Recently, William White's investments became quite peculiar. He skipped over the cold car industry, perhaps believing that because Bentley was doing well, he could also create an automotive group.
Investing in dynamic random-access memory was even stranger. This business had been proven unprofitable, and all three major American manufacturers had given up. Did he think it was a case of "one man's trash is another man's treasure"?
It was obvious to everyone that William White was increasing his investments in tangible industries. Clearly, he was self-aware enough not to want to compete with anyone in the financial sector.
Most people looked down on his choice. The financial arena still seemed worthy of investment, even if it showed signs of overheating; it wasn't that big of a deal.
"What does 'raw stone' mean?"
"Sir, it's a primitive way of trading gems. No one knows if there are actually gems inside until the stone is cut open."
"Haha, a $100 million diamond? That guy's gone nuts." Despite the words, there was a tone of envy in his voice.
Many thought it was not worth that price; $100 million seemed excessive.
But William White wanted to argue that it was among the top ten diamonds in the world. Was it really not worth that much?
Value is a tricky concept. In ancient times, shells were used as money, weren't they?
King Solomon was quite something, wasn't he? His treasury was filled with glass balls. Back then, glass balls were far more valuable than rubies.
Whether an item is worth a certain value depends on one's perspective.
Why was Bitcoin valuable centuries later?
It seemed even more ethereal, just a string of numbers. But if someone was willing to pay thousands of dollars for it, its value was indeed thousands of dollars. There was nothing wrong with that.
Returning to the diamond, William White believed its value was indeed $100 million. So even if it was just a glass ball, in the eyes of outsiders, its worth was still $100 million.
...
William White's entry into the dynamic memory industry was met with skepticism. Looking at his plans, it was clear that he wasn't aiming for something massive. Simply put, he just wanted a stable supply chain.
The Japanese were aware of the specs for PS2 and knew exactly how much memory he needed. If this thing achieved PS1 sales, it would be a terrifying number.
In fact, these folks were more concerned with how to invest in that company. The Americans didn't believe in him because they thought he was foolish. They failed to realize he had a specific demand; there was no way he wouldn't succeed.
As for the so-called high technology, sure, as long as someone was willing to spend money, it wasn't that difficult. In fact, they were ready to provide the necessary technical support, as long as William White let them invest; everything was negotiable.
The American financial conglomerates never imagined that the concerns they had would be resolved by the Japanese for William White.
...
On the dock of a private island in Lanai, a guy wearing a baseball cap was fishing. Since it was a private island, there weren't many people around, so fishing wasn't entirely absurd. However, this guy seemed to be lacking in skill; his stance looked more like he was playing golf than fishing.
Alright, someone was showing off again. Today, he was waiting for his super yacht, ready for a spontaneous trip.
"Sir, it's here, to your right!" said a man, casually handing over a pair of binoculars.
In the binoculars, a silver-white object was rapidly approaching, and even from a distance, its sleek outline was visible.
"Is she fast? I like that," said the kid next to him, unable to comprehend why a yacht needed to be that quick. In a bit of wind and waves, wouldn't that be a bit much to handle?
Taking a girl fishing was one thing, but a long trip was entirely different. If one didn't grow up near the water, they might not be able to handle it.
William White put away his fishing rod, planning to check if this nearly $200 million toy was worth the money.
"Mr. White, please board the Athena."
Hearing the German accent, William White felt like laughing. These guys were as stiff and formal as ever.
"Thanks! I can't wait. Can you tell me about her?"
"It would be my honor to serve you."
Honestly, this yacht didn't fit the typical private yacht specifications. Typically, a private yacht could easily accommodate dozens of people; more than that might feel a bit cramped. But for William White's yacht, accommodating one or two hundred would be a breeze.
The acceptance and inspection of the yacht were left to professionals. William White was only concerned with the leisure areas.
The person responsible for the introduction clearly understood this and wouldn't bring him to see the engine. In fact, he didn't really understand that stuff himself.
If we're talking about delicate romance, the Germans clearly didn't excel, but when it came to reliability and durability, they truly were impeccable. William White thought that if this yacht were equipped with weapons, it might not be able to take on a cruiser, but it could certainly handle a destroyer.
Satisfied, William White left, knowing that his crew would take care of the rest. He needed to head back and give Sophie a lesson. They had agreed to check out the yacht together, yet she didn't show up. It was downright outrageous.
Well, it was the kind of lesson that would make someone blush. If it weren't for that jerk, she wouldn't have been late. Luckily, there were no pesky paparazzi on this island; he could do as he pleased.
...
William White's crew was busy. Their boss was setting sail the next day, so there was a lot to prepare, and they needed to seriously inspect the yacht for any potential issues.
Even though there weren't many people on the island, the yacht's arrival attracted attention. After all, you might see a 747 frequently, but a super yacht like this was a rare sight.
Well, there wasn't much of a crowd. The few who could come to this island were somewhat refined and wouldn't be overly rude.
In fact, many of them were secretly grinding their teeth, hoping that in the near future, they could own a yacht just like it.
Speaking of yachts, this certainly was a luxury item. The price of purchasing a yacht was considerable, but the cost of using it was even higher.
Once you buy that toy, you not only have to hire a crew but also find a docking port. Even if you didn't use it often, maintenance costs would still be steep.
Stashing a supercar in a storage facility might be worth something decades later. But leave a super yacht sitting at the dock for decades, and you'd go bankrupt; the difference between the two was significant.
As for taxes, that issue wasn't a big deal since larger yachts were usually registered in offshore countries. Nobody was foolish enough to register under U.S. flags.
Pirates don't care what country you're from, and as for other matters, this is a civilized society; they wouldn't think twice about the Stars and Stripes. In fact, there were many countries at odds with the U.S., and the troubles that flag brought far outweighed its conveniences.
...
"Hmph, why didn't you bring your darling daughter?"
"Cough, cough, she's too young for a long trip."
"She's just a little one, you're just being stingy."
Alright, women from any country get jealous. But William White was thick-skinned; he hardly cared about such jabs.
The trip back from Lanai to Los Angeles would take at least ten days. Forget about a child; William White wasn't even sure he could handle it himself. Anyone would struggle on a boat for too long.
"Alright, quit being silly. This yacht is stunning. If you don't go, you'll definitely regret it."
"Hmph, why would I not go? It's your greedy self that's the problem."
Sigh, William White had no words. From any angle, this guy was a real piece of work. But that was just part of his nature -- whether he was a jerk or not didn't matter.
*****
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