Druid in the Marvel Universe Chapter 95: Guns Are No Big Deal!

Alvin ignored Ginny's request to go down and watch the nunchucks, carrying her into the restaurant instead. "You'd better stay away from that fool, little girl!"

The restaurant was past its peak hours, and the few remaining customers had all run to the door to watch the fool.

Alvin put Ginny down, but she slipped away, running out while shouting, "Oh da, oh da!"

Alvin scratched his head in frustration and asked Old Cheng, who was sitting at the bar drinking tea, "What's up with that fool at the door? Did Bruce Lee's spirit possess him to come to Hell's Kitchen for a thrill?"

Old Cheng awkwardly put down his teacup, and Alvin noticed it was filled with his own treasured goji berries. The old guy seemed to have some other ideas!

"That's my nephew. He ran away from China to seek refuge with me here in the U.S. He's just a mischievous kid. Boss, please bear with him!" Old Cheng said cautiously.

Alvin chuckled and asked, "What did this kid do back in China to have to run away here?"

Old Cheng scratched his half-bald head and said, "His dad got into trouble back home and was executed. The kid couldn't stay there anymore, so he had to come find his old uncle!"

Alvin laughed heartily and asked, "What's this kid's name? Of all the relatives to seek refuge with, he chose Hell's Kitchen. Not only is he not very bright, but he's also unlucky!"

Old Cheng shrugged and said, "The kid's last name is Zheng, and his name is Zheng Shangqi. He's only 22, but his martial arts skills are the real deal!"

Alvin repeated the name "Zheng Shangqi" a couple of times and curiously asked, "His last name is Zheng, so how is he your nephew?"

Old Cheng, with a deep look in his eyes, gazed at Zheng Shangqi, who was happily showing off outside, and said, "He's my cousin's son!"

...

Alvin looked at the young man in front of him, now dressed in a waiter's uniform, and said with a smile, "See, now you look like a decent young man. Don't wear that other outfit again; it looks ridiculous!"

Nick, standing nearby, protested, "Why? That outfit is really cool, especially on Master Shangqi!"

Alvin ruffled Nick's hair and said, "Can you pronounce his name correctly? It's Shangqi, Zheng Shangqi!"

Ginny, jumping excitedly next to Nick, shouted, "Oh da, oh da! Shangqi, awesome!"

Alvin almost lost his temper. "What's so awesome about Shangqi? Isn't your dad awesome?"

Shangqi grinned, happy to have found his uncle and gained two little fans. He had endured a lot of hardships on his way here.

Alvin smoothed Ginny's fluffy hair and said to Shangqi, "Since you're Old Cheng's nephew, you can work here for now. Once you find a suitable job, you can leave. I'll have JJ take you to Kevin to get you a passport. Without one, it's hard to get by in the U.S."

Shangqi smiled and said, "Thank you, boss! If you need anything, just let me know!"

Alvin thought the kid might have other plans, but that wasn't his concern. In Hell's Kitchen, everyone had a story. If you didn't, congratulations, you'll have an incident soon!

To give Old Cheng some face, Alvin decided to settle Shangqi in. He walked out of the restaurant and called Stark.

As soon as the call connected, he heard a heated argument on the other end.

"Alvin, my old buddy, what's up? Miss me?" Stark said in a flippant tone.

Alvin sighed. Stark was always so annoying. "Yes, Mr. Battery Man, I miss you. How's that thing I asked you to do?"

"You mean the prosthetic for that kid?"

"Yes, did you get it done? Why is it so noisy over there?" Alvin asked.

Stark lowered his voice and said, "It's the Defense Department jerks. They want me to hand over all the technical specs and blueprints for the Iron Man suit. Do they think I'm an idiot?"

Alvin had no interest in Stark's squabbles and impatiently said, "Just give it to them. Without the arc reactor, it's just a pile of scrap metal! Hurry up and finish the prosthetic. I want to take the kid out during the summer break."

Stark exclaimed in surprise, "Are you kidding? If I give them the blueprints, they'll demand the arc reactor next. You don't understand; these guys are like vampires. They'll drain every bit of value out of you! But the prosthetic is ready. Bring the kid to my place in Long Island in a couple of days, and we can try it out. By the way, my Iron Man suit is just a big mechanical prosthetic, not a weapon. The Defense Department has no right to confiscate my assistive device. Do they want me to sit in a wheelchair every day?"

Alvin hung up, not wanting to listen to Stark's ranting. The guy had survived and reverted to his annoying playboy self, making people want to punch him.

Turning around, he saw Frank standing at the restaurant door, looking at him. Alvin was startled and said with a smile, "Buddy, you could scare someone like that!"

Frank handed Alvin a cigar and said with a smile, "I have to thank you, Alvin. You're a better father than I am!"

Alvin took the cigar, lit it, and took a deep puff, letting the rich flavor swirl in his mouth and nose before exhaling a long stream of smoke.

Alvin punched Frank's shoulder and said with a smile, "Remember, I said Nick is my family, and now you are too. Family doesn't need to say thanks! You have plenty of chances to be a good father!"

Frank's stern expression softened a bit, and he smiled, "You're right! We're family!"

Alvin patted Frank's shoulder and walked back into the restaurant, thinking Frank probably didn't need company to talk right now.

The restaurant was lively, with Ginny and Jessica's excited screams. He needed to check it out!

When Alvin entered the restaurant, he saw Shangqi standing dejectedly to the side, looking in disbelief at Steve and JJ arm-wrestling.

Shangqi compared his arm to the two competitors from various angles and found his own lacking.

Alvin patted Shangqi's arm and asked, "What, lost badly?"

Shangqi, his face red, said defiantly, "They just have more strength. In a martial arts fight, I'd definitely be better!"

Alvin shook his head with a smile and said, "What if they use guns? Are you bulletproof?"

Shangqi hesitated, as if he had something to say, but held back, muttering, "Using guns is nothing special!"

Alvin thought he was talking nonsense and ignored him, moving closer to watch Steve and JJ arm-wrestle.