Chapter 2683: Hollywood Rhapsody (Six)

Pepper was obviously very happy, and Stark took a ring from the set of jewelry and personally slipped it onto Pepper's hand. When the lights came back on, the gemstone that had seemed somewhat dim now emitted an extremely brilliant glow, like the moon bathed in the sun's splendor, soft and cool.

Stark kissed Pepper's fingers and said, "I like to compare myself to the sun, and then my lover to the moon. Thank you for shining for me every night."

"I was really afraid he'd say something like 'It's your honor to borrow my light' or some nonsense like that." Backstage during the interview, Shiller visibly relaxed and said, "I know his level of improvisation, so that must have been a line he prepared in advance."

"Shocking, dude," Steve couldn't help but say excitedly, "He finally said the right thing at an event like this! Indeed, Pepper is different to him, I'll never forget when he told me at my birthday party that no matter what age I'm turning, I should write a '+70' on the cake."

Pepper hugged Stark, and Stark raised his arm in a victor's gesture, as the banquet came to a successful close.

Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing. As everyone was leaving, there was a small incident. Stark was about to walk arm in arm with Pepper, but the path around the screen was quite narrow, so they were walking one in front of the other, when Strange decided to overtake them, bumping Stark to one side.

Full of himself as always, Stark was not going to let him get away with it and bumped back hard into Strange. As Strange stumbled backward, he felt like he'd hit a wall, only to turn around and see Steve.

"Hey, be careful," Steve warned him, and if he hadn't stepped forward just then, Carter would have been the one bumped into.

"You should warn him to be careful," Strange said irritably, and when he looked forward at Stark, Stark was smugly raising an eyebrow.

"He's getting a little carried away," Steve whispered to Strange, "Has he invited you to visit his luxury villa yet? And then there's the Hollywood tour, right?"

"Of course, now he can't wait to flaunt his feathers to the whole world," Strange glanced back at Shiller who was still complaining to Hela about the restaurant's portion sizes.

Steve also looked back at Shiller, and both men shook their heads at the same time, then moved on without saying anything.

Wanda and Polaris were also coming out one after the other, just behind Shiller. By this time, Stark's car had already left, leaving Shiller to deal with this troublesome duo.

As expected, they started arguing again in front of the car, and before Shiller could intervene, he saw his just-opened car door flying away – what's wrong with these two, always having to make things fly around when they fight.

Shiller sighed and, dutifully, walked over and said, "Don't start fighting here, or I'm calling the Professor."

Both their auras faltered, with Polaris glaring at Wanda before turning away. Shiller watched her leave, then turned to Wanda and said, "Getting so worked up isn't good for women who've just given birth. Have you been feeling irritable, restless lately?"

Wanda shook her head and said, "I'm fine, I think Lorna is more irritable than I am, Doctor, I think you should go check on her first."

When Shiller turned around, Polaris was already gone. He walked back to the car, and upon opening the door, he found a photographer sitting in the back.

"Why even follow this to film?" Shiller asked somewhat puzzled, "What's there to shoot on my way back to the hotel?"

"It's just to shoot some details of life for the storyboard," the photographer said with a smile, "Don't mind it too much, Doctor, feel free to chat about anything."

"Tony really knows how to do it, turning the preparation for his own wedding into a reality show. I have no idea how many times they've watched 'New York Socialite'."

"Aren't you going to comment on their relationship?"

Shiller laughed and said, "I am a psychologist, trying to coax words out of me? No way!"

But considering Stark wanted a spectacle, Shiller still spoke up, "The conflicts between them come from their differences, which can be categorized. Firstly, there's the difference in age groups, then gender, followed by different levels of consumption and diverse origins."

"Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, and I are of one generation, and Steve can also be counted as one of ours, his mindset is much younger now, and we could include Hela and Loki too."

"Then there's Wanda and Jarvis, Polaris and Iceman, Peter and Gwen; they belong to a slightly younger generation. Although they're not young anymore, they're not exactly the mainstay in their circles either, so their outlook is somewhat younger."

"Next up would be Helen, and of course, Wanda's children. Don't underestimate these two little ones; they are directly related to the swings in Wanda's emotions."

"Age differences usually don't lead to direct conflict, especially when those present largely lack familial bonds and stable family relationships. Simply put, people can't find common ground, have different points of interest, and given the realization that others aren't of the same generation, there's no desire to quibble with them."

"On the other hand, conflicts among peers can be more pronounced, probably because everyone is of the same generation, wondering why they should defer to someone else. So, Tony and Stephen, as well as the Lensherr sisters, are all like this."

"The issue brought by gender differences isn't that significant, although the ladies present obviously formed a circle, they have plenty to talk about, such as fashion, gemstones, pregnancy, childbirth, and so on. They can entertain themselves, not focusing on the men, so naturally, there wouldn't be any conflicts with them,"

"The main conflicts among these people still come from different consumption levels and backgrounds," Shiller sighed and said, "Tony was born with everything. Overly favorable conditions nurtured a candid heart in him, which made him brutally honest with his friends, speaking without restraints. This inevitably led to a lack of respect toward certain types of people or professions."

"Stephen was born in a small town and made it to where he is today entirely through his efforts and talent. His excellence gave him confidence and pride, and deep down, he looked down upon Tony's frivolousness built upon wealth. Naturally, there was friction between the two."

"Steve is a good guy, but the problem also lies in him being too good. Tony thinks Steve should be his buddy, while Stephen believes that Captain America should remain impartial. Steve understands the viewpoints of both, so he tries to be as fair as possible."

"What he doesn't know is that everyone hopes the one perceived as impartial and objective by the public would take their side. This would prove them right and give them the upper hand. Since Steve never takes a stance, both of them are dissatisfied."

"Of course, there's also Loki. Loki should have been the mediator between Tony and Stephen, adjusting their relationship. Unfortunately, Princess His Highness is a woman, or at least she has to play the role of a dignified lady and a mother at the banquet."

"Such a role makes it difficult to mediate relationships among men, as opening her mouth to stir the pot would make her seem a bit like a social butterfly trying to please all sides. It would inevitably appear frivolous, and she obviously wouldn't want that."

"So, what about you, Doctor? I heard you're a mutual friend of theirs."

"Oh, yes, but in what capacity shall I speak up? If I speak as a friend, I can't spout theories at every turn nor say anything persuasive. But if I speak in my professional role, that is, as a psychologist to both of them, I certainly don't want to turn this banquet into a psychological consultation,"

"Their relationship isn't that critical. The problem is that there's a lady here who has just become pregnant, and one who has recently given birth. An overly professional conversation setting would only add to their anxiety. This banquet is focused on them, so naturally, their feelings should be prioritized."

"So it seems like their conflict is unsolvable?"

"Of course not. You've overlooked a key person, Peter Parker."

"Steve needs to maintain impartiality and cannot favor any side, but impartiality can be achieved in another way. For instance, if he cooperates with Peter, each of them supporting one, wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"Tony and Peter have a good private relationship, so Peter would help him. Stephen hopes Steve will stay impartial, so Steve will back him up, reminding Tony that his attitude toward the Doctor needs improvement. That way, the two can't really start arguing."

"On one hand, Peter is a junior, naive. Tony has to act wiser and cannot let him argue, let alone instigate a fight. On the other hand, Stephen seeing Steve, who's closer to Tony, act against his own interests, would feel a bit better and is more likely to give Tony a way to step down. See, they wouldn't start arguing then."

"Considering there's a gathering with these folks tomorrow, I need to make a call to Peter and Steve in advance," Shiller sighed, essentially forgetting the camera's presence and murmuring, "I have to pacify them first then I can pay more attention to the ladies' mental state. They don't all seem to be doing well."

"They didn't argue today, did they?" the young photographer said, "They seem much more normal than the others."

Shiller shook his head, completely negating what he said, "You can tell from Wanda and Lorna's exchange and Pepper's reaction to the gift that their mental states are very tense and in need of relief."

"Wanda showed an abnormal protectiveness towards her two children. Jarvis said she's in good spirits, but postpartum depression isn't just characterized by feelings of sadness or powerlessness. Being overly concerned about the children is also one of the typical early signs."

"As for Pepper, she always plays a more mature and tolerant role in her relationship with Tony. She's fully capable of assuming this role at other times, and both of them enjoy it."

"But now is not the time…" Shiller shook his head again and said, "A new life is being cultivated within, and she's stepping into a whole new stage of life. Everyone feels panic, helplessness, and tension. She no longer has the spare capacity to accommodate Tony."

"Tony shows her straightforward love, and now she's a bit too weary to respond. Otherwise, today wouldn't have been just mere happiness. She's the kind of person who really likes when love is expressed overtly. She would have been at least ten times more excited than she was today."

Accompanying Shiller's commentary, many details were replayed. Everyone saw Wanda continuously leaning toward her children when facing off with Polaris, as if she was afraid someone would harm them, her face tensed to the brink of fainting.

And during the surprise segment prepared by Stark, Pepper, though tearful and full of joy, seemed somewhat at a loss, which would be nearly impossible for a woman who's battled in business for years. It looked more like not knowing how to react, instinctively not wanting to react.

As the closing theme began to play, the first episode ended with the gradually emerging hotel building in view, and the preview for the second episode followed immediately.

"God! What's going on?!!"

"Quick! Protect the children!!"

"Mark!!!"