, Audrey sat down with Song Yang to go over the details. “These are the main topics for today’s interview. Is there anything else you’d like to keep in mind?”

Audrey sat before him with her legs crossed, seemingly unconsciously putting her figure on display.

Song Yang didn’t have time to admire the view as he scanned the interview questions. Usually, these interviews weren’t strictly scripted, but to ensure things went smoothly, they would communicate with the interviewee beforehand to avoid taboo subjects. Of course, some stations or hosts liked to stir up trouble by suddenly attacking the interviewee with unvetted questions midway through.

Once Greck finished speaking with the supervisor and walked over, Song Yang handed the document back to Audrey and smiled. “I’m good to go!”

After being dragged to the makeup room and fussed over for quite a while, Song Yang sat under the spotlight for the first time. Looking at the cameras, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

However, when Audrey and the program director saw Song Yang after the makeup artist was done with him, their eyes lit up. If they hadn’t known he was here as a genius tech founder, they would have thought he was a newly debuted Hollywood heartthrob.

Audrey seemed to notice his tension and opened with a few casual, minor questions before diving into the main topic. “Song, can you tell us what made you think of founding a company like Doubleclick?”

Song Yang gave her a grateful look, knowing she was easing him into the flow.

Looking toward the camera, Song Yang began his performance—or rather, his “recollection” of his journey. “It started a few months ago. I had just been injured and was forced to rest. I happened to see a debate on TV between Professor Tristan of New York University and Wall Street investor Barnard…”

“At that time, I was thinking about how to solve the current plight of the internet industry, and I thought of digital advertising!” Song Yang brought up Tristan, praising him heavily and claiming the man was his “spiritual mentor.”

“So,” Audrey noted sharply, looking at Song Yang in surprise, “you had never studied internet technology before, and you founded Doubleclick entirely through self-study?”

Song Yang didn’t hesitate for a second. Regardless of whether Jaden would call him shameless, he nodded in confirmation. “I read programming books. The lines of code were like dancing spirits, entering my mind and letting me understand them!”

In the control room, everyone, including Audrey, couldn’t help but let out a gasp of admiration. The word “genius” immediately came to mind.

Meanwhile, Jaden, who had been staying at home for days licking his emotional wounds, couldn’t take it anymore when he saw this segment. He stood up and shouted at the TV in a rage, “Liar! You’re all liars! I was the one who built the DART ad delivery system!”

Jaden admitted that Song Yang’s talent was… dozens of times better than his. The architecture and design of the DART system were all Song Yang’s work; Jaden was merely the workhorse and the coding tool. But even if he didn’t have the credit, he had the hard work! He had spent months coding day and night, yet Song Yang didn’t even mention him. This infuriated Jaden to no end.

As Jaden was screaming at the TV, a tall, bald man with tattoos covering his face, neck, and arms stepped into the room. “Auntie said you were being bullied?”

Seeing the bald man, Jaden pointed at the TV in a fury. “He’s a thief! A portion of that was supposed to be mine!”

The bald man looked at the fuming Jaden, then squinted at Song Yang on the screen.

Back in the studio, the interview continued. As time passed, Song Yang gradually grew accustomed to the camera. With Audrey’s intentional guidance, the interview went very well. At the very least, Song Yang’s public persona as a self-made genius from a dilapidated warehouse was firmly established.

“The one who caused your injury… Stanton. Do you hate him?” Audrey asked, as the camera zoomed in on Song Yang’s face.

Song Yang frowned slightly. “Of course not. I believe it was unintentional. In fact, I have to thank him. If not for him, I wouldn’t have experienced all of this!”

“However,” a hint of reluctance and faint sorrow appeared on Song Yang’s face, “baseball was my favorite sport. My teammates on the Devers baseball team and I conquered one stadium after another. I once dreamed of standing on the training grounds of my favorite team, the New York Yankees, but now…”

Song Yang shook his head helplessly. He firmly placed the blame for his fallen athletic career onto that “big bear” Stanton. It was a masterstroke in character assassination—implying that if it weren’t for Stanton, Song Yang wouldn’t have had to become a millionaire tech mogul.

Stanton, who was also watching the interview at home, clutched his head in agony. Song Yang was absolutely trashing him. Seeing Song Yang’s pained expression over not being able to play baseball, Stanton almost wished he had actually hit Song Yang with a bat for real…

“I want to thank Professor Tristan. I hope to have the chance to listen to his teachings again. I thank Principal Devers and all the teachers for their care over the years; I couldn’t have made it this far without them. I want to thank my Uncle Greck and everyone in the Bruno family…”

Song Yang thanked everyone he could think of. Just as he was about to finish, he saw Greck run into the control room holding a sign, frantically pointing at a name written on it.

Song Yang caught the name. Though it was unfamiliar, seeing Greck’s urgent expression, he continued, “Finally, I want to thank Mr. Adrian. I am very grateful for all the help he has provided to Doubleclick!”

After the interview ended, Audrey smiled at Song Yang and handed him a business card. “Excellent interview. You were born to be in the spotlight!”

Song Yang took the card and tucked it into his pocket. Looking at the stunning woman before him, perhaps influenced by his original body’s personality, he reflexively blurted out, “Then I should be stepping into that spotlight with you.”

Audrey blinked. Behind her old-fashioned black-rimmed glasses, she watched Song Yang’s retreating back. She lightly brushed her tongue over her dry lips before turning and walking away with her long strides.

Walking back to the waiting room, Song Yang asked Greck as he entered, “Who is this Adrian?”

“Josiah called. He’s the City Councilor for Houston’s Third District…”

Greck wanted to say more, but he stopped when some station staff walked in.

Leaving the TV station, Song Yang and Greck headed toward a local bank.

Chapter 21: Recruiting Soldiers and Buying Horses

After leaving the TV station, Song Yang and Greck headed to their scheduled bank appointment.

At the bank, Song Yang first experienced the benefits of being famous. Banks were the most practical places—as long as you had money, you could receive all sorts of extraordinary treatment that ordinary people couldn’t even imagine.

Song Yang and Greck first tentatively arrived at the location of Morgan Bank, the largest bank in Houston.

At Morgan Bank, even though there were still some doubts about how much the collateral assets of Doubleclick Advertising Company were actually worth, they still sent a senior manager to receive Song Yang and offered him high-level VIP treatment.

However, regarding the loan to Doubleclick Advertising Company, although Morgan Bank was willing, the amount wasn’t high. They were only willing to lend less than $800,000 to Doubleclick Advertising Company, and they wanted nearly half of Doubleclick’s equity as collateral. Moreover, the interest rate was also somewhat high. For investing in the internet industry, Morgan Bank obviously still had some reservations.

Subsequently, Song Yang came to Western Alliance Bank, First Federal Bank, First Empire Bank, and several local banks in Texas, including Comerica Bank. Compared to Morgan Bank, these banks had a much better attitude toward Doubleclick Advertising Company, especially Comerica Bank.

After leaving the other banks, Song Yang and Greck arrived at Comerica Bank. As soon as they entered, they ran into a middle-aged man in his forties who was already waiting in the bank lobby.

As soon as he saw Song Yang and the other person, the middle-aged man’s eyes lit up, and he immediately led people to greet them, “Welcome, Houston’s technology hero, to Comerica Bank!”

The middle-aged man came to Song Yang and said, “I just saw your interview on TV. It was very exciting. I have already seen a new star of Houston’s technology rising from Space City!”

“Chris Jahn, you can call me Jahn. I am the credit manager of Comerica Houston Bank!” Jahn handed each of Song Yang and Greck a business card. Compared to other banks, Jahn was much more enthusiastic. As soon as he came up, he was full of flattery, which was even louder than the bragging Song Yang did on TV.

“Thank you!”

After arriving at the conference room, Song Yang took the coffee brought by Jahn’s rather attractive female assistant and said to Jahn.

Song Yang and Greck looked at each other, and Greck, representing Doubleclick Advertising Company, spoke first, “Manager Jahn, Doubleclick Advertising Company needs to obtain a loan from Comerica Bank!”

Jahn clapped his hands a few times, “Comerica Bank is also willing to cooperate with Doubleclick Advertising Company, such a ‘potential’ company!”

Song Yang and Greck looked at each other a few times. Jahn should be the one among all the banks they had seen today who had the best attitude toward Doubleclick Advertising Company.

But if something seems too good to be true, there must be a catch. Jahn’s enthusiasm seemed a bit too much. Banks were not places for charity. Instead, it made Greck’s heart tighten, and he signaled Song Yang with his eyes not to speak rashly.

“How much funding is Comerica Bank willing to provide to Doubleclick Advertising Company?” Greck asked Jahn.

Jahn didn’t look at Greck but looked at Song Yang, “One million dollars!”

“Two million!” At this time, Song Yang spoke.

When Jahn heard this, he couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh a few times, “You can listen to my conditions first. I think the Houston Credit Department of Comerica Bank is the most friendly bank to Doubleclick Advertising Company in this area!”

“A credit fund of $1.5 million, a two-month interest-free period, and only 20% of Doubleclick Advertising Company’s equity needs to be mortgaged!” Jahn said to Song Yang.

Were these conditions harsh? To be honest, they were already very generous. In the early stages of internet and technology companies, why didn’t they go to banks to borrow money? It wasn’t that they didn’t want to borrow, but the banks simply didn’t want to give money. The risk was too great.

Doubleclick Advertising Company was now taking advantage of the spring breeze of digital advertising and the support of Netscape, so the bank was willing to tentatively throw a sum of money to Doubleclick Advertising Company. In fact, they never thought about taking it back. After all, countless new companies appeared in America every day. How many of these companies could survive until the next year?

So the conditions proposed by Jahn were already very generous compared to those of JPMorgan Chase and other banks.

“What does Manager Jahn want?” Born in America, Greck trusted the least that pies would fall from the sky.

Jahn laughed and then directly pointed to Song Yang!

“The funds can be lent to Doubleclick Advertising Company, as long as I am still in the position of the Houston Credit Department of Comerica Bank. In the future, Comerica can still cooperate with Doubleclick Advertising Company!”

Jahn looked at Song Yang and said, “But I hope that Song, you will become ‘my’ client in the future. Of course, I also hope that the capital turnover of Doubleclick Advertising Company and other cooperative companies can be carried out in the bank where ‘I’ am located.”

Song Yang heard the implication in Jahn’s words. He wanted Song Yang to become “his” client, not Comerica Bank’s!

That is to say, what Jahn was investing in this time was Song Yang himself. He was betting that Song Yang would grow up in the future. Not to mention becoming a billionaire like Bill Gates, as long as he was a person worth tens of millions, it would be a huge help to Jahn’s career.

Even further, if Song Yang could break through the ceiling and reach the level of a billionaire, then having such a supporter, Jahn might even be transferred back to the headquarters of Comerica Bank to take up a position.

America gathered half of the world’s rich people, but how many billionaires are there? Every billionaire has huge influence. Having the support of such a person is enough to accomplish many things.

Greck really didn’t expect that Jahn actually wanted to invest in Song Yang. Although it was using public office for personal gain, he was willing to take risks on Song Yang, which was enough to show how much he valued Song Yang.

Song Yang saw Greck nod, and then he also spoke to Jahn, “Of course there is no problem. I am willing to cooperate with Manager Jahn. The capital turnover of Doubleclick Advertising Company can also be carried out through the bank where Manager Jahn is located, but we are really powerless regarding the partners!”

No matter it was Netscape now or Yahoo in the future, there were a bunch of forces behind them. Song Yang didn’t have the ability to let Netscape and Yahoo put all their money into the bank where Jahn was.

Jahn thought for a while and knew that it was too much to ask Song Yang to interfere with the finances of a company like Netscape, which was valued at over $10 billion.

“Happy cooperation!” Jahn stretched out his hand and said to Song Yang.

After Song Yang and Greck left, the female secretary who brought the coffee immediately stuck to Jahn, and the two of them immediately entangled together.

“Do you really think highly of that Song?” The female secretary lit a cigarette, took a puff, and then handed it to Jahn. She had never seen Jahn, the credit department manager, value anyone so much.

No matter in which bank, the credit department is a lucrative position. It is up to the credit department to decide who to lend money to, how much to lend, and when to get it back. Jahn is not a kind person. There are not one or two small companies that have gone bankrupt and those who borrowed money that have been tossed around by Jahn.

Glancing at the female assistant in front of him, Jahn said, “Now Silicon Valley and Wall Street are touting the Internet industry. Maybe a few millionaires and billionaires will really appear in this industry, and the current Song seems to have much more opportunities than others!”

Jahn was gambling. If he lost the bet, it wouldn’t matter. If he won the bet, what he could earn would be much more than Comerica Bank. In this case, of course, he had to gamble.

After getting this sum of money, Song Yang and Greck were both relieved, especially Song Yang, who had been tense all the time, and finally felt that he could breathe a sigh of relief.

Greck bought some drinks and came to the garage with Song Yang. When he saw this garage, Greck was filled with emotion for a while.

Looking back at Song Yang, Greck’s cheap uncle was silent for a while. In just a few days, Greck felt that his identity with Song Yang had undergone subtle changes.

Whether it was at the law firm or at the bank, because of the appearance of Doubleclick Advertising Company, Greck’s situation had changed.

Regarding Song Yang, Greck’s mentality was still changing. Apart from the kinship maintained by blood, he also began to have some special things. Before, Greck had more of an elder’s mentality towards Song Yang, but now, Greck unconsciously began to consider Song Yang’s attitude.

Song Yang didn’t think so much. Looking up and seeing Greck standing there in a daze, he pulled him to sit on the recliner and opened a bottle of drink for him.

Song Yang clinked his drink bottle with Greck’s, “Uncle Greck, the matters of Doubleclick Advertising Company still need your help!”

Greck came back to his senses, took a sip of the drink. Although life was a bit busy now, compared to the unchanging days before, it made Greck more nourished.

“What are you going to do? The funds from Comerica can’t maintain Doubleclick Advertising Company for too long!” Greck asked Song Yang. Next, Doubleclick Advertising Company would definitely need to recruit soldiers and buy horses, rent offices, recruit personnel, especially the bragging to Netscape, Doubleclick Advertising Company must desperately attract advertisers, all of which require a lot of money. As for when Doubleclick Advertising Company can make a profit, no one can say.

Song Yang lay on the chair, looking at the simple garage. In a few days, he would probably have to move out of here.

“Doubleclick Advertising Company definitely needs investment, but we need to find the most suitable big investor!” Song Yang had rejected many investment calls that wanted to take advantage of the situation before, but this didn’t mean that Song Yang didn’t plan to raise funds. Instead, he wanted to find the most suitable big investor for Doubleclick Advertising Company.

Greck still wanted to say something, but when he turned around, he saw that Song Yang had already fallen asleep. Greck shook his head, got up and started to deal with things.

The interview Song Yang received in Houston was rebroadcast by CBS and caused some waves in the industry, especially for the names Song Yang mentioned in the interview.

“I look up to Song very much. He is a real genius. He opened the curtain of the new generation of the Internet!” Tristan, who was praised by Song Yang in the interview, returned the favor and praised Song Yang severely.

Chapter 22: An Outrageous Demand

As Netscape began to advocate for digital advertising, internet digital advertising seemed to become a panacea for the internet industry’s inability to turn a profit.

Tristan and other internet pioneers in academia, who had previously been challenged, started to become active again.

When Tristan was invited back to the TV station control room, this time he went all out, enthusiastically promoting the internet industry, as if the internet era was about to arrive tomorrow.

Among his praises, Tristan was unequivocal about Song Yang, especially after hearing in the interview that Song Yang mentioned establishing Doubleclick Advertising Company because of him. Even though he had never met Song Yang in person and had only seen snippets of the Houston TV station’s interview with Song Yang,

Professor Tristan didn’t hesitate to label Song Yang with a series of terms like “new generation internet leader” and “possessing a transcendent vision.”

Just the fact that Song Yang, in the interview, partially credited Tristan for the success of digital advertising was enough for Tristan’s internet laboratory to secure a large sum of funding from its sponsors. Wasn’t it evident that internet digital business had been developed under his influence?!

If his laboratory received more investment, perhaps even more groundbreaking things could be developed. In any case, Tristan’s funding for the next few years was secure.

“Internet digital advertising is absolutely an emergence that will change the course of internet history. Song is the most talented genius I’ve ever met, just like An Wang, the founder of Wang Laboratories. They will both become figures who create history!”

In his final moments, Tristan gave Song Yang another strong boost, so strong that it directly compared the fledgling Song Yang to An Wang, who once dominated the tech industry in America and was at one point among America’s ten richest people!

Although An Wang had passed away five years ago, anyone familiar with the tech industry could not bypass his name. Someone who could suppress computer giants like IBM, no matter how much time passed, would still be considered a legend.

In the TV station’s control room, hearing Tristan directly compare Song Yang, a young newcomer, to the An Wang of yesteryear, there was a collective gasp of surprise. The guests invited to the show with Tristan found it difficult to comment for a while.

It wasn’t just Tristan who was riding high. Wired magazine and Kevin Kelly also gained significant momentum in the tech industry with the rise of internet digital advertising.

Wired magazine was one of the platforms that jointly promoted digital advertising. Although it didn’t have as much buzz as Netscape, Wired magazine once again solidified its position in the tech industry.

Kevin Kelly, in an interview with other media, also praised Song Yang, “Song is the person I’ve met who understands internet culture the most deeply. I believe Doubleclick Advertising Company will become a part of what shapes the internet landscape in America in the future. In fact, many websites are already on the verge of changing because of Doubleclick Advertising Company!”

Song Yang’s interview, coupled with the praise from Netscape’s Jim Clark, Tristan, and Kevin Kelly, along with reports from TV stations and magazines, officially made Doubleclick Advertising Company’s name resound throughout America’s tech circles.

In reality, that’s how fame is made—by people flattering each other and building each other up. Doubleclick Advertising Company was currently just an empty shell, but under the praise of all parties, in the minds of countless people, it had already formed the image of a high-end tech company, at least until they saw the shabby garage.

For Song Yang, another benefit that fame brought was that the principal of Devers School personally granted Song Yang a long holiday and stated that Song Yang didn’t need to worry about his graduation grades. This would allow Song Yang to recover better and gain more social experience.

“I dare say, this is the most suitable place to work in all of Houston. A 1,000 square meter office space, overlooking the Houston port, less than 30 kilometers from Johnson Space Center, surrounded by over 20 universities, and on this very street, there are headquarters of five America 500 companies!”

Standing by the glass window of an office building, Song Yang heard Gallo’s glib voice behind him, praising the place to the sky.

Song Yang glanced around a few times and indeed could vaguely see America’s second-largest port in the distance. The surrounding environment was truly impeccable.

After a few glances, Song Yang thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said to Greck, “Let’s rent this place!”

Greck glared fiercely at Gallo, then turned and went downstairs to sign the contract with the office building’s manager.

The office building Gallo found was not cheap. These were the years when dollars were most valuable, and the annual rent for this floor of office space already exceeded 140,000 dollars. Even if it couldn’t compare to office buildings in areas like Wall Street, San Francisco, or Silicon Valley, it was still quite expensive.

However, Song Yang gritted his teeth and rented it. As the saying goes, a nice saddle makes a horse look good, and nice clothes make a man look good. To cooperate with those big advertising sponsors, they needed at least a good office. Otherwise, with that shabby garage, how could they convince big sponsors to willingly hand over tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars in advertising fees?

“Office equipment, consumables, and computers must all be moved up as soon as possible!”

Song Yang said to Gallo, then warned him, “Don’t let anyone tamper with these things!”

Gallo’s old face immediately flushed red, and he shouted at Song Yang, “Song, we’re brothers! What kind of person do you take me for? Do you think I’d mess with them?!”

“It’s best if you don’t!”

Song Yang still trusted Gallo; no matter what, he wouldn’t intentionally harm his own people. But what he didn’t trust were Gallo’s gang of unreliable friends. It was hard to guarantee they wouldn’t take advantage of Gallo to skim profits from Doubleclick Advertising Company’s procurements.

Gallo felt a little guilty at this point. He had just been thinking about entrusting the purchasing of those items to people he knew on the street. However, Gallo was well aware of their character; they wouldn’t miss any opportunity to line their pockets. While they were fine for small items, for large quantities, Gallo felt it was more reliable to go to major sellers.

Song Yang watched Gallo leave. He had more things to attend to today. He needed to select several managers for Doubleclick Advertising Company today, including the most important sales manager.

What Doubleclick Advertising Company was doing now was getting ads and selling ads. Before the internet era fully took off, advertising sales were an indispensable part, even when transitioning from traditional offline advertising to online advertising.

The dollars borrowed from Comerica were spent like flowing water. Doubleclick Advertising Company also moved from the shabby garage on Highway 7 to a new office building near the Houston port.

However, looking at the invoices one by one, Song Yang started to get a headache. Server fees, office rent, computers and other office equipment, and the salaries of soon-to-be-hired staff—Song Yang wondered if the loan from Comerica could last three months, no, even two months…

However, the saying “money makes the world go round” was absolutely true, especially in America. With overtime pay and tips promised, in less than a day, the moving crew had tidied up Doubleclick Advertising Company’s floor and began moving in office equipment. Outside the building, Doubleclick Advertising Company’s sign was already hung.

The interviews were held in a makeshift office. Song Yang and Greck interviewed together.

There were many applicants, and Song Yang received several impressive resumes. However, for the crucial sales manager position, he still hadn’t found a suitable candidate, which made Song Yang anxious. This position was critical to Doubleclick Advertising Company’s future development.

Just as Song Yang was about to give up and consider hiring a headhunting firm to find more people, another figure walked in, led by Hayley, who had been pulled in as a temporary receptionist.

The newcomer was in his forties, with some graying at the temples. His appearance wasn’t striking, but he exuded a very steady aura.

“Kevin Lane?!” Song Yang’s eyes lit up when he saw the person’s resume. Lane’s previous job was at News Corp, where he was the assistant manager in charge of advertising sales in the Houston area.

Greck also stared at Lane’s resume for a few more moments. While at News Corp, Lane had managed to increase News Corp’s local revenue in Houston by 57%. He was definitely a sales genius.

“Why do you want to join Doubleclick Advertising Company? You should know that compared to News Corp, Doubleclick Advertising Company is just a… startup. I want to hear the truth!”

Greck asked Lane. Although Greck’s words were tactful, any normal person could understand that the gap between Doubleclick Advertising Company and News Corp was not much less than the distance from Earth to the moon.

Lane giving up his position at News Corp to come to Doubleclick Advertising Company still surprised Song Yang and Greck. As for any nonsense about being optimistic about Doubleclick Advertising Company, Greck didn’t want to hear it. If he was going to choose a reason, it had to be a reliable one!

Lane pointed to the salary requirements on the simple sheet, “My wife is ill and needs expensive medical care. My children need education. I need a higher salary!”

Greck saw the 170,000 dollars salary marked on Lane’s resume and couldn’t help but be stunned. This salary package was already comparable to a manager’s salary at a small institution on Wall Street. What was the average salary in America right now? When Greck worked at the law firm, he worked himself to death for a year and only earned no more than 60,000 dollars. This Lane truly dared to make an outrageous demand.

Chapter 23: Into the Trap

Greck felt that Kevin Lane was making an outrageous demand. A near $200,000 annual salary wasn’t just eye-catching in Houston; even in a premium location like New York, it would still be a position that countless people would covet.

Seeing Greck’s hesitation and Song Yang’s scrutinizing gaze, Lane made a startling statement. “I saw media reports that next year, Doubleclick Advertising Company will settle over ten million dollars in advertising revenue for Netscape. I’m willing to take on this task!”

Greck stared blankly at Lane, unsure if he truly had the ability or was just boasting. Knowing the inside story, Greck himself felt a bit embarrassed about Netscape’s ten million dollars in digital advertising fees.

Yet, Lane proactively volunteered to complete this task, which astonished Greck. For a moment, he didn’t know how to decide. If he encountered a boastful swindler, that would be one thing, but if Lane genuinely had the talent and he missed the opportunity, that would be truly regrettable.

“You should know that internet advertising is different from traditional advertising!” Song Yang said, looking at Lane. This was an emerging industry. While Lane was undoubtedly a sales genius, Song Yang wasn’t sure if he could adapt to this sector.

Hearing Song Yang, Lane replied, “Whether it’s internet advertising or traditional advertising, the essence is to put the most suitable products in front of the people who need them most!”

After a few glances at Lane, Song Yang put down his resume. He exchanged a look with Greck, then turned to Lane and said, “I hope you can fulfill your promise. Besides your salary, you and everyone in the sales department will receive a commission!”

Heavy rewards attract brave men. Doubleclick Advertising Company didn’t have much time to slowly cultivate an elite sales team like established media companies. They could only take an unconventional approach and throw money at the problem.

As long as an advertiser was brought to Doubleclick Advertising Company, a commission would be earned. The more advertisements brought in, the more money would be made. Even the most potent chicken soup couldn’t provide as much motivation as dollars!

Kevin Lane looked at Song Yang, showing no hint of disrespect due to Song Yang’s age. “Boss, before I join Doubleclick Advertising Company, I have one more request!”

“If I can meet the performance requirements, I hope to receive equity awards when Doubleclick Advertising Company goes IPO in the future!”

This time, Greck was truly shocked. He stared at Lane in surprise. Going IPO was too distant a concept for Greck, and he had never imagined that one day he would become the legal president of a publicly listed company. Yet, now Lane had brought it up.

Song Yang also looked at Lane. Let alone Greck, even Song Yang hadn’t thought about going IPO. His only concern now was to ensure Doubleclick didn’t go bankrupt before next year.

“You think Doubleclick can get on the NASDAQ?”

“Don’t you?” Lane looked at Song Yang strangely, seemingly surprised by his question. He had left News Corp precisely because he was ready to make a big splash.

Song Yang was momentarily speechless, stumped by Lane’s question. He hadn’t expected Lane to have even more confidence than him.

“If Doubleclick truly goes IPO, you will get your share of equity, I promise!”

“However, as the Deputy General Manager and Sales Director of Doubleclick Advertising Company right now, you need to build up your department first!” Song Yang gestured towards the empty office floor behind Lane, indicating that he needed to start working.

With Kevin Lane on board, Doubleclick’s foundation was initially completed. Song Yang and Greck worked tirelessly all day, basically selecting the heads of each department.

At the end of the interviews, Hayley approached Song Yang again and gave him a suggestive look. “Song, there’s an applicant for Chairman’s assistant. Do you want to interview her?”

The chairman of Doubleclick Advertising Company would naturally be Song Yang. In the future, the operation of Doubleclick might be managed by someone else, but nominally, Song Yang’s name would certainly be used to enhance visibility.

Greck’s eyes quickly darted between Song Yang and Hayley. He naturally saw their little gesture but didn’t say much. His current status was somewhat special, and Song Yang’s status had also changed. Greck couldn’t make demands of Song Yang like before.

When Song Yang saw Hayley’s wink, he understood. The usually gentlemanly Song Yang was initially going to refuse, but the scumbag’s original body instinctively spoke first, “Let her in!”

Then Hayley walked in with a girl. Song Yang couldn’t help but look at the newcomer. He knew why Hayley had winked at him earlier.

This was a completely different type from Jenny. Her figure was somewhat petite but beautifully proportioned, with delicate features. She had short brown hair and a high nose bridge, with a ribbon tied around her arm. Unlike Jenny, she exuded an air of a strong woman, giving off a unique vibe.

Eileen Doherty also looked at the “genius” figure who had been heavily reported by the Houston media in recent days. She was even younger than what she had seen on television.

However, being scrutinized by Song Yang’s gaze made Eileen, who wore glasses, frown slightly. She placed her resume on the table.

Song Yang retracted his gaze. That wasn’t Song Yang’s original intention; it was the instinctive reaction of his original body, completely unrelated to Song Yang himself.

Eileen exuded the aura of a strong woman; while still a bit green, her personality was already evident.

“I will be graduating from the Houston Business School this year, and I hope to get an internship opportunity at Doubleclick!”

With Eileen’s academic qualifications, getting an internship at a large company after graduation would be no problem at all. But coming to Doubleclick now indicated that she wanted more than just an internship opportunity. In a startup like Doubleclick, there would be ample chances for Eileen to showcase her abilities; at a large company, Eileen would probably just be a tool or a… pretty face.

Song Yang looked at Eileen’s resume, a clear example of an outstanding student. She had almost a full scholarship at the Houston Business School. Eileen answered Song Yang’s questions fluently. What surprised Song Yang even more was that Eileen had specifically studied how to establish and manage a startup company at the Houston Business School, which was far superior to Song Yang’s own amateur management skills.

Song Yang was naturally satisfied with Eileen. Although she lacked experience, she was at least much stronger than the current staff at Doubleclick. Not to mention her looks – even with glasses, they couldn’t conceal her beauty. Song Yang swore he wasn’t keeping Eileen just for the latter reason.

Just as Song Yang was about to speak, Greck reached out and pressed down on Eileen’s resume. He said to her, “You have completed your interview with Doubleclick. We will call you by tomorrow evening to inform you of our decision.”

Eileen glanced at Greck hesitantly, then nodded and stood up to leave.

“Is she not suitable?” Song Yang shrugged, asking Greck, wondering what tricks Greck was playing.

Greck expressionlessly tidied up the documents, then looked up at Song Yang. “I don’t like this girl. She’s a Jewish girl…”

Song Yang looked at Greck in confusion. “Uncle Greck, I don’t recall you having any grudges against Jewish people!”

“I have no issues with any ethnicity, not even Black… African-Americans,” Greck forced himself to swallow the word that started with ‘N’. “But this Eileen, do you really think she graduated from the Houston Business School just to be an assistant?!”

“She’s just an assistant!” Song Yang didn’t understand why Greck cared so much about this person.

Seeing that Song Yang had no intention of changing his mind, Greck said nothing more, only stating, “I hope you remember what you said today. She is just an assistant!”

Song Yang sat down and let out a long sigh, subconsciously rubbing his forehead. He felt that moving out of the small garage only brought more things and more trouble.

Looking at Eileen’s resume, Song Yang wanted to keep Eileen not just for visual appeal. The key was Eileen’s management ability. In two lives, Song Yang had no experience managing a team. Without professional help, Song Yang worried that chaos might ensue.

After thinking for a moment, Song Yang still placed Eileen’s resume in the same area as Lane’s.

Once everyone else had left, the entire office floor was deserted, leaving only Song Yang and Gallo, who was there to pick up Hayley.

Hayley, who had been a front-desk tool for the entire day, kicked off her high heels with a flick of her foot. “I’m exhausted!”

“This is not a human’s job, Song. When are you sending me to Hollywood?” Hayley, slumping in her chair, rubbed her legs and complained to Song Yang. She felt that standing at the front desk was more tiring than her fashion shows.

Song Yang counted the bills in his hand, his heart aching. In just one day, hundreds of thousands of dollars had been spent, burning through more money than in several months combined in the garage.

“You’ll have to ask Gallo; that has nothing to do with me!”

Song Yang completely washed his hands of it, prompting Hayley to curse him as a scumbag, and even Gallo, saying, “Men are all bad news. I must have been crazy to believe your lies!”

“I knew it, I shouldn’t have brought Eileen in today. Don’t even think about me bringing my sisters to parties anymore after this.”

Upon hearing this, Gallo couldn’t hold back. He quickly pleaded with Hayley, then turned to Song Yang and said, “Song, didn’t you say you’d invest in a Hollywood movie project?”

Hayley also perked up her ears. She heard Gallo mention that Song Yang had talked about investing in a major film when he returned from San Francisco. Hayley had been looking forward to this for a long time.

Song Yang gave Gallo, the traitor, a middle finger. Why did he tell Hayley everything? “If there’s an opportunity, I will invest in a film, and Hayley will definitely get a role!”

Hearing this, Hayley was finally satisfied. Although it was still an empty promise for now, in just a few months, Song Yang had become a nominal millionaire. Who dared to say that Song Yang wouldn’t actually invest in a movie?!

With the addition of Lane and Eileen, Doubleclick’s operations swiftly took shape, and the staff continuously grew like a snowball.

Chapter 24: A Motley Crew

In just a few short days, Doubleclick, located by the Houston harbor, had basically been established.

Stepping into Doubleclick Advertising Company now was a world away from how it looked before. Although the renovations were simple, the space was divided into multiple departments. Currently, the most important was Kevin Lane’s sales department, which occupied nearly half of the entire office floor.

In less than a week, the sales department had rapidly ballooned to fifty or sixty people. According to Lane’s requirements, the entire ad sales department of Doubleclick was to reach a scale of over three hundred people by the end of the year!

The compensation for Doubleclick’s sales staff was a notch higher than that of traditional media companies, and with a higher commission rate and bonuses, the company quickly attracted a group of talented salespeople.

The salaries for these salespeople were not low, and combined with server rentals and the establishment of the technical department, it was a massive cash sink. This was only because they were in Houston, where server and labor costs were significantly lower than in Silicon Valley; regardless, it still cost Song Yang a fortune.

However, departments like sales and tech were indispensable. Beyond those, there were other departments like HR, customer service, after-sales, finance, and legal, which were currently making do with what they had. Greck, Song Yang, and Irene—who had joined not long ago—were all wearing multiple hats.

Even Gallo held the title of Logistics Manager, specifically responsible for running errands and purchasing various office supplies for Doubleclick. Hayley and her group of model sisters were pulled in as “conscripts” to act as receptionists and secretaries. Of course, Song Yang promised to send them to Hollywood in the future—as for when that would be…

Money flowed out like water. More than half of the funds borrowed from Comerica Bank were spent in just a few days. Chris Jahn, who was in charge of credit at Comerica, did not directly interfere with Doubleclick, but he still called Song Yang to remind him to manage his capital risks. He was afraid Song Yang would screw things up; he didn’t want to represent Comerica Bank to show up at Doubleclick to audit the books.

While a lot of money was spent, Song Yang didn’t come away empty-handed. He invited a professor from a computer laboratory at Rice University, Houston’s top university, to serve as a technical consultant. Through the professor’s connections, he recruited a group of computer personnel from Houston, forming the initial technical team for Doubleclick.

With this technical team, they could maintain and upgrade Doubleclick’s current flagship—the world’s most advanced “DART” ad delivery system. Then there was Kevin Lane; being bold enough to stake his reputation on his performance proved he truly had the skills for the job.

Lane was a sales genius. In just a few days, he had brought in nearly two hundred thousand dollars in advertising fees for Doubleclick, which was enough to prove his ability.

In the transition from traditional advertising to internet digital advertising, Lane showed no signs of awkwardness. Although he didn’t fully understand terms like “click-through rate,” “conversion rate,” “advertising effects,” and “brand influence,” it didn’t stop them from rolling off his tongue, leaving advertisers dazed and impressed.

Song Yang, arriving at Doubleclick today, had specifically dressed in formal attire. Today was the first management meeting since Doubleclick’s founding.

Entering the office, Song Yang looked at the nearly hundred busy people and couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief. The past few months of hard work hadn’t been in vain. Even if Doubleclick was still just a hollow shell, it was now a large hollow shell—it couldn’t be blown away in a single puff anymore.

As he walked past the sales department, rows of phones rang one after another. Currently, Doubleclick’s digital sales department was essentially a telemarketing hub, constantly calling various companies over and over to get these advertisers to place ads on Netscape and Yahoo through Doubleclick.

Much like the “Wolf of Wall Street” starring the man seen playing with a water gun on the beach, where brokerage firms sold junk stocks to investors over the phone, Doubleclick was doing the same by constantly cold-calling advertisers from major companies. This method was expected to continue for a long time.

Entering the office and just as he sat down, Irene walked in carrying a stack of documents.

“Your makeup looks very beautiful today. I told you that old-fashioned style didn’t suit you. If you took off the glasses, it would be even more perfect!”

Upon seeing Irene, Song Yang’s “original self” instinctively began flirting with her. Song Yang felt that he was being influenced by the original owner of this body; otherwise, as a gentleman, how could he speak so flippantly to a young assistant? This wasn’t his style.

Irene was already familiar with the style of this boss, who was several years younger than her. Hearing those words, she maintained her professional “strong woman” demeanor, seemingly ignoring the flirtation. “The meeting room is ready. Should I notify the department heads to attend?”

Song Yang nodded. Among the people recruited, Irene was the one Song Yang was most satisfied with. She had strong management skills, and with her help, Song Yang could handle Doubleclick’s affairs with ease. Irene wasn’t just an assistant; many of Doubleclick’s actual operations were handled by her.

However, Greck still had a significant issue with Irene. Although Irene didn’t strike back, she remained very distant from Greck, making Song Yang wonder if their personalities were simply incompatible.

Doubleclick’s meeting room was also a temporary setup. It wasn’t large, but it was equipped with a projector, so they didn’t have to rely entirely on hand gestures.

There weren’t many people attending the meeting: Song Yang, holding the position of Chairman; Greck, in charge of legal and temporarily the finance department; Kevin Lane, the head of sales; and Wesley, the newly recruited technical lead.

Gallo was also there playing a supporting role. He was nominally the Logistics Manager for Doubleclick, responsible for food, travel, and various subsidies and benefits. Additionally, there was Irene, who served as the meeting recorder and Song Yang’s assistant, though she actually managed many of the company’s affairs.

Holding her pen, Irene’s gaze discreetly swept over everyone in the room. From a professional standpoint, Doubleclick was a motley crew—or rather, a nepotistic family business.

To be honest, after several days at Doubleclick and getting a clear picture of the company’s foundations, Irene had some doubts about how this company had suddenly emerged and managed to garner a valuation of several million dollars from Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

No, it should be a ten-million-dollar valuation. Yesterday, a Wall Street institution had raised Doubleclick’s valuation again, reaching a staggering eight million dollars. In other words, Doubleclick, founded just half a year ago, was already a company valued at nearly ten million.

If this company didn’t have Song Yang, then Greck—who looked like an elite lawyer but was, in Irene’s eyes, actually just an obscure small-time attorney—would never have been able to enter a company with a ten-million-dollar valuation as the head of legal.

And then there was Gallo, looking the part in his suit, but his lack of skill and terrible procurement and negotiation tactics had already cost Doubleclick a lot of money. Any professional would be far better than him.

As for Wesley, the head of the technical department, he was just a somewhat competent rookie. Song Yang called him a genius architect, but Irene had yet to see anything special about this Rice University graduate.

The only one Irene couldn’t see through was Kevin Lane. He was a true talent with exceptional team management skills. Being able to pull together such an outstanding sales team in such a short time showed he was truly capable. But Lane’s move to Doubleclick still left Irene somewhat surprised; she didn’t know why he was so optimistic about this company that was shiny on the outside but actually a hollow shell.

“Welcome everyone to Doubleclick,” Song Yang said to the group in the meeting room. “Someone once said that when you encounter a rocket ship about to take off, don’t hesitate—just jump on and take a seat. Congratulations to all of you for choosing such a ship!”

Right off the bat, Song Yang served everyone a bowl of “motivational chicken soup.” Having been influenced by various masters of the craft in his previous life, whipping up a few bowls of inspirational fluff was no problem for him.

Song Yang gave Lane and Wesley plenty of motivational talk and promised them a grand vision. When Doubleclick went through its IPO, they would be the founding legends, and their next generation would become wealthy heirs because of them!

Since motivational talk and empty promises cost nothing, Song Yang piled it on thick. “Doubleclick will definitely become the world’s largest digital media advertising agency in the future, a force that will impact the global advertising market landscape.”

“How are things on the sales front?” Song Yang asked Lane after finishing his speech.

“We’re still in the promotion phase. Advertisers still have doubts about digital ads. I believe we should launch a promotional campaign. Additionally, we should look for partnerships with major internet and PC manufacturers; I believe it would increase our brand awareness and revenue!” Lane reported on the earnings since the sales department’s inception. Overall, the results were excellent, with profit margins nearly a third higher than traditional media.

However, as soon as he heard about spending money on ads for outdoor billboards, newspapers, and TV stations, Song Yang felt a headache coming on. He could only pivot the topic for now. “Can we really get major PC manufacturers to partner with Doubleclick?”

It had been no problem getting IBM and others to test the waters with Doubleclick before, but getting these manufacturers to put their primary promotional resources into Doubleclick was something Song Yang felt might be difficult.

“Ad placement doesn’t always have to be about conversion rates or purchase rates. Sometimes, it’s just about visibility!”

Lane said to Song Yang. In this regard, Lane was much more experienced. Just like those top luxury brands that advertised in various mass fashion and trend magazines year-round; they knew that the people reading those things might not be able to afford their brand at all, but they still advertised frantically just so people would know who they were.

The same applied to Doubleclick. Currently, the number of internet users was still small, but would those tech manufacturers like PC makers be willing to pass up a chance for publicity?

“You take charge of this matter. As for the promotion…” Song Yang paused for a moment before saying, “Wait until Doubleclick’s first round of financing is complete, then we’ll start the promotion immediately!”

Upon hearing that Doubleclick was going to start financing, everyone in the meeting room turned their gaze toward Song Yang. For them, this would have a huge impact!

After Lane, Greck, Wesley, Gallo, and the others each reported on the situation of their respective departments, after which the meeting adjourned. It was originally just a ragtag crew in the middle of a mess; there weren’t that many major issues to discuss endlessly.

After everyone else had left, Greck stayed behind and asked Song Yang, “Are we really going to start looking for investment now?”

Chapter 25: Jiang Taigong Fishing

When he asked Song Yang about this, Greck couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation. This was something Greck had never experienced before.

He was originally just a small-time lawyer. He understood the basics, but this kind of high-level business involving capital operations was beyond his expertise. Not just Greck—even Josiah, the most prominent lawyer at his firm, hadn’t had much contact with such things.

However, Greck still understood basic common sense. For Doubleclick as it stood now, accepting investment was a necessity. There would likely be multiple rounds of funding in the future; otherwise, this relay race of burning dollars simply couldn’t continue.

Yet, accepting investment was no trivial matter. even if one hadn’t eaten the pork, one had at least seen the pig run—he knew how the game was played. It was a bit like opening a mystery box; no one knew what kind of creature the incoming investor would turn out to be. If you were lucky, like Microsoft or Netscape, the investors and founders would work hand-in-glove to “harvest the leeks”—no, that is, to jointly take the company to an IPO and allow more investors to enjoy the benefits of growth…

If you were unlucky, you only had to ask the Cisco founders, who had been pushed into early retirement, what it felt like to be kicked out of their own company. Or ask Boss Jobs, who was currently wrestling with the Apple board of directors behind the scenes, how he felt.

The same applied to Doubleclick. If the incoming investor got along with Song Yang and was willing to support Doubleclick, the company might soar. Otherwise, they would likely be bogged down in internal power struggles.

“It’s time!”

Song Yang sat there, feeling not much better himself. He had never experienced this in his previous life. By the time he had entered university, the Internet and tech giants had already matured. All he had heard were the legends of founders and their companies, such as how Alibaba secured tens of millions from SoftBank in just a few minutes.

Now that Song Yang had to face those investors himself, he was inevitably a bit nervous, but it was a step he had to take.

“You heard what Ryan said just now—Doubleclick needs advertising and promotion. Chris Jahn also called to ask about the finances; he won’t give Doubleclick too much time!” Song Yang said to Greck. “Besides, we have to be on guard against the emergence of competitors!”

Greck also knew that Song Yang was speaking the truth. Given Doubleclick’s current financial situation, they could hold out for two or three months at most.

“Which investment firm do you plan to accept?” Greck asked Song Yang as he got up to leave. Choosing different investors meant taking different paths.

Song Yang shook his head. He didn’t have any particular feelings toward venture capital firms. Without this industry, the Internet sector couldn’t have developed so quickly. But to say this industry was purely benevolent would be absolute bullshit.

“Let’s put the news out first and see how the outside world reacts!” Song Yang planned to leak the news first to see how the Silicon Valley VCs and Wall Street investment banks responded to Doubleclick.

The investors in those two places were all sharp as tacks with keen eyes. Their valuations for Doubleclick would essentially be the most accurate. How much money he could get would depend on how much Doubleclick was worth in their eyes.

News that the search for a first round of financing was beginning started to circulate quietly within Doubleclick. For the new employees, this was extraordinary news.

The ordinary staff were fine; though they held expectations, they didn’t have too many hopes. But for managers like Ryan and Wesley, this could very well change their destinies.

Compared to traditional industries, the pace of Internet companies was incredibly fast. Founded just six months ago, they were already starting to raise funds and then finding ways to go public. This was unimaginable in traditional sectors. Of course, this also meant that the money came very fast. Whereas it used to take five or even ten years to reach an IPO and “harvest the leeks,” now it only took two years, one year, or even less than a year…

Through the somewhat simple office glass, the busy crowd outside could be seen. Doubleclick was slowly starting to get on the right track.

The digital advertising business was still growing fervently. Netscape and Yahoo were the ones carrying the banner for digital ads; in fact, there were signs that Yahoo was even stealing Netscape’s thunder in this regard.

Although Netscape’s slogans were loud, they weren’t particularly aggressive regarding digital advertising. To cooperate with Doubleclick and place an ad on Netscape, the client had to be a major brand. Digital ads were used by Netscape more as a way to inflate its own market value.

Yahoo was different. Yahoo truly refused no one. No matter what the advertisement was, as long as they were paid, Yahoo would post it—because they were truly desperate for money!

Having secured investment from Sequoia Capital, Yahoo began its promotion and publicity. Sequoia not only gave Yahoo five million dollars but also brought in a professional manager, Koogle, a Stanford alumnus of Jerry Yang and David Filo. He was supposedly there to help the two manage Yahoo, but in reality, he was there to watch over them and ensure they didn’t cause any chaos.

The first thing Koogle did after joining Yahoo was to “make Yahoo look profitable,” which naturally meant aggressively bringing in advertisements.

And Yahoo, now flush with cash, began constantly adding all sorts of information for users to browse in order to attract more traffic to sell ads. Hot news, stocks, sports matches, and more appeared on the Yahoo website. Yahoo already had the embryonic form of a portal.

Beyond development, Yahoo, with Sequoia on board, already had thoughts of an IPO. Aside from frantic expansion, they also started the same “god-making” routine as Netscape. Compared to the dull David Filo, who was unwilling to accept media interviews, Jerry Yang was much more photogenic.

Yahoo began constant promotion of the company and Jerry Yang on major TV stations and in newspapers. They even directly invested in several small newspapers and magazines to keep the hype going. Jerry Yang also began to be hailed as the “Global Internet Chieftain.”

Compared to Doubleclick, Yahoo spent money much faster; those few million dollars weren’t nearly enough to sustain them. Just as Song Yang began looking for investment for Doubleclick, Yahoo started its second round of financing. The speed was simply staggering.

And just less than three months later, during Yahoo’s second round of financing, its market value soared again. Having introduced digital advertising and appearing “very profitable,” Yahoo was favored by many VC firms this time. SoftBank, making its first foray into the Internet industry, also proposed an investment in Yahoo—and rumor had it that it was a massive one!

In Houston, when Song Yang saw the news about Yahoo, he couldn’t help but shake his head, remarking that Silicon Valley was indeed the center of the global Internet right now. It was practically insane.

A few months ago, Yahoo had been begging everyone for help and had barely managed to scrape together five million dollars in investment. A few months later, they had “traded their muskets for cannons.” Although the media hadn’t yet reported exactly how much SoftBank was going to invest in Yahoo, the fact that they were reporting it this way clearly pointed to a staggering figure.

Looking at Netscape’s billion-dollar valuation and seeing Yahoo being chased by SoftBank for investment, Song Yang felt a wave of helplessness. Doubleclick was now technically a supporting player for these two companies, but its treatment by comparison was simply incomparable. Song Yang couldn’t help but wonder—could it be that the feng shui in this corner of Houston was just no good?

Just as Song Yang was thinking about whether to go to Chinatown and hire a feng shui master to set up a protective array, an excited Irene walked quickly into the office.

“Manager Bartley from AT&T is on the phone. He seems to want to talk about investment!”

Irene Doherty looked at Song Yang. She didn’t know if Doubleclick was truly that valuable or if Song Yang was just lucky, but as soon as the news was out, a company had actually come knocking to ask for a price—and it was a giant like AT&T. This being her first time dealing with a giant’s investment, Irene couldn’t help but feel some excitement.

Song Yang was stunned. He hadn’t expected that the first one to come knocking would actually be AT&T.

Greck and the others, having heard the news, also rushed to the office. In an instant, Song Yang’s office was crowded with people.

“Patch the call through!” Song Yang took a deep breath and said to Irene.

As soon as the call was connected, Bartley’s voice came through. However, unlike last time, Bartley’s attitude toward Song Yang was now night and day.

In the New York offices of AT&T, Bartley sat in a conference room. Opposite him sat the company president, board members, the CFO, the head of the investment department, and various other executives.

Bartley already knew what this call was for. Recalling what the big shots of AT&T had just said to him, he still hadn’t calmed down.

Even now, Bartley could remember the expression on Song Yang’s face the first time he had sought an audience. At that time, Song Yang was just a poor kid coming to beg AT&T for cooperation. It was even Bartley’s help that had kept Song Yang from returning empty-handed.

But now… Bartley shook his head. As long as the person on the other end of the phone agreed after the call was connected, a multimillionaire might be born. Thinking of Song Yang’s age—a self-made eighteen-year-old multimillionaire—how many were there in all of America?

“Manager Bartley, it’s a pleasure to receive your call!” Song Yang said to Bartley as soon as the call connected. “I’ve been wanting to visit you again to thank you and AT&T for your support of Doubleclick!”

Right out of the gate, Song Yang offered a bit of flattery, claiming that Doubleclick’s success today was inseparable from Bartley’s keen eye for talent.

Whether it was true or not, this small piece of flattery made Bartley feel very comfortable, especially when it highlighted his capabilities in front of the AT&T big shots.

“AT&T is also very satisfied with our cooperation with Doubleclick. The company has decided that next quarter, we will increase our cooperation and allocate more advertising funds to Doubleclick!”

Bartley spoke for a while until he saw the head of the investment department impatiently gesturing to him. Bartley cleared his throat. “I heard that Doubleclick has been in need of capital lately?”

Chapter 26: The Willing Takes the Bait

On the other end of the line, Greck and the others felt their spirits lift at Bartley’s words, and they all turned their eyes toward Song Yang.

Hearing Bartley say this, Song Yang knew it was time to get down to business. “Manager Bartley is truly well-informed. DoubleClick does indeed need some capital to expand into more markets. As you know, DoubleClick is currently the primary digital advertising agent for Netscape and Yahoo!”

Although Song Yang wasn’t a seasoned veteran when it came to financing, he knew the rules of selling: every potter praises his own pot. No matter how valuable or worthless the goods in your hand were, you had to blow your own trumpet first.

According to Song Yang’s implication, DoubleClick wasn’t seeking financing because it lacked money, but rather because the market was doing so well that it was “forced” to seek investment for better development. Finally, he didn’t forget to mention his two pillars of support, Netscape and Yahoo.

Prompted by the staff of AT&T’s investment department, Bartley said to Song Yang, “Of course, AT&T supports DoubleClick as well. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have given our first digital advertisement to DoubleClick in the first place!”

“For better cooperation between both parties, AT&T is willing to lend a helping hand to DoubleClick. If you’re willing, Song, you can come to New York to sign this agreement. I believe you’ll be absolutely stunned.”

Bartley looked at the note handed to him by the investment department and continued into the phone, “Song, I want to congratulate you in advance. As America’s newest multimillionaire, AT&T is willing to invest eight million dollars in DoubleClick in exchange for a 51% stake!”

The voice coming through the phone left everyone in Song Yang’s office in a daze. Gallo didn’t even need to be mentioned—when he heard the figure of eight million dollars, he nearly jumped out of his skin, rubbing his hands together nervously as he looked at Song Yang.

That was eight million dollars! It was a sum an ordinary person in America couldn’t earn in two lifetimes as a workhorse!

Greck wasn’t much better; his breathing grew ragged. The largest sum he had ever handled was a divorce case involving four hundred thousand dollars, but now eight million was right in front of him. With just a word from Song Yang, it would be within reach.

Kevin Lane, Wesley, and Irene all watched Song Yang with racing hearts. Surprisingly, the first to react was Irene.

Suppreing her excitement, Irene took a deep breath to calm herself, then whispered to the slightly dazed Song Yang, “AT&T wants to acquire DoubleClick!”

Reminded by Irene, Song Yang began to slowly regain his composure. To say he wasn’t tempted by eight million dollars sitting right in front of him would be a total lie. This was eight million dollars in 1995! It was enough to buy a dozen courtyard houses in Beijing; even an entire princely garden estate would probably only cost a few hundred thousand dollars.

Even in Song Yang’s previous life, this was an astonishing amount of wealth. Having lived two lives, Song Yang had never encountered such a vast sum. This wasn’t money borrowed from Comerica Bank; as long as Song Yang nodded his head, it would belong entirely to him!

Irene’s reminder brought Song Yang back to reality. Recalling the terms Bartley proposed, AT&T was planning to acquire the company in one fell swoop and take controlling interest of DoubleClick.

For a moment, Song Yang fell into a struggle. Logic told him that DoubleClick’s valuation was far higher than sixteen million dollars. With the backing of Netscape and Yahoo, if they lucked out and reached an IPO, selling a majority stake today would become one of the most “bargain-bin” investments in the history of the internet. Song Yang might even be ridiculed for his lack of vision.

But DoubleClick truly lacked money right now. If he missed this opportunity, there might not be another one. If no other investors were willing to back DoubleClick, he might truly end up with nothing.

In the office, seeing that Irene’s one sentence had kept Song Yang from answering, Gallo couldn’t help but glare at her. He felt Irene was intentionally causing trouble and preventing the Bruno family from entering the multimillionaire club.

Irene ignored Gallo’s anger and simply watched Song Yang. Whether or not to sell DoubleClick was entirely Song Yang’s decision. At this moment, Irene suddenly felt a sense of anticipation for this company of a motley crew.

Her expectation wasn’t for the others, but for Song Yang. Whether Song Yang was willing to sell DoubleClick and live as a wealthy man of leisure, or whether he wanted to pursue something more, would be decided at this very moment.

On Bartley’s end, he was also waiting anxiously. He and the others at AT&T had heard the noisy commotion on the other end of the line just now. Think about it: how great was the temptation of eight million dollars in cash for a young man?

Bartley knew that if it were him, he definitely wouldn’t be able to resist such a temptation. Yet, after the slight noise on the other end, it had suddenly fallen silent.

“Song?”

Bartley called out tentatively. “I think you should consider this carefully. AT&T doesn’t make offers to people lightly. But if you miss it, AT&T will rescind the order, and there won’t be a second time!”

Hearing Bartley’s words, Song Yang’s resolve actually hardened. He took a deep breath. “I appreciate the kindness of AT&T and Manager Bartley, but I need to think about this. I need the opinions of everyone at DoubleClick and the Bruno family!”

Though Song Yang spoke diplomatically, he firmly rejected AT&T’s acquisition proposal. Hearing Song Yang refuse, Gallo clutched his head in agony, repeatedly muttering, “Madman!”

The gain and loss of eight million dollars was too stimulating, leaving even Greck feeling a bit dazed. Lane and Wesley also let out sighs; though they wouldn’t have received the eight million, this was the closest they had ever been to such a sum.

Irene, however, stared straight at Song Yang. She suddenly felt that this boss, who was even younger than her, didn’t just have good looks—he had an indescribable quality. To be able to refuse the temptation of eight million dollars meant he had even bigger goals. For a career-oriented woman like Irene, this was fatally attractive. For a split second, as she looked at Song Yang, she felt her heart racing.

Bartley hadn’t expected Song Yang to reject the acquisition offer either. The conference room at AT&T immediately broke into a clamor. After the investment department whispered a few words with the big bosses at AT&T, they handed Bartley another note. Looking at what was on the paper, Bartley finally couldn’t help but suck in a cold breath.

“I regret your choice, Song,” Bartley said. “But I hope to facilitate the cooperation between DoubleClick and AT&T. I want to see a guy like you at AT&T!”

“If you are willing to join AT&T, the company is willing to acquire all of DoubleClick’s equity at a price of 18 million dollars. After the acquisition is complete, you will still remain at DoubleClick, and AT&T is willing to provide suitable positions for the members of your Bruno family!”

As expected of the most profitable company of the era, AT&T was truly overflowing with wealth. In the blink of an eye, they had raised the acquisition price by another ten million dollars. Even Greck could hardly contain himself. Not only was it an acquisition, but they were also offering jobs to the Bruno family members—these terms were incredibly generous.

Under Irene’s gaze, Song Yang, whose resolve was already set, rejected Bartley’s proposal again. “I look forward to cooperating with Manager Bartley, but I need to consider it!”

“This kid actually rejected the acquisition? Did another buyer appear?”

“We don’t necessarily have to buy DoubleClick. My God, buying a company that hasn’t made a cent for twenty million dollars—it’s truly insane. There are plenty of companies like that in Silicon Valley!”

“But there’s only one DoubleClick. Do you know the Matthew Effect? No matter how many digital advertising companies there are, in the future, only a few like DoubleClick will be able to take the orders in this industry!”

In the AT&T conference room, as Bartley put down the phone, the Chief Financial Officer and the Investment Department Manager immediately started bickering.

In any company, there are conflicts of interest, let alone within a giant like AT&T.

The Finance Department of AT&T didn’t want to shell out the money for this acquisition. If they bought it and DoubleClick went bankrupt in the future, the Finance Department would take the blame; whereas if it flourished, it wouldn’t have much to do with them.

The Investment Department was different. When they saw an opportunity, they reached out to Finance for the money to buy it. If it succeeded, it was because of their sharp vision in seeing through the mists of the investment market; bonuses would be guaranteed, and positions could be elevated. Even if it failed, it would just be considered paying for a lesson—after all, investment comes with risks…

“It’s hard to say if the digital advertising industry will even exist. Isn’t it a bit early to be saying all this?” the CFO retorted to the Investment Manager.

The manager in charge of AT&T’s Investment Department immediately mocked back, “Then do you think SoftBank’s plan to invest a hundred million dollars in Yahoo is just as insane as you think?! As the primary digital advertising agent for two companies valued at hundreds of millions, Netscape and Yahoo, is DoubleClick not worth twenty million?!”

Bartley stood there stunned. He finally understood why AT&T suddenly wanted to invest in DoubleClick—they had caught wind of something. SoftBank was actually planning to invest a hundred million dollars in Yahoo. Bartley didn’t know if the world had gone crazy or if he had simply fallen behind the times.

Not only was there an argument at AT&T, but the situation at DoubleClick had turned into a chaotic mess.

“You crazy woman! Do you have any idea what you’ve done? That was eighteen million dollars!”

Gallo was pacing in circles in the office, venting at Irene before complaining to Song Yang, “Song, how could you listen to this crazy woman? We should never have let her in.”

“I learned in business school that when prey appears, it attracts more than just one lone wolf!”

Irene shot a cold glance at Gallo, secretly mocking his intelligence. She was certain that AT&T wasn’t the only lone wolf eyeing the prey that was DoubleClick; who knew what other beasts were hiding in the forest.

“Then can you guarantee that other companies will definitely offer more than AT&T?!”

Chapter 27: An Unexpected Guest

Gallo didn’t try to compete with Irene’s professional knowledge. Instead, he simply asked her, “If no other investment firm is willing to give a higher price, can you bear the loss?”

Irene was momentarily at a loss for words. It was true she had the expertise, but she lacked experience. She did have her own selfish motives; she naturally wanted DoubleClick to raise a larger sum of money.

But she had other thoughts as well. If she could generate a major piece of news, it would be a brilliant starting point for her career!

However, if it failed… Irene felt a tremor of fear in her heart. That was nearly 18 million dollars; there was no way she could take responsibility for that.

“Enough!”

Song Yang shot Gallo a glare. They had already rejected the acquisition from AT&T, so what was the point of regretting it now? Even if they went back to them now, it would only lower their own value.

“I trust Irene’s judgment. Leak the news that AT&T wants to invest in DoubleClick!”

Song Yang decided to draw the snakes out of their holes. He would use AT&T’s prestige to drum up hype for DoubleClick. If even a giant like AT&T was interested in DoubleClick, what were the other companies still waiting for?

Gallo was still dissatisfied, but Greck pulled him away. After shooting a final glare at Irene, he left the office, followed by Irene, Ryan, and the others.

Once everyone had left, Song Yang leaned back in his chair. If someone asked what it felt like to push away 18 million dollars, Song Yang was now experiencing it. To say he didn’t feel a sting in his heart would be a complete lie.

But worrying was useless now. He could only wait to see if there were any other major sponsors willing to offer a higher price for DoubleClick.

As one of the wealthiest and most influential giants in America, AT&T’s influence was beyond doubt. Once the news broke that they wanted to acquire DoubleClick, it immediately attracted the attention of Silicon Valley and Wall Street.

Venture capital firms that had originally been focused on other parts of Silicon Valley began to turn their gaze toward the company standing behind Netscape and Yahoo. The news that AT&T had bid 18 million dollars for DoubleClick left many who heard it in a state of shock.

The internet market was currently red-hot, and everyone could feel it. However, the fact that a company founded less than half a year ago—one based merely on the concept of digital advertising with revenue that hadn’t even topped a million—was already worth nearly 20 million dollars still made many people gasp.

Using AT&T as a promotional tool naturally caused DoubleClick’s visibility to skyrocket.

Song Yang didn’t have to wait long. He soon received another call, and it was from an old acquaintance.

“Song, I saw the news. DoubleClick seems to be in trouble?”

Jim Clark’s voice came through the phone. Although his words sounded like he was worried about the company, to Song Yang’s ears, there was a definite sense of schadenfreude, making him sound less like a concerned friend and more like a predator.

Song Yang didn’t agree with Jim Clark’s assessment. “DoubleClick isn’t in trouble; it just needs capital to expand its market. Don’t forget, DoubleClick needs to fulfill the performance plan of reaching ten million in digital advertising revenue for Netscape next year!”

“Come on, Song, we’re on the same side. You don’t need to give me that corporate talk. Tell me, how much money does DoubleClick need?” Jim Clark said, cutting straight to the point.

Song Yang had no resistance to cooperating with Netscape. At this stage, he still needed to cling to Netscape’s coattails and use their reputation to lure others in.

“Five million dollars. DoubleClick is willing to give up a 10% equity stake to Netscape!” Since Jim asked for a quote, Song Yang didn’t hesitate to give an aggressive one.

Upon hearing this, Jim Clark couldn’t help but swear. “Song, I’m not one of those suckers from the Silicon Valley venture firms. Do you really think DoubleClick is worth 50 million dollars right now?”

Song Yang had directly valued DoubleClick at 50 million dollars, which incensed Jim Clark so much he started shouting. He felt Song Yang was treating Netscape and the Silicon Valley investors like complete fools.

“Ten million for a 50% stake in DoubleClick!”

Jim Clark raised DoubleClick’s valuation by another two million, officially reaching the 20 million dollar mark!

“Song, let me tell you, choosing Netscape is good for both you and DoubleClick. I’m ‘one of your own,’ and I follow the rules of this industry. I’ve been through everything you’re going through now. Choose Netscape, and you can be like Andreessen—smooth sailing all the way, without having to worry about being pushed out one day!”

Jim Clark’s tone was deep and carried a hint of a warning. He was telling Song Yang that if he chose other investors, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t eventually be kicked out of the company he built with his own hands.

Jim Clark had painful experience in this regard; he had been forced out of SGI, the company he founded. Furthermore, when outsiders invest in a specialized field, there is no guarantee they won’t interfere with the operations of DoubleClick.

An investment from Netscape would have none of those issues. Of course, one couldn’t rule out Song Yang and Jim falling out in the future, but overall, choosing Netscape was a decent option. Even though Jim Clark was also quite ruthless—asking for half the equity right off the bat meant he could easily take control after a few more rounds of investment.

“I’ll consider it!” Song Yang had already rejected AT&T, so Netscape’s two million dollar increase didn’t sway him much, but this time he didn’t give a flat refusal.

Jim didn’t mind the response. Today’s call was just an incidental move for him anyway. “One day, you’ll realize Netscape is the best choice. My offer stands. You have my number.”

After hanging up, Jim Clark didn’t give the matter much more thought. He believed Song Yang would eventually call him back.

A price of 20 million was the current valuation of DoubleClick by Silicon Valley. Whether it was Netscape or other venture firms, none would offer much more—at most, a difference of one or two million.

As for whether another “sucker” would appear to snatch the deal, Jim wasn’t entirely certain, but he thought it unlikely. After all, you couldn’t always run into a maniac like SoftBank, rushing in with 100 million dollars to invest. For some reason, thinking of Yahoo made Jim feel strangely uneasy.

The consecutive calls from AT&T and Netscape gave Song Yang, Greck, Irene, and the others a rough idea of DoubleClick’s market position: essentially around 20 million.

In the days following Jim Clark’s call, not many investment firms reached out. There were only a few exploratory calls, none of which offered a price higher than Netscape’s.

This caused Song Yang to feel a bit anxious, wondering if he should start serious negotiations with Netscape. Just then, Irene entered Song Yang’s office and brought him news that was quite unexpected.

“You mean… Wang Laboratories is sending someone over to talk?” Song Yang felt a sense of temporal displacement. In his memory, hadn’t Wang Laboratories gone bankrupt long ago?!

Chapter 28: The Rookie

Hearing that Wang Laboratories wanted to send someone to DoubleClick, Song Yang’s mind momentarily went into a daze.

In the tech industry, Wang An and the company he built were legendary. At its peak, it was a titan that stood toe-to-toe with IBM, and for a time, it even had the upper hand.

The rise of Wang Laboratories was nothing short of legendary, but what people remembered most was the tragedy of its end. It was a story of a business that rose like a comet only to fall like a shooting star.

From the rumors and media reports Song Yang had heard in his past life, the narrative was always about Wang An’s stubbornness in his later years—his refusal to let the company truly localize in America and his massive misjudgment regarding the personal computer revolution.

Of course, the point most lamented by countless people was Wang An’s insistence on keeping the firm a family business. By handing the reins to his son rather than a professional manager, he led the company into bankruptcy, tarnishing his once-illustrious reputation. This case had seemingly become a classic proof of the unsustainability of family-owned tech giants.

Hearing the name “Wang Laboratories” again, Song Yang couldn’t help but feel skeptical. Hadn’t Wang An filed for bankruptcy several years ago? It was a scandal that had made headlines worldwide back then.

“Is it the same Wang Laboratories founded by An Wang?” Song Yang asked Irene, uncertain.

Irene nodded with certainty, though a shadow of surprise lingered on her face as well. After all, she had studied the classic MBA case of Wang Laboratories at the Houston Business School; it was always used as the quintessential example of failure. Its sudden resurgence took her by surprise as well.

“Wang Laboratories has now been renamed Wang Global. The CEO is Joseph Tucci. The company currently has over twenty thousand employees worldwide and an annual revenue exceeding 3.5 billion dollars…”

As Irene shared the data she had gathered, not only was Song Yang left stunned, but Irene herself felt a bit bewildered. This Wang Laboratories was worlds apart from the bankrupt company the media had portrayed; it completely shattered her preconceptions.

Song Yang grabbed the documents from Irene’s hand. Even though they were just preliminary notes, they were enough to be shocking.

He spent a full half-hour reading through the thin stack of papers, his mind racing. Media reports were always selective, focusing only on the sensational news they wanted to tell while ignoring what came after—or perhaps they simply didn’t care.

If one thought about it, the collapse of Wang Laboratories had happened so quickly that everyone stopped to sigh and say Wang An shouldn’t have given the company to his son, lamenting how decades of hard work were ruined in an instant. But what happened next?

After the bankruptcy filing, where did the Wang family go? Was the heir really that incompetent? As the saying goes, “Even a starved camel is larger than a horse, and a sunken ship still has iron in its hull.” This was a family that once stood alongside the Rockefellers and ranked among the ten richest in America. Even after bankruptcy, they likely controlled staggering wealth, yet they seemed to have vanished from the public eye.

The media never reported on any of that. They only covered how the company collapsed under the weight of outdated family traditions. Yet, only three years after the bankruptcy, Wang Laboratories had stood up again in a different way. It simply hadn’t returned to the public spotlight, and no media bothered to cover it. This was why Song Yang’s impression of the company was still stuck on its pre-bankruptcy state.

“Joseph Tucci?!”

Looking at the profile of the current CEO, Song Yang couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. This man was the real deal.

Tucci had been appointed in a time of crisis. Just as he took the position of President, he realized the company’s current model was unsustainable. To protect what little capital remained, Tucci pushed for bankruptcy and then began rebuilding the company from the ashes.

The current “Wang” no longer sold computers. Instead, it relied on the word processing and email automation technologies left over from its peak years, pivoting into a network technology services company. They primarily sold software and provided technical services. Now, business was booming. With an annual revenue of 3.5 billion dollars, even if it hadn’t reached the heights of the company’s glory days, it was still formidable—just much more low-profile than before.

“Help me get in touch with them!” Song Yang felt a surge of interest. He wanted to know what this company, which had once outshone the entire global tech industry, wanted with him.

Wang Laboratories responded quickly. Clearly, they were quite eager about a potential collaboration with DoubleClick.

Song Yang had assumed they would send a high-level executive to negotiate, but to his surprise, Joseph Tucci personally flew to Houston. This catch Song Yang off guard.

Tucci didn’t choose an office building for their meeting; instead, he picked a private baseball field.

Song Yang, Gallo, Greck, and Irene drove to one of Houston’s elite residential districts. Compared to the middle-class neighborhood where Greck lived, this area consisted mostly of detached villas with gardens and swimming pools, along with several sprawling estates.

Naturally, the wealthy district had its own exclusive community resources: bars, high-end restaurants, museums, theaters, private healthcare centers, golf courses, and the best private schools in Houston. Most importantly, it was incredibly secure.

The entire district was almost a city unto itself. Residents didn’t need to leave the community to enjoy the best resources Houston, or even all of America, had to offer.

As Gallo drove through the neighborhood, his lips began to tremble again. “Song, if you hadn’t turned down that twenty million, we could be living here today!”

Gallo’s incessant chatter was giving Song Yang a headache. He had no idea how many times the guy had brought this up. “Shut up. You’ll live here sooner or later. Just drive the car!”

Gallo muttered under his breath, but seeing Song Yang’s darkening expression, he settled down and focused on the road.

The car eventually pulled up to a private sports complex. It was massive, featuring golf courses, stables, and various high-end sports facilities. Only in a wealthy enclave like this could such a large-scale facility be maintained. The baseball field Tucci had chosen was located within this complex.

After entering, they were led to a baseball field. Several staff members were currently practicing with a middle-aged man who was swinging a bat. Around the edge of the field stood several men in suits—likely the team from Wang Laboratories—who turned their gaze toward Song Yang.

The middle-aged man on the field noticed Song Yang’s arrival and waved him over. Song Yang turned to Greck and Irene and said, “Stay here and wait for me.”

“I heard you have a background in baseball?” Upon meeting, Tucci asked with great interest, skipping the corporate pleasantries.

Song Yang looked at the man before him. Tucci was tall and appeared somewhat stern, but despite his calm words, his expression radiated confidence. Indeed, an unconfident man would never have dared to take over the wreckage of Wang Laboratories.

“Pitcher. The best pitcher in all of Houston’s high schools,” Song Yang said bluntly. Since he had already quit the team, no one could really disprove his claim of being the “best.”

Tucci let out a hearty laugh. He took some gear from a staff member and tossed it to Song Yang. “Play a few rounds with me!”

Song Yang stretched his neck, put on the training jersey, and faced off against Tucci. Tucci was middle-aged, and Song Yang figured he’d have an easy win. But once the game started, he felt the pressure. While Tucci wasn’t very agile, his hits were powerful and heavy, and he was clearly very experienced. Song Yang realized he had run into a pro.

After several rounds, Song Yang was covered in sweat. Tucci wasn’t much better, but Song Yang eventually managed to outscore him thanks to the stamina of youth.

“You’ve trained in baseball before?” Song Yang asked as he took off his gear.

Tucci, looking more exhilarated than he had in a long time, broke into a smile. “I was once in the New York Yankees’ training camp and received an invitation from the Minor Leagues.”

Song Yang’s face darkened. He cursed inwardly, realizing Tucci was a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” To have played semi-pro ball and then come here to trap a young man—the old guy really had no shame.

Tucci took off his gloves and sat down with Song Yang under a nearby parasol. He pushed a glass of wine toward Song Yang, then looked at him with a skeptical expression. “Song, are you actually old enough to be allowed to drink?”

Hearing Tucci tease him about his age, Song Yang realized the man was quite a sly character.

Seeing Song Yang’s slightly annoyed look, Tucci laughed again and gestured to the glass. “Song, are you curious about why I’m here?”

Outside the field, Gallo, Greck, and Irene were watching the two men under the parasol. Seeing Tucci laughing frequently, it seemed like they were having a very pleasant conversation.

Song Yang didn’t deny it. He nodded and said, “I was indeed very surprised to get a call from Wang Laboratories.”

Tucci sighed. Whenever anyone mentioned the company name, it was usually punctuated by a sigh.

“Wang Laboratories has changed. All of our hardware industries have been phased out.”

“Song, you play baseball. Do you know how to rebuild a team?” Perhaps because of their shared interest in the sport, the usually taciturn Tucci became unusually talkative with Song Yang.

Being suddenly steered back toward baseball, Song Yang didn’t react immediately.

Seeing his expression, Tucci began to share his insights. “When you are dropped into a team as the owner and you need to rebuild it, the best way is to buy ‘rookie players’ who are just starting to show their potential. This way, you cover the team’s weaknesses while also having room for the player’s value to appreciate.”

“So, DoubleClick is that ‘rookie’?” Song Yang said thoughtfully. Tucci had framed the situation in a different light. Song Yang was no longer just a “player”; he had become a “team owner.” Even if his team was small, in the eyes of giants like AT&T, Jim Clark at Netscape, or Joseph Tucci, Song Yang was a rising “rookie” in the industry.

Tucci snapped his fingers and looked at Song Yang. “So, is DoubleClick willing to join the Wang Laboratories team?”

Chapter 29: Intercepting the Deal

Song Yang looked at Joseph Tucci, whose hair was already turning silver. “Even as a rookie, DoubleClick is a lottery pick!”

Tucci nodded noncommittally. If he didn’t value DoubleClick’s potential, he wouldn’t have made a special trip. Although this acquisition wasn’t massive in scale, for Wang Laboratories, it was their first official appearance after emerging from the mire of bankruptcy. It was Wang Laboratories’ public “debut,” and it naturally needed to be eye-catching enough.

“Wang Global has completely transformed. We have offices in forty countries and regions worldwide, providing software services to users across dozens of zones. Once DoubleClick partners with Wang Global, you’ll be able to enter these markets. The internet market isn’t limited to America.”

Tucci was painting a grand vision for Song Yang. Wang Laboratories could help DoubleClick become a “global” company, and since Wang Laboratories had transitioned into software, they would be perfectly compatible with DoubleClick.

Song Yang, who had been painting similar visions for his own staff lately, wasn’t about to swallow any hollow motivational fluff. “But right now, seventy percent of the digital advertising market is in America. Overseas markets aren’t DoubleClick’s primary concern at the moment.”

“Furthermore, AT&T and Netscape can provide DoubleClick with more support within America than Wang Laboratories can!” Song Yang stuck to his usual tactic, bringing up those two companies to prove that DoubleClick was a hot commodity.

Unlike in other settings, Tucci found Song Yang quite to his liking, so he was willing to offer some “guidance.” As a seasoned veteran of the industry, Tucci knew exactly what Song Yang was doing the moment he heard those words.

“Song, you should hear the offer from Wang Laboratories first,” Tucci said, looking at Song Yang. “Wang Laboratories wants to acquire DoubleClick to enter the global digital advertising market. To that end, Wang Laboratories is willing to pay a premium. We are offering thirty million dollars in a mix of equity and cash for a full acquisition of DoubleClick!”

Song Yang’s hand holding the wine glass couldn’t help but tremble. He almost couldn’t believe his ears. Tucci had actually called out such a price, instantly hiking the valuation by ten million dollars.

Tucci simply held his wine, quietly observing the young man before him. This offer was slightly higher than his original estimate, but it didn’t exceed his limit. Tucci wanted to secure DoubleClick in one fell swoop; he didn’t want to deal with any more complications.

“Is Wang Laboratories truly willing to pay that much for DoubleClick?” Song Yang looked at Tucci with some skepticism. Even though Tucci was the current head of Wang Laboratories, such a price would likely subject him to heavy criticism.

As for that, Tucci’s face displayed a powerful sense of self-confidence. “I believe my proposal will pass within Wang Laboratories!”

Thinking about it, it made sense. Wang Laboratories had been pulled back from the brink of death by Tucci himself. He held absolute authority within the company. Even if he spent a bit extra to buy an empty shell of a company, no one would likely dare to say anything. If they angered Tucci and he walked away, that would be the real time for Wang Laboratories’ creditors and investors to cry.

“Mr. Tucci, I…” Song Yang rubbed his hands. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but by some twist of fate, he said, “Let’s eat first. I’ve booked the best hotel in Houston. I’ll give you my answer tomorrow morning!”

As soon as he said it, Song Yang felt a pang of regret. Why play hard to get now? This offer had completely exceeded his expectations. But since the words were out, he could only double down.

Tucci shook his head with a small laugh and looked at Song Yang. “It is something that should be considered carefully.”

Tucci wasn’t worried about any sudden changes. To be honest, the price he offered was staggering. Compared to the valuations coming out of Silicon Valley or Wall Street, it was a full fifty percent higher. He didn’t believe anyone else would jump out to compete with him—who else had so much money they were looking to burn it?

Song Yang and Tucci arrived at a prestigious restaurant in Houston where the local elite gathered. During dinner, Gallo and the others were constantly on the verge of speaking, dying to know what Song Yang and Tucci had discussed. However, they couldn’t ask in front of Tucci. To Gallo, this meal worth over a thousand dollars, accompanied by a live violin performance, tasted like cardboard.

As they stepped out of the restaurant doors, Song Yang felt a flash of light as he shook hands with Tucci. A reporter from some unknown media outlet had suddenly appeared and began snapping photos of them.

Song Yang and Tucci glanced at each other, both seeing the surprise in the other’s eyes. Clearly, the reporter hadn’t been invited by either party.

However, neither of them dodged the camera. Instead, with unspoken coordination, they appeared to be “engaged in a pleasant and deep conversation,” as if discussing something of great importance. In reality, both wanted to use the other’s current hype for a wave of promotion.

Song Yang wanted to get a better price for DoubleClick, while Tucci wanted to use the opportunity to tell the outside world that the legendary Wang Laboratories was “back”!

Once Song Yang saw Tucci back to his hotel, the reporters who had been following them finally left. They were clearly there for Song Yang. Following the reports from the Houston TV station and local media, Song Yang had gained quite a bit of fame. These reporters had happened to cross paths with the currently trending “tech genius” meeting someone seemingly very important, so naturally, they had to take a few shots.

Upon returning to DoubleClick, Gallo could no longer restrain himself. He turned to Song Yang and asked, “How did the talk go?”

Greck, Irene, and those who remained at the office—Wesley, Ryan, and the others—all looked at Song Yang expectantly.

Song Yang looked at the group, then spread his hands with a slightly helpless expression. “Tucci offered thirty million!”

“Only thirty million dollars…” Seeing Song Yang’s expression, Gallo said with some disappointment. Then, his brain caught up, and his eyes widened in shock. “Song, what did you say? Thirty million dollars?!”

Even Greck was moved. This completely exceeded his imagination. He looked back at DoubleClick—it occupied a single floor and had fewer than a hundred employees. This was worth thirty million dollars?

“Song, did you agree?” Gallo asked excitedly.

“Not yet. I’ll give Tucci an answer tomorrow morning. I’m still considering whether to sell DoubleClick entirely to Wang Laboratories or just relinquish a portion of the equity!” Song Yang said.

“Song, how could you not agree? What if something changes tomorrow…” Gallo started babbling incessantly again, but hearing that Song Yang hadn’t outright refused gave him some peace of mind.

“Song, what’s your intention?” Greck asked. Irene, Ryan, and the others also watched Song Yang. Whether he sold everything or just a part would have a massive impact on Song Yang, but it also concerned them. If they got a new owner, it was hard to say what would happen to them.

Song Yang looked back at the office floor, seemingly remembering the days in the garage. Ever since he arrived in America, he had been grinding for DoubleClick. Now that it was time to sell, he naturally felt some reluctance.

After a long silence, Song Yang finally spoke. “I want to give up a portion of the equity to Wang Laboratories, but DoubleClick stays under our management. However, that needs to be negotiated with Wang Laboratories and Tucci.”

Letting go of DoubleClick entirely was still something Song Yang found difficult to do. After all, this was the first company he had built with his own blood and sweat. Selling it just like that felt wrong.

Hearing that Song Yang wasn’t planning on selling everything, Ryan, Irene, and Wesley instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. Gallo was a bit frustrated, as he clearly believed having the dollars in hand was the only safe bet.

While Song Yang, Greck, and the others were at DoubleClick preparing for tomorrow’s negotiations, a rumor regarding Song Yang and DoubleClick suddenly began to circulate within the tech industry.

Wyatt and a few other reporters from the Houston Chronicle returned to the newspaper office and pulled out the photos they had taken at the restaurant entrance. They were financial reporters for the Chronicle, and they had been paying close attention to Song Yang, Houston’s recent “tech genius” and “the youngest millionaire.”

Seeing Song Yang meet with someone who looked very important earlier, Wyatt’s journalistic instincts had kicked in, and he caught the moment Song Yang and Tucci shook hands.

“Why does this person look so familiar?”

Once the photos were developed, one of the reporters saw Tucci and immediately felt they had seen him somewhere. He suddenly stood up, ran to the archives, and hurried back.

“It’s Tucci! Joseph Tucci, the current CEO of Wang Laboratories! The person Bruno Song met today was Tucci! What are they up to?”

The reporter who returned compared the shot with a previous photo and couldn’t help but exclaim.

As journalists, they instinctively felt that something big was about to happen. The CEO of Wang Laboratories wouldn’t travel all the way to Houston just for a meal.

Wyatt looked at Tucci’s photo, then thought of DoubleClick, which was currently seeking investors. A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

“Wang Laboratories is going to invest in DoubleClick, or DoubleClick is being sold to Wang!” Wyatt stood up abruptly. In an instant, the reporters from the Houston Chronicle’s tech section swarmed around. They all knew a major story was breaking.

By the time Song Yang arrived at an apartment near the office buildings by the Houston port, he was exhausted. He had rented this apartment specifically for the convenience of commuting to DoubleClick.

Back at the apartment, Song Yang took a quick shower and collapsed onto the bed. Meanwhile, a piece of news was already flying across the tech industry.

The photo of Song Yang and Tucci shaking hands outside the restaurant was first reported by the Houston Chronicle, and was then quickly picked up and cross-posted by tech media. Even Wall Street papers began featuring it in their evening editions.

After all, this news was simply too buzzworthy. Wang Laboratories—that legendary company of the past—had suddenly resurfaced to meet with DoubleClick, the rising star of the internet. It naturally invited endless speculation.

All sorts of rumors were flying. Guesses about the deal between Wang Laboratories and DoubleClick were numerous, including talk of a “sky-high acquisition price.”

Not long after falling asleep, Song Yang was suddenly awakened by the ringing of the telephone. Disturbed from his dreams, Song Yang had half a mind to rip the cord out of the wall.

In the end, he forced himself to pick up the receiver. Not many people knew this number; it was only used for the most important matters to ensure Song Yang could be reached.

Song Yang answered the phone irritably. A strange voice with a London accent came through the line. “Song, I know this call is ill-timed, but this is very important for us right now!”

Upon hearing the name the caller used to identify themselves, Song Yang became instantly alert.

Chapter 30: Hidden Motives

Song Yang listened to the name on the other end of the line. After a momentary daze, he snapped wide awake.

“CEO Sorrell?!”

The person calling was actually the founder and CEO of the WPP Group, the man known as the “King of M&A,” Martin Sorrell.

In his previous life, while Song Yang was interning at an internet giant, he had heard that several major domestic tech firms—Tencent, JD.com, and Jack Ma’s Alibaba—had once fought over WPP’s media and advertising business in China, ponying up over ten billion dollars to compete for it. Only then did Song Yang learn the prestigious reputation of WPP as the world’s largest advertising group.

His mind raced as he considered Martin Sorrell’s purpose for calling. Having the top dog of the traditional media and advertising world reach out was truly beyond Song Yang’s expectations.

Martin’s voice came through the phone. “Song, I know it’s inappropriate to call at this hour, but I felt I had to make this call. Otherwise, you would be making a fatal mistake that would haunt you for the rest of your life!”

Martin’s words weren’t overbearing; in fact, he sounded quite cordial. However, the meaning behind his words was incredibly firm.

Song Yang sat up against the headboard. The cold wind from the window helped him cool down quickly. “Is CEO Sorrell referring to the cooperation with Wang Laboratories?”

“Whether it’s Wang Laboratories, Netscape, or AT&T, they don’t understand the advertising industry at all. DoubleClick partnering with them would be a disaster!”

Martin belittled Wang Laboratories and Netscape as utterly worthless. Song Yang couldn’t even refute him; coming from an advertising veteran like Martin, these claims seemed perfectly valid.

“Song, I don’t care what Joseph Tucci or any other fellow promised you. The only company DoubleClick can truly partner with is the WPP Group!” Martin said decisively, leaving no room for doubt.

Song Yang looked out the window. Houston was enveloped in darkness. His mind worked at high speed. “But CEO Sorrell, I’ve already reached a verbal agreement with Mr. Tucci…”

“An unsigned agreement is just a scrap of waste paper!”

“But…”

“Thirty-five million dollars. WPP Group is willing to give DoubleClick a valuation of thirty-five million dollars!”

Song Yang swallowed hard. He now understood the reputation of the “King of M&A.” It was no wonder he could gobble up established advertising giants like Ogilvy and J. Walter Thompson; the man was absolutely reckless when it came to throwing money around.

“It’s not just about the amount of capital. I’ve already reached an agreement with Mr. Tucci. Furthermore, Wang Laboratories will help DoubleClick enter the global market!” Song Yang said in a final struggle.

“Forty million dollars!”

Song Yang let out a breath. It wasn’t that he lacked perseverance; it was just that the enemy’s sugar-coated bullets were simply too overwhelming!

“CEO Sorrell, I will bring this up with Mr. Tucci tomorrow. I am willing to await your arrival.”

This time, Song Yang really wasn’t trying to use Wang Laboratories to leverage WPP. After all, according to the rules of the game, Tucci had come first. Song Yang couldn’t just kick Tucci out for no reason; he had to at least go through the motions.

On the other end of the line, Martin Sorrell went silent for a moment, as if contemplating something. “Song, you should make the right choice rather than hesitating. I hope that by the time I arrive, it will be to sign the agreement!”

“The WPP Group doesn’t necessarily have to acquire DoubleClick entirely. We can do it another way. WPP is willing to invest 12 million dollars to acquire a 25% equity stake in DoubleClick. Additionally, WPP will establish a global digital advertising department with DoubleClick as its core. You, Song, will serve as the Vice President of this new WPP department, managing the operations of WPP’s digital advertising division!”

Martin spoke as if it were an afterthought, yet it was as if he had seen right through Song Yang’s heart. He was letting Song Yang keep DoubleClick while also offering him a VP title at WPP. Though it was a titular role, it gave Song Yang both fame and fortune.

Martin Sorrell’s demands for DoubleClick certainly wouldn’t stop there, but what he was offering now was enough to make Song Yang unable to refuse!

“Deal!”

After a long silence, Song Yang finally spoke into the phone.

After hanging up, Song Yang stood by the window, completely unable to sleep for the rest of the night. Martin Sorrell’s ability to become the “King of M&A,” founding WPP and acquiring over a hundred companies in a short period, was truly terrifying. His insight into human nature and his ability to seize opportunities were uncanny. He always knew how to strike at the weakest point, making it impossible to say no.

“What did you say? Terminating the negotiations?!”

The atmosphere in the hotel room was stifling. Early in the morning, Song Yang had arrived at the hotel alone to give Joseph Tucci the news.

Tucci looked at Song Yang with a sharp, clearly angry gaze.

“Mr. Tucci, I am very sorry, but there will be opportunities for us to cooperate in the future!” Song Yang genuinely had a good impression of Tucci. He could clearly feel that Tucci really treated him as a “rookie” he wanted to recruit, intending to mentor him.

Sitting down and rubbing his temples, Tucci quickly calmed himself. When he looked back at Song Yang, he had regained his composure.

“No need to apologize. As we Americans often say, business is business!”

“Can you tell me who it is?” Tucci asked, looking at Song Yang.

“Martin Sorrell!”

Tucci was visibly stunned. He had considered that old rivals of Wang Laboratories—like IBM, Intel, or Microsoft—might have made a move, but he never expected WPP Group to swoop in halfway.

“Can you tell me the terms?” Tucci finally asked, still somewhat unwilling to let go.

Seeing Tucci’s expression, Song Yang knew the man had already conceded but just wanted to know why he had been knocked out of the running. Song Yang told him directly, “12 million dollars for a 25% equity stake. Additionally, the WPP Group will establish a global digital business department centered around DoubleClick.”

Tucci shook his head, a look of helplessness on his face. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly; the old fox was indeed more experienced. Whether in terms of capital or conditions, WPP Group completely outclassed Wang Laboratories. If he were in Song Yang’s shoes, he wouldn’t have been able to refuse such terms either.

“What a strange and not-so-wonderful day.” Tucci stood up and extended his hand to Song Yang. “I hope there’s still a chance to watch the Yankees with you in the future. You are indeed an excellent pitcher—you never miss your mark!”

Song Yang shook Tucci’s hand. “Mr. Tucci, I believe it won’t be long before we meet again. My cooperation with Wang Laboratories and you will not end here!”

Seeing the serious look on Song Yang’s face, Tucci broke into a smile. “I’ll be waiting for that day. However…”

Seeing his assistant had finished packing and was ready to leave, Tucci tossed a final remark over his shoulder. “You really need to practice your pitching. At this level, you’ll never make it into the Yankees’ training camp!”

Song Yang watched Tucci leave with a dark expression. He was certain now that this guy was a petty soul—he didn’t even wait for the next day to get his revenge, making sure to insult Song Yang’s poor baseball skills before departing.

After seeing Tucci and his team off, Gallo, Greck, Irene, and the others rushed over. Hearing that Song Yang had actually let Tucci go, Gallo looked like his world was ending. “Song, what the hell are you doing?!”

“You rejected AT&T, you rejected Netscape, and now you’ve rejected Wang Laboratories! What is your plan? That was thirty million dollars!”

Gallo looked as if he were mourning a deceased parent; this felt worse than if he had lost thirty million dollars himself. He felt like something was wrong with Song Yang. If he had known, he would have gone to 13th Street earlier to hire that psychic, so a “cooked duck” worth thirty million wouldn’t have flown away.

“Shut up!”

Noticing the crowd around the hotel entrance looking their way, Song Yang snapped at the rambling Gallo, “DoubleClick is mine. I have the right to handle it. Get in the car!”

Once inside the car, Song Yang finally spoke to the worried Greck and Irene. “I’ve reached an agreement with a new investor. We’ll be signing within the next two days.”

Hearing there was a new investor offering a staggering 12 million dollars for only 25% equity—giving DoubleClick a valuation of 48 million dollars—Gallo’s distress vanished instantly. His eyes lit up as he looked at Song Yang, with only one thought in his mind: We’re rich! The Bruno family is about to join the ranks of multi-millionaires!

“The WPP Group?” Irene exclaimed. She hadn’t expected this media giant to get involved. WPP wasn’t just a leader in the advertising world; it was also a powerhouse in public relations with incredible influence in Washington D.C. It was a true behemoth.

Sitting in the car, Irene’s heart couldn’t settle. She had originally thought that joining DoubleClick would just be a way to make her internship experience look good.

But now, this startup had drawn in a flock of giants: Netscape, AT&T, Wang Laboratories, and WPP Group had all come one after another just for this one company. Irene didn’t know what DoubleClick would become. She glanced back at Song Yang, who was whispering with Greck in the back seat. She wondered just how far Song Yang—the soon-to-be youngest multi-millionaire in America—would go in the future!

When Song Yang and Greck returned to the Houston Port office, they realized something was wrong. As soon as they reached the elevator for their office floor, two shirtless men covered in tattoos stood there, looking provocatively at Song Yang and his group.

Song Yang frowned at the two men. Greck grabbed Song Yang’s arm, leading him into the office first.

As soon as he stepped into the DoubleClick office, Song Yang heard a familiar voice shouting and cursing.

“Tell that liar to come out!”

“He’s a thief! He stole everything from me!”

“I’m here today to take back what’s mine, what I deserve!”

Song Yang walked to the center of the office and saw a man standing on a desk, shouting. Next to him stood a tattooed man dressed similarly to the ones at the elevator, only much bulkier.

At the sight of this person, Gallo was the first to lose his temper. “Jaden, are you freaking crazy? Do you have any idea where you are?!”

Chapter 31: Greed Knows No Bounds

Gallo was instantly enraged when he saw that the person causing a scene at DoubleClick was none other than Bledsoe Jaden. He cursed at Jaden, wondering what kind of nerve the man had.

Song Yang looked at Jaden, finding him almost unrecognizable from the man he had seen before. His hair hadn’t been cut in a long time, his beard was overgrown and scruffy, and behind his glasses were a pair of bloodshot eyes.

Seeing Song Yang, Bledsoe Jaden grew even more agitated. He pointed at Song Yang and turned to the bald man with full-sleeve tattoos standing beside him, shouting hysterically, “Frank, that’s him! That’s the robber! He stole everything from me! This place was supposed to have a share that belonged to me, and he stole it all!”

Frank, a burly man with a face full of menacing features, was clearly a gang member from the streets. Hearing Jaden’s words, he crossed his arms and stared at Song Yang with an ill-intentioned gaze.

Without saying a single word, Frank already radiated a sense of menace. Seeing Frank’s movement, Gallo stepped in front of Song Yang. Although he was a size smaller than Frank, he held his head high and stuck out his neck. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing? Who do you think you are?!”

Looking at the office, which had been thrown into chaos by Jaden, Frank, and their crew, Song Yang’s expression soured. He loosened his tie and looked at Jaden. “What do you want?”

Jaden felt a bit intimidated and couldn’t meet Song Yang’s eyes, shifting his gaze away. But the thought of DoubleClick’s value exceeding ten million dollars, as reported in the media, made him feel as if he were being consumed by the fires of jealousy. Countless voices seemed to be mocking him in his ear for having no foresight. Jaden simply could not accept it!

After seeing Song Yang’s interview on the Houston TV station, Jaden had complained to Frank when they happened to meet. He had spat out a torrent of bad things about Song Yang, and even then, the two of them had started forming ideas.

This time, when Jaden saw in the media that Netscape and Wang Laboratories were planning to invest in DoubleClick—meaning Song Yang might soon join the ranks of multi-millionaires—he could no longer hold back.

For someone like Frank, who looked for trouble even when there was none, the opportunity to extort a large sum of dollars from Song Yang was not something he was willing to pass up. Thus, the two of them specifically chose today to come over. Their goal was to demand “compensation” that “belonged to them” from Song Yang right at the most critical moment of his negotiations with the investment firms.

“I want to take back what’s mine! A part of this place was originally supposed to belong to me!” Jaden said stubbornly to Song Yang.

Song Yang laughed out of sheer anger. He knew that for dollars, some people were willing to do anything, but someone like Jaden still managed to exceed the limits of his imagination.

“What are you talking about?”

Jaden’s words even left Gallo stunned. Then, coming to his senses, Gallo cursed at Jaden, “What the hell are you talking about? We signed an agreement! That fee was paid to you a long-ass time ago! What else do you want? Do you really think the Bruno family is an easy target? You want to taste my fist?!”

Gallo was so angry he wanted to physically confront Jaden. He hadn’t expected Jaden to be this kind of lowlife. However, Frank blocked his path.

“That fifteen thousand dollars?”

“I developed the DART system! You think you can kick me out for a measly fifteen thousand dollars? I want my rightful equity stake!” Jaden became even more furious when Gallo mentioned that initial payment.

These words caused the scene to become even more chaotic. Even Song Yang couldn’t help himself; he wanted to land a punch right on Jaden’s face.

“Enough! Get out right now!”

Greck held Song Yang back and then shouted at Frank, “Leave immediately! Do you want me to call a Federal Agent to escort you out?!”

“We’re heading out for now,” Frank said to Jaden, raising his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. Then, his burly face twisted into a cruel grin. “We can leave, but Jaden’s share must be returned. We’ll be waiting!”

Frank left the DoubleClick office but stood right at the elevator entrance, sporting an expression that said they weren’t going anywhere.

Song Yang turned his head and saw that Irene and the other women in the office looked quite shaken.

After returning to his office, Song Yang threw his tie aside. He had never expected a bottom-feeder like Jaden to crawl out of the woodwork.

“I didn’t think Jaden would be such a piece of trash. If I had known, I definitely wouldn’t have brought him in…”

Looking at Song Yang standing by the window, Gallo lowered his head and rubbed his hands. He felt responsible for Jaden’s scene in the office today.

“Where is the building security? What are they doing? we pay so much in security fees every month!” Greck said, his head also throbbing from the situation.

The entire DoubleClick office was filled with a thick, oppressive atmosphere. In Song Yang’s personal office, Greck and the others were gathered.

A moment later, the building’s security personnel arrived. Greck said to the lead security supervisor, “Are you going to give us an explanation for today?!”

“Some things are unavoidable,” the security supervisor said, feeling the headache as well. His monthly salary was only a few thousand dollars; he certainly wasn’t willing to risk his life against a lowlife like Frank. However, faced with Greck’s questioning, he couldn’t just shirk responsibility, or he wouldn’t be able to collect those few thousand dollars anymore.

“I guarantee today was an accident. Those people won’t be entering the building again to interfere with your company!”

The security supervisor promised Greck, then hesitated and looked at Song Yang. He had heard from the building’s property manager that the young boss of DoubleClick might become a very important person in the future. The supervisor decided to offer a warning.

“However, I can’t guarantee what they might do outside this building. I think you should be careful; Frank and his lot are capable of anything!”

Hearing the security supervisor’s words, Greck’s face, which had just started to clear, turned even more sour. He waved his hand for the supervisor to leave.

“Jaden cannot take any equity stake from DoubleClick. He signed an agreement. DoubleClick’s equity and patents have no issues; they all belong solely to you, Song. Even if this goes to the State or Federal Court, I can guarantee a win!”

Greck had Ryan, Irene, and the others leave so that the company could resume normal operations, then he spoke to Song Yang about resolving the Jaden issue.

“As for Frank…” Greck scratched his head. If Frank had started a fight today, it would have been easy to handle, but this kind of lowlife who doesn’t throw a punch but makes your life miserable is actually the hardest to deal with. “I can go find a Federal Agent to warn Frank!”

“Do you think that will work?”

Song Yang pointed at Frank’s gang, who were now standing at the building’s entrance, and turned to ask Greck. If it were a minor matter, Frank might have left after a warning. But since they were looking to make a massive score from Song Yang and DoubleClick, how could they possibly leave just because of a few warnings?

“There will be a way to solve it, Song. It will be resolved.” Sensing that Song Yang might be preparing to use special methods, Greck quickly spoke up.

“Do we have time?” Song Yang sat down and gave Greck a somewhat helpless laugh. “When the people from WPP Group arrive, if Martin Sorrell gets blocked at the door by that piece of trash Frank, do you know what that would look like?”

Greck was at a loss for words. This involved an investment worth ten million dollars. If even the slightest thing went wrong, Greck didn’t know what the consequences would be.

“Gallo!”

Song Yang stood by the window for a long while before a memory surfaced in his mind. He turned to look at Gallo, who still had his head lowered. After a moment of hesitation, he said to Gallo, “Call Jax. I know you have his number!”

“Song!” Greck’s expression changed instantly upon hearing this. “Do you know what you’re doing? To solve one trouble, you’re inviting an even bigger one!”

“Is there a better way?” Song Yang was also getting frustrated. If there were a way to deal with Frank’s crew, why would he take the risk? He knew exactly what Jax did for a living.

“Song, are you sure?” Gallo ignored Greck’s sharp gaze and looked at Song Yang with eagerness. He had wanted to deal with that scumbag Frank for a long time. Seeing Song Yang nod, Gallo immediately turned and went out to make the call.

Greck was very angry. He looked at Song Yang, dropped a parting sentence, and stormed out: “You’ll regret this!”

“It’s done. Jax and the others are coming. It should have been like this from the start, letting a lowlife like Frank know we aren’t to be messed with!” Gallo said, coming back and pumping his fist.

Song Yang took some money from the small safe in the office and put it in an envelope. He looked up and glanced at Gallo. “You are not allowed to join the fight. Uncle Greck is right about one thing—finding them might not be a good idea. But right now, we have no choice!”

“But Jax and the others are different. As soon as I called, they were willing to help…”

Song Yang cut Gallo off. “We can thank Jax and the Sons of Anarchy, but we can’t get too deeply involved. You know what they do. Do you want to join them, too?”

Gallo opened his mouth but then slumped. A few years ago, he truly envied the reckless and wild life Jax and his crew lived. But now, damn it, the Bruno family was about to become multi-millionaires. A life of luxury and excitement was waiting for Lord Gallo; why would he want to ride a beat-up Harley every day and risk his life with no security?

About an hour later, sitting in the office building, Song Yang heard a low rumble. Even inside the building, he could feel the vibration.

Turning to look outside, Song Yang saw a line of seven or eight heavy Harleys driving toward the Harbor Office Building amidst the low roar of their engines.

Frank and his group, who were chatting and whistling at passing female office workers at the entrance, also heard the noise. They looked back and saw the row of Harleys. When they saw the leather jacket on the leading young man, which featured a skull carrying an AK, and a matching patch on the front, their expressions changed instantly.

Jaden also noticed Frank’s abnormal reaction. He had never seen the usually fearless Frank look this way. Jaden couldn’t help but ask worriedly, “Who are they?”

“Damn it, why is it them!”

Frank’s face was pale as he cursed under his breath, praying they weren’t coming for him. As it turned out, his prayers went unanswered. The row of Harleys drove straight toward Frank and his men. After a final roar of the engines, the heavy bikes surrounded them.

Chapter 32: The Godfather

A row of Harley-Davidson motorcycles charged straight toward Frank and his men, appearing as if they were about to plow right through them before skidding to a heavy, grinding halt mere inches away.

The young man leading the pack pulled off his sunglasses, revealing a face with a striking resemblance to Hollywood’s current golden boy, Brad Pitt. More importantly, he carried an undeniable aura of wild, untethered freedom.

“You seem to have come to the wrong neighborhood. This isn’t your turf!” Frank said, bracing himself as he spoke to the leader, hoping to make these men respect the unspoken rules of the gangs.

The leader didn’t even blink. He let out a scoff, clearly paying no heed to the warning. He shared a look with a massive, burly man of the same age to his left, and both burst into laughter. “And what of it?”

Frank was left speechless. It was obvious this group had no intention of following street etiquette.

“Jax!”

Gallo, who had rushed down from the office, immediately called out upon seeing the lead man.

“Opie! Juice!”

Gallo bumped fists with Jax and then greeted his old friend Opie and the others. There were a few unfamiliar faces in the group, evidently new recruits brought into the Sons of Anarchy over the last few years.

Jax and Gallo were on good terms, but now wasn’t the time for small talk. Jax jerked his head toward Frank and asked Gallo, “Are these the guys?”

Gallo nodded and whispered into Jax’s ear, “I wouldn’t have called you if it wasn’t urgent!”

“I get it,” Jax said, patting Gallo’s arm. “Leave this to me.”

It takes a wolf to catch a wolf. Trying to reason with a man like Frank was a waste of breath, but Jax and his crew had plenty of ways to handle trash like him.

With a nod from Jax, the group of hulking men dismounted their Harleys and walked toward Frank’s crew. Frank was a big man, but compared to this group, he looked like a child. As for Jaden, he was plucked aside by Opie like a stray chicken.

Frank and his group were taken into a nearby construction site where work had been halted. Song Yang and Gallo waited outside.

About half an hour later, it was unclear exactly how Jax had “persuaded” them, but when he stepped out, he was dusting off his hands. He looked at Song Yang and Gallo and said, “I’ve reached an agreement with this Frank fellow. He won’t be bothering the Bruno family ever again.”

“Thanks, Jax,” Gallo said.

“Little Bruno, it’s been a while!”

Opie walked out from behind him and, seeing Song Yang, immediately came over to bump fists and share a hug.

“Little Bruno, you haven’t been back to Charming in ages!” Opie remarked.

Jax, Opie, and the others were from the town of Charming, near Houston, where the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club was based. Charming was near the Mexican border and served as a major thoroughfare. Such locations were predictably chaotic, serving as a hub for anyone in Texas or the West involved in shady business.

Song Yang, Gallo, Jax, and Opie were old acquaintances. When the Bruno family first arrived in the Houston area, they had settled in Charming because it was cheap. Compared to the cost of living in Houston proper, Charming was much lower, making it a common starting point for newcomers.

Having spent several years in Charming, Song Yang and Gallo were naturally familiar with Jax and Opie. Gallo used to hang out with Jax, while Song Yang was closer to Opie. Opie had looked out for Song Yang back then; he even helped Song Yang get into a massive brawl with a group of Polish and Russian kids at school.

Back then, neither of them were club members, but just like their fathers before them, they eventually followed the path into the life.

Song Yang watched as Frank and his men limped out of the construction site, fleeing in disgrace. Jaden’s face was particularly bruised and swollen.

With Frank dealt with, Jax sent Juice and the others on their way, while Song Yang brought Jax and Opie up to the DoubleClick office.

“Wow,” Jax exclaimed with exaggerated flair as he stepped into the office. “So Song really has become a big shot. The news we saw back in Charming was actually true!”

Gallo looked proud. “You guys saw the reports about DoubleClick in Charming?”

“Are you kidding?” Opie replied with a look that was half-helpless, half-unbelieving. He was clearly still stunned. “We saw Song’s name and couldn’t believe it was the same guy. If it weren’t for his face in the photos, we never would have thought the tech genius of Houston was Little Bruno from Charming!”

They say you can tell a man’s future by the time he’s three, but back in the Charming school days, Song Yang’s grades were even worse than Jax’s. One could only imagine their reaction when they saw the news.

“Uncle Greck!”

Upon entering the office, Jax and Opie greeted Greck, who was looking quite grim. Seeing the two of them, Greck immediately realized what had happened. He shot a glance at Song Yang and then turned to leave.

Jax and Opie didn’t find it strange at all; they just shrugged. Jax noted, “Uncle Greck is just like always. Hasn’t changed a bit!”

This made Song Yang and Gallo burst into laughter. Back in Charming, Greck had always told Song Yang and Gallo to stay away from Jax and the others, wanting nothing to do with the Sons of Anarchy or any other gangs.

Once inside the inner office, Jax looked around before pulling up a chair and slouching into it. “If I had to sit in a one-square-meter cubicle every day, I’d lose my mind!”

For a man of Jax’s free-spirited nature, office culture was unbearable. He’d rather spend an afternoon under a car at the club’s repair shop than sit in an office chair.

“I really didn’t think I’d see Song here one day!” Opie looked around DoubleClick with curiosity and even sat in Song Yang’s executive chair to test it out. “I remember back at school, Song never missed when he went after girls, but I don’t recall him ever passing a single class…”

Discussing their past in Charming quickly brought them closer again. Song Yang asked, “How is Charming? How are Clay and Gemma doing?”

Gemma was Jax’s mother, and Clay was his stepfather—the current president of the Sons of Anarchy.

“You know how they are. Same as ever. As for Charming, things are a bit more complicated than they used to be,” Jax said, looking like he had a bit of a headache.

Song Yang didn’t pry further, but when he asked about their old friend Donna—Opie’s girlfriend—and heard they were married now, Song Yang was momentarily stunned.

Seeing Song Yang’s shocked expression, Opie shook his head. “You guys have been away from Charming too long. Jax even has a son now!”

Now it was Gallo’s turn to be stunned. He was roughly the same age as Jax, yet Jax had already sired a child. “With Tara?”

Gallo only remembered Jax and Tara being a couple and assumed they had married.

At the mention of Tara, Jax looked frustrated. “No, he’s from my ex-wife, Wendy.”

Seeing the look on Jax’s face, Song Yang knew their personal lives were likely a tangled mess. He kicked Gallo under the table to stop him from asking more and shut him up.

“Jax, I really appreciate you guys coming out today,” Song Yang said.

It was almost certain that Jax would become the next president of the Sons of Anarchy. His biological father had founded it, his stepfather was the current president, and among the younger generation, he had the unwavering support of men like Opie. No one could challenge him. As he spoke, Song Yang placed an envelope on the table in front of Jax.

Seeing the envelope, Jax and Opie’s expressions changed. Opie picked it up and saw there were at least ten thousand dollars inside. His expression turned to anger. “Little Bruno, is this why you think we came today?!”

Song Yang held up his hands. “Opie, you know that’s not what I mean. But you need to give Clay an explanation, and Juice and the others need to be taken care of too. Today wasn’t official club business.”

“Song, you know we didn’t come for the money. If you try to pay us for this, then you’re no longer welcome in Charming!” Jax said, his voice stern as he put the envelope back down.

Any other gang member would have snatched the money in an instant, but Jax and Opie couldn’t. They didn’t view themselves as mercenaries, and given their years of history with Song Yang and Gallo, they couldn’t bring themselves to take the cash.

Seeing their resolve, Song Yang sighed softly. He hadn’t wanted to get too deeply involved with the club. Considering his future plans, being too close to a gang wasn’t ideal; the media and his competitors would eventually use those ties against him. But looking at Jax and Opie, he knew the money was off the table.

“Then I’ll consider today a favor I owe you both. If there’s ever a chance in the future…”

“No need to wait for the future,” Jax interrupted, a subtle look crossing his face. “There is something I want your help with right now.”

“My son, Abel, is going to be christened soon. I want you to be Abel’s godfather.”

Gallo’s jaw dropped as he stared at Jax. Opie was equally stunned. He hadn’t expected Jax to make such a request.

Song Yang was completely bewildered. While finding godparents for children in America was common, asking someone who was still a month away from turning eighteen to be a godfather was frankly ridiculous.

“That is my request. Song, will you attend Abel’s baptism?” Jax asked with solemnity.

Looking at Jax’s extended hand, Song Yang had no choice but to shake it. Jax had framed the request in such a way that Song Yang couldn’t refuse without making them enemies.

Opie didn’t know what Jax was planning, but growing up together, he knew Jax never did anything without a reason. He looked at Song Yang and said with a smile, “Song, when Donna has our child, I want you to be their godfather too!”

Chapter 33: Daytime Reflections

Since he had already promised Jax, and considering his closer relationship with Opie, Song Yang naturally couldn’t refuse.

Originally, Song Yang had intended to keep his distance from the Sons of Anarchy. Yet now, he had suddenly become the godfather to Jax’s son, Abel. If the media ever dug up this connection, it would likely cause Song Yang more than a few headaches.

After leaving DoubleClick, Jax and Opie hopped on their Harleys to head back to Charming. Jax didn’t care at all about that scumbag Frank, but the man had been right about one thing: this wasn’t Sons of Anarchy territory, and it wasn’t convenient for them to linger.

On the road, amid the roar of the Harleys, Opie shouted to Jax, “Why do you want Song to be Abel’s godfather? You know Gemma isn’t going to be happy about this!”

The Sons of Anarchy were mostly of Irish descent and maintained close ties with Ireland. In fact, one of the club’s primary rackets involved trafficking firearms for certain factions back in the old country. For Abel’s baptism, Gemma had intended to invite a prestigious Irish-American to serve as the godfather.

Jax’s expression remained calm as he glanced back at Opie. “Do you want Abel, or even Donna’s future children, to end up like us?”

“Song… he might become a very big deal. Maybe he’s the one who can get Abel and our next generation out of Charming!”

With that, Jax twisted the throttle, and his Harley surged forward. Opie watched Jax’s receding figure with a complicated expression. He knew his brother, whom he had grown up with, wanted to change the Sons of Anarchy—perhaps even legitimize the club. But that was a difficult path to walk. Jax making Song Yang the godfather seemed almost like he was entrusting his son’s future to him.

However, thinking of Donna and their future children, Opie’s resolve to eventually send his own kid to Song Yang to be a godchild began to firm up as well.

“Song, you actually became a godfather! And the godson is the heir to the Sons of Anarchy!”

Back in the office, Gallo was still hooting and hollering with excitement. He didn’t know what kind of stir this would cause if the news reached Charming, but one thing was certain: if any member of the Bruno family remained in Charming, they could pretty much walk with their heads held high in the club’s territory.

“You think this is a good thing?” Song Yang snapped at Gallo, annoyed.

“Of course!”

Gallo’s expression sobered as he spoke with rare gravity. “Song, I know you and Greck don’t want to get mixed up with gangs. But people like Frank will keep showing up. Troubles like that always need to be dealt with.”

Song Yang looked at Gallo as if seeing him for the first time. Gallo wasn’t exaggerating. In America, people like Frank and gangs of all sizes were like weeds—they never truly went away. Having Jax and the Sons of Anarchy around would certainly mean fewer hassles.

“I don’t care what your deal is with Jax, but don’t get involved in the internal affairs of the Sons of Anarchy!”

Song Yang gave Gallo a stern warning. But reflecting on how close Gallo and Opie were, he realized it might be hard to keep things separate. He shook his head, his teeth still itching with annoyance at Jaden for causing this mess in the first place.

“Where’s Uncle Greck?” Song Yang hadn’t seen Greck for a while and wondered where he’d gone. He knew Greck was very unhappy about seeking help from the Sons of Anarchy.

Gallo shrugged, indicating he didn’t know where his old man was either. Right now, Gallo wasn’t about to go looking for trouble with Greck.

“You and Irene go get ready. We’re picking up the people from WPP Group tomorrow!” Song Yang sighed helplessly and gave Gallo his instructions, deciding to go find his “uncle” Greck first.

Hearing that he had to partner with Irene, Gallo looked like he had swallowed a fly. It was as if their personalities were fundamentally incompatible; Greck and Gallo, father and son, were for once in total agreement in their shared dislike of Irene.

Song Yang ignored Gallo’s reluctance. After asking around for Greck’s whereabouts, he took two bottles of wine and headed out.

On a high point near Houston port, one could take in the full grandeur of the second-largest port in America. Mountainous cargo ships constantly moved in and out of the harbor.

Song Yang sat down next to Greck. He opened a bottle and placed it beside him without asking if he wanted a drink.

“You know today was an exception. I didn’t have time to waste on Frank. Sir Martin Sorrell, the CEO of WPP, is coming personally tomorrow. I need to handle him.”

Song Yang looked out at the distant port and raised his bottle toward Greck. “I won’t get caught up in the gangs. I promise you.”

Greck finally sighed and raised his own bottle, clinking it against Song Yang’s. He knew Song Yang was telling the truth. Compared to the impending meeting with WPP Group, wasting time on Frank would be foolish.

But Greck still said, “You know, Song, with some things, once you do them once, you can never truly avoid them again. You need to understand that.”

“Whether it was back in Charming or here in Houston, I never let you, Gallo, or Logan touch the Mafia or any of those gangs. Because once you’re tainted by them, you might never get rid of them, and you’ll never truly enter mainstream America,” Greck told him. “I don’t want this lead to you having trouble with the ATF or the FBI later on!”

“I understand,” Song Yang replied with a slight sigh. He knew Greck was looking out for him and Gallo. Whether it was the world-famous Italian Mafia or the Sons of Anarchy, they were essentially the same: born from a group of people who couldn’t integrate into local society, who were bullied, and who banded together for warmth, eventually becoming a gang.

As the descendants of these people slowly integrated into society—working, marrying, and having children—they naturally distanced themselves from the life of living on the edge. This was why many gangs, including the Mafia, had declined. Being involved with them meant giving up the chance to join the mainstream.

“Uncle Greck, I’m counting on you tomorrow. I’ll need you to handle the WPP legal department.”

Moving past the previous subject, Song Yang clinked bottles with Greck again.

Upon hearing the name of the prestigious WPP legal department, Greck’s eyelid twitched. WPP’s legal team was battle-hardened, having overseen hundreds of acquisitions, and backed by top-tier PR specialists in Washington. Facing such a team was an immense amount of pressure for Greck.

“Don’t worry about my end. I won’t let anything go wrong!”

In front of Song Yang, his “nephew,” Greck still had to maintain his persona as an “elite lawyer.” However, he did cough slightly and add, “But to ensure the cooperation goes smoothly, I’d like to form a joint legal team for DoubleClick with the people from Josiah’s firm.”

Song Yang didn’t care who Greck brought onto the legal team as long as it didn’t delay the deal with WPP Group.

As for WPP, Song Yang was giving Martin Sorrell plenty of face this time. For the sake of the potential ten million dollars, it was worth it for Song Yang to personally head to Houston Airport with Greck and Irene to meet the man.

As the CEO of the world’s largest advertising group, Martin Sorrell arrived on a WPP corporate jet.

Watching Martin Sorrell descend from the Airbus corporate jet, Gallo started muttering into Song Yang’s ear again. “Song, when do you think our Bruno family can have our own private jet?”

Irene rolled her eyes at that. She felt Gallo was like a bear in a cornfield, wanting to grab every ear of corn he saw. Even if this deal went through, given Song Yang’s net worth, buying a brand-new Boeing private jet would be a stretch, let alone the maintenance and repair costs.

Song Yang also glared at Gallo, telling him to shut up. Seeing Martin Sorrell come down from the plane, Song Yang stepped forward to greet him.

“Sir Martin!”

Song Yang extended his hand. Martin had been knighted by the Queen of England a few years ago. He wasn’t tall, but years of being in power gave him an aura of natural authority. The way his eyes swept over someone created a sense of pressure—he was a completely different type of person from Joseph Tucci.

“So, you’re Song?!”

Martin Sorrell’s gaze swept over Song Yang. Suddenly, the pressure vanished, and he spoke with a face full of smiles. “Song, you’re a true genius. Your internet digital advertising is going to change the entire industry.”

Once he dropped his aggressive stance, Martin Sorrell became remarkably approachable. He didn’t just greet Song Yang; he acknowledged Greck, Irene, and even Gallo individually. Gallo felt quite flattered; he had heard Irene drone on enough to know that the little old man in front of them was a truly powerful figure.

The entire advertising industry held him in awe. Wall Street had even dubbed him the “Ogre of Madison Avenue,” which spoke volumes about his business style.

Song Yang caught a glimpse of Martin’s true capabilities. From that one phone call, he knew Martin was formidable—capable of reading people’s minds and acting with incredible decisiveness. Based on just a single piece of information, he had managed to intercept the deal.

And now, upon meeting, Martin was able to lower his guard and build rapport with Greck, Irene, and Gallo. It was no wonder Martin was invincible in his acquisitions, taking down rival after rival. This level of skill was something Song Yang knew he had much to learn from.

Once they were in the car, Martin said to Song Yang, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Houston. I never imagined a genius like you would emerge here!”

Martin was no stranger to America. Though born in Britain, he had earned his MBA from Harvard and was a genuine high-achiever.

Inside the car, Martin looked back at Song Yang and suddenly asked, “Song, have you ever been to China?!”

Song Yang was stunned for a moment. He didn’t expect Martin to ask this out of the blue and couldn’t help but study him for a few seconds.

Martin Sorrell didn’t seem to expect an immediate answer. “If you get the chance, you must go. It’s a special place. I even have a Chinese name now: Su Mingtian!”

Martin used awkward, stumbling Mandarin to say his Chinese name.

Listening to Martin talk about his experiences in Asia, Song Yang could sense just how much importance he placed on the Asian market.

Chapter 34: TV Dramas During Commercial Breaks

“This place reminds me of when WPP Group first started. It was just like DoubleClick is now. All I had to my name was 250,000 pounds borrowed from the bank, and WPP was just a small company manufacturing supermarket shopping carts!”

As the car arrived at the office building where DoubleClick was located, Martin Sorrell spoke to Song Yang the moment he saw the office.

To someone unfamiliar with Martin’s background, this would surely sound like another legendary “rags-to-riches” story. However, Song Yang, who had spent the last few days specifically investigating Martin’s history, wasn’t about to be fooled by this serving of “chicken soup.”

It was just like how countless people had heard the story of Bill Gates founding Microsoft and becoming the richest man in the world, yet no one ever mentioned that his mother’s family were prominent bankers and his father was the head of one of America’s top one hundred law firms. When Microsoft was first established, its first major deal was handed to it by IBM. At that time, Gates’ mother was already a member of the IBM Board of Directors and shared a close relationship with the IBM Chairman.

Similarly, while everyone now called Martin the “King of Advertising” for transforming WPP—a former manufacturer of broken shopping carts—into one of the world’s “Big Four” advertising groups, one had to look at his roots. Even if Martin’s pedigree didn’t quite match Gates’, his father was already the managing director of seven hundred and fifty shops in London by the time Martin was born…

After entering the DoubleClick offices, Song Yang gave Martin a tour. Compared to traditional advertising agencies, the biggest difference at DoubleClick was the technical department, which was exactly where Martin’s interest lay.

“Is this DoubleClick’s DART ad system?” Martin asked, looking at the computer screen in front of him.

“The digital advertisements on sites like Netscape and Yahoo are all delivered using this system. It is currently the most advanced ad delivery system in America.”

Song Yang spent some time hyping up the “high-tech” nature of the system to Martin and the accompanying WPP executives. Then, he had Wesley, who was in charge of DoubleClick’s technology, give them a demonstration.

Martin watched the screen, occasionally whispering a few words to the people behind him. These were clearly internet technology experts hired by WPP Group to evaluate DoubleClick’s tech. WPP wasn’t about to act like a fool with an investment of over ten million dollars.

Seeing this, Gallo couldn’t help but feel a wave of nervousness. He knew exactly how the “extraordinary” DART system had come to be—it was born in a dilapidated garage off Highway 7. It wasn’t nearly as mysterious or sophisticated as the media made it out to be, and Gallo was terrified that the WPP people would spot a flaw.

Song Yang, on the other hand, wasn’t worried at all. While this system would certainly be obsolete decades later, in this early era of the internet, the DART ad system was revolutionary in both design philosophy and technology.

After a long while, Martin even tried operating it himself. After seeing the backend operations with his own eyes and witnessing an ad he had just placed appear on a live website, Martin Sorrell couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. “It really will change the advertising industry!”

WPP Group was in the advertising business, and Martin knew better than anyone which industries were currently most willing to burn money on ads. Compared to traditional sponsors like Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Ford, the emerging tech giants—Hewlett-Packard, Xerox, Dell, and others—were far more eager to spend. This was proof of the market’s prosperity.

Martin could already imagine a future where computers were as common as televisions. When the digital advertising market fully developed, its capacity would be even more aggressive than television. After all, every single webpage could host an advertisement. You can’t exactly broadcast a TV drama during the commercial breaks on a television, can you?

Once they reached the conference room, Martin and his team of WPP executives took up more than half the space. By comparison, the DoubleClick side looked much “thinner.”

“Song, we’ve already spoken on the phone. I’m glad you were able to make the right choice!”

Martin opened the meeting with an air of triumph. His move to outflank the competition from the rear had been masterfully executed, leaving Joseph Tucci and Wang Laboratories completely blindsided.

“President Martin’s vision is known throughout the world. DoubleClick will surely become a jewel in WPP’s scepter!”

Song Yang followed the flow of the flattery, using the opportunity to elevate DoubleClick’s net worth. He subtly placed DoubleClick on the same level as Ogilvy & Mather and J. Walter Thompson, which had already joined the WPP fold.

The atmosphere in the conference room was not hostile. Both Song Yang and Martin, the two decision-makers, were intent on collaborating. Naturally, the subordinates from both DoubleClick and WPP weren’t going to jump out and oppose them.

“As President Martin and Mr. Bruno have already reached an agreement, WPP Group is prepared to offer two cooperation plans. The first is, of course, a full acquisition. WPP Group is willing to pay in cash. Mr. Bruno can remain at DoubleClick, but the company must cooperate with WPP Group’s strategic plans!”

A negotiation couldn’t just be a back-and-forth of business platitudes forever. Once the critical moment arrived, both sides naturally stood their ground.

The WPP Group CFO who had come along presented two proposals to the DoubleClick team. The first was a full acquisition—from then on, WPP would call the shots. At most, Song Yang would stay on as a figurehead for PR purposes, but for all intents and purposes, DoubleClick would have nothing to do with him anymore.

“The second proposal is that WPP Group will invest twelve million dollars for a 25% equity stake, but…”

The CFO looked at Song Yang. “DoubleClick must meet certain specific requirements in exchange. Otherwise, WPP Group must be compensated for its losses!”

“This was not part of the agreement President Martin promised…”

Upon hearing there were additional requirements, Greck immediately raised an objection. Knowing that WPP might be digging a hole for DoubleClick, Greck had to strike first.

“Song, there is no ill intent here, but you must realize that everything comes with a price.”

Martin looked at Song Yang and said, “If DoubleClick wants to operate independently without being constrained by WPP, then it must give WPP Group a reason to feel secure. What I want to see is DoubleClick conquering the digital advertising world in the future, not suddenly disappearing. Song, I think you understand what I mean!”

Martin was being very blunt. He didn’t trust DoubleClick completely. Twelve million dollars was not a small sum. If DoubleClick squandered the money and the founders packed up and left, Martin and WPP would have nowhere to go to complain.

Greck wanted to argue further to prevent DoubleClick from being put in a “tightening hoop,” but Song Yang signaled him to stop and gestured for the WPP CFO to continue.

“The first requirement: at least 50% of this investment must be used for DoubleClick’s development!” the WPP CFO said, looking at Song Yang. This was a reminder for Song Yang not to be too greedy.

He could spend a portion of the twelve million, but he shouldn’t pocket all of it. At least half had to go back into the company. There were far too many stories of founders taking an investor’s money and immediately blowing it on luxury cars, villas, and yachts—spending it all on women—only for the company to collapse due to a lack of funds.

Hearing that they could only use half the money, Gallo was immediately dissatisfied. Once the money was in their pockets, the fact that WPP still wanted to dictate how it was spent felt like they were overstepping their bounds.

“What else?” Song Yang asked directly.

“The second requirement: WPP Group requires DoubleClick to complete an IPO on NASDAQ before 1999. Failure to do so will result in WPP Group taking over management rights of the company.”

“The third requirement—”

“That’s impossible!”

Before the CFO could finish, Greck stood up, his face red with anger. He felt that WPP Group was being deliberately difficult and using its power to bully them. From now until 1999, there were less than four years. No one could guarantee that DoubleClick would definitely hit the NASDAQ. Of all the companies in America, how many actually managed to go public there?

If they failed, management would fall to WPP Group. This was simply too predatory!

“DoubleClick cannot agree to the second condition!” Greck shouted at Martin and the WPP group.

Song Yang didn’t have much of a reaction. The coming years would be the era of the internet’s rise. As long as DoubleClick could cling to the coattails of giants like Netscape, Yahoo, and AOL, they could basically coast their way to NASDAQ.

However, facing Martin’s gaze, Song Yang merely spread his hands with a helpless expression, indicating that such a condition was unacceptable.

Seeing this, Martin spoke briefly with his CFO. “We can change the condition. If DoubleClick fails to go public before 1999, WPP Group will have the right to a mandatory acquisition of DoubleClick at its current valuation!”

Greck wanted to keep fighting, but Song Yang pulled him back into his seat and looked at Martin. “Are there any other conditions?”

“One last one: WPP must have the right of first refusal for all of DoubleClick’s future venture capital rounds!”

Song Yang nodded and accepted WPP Group’s terms. These conditions weren’t great, but they weren’t exactly draconian either.

“DoubleClick has its own requirements as well. We can carry the WPP Group branding, but we require independent operations. Additionally, WPP Group must provide its global resources for DoubleClick to use. Finally, if DoubleClick or I have any acquisition needs in the future, WPP must provide assistance!”

As soon as he said this, the WPP team laughed. The CFO smiled at Song Yang and said, “Song, if you ever need acquisition consulting, WPP will give you a 20% discount!”

WPP Group, a company that lived to “buy, buy, buy,” was incredibly experienced in acquisitions. They might have hesitated over Song Yang’s other requests, but when it came to the craft of acquisitions, WPP was the ultimate expert!

Martin Sorrell, who always favored a swift and decisive style, liked this attitude. He stood up. “In that case, welcome to the WPP empire, DoubleClick!”

“Mr. Ten Million, care to walk out with me?” Seeing that the lawyers on both sides were starting to hash out the contract—a process that wouldn’t be finished anytime soon—Martin wanted to take a stroll.

“Of course!”

Chapter 35: The Spark Ignites a Blaze

With Greck and the staff from Josiah’s law firm keeping a close eye on the contract, Song Yang wasn’t worried. He walked with Martin through the small plaza in front of the Harbor Office Building. As the center of Houston’s CBD, the view here was quite impressive.

“Song, on behalf of the WPP Group board of directors, I welcome you. At the next board meeting, I will propose your induction into the WPP board. You will become a member of this empire’s Council of Elders!”

Walking across the plaza, Martin Sorrell patted Song Yang’s arm. Even though he was significantly shorter than Song Yang, the aura Martin exuded was akin to Napoleon leading the French to sweep across Europe.

Whether it was an act or genuine, the rapport Martin displayed toward Song Yang at this moment was exceptionally warm.

As someone who had acquired hundreds of companies, Martin long ago perfected his own philosophy on how to treat the founders or CEOs of acquired firms. A mix of the carrot and the stick—soft and hard tactics combined—was his specialty.

He recalled Charlotte Beers, the CEO of J. Walter Thompson known as the “Queen of Branding.” After JWT was acquired by WPP, she had cursed Martin out, calling him things like “the dwarf.” In the end, Martin used a calculated series of maneuvers to bring her to heel. Once he appointed her as the CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, Beers immediately began singing his praises.

“Thank you, CEO Sorrell. DoubleClick will be the best rookie on the WPP team, and we’ll win the MVP for WPP!” Song Yang recycled Joseph Tucci’s “rookie” theory.

“Rookie?” Martin asked with a hint of curiosity.

Song Yang explained Tucci’s rookie theory to Martin. After listening, Martin showed a look of amused interest. “That theory is quite novel. It’s exactly what I’d expect from the man who pulled Wang Laboratories—a club on the brink of bankruptcy—back onto the right track. However…”

Martin shook his head and continued, “If we follow Tucci’s theory of looking for high-potential rookies, it might make a team strong, but it’s very difficult to become a championship dynasty in the league. In the end, the club and the team might even be sold off just to realize the profits!”

Song Yang was momentarily stunned. He quite agreed with Tucci’s rookie theory, yet Martin had just dismissed it as worthless.

Seeing Song Yang’s skeptical expression, Martin’s desire to mentor suddenly flared up. If Tucci dared to teach his theories, then the King of M&A certainly had his own philosophy to share.

“Song, have you ever played with building blocks?” Martin asked.

“Blocks come in all sizes. Some might be particularly important or eye-catching. But if you want to use blocks to build a palace, then no matter what the block is, it is merely a stepping stone for that palace!”

Hearing Martin’s theory, Song Yang uttered a phrase: “A general’s fame is built upon ten thousand lives?”

Martin froze for a moment. After hearing Song Yang’s explanation of the idiom, he couldn’t help but remark, “Ancient Chinese culture is indeed profound. That phrase captures it perfectly. If I were running that team, I would buy only the best stars. No matter how much it costs, as long as we win the championship, it’s all worth it!”

“Those peers in the advertising world always say I don’t understand the art of advertising. But look at them now; they’re all working overtime to complete the plans I’ve set for them, not daring to slack for a moment!”

Mentioning this, Martin couldn’t suppress the pride on his face. What could be more satisfying than having those rivals who once looked down on him now trampled under his feet, working like beasts of burden?

“Those ad men don’t agree with my philosophy, but now all their advertising, PR, and consulting businesses belong to WPP!” Martin concluded.

Song Yang listened to Martin’s words; it was an entirely different philosophy from Tucci’s rookie theory.

Reflecting on what both Tucci and Martin had told him, Song Yang fell into deep thought. Tucci was certainly not as inept as Martin implied; very few people on Wall Street could have brought a company like Wang Laboratories back from the dead.

Seeing Song Yang lost in thought, Martin shook his head with a chuckle. He didn’t know why he had shared these things with Song Yang. These were “imperial arts” of sorts, and he didn’t feel the current Song Yang needed them yet.

After thinking for a long while, Song Yang suddenly had a moment of clarity. Tucci’s “Rookie Theory” and Martin’s “Building Blocks Theory” weren’t necessarily better or worse than each other; they were meant for different stages.

For a company on the verge of bankruptcy or just starting out, using Tucci’s theory offered a significantly higher chance of survival. But when it came time to truly expand, Martin’s “Building Blocks Theory” was much better suited for total domination.

“Thank you, CEO Sorrell,” Song Yang said, stepping forward. “I will make use of those building blocks!”

Martin let out a surprised laugh and simply nodded. He thought Song Yang was just joking and didn’t take it to heart.

Upon returning to DoubleClick, Greck and WPP’s legal team had already finalized the agreement.

Song Yang glanced at Greck. Seeing him nod, Song Yang picked up his Parker fountain pen. Gallo, Irene, Ryan, Wesley, and the others all watched the pen in his hand with bated breath. Once the signature was dry, the fates of everyone present would be fundamentally altered.

Gallo’s mouth was moving constantly, muttering, “Twelve million, twelve million!”

Song Yang took a deep breath, put pen to paper, and signed his name. He then exchanged the documents with Martin to counter-sign.

“Congratulations, Song. Tonight, the WPP Group will announce this news through the London Stock Exchange!”

Having handled the paperwork, Martin prepared to leave with his usual efficiency. WPP was a listed company and was required to make public disclosures.

Greck carefully put away the agreement. These few pieces of paper were worth tens of millions of dollars; he didn’t dare be careless.

Once they saw Martin and his team off and returned upstairs, DoubleClick erupted into a deafening cheer. Gallo was practically howling with joy.

“Call Hayley! We’re having a party for DoubleClick at the best hotel in Houston tonight. Everyone is coming!” Song Yang shouted across the office floor. After being busy for so long and having his nerves taut as a bowstring, it was finally time to relax.

“I’m calling her right now! I can’t imagine any woman refusing a party with a multi-millionaire!” Gallo let out a wild holler and started making calls. Organizing a party required models, bartenders, DJs, and more—Hayley could handle all of that.

Song Yang didn’t skimp. He booked an entire floor of a Houston hotel and hired a car service to ferry everyone from DoubleClick there.

By the time they arrived, Hayley was already waiting with a group of models. When they saw Song Yang, the models’ eyes lit up so intensely that Gallo couldn’t help but shiver. These women looked like they wanted to swallow the man whole.

“Don’t go overboard tonight. Don’t get involved with these…”

Greck was still trying to give Song Yang advice, but the DJ had already started the ear-splitting music. Hayley led a group of people to swarm over, and Greck’s words were immediately drowned out. Seeing the scene, Greck could only shake his head.

“Song, you really did it! I’m going to Hollywood now!” Hayley was arguably more excited than Song Yang himself. She immediately pushed a model toward his side.

By now, the entire hotel floor had descended into a wild revelry. Greck, Irene, Ryan, and the others had all had quite a bit to drink. Song Yang was no exception; with Gallo, Hayley, and the group of models fluttering around him like moths to a flame, he was feeling a bit tipsy in no time.

While the party was in full swing, two figures quietly slipped into the hotel. Seeing the scene in the hall and the swaying bodies of the models, even these two local Houston entertainment tabloid reporters—who had seen their share of big events—were secretly stunned.

This kind of spectacle wasn’t common. To bring in so many models and dancers, with a non-stop flow of alcohol, catering, DJs, the hotel fees, and the cleaning services… the cost for one night would easily be in the six figures.

These two reporters had heard rumors that someone was spending a fortune on a party here. they had come hoping for an interview or some news, but they hadn’t expected such a massive production.

The two reporters crept into the center of the room and finally spotted Song Yang, surrounded by the crowd. They didn’t need to guess to know who the center of this party was.

At that moment, Song Yang had two models leaning against him as he uncorked a bottle of champagne. With a muffled pop, champagne sprayed into the air. The two reporters instinctively raised their cameras and snapped the shot. Unbeknownst to them, a legendary image that would enter the history books was born.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Song Yang’s eyes were hazed with drink, and Gallo, blinded for a second by the camera flashes, tried to chase after them. However, his legs felt like jelly and he nearly fell, caught just in time by Hayley. The two reporters took the opportunity to bolt and vanished in an instant.

If there is anything more sensitive to news than an ear, it is the stock market. This holds true globally. On the London Stock Exchange, the WPP Group’s stock suddenly surged by 5% near the closing bell. This was the first time in four years of stagnant decline that WPP’s stock hit a new yearly high!

Shortly after, WPP released its official announcement, declaring its investment in the emerging digital advertising company, DoubleClick. As DoubleClick joined the WPP camp, the venerable media empire had officially sprouted “Internet wings,” becoming the star of the London Stock Exchange overnight!

More news soon crossed the Atlantic. Silicon Valley and Wall Street followed suit, reporting on this record-breaking Internet investment.

However, what truly ignited the American media was that photo: amidst a rain of champagne, Song Yang held the bottle with a gaggle of models flanking him. The image sent a shockwave of envy and excitement through everyone in Silicon Valley and Wall Street!

Chapter 36: Back on Top

That photograph was first published in a Houston entertainment tabloid. When it was initially printed, it didn’t garner much attention.

However, everything changed when the news broke that DoubleClick had secured a ten-million-dollar investment and Song Yang had become a newly-minted multi-millionaire. Nearly a thousand copies of that entertainment tabloid were swept clean from the shelves. Reporters from New York and Los Angeles even made special trips just to find a copy of that specific paper.

Subsequently, that image was reprinted by major tech and financial media outlets, newspapers, and even television stations. Along with it came the news of Song Yang’s rags-to-riches story, crowning him as the youngest multi-millionaire in America.

Whether it was Wall Street or Silicon Valley, there wasn’t actually much difference between the two crowds. It certainly wasn’t wrong for those working in Silicon Valley to say they loved technology or the internet.

But at its core, it was still about fame and fortune; no one in the world could truly escape those pursuits. When news of Song Yang’s success spread, it was enough to stimulate the nerves of countless people.

He was still a month away from turning eighteen, yet he had founded a company valued at nearly fifty million dollars and had joined the ranks of multi-millionaires. Young, wealthy, with luxury cars and beautiful women surrounding him—wasn’t this exactly what countless men dreamed of?

Those working in Silicon Valley weren’t monks who had renounced the world. Watching a young man not even eighteen years old obtain everything they craved overnight—it would be strange if they weren’t agitated. The key was that Song Yang was in the same industry as them!

If people still had doubts when Marc Andreessen and Netscape appeared, thinking it might be an exception—or if they were still waiting and watching despite the hype surrounding Yahoo—how could the people of Silicon Valley hold back when a “lucky soul” like Song Yang could secure a ten-million-dollar investment for DoubleClick?

Indeed, many in Silicon Valley currently believed Song Yang was merely lucky. They thought he had coincidentally established DoubleClick and then caught Netscape’s eye, riding the coattails of the digital advertising boom.

If a “lucky guy” like Song Yang could do it, how could the ambitious geniuses of Silicon Valley accept being left behind? For a moment, the internet wave in Silicon Valley and San Francisco surged with overwhelming force.

Wall Street’s reaction was equally massive. WPP Group’s investment in DoubleClick acted like a falling domino. Netscape’s valuation had already surpassed a billion dollars, Yahoo was coming in hot behind it, and now DoubleClick had emerged. Internet companies were popping up like mushrooms after rain.

This was an untapped gold mine. Every Wall Street investor could see it: if they could find the next Netscape, Yahoo, or DoubleClick, they would reap massive rewards. Wall Street hardly dared to imagine what the returns would be if they could shepherd these companies to an IPO!

“Advertising and media giant WPP announced today a 12-million-dollar stake in the emerging digital advertising firm, DoubleClick. This marks WPP Group’s first investment or acquisition in four years. Four years ago, due to debt issues, WPP Group faced the threat of being broken up. This restart of investment activities signifies that WPP Group has completely moved past its crisis!”

The BBC, famous for its distinctive reporting style, was the first to report from London. However, their focus wasn’t on DoubleClick. This was the first time European media had heard of DoubleClick, but WPP Group was a household name. Major European TV stations were constant recipients of massive advertising spends from WPP, making them long-term partners.

Naturally, the BBC went all out in reporting WPP Group’s “rebirth from the flames” under the leadership of the old knight, Sir Martin.

Just as Wang Laboratories wanted to use the acquisition of DoubleClick to announce the return of the king, WPP Group had the same goal. Despite the lofty-sounding “Building Blocks Theory” Martin had taught Song Yang, it was this very set of “imperial arts” that had nearly killed WPP four years ago.

Years of high leverage and continuous, debt-fueled acquisitions had left WPP Group with a mountain of debt. Coupled with the economic recession in America four years ago, WPP’s bubble had burst, and it had spent the last few years recovering.

By investing in DoubleClick, Martin was undoubtedly taking the opportunity to tell his advertising peers that he, the Napoleon of the advertising world, was back on top!

Investing in DoubleClick was likely just an appetizer for Martin. After four years of restraint, the WPP Group was probably about to launch an even more ferocious wave of acquisitions.

While European media focused on WPP, American media highlighted Song Yang, simply because there were too many angles to cover.

“The founder of Houston-based DoubleClick, Bruno Song, has become the youngest self-made multi-millionaire in American history after receiving investment from advertising giant WPP!”

A New York TV station was also reporting on the matter, using the photograph from the Houston tabloid as their cover. The program’s impact was phenomenal; clearly, many people loved seeing the “American Dream” realized.

ABC also reported: “Our reporter contacted the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which oversees the American advertising industry. We have yet to receive a statement from the FTC head regarding their stance on DoubleClick and digital advertising!

“Additionally, influenced by WPP’s investment in DoubleClick, shares of traditional advertising giants such as Omnicom, Accenture, and Aislon fell by more than 2% today…”

In America, many departments could regulate the advertising industry, including the Trade Commission, the Communications Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and so on. However, the one that gave advertising giants the biggest headache was the FTC. Those massive fines worth hundreds of millions of dollars all originated from that department.

Since digital advertising was still a burgeoning field, the Trade Commission hadn’t established a clear stance yet. It was currently in a wild, unregulated state where one could get away with advertising almost anything.

As for the claim that US-listed traditional advertising giants took a hit because of DoubleClick, that was mostly nonsense.

However, under the reporting of ABC and other media outlets, it seemed as if the emergence of DoubleClick had put the traditional advertising industry in jeopardy. This gave many people the impression that DoubleClick was incredibly formidable—great publicity for the company—but it also successfully pitted DoubleClick against traditional firms. One had to admit, these media outlets were masters at stirring the pot and fanning the flames!

The debate surrounding Song Yang was also significant. In that same NBC studio, NYU Professor Tristan and Wall Street investor Christian Barnard were invited back once again.

But this time, the expressions on both sides were completely different. Tristan had an irrepressible smile on his face, looking absolutely triumphant.

“I said Song was a genius. WPP Group made a wise choice. This might be the best investment out of all the companies Martin Sorrell has acquired in his life!”

Tristan was naturally full of praise. The better things went for DoubleClick and Song Yang, the more it proved his keen eye for talent.

In contrast, Barnard, sitting opposite Tristan, looked rather disheveled. He had previously claimed the internet was a scam, and in the blink of an eye, Song Yang had become a multi-millionaire.

However, at this moment, Barnard absolutely could not admit defeat; otherwise, how could he maintain his standing on Wall Street?

With a cold sneer, Barnard countered Tristan: “There is a famous saying in the investment world: money won by luck will be lost by luck. I see nothing in this so-called rising tech star, DoubleClick, that is worth investing in. This is a complete and utter scam!”

“A company founded less than half a year ago with no visible path to profitability is somehow worth fifty million dollars?!” Barnard waved his arms forcefully, occasionally slamming the table to rouse the audience’s sympathy. “Do you really think that ‘Song’ is worthy of such a vast fortune?!”

Barnard had shifted the goalposts, changing the argument from whether DoubleClick was worth a fifty-million-dollar valuation to whether Song Yang deserved a multi-million-dollar net worth.

This naturally struck a chord with many people. They had struggled for so many years only to be left in the dust overnight by a young man; the psychological gap was far too wide.

Conservative investors watching the show also agreed with Barnard’s perspective, feeling that the internet industry was still too risky. Even that “broken” Netscape didn’t make any money, yet it was worth $1.2 billion?

Hearing the feedback from the director through his earpiece, Barnard’s confidence surged. He began attacking Tristan again, even dragging Song Yang into it, calling him a “little fraud.”

Tristan, however, seemed to have moved past such petty bickering. A smile played on his lips. “I will remember your words, Mr. Barnard, and I ask the station to remember them as well!”

“In the agreement between DoubleClick and WPP Group, there is a requirement for an IPO. DoubleClick is required to go public before 1999. Although I have never met Song, I have a feeling he won’t even need four years. On the day DoubleClick goes public, I’ll have Song send you a ticket so you can witness the listing yourself!”

“We shall see. I also hope that when the DoubleClick IPO fails, Professor Tristan will still have the courage to come here!”

Barnard snapped back, but looking at the mysterious smile on Tristan’s face, he felt an inexplicable sense of uncertainty.

Tristan did, in fact, have some measure of certainty—not necessarily about Song Yang himself, whom he had never met, but because he was simply hyping Song Yang up. The real reason was that Tristan could see the current state of the internet clearly.

Wall Street was currently pouring money into the internet. Tristan didn’t know what the industry would become, but with his experience, he knew that to liquidate their investments, Wall Street would inevitably hype up a few companies and then cash out through an IPO.

Who were the famous companies on Wall Street right now? It was nothing more than Netscape, Yahoo, and DoubleClick.

No one on Wall Street was in the business of losing money. As long as Song Yang and WPP weren’t fools, they would know what to do. Even if they didn’t, it wouldn’t matter; given that Song Yang had called him his “spiritual mentor” and the “Foremost Scholar of the Internet,” he wouldn’t mind personally going to DoubleClick to give them a heads-up, just to spite Barnard’s foul mouth!

When Song Yang woke up the next morning, he felt a sharp pain in his head. As he rubbed his temple and lowered his arm, he felt something soft. Realizing something was off, Song Yang snapped his eyes open, only to see a pretty face looking at him from the pillow.

The girl before him had bronze skin and black eyes like his. Her hair was short, dark, and permed, and she was exceptionally beautiful.

Song Yang glanced at the girl, quickly pulled up the covers, and let out a sigh. It seemed he hadn’t managed to cling to his virtue last night. Seeing Song Yang’s reaction, the girl couldn’t help but giggle.

“Song, what are you doing?” The girl sat up, the blanket sliding down to reveal much of her beauty.

As a gentleman, Song Yang naturally wouldn’t stare, but the instincts of his original body gave him a quick glimpse. While not quite as mountain-like as Jenny’s, the scenery was still quite exquisite. After all, as a model, her figure was bound to be excellent.

“You are…” Song Yang tried to remember the girl’s name. He only remembered that Hayley had pushed her toward him yesterday. A whole crowd of models had surrounded him, and it seemed this girl had ultimately claimed the prize.

“Elsa. Elsa Benitez!”

Just as Elsa finished introducing herself, there was a knock at the door, and Greck’s voice came from outside. “Song, come out now. I need to talk to you!”

Song Yang made an apologetic gesture toward Elsa, then found his clothes from the pile on the floor. As soon as he stepped out the door, Greck pulled him aside.

Chapter 37: Center Stage

Greck pulled Song Yang into an adjacent room, where Gallo was going over the bills from the previous night’s revelry. Gallo shot Song Yang a look of “I wish I could help, but my hands are tied.”

“Song, handle your business from last night and make sure no complications arise. I don’t want to be fighting some pointless lawsuit in Federal Court over this!” Greck warned Song Yang, clearly referring to Elsa in the other room.

Hearing this, Gallo couldn’t help but chuckle. Noticing the sharp glare Greck threw his way, Gallo raised his hands defensively. “I don’t think that girl would be so short-sighted. If I recall correctly, Song is still about two weeks away from turning eighteen…”

“So what?” Greck snapped at Gallo, his eyes narrowing. “Do you want Song to end up like those African-American stars with several illegitimate children, seeing a massive chunk of his estate carved up and having to pay exorbitant monthly child support bills?!”

Gallo was left speechless. Greck wasn’t joking; such scandals were common in America, especially for stars and the wealthy. Every time an illegitimate child surfaced, it meant a massive financial loss and staggering monthly support payments—it had even driven more than a few to bankruptcy.

Hearing Greck’s words, Song Yang felt a bit guilty. “I did drink quite a bit last night…”

Song Yang only remembered drinking a lot; everything after that was essentially a blackout. He felt it would be better to avoid these kinds of parties in the future.

“Get this handled. We have someone to see today!” Greck glanced at the room next door before turning back to Song Yang.

When Song Yang returned to the hotel room, Elsa was already fully dressed. Standing at nearly 1.7 meters, she looked quite tall and slender.

Looking at her, Song Yang said, “I have matters I need to attend to. If you need any help, you can tell Hayley!”

“I understand. I have a makeup trial for a magazine to get to as well!” Elsa replied. She seemed to know what Song Yang wanted to say and cut straight to the point.

Elsa had just come to Houston from Mexico. She had played supporting roles in a few Mexican TV dramas and worked part-time as a model. Like many other girls who came to America dreaming of overnight fame, Elsa naturally hoped to become a major Hollywood star.

“My name is Elsa. I hope you remember it!”

As Song Yang was heading out the door, Elsa suddenly called out to him, offering a light smile.

“Of course, I won’t forget,” Song Yang replied.

Outside the hotel room, Song Yang glanced at Gallo, who slung an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Hayley will handle it. There won’t be any problems.”

Just then, a model who had attended the party the night before came running out of a room, clutching a newspaper and shouting excitedly, ” I’m in the paper! Oh my god!”

She was holding an entertainment tabloid. In one of the photos, she was leaning against Song Yang; her figure was prominently featured, and her face was clearly visible.

The female model gleefully showed it to the others coming out of their rooms, drawing a chorus of envious looks.

For these models, their looks and figures weren’t much different from established stars; some were even more striking. However, they simply had no chance to get famous. What they lacked was a chance to appear before the masses—no matter if the publicity was good or bad!

What the other models envied was that this girl might now be recognized by magazines, TV stations, or even film companies because of this opportunity. Even if it was just a fleeting chance at fame or a bit of hype, it could propel someone to success. Most of them never even got that first foot in the door.

Song Yang shook his head. When they reached the ground floor, Greck was waiting. As the car pulled away, the vibration made Song Yang’s hungover head throb. He turned to Greck and asked, “Who are we meeting? You know I have a mountain of work to do.”

“Adrian!” Greck said a name that felt both familiar and distant to Song Yang.

Song Yang remembered that during his interview with the local Houston TV station, the last person Greck had told him to thank was Adrian.

After a moment’s thought, Song Yang recalled, “The City Councilor for Houston’s Third District?”

Driving the car, Greck nodded. “It’s time to meet him. This time, Josiah used Adrian’s personal lawyer to arrange the introduction for you.”

“This meeting is very important for you and for the entire Bruno family!”

Seeing that Song Yang didn’t seem particularly concerned, Greck spoke with a solemn expression. “Drop that mindset you inherited from your old man. This is America!”

“If you don’t want to run into scum like Jaden or Frank again, if you don’t want to be pulled over by the police for no reason, if you don’t want your accounts audited for no rhyme or reason, if you don’t want to suddenly appear in some trashy news report, or even end up ‘committing suicide’ with two bullets to the back of your own head… then you must deal with people like Adrian!”

Song Yang was stunned. Listening to Greck, he fell into a pensive silence. He understood why Greck was telling him these things.

Song Yang still carried the mindset from his past life: stay away from politics to avoid trouble. But this was America, completely different from the environment of his previous life. He would have to deal with powerful figures like Councilor Adrian eventually. He would eventually have to choose a side; there was no way to avoid it.

If he had known Adrian or other powerful figures earlier, he might not have needed to find the Sons of Anarchy. A single phone call and a Houston police detective could have found a pretext to throw Frank and his gang of thugs into a holding cell.

In America, large companies even had their own backed congressmen, constantly lobbying on Capitol Hill to secure interests for their sponsors, or even pushing through specific laws to suppress competitors. It wasn’t something you could hide from. Song Yang hadn’t encountered it yet simply because he hadn’t reached that level yet.

Song Yang rubbed his face, forcing himself to wake up completely. He looked up, his expression calm. “Why are we meeting Adrian today?”

Song Yang knew this wouldn’t be a meeting for no reason. For Josiah to be able to coordinate with Adrian’s personal lawyer, it meant the other side was interested in the meeting.

“Probably regarding DoubleClick. There are rumors that Adrian wants to move up and run for the Houston Mayor’s seat next year. He needs more support,” Greck said, relaying the rumors he had heard.

Song Yang looked thoughtful as the car drove into a golf club. Like the wealthy neighborhood Song Yang had visited before, the people coming and going here were mostly the powerful and influential of Houston. After all, ordinary people couldn’t afford a membership that cost hundreds of dollars an hour.

At the club entrance, Josiah, the owner of the law firm where Greck worked, was already waiting.

Seeing Song Yang step out of the car, Josiah immediately ran over. “Houston’s tech genius! Song, I’ve heard Greck mention you many times. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you!”

Song Yang shook hands with Josiah and replied, “I’ve heard Uncle Greck mention you as well. He says you’re the best lawyer in Houston!”

Chapter 38: Behind the Scenes

Hearing Song Yang’s words, a look of joy appeared on Josiah’s face. He pointed at Greck and said to Song Yang, “Greck is my best collaborator!”

Greck watched as Josiah, who usually held absolute authority at the law firm, acted almost subservient toward Song Yang. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly; the world really had changed.

Josiah and Song Yang walked toward the golf club’s interior, with Josiah offering compliments to Song Yang every so often and even heaping praise on Greck.

Currently, DoubleClick was the largest client for Josiah’s small firm. Josiah’s greatest fear was that Song Yang might suddenly fire them. He had heard that several major law firms were already very interested in DoubleClick.

Song Yang’s net worth had surpassed ten million dollars in such a short time. Josiah didn’t know how high it would climb if DoubleClick actually went through an IPO, as the media predicted.

By then, Josiah’s firm might become one that serves a publicly traded company. At that thought, Josiah felt a surge of excitement.

Now, even figures like Adrian were seeking a meeting with Song Yang. This further convinced Josiah that Song Yang had the potential to become a truly powerful figure, and he was naturally unwilling to let go of the connection.

“Greck, you might just become a partner of the firm. Perhaps the name will even become Josiah & Greck!”

As they were walking, Greck saw Josiah suddenly turn back and say this with a smile. Though it carried a hint of a joke, it still sent a jolt through Greck’s heart.

A law firm partner… a firm with his own name on it… Greck thought about these things, and although he tried his best to remain calm, the smile on his face became strained.

Song Yang could easily see through Josiah’s intentions: he wanted to tie Greck to his firm to secure DoubleClick’s legal business.

Regarding Josiah’s tactic, Song Yang decided to play along. “That’s a good name. I look forward to seeing that day come.”

Josiah froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected Song Yang to agree so directly, but he reacted quickly. “I’ve been looking forward to that day for a long time as well. Greck is my best partner. Together, we are the best legal team in Houston. Wouldn’t you agree, Greck?”

Americans are never modest, and they aren’t above a bit of boasting. Greck wasn’t about to decline at a time like this. He said firmly, “I believe so too!”

Making Greck a partner and giving him a share of the equity was naturally a bit painful for Josiah, but if it meant becoming “one of the family” with Song Yang, Josiah was willing to accept it.

“The one who contacted me this time was Councilor Adrian’s private lawyer, Diggle. Adrian is here today to meet his ‘fundraising supporters.’”

Now that they were “on the same team,” Josiah shared what he knew with Song Yang.

Song Yang understood perfectly. “Fundraising supporters” was just a polite way of saying major sponsors. Campaigning was a money-burning endeavor. Whether it was City Councilor, Representative, or moving up to Capitol Hill, there was an election every few years, and each was a war of dollars. Therefore, the federal big shots standing in the spotlight always had a crowd of sponsors backing them.

After entering the golf club, Song Yang and the others went directly to a small dining hall. Outside the hall, Song Yang met Diggle, who had been in contact with Josiah, as well as a slightly lean middle-aged man standing nearby.

Seeing Song Yang and his group arrive, Diggle whispered a few words to the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man looked Song Yang up and down, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes. He was clearly surprised by Song Yang’s age, especially since he knew exactly who was currently inside the dining hall.

“Please wait a moment,” the middle-aged man said to Song Yang. He then pushed open the restaurant doors, walked in, and firmly closed them behind him.

“That’s just how Matthews is. Councilor Adrian already told Song to come in, but Matthews still insisted on reporting first,” Diggle said to Song Yang with a smile, subtly mocking Matthews as an old dog loyal only to Adrian.

Hearing that Matthews was Adrian’s Chief of Staff, Song Yang did not dare to underestimate him. This was Adrian’s most trusted confidant, someone who likely knew all of Adrian’s secrets, had certainly handled various under-the-table work, and had the authority to wield Adrian’s power.

A councilor could have many helpers—in places like Los Angeles or New York, a councilor might have over thirty assistants—but the true inner circle consisted only of a few people like the Chief of Staff and the private lawyer.

Diggle and Matthews seemed to be at odds, yet Diggle was intentionally trying to close the distance with Song Yang’s side. Within moments, he seemed to have become well-acquainted with Greck. After all, Song Yang was a multi-millionaire; what lawyer would refuse the chance to get close to a rising star like him?

“Song, Councilor Adrian invites you in.” Matthews came out and held the door open for Song Yang.

Song Yang nodded to Matthews and entered with Greck and the others. As soon as Song Yang walked in, he immediately drew the gaze of everyone in the small restaurant.

Song Yang glanced around the room. It was a sea of older white men, all over forty, dressed in suits and ties, clearly people of status.

“It’s the lucky kid.”

As Song Yang entered, he could faintly hear a few people whispering. The term “lucky kid” came up the most. It was clear that these people still viewed Song Yang as someone who had simply stumbled into a stroke of luck—a boy whose company happened to catch the eye of the WPP Group.

“Oh, look who’s here!”

Adrian, who was holding a plate and talking to several people, immediately put down his things and walked toward Song Yang the moment he saw him. He addressed the group in the restaurant, “This is our Houston genius! The Houston media is already predicting that this is the man who will change the future!”

“Kenneth, your methods are a bit outdated!”

As he passed, Adrian pointed at a balding man in his fifties. This elicited a round of laughter from the others. The man who was teased didn’t show the slightest annoyance; instead, he looked at Song Yang with interest. “After all, times are changing. We have to look forward.”

“Song, I’m very glad you could make it to this gathering.”

Standing before Song Yang, Adrian gave him a hug. Adrian wasn’t particularly striking in appearance, but he gave off a friendly vibe. He was an excellent orator with a very infectious presence.

Adrian led Song Yang into the inner circle, while Matthews discreetly led Greck and Josiah to the side.

“I have to say, Song, you really exceeded my expectations. You’ve turned Houston into a tech hotspot just like Silicon Valley. DoubleClick will definitely become a major company—I’m certain of it!”

Adrian took a bite of food and waved his fork slightly as he spoke to the group, which included the balding man from before.

Chapter 39: Resonance

“Texas is exactly where all American tech companies should be. Those guys in Silicon Valley will realize that sooner or later!”

Adrian spoke to the group surrounding him, but Song Yang sensed that he was testing their reactions.

As Adrian spoke, Song Yang noticed that the group of older white men didn’t react much. Most seemed indifferent, and a few even frowned.

Seeing this, Adrian immediately changed the subject and began introducing the men to Song Yang. Observing this scene, Song Yang began to understand the underlying dynamics.

Although Song Yang hadn’t paid much attention to American politics before, he knew the basics.

Texas was currently the heart of the Republican Party’s base. It was a concentrated hub for energy, oil, natural gas, and defense contractors—all natural supporters of the GOP.

As for emerging industries like the internet and technology, along with Wall Street and Hollywood, they largely supported the Democrats.

These alignments weren’t set in stone, and Adrian was clearly trying to shake things up—for instance, by promoting the development of emerging industries in Houston. However, these energy giants didn’t seem particularly interested in the internet.

“This is Kenneth. I believe you’ve met—founder and President of Enron!” Adrian pointed to Kenneth, whom he had joked with earlier, and introduced him to Song Yang.

When Song Yang heard the name “Enron,” he froze for a moment. That name was legendary. In the future, this company would single-handedly bring down several Fortune 500 companies, including WorldCom, and would drag Arthur Andersen—one of the Big Five accounting firms—down with it, effectively erasing them from the industry.

“Song?”

Adrian noticed Song Yang daze out upon hearing Kenneth and Enron’s names. Kenneth also looked at Song Yang with a curious gaze, wondering why his name had elicited such a reaction.

Song Yang snapped back to reality and looked at Kenneth. At this moment, Kenneth was an undisputed titan of industry and one of the Republican Party’s largest sponsors, wielding immense power in both Texas and the rest of America.

“I’ve heard the stories of President Kenneth. I didn’t expect to meet him today. Enron is the most legendary company I’ve ever seen. It took only twenty years to become the best energy company in the world!”

Song Yang spoke to Kenneth, appearing “stunned” at the privilege of meeting the legendary founder.

Hearing this, Kenneth didn’t suspect a thing. He laughed and patted Song Yang on the shoulder, taking the young man’s shock as “admiration.” Kenneth said with a smile, “Enron isn’t good enough yet. It’s not the number one energy company in the world. Once Enron is number one, I hope to hear you say those words again, Song!”

Kenneth spoke of his grand ambitions; he wanted Enron to be the undisputed leader of the global energy market.

“This is a director of United Energy, a Texas partner for Cheniere Energy…”

Adrian introduced the rest of the group to Song Yang. They were mostly from oil, natural gas, and trade shipping companies—the backbone of Houston and Texas. To put it bluntly, these were the people who decided whether Texas remained stable. Without their support, no one could hold onto the Governor’s seat.

However, the final introduction caught Song Yang’s attention once again. “This is David Duncan, a senior partner at Arthur Andersen and the President of their Houston office!”

“Song, have you heard of me?” David Duncan asked, holding a glass and noticing Song Yang’s expression.

Song Yang didn’t know much about David Duncan personally, but he didn’t need to. He knew that for Enron to pull off such a massive fraud, David Duncan must have been the one providing the cover. Men like him were usually destined to be the fall guys.

“Who hasn’t heard the name Arthur Andersen?” Song Yang replied. He was determined not to have any involvement with this man; otherwise, he might find himself in trouble a few years down the line.

“Arthur Andersen is willing to serve any client. If you have any financial needs, feel free to call me!”

David Duncan handed Song Yang a business card, extending an olive branch. In a place like Texas, teeming with giant corporations, David Duncan and Arthur Andersen weren’t short on clients. Offering to perform financial audits for Song Yang and DoubleClick was, in a way, David Duncan lowering himself.

Song Yang nodded. “I’ll consider it.”

After Adrian finished introducing Song Yang to everyone, the people in the small dining room began to gather in small groups of twos and threes.

Song Yang grabbed a plate of food and looked around the room. The most powerful people in Houston were gathered here, and through them, one could see Adrian’s impressive reach.

Greck came to Song Yang’s side and gave him an inquisitive look. Song Yang shook his head slightly.

Matthews then approached Song Yang and said, “Please wait a moment. Councilman Adrian would like to speak with you shortly.”

Song Yang nodded and found a seat to start eating. The food served at a venue chosen to host people like Kenneth was, naturally, excellent. Song Yang hadn’t eaten much since the previous night and had only consumed alcohol, so he was starving.

As he ate, Song Yang occasionally overheard words like “campaign,” “election office,” and the like. It seemed Josiah was right; Adrian had invited Kenneth and the others today specifically to discuss the Houston mayoral race, which was just a few months away.

Watching Adrian, Kenneth, and the others whispering together, Song Yang knew they were making “deals.” Of course, Adrian wasn’t the only one; the current Mayor of Houston and anyone else with designs on the office were undoubtedly making their own arrangements.

“Song, sorry to keep you waiting!”

After finishing his talks with Kenneth and the others, Adrian and Matthews walked over to Song Yang.

“Song, I am very pleased that an emerging company like DoubleClick has appeared in my district. I want to confirm—DoubleClick won’t be moving out of Houston, will it?” Adrian asked with a smile, but Song Yang could feel Adrian’s eyes fixed on him.

Matthews also watched Song Yang with a serious expression. Greck felt a surge of tension; they hadn’t discussed this beforehand. However, within DoubleClick, Wesley and Ryan had suggested moving the company to Silicon Valley or New York, claiming those were the true centers of America.

“DoubleClick was born here. It will certainly stay here,” Song Yang said, looking at Adrian.

Hearing this, Greck breathed a sigh of relief, and Matthews’ expression relaxed.

“Song, isn’t it time for DoubleClick to expand? You’re going to need more staff, aren’t you?”

Chapter 40: Unavoidable

Seeing the look Adrian cast his way, Song Yang thought for a moment and understood exactly what Adrian was after.

“According to the plan, DoubleClick’s ad sales staff will reach three hundred people by the end of the year…”

Before Song Yang could even finish, Adrian cut him off directly. “DoubleClick must complete its personnel expansion by the end of next month!”

In Adrian’s district, three hundred new jobs meant three hundred families casting their votes for him. These three hundred families could potentially influence six hundred to eight hundred votes!

There was a reason why powerful figures in America courted large corporations. Beyond obtaining campaign funds, these corporations often had tens of thousands of employees, influencing the votes of tens of thousands of families and hundreds of thousands of voters—enough to decide whether a certain councilman stayed or left.

Hearing Adrian attempt to interfere with DoubleClick’s operations, Song Yang’s brow furrowed slightly. This disrupted DoubleClick’s original timeline.

At that moment, Matthews, who was standing to the side, cleared his throat. “Councilman Adrian, I recall you are currently pushing a proposal in Houston regarding emerging technology companies?”

Adrian slapped his forehead as if he had just remembered. He turned to Song Yang and said, “I am indeed pushing a proposal for Houston aimed at emerging tech companies. It would exempt startups like DoubleClick from taxes for one year, allowing them to develop more effectively!”

This was a trade. As long as Song Yang could provide three hundred jobs for Adrian’s district, Adrian would use his authority as a councilman to grant DoubleClick a one-year tax exemption.

It was important to remember that Texas already had no state income tax, and it didn’t tax the old money elites. Now, adding an exemption for DoubleClick’s corporate taxes would reduce the company’s expenses by at least a third. As for whether the exemption would continue next year or if they would receive subsidies, that would depend on the strength of his relationship with Adrian.

Faced with such terms, Song Yang had no reason to refuse. “I also believe DoubleClick has reached the point where it needs to expand its workforce.”

“I believe Councilman Adrian is the best candidate for Mayor of Houston. To that end, I am willing to donate funds to the Councilman’s campaign office!”

Seeing Song Yang act so sensibly, a smile finally appeared on Adrian’s face. Song Yang’s willingness to put money into his campaign was a clear statement of his stance.

As for how much he donated, Adrian didn’t care too much. Right now, it wasn’t a state-wide election or a Congressional race, and since they were in Republican territory, the actual “burn rate” for money wasn’t that high. It mostly relied on the connections Adrian had accumulated over the years and the support of the Republican Party leadership.

The real money-burning started with gubernatorial races, and especially the presidential election. Those regularly cost billions of dollars. With Song Yang’s current net worth, he hadn’t even earned a ticket to enter that high-stakes game.

One shouldn’t look at how desperately those major sponsors threw money away; once the person they supported became the President, the money spent over the next four years could be recouped several times over. Otherwise, in America, who would be willing to engage in a losing business deal?

Adrian patted Song Yang on the shoulder and then moved on with Matthews to talk to the next person. After they walked away, Adrian whispered to Matthews, “A promising young man!”

Matthews could tell Adrian was quite satisfied with Song Yang. Typically, an American youth Song Yang’s age, if they had his wealth, would likely be arrogant to the extreme, finding everyone an eyesore, let alone listening to someone like Adrian lecture them.

“The young are prone to mistakes and often can’t distinguish between their allies and their opponents. Besides, most of his net worth is still just paper wealth…”

As Adrian’s chief of staff, Matthews was more cautious than Adrian. He needed to select the most suitable allies for Adrian and handle the most troublesome opponents.

Adrian chuckled, looked back at Song Yang, and whispered to Matthews, “I actually hope he can rise up. Those people from Cheniere Energy and United Energy are becoming more and more excessive…”

As he said this, Adrian’s expression carried a hint of dissatisfaction. It was clear that the support from Houston’s energy giants didn’t come cheap, and their appetites were growing larger. By comparison, Song Yang was much easier to talk to.

Adrian didn’t want to be a puppet manipulated by giant corporations. He was famous for his decisive character and iron-fisted methods, though he had become more diplomatic in recent years.

Just as Adrian and Matthews left, another special figure actually approached Song Yang. Seeing this person come over, many people in the small dining room couldn’t help but turn their gazes toward them.

“President Kenneth!”

Song Yang hadn’t expected Kenneth, the head of Enron, to specifically seek him out.

“Do you have a moment to talk?” Kenneth handed Song Yang a glass of wine.

Song Yang took the glass and nodded. With Kenneth personally speaking to him, Song Yang simply couldn’t refuse. Right now, Enron was a massive entity with annual revenues exceeding ten billion dollars. If one offended Enron in Houston, it was a certainty that Song Yang and DoubleClick would be the ones unable to stay.

“Enron may be a traditional energy company, but we aren’t resistant to emerging trends. In fact, Enron is currently preparing its telecommunications business!” Kenneth took a sip of wine and said, looking at Song Yang.

Song Yang took a sip as well, showing a look of surprise while his mind raced, wondering why Kenneth was telling him this. Regardless, coming from someone of Kenneth’s status, it was definitely no small matter.

“Enron is at the forefront of the era, even more innovative than Microsoft or Intel!”

Song Yang offered a bit of flattery. This wasn’t entirely wrong; Microsoft and Intel were indeed slower to react than Enron. Enron was already starting on telecommunications, while those two were still stalling. It wasn’t until Netscape practically slapped them in the face that Microsoft finally reacted.

Kenneth couldn’t help but laugh loudly again. He felt this young man, Song Yang, was much more pleasant than others. He liked Enron being “new” rather than staying stagnant.

“Enron intends to develop in the telecommunications, broadband, and internet industries. In fact, Enron already has a plan for ‘internetization.’ Song, perhaps Enron and DoubleClick can cooperate at some point!”

Kenneth spoke with hidden meaning, patted Song Yang on the shoulder with the air of a grand tycoon, and then departed.

Inside the small dining room, those who saw Kenneth leave laughing began to look at Song Yang in a new light. They hadn’t expected him to gain the favor of a figure like Kenneth.

Greck was also somewhat excited. This was Enron—an absolute colossus in America. It was ranked seventh among the many giant corporations in the United States and sixteenth in the Fortune Global 500. Associating with such a giant was enough for DoubleClick to soar to the heavens.

However, Song Yang felt no joy. Instead, there was a bitterness in his heart. This was simply unavoidable. He already knew exactly what Kenneth was planning to build. What could it be other than EnronOnline, the trading website?

Chapter 41: Expanding the Empire

The emergence of technology and the internet is like a magnifying glass; it connects everyone in the world. Sometimes this is a convenience, but other times, when utilized by people with ulterior motives, it might not be such a good thing.

The original intention of the EnronOnline website was, of course, noble. It was the world’s first internet-based commodity trading platform. Whether it was natural gas, oil, precious metals, electricity, futures, or even timber and advertising, everything could be traded on this platform.

Within just one year of its appearance, EnronOnline became the world’s largest wholesale commodity market, with annual transaction volumes exceeding 200 billion dollars. One must remember that this was at the turn of the century; compared to EnronOnline, the Amazon of that era was practically non-existent.

The EnronOnline website demonstrated the magnifying effect of the internet to its fullest extent, drawing in traders from all over the globe.

After Kenneth left, Josiah immediately sidled up to Song Yang, his attitude becoming even more sycophantic. He had witnessed everything that just happened.

In a place like this, Josiah, the owner of a small law firm, might be considered someone of occasional importance in Houston, but he didn’t even register here. People like Kenneth wouldn’t give him a second glance.

However, Josiah saw that Adrian, Kenneth, and the others all seemed to be trying to curry favor with Song Yang. For Josiah, this naturally meant he needed to cling even tighter to Song Yang’s coattails.

“Enron wants to collaborate with DoubleClick?”

After leaving the golf club, Greck couldn’t help but ask Song Yang. Josiah also watched Song Yang intently. With Enron headquartered in Houston, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Kenneth’s word in Houston probably carried more weight than the President of America’s.

Song Yang, however, didn’t show much interest. He simply shook his head calmly. “Not necessarily. Enron might not even think much of DoubleClick.”

Song Yang wished Kenneth would forget about today’s interaction entirely, let alone approaching them himself. Song Yang didn’t believe for a second that Kenneth and the rest of Enron’s management, along with the people at Arthur Andersen, could pull off such a massive scheme alone. To suggest that Washington and the SEC were completely in the dark was pure nonsense; the water in that pool was incredibly deep!

Hearing Song Yang’s words, both Greck and Josiah felt a bit of a letdown. Not being able to hitch their wagon to Enron was a disappointment to them.

After leaving the golf club, Song Yang returned to DoubleClick. Having given his word to Adrian, he needed to get things done.

Following the wild celebration the night before, Song Yang had given most of the staff a day off. Only the technical department responsible for system maintenance and a few people in the sales department were on duty. To Song Yang’s surprise, Irene was also there.

Standing at the door of Irene’s small office, Song Yang saw her buried in paperwork. “No rest today?”

Irene seemingly hadn’t expected Song Yang to show up today either. Dressed in casual clothes, her figure was more apparent. She wasn’t wearing those old-fashioned framed glasses; when she looked up, her clear features were revealed. Without the glasses, her beauty rating went up by at least several notches.

“I still need to process some documents for a few advertisers. Would you like me to brew a cup of coffee?” Currently, Irene’s role was essentially Song Yang’s personal assistant, helping him handle various miscellaneous tasks. Making coffee was, of course, one of those responsibilities.

Song Yang nodded. As he turned to leave, he looked back at Irene and said, “I told you, you’re prettiest without the glasses!”

Teased by Song Yang, Irene touched her cheek and watched his retreating back. After DoubleClick secured the investment from WPP Group, her perception of Song Yang had changed.

When she first came to DoubleClick, it was to gain experience. But now, Irene had a feeling that maybe Song Yang really could change the tech industry. At the very least, the internet industry in America was already changing because of DoubleClick’s appearance!

When Irene brought the coffee in, Song Yang was talking with Ryan. Although Ryan demanded a high price, he was absolutely worth every cent of his salary. Aside from holidays, Ryan practically lived at DoubleClick, calling advertisers over and over again.

And now that DoubleClick had secured investment and was potentially looking at an IPO, he might even get an equity stake. The prospect of turning from a wage earner into a small-scale capitalist filled Ryan with even more drive!

Irene set the coffee down and was about to leave, but Song Yang casually pointed to the chair next to her. After a slight hesitation, Irene sat down and stayed in the office.

DoubleClick was short-staffed everywhere. Song Yang would eventually need to make full use of a professional with an MBA like Irene.

“Hiring everyone right now, here in Houston?” As soon as Irene sat down, she heard Ryan’s surprised voice.

“Song, we talked about this. The center of America is in New York. That’s where the world’s richest advertisers are gathered. DoubleClick should move its headquarters to New York. That’s where DoubleClick belongs!”

Song Yang shook his head. “DoubleClick won’t move. The headquarters has to stay in Houston. DoubleClick has been granted a one-year tax exemption.”

The moment he heard this, Ryan knew what was going on. Powerful figures in Houston must have approached Song Yang and made him a promise; otherwise, Song Yang wouldn’t be this abrupt.

“We can hire three hundred sales personnel, but I have to say, if the headquarters stays in Houston, I can’t guarantee we’ll meet next year’s performance commitments to Netscape!” Ryan said helplessly.

Seeing the heavy atmosphere in the office, Irene, who had been sitting to the side, suddenly spoke up. “Actually, there might be a way.”

Song Yang and Ryan both turned to look at the young assistant. Song Yang gave Irene a look, signaling her to continue.

Irene said, “DoubleClick’s headquarters can stay in Houston, but we can establish a branch in New York. With the support of WPP Group, we should be able to launch our advertising business in New York very quickly!”

This idea even startled Ryan. A fledgling company that had been around for less than six months was already going to open a branch? Wasn’t that a bit of a leap?

Song Yang fell into thought. Ryan was right. In this era, at least until the start of the mobile internet age, the center of technology and the internet in America was Silicon Valley, while the greatest investments came from New York and Wall Street. These two places gathered the world’s best technical talent and the wealthiest people.

If he wanted to continue playing in the internet industry over the coming years, Song Yang would eventually have to go to those two places.

Song Yang looked at Ryan for a few moments. Ryan was baffled by the gaze, and then, as if realizing something, his expression shifted. “Song, you’re not thinking of sending me to New York, are you? I’m just a salesman, I’ve never done management…”

As he spoke, Ryan felt a bit guilty but also expectant. If given the chance to be a general manager, who would want to remain a salesman, even the best one?

“Why not? You are the most important member of DoubleClick, someone who will join the board of directors in the future!”

“As Shakespeare said, ‘Heavy is the head that wears the crown,’” Song Yang served Ryan a bowl of motivational chicken soup. “I’ll be going to New York myself in the future!”

“Get ready, Ryan. Once we handle things here in Houston, I will soon announce to everyone at DoubleClick that you will become the General Manager of DoubleClick New York!”

Establishing a branch now was indeed a large step, but this was an era of carving out territory; whoever grabbed it first owned it. It wasn’t just the digital advertising market in New York; by the end of the year at the latest, Song Yang intended to establish offices in overseas markets.

In this day and age, if you wanted to list on NASDAQ, you had to talk big. Whether you were actually making money was secondary; you had to first create momentum and make everyone “feel” that DoubleClick was highly profitable. That was enough!

Ryan left with a mix of anxiety and excitement. How long had it been? He was already about to become an executive, the manager of a branch office. For Ryan, this was an unprecedented experience. In a place like News Corp, such a thing would have been absolutely impossible.

“Prepare a few gifts for me.”

After Ryan left, Song Yang spoke to Irene. He was going back to Greck’s house. This time, he naturally had to prepare some gifts for Da’anna, Milly, Logan, and the others. He also had to prepare something for Old Bruno.

Song Yang had heard from Gallo that a few members of the Bruno family wanted to hold a family dinner at the elder Brunos’ place. As for their intentions, they were self-evident. It all boiled down to the old saying: “A poor man has no friends in the city, while a rich man has distant relatives in the mountains.”

After leaving DoubleClick, Song Yang went directly to his small apartment. After showering, he lay on the bed and let out a long sigh.

In the few months since arriving in America, Song Yang had been constantly busy. Now, the existence of DoubleClick finally gave him the capital to establish himself in America. This gave him a sense of relief—his tightly wound nerves could finally relax.

Of the twelve million dollars obtained from WPP Group, besides the portion used for DoubleClick’s expansion, Song Yang planned to spend some on himself. He wouldn’t go as far as Bill Gates, who immediately bought a Bombardier private jet as his “sky chariot” once he had the money, or Jim Clark, who went straight for a private yacht. But Song Yang would at least choose a sports car as his personal ride.

Being a miser was not the style of the internet industry. Whether it was a sports car or a new residence, it wouldn’t cost too much for Song Yang.

Next, Song Yang needed to invest this money to enter new industries. Whether he continued in the internet sector or entered electronic hardware, he needed to start preparing.

As for which industry to enter, that required careful thought. Thinking about this, Song Yang couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. Right now, it seemed like there were countless opportunities in the internet and electronics sectors, but while entry was easy, growing a business was not. At the very least, the money Song Yang currently held was far from enough to survive the “burn rate” of a major operation.

Chapter 42: Leading the Way

Right now, opportunities seemed abundant. In reality, however, the American internet industry was only just beginning to develop. Yahoo was burning money, Netscape was burning money, and Amazon, which had just emerged the previous year, was a complete mess of losses—a trend that would continue for more than a decade.

Never mind them; even if someone were to create a search engine now, it would essentially be a loss-making venture. There were only a few million internet users in the entire country; how could they possibly sustain so many companies? Furthermore, these companies had to burn cash just to snatch market share from their competitors.

As for entering the electronics industry, Song Yang’s current net worth was simply not enough to sustain the “burn.” Whatever wealth he had just accumulated would have to be thrown entirely into that pit.

Lying on the bed in his small apartment, Song Yang’s mind was in a bit of a localized chaos. Just as he was about to drift off into a drowsy slumber, he suddenly snapped awake, a thought flashing through his mind.

Song Yang felt he had fallen into a logical trap. Looking at America today through the lens of the future was bound to lead to deviations. What was the hottest and scarcest commodity in the internet industry right now? It wasn’t how much profit a company made, nor was it how advanced the technology was. It was internet users! Whoever pulled in the most internet users was the king of the hill!

In fact, as long as you had enough users and high traffic, you could go through an IPO. This was a completely different market compared to a decade or two later.

Once he understood this, Song Yang felt as if all his mental blocks had vanished in an instant.

Song Yang wanted to turn DoubleClick into his stronghold. Once DoubleClick stabilized, it would essentially become a reliable money-printing machine. Martin Sorrell could rely on WPP Group for a frenzy of acquisitions; for Song Yang, it was enough that DoubleClick provided a steady cash flow.

Next, Song Yang needed to choose an industry to take root in. He already had an idea, but in the meantime, he definitely needed to make some other moves to raise a pool of capital for the industry he planned to enter!

Regardless, the news of DoubleClick receiving a 12-million-dollar investment, combined with that photograph, made the company a focal point for news in Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Song Yang’s name also began to resonate within the American tech and financial sectors.

Closely following this, DoubleClick released a monthly revenue announcement on its official website, stating that its single-month revenue had exceeded 1.68 million dollars.

There was certainly some fluff in this. This revenue figure included parts of intended collaborations—contracts that had been signed but where payments hadn’t yet been received. However, they were all included in the revenue total.

By releasing these figures, DoubleClick was actually just trying to promote itself, telling the outside world that the company was “very” profitable and that digital advertising was immensely popular, essentially inviting advertisers to jump on board.

Song Yang hadn’t expected that a simple promotional move would cause such a massive stir in the internet industry.

After DoubleClick released the announcement, it was immediately spread far and wide by the Silicon Valley media. Rumors that “the internet is about to become profitable” echoed everywhere.

Internet experts and Wall Street analysts used DoubleClick’s provided revenue to project that by the end of the year or early next year, DoubleClick could become the first profitable internet company in the world!

How could the entire American internet industry not be excited by this? The internet had always been questioned because it didn’t make money, but now that the first profitable internet company was on the horizon, could other companies be far behind?

Almost as a direct result of this news, WPP’s stock price in London surged by another 3%. Since investing in DoubleClick, WPP’s stock price had risen more than 11% compared to its pre-investment value. This growth was enough to make WPP Group’s shareholders grin even in their sleep.

That ten-million-plus dollar investment had directly increased WPP’s market value by over a billion dollars. Compared to the investment amount, it was an absolute steal. Those who had previously questioned Martin Sorrell began to worship him, treating “Old Lord Martin” as the absolute GOAT.

Some WPP Group directors even expressed private regret, lamenting that if they had bought DoubleClick outright, the stock price would probably be soaring to the heavens by now. WPP Group was officially the first to taste the sweetness of the internet.

It wasn’t just WPP either. Netscape, the current face of the American internet and a staunch champion of digital advertising, went even crazier. Its valuation surged again, surpassing 1.3 billion dollars. This meant Netscape would go public with a 1.3 billion dollar valuation—nearly a third higher than the original billion-dollar estimate!

The fact that DoubleClick’s revenue report of less than two million dollars could trigger such a frenzy across the internet suggested that someone was definitely pushing things behind the scenes.

DoubleClick was merely the catalyst. Although Wall Street investment banks and Silicon Valley venture capital firms also raised DoubleClick’s valuation to 60 million dollars, compared to Netscape, DoubleClick was once again being used as a benchmark for others’ success.

Compared to this news, DoubleClick’s announcement of establishing a branch in New York didn’t attract much attention.

The media outlets that did report on it were mostly skeptical, suggesting that DoubleClick was moving too fast and being too aggressive. There were even comments claiming that Song Yang, whose net worth had suddenly skyrocketed, was becoming arrogant and losing his grip on reality.

However, DoubleClick didn’t stay at the center of the tech industry’s discourse for long. Two sudden pieces of news shocked the entire country, attracting far more attention than anything involving DoubleClick.

Wang Laboratories, which had been quiet for a long time after its attempt to acquire DoubleClick was intercepted by WPP Group, suddenly dropped a bombshell: they were acquiring the computer software business of the Italian PC brand, Olivetti, for a staggering 390 million dollars.

Olivetti was a pioneer in the PC industry and had once competed with the likes of Wang and IBM. By striking at its old rival and securing Olivetti’s software business, Wang Laboratories had essentially captured half of the European computer software market in one fell swoop!

This acquisition was undoubtedly a win. Although Martin had intercepted the previous deal, Joseph Tucci’s capabilities were no joke; he had immediately turned around and made a massive move.

This was practically the “Return of the King” for Wang Laboratories. The impact on the outside world was imaginable; most people thought Wang Laboratories had gone bankrupt, only to find that it had already stood back up.

Barring any accidents, the title of America’s Best Professional Manager of the year would likely belong to Joseph Tucci. The only person who could possibly go toe-to-toe with him was Louis Gerstner, the man who saved IBM.

But before the American tech industry could even digest this news, another report exploded across the global internet: SoftBank was investing 100 million dollars in Yahoo, officially becoming its major shareholder!

In the face of this news, WPP Group’s ten-million-dollar investment record was instantly demolished, and the ceiling for venture capital records was raised to a whole new altitude!

Yahoo was still just a “mom-and-pop” workshop that didn’t make a cent. If it weren’t for DoubleClick providing it with digital advertising, Yahoo wouldn’t be earning a penny even now. And yet, this was the Yahoo that had just secured a 100-million-dollar investment from SoftBank.

People throughout the American internet industry felt like they were going crazy. They didn’t know if they were the ones who had lost their minds or if the world had gone mad.

Netscape’s valuation was rising like a bottle rocket, but since their browser occupied over 90% of the market and Americans relied on it to get online, everyone accepted it.

DoubleClick, that scrappy company, was using digital advertising to win people over, and everyone tolerated it because it looked like it might actually make money. People closed their eyes and accepted its 60-million-dollar valuation.

But Yahoo—that dinky little workshop! It had no technology to speak of. Its search technology wasn’t exactly leading the way compared to competitors like Infoseek or Lycos. Yet, such a small operation had secured a 100-million-dollar investment. SoftBank had traded that 100 million dollars for a 33% equity stake, pushing Yahoo’s valuation past 300 million dollars!

SoftBank’s investment in Yahoo was far more sensational than Wang’s acquisition of Olivetti’s computer business. It essentially set the internet on fire.

However, while many envied Yahoo, voices mocking SoftBank and Yahoo were constant. Both Silicon Valley venture capitalists and Wall Street investment banks believed Masayoshi Son, the head of SoftBank, had lost his mind.

Investing even a million dollars in a workshop like Yahoo carried risk; dumping 100 million into it? Why bother with a startup? Both of Yahoo’s founders had just achieved instant financial freedom!

After a burst of engine roar and a sharp squeal of brakes, a fire-red sports car pulled up in front of the Harbor Building, where DoubleClick was located.

“Now this is a real sports car!”

Once the car came to a steady stop, Gallo, sitting in the driver’s seat of the Ferrari F50, gripped the steering wheel tightly as he spoke to Song Yang, looking as if he hadn’t had enough of the drive.

Song Yang had just picked up this F50 from a Ferrari dealership in Houston today. He didn’t have any specific requirements for a vehicle, but he did need something for appearances.

The Ferrari F50 was a flagship sports car released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the factory. According to the saleswoman at the dealership, once you were in the driver’s seat and hit the gas, the 520 horsepower and V12 engine were enough to leave all other cars in the dust. Of course, when driving this car, an invitation to a lady to get in was rarely refused…

This Ferrari F50 had cost Song Yang 400,000 dollars. This was 400,000 in 1995; translated to value in China, it was the equivalent of several courtyard houses gone.

“Song…”

As Song Yang got out of the car, he saw the expectant look in Gallo’s eyes and naturally knew what he wanted to do. He likely wanted to drive it over to Hayley’s place to flex.

“We’re going back to Greck’s together today!” Song Yang waved him off, giving Gallo his orders.

Chapter 43: Enemies Cross Paths

When Song Yang arrived at the DoubleClick office, he could hear the staff whispering to one another from time to time.

Once in his office, Irene brought over several newspapers. Looking at the reports, Song Yang couldn’t help but suck in a breath through his teeth. Yahoo securing those 100 million dollars was practically the opening act of the internet frenzy.

Song Yang shook his head. Never mind Yahoo’s competitors—even Song Yang was a bit envious. 100 million dollars. With such a massive influx of capital, Yahoo had more than enough money to crush its rivals.

Seeing Greck enter the office, Song Yang put down the newspaper and looked at him and Irene. He remarked casually, “What do you two think? Should DoubleClick exchange equity with Yahoo?”

Greck and Irene were both stunned. They hadn’t expected Song Yang to suggest this. Yahoo was currently in the spotlight, and in terms of cash, DoubleClick certainly couldn’t compete with SoftBank; they couldn’t produce that kind of money.

The only thing DoubleClick could offer was equity, but if they wanted a swap, Yahoo would surely make an outrageous demand.

“I’m afraid Yahoo might not be willing. Even if they agree to a swap, the price probably won’t be low!” Irene said. She was proficient in theory, and right now DoubleClick was in a weaker position compared to Yahoo—at least in terms of valuation. Such an equity swap would likely leave DoubleClick at a disadvantage.

Song Yang, who had originally just been speaking off the cuff, rubbed his chin. Suddenly, he felt that an equity swap might not necessarily be a bad thing for DoubleClick. Looking at it now, no matter how high Yahoo’s asking price was, its market value would exceed 100 billion dollars at its peak. Even if they only swapped for 5% of Yahoo’s equity, its future value would exceed billions of dollars.

As for DoubleClick, even Song Yang had to admit that no matter how much they hyped themselves up in the future, unless they could somehow turn around and acquire advertising giants like WPP or Omnicom, they would never catch up to Yahoo’s market value.

As for whether Yahoo would agree to the swap, Song Yang wasn’t worried. DoubleClick was currently the exclusive advertising agent for Yahoo. Previously, this deal wasn’t worth much, but it was different now. The higher Yahoo’s market value rose, the more valuable DoubleClick’s status as its exclusive agent became.

Furthermore, in the short term—at least for a year or two—Yahoo couldn’t get rid of DoubleClick. As long as they still wanted to go through an IPO, they needed DoubleClick to continuously provide a large amount of advertising revenue!

“You can start by contacting them,” Song Yang told Greck and Irene, letting them test the waters with Yahoo first. “I’ll personally call Bradley!”

Among the people at Yahoo, Song Yang was most familiar with their current Chief Product Officer, Bradley. As for Jerry Yang, although Song Yang had admired his reputation for a long time, they hadn’t actually met yet.

Greck and Irene glanced at each other. Although they didn’t always get along, they knew this was a major matter and nodded to each other.

Then, Irene placed a document in front of Song Yang. “Nearly ten internet digital advertising companies, including L90 and Avenue, have appeared on the market. These companies all emerged recently and are trying to snatch market share from DoubleClick!”

“Involuted” competition was everywhere. Never mind other places; the number of copycats in America was endless. After DoubleClick received its ten million dollar investment, companies following the digital advertising trend had sprouted like weeds. They all wanted to become the second DoubleClick. Who wouldn’t want to replace Song Yang as the person holding the champagne in that photo famous across America?

“We are preparing to sue one digital advertising company for infringement!” Greck added. This was intended to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys—to tell those copycats not to go too far. Of course, if they caught any copycat daring to steal DoubleClick’s technology or patents, they would definitely sue them into bankruptcy.

Song Yang glanced through the files. Most of these newly emerged digital advertising companies were just picking up the scraps behind DoubleClick. Currently, the two most famous websites on the internet, Netscape and Yahoo, both had DoubleClick as their exclusive advertising agent. Other digital advertising companies were basically operating at a loss just to make a name for themselves.

“Let the legal department handle this!” Song Yang told Greck. In the internet industry, there is no second place, only first. As long as DoubleClick held the top spot in the industry, those behind them would be left with nothing!

After Greck, Irene, and the others left, Song Yang signed several documents and turned on the computer. Since he was preparing to enter a new industry, he naturally needed to understand the entire American internet landscape.

To Song Yang’s surprise, in just half a year, hundreds of new websites had actually popped up. He remembered that just a few months ago, there were very few sites worth visiting.

The biggest changes were undoubtedly with Netscape and Yahoo. Netscape had added many new features. While it was called a browser, it was almost becoming a mini-operating system; they had even added office software. The intent to wrestle with Microsoft was becoming very obvious.

Yahoo was already beginning to take the shape of a portal. Compared to its originally sparse interface, it now featured new sections for news, sports, stocks, and more. The number of indexed URLs had increased by hundreds.

On Yahoo News, Song Yang saw a report. Netscape’s Jim Clark had accepted an exclusive interview with CNN, the TV station that served as the Democratic Party’s home base. The interview included responses to recent events in Silicon Valley and the internet industry. Between the lines, one could clearly see Jim’s status as the Godfather of Silicon Valley.

Then again, Jim Clark truly did count as a Godfather of Silicon Valley for this generation. However, he wondered if Microsoft or Yahoo would acknowledge that title…

Song Yang checked the time and turned on the television in his office. After switching to CNN, Jim Clark’s figure appeared immediately. Jim sat in the studio with the aura of a big shot, talking fluently with the journalist.

“I admit, Yahoo is developing well. Yahoo is currently Netscape’s search technology supplier. I am very optimistic about Yahoo!”

Listening to what Jim Clark said to the camera, Song Yang almost laughed out loud. Jim seemed to be praising Yahoo, but in reality, he was treating Yahoo like a subordinate. No matter how powerful Yahoo was, it was still just one of Netscape’s suppliers.

Facing the camera, Jim answered several hot-button questions, such as whether Yahoo was worth a 100 million dollar investment. Jim certainly couldn’t say it wasn’t worth it, or else Netscape would be questioned as well. But when Jim said this, he used a clever tactic: “Sooner or later, Yahoo will be worth such a net worth!”

In other words, Yahoo might not be worth that much now, but don’t worry—give it a few years and maybe it will be. This was to let the people in Silicon Valley and Wall Street realize that Netscape was the true leader of the internet industry. Don’t believe everything you hear; Yahoo was still far behind Netscape…

Then Jim answered a few more questions. Song Yang hadn’t planned to pay much more attention, but he suddenly heard DoubleClick’s name and looked up at the TV again.

“Director Jim, what do you think of DoubleClick and Bruno Song? Recently, news broke that DoubleClick, established for less than half a year, has already started setting up a branch in New York. Is it developing too fast?” the host asked Jim.

Jim shook his head, his expression becoming serious. “I believe this is completely correct. This is the internet industry. Going from zero to one might take a long time, but going from one to ten can happen in an instant. DoubleClick needs to fulfill its performance commitment to Netscape for next year. I think this move is entirely right!”

Jim Clark’s response was watertight. If DoubleClick’s rapid expansion was questioned, then Netscape would be questioned too. So, he preemptively shut down that line of criticism.

“Then what about Song?”

“Song?!”

Mentioning Song Yang, a strange smile appeared on Jim Clark’s face. “It’s a pity Netscape couldn’t invest in DoubleClick. Song is a genius. I think in the future, e-commerce companies like Amazon and others might discover this point.”

The host wanted to know why Jim Clark suddenly mentioned the e-commerce industry and what it had to do with Song Yang.

But Jim Clark remained tight-lipped about this, refusing to say a word. He looked like he was just enjoying the show. In fact, Jim Clark had only discovered the patents for “Interactive Networking,” “One-Click Ordering,” “One-Click Payment,” and others held by Song Yang through the investigation he ordered when he was preparing to invest in DoubleClick.

Jim could imagine that in the future, e-commerce companies like Amazon would definitely come to blows with Song Yang over these patents. He had already pulled up his chair and was ready to watch the drama. As for warning Amazon and the others? He wasn’t about to do them any favors.

The interview was supposed to be over, but the host pressed his earpiece, seemingly having heard some news. He asked Jim, “Director Jim, do you really think Song is that kind of person? We’ve heard some different opinions!”

Song Yang could see Jim Clark on the TV clearly freeze for a moment. Obviously, this question wasn’t part of his pre-interview preparation; at the very least, he hadn’t known about it beforehand.

Jim’s expression changed briefly, then immediately returned to normal. Looking at the camera, he said, “I believe what I see. Song is a genius. We cannot look at a person through the eyes of prejudice, otherwise, all we will see is prejudice!”

As the interview ended, Song Yang knew he owed Jim Clark a favor. Jim had essentially vouched for him in front of the public. However, Song Yang needed to know exactly what had happened for the host to suddenly ask such a question.

Picking up the phone, Song Yang called Irene. “Find out what this is about!”

Half an hour later, looking at the news on the TV and understanding what was going on, Song Yang’s face turned rather ugly.

The news was an interview with a local New York media outlet. In the frame was a familiar figure—Bledsoe Jaden, who had somehow made his way to New York. Surrounded by several people who looked like lawyers, he was spouting nonsense.

“Bruno Song is a fraud and a thief. He is nothing like what the media reports. You can go to Devers to investigate. He stole DoubleClick as well, and he has connections with certain people who are not welcome by the FBI…”

“It’s the Vulture legal team!” Looking at the hysterical Jaden on the TV and the people behind him, Greck’s expression also turned grim.

Chapter 44: Steady as the Forest

Looking at the television news, Greck recognized a familiar scent coming from the fellow lawyers standing behind Jaden, who was currently busy calling black white and distorting the truth.

The “Vulture legal teams” were a peculiar existence in America. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them vampires; wherever there was a spotlight, they were there.

Whether it involved celebrity cases, high-profile billionaire divorces, or melodramatic equity disputes within major families, these vulture lawyers were always present. They were incredibly difficult to deal with, capable of dragging out a single lawsuit for three to five years or even longer, all for the sake of securing a massive settlement.

Moreover, these vulture lawyers often took nearly half of the compensation from their clients, sometimes even more.

Greck didn’t know how Jaden had gotten mixed up with these scavengers, but it clearly wasn’t anything good.

Watching Jaden “tearfully recount” his grievances on the news, Song Yang felt a wave of pure repulsion. This guy just wouldn’t give up. He was like a dung beetle—he didn’t bite, but he kept scurrying out to make your skin crawl!

“Song, don’t do anything rash. DoubleClick absolutely cannot lose this lawsuit. We will handle this matter!” Greck said quickly, seeing Song Yang’s dark expression and fearing he might resort to underhanded, “off-the-table” methods again.

Song Yang glanced at Greck, merely loosened his tie, and tossed it aside. Jaden had already run off to New York; was Song Yang really supposed to go to the Sons of Anarchy and send a few gunmen to New York just for him?

Song Yang wouldn’t take such a massive risk for someone like Jaden. It was clear now that Jaden was just a con artist. Knowing he couldn’t stay in Houston, he was using the publicity of the DoubleClick lawsuit to run his scam in Silicon Valley. He was creating this news specifically to spite Song Yang and force him into a settlement!

“Get in touch with the TV stations and tell them to stop broadcasting Jaden’s defamatory news about DoubleClick!” Song Yang knew this was likely futile. With DoubleClick’s current level of influence, those stations wouldn’t listen to him—in fact, they were probably eager to fan the flames for the ratings.

After Greck and the others left, Song Yang spun his chair around and looked out at the Houston port, letting out a soft sigh.

Looking back, what Greck had told him wasn’t wrong. If he currently knew powerful figures in the federal government or if he owned a powerful media conglomerate, it might only take a single word or a move from his own media outlets to “blacklist” Jaden, causing the entire American media to start “ignoring” the man.

At the end of the day, Song Yang hadn’t yet reached the level where he could influence the grand chessboard of America. As a result, even a piece of trash like Jaden dared to repeatedly jump out and provoke him.

While Song Yang was resting with his eyes closed, he suddenly felt a pair of hands pressing against his temples, gently massaging them. Detecting the light scent of white rose perfume, he knew it was Irene.

Irene saw Song Yang’s furrowed brow and assumed he was still stressed about the Jaden situation. After all, Jaden’s public antics were very damaging to the public perception of Song Yang and DoubleClick.

“My father used to say that when you encounter a bad tooth, you might not be able to pull it out immediately. But as long as the timing is right, a gentle tap is all it takes for it to fall out.”

“Your father?” Song Yang opened his eyes and looked at Irene with a hint of curiosity.

Irene replied, “He’s a doctor. He has his own private clinic here in Houston.”

Song Yang understood immediately. No wonder Irene could afford an MBA from a business school. In America, being a doctor was a profession on par with lawyers and professors. A famous doctor possessed incredible influence, and owning a private clinic meant his income certainly wasn’t low.

“I’m fine.”

Song Yang seemed to have completely shrugged off Jaden’s influence. Jaden’s appearance had actually made Song Yang want to see exactly what kind of waves this guy could kick up. However, Song Yang needed to have enough capital on his side first!

Originally, Song Yang wanted a steadier development path, but Jaden’s interference had shifted his mindset.

This was the era of the internet bubble. For a person to go from having nothing to being a billionaire, it might only take a night. To increase one’s net worth tenfold, one might only need to take their company to an IPO!

“Go call Greck and Wesley in,” Song Yang said to Irene.

A moment later, Greck and Wesley entered the office. Only Song Yang, Irene, and Greck’s team were present.

Once the office door was closed, Song Yang looked at the few people before him. These were essentially his core team for now. His manpower was still a bit “thin,” but compared to the garage days, they were practically a “formidable army.”

“DoubleClick shouldn’t see too many changes in the short term. I want to withdraw a portion of the funds to enter a new industry!” Song Yang said, getting straight to the point.

Hearing Song Yang’s words, both Greck and Irene were stunned. They hadn’t expected Song Yang to move into a new industry so quickly. It caught them off guard; after all, DoubleClick had a massive chance of going public. Anyone else would treat DoubleClick as their lifeblood—why would they focus on anything else?

Wesley, the head of the technical department, didn’t have as many complex thoughts. Instead, he felt a surge of anticipation. He had been doing system maintenance and upgrades lately—essentially just patching the DART ad system. Now that they were developing a new project, Wesley finally felt he had a place to truly use his skills.

“Isn’t this too rushed? DoubleClick just…” Greck looked at Song Yang with a complicated gaze. He had previously worried that after Song Yang got those ten million dollars, he would slack off and fool around with Gallo. Now he realized he had drastically underestimated him.

“We have to enter the market now!” Song Yang said firmly. “Netscape is about to go public, and Yahoo is preparing for it too. Once they IPO, they will use their cash to enter one market after another. If we just follow behind them picking up scraps, we’ll never survive!”

Like any other industry, the internet was a winner-takes-all game. Once they had money in hand after their IPOs, they would surely expand frantically into other internet sectors.

Seeing Netscape and Yahoo on the verge of becoming the industry’s big fish, Song Yang didn’t want the things he worked so hard to build to be swallowed up by them in the future.

“I plan to enter the instant messaging and email industries,” Song Yang told the group.

Greck looked bewildered. He had used email, and to be honest, the experience wasn’t great. As for what “instant messaging software” was, the concept left him a bit confused.

“Currently, through a computer, you can browse webpages, read the news, and even shop online, but you can’t communicate with each other in real-time. We want to develop a software that allows people to communicate rapidly over the internet. It could allow two people ten thousand miles apart to communicate in real-time.”

“Instant messaging?!” Wesley’s eyes lit up as he heard this term he had never encountered before. He had a feeling that what they were discussing might just change the entire internet industry!

Irene looked at the glowing Wesley. Even if she wasn’t particularly sensitive to the internet industry, seeing Wesley’s expression told her that the “instant messaging” concept Song Yang proposed was likely something no less significant than digital advertising.

Looking at Song Yang as he spoke with Wesley—or more accurately, as Wesley asked questions and Song Yang answered—Irene felt that compared to Wesley, the genius from Rice University, Song Yang was the true prodigy.

“This instant messaging suite needs two main functions: the first is the communication function, and the second is an attached community space!” Song Yang laid out the design requirements for Wesley. Unlike Wesley, who would have had to fumbled in the dark, Song Yang had a mature system in mind.

Listening to Song Yang, Wesley felt as though a new door had been flung wide open. These were things he had never even considered. Now, Wesley completely believed the rumors that DoubleClick had been built single-handedly by Song Yang. If that Jaden guy really had such brilliant ideas, he would have been famous across America long ago; why would he be shouting in the streets like he was now?

“What is the name of this instant messaging project?” Wesley asked Song Yang.

Song Yang thought for a moment. “Call it ICQ. Additionally, the email project will be established as Hotmail, a free email service. Both of these projects will be independent of DoubleClick!”

Song Yang didn’t want to hand over a gift to the WPP Group for nothing. He would place both the instant messaging and email businesses into a newly established company.

As for choosing to build ICQ instead of something like Facebook—it was important to remember that the internet was still in the dial-up era, with maximum speeds of 10KB/s. At that speed, checking an email or chatting was already a bit of a struggle. Expecting to view photos or videos was out of the question; even uploading them would be a nightmare!

Hearing that Song Yang wanted to establish a free email service, Wesley was instantly shocked. “Free email?”

Email had been around for decades, but it was still primarily a paid service. After all, the companies providing email had to make a living.

Launching a free email service was practically heretical. Was he going to lose money just to gain users? It was no wonder Wesley was so surprised.

“Don’t forget what DoubleClick does. You don’t need to worry about Hotmail’s profitability. Your job is to develop the world’s first web-based email service as quickly as possible!”

Song Yang told Wesley that he didn’t actually care if Hotmail was profitable. The most important thing was to grow the business and then attract a “fat cat” to take it over. Song Yang planned to use the email business to sustain the instant messaging side.

Right now, email looked like a hot commodity, but in the future, that industry would be a cutthroat battlefield. And now, Song Yang was about to open that Pandora’s box called free email.

Wesley was both excited and plagued by a headache. He was finally experiencing what it felt like when Bledsoe Jaden had been a workhorse—a soulless programming tool. “But Boss, we simply don’t have enough manpower. We have to maintain DoubleClick’s ad system and develop ICQ and Hotmail at the same time. We don’t have enough people!”

Chapter 45: This Rookie is Quite Formidable

To be honest, the technical team currently under Wesley could only be considered competent. Maintaining a system or upgrading a few features was fine, but expecting them to develop two major pieces of software simultaneously in a short period was asking a bit much.

Song Yang didn’t have much time to waste. By launching Hotmail, he intended to scale up the operation quickly, find a major sponsor, and cash out immediately. He couldn’t afford to waste too much time.

Recruiting a new team wasn’t impossible, but selecting personnel or even poaching people from Silicon Valley would be costly. Beyond the expense, the time needed for the team to integrate and get up to speed would likely take at least a month. It could take half a year or more to finally launch the email service, and Song Yang simply couldn’t wait that long.

Song Yang fell silent for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up. He thought of someone. If he brought this person into the Hotmail project, manpower, technology, and everything else would no longer be an issue. He might not even have to worry about the funding.

“What do you think about approaching Joseph Tucci and collaborating with him on Hotmail?” Song Yang asked.

Hearing Joseph Tucci’s name, Greck, Irene, and Wesley were all momentarily stunned. Then, they realized the proposal wasn’t actually far-fetched.

Wang Laboratories had the technology, the talent, and the capital. If they collaborated with them, the development of Hotmail wouldn’t be a problem at all.

“I’ll give Tucci a call. Wesley, you need to recruit more people and assemble another technical team specifically for the ICQ project!”

Song Yang directed his instructions to Wesley. This was where the benefits of being in Silicon Valley became apparent—one never had to worry about technical talent. As long as you had the money, you could pull a team together in the blink of an eye; it was even possible to recruit top-tier tech gurus.

In the small office, Song Yang discussed some details with Greck and Wesley. Both the instant messaging and email projects would be placed under a newly established company, completely separate from DoubleClick. Naturally, the patents would belong to the new company as well.

This time, Song Yang had Greck draft a foolproof agreement and even hired legal experts familiar with the internet industry. He didn’t want a repeat of the Jaden incident!

“If Martin Sorrell finds out, I doubt he’ll be very happy,” Irene remarked once everything was settled.

If the “Old Knight” Martin found out that Song Yang was setting up a separate shop right after he had invested in DoubleClick, someone with his aggressive personality would certainly be displeased.

“DoubleClick has already given WPP Group a sufficient return,” Song Yang replied casually.

Truthfully, the ten million plus dollars Martin had invested in DoubleClick had been crucial for Song Yang. However, DoubleClick had also given WPP Group an outsized return. Not only had WPP’s stock price soared following the investment, but there was also the ongoing negotiation for an equity swap with Yahoo. Once that deal went through, WPP Group would own a quarter of that lucrative pie. Investing in DoubleClick would undoubtedly remain one of the proudest achievements in the career of the “King of M&A.”

As Greck and Wesley stood to leave, Irene said to Song Yang, “I’ve floated the idea of an equity swap to Yahoo. They didn’t reject it outright.”

Song Yang nodded. If they hadn’t rejected it, it meant there was room for negotiation. Yahoo wasn’t the all-powerful entity it would become in a few years. Although they had secured 100 million dollars, they were still a bit unsure of themselves and didn’t dare to easily offend their most important current partner, DoubleClick.

After a moment’s thought, Song Yang picked up the phone. Soon, Bradley’s voice came through. Judging by the noise in the background, he was clearly busy.

When Bradley saw the call was from Song Yang, he knew what it was about. He spoke directly into the phone, “Song, I’ve discussed this with Jerry and Filo. Yahoo is willing to deepen our cooperation with DoubleClick. After all, we’re sister companies!”

“DoubleClick is also very pleased to have a partner like Yahoo,” Song Yang replied. Then he asked, “What terms is Yahoo looking for in exchange?”

Since Yahoo’s valuation far exceeded DoubleClick’s, and because DoubleClick was the party initiating the swap, Yahoo certainly held the upper hand.

“Five percent of Yahoo equity for twenty percent of DoubleClick, plus a cash payment from DoubleClick of no less than five million dollars.”

“Is Yahoo trying to commit highway robbery?!”

Upon hearing Bradley’s terms, Song Yang couldn’t help but curse. These terms were anything but cheap; Yahoo was clearly trying to take a massive bite out of DoubleClick.

“Song, it’s quite fair,” Bradley called out Song Yang’s name several times over the phone. “You have to understand that Yahoo now has to consider the opinions of investors like SoftBank and Sequoia. Jerry and I had a hard time getting SoftBank to even agree to discuss an equity swap with DoubleClick!”

Now that Yahoo had major shareholders, it was no longer a time when Jerry Yang, Filo, and Bradley could decide the company’s future just by talking amongst themselves. Every major decision now required the approval of their lead investor, SoftBank.

That may have been true, but Song Yang wasn’t intimidated. Yahoo hadn’t IPO’d yet; he didn’t believe the founders like Jerry Yang were total pushovers.

“You have to answer to SoftBank, and I have to answer to WPP Group. If Martin knew I agreed to terms like these, do you think he’d fly over from London with a team of lawyers?” Song Yang countered, refusing to back down. He brought up WPP Group to let Bradley know he had powerful backers of his own.

There was a brief silence on the other end, as Bradley was likely consulting with Jerry Yang and Filo.

A moment later, the voice returned. “These terms are fair, based on DoubleClick’s current valuation.”

“You know DoubleClick’s valuation is worth much more than that. We’ll be profitable by next year,” Song Yang bluffed. Regardless of whether DoubleClick could actually match Yahoo, he couldn’t afford to lose momentum here.

Bradley argued with Song Yang for a few more minutes, his tone softening slightly. Finally, he said, “Song, if you really want to talk about this, then come to Mountain View in Silicon Valley. And bring your lawyers.”

After hanging up, Song Yang felt the deal was likely to happen. From Bradley’s tone, he had a sneaking suspicion that Yahoo also wanted something from DoubleClick. Inviting him to Silicon Valley meant Yahoo was willing to compromise.

After finishing the call with Yahoo, Song Yang dialed another number.

When Joseph Tucci picked up, he sounded very surprised. He hadn’t expected Song Yang to call him. “Song?”

“To be honest, this call is a bit unexpected!” Tucci said with a laugh on the other end. He seemed to have made peace with being “intercepted” on the previous deal. Clearly, acquiring the software business from Olydiua had left him feeling rather smug.

“I said before that my cooperation with you, President Tucci, wouldn’t end so easily,” Song Yang said into the receiver. “I think your team might still be missing an elite rookie.”

This piqued Tucci’s interest. A thought crossed his mind, but he still asked, “It seems you have a new plan, Song?”

“I do have a new plan. A new product, an email service completely unlike anything currently on the market. I wonder if you’re interested, President Tucci?”

The person on the other end was clearly considering it. In reality, Tucci was also somewhat amazed. He knew the media hailed Song Yang as an internet genius—stories about how he solved the internet’s profitability problem just by watching TV, or how he was self-taught and built an official website after just glancing at programming books.

Tucci had seen many “geniuses” before, but most were just products of exaggeration. He had never seen anyone like Song Yang, who seemed poised to launch one creative new venture after another. This rookie was quite formidable!

“Wang Laboratories is naturally interested in investing. What team could turn down an elite rookie?”

Tucci said directly, “What do you need, Song?”

“Technical talent, some patents related to email, and a portion of the funding!” Song Yang didn’t hold back at all. He had already decided that the budget would come from Tucci.

Hearing this, Tucci responded, “You’ll have them. I’ll make a trip to Houston personally.”

Hanging up the phone, Song Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Both the Yahoo equity swap and the Hotmail project finally had clear paths forward. With these two things settled, everything else would be much easier.

That evening, Song Yang drove his new car, loaded with various gifts Irene had prepared, back to the neighborhood where Greck’s house was located.

When the roar of the Ferrari F50 echoed through the community, it attracted a great deal of attention. When the young men and women of the neighborhood saw Song Yang driving the car, they were all overcome with envy; who at that age wouldn’t want a supercar of their own?

Meanwhile, the middle-aged residents cursed under their breaths about how young people became reckless once they had money, but they were incredibly envious of Greck. Who would have thought that this middle-aged man, who had been facing a mid-life crisis, would have his luck turn around so dramatically?

The neighbors who knew Greck well had already heard that he had become a partner at Josiah’s law firm and might even become the General Counsel of a listed company in the future. Greck had truly moved up in the world; soon, he would become a member of the “hated” upper class they used to gossip about…

Gallo returned with Song Yang. Da’anna, who opened the door, cried out to the heavens when she saw the two of them together, then pulled them both inside.

“You two actually remembered to come back?!”

Da’anna was naturally happy to see them, though she couldn’t help but complain. “Gallo, how long has it been since you were last home? The last time I saw you was when I went to that dump of an apartment of yours to clean. And you, Song—Greck told me you rented an apartment. What are you two trying to do? Do you both just not want to stay here anymore?!”

Song Yang and Gallo were used to Da’anna’s nagging. Gallo sat down heavily on the sofa and grabbed a piece of fruit to munch on. “You know we’ve been very busy lately!”

Chapter 46: Exactly the Same

“Yeah, always busy, busy, busy! Just like your old man, Greck—busy his whole life and having nothing to show for it!”

Da’anna scolded Gallo with the sharp tongue of a typical Latina mother, managing to drag Greck into it as well. Lately, the church she frequently attended had seen an influx of people coming over from Mexico, and her temperament seemed to have sharpened accordingly.

“And you, Song, you’re going to follow—”

Da’anna didn’t plan on letting Song Yang off the hook either. But as she turned around and saw the item in the jewelry box Song Yang handed her, she let out a sudden gasp. “Oh, my God…”

Inside the box was a tree-shaped brooch crafted from platinum, with a small gemstone embedded at the base. Looking at the jewelry box, Da’anna exclaimed, “It’s far too expensive! It’s much more beautiful than the brooch Mrs. Brie wears!”

Though she insisted it was too expensive, the joy in Da’anna’s eyes was unmistakable. What woman doesn’t love something that sparkles? Mrs. Brie—the wife of Dr. Brown, who had examined Song Yang when he first arrived in America—had been seen wearing a similar brooch by Da’anna at an important gathering.

“You deserve it!” Song Yang told Da’anna, pinning the brooch just below her shoulder. Da’anna had taken great care of his original self over the years; otherwise, Song Yang feared he might never have made it this far.

Da’anna touched the exquisitely designed brooch and muttered, “I should have changed into a new dress!”

“This is the best gift I’ve received in years. Aside from when we first got married, Greck hasn’t given me a single gift. Gallo, if you and your father were even half as good as Song, that would be enough…”

Gallo, caught in the crossfire once again, was left speechless. If he had Song Yang’s net worth, he’d be giving gifts too. But during those lean years at the racing company, he was lucky just to stay fed. It was only recently, thanks to his job as the logistics manager at DoubleClick, that he actually had some dollars in his pocket.

After giving Da’anna her gift, Song Yang pulled another box from the bag and tossed it to Gallo.

Gallo caught it, opened it to see the watch inside, and immediately shouted at Song Yang, “Song, I knew you wouldn’t forget me!”

Gallo looked at the men’s watch in his hands; it was worth at least three thousand dollars.

When Greck, Milly, and Logan returned later, they all received gifts from Song Yang as well.

Song Yang gave Greck a box of premium Cuban cigars. Although Greck kept a stiff face and nagged Song Yang a bit—just like Da’anna—the way he immediately tucked the cigars away in his study for safekeeping revealed exactly how much he liked them.

For Milly, it was a “Mattel” brand Barbie doll—of which it was said every American girl owned at least ten—and a Disney Princess toy. When she saw these two things, Milly’s screams were almost more than Song Yang’s ears could handle.

Clutching her Barbie, Milly clung to Song Yang and wouldn’t let go. She had mentioned wanting them to him more times than he could count, but she hadn’t expected him to actually buy them today.

In the past, Greck and Da’anna had never entertained this wish; she wouldn’t even get them as Christmas presents. For no other reason than the fact that these two toys together cost several hundred dollars. It could only be said that the easiest money to make was indeed from women and children.

“Logan, this is for you!”

Song Yang pushed a Fender guitar toward his cousin. Although he wasn’t as close to Logan as he was to Gallo or Milly, with Greck and Da’anna there, Song Yang naturally couldn’t leave him out.

Looking at the guitar Song Yang handed over, Logan wanted to decline, but the words wouldn’t come out. Even though he seemed like a bit of a loner and wasn’t very close to Song Yang, Gallo, or even Milly—focusing all his energy on his studies—he had a special passion for the guitar.

Every weekend, Logan would take a guitar he’d scavenged from a second-hand shop and spend the afternoon in the Houston suburbs. The guitar Song Yang gave him was far superior to that second-hand one.

For dinner, since everyone happened to be home for once, a delighted Da’anna prepared a lavish Italian feast, filling a large table to the brim.

After serving Song Yang a large plate of pasta, Da’anna looked at the group, focusing mainly on Song Yang and Gallo, since they were the ones who hadn’t been coming home lately. “This Sunday, we are all going to church together. Pastor Andrew mentioned to me that he hasn’t seen you in a long time!”

Upon hearing this, Song Yang exchanged a glance with Greck and then looked at Gallo. Seeing that Gallo had no expression and was simply focused on burying his face in his food, it was obvious he had as little interest in going as Song Yang did.

Pastor Andrew mentioning it specifically to Da’anna certainly wasn’t without reason. After taking a bite, Song Yang said to Da’anna, “I’m thinking of establishing a small charity foundation. I’d like you to be the foundation’s chairwoman, Aunt Da’anna. You can handle the donations to the church on my behalf and organize some community charity events!”

Hearing Song Yang ask her to head a charity foundation, Da’anna’s first instinct was to refuse, but then she felt a spark of interest. Over the years, she had participated in some charitable activities and had seen that the people running those foundations were highly respected and popular. To say she wasn’t tempted at all would be a total lie.

“It’s a good idea. The foundation can start by collaborating with the church,” Greck added his support.

Hearing that Greck actually supported it, Da’anna grew even more interested. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

In America, the church was a very peculiar entity, especially within communities. It was connected to almost everyone. Pastor Andrew specifically mentioning Song Yang to Da’anna was, in reality, a reminder that it was time for a donation.

Counterless people in America donated to the church. Regardless of their net worth, the wealthy donated more, usually in hopes of gaining prestige.

And like Greck’s household in the past, they had donated several hundred dollars every year. Even families facing financial hardship continued to donate. Beyond those who were truly devout, there was another important reason: it was beneficial!

Churches held vast assets, establishing church schools and hospitals. They also collaborated with local city governments and food companies to distribute relief food and provide medical assistance year-round. This meant that as long as you were a member, you might be able to get treatment at a church hospital, attend a church school, or receive free food if you couldn’t afford to eat.

This gave the church immense influence. Candidates like Adrian needed endorsements from pastors and relied on them to get the faithful to vote for their chosen candidates. Pastors in some large dioceses could even influence local politics to a staggering degree.

Whether Song Yang believed in it or not, in a place like America where the entire nation was religious, he couldn’t bypass it.

Greck had clearly thought of this as well, which was why he encouraged Da’anna to join Song Yang’s charity foundation.

It wasn’t just the church; in the future, organizations and teams asking Song Yang for money would likely be arriving in a never-ending stream. Interposing a charity foundation early on would save him a lot of trouble.

Furthermore, any future donations that were inconvenient to make in Song Yang’s own name—such as providing large sums of capital for people like Adrian—could be funneled through this foundation. It also allowed for tax exemptions. No wonder the billionaires in America were so enthusiastic about charity; it was a top-tier business!

“I’m planning to buy a new property…”

“Song, you’re leaving? Leaving us?”

Before Song Yang could even finish his sentence, Da’anna cried out in surprise, even beginning to tear up. Ever since she saw the news on the local Houston TV station reporting Song Yang’s net worth, she had anticipated this, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

Milly, still clutching her Barbie, heard that Song Yang was moving and immediately forgot about the toy. She scrambled down from her chair, ran to Song Yang’s side, tugged on the hem of his shirt, and said pitifully, “Don’t you want Milly anymore?”

Song Yang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he pulled Milly into a hug. “It’s just a new property, just moving to a better house. Da’anna, you and everyone else can move there with me!”

“The community over there has private schools. Milly and Logan will be able to get a better education and enter an Ivy League school in the future!”

Parents all over the world were actually exactly the same. Originally, Greck and Da’anna hadn’t wanted to go with him, but hearing that Milly and Logan could attend better schools and receive a superior education, their opposition vanished. They didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Gallo.

Greck and Da’anna believed that the reason Gallo gave up on college was because he was hanging around with those unreliable friends. His brain must have been kicked by a donkey to have torn up his recommendation letter. If they moved to a better environment, Milly and Logan wouldn’t run into that kind of crowd.

“Gallo, take a few days to look around and find a suitable villa!” Song Yang told Gallo.

Hearing this, Gallo pounded his chest and immediately promised, “Leave it to me!”

After dinner, just as Song Yang returned to his room, Logan followed him in. Logan, usually a man of few words, seemed to struggle for a moment before finally asking Song Yang, “Song… that car… is it new?”

Logan’s “cultivation” was too shallow; Song Yang knew exactly what he wanted to say as soon as he heard him. He was also way too thin-skinned. If it had been Gallo, he would have long since held out his hand for the keys.

Song Yang tossed the Ferrari F50 keys to Logan. “Drive slow on the road, and have Gallo go with you!”

“I got it!” Logan hurriedly caught the keys. He had originally just thought it would be nice to sit in it and go for a spin, but he hadn’t expected Song Yang to toss him the keys directly.

Looking at Logan’s retreating figure, Song Yang shook his head and began organizing his things in the room. He would have fewer and fewer opportunities to come to this house in the future.

While Song Yang was busy at Greck’s house, Irene had just returned home. As soon as she walked through the door, a refined and gentle-looking middle-aged man sitting on the sofa asked her, “You’re getting home later and later. Are you very busy at the new company?”

Irene called the man “Father,” and then, shedding the serious persona she maintained at the office, she sat down next to him and massaged her own shoulders. “A bit. We have a new project starting recently.”

Chapter 47: Attitude

Irene’s father, Robert Doherty, was one of the directors of the Houston Medical Association. The private clinic he had established was ranked among the top fifty in Houston’s medical industry.

As Robert listened to Irene talk about DoubleClick and Song Yang, he found himself becoming quite interested. He knew his daughter’s personality well; she was a very proud woman.

Originally, when Irene joined DoubleClick after graduation, it was meant to be a temporary transition to build her resume. Robert had intended to use his connections to send her to a Fortune 500 company or one of America’s massive corporate giants.

But now, Robert felt that Irene had no intention of leaving DoubleClick. Moreover, while Irene might not have realized it herself, Robert’s keen doctor’s eyes noticed that her expression lit up whenever she mentioned Song Yang. This was a look he had never seen when she spoke of her high-achieving university classmates.

“So, you’re saying DoubleClick really has the potential to grow in the future?” Robert asked, closing the book in his hand and looking at Irene.

“Of course!” Irene said without second thought. “DoubleClick will become the representative of Houston’s tech companies!”

“And what about Song?”

Irene didn’t know why Robert suddenly brought him up. “He’s a true genius. If you met him, you’d see his vision is far beyond those so-called geniuses at the University of Houston’s business school…”

As she spoke, Irene looked up and saw a peculiar look in Robert’s eyes. It was the expression of someone who had painstakingly grown a prize cabbage only to realize a pig was eyeing it.

Seeing Robert’s expression, Irene subconsciously lowered her head. “Song… he’s just my boss. There’s nothing between us.”

“I don’t believe I asked about your relationship,” Robert sighed, looking at his daughter’s demeanor. “You’ve reached the age where you make your own choices. I’m just reminding you to choose wisely!”

Over the past few days, Song Yang had essentially been throwing money around. After donating to Pastor Andrew and the community church through his charity foundation and Da’anna, he returned to Devers School and made another donation.

Stepping back into Devers School, Song Yang felt a sense of things remaining the same while everything had changed. The school was still the same school, and the faces inside were familiar, but the way they felt to him was entirely different.

For the past few months, Song Yang had been busy ensuring he wouldn’t end up stuck in a fast-food joint after leaving Devers. Now, he finally didn’t have to worry about that anymore.

Song Yang didn’t want to flaunt his wealth in front of all his old acquaintances at Devers. He didn’t drive the Ferrari F50 inside, instead parking it across the street from the school.

However, once Song Yang entered Devers School, everyone he encountered—whether they were old friends or people he barely knew, security guards, students, janitors, or teachers—greeted him with beaming smiles. Even those he had argued or even come to blows with in the past now had faces full of forced, eager grins.

Song Yang couldn’t help but shake his head. Truly, this was America; a person’s net worth could change the world’s entire attitude toward them.

Instead of going straight to class, Song Yang first went to the staff auditorium for a small donation ceremony.

There weren’t many people present. After all, Song Yang was still technically a student at Devers, not a famous alumnus yet, so a massive, grand ceremony wouldn’t have been appropriate. This donation was also made under the name of DoubleClick and the charity foundation managed by Da’anna, though everyone knew exactly whose money it was.

The attendees were mainly the Principal of Devers and the heads of the school staff. Inside the small auditorium, the Principal gave Song Yang a beaming hug. “Song, you are the eternal pride of Devers School. Everyone who enters these halls after you will always remember what you’ve done for Devers!”

“Thank you, Principal, and everyone at Devers. If it weren’t for all of you, I wouldn’t have what I have today. I remember when I first arrived at Devers…”

Song Yang and the Principal exchanged flatteries for a while. Then, he handed a fifty-thousand-dollar check to the Principal. Following that, he donated another fifty thousand dollars to the Houston Teachers’ Association through the Devers Teachers’ Union.

A round of applause broke out in the small auditorium. Barring any surprises, Song Yang would likely become the most famous member of the alumni association for this relatively obscure school.

As for the donations, it wasn’t a one-time affair. In the future, for Devers’ anniversaries or Teachers’ Day, Song Yang would need to make a gesture. And as his net worth grew, or when DoubleClick went through an IPO, the donations to Devers School would likely increase. It was no wonder the school was giving him such high-level treatment today.

After leaving the auditorium, Song Yang and the Principal walked toward the baseball training field. As a former member of the school baseball team, Song Yang had to make another donation to the team.

After all, to get on Song Yang’s good side, the school had even renamed the team the “Devers DoubleClick Baseball Team.” If Song Yang didn’t put up some money, he would probably be too embarrassed to watch their games in the future.

“Song, you’ll be the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony in a few weeks. You should start preparing,” the Principal said with a smile.

Every graduation, a student representative would give a speech in front of the parents, district government officials, and local celebrities. It was a prime opportunity to stand out, and usually, people fought for the spot. It was typically reserved for the most influential student of the graduating class, but this year, there was no need to fight for it; it had already been internally assigned to Devers’ major sponsor, Song Yang.

“Song, which university are you planning to attend? If it’s a school within the state, I can write a recommendation letter for you myself!”

Though he knew Song Yang didn’t really need his help, the Principal still offered it as a gesture of goodwill.

A multi-millionaire who might one day become a billionaire would be welcomed by any university in Texas; even the notoriously aloof Harvard wouldn’t refuse him. Just as Devers School was desperately trying to keep Song Yang as an active alumnus, what university wouldn’t want him? It meant they could receive a hefty donation every year. Who wouldn’t want that deal?

“Thank you for the kind offer, Principal. I’m still considering my options,” Song Yang said, feeling a bit of a headache. Before, he was worried that no university would take him; now, he was worried about which one to choose.

When Song Yang reached the baseball field, Coach Old Mark and the rest of the school baseball team were already waiting. When they saw Song Yang, everyone had a different reaction. One boy, built like a large bear, desperately kept his head down as if he were terrified of being spotted.

Stanton was miserable. If he had known this day would come, he would have hit himself over the head with a baseball bat before ever touching a multi-millionaire. Now, Song Yang only needed to say the word, and Stanton would not only lose any chance of reaching a NCAA college team, but he might also have trouble even getting his high school diploma from Devers.

Song Yang didn’t bother with Stanton. He walked up to the coach, Old Mark. “Coach Mark, even though I can’t play for the team anymore, thank you for looking after me. I believe the Devers team will definitely become the best high school baseball team in America!”

“It’s the ‘Devers DoubleClick Baseball Team’!”

Old Mark reminded him with a face full of smiles. He was feeling quite refreshed lately. Originally, the team’s performance this year had been a disaster, and he had been preparing for the team to be disbanded and for his own retirement.

But who would have thought? Although the team lost a pitcher, they gained a multi-millionaire. Now, the team was branded with the DoubleClick logo. As long as DoubleClick didn’t go under, this team wouldn’t be disbanded.

Not only would it stay together, but as DoubleClick became more successful, the team would receive even more sponsorship. Old Mark was already starting to fantasize—once they had more funds, he could send out a dozen scouts to scour America for talent. If he could send several batches of prodigies into the NCAA, he might become a legendary baseball Godfather, like Coach K was to basketball.

Song Yang was familiar with everyone on the team. Once the Principal left, several team members immediately crowded around him.

They bombarded him with questions: what it was like to be on TV, and whether the stories in the Houston tabloids about him and a group of models at a hotel that one night were true. To these guys, Song Yang’s recent experiences were nothing short of legendary.

Old Mark stood by, smiling, showing none of his usual strictness. He wanted nothing more than for Song Yang to be deeply involved with the team, as it meant more support and he wouldn’t have to retire early.

“There’s a birthday party tonight. You guys can come if you’re interested—gents only!”

Today was Song Yang’s birthday. He didn’t care much for it, but Gallo had used it as an excuse to organize a “Man’s Paradise” party, booking one of Houston’s best nightclubs for the occasion.

Upon hearing Song Yang’s words, the guys on the team let out a howl of excitement. A nightclub was a huge temptation for them, somewhere they usually didn’t have the chance to go.

“You can come too,” Song Yang said to Stanton, who was crouching on the field, before he turned to leave. He left the “big bear” looking completely stunned.

Stanton wasn’t like Jaden. Song Yang would definitely deal with Jaden in the future, but he no longer felt much toward Stanton. With his current status, holding a grudge against Stanton would only make him a laughingstock. Letting the guy off the hook, however, would significantly boost his own reputation.

After staying through one class, Song Yang slipped out and headed toward the school dance studio.

When she saw him, Jenny, his “cream cake,” first showed a look of joy, then quickly puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away, pretending she didn’t want to see him.

Song Yang wasn’t at all annoyed. He moved closer to the “big cream cake,” took her hand, and led her outside.

Chapter 48: Preparation

Inside the dance training room, in front of everyone, Song Yang grabbed Jenny’s hand. The “Cream Cake” flinched slightly but allowed Song Yang to lead her outside.

As they left the training room, Jenny could see the various looks from the other girls—envy, disgust, and jealousy. Dating a multi-millionaire naturally drew attention, though most of it was envy.

“What are you doing here!”

Once outside, Jenny turned her head away as she spoke, but she didn’t pull her hand back.

“You know I’ve been very busy these past few days. There have been so many things to handle…”

“Busy sleeping with those model bitches, right?!” Jenny pouted, her lips sticking out enough to hang a vinegar jar on, as she spoke to Song Yang with dissatisfaction.

Song Yang finally understood what Jenny was upset about. He pulled her into his arms, feeling that the “Cream Cake” seemed to have grown a bit larger.

Song Yang certainly wouldn’t admit to such things. “You know those tabloids love to make things up!”

Hearing this, Jenny’s anger seemed to dissipate. She knew that America was a country where entertainment was king, and reporters would use any means necessary to report on celebrities and famous people.

Leaning against Song Yang’s chest and breathing in his familiar scent, Jenny pressed her face against his heart. But then she remembered that photo, and her mood soured again. She looked up at him. “That photo couldn’t have been faked, right?”

“I was drunk that day and didn’t do anything. I can get Gallo and Hayley to testify for me!”

“Really?”

Seeing the look in Jenny’s eyes, Song Yang thought of Elsa and felt a bit guilty. But as Jenny’s expression grew increasingly suspicious, Song Yang immediately took a righteous stand and turned the tables. “It’s the absolute truth. Don’t you believe me?!”

Seeing Song Yang’s firm expression, Jenny said weakly, “I was just worried you’d be seduced by those little bitches.”

“Close your eyes!”

Hearing Song Yang’s words, Jenny’s face flushed. She thought Song Yang was about to do something naughty right there. “Not here, this is…”

Before she could finish, Song Yang covered her eyes with his hand. Jenny tilted her face up slightly, but then she felt a sudden chill on her chest and something resting against her neck. She opened her eyes and looked down to see a diamond pendant.

Seeing the pendant, Jenny covered her mouth, looking at Song Yang in shock.

“You can pick it up and take a look. You might find something,” Song Yang said to her.

In the midst of her surprise, Jenny lifted the pendant and saw a row of words engraved on it. After reading them clearly, she gave a small scream and began peppering Song Yang’s face with kisses like raindrops.

Song Yang breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally managed to smooth over the Elsa incident.

After leaving the dance studio, Jenny didn’t care that they were still at Devers School. She clung to Song Yang’s arm like a koala, refusing to let go. From time to time, she touched the pendant, thinking of the inscription: “To love at eighteen, to accompany at eighty.” When no one was looking, she pecked Song Yang on the cheek again.

Song Yang and Jenny walked toward the exit. They had a reservation at a restaurant in Houston today. Song Yang was going to have a birthday dinner there with Jenny, Gallo, and Hayley.

“Song!”

As they were about to head out, someone suddenly called out to him.

Song Yang turned around and looked at the person behind them. It took him a moment to recognize her as the “tea art” master, Ibeila. For some reason, Ibeila looked haggard and much thinner now, so much so that Song Yang didn’t recognize her at first.

Seeing Jenny practically hanging off Song Yang, Ibeila’s teeth itched with hatred. She believed that position should have been hers, and that Jenny had stolen it.

Ibeila hadn’t been having a good time lately. As Song Yang’s fame rose and his net worth skyrocketed, Stanton had also let slip that Ibeila had been the one instigating things back then. Stanton wasn’t the smartest, but he wasn’t a total fool either.

Stanton certainly didn’t want to take the blame for intentionally injuring Song Yang all by himself, so he had spilled everything. This caused Ibeila, once a prominent figure at Devers School, to lose her reputation entirely. As Song Yang’s net worth grew even higher, everyone at Devers School avoided Ibeila like the plague.

“Song, today is your birthday. I want to spend tonight with you. I’ve prepared a surprise for you!”

Ibeila was prepared to give it one last shot. If she could steal Song Yang back and start dating him, those who had been avoiding her would start sucking up to her again.

So, Ibeila gave Song Yang a hint, planning a flickering candlelight birthday surprise for him tonight. Previously, she had been playing hard to get, but tonight, Ibeila was ready to go all out.

Hearing this, Jenny’s grip on Song Yang’s arm tightened, and she looked at Ibeila warily. “No need. I’ll be with Song tonight!”

Jenny and Ibeila glared at each other, the air suddenly thick with the scent of gunpowder.

Song Yang shook his head at Ibeila and pointed at Jenny, indicating he was leaving with her. He then led Jenny toward his Ferrari. Song Yang had no desire to get involved with a “tea art” master; once you were stuck with one, you’d probably lose a layer of skin trying to shake them off.

Watching the two of them walk away, Ibeila finally burst out in a rage. “Bitch! Song, you’ll regret choosing that bitch sooner or later!”

This time, Jenny didn’t respond to Ibeila. She gave her a triumphant look and pulled Song Yang straight into the car.

Inside a high-end restaurant in Houston, Hayley watched Jenny, who was foolishly smiling while constantly touching her pendant. Hayley couldn’t help but palm her forehead, feeling like this silly girl was beyond saving. Then she muttered “scumbag” at Song Yang.

However, looking at Gallo next to her, Hayley grew even more annoyed. He wasn’t even as good as Song Yang. He hadn’t even given her anything valuable. How had she been so blind to choose this guy?

On Gallo’s side, he was mysteriously telling Song Yang about the surprise he had prepared for him tonight.

Under the table, Hayley kicked Gallo, who couldn’t stop talking for a second. He sucked in a breath of cold air from the pain. Only then did Hayley say to Song Yang, “Song, you promised me a movie role. How much longer do I have to wait?!”

On the side, Jenny finally put down the pendant and pricked up her ears, looking at Song Yang.

“Soon!”

Song Yang bluffed as usual. But looking at Hayley’s furrowed brows, Song Yang thought for a moment and said, “If the plan goes smoothly, I’ll look for a suitable Hollywood company to collaborate with by the end of the year!”

If the email plan went smoothly, Song Yang would have enough funds to launch The Matrix film project, which wouldn’t be difficult at all.

Hearing this, a look of joy appeared on Hayley’s face. Her time spent working the front desk at DoubleClick hadn’t been in vain. “When the time comes, you have to give me a role with enough screen time and depth…”

As Song Yang listened to Hayley, he noted she at least had some self-awareness and wasn’t asking to be the female lead. Turning his head, he saw Jenny looking at him expectantly. Naturally, Song Yang wouldn’t show favoritism. “When the time comes, you can join the crew too!”

After they finished their meal and Jenny and Song Yang shared some intimate moments, Hayley pulled Jenny away to go shopping at several brand-name stores in Houston. Song Yang and Gallo, along with the guys from the baseball team and some other acquaintances, headed to the reserved nightclub.

For Song Yang, who had lived two lives, this was his first time in such a place. Except for Gallo, who acted like an old hand, everyone else was full of curiosity.

The nightclub they went to was a venue in Houston that provided high-end services. The parking lot at the entrance was completely full, showing how good business was.

Above the main entrance was a golden bull’s head logo, and the decor was quite luxurious. Several burly men in suits stood at the door, seemingly warning anyone entering not to try making trouble in this establishment.

Song Yang, Gallo, and the others walked in together, and a massive nightclub club appeared before their eyes. Their ears were immediately blasted by a wave of deafening DJ music. On the circular stage in the very center, a group of girls in skimpy, hot outfits were performing energetically. Large screens, comparable to those in an NBA arena, also displayed the spectacle.

Red lights flashed on the liquor bottles at the bar, and from time to time, waitresses in skimpy outfits walked by. This was why it was known as the “Men’s Disney.” Some of the baseball team members, seeing this scene for the first time, were staring wide-eyed. Even Gallo, the self-proclaimed old hand, wasn’t faring much better.

Song Yang and his group didn’t go to the main hall but went directly to the reserved VIP skybox. From here, they had a clear view of the entire nightclub, and there was specialized service staff. Of course, it wasn’t cheap. Not counting drinks, service fees, or tips, the space alone cost three hundred dollars an hour…

“Song, how is it? I told you, I’ve prepared a man’s paradise for you…” After sitting down, Gallo leaned in and shouted into Song Yang’s ear.

Song Yang gave the guy a dirty look, feeling that Gallo hadn’t done this for his birthday but rather for his own enjoyment.

The drinks began to be served. Gallo poured a glass for Song Yang and raised his own. “A toast to Song! To the future richest man in Houston, to the next Bill Gates!”

The group raised their glasses, following Gallo in a howling chorus, and then began gulping down the alcohol.

Song Yang shook his head and took a sip of water. Then he suddenly felt something was wrong. He noticed that after one round of drinks was served, the staff didn’t stop; instead, they kept bringing more bottles to Song Yang’s table. Looking at the packaging, they were clearly not cheap.

“Did you order all these drinks?” Song Yang asked Gallo, who was enthusiastically watching the performance on stage.

Gallo turned back and saw the pile of drinks on the table, including many expensive ones like Martinis, Johnnie Walker, and Margaritas. He was also bewildered and then cursed, “Who the hell ordered these?!”

Gallo stopped a waiter who was still bringing drinks and pointed at them. “Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?”

“These drinks are a gift for my ‘friend’!”

As those words were spoken, a tall man, a typical Texas cowboy in appearance, walked over followed by several burly bodyguards.

Chapter 49: Unconventional

A man in his late twenties, looking every bit the Texas cowboy, walked over. He was followed by several burly bodyguards. Song Yang noticed that as the man approached, the expressions of the surrounding patrons and nightclub staff shifted instantly.

It was obvious that this man’s status was far from simple—or rather, for many people here, he was someone they simply could not afford to provoke.

“It’s the King of Nightlife!”

A gasp went up from someone near Song Yang, clearly recognizing the man. However, the person immediately shut their mouth after the outburst. Song Yang looked over to find Stanton, who had followed them at some point; the fellow seemed to know exactly who this man was.

The man, referred to by his nickname, didn’t seem to mind at all. He had plenty of aliases: “King of Nightlife,” “The Lucifer of Houston,” and more. In different people’s eyes, he took on different personas, though none of those nicknames were particularly flattering.

“Eric!” The man extended a hand to Song Yang. On his arm was a striking tattoo that caught Song Yang’s eye: it was the archangel Lucifer.

Song Yang shook hands with Eric. Although he wasn’t sure what Eric’s angle was, he knew he had to be on guard when dealing with someone like this. One shouldn’t dream of taking advantage of such a person; it was a stroke of luck just to avoid being swindled. Eric clearly operated on the wild side, and he likely didn’t care about playing fair—he’d use any means necessary.

No matter the country, those who dealt in tobacco, bars, casinos, and arms—including the nightclub industry—were in high-profit businesses. Earning the title “King of Nightlife” meant Eric certainly owned more than just this one establishment.

Those in this trade were typically ruthless characters with immense influence. In America, running a nightclub required business licenses, catering permits, and the most difficult to obtain: a liquor license. Those were just the official requirements. Unofficially, one also had to keep departments like the FBI and the IRS well-fed.

Beneath the surface, one had to guard against rivals and deal with other gangs. Without some serious weight behind you, you couldn’t hold down a place like this.

Song Yang pointed at the table full of drinks, which likely cost tens of thousand of dollars in total. “Mr. Eric, what is the meaning of this?”

“It’s just a small gesture of etiquette for a ‘friend.’ RICK Club always provides the best service for its VIPs. Song, you are a distinguished guest of our RICK Club. I heard it was your birthday today, so these were all prepared for you!”

As he spoke, Eric gave a nod to a man behind him who looked like a manager. The manager clapped his hands, and a large group of scantily clad girls began walking toward them. The girl leading the group was exceptionally beautiful. This immediately drew the attention of the entire club; hiring this many hostesses for a single night would likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Song, and everyone else, I hope RICK Club does not disappoint. Tonight, everything is on me!”

“Song, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Eric handed Song Yang a business card and then left immediately with his bodyguards.

Song Yang tried to say something, but the group of girls had already flocked over. The lead girl went straight for Song Yang’s arm, tucking it against her.

“Nicole!” The girl sitting next to Song Yang introduced herself with a curious smile, extending her hand. She had been summoned by Eric to fly back urgently from Los Angeles today. Nicole had expected to be accompanying some old fossil; she hadn’t expected Song Yang to be so young.

Upon hearing Nicole’s name, one of the baseball team members nearby blurted out in shock, “The one who was on the cover of Playboy?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the player looked embarrassed, as if he had accidentally let a secret slip.

Nicole didn’t mind at all. She just giggled. At the peak of her prime, every movement she made was full of alluring charm.

However, Song Yang had no interest in getting involved with a Playboy cover girl. Eric was sending over expensive booze and recruiting Nicole; such an investment only made Song Yang more cautious. He had no idea what the man was really up to.

After having a single drink with Nicole, Song Yang stood up and made an excuse to leave. As he walked away, he glanced toward a corner where Stanton was crouching, seemingly terrified that Song Yang might spot him.

Standing in a quiet corner on the upper floor, Song Yang looked down at the neon-lit, liquor-soaked scene in the main hall. He suddenly understood what the tattoo on Eric’s arm meant. Just like the fallen angel Lucifer, this place was likely the most decadent spot in all of Houston.

He didn’t have to wait long. Within moments, he saw Stanton shuffling toward him at a snail’s pace.

“Do you know that Eric?” Song Yang asked Stanton directly.

Hearing that Song Yang wasn’t there to interrogate him about his earlier behavior, Stanton breathed a sigh of relief but shook his head. “He’s probably never even heard of me. I only know of Eric through street rumors. They say he owns forty-one nightclubs, restaurants, and hotels across America, and he even has a casino in South Houston!”

Stanton recounted the rumors he had heard about Eric. Most were street legends—some sounded plausible, but others, like Eric being the “Underground Godfather of Houston” or fighting a war against the New York Mafia for territory, were clearly nonsense. However, these rumors made one thing clear: Eric was not a man to be trifled with.

What could be verified was that he was a Houston native who started hustling in his teens. Over twenty years, he had built this entertainment empire.

Having gathered some information, Song Yang sent Stanton back. Song Yang didn’t want to stay much longer, but since everyone had come to celebrate his birthday, he couldn’t leave too early. Still, not knowing Eric’s endgame, Song Yang declined as many drinks as possible.

This left Nicole, the Playboy girl, feeling like she had no way to approach him. Usually, men flocked to her like moths to a flame, but Song Yang barely spared her a look. It made Nicole start to wonder if her looks were fading or if she was no longer what the new generation of American men wanted.

As the late hours of the night arrived, the atmosphere in the club grew even more heated. The mixture of tobacco and alcohol made the air feel stifling. Feeling a bit lightheaded, Song Yang stood up and left the VIP booth.

Wanting some fresh air, Song Yang spotted a staircase and headed toward it. The two men guarding the entrance saw it was Song Yang and pulled back their feet, allowing him to pass.

When he pushed open the door at the top of the stairs, a gust of wind hit him immediately. It was a rooftop terrace. Song Yang stepped out and saw a small cabin built there, complete with lounge chairs, a barbecue grill, and other amenities. A pile of empty bottles was scattered on the ground, indicating someone lived or spent a lot of time here.

Out of curiosity, Song Yang took a closer look. When he saw the person lying on the chair, he immediately regretted it and tried to turn around to leave. But the person on the chair had already spotted him and called him out.

He hadn’t expected to run into Eric here. Song Yang could only bite the bullet and walk over.

“I thought you’d enjoy the scene downstairs. When I was eighteen or nineteen, I used to think that was heaven,” Eric said to Song Yang with a smile.

Eric picked up a box of cigars and asked, “Want one?”

Song Yang waved his hand, declining Eric’s offer.

Eric seemed to sense Song Yang’s wariness and gestured with the cigar in his hand. “Then you’re missing out, Song. This is something I got from Plasencia. It’s got a lot more kick than those soft cigars. I bet Plasencia will be the Cigar King of America one day!”

“Song, I mean you no harm.”

Eric lay back down on the lounge chair. “I know you might have heard some rumors, but you know how rumors go—they’re always a bit off.”

“Song, the truth is, we are the same kind of people,” Eric suddenly dropped.

“Maybe,” Song Yang replied with a dry laugh. The hell we are, he thought. Song Yang was in a perfectly legal industry.

Eric looked rugged, but his observation skills were sharp. Noticing the subtle expression on Song Yang’s face, he guessed what the young man was thinking.

“Actually, my first company was a community media company I started when I was about sixteen. I built it with twelve thousand dollars, and an advertising agency in Austin took an interest and bought it for twelve thousand dollars.”

Eric couldn’t help but sound a bit proud as he recalled this, and Song Yang’s attention was finally piqued.

It seemed Eric hadn’t talked about this in a long time, as he continued to share stories from his past. “When I was twenty-one, after I got divorced, I bought my first nightclub. I had to sell my entire collection of baseball cards to get the forty thousand dollars for it!”

Hearing about the baseball cards, Song Yang couldn’t help but ask, “You played baseball too?”

“Star of the school team. Later switched to football. You know, football players are way more popular with the girls.” Eric flexed his muscles.

Eric looked at Song Yang. “Actually, it’s more than that, Song. RICK Club might just join your DoubleClick on the NASDAQ!”

Song Yang looked at Eric with a bizarre expression, wondering if Eric had misspoken or if he had misheard. A nightclub company going public on the NASDAQ?

Eric wasn’t surprised by Song Yang’s reaction. Every time he met with those Wall Street firms in New York, they had the same look on their faces.

With a helpless shrug, Eric took a swig from his bottle. “I couldn’t believe it either. But a few months ago, RICK submitted an IPO application to the NASDAQ Exchange Committee, and it wasn’t rejected!”

For a moment, Song Yang was speechless. He didn’t know when the NASDAQ had become so unconventional. This was playing the game on a whole different level of “wild.”

After a long pause, Song Yang carefully asked, “Then what is it you want, Eric?”

Song Yang was referring to the elaborate arrangements Eric had made today. If RICK Club could actually go public, Eric would transform overnight into a major mogul of the American entertainment industry. Even if it wasn’t exactly a “traditional” entertainment business, his status would be incomparable to what it was now.

Chapter 50: Inflating the Bubble

Hearing Song Yang’s words, Eric shook his head and said, “I want to make changes to the RICK Club. Do you know that my mother tried to donate to the church, and they rejected it?”

Mentioning this, Eric was clearly a bit angry and helpless. He had offered dollars, yet they had been refused.

Song Yang wasn’t going to be easily fooled by Eric’s words. If he truly wanted to donate, there were plenty of opportunities to do so privately.

But to donate publicly under the banner of the RICK Club—unless the recipient wanted to commit social suicide in America, they wouldn’t dare accept it.

Despite how Hollywood films portrayed America as incredibly open, in this country where Puritanism remained a mainstream influence, people still valued their reputation, or at least the appearance of it.

Seeing that Song Yang didn’t seem to believe him, Eric said, “I guarantee that within the RICK Club, nothing out of line ever happens. The fact that NASDAQ accepted RICK’s IPO application already proves that!”

“I want RICK to undergo a transformation, more than just running these late-night venues. I hope to lead RICK into other industries and ensure the company can endure for a long time.”

Naturally, there was a mix of truth and lies in those words. Eric did indeed want to make changes, partly because of the industry’s poor image. Even if RICK went public, outsiders wouldn’t consider Eric a true heavyweight in the American entertainment industry; many even called him a pimp behind his back.

Furthermore, Eric had encountered trouble. Nightclubs were a very specific type of business, subject to heavy public scrutiny and controversy. No matter how messy the federal government was, they still had to save face on the surface. They couldn’t openly support the RICK Club, which made it impossible for Eric to secure loans from banks.

All of this left Eric frazzled. Going public was a last resort. Whether RICK wanted to maintain its current industry status or truly transform and enter other sectors, it needed money. In this industry, Eric was already a big shot; to take the next step, it wasn’t a matter of just opening a few more nightclubs.

“Song, RICK truly intends to transform. We want to cooperate with people like you and tech companies like DoubleClick!”

Eric laid it out for Song Yang. To have reached this point, Eric naturally possessed some vision. He knew what the hottest industry currently was, and in Houston, the biggest name on the internet right now was undoubtedly DoubleClick.

Song Yang hadn’t expected Eric to want to collaborate with DoubleClick. He didn’t want to provoke Eric, so he could only reply vaguely, “Perhaps. If the opportunity arises, I will definitely cooperate with the RICK Company!”

Eric wasn’t surprised by this rhetoric. In fact, if Song Yang had agreed immediately, Eric would have suspected that Song Yang was preparing to scam him.

“This is America. Anything can happen, and everyone has their own value. Keep my card; who knows when you might need it, Song!”

Eric looked at Song Yang with a meaningful expression. As he finished speaking, he produced a card that looked quite luxurious, inlaid with small diamond fragments.

“This is the RICK Club Diamond Card. It can be used anywhere in America where there is a RICK Club. Besides receiving the best service, the holder also receives the full support of RICK clubs everywhere, including temporary safe harbor. There are currently no more than two hundred people in America who hold this card. The most recent person to receive it was Marshall II!”

The Marshall family was a famous multi-billion dollar oil dynasty in Houston. Decades ago, the family had exchanged a 15% equity stake with Koch Industries, the American chemical giant also based in Texas. One could only imagine how wealthy they were. Since even Marshall II had become a guest of the RICK Club, Eric was “subtly” revealing the club’s extensive reach.

“Thanks!”

Song Yang picked up the diamond card and glanced at it. In addition to the RICK logo, it was engraved with a phrase that reflected the RICK Club’s style: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.”

Put anywhere else, this might just be seen as posturing, but printed on a RICK Diamond Card, it inevitably sparked the imagination.

After coming down from the rooftop, Song Yang returned directly to his seat. At that moment, Gallo and his group were flirting heavily with Nicole and the other hostesses. Gallo had clearly had quite a bit to drink.

“Time to go!” Song Yang went over and pulled Gallo up.

Once outside, Gallo sobered up slightly and said to Song Yang, “I went looking for you just now. The RICK Club people said you went to see Eric. Everything okay between you two?”

Gallo’s expression betrayed some concern. Eric wasn’t small fry like Frank; he was a true local power player in Houston.

Song Yang looked at Gallo, knowing that while he’d drunk a lot, his brain wasn’t completely soaked in alcohol yet. He tossed the RICK Club Diamond Card to him. “It’s fine. We just discussed some business.”

Gallo scrambled to catch the card. After seeing what kind of card it was, his face filled with shock. “Song, are you really giving this to me?!”

Gallo had heard of this RICK Diamond Card. He’d heard that those who received it were basically all people of significant net worth or power. For an average person to get one, they had to go through a RICK audit first.

DoubleClick had begun to hit its stride. After hiring three hundred new employees, the company’s size had more than doubled, and Ryan was still preparing the New York branch. The overall scale of DoubleClick was set to continue its expansion.

Although Song Yang was still busy, it was much better than the days of working from dawn until midnight in the garage.

In the office building where DoubleClick was located, Song Yang leased another floor to serve as the headquarters for his new project.

“The main problem right now is still the lack of manpower!”

As the person in charge of the two new projects, Wesley was currently overwhelmed. Compared to Silicon Valley, there were still too few internet talents in Houston, let alone technical gurus.

Song Yang looked at the newly set up office floor, which had only a handful of people, and couldn’t help but sigh. At this time, let alone Houston, internet talent from across the world was basically on a “pilgrimage” to Silicon Valley. A place like Houston didn’t have much of a draw for top-tier tech talent.

“On this trip to Silicon Valley, I’m going to choose a headquarters for the ICQ instant messaging project. Once the email project is finished, the ICQ project will move there!”

Song Yang gritted his teeth as he spoke. Originally, he hadn’t wanted to buy land just yet; he simply didn’t have the money to build a headquarters. But clearly, not moving to Silicon Valley was already starting to hinder the development of projects like ICQ.

Land prices in Silicon Valley weren’t cheap now, but compared to later generations, they were certainly much more affordable. If he didn’t secure some plots now, he would likely have to spend an enormous amount of dollars just to buy land in the future.

Hearing that they could move to Silicon Valley, Wesley’s face lit up with joy. In this era, what tech worker didn’t want to make a pilgrimage to Silicon Valley? Even if the conditions there weren’t necessarily better than Houston, countless people still viewed it as a “Holy Land,” accompanied by endless rumors of overnight wealth.

After handling the affairs in Houston, Song Yang set off for San Francisco with Greck, Irene, and the others.

Unlike his last hurried trip, coming to San Francisco this time felt different for Song Yang.

Upon arriving in San Francisco, Song Yang naturally had to visit some old acquaintances. He headed for the Wired magazine offices.

Just like before, even though she was now a full employee, Keira was still the first to arrive at the Wired entrance.

Just as she reached the door, Keira saw a familiar figure standing there. She thought her eyes must be playing tricks on her. The person she had met once, but who had left an indelible impression, should currently be living the life of a multi-millionaire in Houston. Why would he be here so early in the morning?

However, as she approached and saw that face with its warm smile, leaning casually against the glass door just like the first time they met, Keira couldn’t help but cover her mouth.

“Keira, long time no see!” Song Yang said to her, lifting the coffees in his hand. “I wasn’t sure which flavor you liked, so I brought a few!”

Keira opened the magazine office’s door, still looking at Song Yang in disbelief. “Song, I didn’t think you’d still remember me…”

“I said I wouldn’t forget. Thank you for everything you did last time!” Song Yang took out a pre-prepared jewelry box and placed it in Keira’s hand.

Seeing the Tiffany & Co. logo on the box, Keira knew it was expensive. Her salary for half a year probably wouldn’t be enough to buy it. “Song, I can’t accept this. I was just doing my job…”

Song Yang wouldn’t take no for an answer and tucked the Tiffany box into Keira’s pocket. “This is what you deserve. If it weren’t for you, I might never have met Kevin Kelly, and DoubleClick wouldn’t be where it is today. I should really be giving you a medal that weighs a ton!”

Song Yang’s words made Keira burst into laughter. She felt as though everything today was still part of a dream.

It wasn’t just Keira. Kevin Kelly, whose beard had grown significantly longer, was also stunned when he walked into the office and saw Song Yang’s silhouette.

“The multi-millionaire has graced the halls of Wired!” Kevin Kelly hugged Song Yang, speaking with a hint of banter.

His feelings toward Song Yang were different from others. He had practically watched Song Yang rise with his own eyes, and one could even say that Wired magazine had blown the bubble of DoubleClick up step by step…

UNTITLED

1. Chapter 1: The Ball at the Start
2. Chapter 2: Enemies Cross Paths
3. Chapter 3: The World Has Changed
4. Chapter 4: The Stepping Stone
5. Chapter 5: The First to Eat the Crab
6. Chapter 6: The Garage
7. Chapter 7: Poaching
8. Chapter 8: The Signboard
9. Chapter 9: Tyrant
10. Chapter 10: Running Out of Funds
11. Chapter 11: The Water Gun
12. Chapter 12: The Bugler
13. Chapter 13: Borrowing the East Wind
14. Chapter 14: Creating Momentum
15. Chapter 15: Under the Banner
16. Chapter 16: The East Wind Rises

17. Chapter 17: Like a Spring Breeze Overnight

18. Chapter 18: Adding Fuel to the Fire
19. Chapter 19: Public Persona
20. Chapter 20: The Spotlight

21. Chapter 21: Recruiting Soldiers and Buying Horses

22. Chapter 22: An Outrageous Demand
23. Chapter 23: Into the Trap
24. Chapter 24: A Motley Crew
25. Chapter 25: Jiang Taigong Fishing
26. Chapter 26: The Willing Takes the Bait
27. Chapter 27: An Unexpected Guest
28. Chapter 28: The Rookie
29. Chapter 29: Intercepting the Deal
30. Chapter 30: Hidden Motives
31. Chapter 31: Greed Knows No Bounds
32. Chapter 32: The Godfather
33. Chapter 33: Daytime Reflections

34. Chapter 34: TV Dramas During Commercial Breaks

35. Chapter 35: The Spark Ignites a Blaze
36. Chapter 36: Back on Top
37. Chapter 37: Center Stage
38. Chapter 38: Behind the Scenes
39. Chapter 39: Resonance
40. Chapter 40: Unavoidable
41. Chapter 41: Expanding the Empire
42. Chapter 42: Leading the Way
43. Chapter 43: Enemies Cross Paths
44. Chapter 44: Steady as the Forest

45. Chapter 45: This Rookie is Quite Formidable

46. Chapter 46: Exactly the Same
47. Chapter 47: Attitude
48. Chapter 48: Preparation
49. Chapter 49: Unconventional
50. Chapter 50: Inflating the Bubble