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Chapter 395 The Crazy Woman

Ernst was satisfied with his trip to Apple, despite the costs and gains.

Ernst agreed to sell the production lines and took over Apple's related production lines.

The acquisition price was considered market price, but it was also a high price within the market range. Otherwise, why would Jobs have bothered to approach him? He could have just disposed of it on the market.

However, Cook seemed quite dissatisfied upon hearing the news, wondering if AI Technology had too much money and that the boss was overstepping his authority and spending it recklessly.

But things remain the same, and Cook has no choice but to accept it.

Ernst was unaware of his thoughts; what he cared about was successfully securing targeted financing from Apple through this production line transfer.

Let Steve Jobs do whatever he wants. If he really manages to bring Apple to the brink of bankruptcy again, that would be a good thing.

With Apple facing at least some difficulties, the internal resistance and external obstacles he will face in his subsequent plan to fully acquire Apple will be greatly reduced.

Besides production line transactions, there is also the issue of promoting the USB interface.

Jobs keenly recognized the enormous development potential of the USB interface and proactively proposed a strategic partnership between Apple and iTech to jointly promote the application and popularization of the USB interface in various electronic devices.

Ernst was naturally pleased with this proposal.

Judging from Aike Technology's development strategy, its independently developed USB flash drive has made breakthrough progress and can basically be declared a successful development.

The core function of a USB flash drive is to facilitate the convenient transfer of data via the USB interface. Therefore, even without Apple, AxonTech would still promote the USB interface in order to drive the market for USB flash drives.

Jobs' proposal was a perfect match, creating a synergistic effect that accelerated the process of USB becoming an industry standard.

However, what Ernst was most pleased about during his trip to Apple was meeting Jonathan Ive, the key figure in Apple's exterior design.

The iMac, which has become a market sensation, boasts a highly distinctive and innovative design, which was created by Jonathan Ive.

Ernst's long-standing desire to acquire Apple stemmed largely from his emphasis on Apple's core talent team, and Jonathan Ive was undoubtedly one of the key figures in that team.

He clearly understands that in future competition in the technology industry, talent is the key factor that determines a company's core competitiveness. Only by having top talent can a company take the initiative in product innovation and technological breakthroughs.

Anyone can make a smartphone; Ernst could do it himself.

But he can't always tie himself to product development, can he? Everything still depends on these companies to be self-reliant.

Apple's core value lies not in its product portfolio, but in the pool of top talent it has assembled.

Later generations all say Apple is good, and the operating system is one aspect of that, which is something that cannot be copied.

To a large extent, Android manufacturers are focused on Apple's design, such as under-display fingerprint recognition and facial recognition. These technologies can be attributed to changes in appearance to a certain extent, which is why people like Jonathan Ive are so important.

With such talent, even without the Apple brand, revolutionary smartphones like the iPhone series can still be developed.

Without the support of these key talents, even if Ernst had given advice and developed the iPhone 4, it might have become an outdated product in just a few generations.

He took Steve Jobs and some of Apple's management to iTech, and after that, he had nothing to do with signing contracts or learning about the supply chain.

However, just as he was preparing to set off, a phone call from Massim disrupted his plans once again.

Massim told him over the phone that the retail industry conference would be held in Albany, the capital of New York State, in seven days.

Albany isn't far from Armonk, where IBM's headquarters are located, so it's a good idea to combine the trip to IBM with attending the retail industry conference, saving the hassle of traveling back and forth.

Ernst decisively adjusted his itinerary, first going to Woodside to inspect his garden mansion project under construction.

The scene was bustling with activity, with various construction machines operating in an orderly manner, and various tasks such as the construction of the main residential building and the preliminary planning of the landscape were being carried out simultaneously.

When is the project expected to be completed?

The construction team leader carefully replied, "Although our construction is progressing smoothly, due to the overall scale of the project and the high construction standards, the estimated completion time is still around the beginning of 2001. By then, not only will all the construction work be completed, but the project will also be ready for occupancy."

Ernst is already quite satisfied with this. The manor next door, Ellison's, was designed starting in 1993 and is still under construction. It is expected that residents will not be able to move in until 03 or 04.

The only question is whether Ellison will change his mind and tear down and rebuild his estate after he moves in and Ellison comes to see it.

"By the way, what about the forest area of ​​the zoo? How's the contact going?"

The construction manager stepped back slightly, and a bearded man walked over. "We've already contacted the black market. Whether it's tiger cubs or lion cubs, as long as we place the order with them six months in advance, there won't be any problems."

This man was recommended to him by Hugh Hefner. Ernst wanted to keep large wild animals at the manor, and he was the middleman in that regard. He was the one who helped bring in all the animals for the Playboy Manor.

Ernst nodded, took a walk around to inspect the construction process, and then left, intending to return directly to Hidden Mountain City.

I had originally planned to steal a few days of leisure from my busy schedule and enjoy some rare rest.

However, not long after he got home, Jennifer Connelly came to visit.

In Ernst's eyes, Connery's state at this moment was like that of a female cat that was extremely hungry and in heat.

As his personal accessory and his lover, their relationship was already an open secret in Hollywood circles.

In particular, after the huge box office success of the film "There's Something About Mary" starring Connery, which made her a box office star, her personal fame and industry status have greatly improved.

Not to mention the various scripts, GG's endorsements are all top-tier international brands.

But this woman has no interest in working now and is trying every possible way to seduce Ernst, wanting to have a child.

In the evening, Ernst played in the yard with Rowe and Ron for a while. When he returned to his room, Connery, wearing a loose silk robe, was just coming out of the bathroom.

She had a face mask on, and the tie in the middle of her robe was not tied. Her upper body was bare, vaguely revealing half of her oval curves. She wore sexy purple lace panties, and her overall look was full of allure.

Ernst stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. Even through the thin silk nightgown, his large hands could clearly feel the firmness and softness of her body.

Are you really determined?

Connery paid no heed to the lingering sweat on Ernst's body, instead greedily inhaling his unique scent. He then brought his lips close to Ernst's ear and asked in a soft yet firm tone, "Will you let me go?"

Ernst shrugged slightly and replied calmly, "You know, I never force anyone to do anything."

Upon hearing this, Connery scoffed, took a step back, and glared at Ernst with a hint of dissatisfaction and grievance in his eyes, saying, "You're already forcing me."

Ernst didn't understand why she had suddenly become so emotional. "You know, that's not what I meant."

Actresses like Kate Winslet and Kirsten only play around when they're bored and have a need for entertainment.

While Ernst didn't have any particularly deep love for women like Jennifer Connelly and Charlize Theron, there were certainly complex emotions mixed in with his simple desires.

This emotion transcends a simple physical relationship; there are other elements involved as well.

Among these women who maintained long-term relationships with Ernst, Jennifer Connelly and Monica Bellucci stand out as particularly special.

If Jessica Alba is a young, naive girl who is relatively easy to guide and deceive, then Gisele Bündchen is extremely ambitious and knows that getting close to him can bring her the life she wants.

Charlize Theron, due to her unfortunate childhood experiences, developed a deep fear of marriage and willingly became Ernst's mistress.

Connery and Bellucci, on the other hand, have completely given up on the idea of ​​marriage. Their biggest wish at this stage is to have a child with Ernst in order to maintain their relationship with Ernst and to find a new purpose in their lives.

These women wouldn't force Ernst to leave any of them if they wanted to, but if they had his children, that was a different story. Ernst would never let his children call someone else "Dad."

That's why Ernst asked that question: if she's really pregnant, even if she wants to leave, she can forget about ever finding another man in her life.

Connery clearly didn't want to dwell on these things. "What it means doesn't matter anymore. I've already prepared your bathwater, and besides, it's not my safe period today."

Watching her turn and walk towards the bed, Ernst suddenly felt a strange sense of awkwardness and unease.

If something loses its charm and becomes a task that must be completed, or even a job, what's the point?

Anyway, Ernst was in a very bad mood. After taking a shower and getting into bed, he had no desire whatsoever.

When Connery removed the pillow from under his waist and snuggled into Ernst's arms, his face still held hope and expectation.

Ernst looked at the longing in her eyes, shook his head helplessly, and gently comforted her, "Pregnancy should be something that happens naturally. The more anxious you are and the more pressure you put on yourself, the harder it will be to achieve."

But Connery clearly didn't heed this comforting advice. She frowned, and asked with a hint of anxiety and urgency, "If we still can't get pregnant this year, should we consider trying some folk remedies next year?"

Ernst's body tensed instantly, and the image of Pan Jinlian involuntarily surfaced in his mind, a nameless sense of fear welling up inside him.

While traditional Chinese remedies may have some merit and effectiveness, in the United States, so-called folk remedies are truly just that – folk remedies.

It can't even be called a folk remedy anymore; it's more like a cult—it's utterly absurd and bizarre.

To some extent, Tom Cruise's Scientology is considered a form of unorthodox practice.

As he had encountered before, some claimed that children's blood could grant immortality, but these were all so-called folk remedies in America.

Dalang, did you take your medicine?

Ernst broke out in a cold sweat, then decided to take the most cumbersome approach.