From legendary short seller to god of American capital

Chapter 169 Eyes and Lines

Chapter 169 Eyes and Lines

Larry booked a train ticket to New York for 10 a.m. on Monday, with Mr. Dunbar accompanying him.

These days, going to New York is a big deal because it takes almost a day and a half by train, and you have to change trains in between, which is very troublesome.

Larry usually transfers in Hartford, which is actually a long detour. The shortest route is from Boston to New Haven and then directly to New York. And that's the route Larry booked today.

At eight o'clock in the morning, Larry arrived at Paine Weber Securities and waited for William Boeing outside the bar across the street.

Not long after Larry arrived, he saw William Boeing stroll along the wall to the door of the sales office. He even looked inside to make sure Larry wasn't there before cautiously pushing the door open and going in.

Larry followed him into the sales office and closed the glass door behind him.

William Boeing was startled, not expecting Larry to appear at this moment. A humble, almost obsequious smile appeared on his face. "Good morning, Mr. Livingston!"

Larry deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Why didn't you say when you joined the company that you were actually working here without your family's knowledge?"

William Boeing took a half step back, looking at Larry's cold face with some panic, but still said, "I haven't fallen behind in my studies. I finish my homework every day before I get home, and my mother hasn't found anything wrong with me..."

Larry stepped forward, looked him in the eye, and said sternly, "You're incredibly audacious! I really didn't expect you to lie. And don't boast about finishing your homework; are the remedial measures you took to cover up your lie something to brag about?"

William Boeing dared not speak, and looked down at his shoes.

Larry deliberately stared at him without saying a word. This long silence made William Boeing a little uncomfortable, and he finally whispered, "I...I'm sorry!"

"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to your mother! Go back and admit your mistake to your mother, and go to school properly!" Larry said in a deep voice.

"But...but they're going to send me back to Switzerland! I don't want to leave here." William Boeing looked up at Larry, his eyes filled with tears.

Larry sighed, put a hand on William Boeing's shoulder, and said softly, "Perhaps your mother doesn't stop loving you. She just wants you to become like your father. She wants you to be tempered so that you can become a sharp sword."

William Boeing didn't know what to say; his lips trembled, but he held back the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Remember our promise? To go to Seattle and complete a journey across America." Larry suddenly tightened his grip on Boeing's shoulder, trying to convey a sense of strength.

William Boeing looked up at Larry. "Mr. Livingston, are you really going to keep that promise?"

Larry nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, but I hope that when you go to Seattle to see your father's business, you'll realize you're an honest and intelligent man. Promise me you'll go to school, no matter what, so you can gain more knowledge. Otherwise, how can you build Boeing?"

William Boeing paused, then murmured, repeating, "Boeing? You mean the company named after me?"

Larry realized his mistake, but such minor errors were easily corrected, and then said...

"Yes, you see. Henry Ford, who used to argue with you about the future of automobiles outside the sales office, is now actually producing cars. He may not seem to listen to your advice on the surface, but you know what? He quietly improved the car engine and used two 8-horsepower internal combustion engines. Now his cars are simply monsters."

William Boeing briefly imagined the scene and a smile appeared on his face.

Larry seized the opportunity to say, "But are you content to just be someone who gives advice? If you were to encounter a great, groundbreaking invention like the automobile, wouldn't you want to design and drive such a machine yourself? I just said you wanted to found Boeing; that's the meaning of your life."

William Boeing's face turned serious as he looked at Larry. After a long pause, he said, "You mean... the meaning of life lies in doing something great! Is that right?"

"Yes, a company named after yourself can last for hundreds of years. Isn't that the best summary of your life? But such achievements require accumulation and groundwork. If you're just saving money to inherit your father's business, you'll miss the true meaning of your life, won't you?"

After Larry finished speaking, William Boeing lowered his head and pondered for a long time before nodding and saying, "Mr. Livingston, you're right. I'll go back to school today. Not only will I go to school, but I'll also go to Yale University to complete the accumulation you mentioned."

"That's more like it!" Larry laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "To thank you for your help to me and the Browning brothers, I'll definitely take you on a trip. But remember to ask Mom's permission first, okay?"

William Boeing raised his head, his face resolute, and said emphatically, "Good!"

.

After dealing with the Boeing matter, Larry and Mr. Dunbar headed to the train station, carrying with them only a small suitcase full of tickets and a copy of "The Great Madness".

Upon reaching the train station entrance, Larry saw Mr. K standing at the convenience store entrance, greeting customers as they entered. He then asked the coachman to stop the carriage.

"Oh, boss! Where are you going?" Mr. K spotted Larry getting off the carriage and asked with a smile.

"Going to New York, how's it going here?" Larry handed the small suitcase to Mr. Dunbar, chatting with Mr. K as he pulled him to the street corner.

Mr. K knew Larry had something to say, so he squinted at Larry, but his fingers unconsciously started rubbing against Larry.

Larry gave a wry smile, took out a cigar and put it in Mr. K's hand, then asked, "Oh, by the way, I haven't asked you yet, are cigarettes selling well?"

Before Mr. K could even light his cigar, he straightened up and exclaimed, "My God, I've never seen so many people smoking cigarettes... At first, I thought nobody would smoke that junk, but the first thing people did after coming out of the train station was run into the convenience store for cigarettes!"

Larry laughed. "Just like you?"

Mr. K casually remarked, "They're different from me. I have a boss who gives me cigars, while they have to pay for them themselves."

Larry chuckled and patted Mr. K's arm, then suddenly whispered, "Among your men, are there any who are particularly loyal and skillful?"

"Yes! My dozen or so guys are all reliable." Mr. K's eyes became serious, knowing that Larry had gotten down to business.

"Select a few smart ones and have them apply for jobs at Ford Motor Company in the South Harbor Industrial Zone now. Ideally, they should have connections to become trainee technicians... I'll need them later. Tell them that if they get into the factory, they shouldn't talk or try to stand out. Just do the normal work. If possible, try to get close to Henry Ford."

Larry spoke very seriously, and Mr. K immediately understood his meaning: Larry wanted to plant several informants in the company.

Mr. K nodded solemnly and said, "I will handle this personally, and I will definitely make you satisfied."

Larry nodded, knowing that Mr. K was reliable in handling these matters. He then patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "When you have some free time, open an account at a reputable brokerage firm. There'll be an opportunity in a few days for you and Logan to make some money!"

Mr. K's face immediately showed a look of surprise and delight. He quickly stood at attention and, imitating a soldier, shouted loudly, "Yes, sir!"

(End of this chapter)