Lucas's gaze was deep and lingering, sending a chill down Anson's spine—
Not surprising for a real brother; did he notice something?
Lucas quietly looked at Anson. "If you hadn't said anything, I'd have thought you'd been replaced by someone else, taken over by an alien, completely changing who you are."
Anson: ...
Can I log off now? Is it too late?
But that thought just flashed by quickly.
Anson immediately calmed down. "So, is this a bad thing?"
With this rhetorical question, he regained his footing.
Lucas's mouth curled slightly, showing a barely noticeable smile. "It's not a bad thing, but it's not necessarily a good thing either. Growing up often comes with a price. When we were kids, we couldn't wait to grow up. But once we truly grow up, we can never go back to how things were."
"Anson, I won't ask what happened to you in Hollywood, but promise me, don't hold back your feelings. If something happens, you must tell me."
A warm feeling slowly washed over Anson's heart.
Anson also gave a smile.
Even though they didn't look alike, differing from appearance to temperament, at that moment, with the curve of their smiles, they showed a similar expression and aura, instantly making it clear that they were brothers.
"Luca, do I seem like the type to swallow my anger?" Even Anson himself was a bit surprised. It seemed like he had regained the liveliness and boldness he had before everything happened in his past life.
Lucas nodded with satisfaction. His smile disappeared from his lips, and his expression returned to seriousness, exuding a stern aura. "Then that's even better."
Obviously, he was serious.
Then, he changed the subject. "You know I'm not an investment manager, right?"
Anson blinked. "So, what is your job?"
Lucas: "Venture Capital Director."
Anson's brows furrowed slightly. "Isn't that the same thing?"
Lucas felt a bit stifled. "Of course not. Venture capital focuses on startups and emerging companies. We provide them with funds and participate in strategic decisions to help them succeed. This is different from personal financial management... never mind, I'll handle it."
Halfway through his explanation, Lucas realized that Anson's attention had already shifted to the beef patty, and the rest of his words were completely spoken to the air.
So, Lucas gave up and went straight to the point. "What are your thoughts now? Stocks? Funds? Real estate?"
Anson thought for a moment but didn't have any immediate ideas—
Actually, the thought just popped up because of Lucas's sudden visit, and he didn't have a clear plan. After all, there wasn't much money in his bank account right now.
When Lucas asked, Anson's brain started turning. In the year 2000, what would be the most suitable investment?
"How about Apple stock? How are they doing now?"
Cliché.
Indeed, but clichés are simple.
Lucas showed a strange expression. "Are you sure?"
Although Lucas didn't say it directly, Anson could instantly sense the implication. "What, are they not doing well now?"
Lucas didn't immediately give an answer. Instead, he pondered for a moment, organizing his thoughts. His serious expression revealed a professional and dedicated spirit. Despite the fact that his conversation partner was his brother, he treated the topic with consistent professionalism, his demeanor entirely different.
"Of course, there's been a steady stream of news about them in the industry this year."
"After Steve Jobs returned to Apple, the launch of the iMac in 1998 was successful, helping them temporarily get out of the swamp."
"But this year, the tech stock bubble has been on an unstoppable decline. The whole market has been in turmoil. In April alone, the NASDAQ index dropped by over 25%. And now, three months have passed, and it's still falling. People have lost confidence in tech stocks."
"Apple is no exception, of course."
"Based on the industry information I have, Jobs is now putting all his eggs in one basket, placing all his hopes on the iMac's OS X operating system. He's also betting that the portable music player, the iPod, will replace Sony's Walkman in the market, and he's putting all their resources into the digital music market."
Lucas was eloquent, but unlike before, he now appeared calm and professional. His words were fluent and clear, hitting the key points immediately—
Currently, the tech stock bubble is unstoppable, causing panic in the market, and everything is on a downward trend with no bottom in sight. No company is exempt from this.
After a brief pause, Lucas looked at Anson, "So, do you believe that the new operating system and the iPod can succeed?"
Anson didn't know how severe this tech stock bubble was. After all, in his previous life, at this time, he was still a carefree high school student. He didn't know that more than 52% of tech companies went bankrupt or that the market value of most tech companies evaporated by over 75%.
But Anson knew that this was a financial bubble more serious than the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, one that took fifteen years for the NASDAQ index to recover to the 2000 level. He also knew that this crisis was also an opportunity, one that Apple seized to stand out.
Not only did the OS X operating system become the flagship system for all future Apple computers, but the iPod also replaced the Walkman as the top portable music player in the global market. It also marked the beginning of a new era of digital music, with physical music declining across the board.
Opportunities often belong to those crazy enough to take a bold risk.
Anson didn't avoid or dodge Lucas's gaze but met it head-on—
Because he knew that, in Lucas's eyes, Anson was still his younger brother, just eighteen years old, a teenager who hadn't finished his adolescence.
Anson needed Lucas to realize that he was no longer a child; he had his own thoughts and opinions.
So, Anson looked at Lucas, his eyes bright and expression firm. "Yes, I believe that both the operating system and the iPod can succeed."
"Furthermore, I believe in Jobs's creativity. His boldness and drive, which could be seen as madness or genius, have the power to inject life into Apple. In this tech stock bubble, he can firmly seize the opportunity and become a tech leader for the next twenty years."
Steadfast and rational. Clear and decisive.
And he had his own ideas.
Lucas was once again impressed. Until now, he finally believed that Anson had really grown up during his time in Hollywood.
No wonder Darren Star said he thought Anson could make something of himself in Hollywood.
And only now did Lucas begin to take Anson's words seriously.
Apple?
Indeed, no one in the industry would miss their news.
Lucas and Apple were both in Silicon Valley, and there were always rumors buzzing around in the industry. He had privately met Steve Jobs twice.
To be honest, Lucas was also optimistic about Apple's future; moreover, Anson had mentioned the key factor, "Jobs," which is the source of Apple's vitality.
However, Lucas wasn't as certain as Anson. After all, as someone in the venture capital industry, he needed to remain rational and objective at all times. Only this way could they accurately grasp industry trends and market movements and make the right decisions amid chaos.
So, what about now?
Should he trust Anson's non-professional judgment?