Chapter 2590

The atmosphere in the office of Stark Tower was very serious.

Obadiah sat in the first seat, his expression somewhat hesitant. Howard sat opposite him, his expression also wanting to speak but stopping.

Stark and Pepper sat on the left and right hands, facing each other, their expressions also quite spectacular.

But unsurprisingly, everyone's eyes were focused on Stark. The atmosphere was stagnant for a long time. Finally, Obadiah spoke: "Tony, I fully understand your worries, but I'm afraid your current state is very unsuitable for group management. You can't withdraw your project report for the 19th time. The patience of the group's shareholders is limited."

Pepper was more direct. She stared at Stark's face and said, "Tony Stark, I'll say it one last time. All your private doctors and Dr. Rodriguez believe that your anxiety disorder has recurred and you need to rest now."

Howard cleared his throat and said, "Tony staying in the laboratory is not a way. Continuing to escape like this will only make the situation worse. Look, the conflict between you and Pepper before could actually have been completely avoided."

"Then what do you want me to do? Waste good time lying in the hospital?" Stark raised his voice, "I lived just fine without you!"

Pepper naturally knew how hurtful this was, especially for Howard, so she immediately interrupted Stark: "Don't say that, Tony. We don't want to leave you a mess that you can't solve at all after you wake up. This kind of indulgence is a harm to you."

"I don't understand why you want to manage me!" Stark was almost roaring, "I'm doing experiments in the laboratory just like usual, and you insist on saying I'm sick!"

"You didn't hand in a project report and withdraw it more than a dozen times before," Obadiah sighed lightly, "You put too much pressure on yourself."

"That's because there were some details that weren't perfected..."

"There are no details that can be completely perfected," Howard said. "What you should pursue is balance, not perfection."

"I don't need you to guide me yet!"

Pepper hurriedly interrupted the conversation between the father and son and said, "Tony, the solar system development plan puts too much pressure on you. I know you don't want to miss this important moment for humanity, but if you continue like this, you will regret it."

"We are gathered here today to avoid this situation," Obadiah said. "You need rest and relaxation to adjust your mental state, instead of forcing yourself again and again..."

Suddenly, the door was knocked. The others frowned. They clearly notified everyone not to come and disturb, but when that figure appeared in front of the door, they all relaxed again.

Schiller walked in.

Schiller was also stunned when he saw the serious atmosphere in the room. He first observed the words and expressions, then said, "Uh, I have something to find Tony. It's okay, you guys talk first, I'll come over later."

"You came just in time, Doctor. We know you've been very busy lately and haven't dared to disturb you," Pepper immediately stood up and welcomed Schiller in, saying, "Now we are exploring Tony's mental problems."

"My mental state is fine!"

"Think again," Schiller said.

Stark was so angry that he rolled his eyes.

Schiller sat in the seat originally occupied by Pepper, which was opposite Stark. Just as Stark wanted to say something, Schiller opened his mouth: "I've been too busy lately and haven't had time to pay attention to your state. Have you missed two psychological assessments?"

"Yeah, some people are too busy, wishing they could do two psychological assessments for other Starks a day," Stark's attention was completely diverted. He said, "Where did those two guys go? Are they still spinning behind your butt?"

"They all went back to their hometowns. I let them go back," Schiller rubbed his temples and said, "After all, this world doesn't need so many super geniuses. It's better to have the original one."

Stark was subtly coaxed, but soon snorted coldly again: "Tell them quickly that I'm not sick. My anxiety disorder has long been cured. The recovery notice was issued by you."

"Yes, but according to your recent various performances, your mental state may indeed have some problems."

Stark was interrupted by Schiller just as he opened his mouth. Schiller looked into his eyes and said, "You have constructed a perfect image for yourself in your brain. Perfection is for the current era background. Simply put, it is the greatest scientist in history."

"At one time, you held awe for famous scientists in history, but soon you started wanting to surpass them. You were troubled for a long time that you might never have the opportunity to be equal to them in weight because you were in a different era from them. You would never be a pioneer and forerunner."

"You hated it immensely that someone might call you a person standing on the shoulders of giants in the future. That was not what you wanted at all. You didn't want to bask in the sun on a calm sea, but only wanted to forge ahead."

"But during that time, you knew you didn't have this opportunity because you were born too late, and humanity was like dead water without waves. The path of scientific research entered the era of exhaustive methods. Your genius ideas were more like icing on the cake, not charcoal in the snow."

"How could you be reconciled? You wanted to be an unprecedented pioneer, not some transitional person who inherits the past and ushers in the future."

"Now the opportunity has come. Human technology has started another explosion, and you are the core of the explosion, the eye of the storm. You finally have the opportunity to realize your long-standing ambition. You want to do the best, to do better."

"Since there is an opportunity to leave a heavy stroke in history, you are also determined to let future historians write until their wrists ache. As long as you do a little more, just a little more, one more person will be saved, and this baby who has just stepped out of the cradle will walk more steadily and faster."

"You started to overdraw crazily, letting your brain run at an unhealthy speed, just to squeeze the potential of the future. What you thought was, these ideas I will think of sooner or later, why can't it be now? Isn't it the same to do ten points in a quarter of an hour and do one point in the next ten quarters of an hour?"

"But reason is telling you that this won't work. Your body is releasing dangerous signals to you. You understand that exploration and transcendence are endless. This is like an endless sea. No matter how fast you rush, you can never see the shore."

"Drifting and struggling in an endless sea is a typical feeling of anxiety disorder."

Schiller paused slightly, then said: "Unlike what many people imagine, the root of depression lies in having nothing to look forward to. Regardless of whether there is actually a ship coming, they feel that the ship will never come, so they let go of their hands and sink, embracing death with joy."

"And the root of anxiety disorder lies in expectation. They understand that the ship probably won't come, but for that glimmer of hope, they still feel the suffocating pain on the edge of drowning, holding onto that only piece of driftwood and never letting go."

"So I always say you are the most typical anxiety patient," Schiller looked at Stark and said. "Doing scientific research in the laboratory is your piece of driftwood. You think that as long as you continue like this, one day you will be liberated, one day you will."

"But the seawater is sinking and floating on your head. In the middle of the night, you are unable to lift your head, only able to feel them choking into your mouth and nose, pouring into your trachea, until they fill every alveolus of yours."

"Suffocation makes your consciousness dim, cold makes you tremble all over, exhaustion makes your whole body stiff. You want to let go, but you see the ship light in the haze. You want to continue waiting, but what is shining is the distant moonlight at the end of the sky."

"Enough!"

It wasn't Stark who spoke. Pepper slapped the table and stood up, saying: "You must leave your damn laboratory immediately and go home to sleep."

Stark was just about to open his mouth to speak, but Pepper roared at him: "If I see you in any corner of Stark Tower again, we are finished!! Anthony Stark!!!"

Stark was kicked out of the office by Pepper in a rage. He stood at the door, akimbo, looking at Schiller and saying: "I've been fired. Are you satisfied?"

"Don't worry, even if you are fired, the medical bill for this quarter still has to be paid."

"Do you have to stimulate Pepper like this? Quack doctor!"

"This just proves that I'm not a quack doctor," Schiller said while walking out with Stark. "Only Pepper can cure you. Look, isn't it solved?"

"What's solved?!" Stark raised his voice, "She kicked my permissions out of the Stark Tower system directly. I can't even enter the laboratory!"

"You know you can, but you are unwilling to do so, because you don't dare to bet on how long Pepper can tolerate you."

"Turn off your damn mind-reading!"

"Alright," Schiller glanced down at his watch and said, "It's been a long time since I ate in the Stark Tower canteen. Let's go."

Stark looked at him vigilantly and said: "Your food storage wouldn't be empty again, would it? I must tell you, without permissions, I don't have a free canteen quota. You have to pay for your own food."

"Then do you have money?"

"I do, but why should I treat you?"

"Because I plan to introduce you to a big business," Schiller smiled and said, "Believe me, this meal is definitely worth the price."

Stark curled his lips and didn't take it seriously.

They soon arrived at the canteen. After such a long time, the canteen hadn't changed much. It was still full of a sense of technology, and it was still filled with a strong aroma of rice.

Although some chefs who looked familiar looked at Schiller as if they saw a dinosaur, Schiller's strong psychological quality allowed him to completely ignore this gaze and find a place to sit down with Stark.

"Hello, gentlemen, what would you like?"

"I want a burger and a glass of ice water," Stark waved his hand, obviously in no mood to eat, intending to muddle through.

"Give me a salmon tartare, Provence spinach cream roll, and this one, Prosciutto di Parma, buffalo mozzarella sandwich, red braised artichoke, fresh raspberry pie, handmade spiral traditional pasta..."

"Are you trying to stuff yourself to death?" Stark asked.

"Believe me, these are not many," Schiller handed the menu back to the waiter and said, "Give me another glass of soda water with a little blueberry jam, thank you."

After the waiter left, Schiller fiddled with his mobile phone. Stark was a little curious, so he stretched his neck to look over there.

The dishes were served quickly, filling the table. Compared with the rich scene on Schiller's side, Stark's side was simply a bit shabby. A small burger was placed alone in the middle of the plate, with an American star-spangled banner inserted on it.