Chapter 505： Private transactions

Eric looked down at the information, and on the other side, Allen also whispered to Jeffrey about the incident.

"Eric, this is a good thing. Although I think the figure of $9.5 billion is somewhat underestimated, you can personally communicate with Steve Forbes. They are willing to cooperate to give a more accurate number. Jeffrey listened to Allen and said with a smile, most Westerners are more inclined to show their wealth, although many are as low-key as the Orientals, but Jeffrey is obviously not the same. people.

Eric is also not in the first place on the Forbes list of the richest people in the United States. After all, in the society where the capital is king, the huge amount of wealth means huge power, even though it was obtained with the oil crisis. There are some speculations about the huge sums, but there is no illegal place. Eric’s current wealth can stand up to anyone’s doubts.

But in the future, with the experience of past lives, Eric will be able to seize most of the opportunities that can create huge wealth in the next few years, and can easily avoid possible crises, such as the Internet wave, such as the Asian financial turmoil, or A longer subprime mortgage crisis.

This repeated accumulation, Eric even felt that his wealth may accumulate to a degree that is truly rich and enemies, which is really shocking to ordinary people.

Thinking about this in mind, Eric not only feels excited, but even produces an inexplicable runaway fear.

"Eric, what's wrong with you?" Jeffrey asked Eric's expression and asked in confusion.

Eric returned to God and said, "Nothing, suddenly thinking of some messy things."

Know each other for a few years. Jeffrey still had a good understanding of Eric's character. After a little thought, he understood it and pointed to the invitation letter in front of Eric: "You don't want that position?"

"Yeah," Eric nodded and said: "I suddenly remembered a report I saw before. It was said that in 1985, Forbes magazine suddenly named Sam Walton as the richest man in the United States. In the past few months, the old man who had lived very quietly was harassed by countless reporters for a few months. It was just that there was nothing. He and his family owners were within half a year. An attempt to kidnap."

Jeffrey laughed happily: "You haven't always done a good job in personal security? I don't think this needs to be worried. As for the media attention, we are doing entertainment, of course, the more we are concerned, the better. ""

Eric smiled bitterly: "Jeffrey, this kind of attention doesn't help my director's identity."

"It seems that you really don't want this position, then you can handle it yourself. I will go to prepare for tomorrow's financial meeting." Jeffrey shrugged and packed up the annual financial information he had just taken and left. Eric's office.

Eric turned a pencil in his hand and thought for a moment before he said to Allen: "Help me to talk about Steve Forbes, the editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine. If he can take time, I am at the sharp corner manor. Ask him to eat."

Allen nodded and promised to leave Eric's office, but Eric did not have the idle feeling of just reading Chris's contract. Twisting his eyebrows and thinking while he was free to write and draw meaningless words on the draft paper.

After more than ten minutes, Allen knocked in again: "Eric. Steve Forbes said he can come over this Saturday."

......

After the middle-aged man in his forties was wearing glasses, he looked up at the silver-colored shell-like building in front of him like many people. He saw the young man not far away coming towards himself and quickly converging his heart. Smiled and greeted.

"Hello, Mr. Forbes," Eric greeted his hand enthusiastically.

Steve Forbes smiled and held the other hand: "Mr. Williams. Nice to meet you."

After Forbes magazine acquired Disney last year from Firefly, it began to notice Eric and spent a lot of resources to collect information related to Eric.

For the first time, Steve Forbes saw the information he had collected. There is even a sense of unreality, a young man who is only twenty-two years old. In just over four years, it has created nearly a billion dollars of wealth from scratch. Coupled with the death of Sam Walton last year, the next American richest man has become a target of many people, Steve. Forbes was keenly aware that the matter about Eric was likely to be another heavy news published by Forbes magazine, so he personally sent an interview invitation and related information to Eric, but did not expect this. Young billionaires will soon return to the news to invite themselves.

The two simply talked a few words, and Eric made a gesture of asking, saying, "Please come with me, Mr. Forbes."

In the restaurant, the servants will continue to have a hearty lunch and then quietly retreat.

After chatting for a while, the tone of Steve Forbes has become familiar: "Eric, I heard that you designed it yourself?"

Eric is not in a hurry to talk to the other side, shaking his head and laughing: "So it is a bit exaggerated, I just drew a sketch, the main design work is still personally responsible for Mr. Frank Gehry, he is a very Talented architect."

"It is true. I have also seen some of Frank Gehry's works, very imaginative," Steve Forbes echoed, but there were other thoughts in his heart. Although the contact between the two was only a few minutes, history Tiffus Forbes felt that the company had some differences in Eric's personality evaluation. The company originally thought that Eric would be a very provocative person like Oracle Ceo Larry Ellison, but in a brief contact, Steve Forbes felt that Eric was much more restrained than he thought. At the same time, he also made some clear about the purpose of Eric’s invitation to this time.

The two chatted casually about various topics until the end of the lunch, and Eric said: "Steve, actually seeing the information in Forbes magazine. I am very surprised, I I remember a few months ago, some media also explored my current net worth, and the number they gave at that time was about five billion."

Steve Forbes also knows the topic, and confidently said: "How can the information channels and analytical skills of those magazines compare with Forbes? I am confident that the data we give is not too accurate, it is definitely not too different. Big."

"Yeah, so I said, I was very surprised. Fireflies are not listed companies after all, and they are investing in fireflies. Not many people noticed before, but I didn’t expect Forbes magazine to do the job. In detail, however, Steve, I am inviting you this time, but there is an arbitrarily request."

Steve Forbes has already guessed the results. But quietly signaled Eric to continue.

"I hope that this year, and beyond, the wealth I have shown on the Forbes American Rich List is still the fuzzy numbers given by the ordinary media. For example, this time, $5 billion is a good number, I don't want it. Your position on the list is too conspicuous."

Steve Forbes did not show any unexpected look. Obviously he was not the first to hear a similar request: "Eric. Maybe one thing you don't know well, except for the Forbes Group's ceo, I It is also a member of the board of directors of the National Taxpayers' Union. In addition to supervising and restricting the organization's tax policy to the taxpayer's interests, the taxpayer's union also has the obligation to provide necessary data to departments such as irs."

There are two things that Americans can't hide in their lives, death and taxation. People who used to make similar requests to Steve Forbes are often because of the need for tax avoidance. Steve Forbes obviously also Eric. Becoming such a person.

Eric heard the words of Steve Forbes. Immediately understand that this is the difference between the ideas of the East and the West, if the opposite is sitting an Eastern. The first reaction will definitely not be in the direction of tax avoidance: "Steve, even if there is no such thing in front of you. Fireflies must be the key monitoring targets of irs. Everyone knows these things, I have not thought about Illegal ways to avoid taxes."

"Eric, if that's the case, then I don't understand why you did it. I think it's not a bad thing for you to be on the top of the rich list?"

Eric smiled and said: "Steve, if you really need a reason, you should want to keep a low profile."

Steve Forbes couldn't help but stare at Eric. As a media person, humanity is the most basic figure. Steve Forbes is keenly aware that Erik’s reason is true. But instinctively, I don't want to believe it. Forbes magazine has been controversial since the launch of the Forbes Rich List in 1982. Although it has received many requests for hidden wealth like Eric, more tycoons have slammed in public or private. Forbes magazine underestimated their wealth.

Although Forbes magazine has always advertised its professionalism and uncompromising spirit, in fact it is impossible to really insist on these. After all, "Forbes" as a financial magazine, the target is the billionaires, want to survive well, and from these people may be enough information, they must have a good relationship with each other, and the rich circle network Intricate, perhaps offending one of them, just unknowingly offended a large group of people like a domino. If these people really care about it, it is not too difficult to deal with the Forbes group.

After thinking about it for a while, Steve Forbes finally made up his mind: "Eric, the figure of 5 billion US dollars is too low. Forbes is a very professional magazine, it is impossible to entertain." The media gives data only by speculation. If it is published, the doubts will definitely affect the credibility of Forbes magazine. Therefore, I can promise you at most, not putting you in the first position."

Eric thought about it and agreed. For the rich list, the focus of the public’s attention is often on the top name, just like the world’s richest list in Eric’s memory for some years. The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, talks about it, but Few people will notice a Mexican telecommunications tycoon who often appears in the second place.

Steve Forbes has promised his own business, and Eric will certainly not vote for it: "Thank you for your understanding, Steve, in return, Firefly Pictures can sign a long-term advertising cooperation agreement with Forbes Group. I will let the propaganda department contact the company as soon as possible."

The two sides did not have any friendship before. If you only come to a promise such as 'I owe you a person', it would be too insincere. And as a film company, fireflies spend hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising dollars each year on movie advertising. In addition to the Forbes magazine, the Forbes Group has other newspapers and magazines. These are the main channels for film promotion. Therefore, signing a long-term advertising agreement with the other party is also a win-win situation.

The expression on the face of Steve Forbes flashed past, with a faint smile on his lips, and reached for the goblet on the table: "So, Eric, I wish you a happy cooperation."

Eric squatted and soon understood and smiled and toasted: "Happy cooperation."

......

Three days after Steve Forbes left, Forbes magazine sent Eric a 'corrected' data, and the original $9.5 billion figure was reduced to seven billion. Eric's interview was also revoked, although the position of the fifth place is still conspicuous, but there will never be a new richest man after Sam Walton.

Resolving this matter, Eric began to plan for other things. For the next time, in addition to being busy with the later stages of Jurassic Park and the daily affairs of fireflies, Eric spent a lot of time with Ke. Rees communicated, and Chris also took time to fly to Los Angeles to meet with Eric several times.

Soon, Firefly Investment Company began to transfer the Cisco shares in its hands. As a high-tech company that has been closely watched by Wall Street investors, Cisco's development momentum in the past two years is very strong. When it was learned that the Firefly Investment Company had transferred Cisco shares, it was a large number. Investors began to contact Chris, but when they found something, they quickly fell into disappointment. (To be continued)