Tony Stark's Private Ailment

Malibu Beach in Los Angeles was one of the most exclusive luxury villa districts in the city, and indeed the entire west coast of the United States. Many celebrities and wealthy businessmen owned homes there, Tony Stark among them. At that moment, Pepper Potts was alone in the spacious living room, holding a phone that was giving her a busy signal. She gave a helpless, rueful smile, opened the door to the underground lab, and went downstairs.

"Tony, I told you this wouldn't work. You have to learn to respect the people who help you," Pepper Potts said to Tony Stark, who was bent over an experiment.

"You mean he turned me down? He refused to become Tony Stark's private health-care doctor? Doesn't he know he'd earn more serving me alone than he would serving all the ladies and gentlemen on Wall Street?" Tony Stark said without looking up.

Knowing that Tony Stark couldn't stop once he started working, Pepper Potts went over and reached out to stop him. Looking at him, she said:

"He knows who we are, Tony. Look at me. Look at my face. I've only been there three times, and all together it took less than four hours. You know what, Tony? I feel like my body has gone back ten years. I've never felt as good as I do now. You know that's not something you can achieve by going to the gym a few times a day, right? In Xia's words, it's called 'taking care of your body from the inside out.' Do you know how amazing that is? He's a genius. Tony, come to New York with me tomorrow. We'll meet him and talk to him. I believe he'll be moved by the sincerity of you going there in person."

"I admit you look great now," Tony Stark said, looking at Pepper Potts. Then he bent over his work again before continuing, "I'm not going to personally invite a health-care doctor, and I don't like you calling someone else a genius in front of me. I think I'm the greatest genius in your eyes, not some health-care doctor. And in everyone else's eyes too, of course."

"I'll arrange a flight for tomorrow morning. I'll come pick you up tomorrow. Get some rest early and have a good night's sleep, boss!" Pepper Potts turned

and walked away as she spoke in a firm tone.

Under normal circumstances, Pepper Potts obeyed Tony Stark's orders without question. Before she became CEO of Stark Industries, she had been especially accommodating, taking meticulous care of his daily needs. Only when Tony's health was concerned would she become exceptionally firm. Just now, Tony Stark had shown a little physical discomfort, though he wasn't ill in the medical sense. Pepper Potts had recalled Xia Yu's theories on health maintenance, so she had immediately recommended him and called him without regard for the hour.

Pepper Potts rarely put her foot down with him, so Tony Stark shrugged and said nothing. He could feel that she cared, and the change in her lately had been too dramatic. When he had arranged a date with a magazine cover girl, his mind had been full of images of Pepper Potts instead. Tony Stark sighed, put down his work, and obediently went to rest.

Xia Yu had bet correctly. The following afternoon, he met one of the central figures of the Avengers, Iron Man Tony Stark, though the atmosphere at the start was less than friendly.

"The genius you said knew mysterious Eastern medicine can't be this kid, can it? Pepper, are you sure you've got the right person?" Tony Stark started running his mouth as soon as he came in.

"Mr. Stark, Xia's clinic is the most famous in New York. It has been since his grandfather's time. The most prominent and influential people in all of Manhattan have to make appointments to be seen," Pepper Potts told Tony Stark, smiling at Xia Yu as she spoke.

Tony Stark clearly didn't appreciate Pepper Potts's good intentions and continued provoking him. "I can believe his grandfather knew miraculous Eastern medicine, but I find it hard to believe this kid in front of me can be as amazing as you say." Then Tony Stark turned to Xia Yu and asked, "How old are you, kid? Are you even old enough to drink?"

Xia Yu continued making tea at the tea table and replied, "I'm twenty-three, Mr. Stark. I hear you entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at fifteen and took charge of your family business at twenty-one. Surely you understand that age isn't everything?"

"How is that the same? I'm Tony Stark, the world's most famous genius, billionaire, and playboy," Tony Stark said smugly.

"Then go buy a medical journal, read it carefully, and heal your own body to prove it to me, Mr. Genius." Xia Yu refused to back down.

After saying that, Xia Yu poured a cup of tea and gestured to Pepper Potts to take it. "Miss Potts, have a taste of your favorite black tea."

Pepper Potts thanked him and took the cup. Tony Stark sat down as if it were the most natural thing in the world, poured himself a cup, and said, "Your tea isn't bad, although I usually drink coffee. Kid, do you know who you're provoking? My genius goes into making the world's most advanced weapons, not being some little health-care doctor. Besides, I don't think it takes much genius to be a good one."

Xia Yu graciously refilled both their cups, but his words showed no mercy. "So the great Mr. Stark can make weapons that can destroy the Earth, but can't fix his own... hmm? Weak and aging body? If I may be so bold, Mr. Stark, how old are you? Let me guess. Forty-five?"

Xia Yu was definitely doing it on purpose. Tony Stark was born in 1970, so he was thirty-seven at most, and he looked younger now than he had in the movies.

"Damn it, I'm a long way from forty! I work out at least four times a week. My body is very strong, and you actually described me as weak and aging? I hate that word. Hell, you've made me angry. Do you have boxing gloves here? I have to show you what strong means." Tony Stark waved his arms around in anger.

Xia Yu turned to Pepper Potts with a look of surprise. "Miss Potts, are you sure Mr. Stark is under forty? Oh my God, he looks like your father." Without waiting for Pepper Potts's reaction, he turned back to Tony Stark and continued, "You said you work out four times a week? I'm sorry, sir, but I have to say, of everything about you, your beard looks the best cared for. It doesn't suit you at all, but at least it looks like you've put some effort into grooming it."

Tony Stark drained his cup of tea in one go, as if out of spite. "I can't believe I've met someone more annoying than I am. My father once said the greater the genius, the more cutting and mean they were, to describe me. Now I'll give you the cutting and mean part, and then we'll see your genius side."

Then he turned to Pepper Potts. "Pepper, go downstairs and get me a coffee. I really can't get used to drinking tea. While you're at it, see if the shop at the intersection has any concentrated sulfuric acid. If the results aren't satisfactory, I'm planning to throw it in this kid's face."

Pepper Potts watched the two of them bicker with a smile. It was rare to see Tony get the worse of an exchange. She knew Tony Stark very well: if he thought someone wasn't worth his time, he wouldn't waste another word on them. Xia really was a very charming young man. She had liked him as soon as she saw him, and Tony seemed to have a good impression of him too. (The system's favorability bonus toward story characters.)

Hearing Tony Stark's words, Pepper Potts smiled and nodded. She gave Xia Yu an apologetic look, then got up and went downstairs.

Only when he could no longer hear Pepper Potts's footsteps on the stairs did Tony Stark turn back to Xia Yu and say fiercely, "Kid, I got up early, left my lab, and spent several hours on a plane. You'd better make it worth my while. I need the kind of all-around care Pepper got, from the inside out. All-around, do you understand what I mean?"

Xia Yu laughed. "Mr. Stark, if you're afraid of wasting time, a certain little blue pill can solve your problem. They sell them at the pharmacy downstairs, and you can get twenty percent off if you mention my name." Xia Yu had spotted the main problem as soon as Tony Stark came in. Otherwise, how could Tony Stark have flown over in person so quickly? It turned out there was a problem with a man's most important function.

"Damn it, how could you tell? I need my body repaired. Repaired, understand? It's like an engine that's running slow. I need you to repair or upgrade it, not overload it, understand? That would shorten the engine's life. Damn it, what I'm trying to say is that I've been working too long lately and haven't rested properly. All my bodily functions have been affected, but I don't have any spare time to rest. So I need your special medical skills to help my body get a proper rest and recover the functions it should have. Yes, that's what I mean," Tony Stark explained earnestly.

"I understand exactly what you mean, and I understand what you need. I won't reveal the details of your treatment to anyone, either. But for the best results, I need you to come twice a week and keep it up for at least three months. And during those three months, you can't have relations with any women. Men are out too, of course," Xia Yu replied just as seriously.

"Three months won't do. That's too long. Do you know how many hot women tempt me every day? I can't turn every one of them down. Rejecting a lady, especially a beautiful one, isn't gentlemanly behavior." Tony Stark bargained.

"Then go buy those little blue pills. I can't help you. But I have to tell you, your engine has already traveled too far. If you force it to accelerate again, it'll be fit for the scrap heap. Of course, I do have a way to give you the same effect as the blue pills without scrapping it, but then your engine will become impossible to repair. You'll be stuck with your current horsepower." Xia Yu shrugged helplessly.

"Damn it, have you read Maxim magazine? I said I was going to try their cover girl every month this year, but I missed their February model. I thought there was no hope, but who knew next month's cover would feature twins? I think this is a chance heaven gave me, and I have to seize it. So, by next month at the latest, I need to be back in good enough shape to handle two at once, and without side effects. You have to find a way to help me. Name your price," Tony Stark said.

"It's not about money. It would take nearly a month. I'd need to monitor your sleep and diet and treat you every day. Do you have time to stay here with me for a month?" Xia Yu asked.

"Me, here with you? Living together for a month? I can't do that. Actually, I want you to become my personal health-care doctor. To be honest, I quite appreciate the change you brought about in Pepper. I mean, it's very natural and dazzling, isn't it? So if you're willing, come to Los Angeles with me. Name your terms." Tony Stark finally extended the invitation.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in being anyone's private health-care doctor. In fact, I don't plan to stay in this line of work in the future. I can help you resolve this problem, but you have to promise me, Mr. Stark, that until your treatment is complete, you'll follow all my arrangements," Xia Yu said.