In the early morning, at Vientiane Book Cafe.
The book cafe wasn't far from May's home. She made an early breakfast for her nephew Peter before hurrying to the book cafe to start her day's work.
It had been five days since the official opening. Although she still had serious doubts about her boss's business idea, she had to admit that his vision was excellent. One after another, customers came in for a cup of coffee or to read a book because of the cafe's pleasant environment.
Due to the boss's hobby, the book cafe also provided tea service. However, very few people drank tea. Like her, most people preferred coffee, except for an old Oriental man who enjoyed the tea. Others gave up after a few sips out of curiosity.
May was slightly disappointed. The cost of buying tea was not low, and it seemed the boss would be the only one drinking it. However, it couldn't be considered a complete waste.
After May opened the door of the book cafe, three clerks soon arrived on time. Amid laughter, the three of them, led by May, began their daily cleaning. After cleaning up, they found places to sit. Some read books to recharge, others organized the bookshelves, and some waited for guests.
As the sun gradually rose, May welcomed a few guests. Still, there was no trace of her boss, Mr. Lockhart. May was not surprised by this. Her boss had not been present except for having tea with two friends on the first day of opening. She didn't pay too much attention to his absence.
Suddenly, the roar of an engine came from outside, and a red Ferrari parked in the space next to the book cafe. May raised her head and, through the transparent glass, could clearly see the luxury of the sports car, feeling a twinge of envy. It would be great if she had one.
She continued to watch to see who owned such a luxurious car. "Tony Stark!" she exclaimed in a low voice. She was very familiar with such a famous figure in New York City.
Seeing Tony Stark entering the book cafe, May immediately went to the door to greet him. Iron Man Tony Stark entering Vientiane Book Cafe was a fantastic publicity opportunity. Determined to revitalize the book cafe, May signaled the clerks behind her to do their jobs well and touched her mobile phone in her pocket, preparing to take a photo to promote the cafe using Iron Man's traffic. If her boss knew about her efforts, he would surely give her a bonus.
May thought to herself, paying attention to Tony Stark's steps. "Welcome, Mr. Tony Stark, to Vientiane Book Cafe!" she said as he approached the entrance. Tony raised his head slightly and looked at the tall, curvy store manager in front of him. According to the information he had asked Jarvis to collect, although it wasn't much, he knew the store manager seemed to be named May.
When he saw the beautiful store manager, Tony decided to be polite. "Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Lockhart," he said in a gentle tone.
May was stunned for a moment and asked curiously, "Mr. Stark, are you a friend of the boss?"
Tony shook his head, "No. Is Mr. Lockhart here? Do you have his contact information? I have something to discuss with him."
Hearing Tony's question, May hesitated. Although the other party was a billionaire and Iron Man, her boss had clearly stated that his contact information could not be disclosed to anyone. She was the only one who could contact him if there was any matter.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Stark, the boss does not allow anyone to reveal his contact information. If you have something to tell me, I'll pass it on to him. Alternatively, you can make an appointment to see him."
Although May was a beauty, Tony was still taken aback by her reply. No one had mentioned the word "reservation" to him for a long time. It was always someone else making an appointment with him, never the other way around.
But thinking of the other party's identity, Tony said a little begrudgingly, "I will be free anytime today. Can you call him and tell him I am here waiting?"
May also felt a hint of reluctance in her heart but quickly nodded, instructing Alice to entertain the distinguished guest. She returned to the store, picked up the phone, and found her boss's contact information.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
"Hey May, what's up?" her boss's curious voice came through.
"Boss, Tony Stark said he wants to meet you. Do you have the time? He said he is free all day today."
There was a moment of silence before the boss's voice sounded annoyed, "I'm not free today. Ask Tony Stark to come tomorrow morning. I have something else to do. That's it, don't let him bother me. If there's nothing important, try not to disturb me."
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Before May could reply, her boss hung up the phone. Recalling the tone, May's face looked a little weird. Her boss even disliked billionaire Tony Stark. He was indeed a weirdo.
She turned and glanced at Tony, who was signing autographs for Alice. Seeing this, May's eyes twitched slightly. She felt a little weak, but remembering her boss's instructions, she walked up to Tony Stark.
"Mr. Stark, I'm very sorry. The boss has something urgent to do today and may not be able to come to the book cafe."
May tried to convey the boss's message tactfully, adding, "He can meet you as soon as tomorrow morning. Do you want to make an appointment for tomorrow at 9 AM?"
Tony sat on the chair, raised his head, and stared into May's eyes, saying nothing. Although May spoke tactfully, Tony understood what she meant. He was just curious before, but now he had to meet Lockhart.
"Okay, I will wait for him here at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning," Tony said calmly.
Then Tony started wandering around the Vientiane Book Cafe, wanting to see what the wizard professor's territory was like. May quickly started to entertain him. Although her boss disliked Tony Stark, she didn't. This was a billionaire, and his presence was a big selling point for the book cafe. Besides, even Alice got an autograph from Tony Stark, so she had to get one for her nephew, Peter Parker, who liked Iron Man very much.
At this moment, Lockhart had just hung up the phone. He was satisfied with the role of Vientiane Book Cafe; it had temporarily blocked a big trouble for him. Iron Man—Tony Stark!
Although he was curious about what Tony wanted with him, Lockhart didn't particularly care because today he had a very important meeting—an audience with the Sorcerer Supreme!
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[More Chapter available at p@treon.com/goldengaruda]
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