46: Chapter 46 One Billion Dollars! The Hunt Is Now

Gao Qilan's body went limp, her breathing gradually quickened, and her gaze became hazy.

As the kiss deepened, three buttons on her lace shirt quietly came undone.

Suddenly, the phone on the table rang.

Zhao Yang glanced at the phone screen—Gao Qiqiang.

He had no choice but to release his mischievous hand.

"Xiao Lan, it's a call from your brother."

Gao Qilan steadied herself and answered the phone: "Brother, what is it?"

"Xiao Lan, has Zhao Yang arrived?"

"Um... yes, he just arrived."

"Good, I'll be home soon."

After hanging up, Gao Qilan let out a sigh of relief, still feeling a lingering fear. If her eldest brother had walked in just now, she really wouldn't have had the face to see anyone.

She covered her burning cheeks: "Brother Yang, my brother will be back soon. I need to go fix my hair."

"Go ahead." Zhao Yang smiled and glanced at the phone on the table.

Old Gao, that guy, was actually quite sensible; he didn't come rushing back in a panic.

Ten minutes later, Gao Qiqiang returned carrying a large bag of groceries, exchanged a few words with Zhao Yang, and then dived into the kitchen to get busy.

The food and drinks were set on the table just as Gao Qisheng arrived right on time. Recently, the production line for the new mobile phone batteries was being calibrated, and he had been so busy he barely had a moment to breathe.

Zhao Yang raised his glass and looked at the three of them.

In less than a year, the Gao siblings had completely transformed.

Gao Qiqiang's gaze was steady; that timidity had long since vanished.

The inferiority deeply rooted in Gao Qisheng was gone, replaced by vitality and confidence.

The biggest change was in Gao Qilan. Wearing the gold-rimmed glasses Zhao Yang had given her, sitting by his side, she already possessed the aura of a confident, mature career woman. Only when she looked at Zhao Yang did she inevitably reveal the shyness characteristic of a young girl.

He smiled: "There's no need to be so formal among family. Cheers, to our future!"

"Cheers!"

The four of them downed their drinks in one go and burst into hearty laughter.

After a few rounds of drinks, Zhao Yang suddenly asked: "Old Gao, A Sheng, what are your thoughts on the future of Hongdou Technology?"

Gao Qiqiang took a sip of his drink: "I want to sell hongdou phone to the whole world."

Gao Qisheng chimed in: "Not just to the whole world, but to become the most advanced mobile phone."

Zhao Yang smiled: "Not bad, your vision at least extends three years into the future."

The two looked at each other and smiled, both revealing a bit of pride after being praised by their boss.

Gao Qilan covered her mouth and laughed: "Big brother, second brother, don't get too happy yet. Brother Yang didn't actually praise you."

The two were stunned and looked at Zhao Yang in unison.

Zhao Yang smiled slightly: "Being able to see three years ahead is already enough to lead the industry. But it's indeed still not enough."

"Brother Yang, does it mean we still need to master core technologies?" Gao Qisheng asked.

Zhao Yang nodded: "Technology must be developed, but that's not everything. What we are building is an ecosystem. Mobile phones are just one part of it."

"An ecosystem?" Both brothers looked bewildered.

Watching her two brothers' expressions, Gao Qilan covered her mouth and giggled: "Hee hee, Brother Yang, don't tell them."

"Hmm?" Gao Qiqiang and Gao Qisheng looked at Gao Qilan simultaneously, "Xiao Lan, you know?"

Gao Qilan nodded matter-of-factly: "Yes, of course I know. But Brother Yang didn't tell me, I figured it out myself."

Zhao Yang ruffled her hair: "Then Xiao Lan can explain it."

"Brother Yang, you listen too, and see if I understood it correctly," Gao Qilan said, "An ecosystem... it means making Hongdou Technology's products something people can't live without, being surrounded by Hongdou's products. For example, mobile phones, earphones, speakers, MP3 players, TVs, and even telephones—they would all be Hongdou products."

"Ah?" Imagining that scene, both Gao Qiqiang and Gao Qisheng were stunned.

After a dozen seconds, Gao Qiqiang finally recovered: "My god, how much money would that make?"

Gao Qisheng looked at Zhao Yang: "Brother Yang, is what Xiao Lan said correct?"

"Completely correct." Zhao Yang nodded with satisfaction. Although what Gao Qilan described was far from covering the full scope of an ecosystem, many of those things hadn't even appeared yet, so it was truly remarkable that she could grasp the concept—hmm, intelligence sharing was indeed effective.

Subsequently, Zhao Yang carefully explained the concept of the "Hongdou Ecosystem" again. Gao Qiqiang and Gao Qisheng imagined a future where people's lives were completely inseparable from Hongdou Technology, their excitement evident, and they drank like it was water, eventually passing out drunk.

...

After settling the two drunks in bed, Zhao Yang and Gao Qilan looked at each other with a tacit understanding, then embraced and slipped into Gao Qilan's bedroom.

Now, no one would disturb them no matter how they kissed. Although it wasn't the right time for any substantial Breakthrough, young men and women whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears had their own kind of fun.

After cuddling for over an hour, they went out hand in hand, went shopping, watched a movie, and played until late at night before Zhao Yang finally sent Gao Qilan back to the old house.

After all, with the Gao brothers still there, Zhao Yang didn't have the thick skin to sleep with Gao Qilan at the old house, so he had to return to the Public Security Bureau dormitory.

The next day, Wu Yuedong also rushed back from Pengcheng. Zhao Yang called him, brought Gao Qilan, and the three of them went to a quiet teahouse.

Gao Qilan had already changed into professional attire—a white shirt, crisp dress pants, and black high heels, completely masking the naivety of a female college student and replacing it with the demeanor of a powerhouse in the investment world. This was also how she presented herself to the outside world; the image of a little girl would only be revealed in front of her two brothers and Zhao Yang.

"Take a look at this first." Zhao Yang didn't waste words and directly took out a stack of documents titled "Hunting Nasdaq".

After Wu Yuedong and Gao Qilan finished reading, they both looked at Zhao Yang in astonishment.

They would never question Zhao Yang's decisions, but after calculating the final returns of this plan, they were stunned—one billion dollars in profit.

Zhao Yang smiled: "This is the key focus for Qilan Investment moving forward. The bursting of the internet bubble is an excellent opportunity to short the Nasdaq. Keep only ten million in Qilan Investment's account, and invest everything else."

Gao Qilan's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Brother Yang, is keeping only ten million too little? Hongdou Technology is about to launch several projects soon; don't we need to keep a bit more?"

"Don't worry about Hongdou Technology; if there's not enough money, just take out a loan. I estimate that the banks in Jinghai are currently begging Hongdou Technology to borrow money."

Gao Qilan thought about it: "That's true; right now, hongdou phone is our Jinghai's calling card."

Zhao Yang smiled slightly. Hongdou Technology was not short of money at all. In the "Operation Sunset Glow" project, General Feng hadn't let Gao Qiqiang suffer any losses. Several state-owned enterprises had successively transferred tens of millions to a shell company in Pengcheng under the guise of purchasing scrap metal, and after paying off the loans, the net profit was 15 million. This money went around in circles and eventually ended up in Hongdou Technology's account.

Zhao Yang tapped the table: "Take the plan with you, and destroy it after you've read it. This investment will be led by Xiao Lan. Gradually close the positions after April next year. I'll have Uncle Meng handle the matters regarding your studies. Yuedong, besides assisting Xiao Lan, you should also flesh out the operations of Tomorrow Culture."

Gao Qilan nodded and put the documents into her bag: "Brother Yang, when do we start?"

"Now!"