Looking at the door in front of him, Qin Li couldn't help but reflect on the events of the past few days. He had witnessed Tony Stark's transformation firsthand and learned that Ancient One had become a Paladin. Although the process was a bit strange, it was still an experience that made Qin Li feel somewhat out of place, having personally lived through and even participated in events straight out of a movie.
Qin Li slapped his face to wake himself up, then pushed open the door and walked in. As soon as he entered, he saw Nick standing on a bench with his single leg, hands raised, shouting toward Jessica at the bar, "Accept the judgment of the Holy Light!"
Jessica, on the other hand, looked rather uninterested, resting her chin on her palm and staring at Nick, who was acting like a monkey. When they heard the door open with a bell chime, Qin Li walked in, and Jessica immediately stood up excitedly. Nick quickly jumped off the bench and stood awkwardly aside.
"Father Li, you're back! Is everything settled?" Jessica asked eagerly.
"Pretty much, things have wrapped up. It's finally time to relax," Qin Li responded as he walked toward the bar. He patted Nick on the head as he passed and added, "How are you settling in here, young man?"
"Father Li, I'm very satisfied!" Nick responded in a mock-serious tone, giving a salute.
"That's good. There are plenty of rooms on the second floor. Have you picked one out?" Qin Li sat down at the bar and asked.
"Can I stay here?" Nick asked, his eyes filled with joy and a hint of disbelief.
"Of course. I'm friends with your father's friend, so helping you out is the least I can do," Qin Li answered. Then he turned to Jessica, "A glass of whiskey, please. I haven't had a good drink in a while."
Jessica skillfully grabbed a glass, filled it with ice, and poured whiskey for Qin Li. Meanwhile, Nick stood nearby, looking a bit unsure.
"What's wrong? Don't believe me?" Qin Li asked, noticing Nick's hesitation.
"No, Father Li, but... have you met my father?" Nick quickly shook his head, asking.
"I don't know your father. I only heard about him from his friends," Qin Li answered with a smile.
Nick's face dropped when he heard that Qin Li didn't know his father, but his eyes sparkled with hope when he heard the rest.
"Then what did his friends say about him? Was my father a hero?" Nick asked curiously.
Qin Li looked at Nick's nervous eyes and said, "Yes, to the country, he is a hero." Seeing Nick's excitement, Qin Li continued, "But to you, he may not be your hero."
"Yes, I've never seen him. My mom always told me he was a great hero, protecting the country, so he didn't have time to visit me..." Nick said, his voice filled with sadness.
Seeing Nick so down, Qin Li didn't want to say anything negative about his father. He took a sip from his glass and continued drinking. Suddenly, Tony Stark's voice came from the TV. Qin Li looked up at the screen, seeing Tony Stark eating a burger while talking. Then, Tony walked up to the podium and said:
"Everyone, sit down, that way you can all see me."
Tony Stark casually sat at the press conference podium and pulled a burger from his pocket. "Now I can relax a bit," he said.
Taking a bite of his burger, he spoke to his uncle, Obadiah Stane, "I'm glad."
Obadiah Stane kindly smiled at Tony and replied, "I am too."
Then, Tony suddenly said, "I never got to say goodbye to my dad," as if thinking of something. He turned to the reporters and repeated, "I never got to say goodbye to my dad." After placing his half-eaten burger aside, he paused and added, "I still have questions I never asked him. I want to know what he thought about the company, if he ever had doubts, if he questioned it. I also want to know if he wasn't the man we saw in the news all those years."
After saying this, Tony Stark seemed to make up his mind and continued, "I watched young people die, killed by weapons I designed to protect them. And I realized I've become part of a completely irresponsible system."
At that moment, a reporter raised their hand and asked, "What happened there?"
Tony Stark froze for a second, then said, "I've finally woken up. I realize I can do more for this world, for this society, than just blow it up. So I plan to shut down Stark International's weapons manufacturing division!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere at the press conference went from a quiet room where you could hear a pin drop to a chaotic noise, like a market. Tony Stark stood up and walked out through the crowd, while Obadiah Stane remained at the podium to calm the situation and redirect the conversation.
Qin Li had already looked away when Tony Stark walked out of the crowd. He turned to Jessica and asked, "Has anyone else been by recently?"
"Kingpin came by, but after he found out you weren't in New York, he hasn't come back. Oh, and a blind lawyer, quite handsome, also left after hearing you weren't around," Jessica replied as she wiped down the bar.
"Got it, thanks. By the way, do you have any savings?" Qin Li suddenly asked, as if remembering something.
Jessica looked confused but answered, "Yes, I have some, around 200,000. Why? Is there something you need money for?"
"I've got a little money-making idea for you. When Stark stock drops to its limit, buy some," Qin Li said with a mysterious smile.
"Huh? If Stark Industries stops making weapons, wouldn't it go bankrupt? Why buy stock in a company that's going to close?" Jessica questioned.
"I've already told you the opportunity. Whether you seize it or not is up to you. This is insider information," Qin Li said, shaking his head like a street fortune teller. After all, it was insider info—he heard it straight from Tony Stark in the movie.
Jessica replied, somewhat skeptically, "Alright, Father Li, I'll keep that in mind."
"Okay, that's it for now. I've got some business to take care of. I'll be heading out," Qin Li said, finishing his drink and standing up. "Nick, if you need anything, ask Jessica to take you shopping."
He rubbed Nick's head affectionately before walking out of the church.
It was still early in the afternoon, and Qin Li planned to visit Nick Fury, that sly old egg, to ask him how he was looking after his fellow agents' families.