"Hello, you must be Mr. Jiang. My name is Shauna Boone, Senior Vice President of Google Operations. I'll be receiving you today."
The middle-aged woman spoke first, her expression polite and professional.
"Hello."
Jiang Hai smiled and shook her hand.
He hadn't expected a president or chairman to personally greet him at the entrance—that would've been unrealistic. Although he had money and a bit of reputation, he wasn't on the same level as people like Larry Page or the other tech giants.
"Mr. Jiang, would you like to complete the certification procedures first, or take a tour of the building?" Shauna asked with a friendly smile, noticing how easygoing he seemed.
"Let's tour the building first," Jiang Hai said after a brief thought. "To be honest, I'm really interested in high-tech companies."
It was the truth. Since he was already here—and as a shareholder, no less—he naturally wanted to see the place for himself.
"Of course. This way, please."
Shauna led him inside.
Before even entering the building, Jiang Hai was already impressed with the environment. Calling it simply "Google's headquarters" felt like an understatement. From the outside, it looked more like a park.
Green lawns stretched everywhere, dotted with volleyball courts and other sports facilities. Because the campus was so large, there were bicycle rentals painted in Google's signature colors.
Android robot statues of all shapes and sizes stood scattered across the grass like decorations.
Even the parking lot was different. Every space came with charging stations—not for bikes, but for electric cars.
Electric vehicles were clean and economical, costing roughly two-thirds less to run compared to gasoline cars. Jiang Hai himself owned two, so he knew this well. On top of that, government subsidies made them very affordable.
The only downside was speed. They rarely exceeded ninety miles per hour, so they weren't meant for thrill-seekers.
But then again, most IT workers probably weren't chasing high-speed excitement.
Once inside the building, Jiang Hai couldn't help muttering under his breath, "Damn… capitalism really knows how to enjoy life."
The first thing he saw was the reception desk—nothing special there—but even that area looked warm and stylish.
Behind it was the visitor lounge. Instead of traditional sofas, the seats looked like giant, colorful M&M candies, soft and playful.
Google wasn't just an office building; it was practically a tourist attraction. Anyone visiting Mountain View would stop by, so the place was always lively.
Walking further in, he soon came across a massive gym.
Dozens of treadmills lined the room, with employees jogging while working. Some machines even had desks attached, allowing people to type while exercising—and the time still counted as work hours.
Next to the gym were several massage rooms.
Long hours at a computer often caused weight gain, neck strain, and back pain, so professional masseuses were available. Of course, there was usually a queue.
Further ahead was a small bowling alley. According to the campus map, there was also a laundry room, a rooftop swimming pool, and other facilities.
The staff lounge even had a pool table for breaks.
In the distance stood the staff cafeteria—a self-service dining hall offering more than a dozen dishes every day, along with drinks, snacks, ice cream, and desserts.
Everything was free.
Even the coffee machines.
It was basically heaven for food lovers.
Between floors, there were regular stairs—and even a slide, adding a playful, childlike touch.
The office area itself was equally impressive. Each employee had a spacious workstation. Past that was the nap room.
Although it was still morning and empty, Jiang Hai could tell how comfortable it was.
The oversized sofas looked like business-class massage seats. Opposite them was a large fish tank. Watching fish swim lazily by while taking a nap there… it sounded unbelievably relaxing.
"At Google, every area has a different theme," Shauna explained with a smile as she noticed his amazement. "Some are modern, some snowy, some desert-themed. It helps reduce mental fatigue and keeps employees' brains stimulated."
That made sense.
Staying in the same environment for too long made people sluggish. When everything became familiar, the brain stopped actively thinking and simply relied on muscle memory.
For example, if you always knew where your cup was, you wouldn't even look for it—you'd just grab it automatically.
Your brain wouldn't engage.
Jiang Hai actually lived comfortably in that kind of environment himself, but for most people here—who weren't billionaires like him—mental agility mattered.
A static workplace could stifle creativity.
No wonder top tech companies, whether domestic or overseas, offered such incredible benefits.
Of course, this only applied to elite companies. Ordinary programmers didn't enjoy this kind of treatment.
"Now," Shauna said, "I'll show you where our most advanced technology is located. Please follow me."
They arrived at an area guarded by security personnel.
This section wasn't open to the public.
But Jiang Hai wasn't an outsider—he was a shareholder. Showing investors their cutting-edge tech would only strengthen their confidence.
After Shauna swiped her keycard, the door opened.
Before entering, Azalina and Alerzara were stopped. Security required them to surrender their weapons. Once that was handled, they followed Jiang Hai inside.
The moment he stepped in, Jiang Hai felt like he had entered Qi Jie's research institute.
Everything was spotless white, filled with a futuristic atmosphere.
In front of him stood a massive flat light screen.
Laser projections formed a three-dimensional map of the entire facility—rooms, exits, corridors, everything.
It was interactive.
When Jiang Hai grabbed one of the floating models and twisted his hand, the image rotated. When he tapped a room, it zoomed in automatically, accompanied by video footage and explanations.
He felt like he could play with it all day and still not get bored.
"This is a light-wave projector," Shauna explained. "Most high-tech companies have something similar. With customization, it can project whatever's on your computer into midair—just like in the Iron Man movies."
"You can use it for work, entertainment, or home control. Curtains, windows, security systems—it can all be connected. Very convenient."
Jiang Hai swallowed.
"How much would it cost to install one?"
His interest was written all over his face.
"We don't normally install these for outsiders," Shauna said with a smile. "But since you're a shareholder… ten million dollars. We can customize one for you."
"Ten million is fine," Jiang Hai replied immediately. "Forget everything else—sign me up for this first. I want that Iron Man feeling."
Internally, he marveled at how easy it was for tech companies to make money.
But something this cool?
He couldn't resist.
Even Azalina and Alerzara stared at it with obvious interest.
Having one at home did sound pretty amazing.
Shauna paused for a moment, slightly surprised by how casually he agreed.
Then she smiled.
"No problem. I'll arrange it. This way, please."
She couldn't help thinking:
He really is rich.
(To be continued.)