Chapter 417 Microsoft's Ambition
Lin Haoran lightly shook his head, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his lips. His gaze contained no hint of feeling the price was too high; instead, it revealed a sense of unexpected delight. It was too much of a surprise!
"Bill, you misunderstood. It's not that I think the price is high — on the contrary, I find it very satisfactory, even lower than what I had initially anticipated."
Hearing this, Bill Gates showed a brief moment of astonishment, quickly replaced by uncontrollable joy.
He hadn't expected that not only would Lin Haoran not bargain, but he would actually consider their valuation too low.
This was not just a recognition of Microsoft's value, but also a confirmation of Lin Haoran's judgment.
As the founder of Microsoft, receiving such validation from a top-tier billionaire filled Gates with immense happiness.
"Mr. Lin, are you serious?" Bill Gates asked cautiously, afraid he had misheard.
Lin Haoran smiled and nodded firmly. "Yes, I am willing to invest $300,000 in Microsoft for 30% of the shares. And I can also promise not to interfere in Microsoft's daily operations and management."
He had no interest in controlling Microsoft's management because he more or less knew the company's future trajectory.
He also knew he wouldn't be able to easily handle a future Microsoft empire.
Interfering might completely derail the course of Microsoft's rise that he was looking forward to.
Thus, he preferred to play the role of a wise investor — helping Microsoft grow silently from behind the scenes, patiently waiting to reap the massive rewards in the future.
Even if that wait would take a decade or two, it was worth it.
After all, $300,000 was insignificant to him.
And in return, he would gain 30% of Microsoft's original shares — an outrageous bargain.
Frankly, $300,000 was not even pocket change for Lin Haoran with his current fortune.
But the potential value of this investment was beyond imagination.
What he was betting on was Microsoft's future, on the potential of Bill Gates and Paul Allen, and on the infinite possibilities they could create.
"Bill, I believe Microsoft's potential is far greater than anyone realizes today.
For me, this $300,000 is just a small wager on your future success," Lin Haoran said confidently and expectantly.
"I value more the opportunity to be part of your journey and witness Microsoft's growth and brilliance."
Bill Gates was deeply moved by Lin Haoran's sincerity and vision.
He nodded seriously. "Mr. Lin, your trust and support are an invaluable treasure for us. Please believe that we will do everything in our power to live up to your expectations."
"You mentioned that Microsoft was founded by you and another partner. Although we've agreed, can you ensure your partner will agree to the financing?" Lin Haoran asked with a slight concern.
"Mr. Lin, please don't worry," Gates smiled confidently.
"I will definitely persuade Paul Allen. In Microsoft, I usually take the lead in major decisions, and Paul trusts and supports my judgment completely.
Moreover, securing $300,000 in investment — especially from a visionary like you — will be a huge boost for the company.
Paul will recognize that, and I'm confident he will fully support this. It's a win-win for Microsoft!"
"And what are your future plans for Microsoft?" Lin Haoran asked with a smile.
Bill Gates thought for a moment and answered with strong conviction:
"Our goal is to build Microsoft's unique influence in the computer software field.
Although software isn't as profitable as hardware right now, Paul and I believe that as computing technology advances, software will become increasingly critical.
As computer performance improves, they'll be able to run more complex software, leading to a surge in demand for high-quality programs.
Our collaboration with IBM is just the beginning. Although the initial payment was only $80,000, we believe that as IBM's PC sales grow, our MS-DOS system will become widely accepted.
Microsoft's name will become synonymous with personal computing."
He continued:
"Moving forward, we'll focus on the research and optimization of computer operating systems.
We plan to continually launch innovative and practical OS and software products to ensure our leading position in the industry.
With steady accumulation and growth, Microsoft will one day go public, just like Apple.
And when that day comes, we hope to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with companies like Apple in terms of strength and influence!"
Even though Microsoft was still small, Gates' ambition was huge.
He clearly envisioned Microsoft's future dominance in the software world.
Despite Apple's strong performance in hardware and its homegrown operating system, Gates believed that Microsoft could still carve out its own path — and he was ready to compete head-to-head.
Listening to Gates' vision, Lin Haoran's eyes shone with admiration.
He lightly clapped his hands, as if applauding Gates' courage and determination.
"Bill, your vision and determination truly impress me.
With leaders like you and Paul, I believe Microsoft's future will be brilliant.
As for competing with Apple, so what?
Real champions grow stronger through challenges.
To be honest, I know a fair bit about computers myself, and I completely agree that as technology evolves, software will become just as important as hardware.
One day, you'll stand at the summit of the world alongside Apple — and maybe even surpass them," Lin Haoran laughed.
This — this was the Bill Gates he admired: ambitious, yes, but also capable of backing it up with real strength.
If Microsoft grew as Lin Haoran anticipated, this 30% stake, bought for just $300,000, would turn into a fortune beyond imagination.
Lin Haoran and Bill Gates chatted for nearly an hour before finally parting ways.
Before leaving, Gates solemnly promised that he would call Paul Allen that night and work to finalize the investment agreement as soon as possible.
Once the internal decision was confirmed, Gates would immediately sign a formal agreement with Lin Haoran on behalf of Microsoft.
For Lin Haoran, this was excellent news.
He was very satisfied with Gates' decisiveness and proactive attitude.
The sooner the deal was signed, the better — after all, the longer things dragged on, the more room there was for complications.
Returning to his hotel, Lin Haoran rested early.
In the blink of an eye, it was now December 21st.
1981 was drawing closer and closer.
After breakfast at the hotel's buffet, Lin Haoran returned to his room and read the morning papers.
Today's newspapers were still reporting about him — but no longer about his sale of Apple shares.
That topic had already been thoroughly covered by every major outlet.
Now, some papers began digging deeper into Lin Haoran's background, such as his acquisition activities in Hong Kong.
The American media were stunned:
they hadn't realized Lin Haoran had accomplished so many massive deals in Hong Kong.
Compared to his profits from selling Apple shares, his conquests in Hong Kong seemed even more impressive.
Although Americans didn't recognize names like Hongkong Electric, Towngas, or Kowloon Motor Bus, Jardines Matheson was well-known even in the U.S. as a multinational conglomerate.
For a man to have once controlled such a giant — even briefly — was truly shocking.
Although he had eventually relinquished control of Jardines Matheson, the profits he reaped were enormous.
Thus, these exposés, uncovering Lin Haoran's real history, found a strong readership.
And it was easy to gather information —
many Hong Kong newspapers had covered these stories extensively.
All it took was a little research to uncover a flood of details about Lin Haoran's rise.
Lin Haoran, however, wasn't bothered.
He didn't care if America reported on his past — it had all been reported before in Hong Kong anyway.
If anything, these reports only served to boost his reputation even more.
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