Entering July, Simon is working non-stop as a baby daddy everywhere.
On July 7, female assistant Jennifer’s second child was born here at Cape Dume Manor, a boy named James Westeros. On July 11, Maria Bezluk of Boston gave birth to a child, a boy named Daniel Westeros. Then, on July 15, Grace Krepp's child in New York was born, a boy named John Westeros.
Then Irene Lauder's due date is approaching, leaving only Lin Su's due date a little further away, in September.
Simon's greatest feeling about this was still the same as when he first learned about the sex of the fetus.
They're all boys.
They are all boys, not even a little cotton-padded jacket.
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Long Island, in a manor by the sea southwest of Southampton.
The time is July 16th.
Wednesday.
Bryce Levison, who was originally in Florida, heard the news and flew to Long Island. When she arrived at the manor, she walked in and asked a maid who came to greet her: "Where is the person?"
The maid made an invitation gesture and led Bryce to the door of a suite on the east side of the manor villa, but was stopped by Carmen Case who was guarding the outside of the suite: "Ms. Levison, boss and Krepp The lady is resting.”
"It's morning now, why do you want to rest?"
Bryce said, looking at the door next to her, and when Carmen wasn't paying attention, she ran straight over and pushed the door open to break in.
Then I saw a man who seemed to have just sat up from the bed, and Grace who was pulling down her clothes with a slightly red face.
On the crib next to the two of them, a little one was sleeping soundly.
Glancing coldly at Bryce who broke in, Simon turned to Grace and said, "You should have a good rest. I'll go to work first. Call me if you need anything."
Grace nodded slightly, watched the man leave, and then glared at Bryce: "Don't you know how to knock on the door?"
Bryce was taken aback by the cold gaze of a guy just now. She didn't come back to her senses until the man left. Simon was no longer around, so she instantly felt confident again. While walking to the crib and looking at the little one, she said, "You just gave birth to a baby." Ah, are you so impatient?"
The blush that had just receded appeared on Grace's face again, and she defended herself: "It's not what you said."
The baby was born at around five o'clock in the morning yesterday. Her skin was fully unfolded and her pink and tender face was very cute. Bryce looked like it, but she didn't pick it up rashly. She looked at it for a while and then came to the bed and sat down. She was about to He opened his mouth and suddenly sniffed. He immediately understood what a certain guy was doing before he came in. He glanced at Grace's chest and smiled smugly as if he had grasped something. He also said teasingly: "What a hateful person." Guy."
When Grace saw Bryce reacting, she just pulled the thin blanket towards her body, changed to a more comfortable position and leaned on the bed, and warned: "Watch your mouth, he will become angry. I guess he just said it." I want to beat you up."
But Bryce kept talking: "I lacked love when I was a child, and I grew up with Oedipus. Hey, you're a perverted guy. No wonder he always likes older women."
Grace raised her hand and slapped her: "If you say that again, I will be angry too."
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything." Bryce blurted out, feeling that what she just said was inappropriate. Knowing that he was going to be beaten, she raised her hands in surrender, and then asked, "How does he plan to arrange for you?"
"How to arrange what?"
"Now the little guy is born. By the way, what's his name?"
"John."
"He really has no personality at all."
Grace raised the corners of her mouth slightly: "John Westeros."
Bryce suddenly glanced at Grace with some sourness, and took the initiative to return to the topic: "Well, I mean, doesn't he have any other expression, at least give you a large amount of alimony or something like that?"
Grace looked softly at the little one within reach on the crib next to her: "This is the best thing he gave me. I don't want anything else."
"Oh, you are so stupid."
"You are smart, so he will definitely not let you get pregnant with his child."
"He is willing but I am not. It hurts so much to have a baby." Bryce suddenly pouted, hiding the weird taste in her heart: "What's more, if I... that again, you will let Rita and my Mike still have sex in the future. How to get along."
Grace just smiled.
The relationship between the sons and daughters of the two families has always been very stable. If nothing unexpected happens, they are likely to be together in the future.
However, these are not the things that Grace cares about the most. Even the little one next to her is still ranked behind him in her heart. She will support whatever he wants to do.
Bryce saw the hopeless expression on Grace's face again, and directly reached out and gestured: "I really want to wake you up."
Probably disturbed by the sound of the conversation between the two, the little one in the crib moved, then opened his eyes, looked around blankly, and suddenly started crying.
Grace quickly stood up, took the child into her arms, and lifted up her clothes again.
The crying soon stopped.
Bryce sat nearby and looked at it, but couldn't help but joke: "One big and one small, I'm afraid it's not enough to eat."
Grace just rolled her eyes.
In fact, privately, people have started to look for a wet nurse and plan to feed the child together. As for milk powder, she will definitely not feed it. It is best for the child to eat breast milk.
As for himself, as long as he wants it, he will definitely be the one who takes priority.
She even thought that the wet nurse she found must be more beautiful, so it would be okay to spend more money.
Next to her, Bryce rolled her eyes helplessly when she saw a certain expression on her face.
Simon didn't leave.
In a study room upstairs in the villa, Simon sat down at his desk. Girl A quickly delivered a stack of documents and a pre-arranged video conference.
About Nokia.
In addition to discussing Nokia's latest quarterly financial report, which will be released in the near future, it is mainly about another thing.
"Over in Southeast Asia, Jorma, you must have been paying attention recently," Simon said, looking at Nokia Chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila on the video call screen: "The matter is related to South Korea. I have seen it in the past few days. Nokia's supply chain information, next, I need you to try your best to reduce or even cut off the procurement of LCD screens, semiconductor chips and other components from South Korea's Samsung and other manufacturers."
Jorma Ollila, who was far away in Helsinki, was a little surprised: "Simon, I have really paid attention to Southeast Asia recently. The currency devaluation of Southeast Asian countries will bring great benefits to our parts procurement. However, you also know that Nokia A few years ago, due to the supply chain collapse crisis we experienced due to rapid growth, it took us several years to complete the current parts procurement system. I don’t understand why we have to do this?”
"It's very simple. I plan to take advantage of this opportunity to expand into low-level fields such as LCD screens and semiconductors. The layout target is Asia. Japan was originally the first choice, but this country is too large and will not be affected too much by this crisis." Seriously, so I chose South Korea, where related industries have also been developing rapidly in recent years. Nokia needs to cooperate with my overall strategy and put extreme pressure on Korean manufacturers."
"I understand," Jorma Ollila nodded, thought for a while and said: "However, Simon, I don't think it is necessary. Both LCD screens and semiconductors are cyclical industries with high technical thresholds, fierce competition, and investment Huge, I don't think it's a wise choice for the Westerosi system to go into those areas."
"My opinion is actually the same as yours," Simon said patiently, "However, knowing that it is difficult and the risks are high, the Westeros system has no choice. According to my recent judgment from some information, this time After the crisis, whether in North America, Europe, or Asia, there will be another wave of large-scale integration in the electronics industry. After the survival of the fittest, the fields of LCD screens and semiconductors will become increasingly concentrated on a few large manufacturers. Whether it is to ensure their own supply Chain security, or out of interest considerations, we all have to take such proactive measures. Jorma, when I explain this to you now, I don’t mean that I am discussing with you. This is an order. I need Nokia to come up with a reduction plan within a week. Give me."
Jorma Ollila felt the unquestionable gaze of his boss through the screen. He hesitated for a moment, nodded in agreement, and couldn't help but ask: "Tinko Bayer will also cooperate with this plan, right? "
"Of course, it's not just Tinkerber, but also Cisco. In addition, at critical moments, I will also lobby IBM and other PC manufacturers to join."
After Jorma Ollila heard this, he began to mourn for those Korean manufacturers in his heart, and said at the same time: "There is another question, Simon, how long will this plan take to be implemented?"
"The fastest is one year and the longest is no more than two years."
In my memory, not to mention other countries, South Korea quickly got out of the crisis in only two or three years, so this operation must be completed within two years.
Jorma Ollila nodded again, and finally said: "Simon, we, I mean including Tink Bayer and Cisco, our parts procurement volume is very large. If we reduce the procurement of Korean manufacturers, it is difficult to say Will Japanese or European and American manufacturers take the opportunity to raise prices?"
"This is what you need to consider. However, you just said that the subsequent currency devaluation of Asian countries will significantly reduce our procurement costs. You can shift more orders to Japan, even if Japan will not have too many orders this time. Big trouble, the depreciation of the yen is inevitable.”
"If I remember correctly," Jorma Ollila raised his eyebrows slightly: "The United States has been suppressing Japan's electronics industry over the years, especially semiconductors. If we increase our purchases from Japan together, wouldn't you worry about Japanese manufacturers? Will it take advantage of the situation to rise again?”
"No," Simon said with certainty: "The goal of weakening Japan has been achieved long ago. This country's electronics industry may still be able to maintain its technological advantage for many years, but there is little hope for it to prosper again."
"Simon, I don't understand?"
"My time is precious. If you are interested, you can study the current economic situation of Japan yourself."
"Okay," Jorma Ollila shrugged slightly: "I will draw up a reduction plan as soon as possible."
After ending the video call, Simon looked through the daily briefing on the Southeast Asian financial crisis that Girl A had just sent, while thinking about the discussion just now.
It's time to make some preparations for replacing the head of Nokia in the future.
Then I thought of another technology company that is also the core of the Westeros system, Cisco, headed by John Chambers.
Both will definitely need to be replaced within the next five to ten years.
This is not to say that Simon is dissatisfied with the fact that Ollila did not listen to him just now. In fact, Simon would only feel inappropriate if the executives of his subordinate companies did not have any opinions of their own.
The main thing is very practical long-term considerations.
They have been in charge of the two companies for too long. The two outstanding professional managers who made great contributions to the rapid rise of the companies in the early days will inevitably fall into mediocrity later on.
This is evident from the development of the two companies.
Nokia, which was at its peak around the turn of the millennium, later collapsed from the mobile phone industry and even withdrew completely. Until Nokia was sold to Microsoft, Jorma Ollila was still the chairman of the company even though he was no longer responsible for specific affairs. .
Nokia’s decline is absolutely inseparable from Jorma Ollila’s long-term leadership.
Then there's Cisco.
The most striking contrast is between Cisco and Huawei.
When Cisco rose rapidly around the world in the 1990s, Huawei was just a small company based in China. It was once forced by Cisco's patent lawsuits and almost sold itself out.
Then, Huawei began to rise. It not only established a firm foothold in the field of network equipment, but also expanded its business to communication base stations and later mobile phone manufacturing. Looking at Cisco, many years later, Cisco is still clinging to its network equipment business and resting on its laurels. , and made almost no achievements in other aspects.
As for the reason, it is also Chambers who succeeds and Chambers who fails.
John Chambers did not step down as Cisco's CEO until 2015. He had been in charge of Cisco for twenty years. Although he led the company to its peak, he missed almost all other technology trends outside of the field of network equipment manufacturing.
To put it bluntly, these legendary managers who once opened up new territories almost never escaped the end of losing their enterprising spirit and ending up being hired.
Just like countless old kings in history who were wise and sharp in the early stage and became dull and chaotic in the later stage.
Thinking this way, Simon did not forget himself.
The development of the Westeros system to its current scale has reached its peak in the eyes of most people. It would be a lie if Simon said he was not complacent and slack in his heart.
Simon just doesn't know if he will become another dim old king in the future.
Then he thought of a group of boys who were born one after another recently.
Tsk.
The struggle for assets and power among Westeros families will probably be very lively in the future.
After all, this requires early planning.
In fact, many ideas have been brewing in Simon's mind.
For his children, Simon certainly does not want to end up in the drama of many wealthy families fighting for family property and turning against each other in the future. In fact, this matter can be solved easily. The previous generation of family heads had planned everything that should be planned long ago. What is given belongs to whom. Don’t be like the Gary family that fell apart in the 1980s. The notoriously stingy old Gary took everything in his hands at the last moment of his life, leaving a large inheritance for his descendants. The fight ended in bloodshed.
After all, Simon is very confident that he can handle these things well.
After reading the daily briefing on the Southeast Asian financial turmoil in his hand and thinking about the future for a moment, Simon picked up another document, the resumes of 30 people from China Theater and Beijing Film Academy who had recently arrived in the United States for a one-year exchange study.