Gin watched them walk over, tossed aside his cigar, and crushed it under the sole of his shoe. Brooklyn in early spring always had a stench; it was the filth that had been hidden under the snow all winter now starting to melt.
"Have you guys figured it out?"
"Yes, we've got it all sorted," Baki nodded with a mischievous grin. "Thanks again, those passes will be put to great use tonight."
Gin showed a strange expression, but quickly seemed to understand, nodding with a smile as he plucked a piece of wilted cabbage from Steve's back.
"Alright, but Steve, you should head home and change first. You can't take a girl out in a coat covered in trash."
Steve sighed. He also wanted a girlfriend, but every time he went out with Baki, the girls would circle the tall, handsome Baki, treating him like he was invisible.
He could only hope for better luck tonight...
"Okay, Mr. Gin, thank you."
Steve was pulled by Baki, who had his arm around Steve's neck, out of the alley. Baki couldn't wait to teach Steve some flirting skills, but Steve suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right, where's that guy from earlier?"
Gin adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, the lenses flashing briefly. He replied naturally, "I had my staff take him to the police station for...polluting the environment. You won't be seeing him for a while."
Steve was puzzled. Sure, that guy had knocked over some trash cans, but what crime was polluting the environment? Was there even an environmental protection law?
Before he could think it through, Baki dragged him away, with Gin smiling as he watched them disappear around the street corner, heading towards their homes.
Gin then headed to the cinema; the task Su Ming had given him was complete, and now he could do what he enjoyed, such as watching a movie.
...............
At night, the expo was bustling with people. Various big companies showcased their latest products, with all sorts of strange and interesting things dazzling the crowd.
Perhaps it was the shadow of war looming over that made people especially crave celebration—World's Fair of Tomorrow, just the name could have people fantasize about their future good days.
However, Steve's premonition came true...
Baki brought two girls, intending for each of them to have one. These two girls were people he had met while wandering the streets a few days ago, not very well acquainted, but both were very pretty.
He picked the dark-haired one for himself and left the blonde for Steve. The blonde was quite voluptuous, especially her top was simply against the rules, perfectly complementing the frail Steve.
Baki introduced his good friend to the girls, praising Steve's virtues, but the blonde girl who was supposed to be with Steve still held her friend's hand, showing no interest in Steve whatsoever.
What good does being nice do? They were out to party tonight, looking for handsome muscle men. Steve only came up to their shoulders, skinny and small, with a sickly look.
For the sake of his little life, it was better not to include him in tonight's 'grown-up time'.
Fireworks kept blooming in the sky, turning the pitch-black night into a colorful spectacle, but Steve could only smile bitterly as he struggled to follow the steps of the three in the crowd.
"Hey, that's Stark Industries' booth over there. Let's go check it out,"
Baki said to Steve, pointing to a spot not far off where the colored lights were flashing. It was bustling over there, like a theater, with a group of long-legged girls performing a Broadway dance.
High kick, knee bend, change direction, then high kick again...
They wore tailcoats and top hats, with only shorts below, revealing long legs wrapped in stockings.
Baki weaved through the crowd, getting the three of them a prime spot at the front. The girls were equally drawn to the scene on stage.
However, while Baki's attention was on the long legs, the girls were drawn to the beautiful red car on stage, and Steve's height was a bit unfortunate, allowing him only glimpses of the stage through the gaps between them.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Howard Stark!"
The showgirls quickly ended their dance, lining up on stage with expectant smiles looking to the stage side. One of them excitedly announced into a microphone.
Then from behind the curtains, a man walked out with a smile, sporting a flirtatious mustache, looking very coy as he waved triumphantly to the crowd.
Under the stage lights, he seemed radiant.
As he took the stage, he wasn't in a hurry to speak. He first leaned in to give a big smooch on the scarlet lips of one stage girl, prompting squeals from the girls in the audience.
"Howard, I love you!"
"Ah~~~Howard, look over here!"
This fanfare rivaled that of a Hollywood star, with the key difference being that big stars wouldn't kiss a woman they've barely met on stage. Howard, however, was different; he was notoriously flirtatious, handsome and charming, and widely recognized as one of the era's genius scientists.
Intelligence could generate wealth, an inexhaustible treasure.
Numerous girls yearned to fall into his embrace, hoping to become Lady Stark, but Howard merely sought overnight fun, never engaging in emotions, leaving those women defeated.
But it didn't stop new admirers from continually trying. Howard immersed himself in tenderness every day, blissfully content.
After his routine flirtation with the stage girl, he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the lipstick on his mouth, then turned to introduce his exhibit to the audience with great enthusiasm.
"What if I told you, in the coming years, your car could levitate off the ground as it moves forward? What would you think?"
Howard signaled for the girls to remove the wheels from the red car on stage, then positioned a control panel before him, posing the question to the attendees with a mystique.
Steve tried to spark a conversation with the blonde girl Baki had set him up with. He wasn't used to talking to girls, as his frail health had never earned him their favor.
"Would you like some popcorn?" he asked, offering a bag of popcorn with his bony hand to the girl with him.
As expected, she pursed her lips and turned away, ignoring Steve completely. Compared to him, the allure of Howard on stage was much greater.
Howard didn't expect answers from the audience. He smirked, adjusting the control panel, even flashing a playful wink at the girl he had just kissed.
"Thanks, Mandy." He turned back to the crowd, boastfully placing his hand on the console to reveal the answer: "With Stark Industries' anti-gravity technology, it all becomes possible!"
With that said, he steadily pushed the lever on the control panel, and the wheel-less car truly lifted into the air, drawing gasps from the audience.
It was amazing! Steve and his party were wide-eyed, and the onlookers began to applaud, clasping their hands in prayer or simply crossing themselves.
It was beyond comprehension, beyond words, so—all credit went to God.
Amid the applause, seeing the believers, Howard's grin broadened. He felt like he had accomplished God's work.
However, the triumph was short-lived. The anti-gravity device sparked and emitted smoke, causing the car to crash down with a loud noise, making the audience jump back.
But Howard wasn't fazed internally. As a researcher, he knew it was incomplete technology—hovering for two seconds was already above expectations today.
Smiling, he raised the microphone, his face as thick-skinned as a wall: "I said, in the future."
The audience didn't mind; two seconds of levitation or perpetual floating, it was a miracle—what's the difference?
So, thunderous applause erupted once more.