When Life Was First Seen

2008, Rocky Los Angeles, United States

Tony Stark's Rolls-Royce passed by the dazzling neon lights in front of the Dragon Country Grand Theater.

He sat in the soft back seat, covered his mouth with one hand, yawned widely, and squeezed out a few physiological tears from the corner of his eye.

"Tired?" Pepper Potts looked up from a stack of thick financial statements, adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, and said in a soft, weary voice, "Stan's last proposal has been dragging on for too long."

"It's not that it's been dragging on for too long, it's that the outdated circuitry in his brain needs an upgrade." Tony pursed his lips, tapping his fingers impatiently on the cushion. "Every time I finish a board meeting with him, I feel like my IQ has been forcibly downgraded."

The car's communication system screen lit up silently, revealing Howard Stark's well-maintained, somewhat old-fashioned gentlemanly face. He was holding a beautifully sculpted little girl in his arms, Morgan Stark.

"Hey, you brat!" Howard's voice came through the speakers, strong and full of energy, with a hint of habitual disdain. "Look at the time! Aren't you going to get back here? Morgan's getting sleepy."

Tony immediately switched expressions, flashing his signature "sweet daddy" smile that could melt a little girl's heart, "Right away! The traffic is like a Christmas shopping spree!"

He softened his voice, looking at Howard's daughter who was blinking her big eyes in his arms. "My sweetheart, did you miss your all-powerful, handsome daddy?"

Morgan nuzzled her little head against her grandfather's chest and cried out in her childish voice, "I want to find my mommy!" Her little finger pointed directly at Pepper outside the screen.

Pepper immediately tossed the file aside, a gentle smile spreading across her face. She leaned close to Tony's shoulder, her face almost touching the screen. "Hey, my sweetheart! Mommy's here! We'll be home soon, and I brought you super-delicious donuts!"

Howard watched as his granddaughter's attention was instantly drawn away by her mother, and shook his head with a mixture of helplessness and affection.

He deftly operated the system, creating a new small screen for Pepper and Morgan to chat in their own private channel. Then he cleared his throat towards Tony on the main screen.

"Tony, listen to me," Howard said seriously, "Tomorrow, take some time to come with me to the New York."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? Another high-tech summit? Or did some museum invite you, this old WWII relic, to give a presentation?" His teasing was undisguised.

"It's a party," Howard said, ignoring his son's teasing. "Steve and Peggy are hosting, and they've invited us. Bucky, Peggy's niece Sharon, and the others will be there."

Tony immediately pulled a long face and uttered a disgusted syllable. "Ha! A gathering of you bunch of WWII veterans? Spare me, Dad! I can picture it: Grandpa Steve pulls out his old photos and starts talking about 'joining the army back then...', Uncle Bucky nodding in agreement, Grandma Peggy elegantly debunking their tales... on repeat until I get so bored I need an IV drip of coffee to recharge."

Howard glared at him. "Stop talking nonsense! It's a rare opportunity to get together."

Tony's eyes darted around, and his face suddenly switched to an extremely gossipy, anticipation-filled expression. He leaned closer to the screen and asked in a low, sly voice, "But speaking of which... old man..."

His face practically screamed, "Satisfy my curiosity! I've never understood... with Grandpa Steve looking like such a skinny old man..."

Tony gestured to his chest, the meaning clear. "How did he manage to snag Grandma Peggy, this legendary 'SS-rank military beauty,' from among that group of burly soldiers? Hmm?"

He winked and said, "Just because of that 'I can play all day' lame trope? If this story is really interesting, I'd be willing to sacrifice some of my precious time just to hear it."

On the screen, Howard's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but was trying hard to maintain his composure.

Before he could even speak, Morgan, who was chatting away with his mother about donuts, suddenly turned around and shouted crisply at the big screen, "Grandpa! No swearing!"

Howard: "..."

Tony paused in the driver's seat, then burst into an unrestrained and extremely flamboyant laugh, "Hahahaha! Did you hear that, Dad! My daughter's got you under her thumb!" He proudly gestured with his chin towards the screen.

Howard, feeling a bit embarrassed, put on a kind grandfatherly face again as he looked at Morgan: "Baby, Grandpa didn't..." Before he could finish, Tony interrupted him again.

"Okay, okay! To hear Grandpa Steve's romance, and to see my daughter keeping an eye on you..." Tony's fingers flew across the car's screen twice, setting the destination navigation. "The New York, right? What time tomorrow?"

"Happy, get the plane ready for me," Tony ordered to the front row.

"Okay, boss." Happy's steady voice came from the front row.

Just then, Morgan's clear voice rang out from the screen again. "Daddy! I want a cheeseburger!" The little girl had obviously finished talking about donuts with her mother and missed her father, so she had a big appetite.

Upon hearing this, Tony immediately raised his eyebrows and a smug smile appeared on his lips, "Double cheese? No more of that awful pickles? Good choice, as expected of my cutest and most tasteful little princess!" He imitated Morgan's tone.

Morgan nodded vigorously, poked her chubby cheek with her little finger, and blinked her big eyes. "More... strawberry sundae! Lots and lots of strawberry jam on top!"

"No problem!" Tony snapped his the Snap, his face full of doting affection, and raised his voice again towards the driver's seat. "Happy! Did you hear the princess's highest command? Destination changed! The nearest, best cheeseburger place, full speed ahead!"

The Rolls-Royce smoothly turned and drove onto another busy street.

Shortly after, the vehicle came to a smooth stop in a roadside parking space.

Tony and Pepper got out of the car, and Happy quickly followed suit, habitually glancing around warily.

Tony waved his hand, signaling Happy to relax. "Just wait for us here. The princess's burgers and sundaes can't wait too long."

"Okay, boss." Happy dutifully stood guard by the car.

Tony naturally took Pepper's hand.

"Let's go, Ms. Potts, and purchase the royal hamburgers for our princess."

The two strolled leisurely along the sidewalk.

The night air was slightly cool, and the neon lights painted the streets in vibrant colors.

Pepper, seeing Tony's serious expression as if he were "carrying out an important mission," couldn't help but tease, "Using the excuse of buying Morgan a hamburger to slack off and wander around? Stark, that's not like you."

Tony shrugged, looking completely matter-of-fact. "How can this be called slacking off? This is strategic rest! To keep a brilliant brain like mine running at full speed, it needs regular maintenance and relaxation! Work-life balance, understand? Otherwise, your inspiration will dry up."

He squeezed Pepper's hand. "Besides, how can taking a walk with you be considered slacking off? It's the ultimate indulgence."

Pepper chuckled at his words, shook her head, and let him lead her Earth Flow.

The city's hustle and bustle seemed to fade into the background as the two enjoyed this rare moment of leisure, free from official duties.

As they walked, an extremely tempting aroma forcefully wafted into their nostrils—a scent that blended the rich aroma of meat, the smell of charcoal, and some unique spices, so enticing it hit them right in the head and made their mouths water.

Almost simultaneously, their stomachs let out a clear protest: "Gurgle—"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Pepper's face, and she instinctively clutched her stomach.

Tony immediately straightened his back, cleared his throat as if to appear calm, and looked away, as if the loud "gurgle" had nothing to do with him.

"Ugh... the air quality in this city is getting worse and worse, there's all sorts of strange smells." He complained, trying to cover up his grievances.

Pepper, seeing his stubbornness, suppressed a laugh and decided to give him a way out, "Hmm... this taste is indeed a bit unique. But..."

She touched her stomach and said honestly, "I think I'm actually a little hungry; the negotiations were too exhausting."

Upon hearing this, Tony immediately seized the opportunity, a reluctant expression appearing on his face. "Oh? You're hungry? Well... alright! Since you're hungry, as a considerate gentleman, I certainly can't let you go with me to buy Morgan a hamburger on an empty stomach. Come on, this genius is in a good mood today, so I'll just grab something to eat with you."

He spoke with an air of righteous indignation, as if he had made a tremendous sacrifice.

Pepper suppressed a laugh and nodded obligingly, "Thank you so much, Stark."

"You're welcome," Tony replied earnestly, immediately following the direction from which the alluring fragrance wafted.

The two walked through a short, dimly lit alley, where the aroma grew stronger and stronger.

Finally, a rather inconspicuous little shop appeared around the corner.

The store is small, and its decor is a rugged industrial style mixed with a kind of decadent and individualistic graffiti.

The most eye-catching feature was the neon sign hanging above the door, with red and blue lights outlining several bold characters that flashed continuously in the night:

Devil May Cry

Tony stopped abruptly, his reluctant expression instantly replaced by astonishment.

He squinted, carefully examining the signboard, then looked at the unassuming yet somewhat mysterious little shop.

"Devil May Cry?" he murmured, his tone full of surprise. "That's a pretty arrogant name."

An inexplicable curiosity, mixed with a strong appetite aroused by the aroma, led him to make a decision immediately.

"This is it! How dare they call themselves that? I'd like to see if the devil would cry if he ate their stuff!" Tony became interested and was the first to push open the rather heavy-looking metal door panel that was inlaid with rivets.

Tony pushed open the heavy, riveted metal door, and a richer aroma of food mixed with... the scent of metal and leather wafted out.

The store is dimly lit, with exposed industrial-style pipes overhead, and the walls are decorated with some bizarre abstract graffiti and a few oddly shaped cold weapons.

The furnishings are simple: a few small round tables, a bar counter, and an old sofa in the corner.

But what caught Tony's eye was the person.

Almost every table was occupied.

At the table closest to the door, a dark-haired man in loose clothing sat alone, a glass of water in front of him. He glanced sharply at Tony and Pepper, then lowered his eyes again, as if on guard.

A little further away, two middle-aged men with strikingly different styles, all with white hair, occupied the most prominent positions.

A man in a flamboyant long red trench coat was carelessly devouring a huge pile of pizza, with some sauce on the corner of his mouth.

Opposite him, a man in a dark blue trench coat, with an even more aloof demeanor, was elegantly holding a cup of black tea, sipping it slowly, his eyes calm and unwavering, as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with him.

On an old sofa in the corner, a bald man with a shiny bald head was fast asleep, a magazine with a supermarket discount cover covering his face, snoring loudly.

Near the bar, two girls dressed in gothic Lolita dresses huddled together, intently watching the computer screen on the table, seemingly studying some data. They occasionally exchanged a few words in hushed tones and let out crisp laughter.

Behind the bar stood a Neon man with long black hair, slowly and methodically wiping a glass.

On the other side of the bar, a sexy, tall woman wearing glasses and a red-haired woman were drinking red wine. Opposite them, a white-haired girl in a chef's uniform was intently piping cream onto a cake, oblivious to the flour smeared on her delicate face.

Tony paused, his brow furrowing slightly. Strange, these people... he'd never met them before, yet they gave him a strange sense of familiarity.

"Over here," Pepper at him and whispered. They walked to an empty table against the wall and sat down.

As soon as I sat down, a figure floated over gracefully. It was a white-haired girl wearing a modified black and white maid outfit, with a sweet face, a gentle smile, and a menu in her hand.

"Hello, Stark. and Mrs. Stark." She placed two menus in front of them.

Tony raised an eyebrow, his eyes scrutinizing the girl. "Do you know us?"

The girl smiled and nodded, pointing to an old-fashioned CRT television hanging on the wall behind the bar.

On the screen, a news clip was being replayed: Tony Stark stood confidently at the podium, pointing at the reporters below, with a huge "STARK INDUSTRIES" logo and the words "Future Energy" in the background.

"Hmm," Tony chuckled knowingly, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Looks like my influence is everywhere; even this... quirky little shop can't escape it."

Tony glanced at the extravagant names on the menu and casually clicked on one. "This one, the 'Hellfire' set meal." He didn't even bother to look at the contents.

Pepper added, "And another 'Angel's Kiss' dessert."

"Okay." The white-haired girl smiled, made a note of it, and turned to leave.

Tony leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the various people in the store before finally settling on the long-haired man wiping glasses behind the bar. "Pepper, honestly, this store name is pretty arrogant. 'Devil May Cry'? I'd like to see who the owner is."

Not long after, the curtain to the kitchen was lifted.

A young man dressed in a simple black T-shirt and a white chef's apron came out.

He was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a striking head of neat silver short hair, deep-set features, and a distinct profile, exuding a unique Eastern handsomeness.

He held a large tray steadily in his hands, on which was Tony's "Hellfire" meal—a burger piled high with patties, cheese, and hot sauce, looking like a calorie explosion, accompanied by a plate of golden-brown, crispy fries—and Pepper's dessert—a delicate muffin garnished with fresh berries.

The white-haired youth walked briskly to Tony and Pepper's table and deftly arranged the food.

"Please enjoy your meal, Stark, Ms. Stark." He looked up, a gentle smile on his face, his voice clear and melodious.

Tony's gaze fell on his face, and his hand, which was about to take the plate, suddenly froze in mid-air.

Buzz--

My brain felt like it had been struck hard by an invisible hammer.

Tony's pupils dilated as he stared intently at the face before him.

A strong, almost absurd sense of familiarity instantly seized him.

This face... this contour...

He knows him! He's definitely seen him somewhere before!

But the memory bank was frantically searched, only to hit a wall – a blank page!

This feeling made him extremely uncomfortable, as if his meticulously designed, sophisticated system had encountered an inexplicable bug.

"You..." Tony's voice trembled slightly, a rare occurrence. He lowered his hand and leaned forward slightly.

"Who are you?"

The white-haired youth's smile remained gentle, showing no sign of being offended or surprised.

He put down the tray, stood up straight, met Tony's scrutinizing gaze, and smiled as brightly as the sun.

My Chen Tian.