Chapter 25: Wipe your mouth with a suit! Do you sell this fried rice? !
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Tony had always been a businessman at heart. As they continued their conversation, it became clear. The moment he drank the milk tea, he immediately saw its commercial potential.
Wanda and Gwen, who had tasted the same milk tea, only thought about how delicious it was. They never considered its money-making possibilities or market potential.
Of course, Tony didn't think much of the money to be made from milk tea. Even if it could generate hundreds of millions in revenue, it was nothing compared to the value of his clean energy projects, like cold nuclear fusion. What were a few hundred million dollars compared to the fortune Tony could make from a single box of Ark Reactors?
For Tony, the appeal of the milk tea lay in its taste. He wanted to be able to drink it every day, much like the burger stand under Stark Tower. People might think it's just a mobile stall, but it's there because Tony loves their burgers.
Lorien, on the other hand, found the idea of introducing milk tea to the U.S. and seeing the "upper class" switch from coffee to milk tea amusing. It wasn't about the money; it was about the fun and the novelty.
Considering this, Lorien saw no reason to guard the milk tea recipe. It was just good tasting; there was nothing magical about it. So, he nodded, opened a drawer, and handed the milk tea recipe to Tony.
"Here, take it. I'll take 30% of the profits. I don't care about the rest."
Tony took the recipe, scanned it with his sunglasses, and then tucked it into his jacket. "No problem."
Tony didn't care about the money the milk tea could make as long as it didn't lose money. Lorien, on the other hand, was just interested in the novelty. The deal was settled with just a few words.
"Now, we can continue our conversation," Tony said.
Lorien was about to move on to the third point, but he checked the time and saw it was already one o'clock in the afternoon. Business and showing off could wait; hunger couldn't.
"It's time for lunch. I think we should eat something," Lorien said, snapping his fingers.
Tony paused. He now understood the frustration of being interrupted mid-sentence. "Alright," Tony agreed. He glanced at his watch and started contacting someone. "I'll have Pepper arrange for the armor to deliver some food. Guaranteed luxury: Boston lobster, Orr Estate wine, Michelin chef's main course, and more."
Wow. A billion-dollar iron suit delivering food. Classic Tony.
But Lorien shook his head, stood up, and walked toward another room. "Forget it. Let's just eat the egg fried rice I prepared."
Tony was taken aback. "Eat what you prepared?" He spread his hands incredulously. "Is your cooking as good as what I just mentioned? You're making me eat instant food?"
Lorien ignored Tony's skepticism and brought out two covered plates from the next room. It wasn't any fancy meal—just the egg fried rice Lorien had won in a lottery. It had been sitting in his space for days, and it would be a waste not to eat it.
Tony stared at the plates in disbelief. "Hey! You don't want luxury food! You're making me eat fast food with you?"
To Tony, fried rice, served so quickly, seemed like fast food. He couldn't understand why Lorien would choose this over the gourmet meals he could provide.
Lorien placed the plates on the table and returned to his seat without looking back. "If you don't want it, I'll eat it myself."
Tony looked at the egg fried rice in front of him. Finally, he sighed, resigned to his fate, and sat down. "Alright, let me, Tony Stark, see how it tastes. If it's not good, I'll buy your building and raise your rent!"
With that, Lorien and Tony picked up their cutlery and started eating. The egg fried rice looked simple, but it had a magical quality. The moment the rice grains wrapped in egg entered their mouths, a sense of satisfaction and a refreshing taste flooded their brains. It was almost instinctual to keep eating.
Lorien ate it slowly, savoring each bite.
But then he heard a strange sound. Someone was devouring the food voraciously. Who could it be? Could it be Tony?
Lorien turned to see Tony, his face almost buried in the rice plate, shoveling the egg fried rice into his mouth with no regard for his image.
No longer the composed superhero or billionaire, Tony looked like a man who hadn't eaten in days.
Lorien chuckled and turned back to his meal. Less than a minute later, he noticed Tony wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his expensive suit. Tony looked at Lorien and nodded seriously.
"What is this called, egg fried rice? Do you have the recipe? Or do you sell it? I'm confident it could replace 50% of the fast food market share in the United States within a year!"
Lorien: ...
Hadn't he heard this before? Oh right, Tony had just said something similar about the milk tea.
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400 Power stones = 1 Extra Chapter