Chapter 522: Coveting More

"Feiyan Technology has already applied for an IPO with the NASDAQ Securities Exchange Commission!"

"Whether Feiyan Technology is overestimated needs to be proven by the market. Only after it goes public will everything be known!"

Li Dongling was blocked by a group of reporters with long guns and short cannons of microphones and had to respond to a few questions.

"If Feiyan Technology goes public, what will its market value reach?"

When asked this question, Li Dongling smiled dashingly and then said solemnly, "I believe that Feiyan Technology's future market value will exceed 10 billion USD and will become one of the most important internet concept stocks on NASDAQ!"

Hearing Li Dongling's words, a burst of laughter broke out around them. These media and reporters all thought Li Dongling was just joking, just to create hype for Feiyan Technology's IPO, but this boast was truly a bit too big.

One must know that even Netscape, the current leader of Silicon Valley and even the global internet, has a market value of less than half of 10 billion USD. If even Netscape can't do it, why can Feiyan Technology?

Not only this group of media and reporters, but even Feiyan Technology's own people, like Zhou Hualiang and Larsen, did not take Li Dongling's words too seriously. It is simply too normal for a founder to boast about their own company. Could it be that they would publicly say it's not as good as others?

It's just that Feiyan Technology being able to get a valuation of 1.5 billion USD this time has already broken records, far exceeding their imagination.

The valuation Feiyan Technology got this time is already shocking enough; how could they dare to covet more and think about a 10 billion USD valuation?

After answering a few questions, Li Dongling stopped answering, especially regarding some sensitive topics.

"If you have any questions, you can interview Feiyan Technology's news PR department and legal counsel!"

After Li Dongling finished speaking to this group of reporters, he and Yao Luoying and the others, under the escort of security personnel, drove toward the city center.

After resting for several hours at the New York Manhattan Hotel, Li Dongling and Yao Luoying came to 42nd Street, which is Fifth Avenue.

The Empire State Building, the New York Public Library, Rockefeller Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, etc., are all on Fifth Avenue.

Besides art galleries, there are also shops here that cost 1,000 USD per square foot. The world's top luxury goods and most famous products are all gathered here.

Of course, being able to make numerous luxury goods and brand companies gather in this veritable money-burning cave naturally also attracts the world's wealthy to spend money like water here.

Yao Luoying held Li Dongling's arm, excitedly browsing these shops. Yang Zhi and several bodyguards followed behind the two to prevent any accidents.

Looking at the dazzling array of street shops and the high-rise buildings made of steel and concrete, Fifth Avenue in this era is indeed much more decadent and luxurious than London's Oxford Street, Sydney's Pitt Street, or Paris's Champs-Élysées. At the very least, on the streets of Fifth Avenue right now, there hasn't appeared that mysterious shop of K'Sante produced by the "zero-dollar purchase" sellers...

Yao Luoying is not the kind of woman who is particularly obsessed with shopping, but ever since becoming the General Manager of Feiyan Technology, she has had little leisure time, let alone coming out with Li Dongling. After this time, Yao Luoying doesn't know when the next time she will go shopping will be, so she naturally doesn't want to miss it.

Along the way, Li Dongling's hands were filled with many large and small bags. Among them were gifts bought for his younger sister Li Dongyue, as well as gifts bought for the elders of the Li and Yao families, including gifts prepared for some friends in Pingyang, etc.

Passing by a custom dress shop, Yao Luoying couldn't help but stop when she saw a dress displayed inside. Seeing this, Li Dongling took Yao Luoying's hand and walked inside.

"Welcome to Debbie Winsum Dress Boutique!"

Entering the dress shop, the first thing that hits you is a feeling of luxury and high-end. Luxury goods and high-end shops are quite willing to spend money on store decoration, and their grasp of human psychology is also quite precise. After all, if the first impression upon entering the shop doesn't make people feel high-end, atmospheric, and classy, then who would think this stuff is valuable?

Seeing Li Dongling and the two enter, the tall female shopping guide greeted them with a smile. Those who can be luxury shopping guides are all people with a keen eye. Just seeing the several bodyguards following Li Dongling and Yao Luoying, she knew that the people who came this time were not simple.

"Debbie Winsum is the best dress designer in England, having designed dresses and wedding gowns for the British Wang Shi, the Norwegian Wang Shi, the Duke of Buckingham, etc."

"This New York dress shop is the first custom dress shop of Ms. Debbie Winsum after coming to America. The dresses here are all personally designed by Ms. Debbie."

"Currently, many Hollywood actresses and the wife of the Deputy Governor of New York, etc., have placed orders with this shop!"

The female shopping guide calmly stated the background of her shop. Whether it is a luxury goods shop, or dresses, jewelry, etc., being able to open a shop on Fifth Avenue is basically proof of the brand's status in the industry.

After hearing the shopping guide's words, Li Dongling just smiled. Clients like Hollywood actresses and the wife of the Deputy Governor, to put it bluntly, are just there to raise the price for this dress shop.

"What about this dress?"

Li Dongling asked the shopping guide about a dress placed in an anti-theft glass cabinet in the very center of the shop. Just now, Yao Luoying's gaze had lingered on this dress.

Seeing the dress Li Dongling was talking about, the shopping guide couldn't help but glance at the two of them before saying, "This was just designed and completed by Ms. Debbie Winsum and air-freighted to New York."

"This dress is inlaid with fifty diamonds of over two carats. The fabric is mainly silk, with a slim-fit cut, and additionally made with pearls, gold threads, etc."

"Do you want to try it on?" Li Dongling asked Yao Luoying.

Yao Luoying looked at the dress in front of her. She did indeed feel good about this dress. After thinking for a moment, she nodded to Li Dongling.

When Yao Luoying came out of the fitting room, Li Dongling's eyes lit up. The high-end dress with a cinched waist cut, along with the diamonds and pearls on the dress, perfectly set off the curves of Yao Luoying's figure.

"If you wear this dress to get married, this lady will be the most beautiful bride in the world..."

"I won't wear this dress to get married!"

Hearing the shopping guide's words, Yao Luoying, standing in front of the mirror, turned her head and said seriously. This dress is not bad, but Yao Luoying hopes that her wedding with Li will be a Chinese-style wedding.

Western-style weddings are popular in the country now, but what Yao Luoying wants is a Chinese-style wedding—a Chinese-style wedding with the "three letters and six etiquettes," a phoenix crown and rosy dawn, and a proper marriage. She wants everyone to know exactly who Li Dongling is marrying!

Regarding the rumors about Li Dongling, whether it's the one in Xiyuan, the provincial capital, or the rumors about the one surnamed Ning spread by Hong Kong tabloid media, to say Yao Luoying is completely unaware would be nonsense.

It is precisely because of these rumors that Yao Luoying wants a proper Chinese-style wedding to prove who is the "first wife" of Li!

Li Dongling listened to Yao Luoying's words, his hand unconsciously touching his nose. He always felt that Yao Luoying was speaking with hidden meaning.

"Pack this dress up!"

Li Dongling said to the shopping guide, then said to Yao Luoying, "In a few days, Yahoo will go public. You will attend Yahoo's IPO celebration banquet, and you will need to wear this dress!"

"The price of this dress is 214,000 USD. We also have matching dress shoes, jewelry..."

"Pack them all up!"

Li Dongling handed an American Express Black Card to the shopping guide. Seeing this card, the shopping guide immediately stopped talking and packed it up with the other clerks.

Yao Luoying glanced at Li Dongling, not knowing what she was thinking, and gave a muffled grunt at Li Dongling. Li Dongling gave a helpless bitter smile.

Accompanying Yao Luoying shopping on Fifth Avenue for an afternoon, Li Dongling felt his feet were a bit unable to walk, but Yao Luoying was still full of energy. It must be said that in terms of shopping, women are indeed gifted. It's just like that saying: there are only tired oxen, no plowed-out land...

At the entrance of a high-end Spanish restaurant in New York, this restaurant is membership-based. Not to mention the taste or the price of the dishes, but the privacy is quite high, and it is also one of the favorite places for New York celebrities and powerful figures to discuss important matters.

A Cadillac stopped at the entrance of the restaurant. The waiter at the door hurriedly stepped forward to open the car door. Having worked at this restaurant for a long time, these waiters and servers didn't dare to judge the status of the people who got off based on a car alone.

It's really hard to tell if the person getting off the car is a New York City councilor, a New York State councilor, a prosecutor, or something else. This waiter had even welcomed an old man, only to see on TV afterward that this old man was a congressman from Capitol Hill!

Offending American tycoons might at most get you mocked or taught a lesson, and that would be the end of it. But offending these big shots—congressmen, prosecutor's offices, federal courts, Capitol Hill—who knows what the outcome will be? Perhaps these big shots just say a word, and their lives might be frozen on that day.

"Johannes Reed!"

Getting off the car was a couple. After the man reported his name to the waiter, the waiter hurriedly said, "Mr. Larsen has already reserved a room!"

Johannes Reed and his wife, Sarah Reed, were led by the waiter toward the inside of the restaurant. He had been to similar places before, but this time was different from before.

In fact, after Larsen found Reed, Reed also knew what Larsen was looking for him for. In the past, he might not have accepted "donations," but now, Johannes Reed, who is at a critical period, needs the support of big donors!

The reason Reed accepted Larsen's invitation this time was also deliberately chosen. As a member of the Donkey Party, he knows that the entire Donkey Party is going all-in on the internet industry. The internet industry is very likely to become the Donkey Party's new donor industry, just like the support of the oil, energy, and military-industrial complex for the Elephant Party.

But those big company donors in Silicon Valley all have their own supported congressmen. Before he has proven himself, it is not an easy thing to get those big donors to support him.

By comparison, the probability of emerging internet companies in Silicon Valley becoming his supporters and "donating" donors is much higher.

In a place like America, even ascending to the position of President requires spending a large amount of USD to advertise, create momentum, conduct PR, buy votes, etc., let alone a city councilor. If you want to climb up, how can you not need USD?

Even as a senior lawyer, Johannes Reed's net worth is not low, but to stand out from a crowd of competitors, he also needs a lot of USD. He can't just burn his family fortune to become a councilor, right? That would make him a fool, and he would likely be remembered as a joke by his American colleagues for a lifetime.

Besides, in America, whether it's being a city councilor, state councilor, governor, or head of a federal department, if you get into a position and don't make money for your family, isn't that position wasted?

And if you don't make money yourself, how can the people below you make money? If the people below you can't make money, will they still work hard for you? How can you pull in votes?

The official career in America corresponds to that saying: if you don't take it, how can he take it? If he doesn't take it, how can Commissioner Geng take it? If Commissioner Geng doesn't take it, why should you be promoted and let you be the Mayor of New York or enter Capitol Hill as a senator?

Various thoughts surged in his mind. Sarah, holding Reed's arm, felt her husband's abnormality and held Reed's hand. Reed nodded to Sarah and patted her hand.

The door of the restaurant's private room was pushed open, and the Reed couple walked in. As soon as he stepped into the room, Reed looked at the black-haired, black-eyed person sitting in the room. Although he knew the other party's age beforehand, he was still surprised by the other party's age.

The forty-three-year-old Reed is already considered a young and promising member of the Donkey Party, but thinking of the information he had checked about the man in front of him, as well as the other party's net worth, Reed's expression still couldn't help but be a bit surprised.

"Reed!"

Larsen hugged Reed very warmly, as if the two sides were old acquaintances, "Wow, wow, Reed, you are a big shot now!"

Pointing at Reed, he turned to Li Dongling and said, "Reed, the best lawyer in the past, a big shot on Capitol Hill in the future!"

"This is Li, the founder of Feiyan Technology, who just applied for a NASDAQ IPO!"

Larsen made introductions for both sides. Li Dongling and Johannes Reed shook hands. This was the first time the two had met.

"Himalaya Radio?"

After sitting down, hearing that Feiyan Technology is the parent company of Himalaya Radio, Sarah couldn't help but say, "I have heard of this company. This company is very special. Many people rely on Himalaya Radio to become famous. That Jori Jin Si of the New York Knicks is also on the Himalaya platform!"

"It is realizing the American Dream!" Yao Luoying smiled and reminded.

"Yes, it is the American Dream!"

Hearing this, Sarah remembered some rumors about Himalaya Radio, such as the Flat Earth Theory proposed by Jori Jin Si, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

For the upper-class figures in New York, they don't care about the American Dream at all, and they only treat Jori Jin Si as a clown, but that doesn't prevent Jori Jin Si and the others from having huge influence.

Reed looked at Sarah, but in his heart, he valued Himalaya Radio and Feiyan Technology even more. Even Sarah knows about Himalaya Radio; one can imagine how well-known Feiyan Technology is in America now! ===== CHAPTER 523 =====