Shiller brought three kids to the vegetable garden, where some of the cabbage was ready for picking. Although it hadn't fully matured, the young leaves were perfect for a salad, and the timing was just right.
Shiller had no expectations that Helen and the others would seriously pick the vegetables; it would be good enough if they didn't cause any mischief. So, he went over to the tool shed, pulled out a small cart, grabbed a shovel, and began to dig up the appropriate cabbages.
This farmland employed the most advanced agricultural planting methodologies, and coupled with California's excellent sunlight conditions, the cabbages felt satisfyingly heavy when held, having accumulated plenty of water.
Standing at the edge of the field, Shiller pulled apart one head of cabbage. The inner leaves were deliciously crisp, and one bite released all the sweet juices. The leaves were thick and the fibers were just right; indeed, the vegetables he grew himself were always the best.
Shiller picked five or six cabbages, removed some of the rough outer leaves to discard, and placed them in the cart before moving to the lettuce patch.
The lettuce was planted later than the cabbages and was still quite small, but this type of vegetable can be eaten at any stage of growth. Shiller picked two larger ones, the perfect size for a hamburger, and with a texture as good as the cabbage.
The nearby banana plants were far from mature; the bananas were only as long as a finger and still bright green. Unripe bananas are not only bitter but also astringent, making them inedible.
However, the mangoes in the next patch were a bit better. Though still quite small, the green mangoes could be used for flavoring or in cold dishes, so Shiller picked some as well.
At that moment, he deeply missed Pamela. If she were here, these vegetables could mature overnight.
But then again, if that were the case, he would miss the sense of accomplishment he felt watching them grow day by day.
While picking vegetables, Shiller found himself constantly thinking about the wedding. He felt that Stark was dissatisfied with some of the traditional wedding constraints, but knowing that he couldn't be capricious about such matters, he hadn't expressed it.
He placed so much emphasis on the couple's entrance because, during the time before their entrance, at least they could be free, without considering the guests' feelings.
If he wanted to incorporate any romantic whimsy he liked, he could only make changes during this period. The idea of a hot air balloon trip was not bad and would probably be touching, but Shiller felt it still wasn't impressively memorable.
What should he do then?
Gray mist seemed to have sensed Shiller's thoughts, asking in his mind, "Have you ever fantasized about your own wedding?"
"I can fantasize about it now," said Shiller, and he seriously started to ponder but soon gave up, admitting, "I just can't imagine what my other half would look like... alive."
"Does your other half have to be human?"
Shiller fell silent, suddenly looking down at the ring on his hand. Gray mist laughed in his mind, and then said, "Human weddings are quite dull. I don't think we need one."
"We don't need a wedding to proclaim anything. We are perfect," Shiller also laughed.
"Yes, you and I, we are perfect."
"What?"
"Not me and Shiller, but me and you, Gray mist and Greed are perfect."
Shiller laughed joyfully.
Standing by the field, Shiller cleaned the dirt from the base of the freshly picked vegetables by rinsing them under a nearby irrigation faucet, pondering how to arrange a surprise at Stark's wedding.
He thought of many plans, but they were all a bit too dramatic. Although the island was not especially large, any small commotion could disturb those delicate celebrities.
Shiller felt, if he were a superhero or a family member of a superhero, rescue might be an unavoidable topic.
Superheroes are always saving ordinary people, while the families of superheroes are always saving the superheroes. People often see the former and overlook the latter.
But for them personally, having someone to rescue them from their world-saving burdens closely resembles true love.
Although he now had the concept, executing it was another hassle. It wasn't practical to first subject them to the pressures of saving the world, only to rescue them afterward as it would be mixing joy with sadness, which was really unnecessary.
So, how about organizing a game? But if they knew about this segment in advance, it wouldn't be a surprise.
After thinking for a while and not coming up with a better idea, Shiller simply stopped thinking, packed the vegetables in bags, and called to Helen and the others to head back.
Indeed, Helen, Rocket Raccoon, and Pikachu hadn't been diligently picking vegetables. They had found a water hose by the field halfway through and started a water gun battle, ending up wetter on the way back than when they arrived.
On the way back, Shiller saw that the equipment Reed requested had been delivered, but he was still passionately pursuing Susan, with no apparent plan to start work.
After returning to the pool, Shiller shared the news with Reed, who surprisingly seemed quite enthusiastic. He whispered to Shiller,
"I think you're right, even though I'm not much of a romantic, I believe everyone will fall in love with me when I'm seriously working."
Although the remark sounded a bit narcissistic, Shiller found it reasonable primarily because when Reed was engrossed in his work, he stopped talking. His closed mouth instantly boosted his charisma several-fold, so it was indeed effective.
He saw Reed go to invite Susan.
The reason was clichéd—it was for an experiment that needed an assistant.
Susan was also a scientist. Logically, inviting a bona fide scientist to be an assistant could seem somewhat dismissive.
However, the academic gap between the two was significant. Susan was an excellent scientist, but compared to Reed, who was among the top scientists in the world and beyond, there was a difference. Moreover, her field of geological science did not have as high a priority as Reed's projects in the overall Solar System development plan, where she had a lukewarm role.
Upon learning that Reed had invited her instead of someone more capable and closer to Reed's field like Peter, Susan was very pleased, yet she expressed her concerns appropriately.
"Reed, I know you're also working on some geological research, and I think we'll find some common ground there, but the problem we need to solve this time is in biological science, and I really don't know much about that area, I might be a burden to you..."
"Oh, don't worry." Reed was about to speak on instinct, but then he remembered Shiller's coaching. No, he had to treat Susan like a puzzle whose solution would reveal a cosmic truth, with limited chances to respond. He quickly thought about how to gather as much information as possible.
"Um...good scientists all think that way. Science is transmutable across disciplines. Even if fields are vastly different, the way we think tends to be similar, and the fundamental processes of research are largely the same."
"You know, I'm the kind of scientist who has sudden moments of inspiration, but perhaps you can help me with the more basic parts. With a solid foundation, my inspiration can... uh, burst forth better."
Reed was indeed at a loss for words; he really had tried his best. If he had been more adept with words, he wouldn't still be single. His vocabulary wasn't that rich, which made his speech sound dry, but it was already a miraculous improvement compared to before.
Susan's eyes sparkled as she looked at him, and she flashed a radiant smile that completely dazzled Reed.
"If that's the case, then it would be an honor for me. I can go around bragging that I've been Dr. Richards's assistant, and no one would envy my good fortune."
After saying this, she linked her arm through Reed's and headed towards the car. Reed turned back and gave Shiller a grateful look, and Shiller responded with an "ok" gesture.
Meanwhile, Stark, who had been ready to laugh at Reed's expense, saw Reed perform so well and immediately sensed something fishy. Reed's final look confirmed the answer—it was all Shiller's doing!
Stark sneakily moved next to Shiller and asked with some astonishment, "What are you up to? How did that Richards suddenly become good at picking up girls?"
"It's not difficult." Shiller leaned in and whispered softly, "He doesn't know how to flirt, but doesn't he know how to research? I told him to treat Susan like a puzzle that would reveal the truth of the universe if solved, and he naturally got the hang of it."
Stark stood there, stunned, like that cosmic cat meme, as if a new world had opened up to him.
Suddenly, he said excitedly, "Even if there really was a puzzle that would reveal the cosmic truth once solved, it should be Pepper!"
"Both are fine, right?"
"No, I can't let him solve the puzzle first. The cosmic truth is mine!"
"I think you guys are crazy." Shiller sighed genuinely.
Stark returned to Pepper's side, his face full of smiles, talking about something.
Pepper and Erica were teaching their children to swim. It wasn't really teaching, as babies naturally know how to swim from when they are in the womb, and younger children usually seem to swim better immediately after they are born.
Now that the kids were older, they needed child swim rings around their necks to stay afloat, but both children were raised robust, vigorously paddling with their limbs, gliding smoothly through the pool.
The two mothers only needed to ensure they didn't swim too far or bump into anyone.
Watching the kids swim was quite entertaining, as they didn't really know what they were doing. They felt unsupported by their limbs, so they instinctively flailed about, trying to escape their current situation, but the more they flailed, the faster they swam.
Stark was clearly there to charm Pepper; in no time at all, the two were holding their children and chatting and laughing beside the pool.
Although Stark was also a scientist, he was a playboy well above Reed's league; he had Pepper laughing in no time.
Shiller watched helplessly from the side, not understanding why a father had to compare himself to someone who hadn't even won over a girl yet; perhaps it was a scientist's thirst for cosmic truth.
As the sky gradually darkened, Eddie activated the projector, and a massive holographic screen appeared in front of the pool.
Everyone floated in the water, chatting and laughing at times, and at times, concentrating intently. The lights and shadows from the screen passed over their faces, the water's surface shimmered, like tributaries of the river of human history, time frozen in this moment.