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*****
Gwen trotted out the door, carrying a plate of snacks while humming a song she had just learned. She arrived at John's house next door, placed the plate down at the doorstep, stood on tiptoe to ring the doorbell, then picked up the plate again and waited.
Before long, the door swung open.
It was Luke.
The moment he saw Gwen, he suddenly tensed up and quickly stepped aside. "Come in."
Gwen grinned at him. "You're way too shy."
Hearing this, Luke's face turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Giggle!"
Gwen chuckled happily as she stepped inside and saw John walking out of the kitchen. "Uncle John!"
John approached, taking the plate from her hands. "Thanks, little beauty!"
"Hehe!"
Gwen beamed and told them, "They're really delicious. Try them out! I'll be heading back now."
Luke panicked. "Wait! The plate—"
John playfully smacked Luke on the head. "We'll return the plate after we're done."
"Mm-hmm."
Gwen nodded as she ran to the door, called out a quick goodbye, and dashed back home.
There were still guests at the house.
She liked those two kind, grandmotherly ladies. While her dad was cooking, they had already stuffed several bills into her hands.
Watching Gwen's retreating figure, John turned to his son and, with a knowing smile, picked up a cookie and popped it into Luke's mouth. "She's a great girl, isn't she?"
Luke's face flushed again. "I know. We're just friends."
"Everything starts with friendship."
John winked at him.
Luke let out a small laugh, chewing on the cookie. His eyes lit up.
John, however, stared at the cookie, a flicker of emotion passing through his gaze.
His wife had always been best at making cookies.
"Luke, let's visit your mom in a few days."
Luke froze for a moment, then nodded.
Meanwhile, Gwen had already arrived home.
In the short time she was gone, Mike had nearly finished preparing the ingredients. After Gwen chatted with Peggy Carter and the others for a bit, Mike announced that dinner was ready.
Everyone gathered around the steaming hot pot, inhaling the rich aroma, their anticipation growing.
Speaking of hot pot…
Mike couldn't help but think of his old friend, Hank Pym.
"This smells amazing!"
Pepper Potts looked at the two distinct broths—one a deep red, the other a clear soup—and praised the dish, though she eyed the fiery red broth with a hint of apprehension.
"It's been a while since I've had this," Peggy Carter said as she expertly used her chopsticks to drop her favorite ingredients into the spicy broth.
Beside her, Maria kept muttering, "Put in more! The spicier, the better!"
Tony glanced helplessly at his mother but couldn't suppress a small smile.
Ever since his father passed, and as his mother grew older, he had become more indulgent toward her—just as she had once been with him.
Ten years ago, he never would have agreed to spend an entire afternoon playing cards with her.
"Tony?"
Maria's eyes lit up as she pointed at the plate of pig brain. "Want some?"
"No way!"
Maria gave him a disapproving look. "This stuff is hard to find! You can only eat it at Mike's place."
Peggy nodded in agreement. "You should eat more. Maria told me your back has been aching lately. Could it be that…"
Tony's face darkened with embarrassment. "That's nonsense!"
He quickly turned to Pepper Potts. "Pepper can vouch for me—I'm perfectly fine!"
"Ah—"
Pepper hurriedly swallowed the food in her mouth, only to find everyone looking at her with amused, gossipy expressions. Annoyed, she glared at Tony. "You're my boss, but you can't just spout nonsense! How exactly am I supposed to prove that?"
"Oh!"
Mike clinked his beer bottle against Peggy Carter's and toasted, "Here's to Tony's speedy recovery!"
Maria glanced at Tony, shook her head, and let out a dramatic sigh.
This kid might be a lost cause.
Tony: "…"
"You three old-timers, enough already!"
He was flustered and exasperated.
"Hahaha!"
Mike, Peggy, and Maria burst into laughter.
Moments like this, when they could poke fun at Tony, were simply too satisfying. Seeing the ever-proud and sharp-tongued Tony at a loss for words was a rare and enjoyable sight.
Pepper Potts had never seen Tony like this before. She couldn't help but smile.
"Pepper! If you laugh again, I'll dock your pay!"
Pepper Potts: "…"
Great… So she was the only one who couldn't join in on the fun.
"Oh, right."
Peggy Carter suddenly turned to Maria. "Is Obadiah still trying to court you?"
Mike's head shot up. "Wait, what?"
Tony cleared his throat lightly, his expression slightly unnatural.
Maria, on the other hand, remained completely composed. "Obadiah's not a bad guy, but after being with someone like Howard, do you really think I'd be interested in that bald old man?"
"Pfft!"
Pepper Potts couldn't help but laugh before quickly covering her mouth.
Tony coughed again, straightening up as he said seriously, "I'll talk to him and tell him to stop bothering you."
"No need!"
Maria waved her hand dismissively. "This is an adult matter. Stay out of it—I'll handle it myself."
Tony nodded.
Peggy Carter chuckled. "I wouldn't go for that baldie either. Not only is he bald, but his physique is terrible. I'd give him… maybe a three out of ten."
"That bad?"
Maria was stunned. Then she turned to Tony. "What about my son?"
Peggy's sharp eyes scanned Tony up and down. "Eh… maybe a six. Barely."
Six? Barely a six?
Tony's face darkened. He felt insulted.
"I work out regularly, you know."
Pepper Potts tried to comfort him. "At least Obadiah only got a three."
Surprisingly, that did make Tony feel a little better.
Maria suddenly turned to Mike. "What about Mike?"
Peggy Carter gave him an expert once-over before nodding in approval. "9.9 out of 10."
"What?!" Tony's eyes widened. "I lost to him?"
Gwen silently put down her chopsticks, reached out, and patted Mike's stomach, then did the same to Tony's. She sighed and shook her head.
Tony: "…"
A devastating blow.
Peggy Carter playfully winked at Mike. "If Maria and I had to pick someone, you'd definitely be our top choice."
Maria nodded in agreement. "9.9 points… I'd love to see why."
"Mom!"
Tony's face turned even darker.
Why are these old folks more unrestrained than I am?!
Mike, looking exasperated, finally spoke. "Not happening. People would say you're robbing the cradle."
Tony froze for a second.
Then—
"Hahahahaha!"
He burst into laughter.
But the next second, he felt a few murderous glares land on him, and he quickly shut up.
The pace of the meal suddenly picked up.
A short while later, everyone had eaten their fill.
Before leaving, Tony quietly slipped into the kitchen to find Mike.
Mike sighed and wordlessly tossed him a Healing Rune.
A green glow surrounded Tony, and instantly, he felt alive again.
Feeling rejuvenated, Tony gratefully thanked Mike, then excitedly gathered the others and hurried off.
(End of Chapter)