Sony's Terms

"Okay, stop talking. I think I understand what you mean," Tony Stark said. But after a moment, he asked again, "Is two hundred million a lot?"

Speechless, Henry could only say to Tony, "Young Master, why don't you ask other people the same question and see if they beat you to death?"

"It's just a number. Okay, let's not talk about that. I said I'd ask for your opinion."

"Ask away, though I don't think I can offer you any advice."

Tony Stark naturally ignored this weak verbal retort and went on to say, "Sony wants Stark Studios to join its digital alliance. What do you think?"

Henry replied, "Is it necessary? The HD Digital VCR Consortium they established a few years ago sets the specifications for home cameras. We're working on film digitization; we're on completely different tracks."

"Moreover, our main market is Hollywood, Stark Studios is part of Hollywood. Partnering with Sony is like opening another door in Hollywood, giving them the opportunity to join."

"Sony can certainly offer a world-class market, but Stark Industries ' strategic focus is primarily on the military-industrial complex. You want to enter the imaging appliance market?"

"I have no interest in such a large undertaking. However, if Stark Studios joins forces with both, it won't be able to invest enough commercial resources and will eventually become Sony's manufacturing plant or research lab. If you think this is acceptable, I have no objection."

At this point, Henry understood. Tony Stark couldn't possibly be unaware of such a thing. But he couldn't control his own thoughts.

So the so-called "asking for opinions" is not about asking about the pros and cons of the matter, but simply about whether you're willing to get involved.

As if echoing Henry's realization, Tony asked again, "Aren't you interested?"

"Like my earlier example, all I need from a car is four wheels and the ability to move when fueled up. If you put a fighter jet in front of me, I might admire it, but I wouldn't want to drive it."

If we really need speed, we can just fly ourselves! That's how proud Kryptonian are.

"I understand." Tony Stark didn't try to persuade him further. This man's purpose was clear: he stayed in Hollywood for his girlfriend. What, besides money, would he be playing a bigger game?

As he approached the villa, a group of secretaries greeted him at the door. There were men and women, young and old.

Henry still couldn't tell whether Pepper Potts, who could potentially become Mrs. Stark in the future, was among them.

Tony then instructed the group, "The beach party will be moved to the villa. Go and get ready." He then entered the villa and went up to the second floor.

For indoor banquets like this, the first floor is a public space, and you can go anywhere as long as it's not specifically enclosed. The floors above the second floor are living areas, and it's best not to go up unless specifically designated as open to the public.

Henry certainly wouldn't follow Tony Stark up to the second floor of his house. It would be strange, both in terms of etiquette and appearance.

He simply stayed on the first floor, taking a look at the villa he was visiting for the first time, without interfering with the banquet company staff setting up the venue.

Henry had also visited the Stark Family's house where Catherine Hepburn had stayed. It was a villa in Beverly Hills, with a rather old-fashioned style and furnishings, very much in line with the tastes of older people in the early 20th century.

The villa in front of me, although it's also a manor-style property, has an interior that... well, it's hard to describe?

Although there are antique furniture pieces, the majority of the furnishings reflect the engineer's personality and are designed for functionality.

Moreover, this change was not well designed. As a result, the interior is like two incompatible styles, each dragging the other down.

Forget about aesthetics. Henry just couldn't stand it.

No wonder this place was demolished later to rebuild a villa that better suited the homeowner's aesthetic.

If I had to pick the best house I've ever seen, it would be the Mellon family's Oak Spring Farm. The garden, meticulously designed by the lady of the house Rachel Lambert, and the consistently tasteful interior decor, all exude understated elegance.

They don't use gold toilets or tacky jewelry to tell others that something is expensive. Everything in the house is something the Old Money couple would use, but nothing is a boring cheap item.

What impressed Henry most was a Mark that Mrs. Lambert loved to use. The design on the mug depicted a kitten chasing butterflies among flowers.

I originally thought it was the work of a famous artist, the kind of Mark that could sell for tens of thousands of dollars, which would be more in line with the status of the Mellon family's Old Money.

Who knew that it was actually a five-cent cup that Mrs. Lambert had bought at the market, and she used it for more than ten years.

This isn't to say that the lady was particularly frugal, but rather that her taste wasn't determined by the value of the items. She was different from those wealthy people who only used expensive things and didn't care about their quality.

As for Tony Stark, his current situation and feelings are perhaps like this room. The old and new are changing, but not in harmonious blending; rather, he's in a state of bewilderment and helplessness. That's probably why he lives in such a cramped-looking room.

A rustling sound drifted over. The girls on the beach changed into cool, light dresses and went inside the villa. The warmth brought a flush to their faces.

Everyone seemed relieved. Finally, they didn't have to play around on the beach like fools in the dead of winter.

Most people couldn't understand the purpose of the house. They gathered around the food stalls or the bar, looking for food or alcoholic beverages to warm them up.

A small group of people gathered around the DJ, asking about the music to be used next, so they could plan their performance.

It seems there are still quite a few girls aspiring to become Mrs. Stark.

Not long after, Tony Stark changed into casual clothes and appeared at the party.

Happy Hogan appeared out of nowhere, holding a silver tray covered with a glass dome containing a cocktail that had just been mixed right under his nose, and served it to Tony at just the right moment.

Feeling the music wasn't energetic enough, the eldest son of the Stark Family raised his hand and shouted, "Music, liquor, girls, rock out!"

The atmosphere immediately changed when the boss spoke, and the DJ even changed the music to the currently popular electronic dance music.

The deafeningly loud dance music made everyone's bodies sway involuntarily. All the girls were frantically showing off, hoping to win the young master's favor.

It may seem chaotic, but no one is deliberately trying to squeeze in Tony Stark's direction. They're just dancing confidently in their own places.

Henry was astonished by this strange scene of order within chaos.

Tony Stark, walking past Henry, raised his glass in a toast. "Don't be a spoilsport, rock on! Don't worry, I won't tell your girl what happened today."

After saying that, he threw himself into the flower bushes.

Hearing that statement, which was practically a blatant attempt to cover up the truth, Henry felt much more at ease...

I don't believe you for a second!