"James, old friend!" Zhou Shuo stood up with some surprise, hugged him, and smiled happily: "What kind of wind blew you here?" ”

"Dear Zhou, I'm here to say hello to you. Your six-eared IM has been a big success lately. James slapped Zhou Shuo's back vigorously and said with a smile.

"And thanks to James, for the help you gave me in the first place." Zhou Shuo said sincerely: "If you hadn't been in charge and bought the Ghost software I wrote, I wouldn't be where I am today." ”

"No, no, I'm sure you'd come this far without me." James Ha Lu Ha Da Lu said with a smile: "Zhou, your talent is beyond doubt, I just did what I had to do. ”

Zhou Shuo held his hand and said with feeling: "No matter what, you are my friend, Misses." ”

"Of course, as long as you don't dislike me for being a poor bastard." James Ha Da laughed.

Zhou Shuo looked at James' familiar face, as if time had not changed anything in him. But time has changed a lot in me. Although it was only less than a year, when I recalled the days when I was in a high school, it seemed like a long time had passed. Even the crisis of being replaced at that time was already insignificant.

He stretched out his hand to ask James to sit down, and asked with concern, "How's your friend, James?" Microsoft has made a big move this year, so it won't make you hungry, right? ”

James sat on the sofa, shook his head and said with a wry smile: "You know, although ERP is very profitable, it is still a marginal department at Microsoft. ”

"That's a shame. I think you definitely deserve better treatment. Zhou Shuo shook his head regretfully, obviously feeling sorry for him.

Instead, James smiled with some optimism and open-mindedness: "Ha Lu Ha." I know what I'm capable of. I'm very satisfied to be in this position. ”

He patted Zhou Shuo's shoulder in admiration. Said sincerely: "Don't talk about me, your six-eared IM is a big deal." God, I guess no one would have thought that they would be able to promote a product in a way that makes a movie. This kind of thing can only be done by a genius like you. ”

Zhou Shuo smiled quite complacently: "This is thanks to me finding a good director, otherwise my reputation would have been stinky." ”

James shook his head and sighed, "I doubt you can do it yourself, maybe the result will be better." I don't even know what I can do now, what else you can't do. ”

"Alright. Don't compliment me, I'm a very proud person. ”

Zhou Shuo played a joke, although James and him belonged to different camps, but the two really felt very relaxed when they were together. Just being able to get along with Chinese without prejudice was not easy for Americans in the nineties. What's more, he is sincere and has a bottom line, no matter how his identity changes, this kind of person is always willing to socialize. Playing clever and intrigue may be able to gain a momentary profit, but in order to stand high enough in society and go further, a good image is essential.

James pursed his lips. Nodding his head, he said, "Okay, but with your talents, I should say that pride is due." Speaking of which, even Bill is asking me about you. ”

"How. Does Microsoft still want to recruit me? Ha Lu Ha. "Bill's name, of course, is like thunder. Zhou Shuo believed that his name would be able to enter his ears today, and it would not be long before he would be qualified to sit down and drink coffee with him.

James spread his hands and said helplessly: "Bill is afraid that he can't afford you now." However, Microsoft is still very interested in the six-ear IM. ”

"Oh, what does Microsoft want to do?" Zhou Shuo cheered up. Zhilu said: I'm afraid this is the subject of today's conversation. The fact that Six-Ear IM can enter Microsoft's sight shows that its strategic vision is finally going to be realized.

James got straight to the point and said, "Bill means he wants to buy the six-eared IM. Netscape's growth made him feel threatened. Microsoft wants to occupy a bridgehead in the Mark. Before Anderson attacked, he first burned the war to the Internet market. ”

"It's Microsoft's style to strike first." Zhou Shuo praised from the bottom of his heart: "The enemy of the enemy is a friend." With the successful experience of ERP, I think there is no reason for me to refuse to cooperate. ”

"Great, I'll know." James waved his fist excitedly and said with a smile: "Successful operators will never give up the opportunity to grow themselves. ”

Zhou Shuo shook his head lightly and said with a smile: "Don't be happy too early, my asking price is not low." ”

That being said, Zhou Shuo's heart had already burst into laughter. Although he has always invested a lot of energy in software, the focus is still on the electronic chip industry. But in the chip industry, tens of millions of dollars can't even be thrown into it. The price of introducing even the most basic production line is calculated in hundreds of millions of dollars. With the lessons of Huajing's past, it is impossible for Zhou Shuo not to be fully prepared, so he rashly enters the bottomless pit.

In the final analysis, it was he who saw a card that Microsoft played in the face of the strong threat of Netscape before Windows went public. It can even be said that from the very beginning, Zhou Shuo wanted to sell Liuer IM to Microsoft to raise funds to return to China to invest in the chip industry.

Now that the whole plan is finally about to be realized, how can he not be excited? At this moment, Liu'er IM can be regarded as realizing its mission and seeking benevolence.

James smiled indifferently: "After all, it can be discussed, as long as both parties are sincere, they will definitely be able to get a plan that everyone is satisfied with." ”

"I hope so, but what about Microsoft's solution?" Zhou Shuo nodded and asked.

"I'm not going around in circles." James said crisply: "The reserve price is $100 million in cash, and patents or cross-shareholdings can be negotiated." ”

"$100 million, that's a bit of a stretch." Zhou Shuo smacked his lips and said with a frown.

James hurriedly said: "You can also put forward some patent or share requirements, Liuer IM or Microsoft shares are fine." If you want me to say, the two sides are cross-shared. It's also good for collaboration. ”

"Well, you have a point." Zhou Shuo thought for a moment. Nodding: "$100 million in cash, plus one percent of Microsoft's shares." In exchange for a 50 percent stake in Six Ears Software. Six-ear IM is integrated into windows95 that Microsoft is working on, and that's what I'm asking for. ”

Although there is only $100 million in cash, Microsoft's stock is too rare. That is, in 1995, Microsoft's market value of one percent was only two or three hundred million dollars.

Microsoft is not yet the software giant whose legs are thicker than other people's arms, and its market value will not reach its peak until at least three years after the release of Windows 95. By that time, even one percent of the shares would have been worth billions of dollars in 1999. Three years, dozens of times the profit, so Zhou Shuo doesn't mind waiting a little longer.

Of course, even the market value of "only" two or three billion yuan in 1995 is already a very huge amount of money at this time.

"Nope. No way. James raised his hand, shook his head forcefully and said, "At least fifty-one percent of the shares, this is Bill's bottom line." ”

Zhou Shuo raised his eyebrows, nodded and said, "Then three percent of Microsoft's shares, for eighty percent of the six ears IM." ”

James frowned and thought about it, and said in embarrassment: "This asking price is too high, and the board of directors will not agree." ”

Zhou Shuo spread his hands, his body relaxed, and he leaned back on the sofa, sighed and said, "If you can't hold at least fifty percent of the shares of Six Ears Software Company." It's too dangerous for me. In contrast, I think Microsoft shares are a bit safer. ”

As the so-called heart of defense is indispensable, this is not Zhou Shuo's belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain, but a normal way of self-protection in the mall. The main value of the six-eared IM. It's about the skyrocketing number of users. But if Microsoft takes control of the company's operations, it can find an excuse to import users to the new software.

Compared with Microsoft's own son, Liu'er IM was born by his ex-wife after all. Why should the income that can be swallowed alone be distributed to Zhou Shuo 49%.

So either Zhou Shuo maintains his influence on the six-eared IM, or he completely withdraws from it. The premise of cooperation is that they are evenly matched. If it's IBM or Intel, of course, you don't need to worry about being cheated. But judging from his size, it is impossible to be on an equal footing with Microsoft. If you are reduced to a weak position in the Six Ears Software Company. At that time, it will definitely be a situation of being slaughtered by others.

James' face was solemn, he straightened up and said, "But the six-eared IM is not worth three percent of Microsoft's market price, not to mention that there are $100 million in cash." ”

Zhou Shuo retorted: "It's not worth it now, it doesn't mean it's not worth it in the future." As long as Microsoft can operate seriously, the market value of 3% will soon be reached. ”

"Microsoft's three percent, you're digging Bill's lifeline." James shook his head and sighed, not believing that such a condition could be passed.

Zhou Shuo picked up the microphone, handed it to him and said, "If you don't try it, you can call and ask for instructions." ”

James looked at Zhou Shuo for a while, and saw that he was serious, so he had to take the phone helplessly, shake his head and dial Bill's number.

A beep beep sounded over the microphone, and he cleared his throat and lifted his spirits to say, "Bill is me, James." ”

"Yes, I'm calling you in Zhou's office. That's right, Zhou came up with a plan, and I think I need to ask your opinion. ”

"Three percent of Microsoft's shares, for eighty percent of the shares of Six Ears IM, and of course 100 million in cash."

"Yes, I've already mentioned the fifty-one percent plan. Zhou's opinion is that if he can't keep it at least fifty percent, he won't leave too many shares of Six Ears Software. ”

"Well, at least on the bright side, we're building a foundation of mutual trust."

"Good Bill, I'm sure you've made the right decision."

James dropped the phone and said incredulously, "Good news, Bill agreed to your request." ”

Zhou Shuo's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he hurriedly asked, "Which one?" Fifty percent, or eighty percent? ”

James breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Eighty percent, you see me saying that Microsoft is sincere." ”

Eighty percent of the shares of Six Ears Software Company, which means that Bill wants to take out three percent of Microsoft's shares. In this way, as long as you wait for three years, won't you have a market value of tens of billions? Zhou Shuo felt dizzy in his head, if this money is converted into RMB at that time, it will be more than 80 billion! Not to mention drinking a bowl of soy milk, we can build a single crystal furnace and smash one ......

His wish was fulfilled, so he didn't care about James's complaints, and apologized while smiling: "I'm sorry James, you know the truth, I am not familiar with life in the United States, and I must be cautious." ”

James nodded and said with the same feeling: "I can understand that sometimes the United States is not a paradise, especially for the Chinese. ”

Zhou Shuo held his hand and said heartily, "Thank you for your understanding, my friend." ”

As soon as he put down James's hand, the phone on the desk rang again. Zhou Shuo took the phone and listened to it twice in confusion, and sent the microphone out of the mouth with a strange face and said, "James who is looking for you, it's Bill." ”

James took the phone and said directly excitedly: "Bill, I'm James." We talked very well, and Zhou has already agreed to 80 percent of the plan. ”

However, when he finished speaking, Bill said two more words on the phone, and James's face quickly turned cloudy. He calmed his face and said hesitantly: "I'm afraid this is not good." ”

Bill seemed to yell a few words in a fierce tone on the phone, and then James sighed and nodded in frustration: "Yes, it's just a verbal agreement, and it hasn't fallen on paper yet." ”

"Well, you're the boss." James hung up the phone in frustration, looking at Zhou Shuo and stopping.

Zhou Shuo looked at his strange face and asked strangely, "James, what happened?" ”

James spread his hands and said inexplicably: "Bill changed his mind, one percent of Microsoft shares and $100 million in cash, in exchange for eighty percent of Liu'er IM shares." ”

Zhou Shuo was dumbfounded and shouted: "This is impossible, is Microsoft playing with my feelings!" ”

"Calm down, Zhou, calm down!" James hurriedly calmed Zhou Shuo's emotions, and said helplessly: "I know that you will definitely not agree, and I don't want to persuade you more now, I have to admit that Bill is not authentic in this matter." But I promise Microsoft isn't playing with your feelings, and you'd better pay attention to the news on the Internet for what it's about. ”

James stood up regretfully and sighed: "As for whether to agree with Microsoft's proposal, you still have some time to think about it." How exactly to decide, I'm waiting for your news. ”

Zhou Shuo calmed down and nodded: "Okay, no matter what the result is, I thank you for coming." ”

"Don't say that, I'm sure you'll make the right choice." James held Zhou Shuo's hands tightly, as if to convey his support for him in this way. (To be continued......)