Courtyard House: My Time Travel is a Bit Too Strong

A few minutes later, Lin Quan and Zhang Yi walked into the conference room side by side.

"Mr. Chung, Schonni is willing to offer HK$30 million to buy out the complete patents for the tape recorder and tapes," Yamamoto Kazuo said bluntly.

"Mr. Zhong, Sanjin is willing to pay 35 million for a full buyout." Li Haoyu immediately followed up.

Lin Quan nodded slightly, first speaking fluent island language, then switching to authentic South Korean, and said: "Patent licensing, 20 million per year; permanent buyout, 100 million Hong Kong dollars; or 15% of the retail price per unit—choose one of the three options."

"Mr. Zhong, this offer is far too harsh," Yamamoto Kazuo said, frowning.

Lin Quan's idea was to secure long-term licensing deals and make a quick buck first—he also held the complete technology for CD, VCD, DVD, MP3, and MP4, and could reap profits round after round just by selling licenses.

The labor and raw material costs in Beijing are much lower than in the East Island and South Korea.

The total cost of a tape recorder, pushed to its limit by the Beijing No. 1 Electronics Factory, was just over twenty yuan.

Even if Dongdao Shanni and Nanbang Sanjin obtain the license, their manufacturing costs are still far higher than those of First Electronics.

With its killer pricing strategy, Yaoyang tape recorder is enough to drive similar products from companies like Shuoni and Sanjin into a dead end.

"Perpetual license, HK$40 million," Yamamoto Kazuo said after a moment's thought.

"Our Sanjin team will also contribute 40 million," Li Haoyu immediately followed.

"Forty million? The tape recorder market is worth much more than that." Lin Quan didn't take the bait and gently passed the buck back.

"Mr. Lin, what are your bottom lines?" Yamamoto Kazuo asked directly.

"Eighty million." Lin Quan seemed to be conceding, but in reality, he raised the price by twenty million.

After a back-and-forth struggle lasting more than ten minutes, both Yamamoto Kazuo and Li Haoyu left their seats to make phone calls.

"Mr. Lin, sixty million—this is our last trump card." Yamamoto Kazuo sat down again.

"The three golds are also holding onto 60 million," Li Haoyu added.

Each recorder can generate a net profit of a few hundred yuan. If you sell a dozen or so units, you can recoup your 60 million yuan licensing fee in the blink of an eye.

In East Island and South Korea, the number of ordinary families who can afford tape recorders is conservatively estimated to be in the tens of millions.

Even if Yaoyang lowers its prices in the future, it will have to wait until Shuoni and Sanjin have squeezed out all the profits.

Every penny counts, so who would willingly give up early?

As soon as the patent fee was deposited into Yaoyang Bank, Lin Quan signed and stamped the document on the spot.

"Mr. Chung, you must come and visit Dongdao Island when you have time..." Yamamoto Kazuo warmly invited.

"Mr. Zhong, if you come to Dongdao in the future, just call my mobile phone." Li Haoyu handed over his business card.

Lin Quan had a simple meal with the two of them, and then drove back to Shanshui Bay.

The three villas at No. 27, No. 35, and No. 53 Shanshui Bay are all under his name.

Number 27 occupies the largest area, more than 1,800 square meters; Number 35 occupies more than 1,200 square meters; and Number 53 occupies more than 1,300 square meters.

After landing on Earth, Lin Quan quickly downloaded and printed out the complete set of technical documents on CD, VCD, DVD, MP3, and MP4.

"We've also compiled all the screen-related information, and we'll seize the opportunity to register the patent."

"With Yaoyang R&D Company backing them up, it's perfectly normal for them to get involved in cutting-edge technologies."

He carried a tape recorder and several cassette tapes and drove straight to Catholic Shangde Middle School.

Zhao Ya's parents had wanted to buy one for a long time, but they came back empty-handed after several trips.

With a price tag of 500 yuan per unit, most families in Hong Kong can easily afford it.

The shortage of goods and the long queues to buy them are clearly typical examples of supply falling short of demand.

As soon as the bell rang for the last class in the afternoon, Zhao Ya and Qin Jingru walked out of the school gate hand in hand, chatting and laughing.

"Jingru, Aya!" Lin Quan raised his hand to call out.

"Brother Quan!" Qin Jingru responded with a smile.

"Brother Zhong," Zhao Ya called softly.

The three of them had dinner together. After dinner, Lin Quan drove Zhao Ya home and casually slipped the tape recorder and cassette tape into her hands.

……

Five thousand tape recorders arrived in Singapore, and within two days, the shelves were completely emptied.

The Singaporeans who managed to snag the goods strode confidently through the streets and alleys, carrying machines that were playing Jessica's songs.

"This song is so catchy, who's the singer?"

"Jessica, a top star in Hong Kong, is incredibly popular."

"Is this the Yaoyang tape recorder made in Hong Kong?"

"Yes! It works when plugged in, and it also works with batteries. I even recorded a short video of 'GG' in front of the store and played it on repeat all day!"

"Where did you buy it? How much did it cost?"

"Eight hundred US dollars! If I hadn't been quick-witted and agile, it would have been gone long ago."

"I'm having a party at my house tomorrow night, so make sure you bring your equipment!"

This dual-mode powered tape recorder instantly caused a sensation on the streets of Singapore.

Jessica's hit songs in the American language spread like wildfire across the country's radio stations and streets.

At the same time, Yaoyang brand tape recorders and their accompanying tapes sparked a buying frenzy in the United States, Russia, and other countries.

Jessica's record orders from overseas poured in, and despite repeated reprints, demand still couldn't keep up with the demand; Liu Renhua and Ge Xiaoli's albums also sold out early, and even the warehouse stock was completely wiped out.

……

Starting from the 5th, employees from various subsidiaries entered Yaoyang Bank one after another to line up and collect their monthly salaries.

"Brother Hua, how much did you receive?" Ge Xiaoli asked, her eyes shining as she leaned closer.

"A little over 1.23 million!" Liu Renhua exclaimed, his voice rising a notch.

"I have over 1.17 million." Ge Xiaoli smiled, her fingertips lightly swiping across the name on her phone screen.

A cassette tape sold for 50 cents, and both of them sold over 2.3 million tapes each.

"Now I can finally buy a house and a new car without any worries." Liu Renhua clutched his payslip, his palms slightly warm, his heart pounding like a little bird.

"I'm also planning to order a three-bedroom apartment and get a car for commuting," Ge Xiaoli said cheerfully.

"You're only thirteen years old, you don't even have a driver's license yet," Liu Renhua said with a smile, shaking his head.

"I'll buy it for my parents—they'll drive, and I'll sit in it." Ge Xiaoli blinked, seemingly unconcerned.

Many colleagues envied their sky-high salaries, but when it came time to check their own accounts, they couldn't help but grin: the boss's year-end bonus was generous, and their take-home pay was much higher than that of their peers, making them stand up straighter.

That morning, Lin Quan and Qin Jingru were waiting at the airport early.

After waiting for about forty minutes, He Yuzhu, Qin Huairu and their group walked out of the arrival hall quickly, dragging their suitcases.

"Yuzhu! Sister Qin! Aunt Zhang! Uncle..." Lin Quan called out loudly with a hearty smile.

"Ah Quan!"

"Uncle-in-law!" everyone responded, their voices filled with affection.

Not seeing his parents-in-law or Qin Huairu's parents, Lin Quan took the luggage and led everyone towards the parking lot.

"Grandpa and Grandma, you two are staying in this room—if you need anything, just give me a call and I'll bring it right away."

"Uncle, Aunt, this apartment is yours. It's well-ventilated and bright."

"Yuzhu and Liu Xuan, you two live in this apartment; it's closest to the elevator."

"Sister Qin, Aunt Zhang, this one is the most tidy. The water heater and air conditioner are all set up."

"Jia Geng, this room is reserved for you. It's the one by the window, with the best light."