Iron Man 2 Begins

"So, you just exposed yourself like that?" Tony looked at the video on the tablet of Lu Qi fighting Abomination, along with the close-up of Lu Qi's face at the end, and stared at Lu Qi helplessly.

"I couldn't help it. That monster nearly turned things around. I had no choice but to go all out." Lu Qi lay sprawled in his chair like a salted fish, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After his appearance was exposed yesterday, a huge group of "enthusiastic netizens" immediately dug up all his information. Not only his name and address, but even photos from his daily life had been posted online. Heaven knew where those people had gotten his photos.

Now he did not even dare go home. A massive crowd of reporters and gawkers had his place completely surrounded.

With no other choice, he had the ninjas take away the little flowers he kept on his balcony, then came to Tony's place to lie low.

"Fine. I just never expected you to expose your identity in such an idiotic way." Tony mocked Lu Qi.

Lu Qi silently gave Tony the universal gesture of friendship.

"By the way, how did things go between you two last night?"

Tony smiled. "A delicious lunch, a wonderful movie, and a romantic candlelit dinner."

"And that was it?" Lu Qi had thought this guy would never let Pepper go home.

Tony looked rather helpless. "Pepper's father dropped her off yesterday morning. He was holding a Winchester, then shouted something like, 'I'll be back at eight tonight to pick up my daughter.' With such a tight deadline, what could I do? I even washed the dishes myself yesterday."

"I thought you'd just throw the dishes away." Lu Qi suppressed a laugh and continued, "Looks like he has a pretty bad impression of you."

Tony said helplessly, "What could I do? It's not like I can travel back in time and slap my past self."

"By the way, I thought you'd skip the candlelit dinner and reveal your true nature right away."

Tony looked somewhat exasperated. "Is that really the kind of person you think I am?"

Lu Qi nodded without hesitation.

"Come on, I respect Pepper's wishes." Tony spoke slowly. "Besides, I think I'm starting to understand that feeling you mentioned. It's not bad." He raised an eyebrow at Lu Qi, his gaze full of smugness.

Lu Qi felt like even the air had become less pleasant. Was there anything more infuriating than someone flaunting their relationship beside a single guy?

Lu Qi got up and headed for the room assigned to him, planning to water his flowers.

Tony called after him, "The opening ceremony for the Stark Expo is tonight. I'm planning an Iron Man-style opening. Want to come?"

"No. Otherwise, I'm afraid there won't be any news about you tomorrow."

Lu Qi returned to his room and gave the flowers some water. Thinking about how he would have to sneak around like a thief whenever he went out from now on made him feel deeply annoyed.

At eight that evening, the alarm suddenly blared.

"Uh... JARVIS? Turn off the alarm." Lu Qi sat up groggily. "Why did I even set this alarm?"

"Your note says: Watch the opening ceremony of the Stark Expo."

"Oh!" Lu Qi remembered. "Put it on for me."

A projection appeared on the wall, showing the Stark Expo opening ceremony that had just begun.

Tony descended onto the stage in his armor, causing a sensation throughout the venue, then began his speech with an extremely smug look on his face.

"So this is an Iron Man-style opening? It really suits him." Lu Qi watched Tony showing off with displeasure.

"JARVIS, if someone makes Tony angry, what does Tony do?"

"Generally speaking, sir gathers the other party's confidential information or scandals, then either releases them or sends a lawyer's letter directly."

"Oh..." Lu Qi recalled how, in the original plot, whenever Tony was attacked, he would release the other side's confidential information or scandals and turn the tables on them, including Hammer, Fury, and even Captain America.

Nodding, Lu Qi took out the data card from his camera and placed it on a device nearby.

"JARVIS, load the photos and send them to me."

Lu Qi looked at the photos that arrived on his phone and smiled. These were definitely Tony's dirty secrets.

Thus, just as the Stark Expo opening ceremony concluded successfully and Tony was feeling pleased with himself, several photos quietly appeared online.

Tony still knew nothing about it. All he knew was that the court summons he had just received was incredibly irritating.

"How far are we from D.C.?"

"D.C.? Two hundred and fifty miles."

"Fine. Looks like I can't go home today."

The next afternoon, Lu Qi was lounging comfortably on the sofa, watching a D.C. movie on television, when Tony suddenly pushed open the door and walked in.

"How do you have those photos?" Tony shouted helplessly.

That morning, after crushing Hammer and that whatever-his-name senator, Tony had wanted to see how the internet was evaluating that brilliant debate. Instead, he discovered that photos of him in ragged clothes, with a huge beard, forging metal were spreading everywhere online.

He had thought the people who kidnapped him had not been completely dealt with. He asked JARVIS to trace the upload address, only for JARVIS to tell him the photos had come from his own home.

"What? You don't like them?" Lu Qi smiled. "I thought you'd feel nostalgic about that time."

"God, I can already imagine the headlines in tomorrow's papers, or even tonight's." Tony said lifelessly as he lay down beside Lu Qi.

What could he do? He could not beat Lu Qi, and he was the one who had shown off first.

"Look on the bright side. Maybe Pepper will see those photos and come right over to comfort you."

The moment he finished speaking, Pepper walked in.

"Tony, are you here?"

Lu Qi poked his head out in surprise. Pepper had really come. Was he about to become an oversized third wheel?

"What is it, Potts?"

Tony pressed Lu Qi's head beneath the sofa, gave him a look, and Lu Qi obediently slipped into the shadows and vanished.

"I need you..."

"Relax, it's nothing. Just a few photos." Tony said, pretending not to care.

"Uh, what photos?" Pepper asked in confusion.

"Not photos?"

"What photos?"

"Then why are you here?" Tony asked, puzzled.

"Uh, remember when you said you were transferring the CEO position to me? I've already started handling the CEO's work, but I still need some important procedures completed before the position can officially be transferred. Otherwise, there are some things I can't handle."

Tony deflated somewhat. "Fine. Tell me where I need to sign."

"Looks like you two have official business to handle?" Lu Qi quietly emerged from the side. "Do I need to excuse myself?"

Pepper smiled and greeted him. Ever since Lu Qi had helped her out last time, their relationship had gone from acquaintances to friends. Not to mention that Lu Qi had given her ten extremely capable bodyguards.

"Don't go yet. There are some documents here that need your signature too."

"Uh, me?" Lu Qi found it strange. What documents needed his signature? He was not even a shareholder in Stark Industries.

"It's about that mobile phone company. That company is now worth nearly a hundred billion. You're the second-largest shareholder, so some documents need your approval before they can be issued."

"Uh, nearly a hundred billion? So I'm a billionaire too?" Lu Qi truly had not expected that mobile phone company to grow so quickly.

Then again, compared to the button phones currently popular in Marvel, full-screen smartphones were like heaven and earth. It was only natural that they would be popular.

"Fine, looks like neither of us can escape today." Tony said helplessly.

"Then let's wait for someone from Legal to arrive first. She knows what documents we need to fill out."

"Fine, Lu Qi, want to work out? I really feel like working out right now."

A little while later, Lu Qi held training pads in both hands as he faced Tony.

"Why am I the one getting hit?"

"Because I can't take your hits."

As Tony spoke, he threw a swift punch. Lu Qi easily blocked it. Tony was not surprised and continued attacking.

Lu Qi looked at Tony helplessly. If he wanted to sulk, then sulk. Couldn't he just go play on the treadmill over there?

Lu Qi caught punch after punch. Finally, bored, he yawned and casually withdrew one hand, using only the other to block Tony's attacks.

"You really look like you're not having any fun." Lu Qi glanced at Happy, who was holding back laughter nearby, then turned to him. "Come on, Happy. Practice with me."

"Uh." Happy looked helpless, suddenly feeling like docking Tony's pay.

Wait, he was only a driver. Why was he thinking about docking his own boss's pay?

After handing the protective gear to Happy, Lu Qi smugly went over to Pepper, who was handling documents.

"You look busy." Lu Qi watched Pepper's fingers constantly swipe across the tablet.

Pepper smiled helplessly. Stark Industries had shut down its weapons division, and the company had yet to fully stabilize. A large number of researchers and factory workers were protesting, after all, because they had been laid off.

Lu Qi lay down on the other side, poured himself a glass of cola, took a satisfied sip, and watched Happy spar with Tony.

Happy had some foundation after all. He quickly adapted to Tony's rhythm and began guiding him. Tony also entered the zone quickly, launching increasingly fierce attacks.

Just as Lu Qi was about to fall asleep, the door suddenly opened, and Natasha walked in.

"You're here." Pepper smiled. Natasha walked over, handed Pepper a stack of documents, and explained how to fill them out.

Lu Qi rubbed his chin, watching the famous Black Widow's role-playing with great interest.

Natasha took the chance to shoot Lu Qi a threatening look. Lu Qi nodded, signaling that he would not ruin anything.

Pepper, who had kept her head lowered, did not notice the exchange between Lu Qi and Natasha. After learning how to fill everything out, she handed several documents to Lu Qi and told him to complete them.

"Tony, someone from Legal is here. You need to come fill out a few documents."

Only then did Tony and Happy notice that someone else had arrived.

Unlike Happy, who was immediately captivated, Tony's vigilance had improved considerably after the "Happy Hammer" incident, making him feel that Natasha was somewhat strange.

"You, get up there." Tony said to Natasha. Natasha froze for a moment, then walked onto the ring.

Tony handed Natasha the gloves, then walked over to Pepper.

"Who is she?"

"She's new in Legal. She's very capable."

Tony took the documents and signed a few times, then started searching for information on Natasha. However, all he found online was Natasha's nearly perfect résumé.

He searched a few other websites and discovered that Natasha had also worked as a model, with plenty of photos available.

Pepper worriedly glanced at Natasha on the ring a few times, then turned back and saw Tony looking at Natasha's photos.

"Tony!" Pepper said helplessly. They had only just gone on their first date. Was Tony already going to ruin their honeymoon phase?

She gave Lu Qi a pleading look. Lu Qi understood immediately and quietly closed the webpage.

Tony, who had been looking with great interest, stared at Lu Qi in confusion. Lu Qi merely gave him a look that said he was on his own.

"Uh, fine."

Feeling an intense gaze behind him, Tony helplessly shrugged.