My Age of Investment

   "$40 billion! Darren, tell me, this is not true, right? How could Microsoft charge such a sky-high price? What kind of ecstasy did you give Gates?"

   A few days later, Yang Zhiyuan dialed Xia Jingxing's phone number, and when he came up, he asked a series of questions, his tone was full of shock and confusion, and there was even a hint of discomfort.

   "Jerry, don't get excited! Didn't Microsoft make an announcement? The answer is all there."

  On the other end of the phone, Xia Jingxing made a "shut up" gesture to Christina who walked into the study with coffee, and then continued to chat with Yang Zhiyuan.

   "Daren, you must have something to hide from me."

   "No! You worry too much."

  Hearing this, Jerry Yang's tone became a little more serious, and he said, "Daren, since you have entrusted me with the full power to acquire Android, you shouldn't hide anything from me."

  After Christina took the coffee out of the tray and put it on the table, she didn't turn around and leave, but sat down next to Xia Jingxing, watching with a smile how he answered Yang Zhiyuan's question.

   "Okay! Let me tell you the truth, I am very dissatisfied with the current progress of the acquisition negotiations, very dissatisfied."

  Xia Jingxing feigned anger and said, "It's fine in normal times, it doesn't matter if we talk about it for a year or so.

   But what is the situation now?

  Since the news of Android’s prostitution was released, the entire company has become panicked. Everyone began to worry about their future prospects, and some even planned to leave.

   There is no turning back when there is no turning back. Only by finalizing the deal as soon as possible can people be reassured, avoid violent turmoil within Android, and lose their hard-won market leadership.

  In addition, a person familiar with the matter revealed to me that Google and Wisdom Fruit have formed a temporary interest alliance, using their contacts and energy accumulated over the years to lobby congressmen everywhere, aiming to destroy the idea of ​​selling Android..."

  Yang Zhiyuan first heard Xia Jingxing's words, and felt that he was perfunctory, but when he heard that Google and Wisdom Fruit were involved, he immediately became alert, and subconsciously asked, "Is Page and Cook really involved?"

   "Yes, those two guys clearly have no good intentions. Android is obviously much easier to deal with in my hands than in Facebook's hands."

   Yang Zhiyuan on the other end of the phone was silent, because he felt that things were becoming more and more complicated.

  Facebook, Microsoft, Wisdom Fruit and Google, a total of four giant companies participated in the change of ownership of Android.

  Facebook and Microsoft want to buy Android, and the other two companies that have developed their own mobile operating systems obviously want to break the deal.

   Hey, no!

  Microsoft obviously has its own Windows Phone system, and it has been released for more than half a year. Its market share is second only to Android and Wisdom Fruit. As for spending such a high price to buy Android?

  There is a conspiracy! There must be some conspiracy that I don't understand!

   After reacting, Jerry Yang asked again: "Then what are you going to do next? Sell Android to Microsoft?"

   "You know, the ideal person to hold hands with is always Facebook, and that won't change."

   "Microsoft's offer is higher."

   "So, I think Facebook should have a sense of urgency, adjust its strategy, and grab Android before Microsoft.

   It's good for me, it's good for Facebook, it's good for Android! "

  Yang Zhiyuan understood it completely. It turns out that Microsoft, which made a big announcement to buy Android, was actually entrusted by Xia Jingxing!

  He didn't want to feel sorry for Xia Jingxing's energy, he just wanted to solve this bunch of things as soon as possible.

   "Daren, let Facebook buy Android, I am personally in favor of it.

   But the quotation of 40 billion US dollars is indeed a bit unrealistic.

  Not only do I personally think so, most people also hold the same view.

  As soon as the stock market opened today, Microsoft's stock price collapsed by five points due to the sudden news. Obviously, stockholders and a large number of institutional investors are not optimistic about Microsoft's upcoming acquisition. "

  Xia Jingxing smiled, "It's normal to ask for a lot of money and pay back the money on the ground.

   Besides, I don’t have a fixed death condition, just a small request, speed up, don’t let me distract too much energy on this matter. "

   Yang Zhiyuan sighed, "Okay, I understand, I will convince other people in the acquisition team as soon as possible, but don't have too high expectations in terms of price, those institutional investors don't have such good friendship as you and me."

   "I understand! Thank you for your hard work!"

  Xia Jingxing responded with a smile, very satisfied with Yang Zhiyuan's way.

  In fact, he didn't have much intention of engaging in insider trading, he simply couldn't bear the slowness of the acquisition team.

  The investment and business environment he faces in the United States is constantly deteriorating, and it is easy to go wrong if the transaction is delayed.

   Looking for Gates to be a trustee is just a little knock on other shareholders of Facebook, don't be too fussy, just sign the contract when the price is almost negotiated.

  Hung up Yang Zhiyuan's phone call, Xia Jingxing blinked at Christina who was staring at him with his chin on the side, "What are you looking at? Do you have a different opinion?"

   "I am now the largest shareholder of Facebook in name, you let me spend more money, and I am not allowed to have different opinions?"

  Looking at the arrogant Christina, Xia Jingxing hurriedly smiled and said flatteringly, "Okay, okay, don't worry about these details, I didn't mean to target you.

   Now that the company is big and listed, all kinds of rules and regulations have been perfected, but at the same time, it also brings a drawback, too many messy things, and the work efficiency is low.

  Believe me, if Facebook spends more money now, it will definitely earn back ten or twenty times in the future. "

  Christina waved her hand, signaling Xia Jingxing to stop talking, this theory made her ears almost callused.

   "Jerry, Xiaogou and I all support and trust you unconditionally, but other shareholders are different.

  You persecute them so forcefully, even if they agree now due to the situation, they will definitely hate you in the future. "

   "I'm afraid they will hold grudges?"

  Xia Jingxing said nonchalantly: "You overestimate the memory of those people. As long as they can make a profit, they can forget all the unpleasant things."

   "That is also based on the fact that Android has helped Facebook successfully transform and revive the stock price."

   "It will work, trust me!"

  Seeing Xia Jingxing's serious and confident eyes, Christina stopped persuading her.

   It's just that she doesn't know why, but she always feels that Xia Jingxing has become more eager for quick success and quick benefits recently, and is not as calm as before.

  ...

  ...

  The god-level assist from Gates, as expected, played a miraculous effect.

  The negotiations between Facebook and Android, which had been at a standstill, suddenly sped up the pace.

   In the first ten days of July, the two parties finally reached an agreement and successfully signed a formal acquisition agreement.

  According to the agreement, Facebook will fully acquire Android at the price of "an additional US$20 billion in shares + US$4 billion in cash".

   This price is far from Microsoft's $40 billion offer, but it is actually the best condition that can be obtained.

  In his previous life, Gates once mentioned in public that the biggest mistake he made was to give Google the opportunity to launch Android and lose a full $400 billion.

  Of course, this refers to the value that Android has fully grown in seven or eight years, which is far from worth this amount at present.

   No one can predict the future, and naturally they cannot have a correct assessment of Facebook's true value.

Therefore, until the moment before the official signing of the acquisition agreement, some of Facebook's short-sighted shareholders were still voting against it, thinking that they should not "gamble" and took out shares equivalent to 11.2% of Facebook's total share capital after the additional issuance of shares, plus $4 billion in cash to acquire an unprofitable company. While carrying a huge financial burden, it also plunged into the software field that it had never entered before.

   This is a risky move, and it also casts a shadow over Facebook's future business prospects.

  Many shareholders who were dissatisfied with the acquisition decision began to contact the next company in private, planning to jump out of the car before the failed acquisition fully showed its consequences.

  Some minority shareholders are not optimistic, which has not affected Facebook's integration of Android at all.

  Originally, Android employees were still worried about their personal future, but now they have no such thoughts at all.

  Because of the entire $24 billion acquisition, 6% of the share belongs to all Android employees.

  With the completion of the acquisition, nearly a thousand employees of Android will collectively share an option cashing spree worth US$1.44 billion, with an average of more than one million US dollars per person.

  Of course, this refers to the average number, and the real distribution plan is impossible to be average.

  Android founder Andy Rubin alone took away the biggest piece of cake, and got more than $400 million worth of stocks and cash.

  But no matter what, key employees and middle-level and lower-level managers can also drink soup, and it is no problem to get a few million dollars.

   In the face of real money, people's hearts were instantly settled, and everyone happily switched families and joined Facebook.

  During the whole process, almost no one left, because the Facebook shares allocated to them had to wait until they joined the new company before they could be lifted step by step and cashed out.

   This is also a strategy to tie down this group of Android core developers. It is impossible to easily let them be financially free, and then leave and run away.

  ...

  ...

  After Xia Jingxing quickly dealt with the Android matter, good news came from another front.

  Vision Capital's LP was completely disintegrated!

  Most of the blue-blood nobles and institutional LPs sincerely invited Xia Jingxing to return to New York to preside over the restart of Vision Capital's fundraising work.

   This time, Xia Jingxing didn't make a fuss, and under everyone's expectations, he boarded the plane to New York.