Chapter 1

"Good morning, J.A.R.V.I.S! The weather today is nice and sunny."

"Good morning, Master Mark. The weather is fine today. The temperature is 28°C, and a southeast wind is blowing, making it suitable for going out."

In a luxurious, technologically advanced villa in Malibu, a black-haired, black-eyed teenager rubbed his messy hair, which looked like a chicken coop, while greeting the smart housekeeper.

This was a habit he had cultivated since he was a child. When he was just over a year old, he could only manage to utter a few simple, albeit vague and incomprehensible, words to an adult.

He still remembered Edwin Jarvis, the old butler who took care of him back then. Every day, Edwin would hold him in his arms, saying, "Good morning, Master Mark!" He would then carefully nurse him, take him out to play, give him a bath, and change his diapers.

As Mark grew older, his responses of "Good morning, J.A.R.V.I.S!" became clearer and more habitual.

After the old housekeeper passed away, in commemoration of the loyal gentleman who had served three generations, Mark's unreliable father named his newly invented smart housekeeper J.A.R.V.I.S. Mark's habit of greeting the housekeeper continued, albeit with the new J.A.R.V.I.S.

By now, you should understand the identity of this young man. Yes, he is the illegitimate son of the famous genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist, Tony Stark.

The boy's name is Mark Stark. He is fourteen years old, stands 1.72 meters tall, and is of mixed Chinese descent. His mother, Li Lina, is a Chinese reporter from New York TV. During an interview with Tony Stark, she was charmed by his charisma, and something indescribable happened.

Thus, Mark Stark came into being. Since no protective measures were taken, it was only two months later that Li Lina discovered she was pregnant.

Although she was an independent woman born in the West, she decided to give birth to and raise the child. However, the Eastern family education she received made her conceal her unmarried pregnancy from her parents.

She quit her job, made up an excuse for her parents and friends via email, and left New York City. She eventually gave birth to Mark without telling anyone and named him Mark Lee.

With the child born safely, she planned to find a new job in the new city, secure a stable income, and eventually confess to her parents. However, fate had other plans. Just as Mark was checked by a doctor and declared healthy, and she was preparing to leave the hospital, she received a phone call from a friend delivering devastating news—both her parents had passed away! They were caught in a fight between a group of unidentified individuals and were seriously injured. Despite being taken to the hospital by a bald black man with an orange cat, they couldn't be saved.

This immense blow caused Li Lina, who had just given birth, to plummet from the joy of having her child to the depths of despair at losing her parents. This, combined with the hormonal imbalance in her postpartum body, plunged her into postpartum depression.

It was 1996, and even in technologically advanced America, understanding and awareness of depression, especially postpartum depression, were limited. Patients felt ashamed to admit their condition, and those around them couldn't comprehend the pain and struggle. Severe depression could be as deadly as drowning.

Ultimately, Li Lina couldn't overcome her mental illness. After asking a friend to deliver the just over one-year-old Mark to Tony Stark, she quietly ended her life and left the world forever.

After being brought to Stark Industries by his mother's friend, little Mark went through some twists and turns before safely reaching Tony's hands. A DNA test confirmed that Mark was indeed his son, and Tony took on his parental responsibilities, renaming him Mark Stark.

However, the lack of a father figure in his childhood, coupled with Tony's youthful vigor, meant Tony wasn't keen on changing his lifestyle for his unexpected son. After placing him in the care of the old housekeeper Edwin Jarvis, Tony barely saw Mark for years. Mark gradually grew up in an environment devoid of parental care.

In fact, this environment suited Mark well. After all, he had the mental age of an adult. Being constantly attended to and having house rules set for him would have been unbearable!

Yes, Mark's mental age was that of an adult because he was a reincarnated soul.

In his previous life, he was also named Mark, but he was known as Ma Mingke, a respectable Chinese man from Earth. As an orphan, Mark grew up in a government orphanage.

Perhaps due to his environment, Mark developed a calm and gentle personality and matured quickly. Though not a genius, his hard work earned him admission to a top university in China, along with a national scholarship. He seemed poised for a brilliant future.

However, fate had other plans. Enthusiastically boarding a train to the capital, Mark looked forward to his new university life. But after falling asleep in the carriage, he woke up as a baby.

"What the hell is going on!?" Mark, now held by an unfamiliar Asian woman, cried out in his heart.

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