Chapter 536: Yahoo Today, Feiyan Tomorrow

"Li, what level do you think Yahoo's stock price will reach when it goes public today?"

Those gathered here today were basically media and reporters related to the internet industry, as well as some media from Wall Street in New York. Many media outlets were invited by Yahoo itself to build momentum.

At this moment, Yahoo was like a star about to debut, needing to increase its exposure desperately to raise its popularity.

After the fermentation of Himalaya Radio, the internet-focused media in America were no longer strangers to Li Dongling and Yao Luoying. Moreover, Feiyan Technology had also exchanged shares with Yahoo and was one of Yahoo's major shareholders!

These media and reporters asking Li Dongling questions was just following convention; they didn't expect to ask any earth-shattering remarks.

But upon hearing this question, Li Dongling stopped in his tracks and looked at the reporter with a CNET Tech Information Network badge in front of him. This was an emerging internet tech website that would also go public on Nasdaq this year. In the future, this website would also be one of the American companies with the most successful localization in the mainland.

Li Dongling put his index fingers together to make a gesture of the number ten.

"One billion US dollars!"

"I believe Yahoo's market value today will exceed one billion US dollars!"

Hearing Li Dongling's words, not only the CNET reporter but even the other TV station and media reporters around were stunned for a moment, and then a burst of laughter erupted, clearly thinking Li Dongling was just joking.

"Then I really have to buy 1,000 shares of Yahoo stock today. I hope it won't let me down!" This CNET reporter who asked the question had an expression as if he had heard a huge secret.

"I believe Yahoo will definitely not let you down!"

Li Dongling also laughed. Yahoo's issue price was $13 per share, so 1,000 shares would be $13,000. This was not a small amount. This reporter might not really take out tens of thousands of dollars to support Yahoo.

Whether he bought it or not, Li Dongling didn't know. But if he really bought it, in four or five years, this $13,000 might become $1.3 million. But who would believe it at this very moment!

Inside the Nasdaq trading hall, it was bustling with activity. Jerry Yang and David Filo were the protagonists today. Especially Jerry Yang, compared to the somewhat reticent Filo, the "Yahoo Chief" stood under the spotlight, dealing with the continuous media interviews with ease.

Yahoo board members and company members, except for those left behind to maintain the website's operation, were all present.

After all, the entire Yahoo staff added up to only 49 people. That is to say, it was a company that had been established for only a year or so and was already going public. The staff size was less than 50 people. This is the characteristic and style of the internet. Everything is full of incredibility, and it is also the reason why countless people dare to set up a stall in a garage and dare to clamor for going public.

Yahoo CEO Koogle, as well as Yahoo's investment parties—Mo Mo Lizi of Sequoia Capital, Masayoshi Son of Japan's SoftBank, the largest shareholder—all came here today.

Hearing the commotion coming from outside the trading hall, it attracted the personnel in the hall. Jerry Yang, Mo Mo Lizi, Masayoshi Son, and others couldn't help but look outside.

"It's Li, he's here!"

Koogle said to Jerry Yang and others, and then said with a smile, "He claimed to the media that Yahoo's market value will break through one billion US dollars today!"

Hearing this, Jerry Yang, Filo, Mo Mo Lizi, and others also showed smiles on their faces. The higher Yahoo's market value rose, the greater their returns would be. If it really could break through one billion US dollars in market value, then Sequoia Capital's return on Yahoo would directly exceed a hundredfold!

Only Masayoshi Son smiled somewhat reluctantly. Logically speaking, SoftBank was Yahoo's major shareholder, and Yahoo's market value was high, so he should be happy.

But Masayoshi Son's trip to America this time was not just to attend Yahoo's IPO. The faster Yahoo's market value soared, the more unfavorable it was for what he was about to do next. This couldn't help but make Masayoshi Son carry a bit of depression.

Over the years, since he debuted, he had been invincible. He was the one who set traps for others; when had he ever been trapped? But this investment in Yahoo had been "pecked in the eye by an eagle." Being happy about investing in Yahoo but not that happy made Masayoshi Son very helpless.

Li Dongling knew who today's home court should belong to. After putting on a show outside, he entered the hall with Yao Luoying and declined media interviews, not wanting to steal Jerry Yang's thunder.

In the short term, promoting Jerry Yang's "Yahoo Chief" title could indeed increase Yahoo's popularity and raise Yahoo's stock price.

Zhixing Foundation held a 5% stake in Yahoo, and Feiyan Technology held an 8% stake in Yahoo. The higher Yahoo's market value, the more favorable it was for Li Dongling's side. He wished Jerry Yang's popularity was even higher; why would he steal his thunder!

"Mr. Li!"

"Director Yao!"

After Jerry Yang shook hands with Li Dongling, he said to the two. As the general manager of Feiyan Technology, Yao Luoying, who had 8% of Yahoo's voting rights, naturally had the qualifications to enter Yahoo's board of directors.

Li Dongling let Yao Luoying enter Yahoo's board of directors and got the title of Yahoo board member. This title was inconspicuous now, but it would have some "class" in the future and would also be of great benefit to Feiyan Technology.

Filo, Koogle, Mo Mo Lizi, and others all shook hands with Li Dongling one after another. Everyone could be considered "their own people" today, grasshoppers on the same rope. Only by seeing what level Yahoo's stock price and market value could reach could they decide whether to open champagne or sneak back to Silicon Valley.

"Mr. Li, I've heard of your name for a long time, and I finally see you today!"

When it was Masayoshi Son's turn, Masayoshi Son took the initiative to reach out to Li Dongling. Masayoshi Son, who was not tall, had not yet become the internet emperor, but his eyes carried an aura of looking down on the world.

Li Dongling shook hands with Masayoshi Son and looked at him. "Dongling High-Tech has long since dealt with SoftBank!"

Seeing Masayoshi Son's puzzled expression, Li Dongling laughed. "UTStarcom!"

UTStarcom, which was already a "famous" Little PHS mobile phone brand in the mainland, had accepted investment from Japan's SoftBank before coming to Dongling High-Tech for cooperation. The founder of UTStarcom had a close personal friendship with Masayoshi Son.

Hearing Li Dongling mention UTStarcom, Masayoshi Son's face showed a sudden realization. "Then SoftBank and Dongling High-Tech really have 'fate'. UTStarcom and Yahoo—both sides have cooperation!"

"In the future, who knows, Dongling High-Tech and Japan's SoftBank might have even more cooperation!"

I don't know if it was an illusion, but when Masayoshi Son heard Li Dongling say this, he always felt that Li Dongling seemed to be pointing at something.

"Everyone, come together for a group photo!"

Seeing that it was almost time for the bell-ringing session, Yahoo's board members were called aside for a group photo. On the day Yahoo achieved success and became a giant company, these would all be important materials to be played repeatedly on major media outlets.

Masayoshi Son stood next to Jerry Yang. In such an occasion, he still had to give Yahoo's major shareholder enough face. Then there were Filo, Koogle, Mo Mo Lizi, and others. Li Dongling and Yao Luoying stood on the far left.

In an instant, a white light flashed, and one of the most famous photos in the first wave of the global internet history was born.

The people in this photo were also some of the most famous and highest-valued men in the early days of the internet, appearing on the same Kodak film, including several who were considered men who would influence the future global internet landscape.

Now, when this photo appeared in media reports, people might pay more attention to Jerry Yang, Koogle, and others.

But five, ten, or twenty years later, when this photo was opened again, the focus would be on Masayoshi Son, who stood next to Jerry Yang with a somewhat serious face, and another man, who stood next to Yao Luoying, looking at the camera with a smile!

"Li, the commotion you've made during this period is not small. You almost dismantled the Microsoft-Intel alliance!"

While waiting for Yahoo to open, Mo Mo Lizi said to Li Dongling with some amazement. Mo Mo Lizi thought for a moment; since Li Dongling arrived in America, the commotion he stirred up almost never stopped.

"No one can destroy the Microsoft-Intel alliance. Fortresses are always collapsed from within. How their alliance is has nothing to do with Dongling High-Tech!" Li Dongling wouldn't take the blame.

Mo Mo Lizi laughed. To make the Microsoft-Intel alliance, which had been maintained for nearly twenty years, show cracks—how could this be covered up by a single sentence?

Mo Mo Lizi and many conspiracy theorists believed that Li Dongling must have come up with conditions that Microsoft couldn't refuse to make Microsoft and Intel openly tear each other apart. It definitely wasn't as simple as cooperating on a game console project.

But looking at Li Dongling's "tight-lipped" expression, Mo Mo Lizi knew that wanting to ask for details would probably cost a lot. But he was just curious and eating a melon; he wouldn't make a big move or anything.

"What stage is Feiyan Technology's IPO application at now?" Li Dongling asked Mo Mo Lizi.

"If there are no accidents, next month, Feiyan Technology's IPO application will be passed by the Nasdaq Securities Review Committee. As you wish, by the end of the year, Feiyan Technology can also hold a bell-ringing ceremony here!" Mo Mo Lizi revealed the news to Li Dongling.

Yao Luoying watched Jerry Yang and Filo ring the ceremony together, and then Yahoo's code appeared on the screen of the Nasdaq trading hall. She watched the screen blankly, not knowing what she was thinking.

Yao Luoying felt her hand being held. Looking back, she saw it was Li Dongling. Li Dongling said softly to Yao Luoying, "At the end of the year, Feiyan Technology's code will also appear on this screen, becoming the first internet company from the mainland to land on Nasdaq!"

"It's up!"

After the opening, a burst of gasps came from the hall. The eyes in the trading hall, as well as countless people outside, all looked at Yahoo's stock.

Then they saw Yahoo's stock price, as if it had taken drugs, frantically beginning to pull up. In the blink of an eye, it had broken through the $17 mark. At this time, even those without experience in the arena knew that today Yahoo was probably following the path of Netscape on the day it went public, with the stock price rushing to double! ===== CHAPTER 537 =====