Qin Li put the shining Holy Sword away in his inventory and then took out his phone to call Natasha.
"Agent Romanoff, are you done on your end?" Qin Li walked up to the factory's main gate and spoke.
"What's up, Father Li? Want to spend a memorable night with me?" Natasha tilted her head, holding the phone with her shoulder and face, while her hands continued to operate the computer in front of her, collecting some data.
"I must say, what you're suggesting sounds quite tempting, but this time I just want to hitch a ride." Qin Li scratched his head.
As the progress bar on the computer reached 100%, Natasha pulled out the USB drive, held the phone in her hand, and said, "Well, Father Li, you're in luck. I'm just finishing up. Where are you now?"
Qin Li glanced around and replied, "I'm right here, past the main gate, on the road leading to the chemical plant."
No sooner had Qin Li finished speaking than Natasha rode a Harley out of the factory, performed a stylish burnout, and with a single-footed stunt, removed her helmet and shook her hair. "I'm here. Need a lift, Father?" she said, smiling.
Qin Li couldn't help but whistle and said, "Wow, Agent Romanoff, I think I need to change my first impression of you."
"Oh? Does that mean I didn't make a good first impression on you before?" Natasha tilted her head and asked.
"No, no, it was good before, but now it's even better. Let's go. Are you driving?" Qin Li waved his hand, walking towards Natasha, then asked.
"Of course, ladies first, right?" Natasha grabbed an extra helmet and tossed it to Qin Li. Then, she put on her own helmet, twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle rumbled.
"Alright, ladies first. I think I'll have to buy one of these myself. It's just my style," Qin Li said as he took the helmet, put it on, and added with a muffled voice, "Let's go, Agent Romanoff. Take me for a ride on this beast."
"No problem, sir. Hold on tight!" Natasha said. With the roar of the engine, the Harley burned rubber and launched forward, the front wheel lifting slightly as it sped down the road.
"Woohoo! Awesome!" Qin Li exclaimed, gripping the steel frame behind him.
Natasha focused on driving, not saying a word. Qin Li noticed that despite all her previous moves, she hadn't touched him, which made her feel a bit of warmth toward him. After all, if Qin Li had suddenly hugged or held her earlier, there would have been no way around it, but he didn't. This gave Natasha a sense of who Qin Li really was.
As the motorcycle entered the bustling city filled with neon lights, Qin Li told Natasha he wanted to get off here, and they would part ways. Natasha had to go back to report her mission, while Qin Li just wanted to enjoy the vibrant city.
Watching the bustling streets at night, Qin Li couldn't help but feel a twinge of loneliness. Embracing this feeling, he did what he often did when alone—he went for hotpot, then afterward, randomly chose a movie to watch at the cinema.
By the time he came out of the theater, it was already early morning. Looking at the bright moon above, Qin Li strolled down the street. Suddenly, a super-luxurious Maserati pulled up beside him. At first, he didn't plan on acknowledging it, but as he walked forward, the car slowly followed. Qin Li turned his head, and the window on the driver's side of the Maserati rolled down, revealing Tony Stark's face.
"Look who it is! What are you doing here, playing the role of someone abandoned by the world? Jarvis told me you were eating and watching a movie, and I thought you were flirting with some woman. Turns out you're alone?" Tony Stark said dramatically.
Qin Li felt a bit annoyed by Tony Stark's sudden appearance and replied, "What do you want? You're here to bother me with your toys?"
"Hey, buddy, being sought out by Tony Stark is a privilege that others can't get! What's up, feeling bored? Get in, we'll talk." Tony Stark didn't care about Qin Li's attitude and casually said a couple of lines before inviting him into the car.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Qin Li said helplessly, walking over and getting in the car. "What's going on? Did you send Jarvis to spy on me? That's an invasion of privacy."
"Enough, let's go somewhere," Tony Stark replied, focusing on driving.
After a while, they arrived. Tony Stark got out of the car first, and Qin Li followed without saying a word.
"This is right by your house. What's this about?" Qin Li looked around and saw Tony Stark's house nearby, confused.
"Look over there," Tony Stark said, pointing ahead without explaining further.
Qin Li followed Tony Stark's gaze and saw the vast ocean. The waves shimmered like the scales of a white dragon under the moonlight, crashing onto the shore. The reflection of the moon in the water made Qin Li momentarily forget his loneliness, mesmerized by the beautiful view.
Tony Stark came over with two bottles of beer, handed one to Qin Li, and said, "You can thank Mr. Stark. I've never shown anyone this view except for Pepper."
Qin Li was stunned, and mechanically took the beer, sipping it without saying a word.
Tony Stark noticed Qin Li's silence and took a sip of beer, burping contentedly before continuing, "I've been there too. I used to look for supermodels, throw parties, oh wait, that might be too much for you."
Qin Li was shocked by Tony Stark's words, but after hearing the rest, his expression darkened, and he replied, "I shouldn't expect you to say something meaningful."
Tony Stark laughed loudly, took another sip of beer, and said, "Isn't that the truth?"
Qin Li didn't respond but gave Tony Stark a punch, then took another sip of beer.
After finishing his beer, Stark tossed the bottle and grabbed another, popping the cap open before taking a swig. "My father's been gone for years, and none of the people I know can be called friends. Well, except Rhodes."
Qin Li didn't say anything but continued to sip his beer, staring ahead.
Tony Stark glanced at Qin Li and continued, "That's why I go wild. I can afford to. No one controls me, and I don't care about what others think. Well, I do, but it's useless. I am who I am—Tony Stark."
Qin Li looked at Tony Stark, who was getting a bit drunk and rambling. He understood that Tony Stark was comforting himself in his own way. Although it was annoying, it made Qin Li change his perspective. He could no longer look at the world the same way as when he watched movies in his previous life. That's why Qin Li had quickly overcome his first kill by convincing himself this was just a movie world.
Sometimes, Qin Li would watch the plot unfold with peace of mind, not rushing to save Tony Stark, fearing that changing the plot would ruin his chance to enjoy the rest of the story.
As Tony Stark noticed Qin Li in a trance, he raised his drink and shouted, "Cheers, my friend!"
Qin Li snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Tony Stark, quietly saying, "Cheers, my friend."