Simon was not in the mood to engage in anything—not just recently, but even last night when he stayed at another nearby villa to rest. He did nothing, which led a certain woman to think he had lost interest in her, leaving her visibly anxious.
The main reason, of course, was the unexpected addition of several little ones in the women's wombs recently.
Even though this was Simon's own plan, now that it had come to fruition, he felt somewhat at a loss. He couldn't help but think about many things, to the point where his work had slackened, and he found himself mentally exhausted.
It was only natural to worry about the future.
Simon had never been an idealist. With so many little ones growing up together, expecting them to get along harmoniously was a pipe dream. As their father—and a pragmatic one at that—his primary hope was simply that they wouldn't fight each other to the point of breaking heads and drawing blood.
Moreover, there was the question of how this world would perceive these pure-blooded "Westerosians" in the future and whether the kids would be able to cope with it. How should they handle it?
Altogether, it was a tangled mess of thoughts.
Grace was nestled in Simon's arms, watching TV with him for a while. Sensing his silence, she looked up at his expression and cautiously asked, "Are you regretting this?"
Simon leaned down, kissed her lips lightly, and shook his head. "Of course not. I'm just thinking about the future."
Grace locked eyes with Simon, ensuring he wasn't just trying to comfort her, and then asked, "Do you think it's going to be a hassle?"
"Yeah," Simon admitted, his large hand still resting on her abdomen. "Honestly, it's not just you recently."
Grace caught on and smiled slightly. "I know, the one from the Lande family."
Simon was a bit surprised. "You figured it out so quickly?"
"Of course. You've been spending time with her these past few days, and the commotion was hard to miss. How could I not know?" Grace replied, her face showing a hint of amusement. Then she added, "A Jewish woman, huh? She might cause you even more headaches in the future."
Simon gently lifted the woman leaning against him and placed her on his lap. Smiling, he asked, "Do you have an issue with Jewish people?"
Grace shrugged. "No, not really. But there are some things you clearly understand better than I do."
Simon obviously understood but didn't elaborate. Instead, a question occurred to him, and he asked, "By the way, what's your heritage?"
"My grandparents on my father's side were from Norway; they immigrated to the U.S. during World War II. 'Krepp' is a typical Nordic surname, so my father was purely Norwegian. However, my maternal grandparents—one was from England, and the other was from Greece. I'm not too sure beyond that. So I guess my mother was half English, half Greek. And as for me..." Grace began counting on her fingers like a little girl, then looked at Simon. "What do you think my ethnicity is?"
Simon thought for a moment, then casually said, "Anyway, our kids will be beautiful. Mixed-race children are usually very good-looking."
Grace nodded but continued to gaze at Simon with curiosity. She wanted to ask something but eventually chose not to.
Simon pretended not to notice.
After chatting for a while longer, Grace, knowing she shouldn't be too greedy, got up and suggested returning to the city. Simon decided to join her. It wasn't the weekend, and he'd spent the past few days with Irene. There was work waiting to be done.
The two of them took a helicopter back to Manhattan. Simon personally dropped Grace off at the Elite headquarters on Fifth Avenue in Midtown.
At the corner of 28th Street, outside the Elite building, Grace was reluctant to part. She leaned in for another affectionate moment and couldn't resist saying, "Do you want to come upstairs for a bit? We've recently signed a few new girls. I could call them over for you to take a look."
"No, I can't handle any more," Simon joked, then added seriously, "Also, Elite is now on the right track. At least until the baby is born, don't overwork yourself. No overtime, either. I'll have someone keep an eye on you. Got it?"
"I know. Right now, the baby is my top priority. Even if Elite falls apart, it doesn't matter," Grace replied.
Simon feigned jealousy. "So I'm second now?"
Grace laughed softly and leaned in to rub her cheek against his. In a gentle voice, she said, "You are my god, my king, my everything. Nothing is more important to me than you."
Simon took the opportunity to kiss her neck, then started to shoo her away. "Okay, that's enough. Off you go. Women are terrifying when they start sweet-talking men. You almost made me fall in love with you."
Grace rolled her eyes at him after hearing the last part but obediently got out of the car.
Simon watched as Grace entered the building, accompanied by her bodyguards, before instructing the driver to take him to his office at Westeros Company headquarters, also in Midtown.
The assistant, Alison, had stayed in Manhattan the previous day and was already there ahead of him.
When Simon arrived, Alison promptly brought over various accumulated documents.
The first major update was about Tinkerbell's acquisition of Apple, which had passed approval from both companies' boards and major regulatory authorities earlier this week. The two companies had officially begun merging.
Of course, there had been objections along the way.
Particularly from Microsoft.
No one could treat anyone else as a fool. Simon's interest in Apple was clearly centered on its portfolio of core patents related to graphical user interface operating systems. Microsoft, fully aware of the strategic advantage this acquisition would bring to Tinkerbell and the entire Westeros system, had attempted to block it. They lobbied Washington and tried to stir public opinion through the media.
However, none of these efforts succeeded.
For one, Microsoft's own monopoly on graphical user interface operating systems was already glaringly obvious. They weren't exactly clean themselves. If they pushed too hard, they risked drawing fire onto themselves.
Additionally, there had been rumors of other capital groups attempting to intervene, but these efforts ultimately fizzled out.
After years of turmoil, Apple had become a mess. Unless a buyer had the capability to strongly complement its existing operations, acquiring Apple would only amount to inheriting a money-losing burden.
Now that the deal was finalized, Tinkerbell announced plans to integrate Apple's assets.
The main focus was to collaborate with Igrette Company to consolidate Apple's years of operating system technology and launch a new personal computer based on the Linux system.
Simon had discussed this matter extensively with the leadership of both Igrette and Tinkerbell.
The core issue was whether Igrette's operating system development team—or at least its primary PC operating system R&D team—should be transferred to Tinkerbell.
If Igrette retained its system development team and merely exchanged patents and system licenses with Tinkerbell without participating in development, Igrette could potentially emulate the trajectory of Google. Even if it couldn't make a big impact in the PC era, it might gain a significant advantage in the mobile internet era. The downside would be the inherent inefficiency caused by separating hardware and software development.
On the other hand, transferring the team to Tinkerbell to create an integrated hardware-software ecosystem could allow Tinkerbell to replicate Apple's success. However, in the mobile internet era, if Tinkerbell failed to make strategic adjustments, it could pave the way for another Android-like system to rise—or worse, enable Microsoft's mobile operating system to succeed.
Simon ultimately chose to separate hardware and software.
However, for the foreseeable future, to safeguard his interests as a Microsoft shareholder, Tinkerbell would be the exclusive authorized distributor of Igrette's PC operating system. And this arrangement wouldn't be free.
Additionally, while the new system was based on Linux, Igrette would adopt a relatively closed development and operational strategy. Even if widely licensed in the future, absolute control over the system would remain in Igrette's hands to minimize fragmentation.
One of Android's significant weaknesses in the past was the severe fragmentation caused by various manufacturers customizing the system to their liking.
Apart from the announcement of the Linux-based personal computer, there was another plan Simon had previously proposed to Girl C: the development of terminal devices to support core products like iCam. Tinkerbell planned to deploy public terminal devices worldwide for users to upload or download content from devices such as iCam, iPlayer, and iRec, facilitating photo, music, and even video sharing in this pre-mobile internet era.
Another initiative was the development of the iBook e-reader.
The project had been in private development for several years, and the prototypes were already quite advanced. Now, by integrating Apple's Newton tablet technology, the iBook-10 was expected to launch next fall.
Of course, e-readers were only a stepping stone in Tinkerbell's broader mobile internet strategy. In the early stages, data transmission would still rely on wired connections.
These public announcements were aimed at stimulating market enthusiasm.
Privately, Tinkerbell planned to implement aggressive restructuring of Apple's existing business. Many product lines, such as servers and printers, would be cut. Even the current Macintosh computers would temporarily cease production to make way for next year's new Linux-based PCs with Intel processors.
Sitting in his office, Simon reviewed the materials from San Francisco but felt as though he'd overlooked something.
After pondering for a while, it finally struck him.
ARM.
The UK-based ARM company was originally funded by Apple to provide microprocessor architecture support for Apple's Newton tablet. Apple was still
a major shareholder in ARM.
Simon had been keeping an eye on this for a long time.
Now, with the opportunity to acquire ARM outright and gain full control over what would become the most critical processor architecture in the mobile internet era, he certainly couldn't let it slip away.
With this in mind, Simon immediately called Girl C's office in San Francisco. After a detailed ten-minute discussion, he delegated the task.
With that settled, he turned his attention to news from China.
After acquiring the rights to American Idol, the Chinese version of the singing reality show was now officially under production by Jinshu Media's Jinshu Television Studio. Following Simon's suggestion, the show was named Super Girl. Unlike the U.S. version, which featured both male and female contestants, the first season in China would focus exclusively on women.
If all went well, subsequent seasons would naturally include a Super Boy.
Given that cable television had yet to gain widespread adoption in China and most TV stations, apart from CCTV, were still regional, Jinshu Media initially failed to secure a partnership with CCTV. They settled on Jiangsu Television as their primary partner and recently enlisted three other provincial TV stations to collaborate on the project.
China didn't follow a seasonal TV schedule, so there was no need to worry about timing. Preparations could start immediately, and the show could debut on four provincial TV stations early next year.
Simon's approach to China's media and entertainment industry was one of planting seeds and igniting sparks. He wasn't aiming to make money, so he took a hands-off approach, letting the local teams execute his vision. The one principle he maintained was a commitment to pure entertainment. Jinshu Media's productions, whether TV shows, movies, or other projects, would avoid politically sensitive themes. They wouldn't touch the reflective or historically critical narratives popular in China.
The focus was absolute entertainment.
Next, Simon reviewed recent ratings and box office data for Danelys Entertainment's film and TV projects.
TV hits like American Idol, ER, Seinfeld, and Friends were still going strong and needed no further discussion.
On the film side, the recent release from Highgate Pictures, Boogie Nights, was a standout. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and featuring Ben Affleck in the lead role (replacing Mark Wahlberg), the film had received universal acclaim from critics. Its composite score reached an impressive 8.1.
Critics hailed the film for its narrative and cinematography, declaring it a masterpiece that belied Anderson's status as a relatively new director.
With its provocative storyline about the rise and fall of the adult film industry in the '70s and '80s, and Highgate's adept marketing strategy, the movie opened in 1,218 theaters last weekend to a solid $9.39 million. For a drama, this was an excellent debut.
Given its strong legs, Boogie Nights could gross over $30 million domestically.
With a production budget of $15 million and a marketing spend of $5 million, the film was already poised to turn a profit. Its global theatrical revenue and home video sales promised even greater returns. Furthermore, its enduring appeal added another gem to Danelys Entertainment's library.
Today also marked the release of Annabelle, a new installment in the Conjuring Universe.
Like Boogie Nights, Annabelle had a production budget of $15 million. However, its marketing costs were significantly higher at $15 million, bringing the total investment to $30 million. As part of the well-established Conjuring Universe, the film carried substantial buzz, effectively amplifying its marketing reach.
Unlike the original Annabelle, which suffered from poor reviews, Simon had utilized the plot structure from the second film in his memory, adding some tweaks to refine it. The result was a polished new installment that preserved the Conjuring Universe's overarching tone while offering fresh elements. Early test screenings had already yielded positive feedback.
Debuting on 2,739 screens today, Annabelle had its review embargo lifted simultaneously. Its aggregate score of 7.8 was exceptional for a horror movie and promised to attract plenty of moviegoers.
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