Mr. Driver

Was this a surprise?

More like a shock!

The air purification system developed by the great genius Tony Stark was actually inferior to a few potted plants?

Tony felt that his genius-level intelligence had been insulted.

But since she was a gorgeous woman and Aunt Carter's niece, then this matter...

Obviously couldn't be let go just like that!

"Ah-ha! That's the funniest joke I've heard all year!"

The corner of Tony's mouth twitched as he clapped.

"Miss Sharon, how about dinner tonight as compensation for disrespecting my genius brain?"

"I need to take care of my aunt."

"Ah~ Then how about coming to my company? What was your major again? Nursing? I think I need a beautiful private nurse."

Beep beep!

A car horn sounded outside. Sharon gave Tony a wholly insincere apologetic look, then got up to open the door.

"The surprise is here."

"What?"

"If you're not busy, come help out."

"..."

Tony glanced at the smiling Aunt Peggy and rubbed his nose.

He suddenly understood. Was this how his father Howard had felt when Aunt Peggy had him stumped, much like Sharon had him stumped now?

"Aunt Peggy, don't worry. I'll send that fraudulent plant shop a lawyer's letter later."

Peggy Carter chuckled softly, shaking her head as she watched Tony chase after Sharon out the door.

"Hey, buddy, you okay? I helped you unload everything. No need to thank me!"

Zhang, who was dry-heaving against the car door, tremblingly pulled out some loose change and stuffed it into the hand of the round, heavily mustached driver.

"Uh... th-thanks... I need to... blegh!"

"Tsk, young man, you haven't been in Brooklyn long, have you?"

The round driver gave Zhang's back a knowing pat, then moved him from the car door to the edge of the flower bed.

"Brooklyn is such a trendy place. Naturally, driving here means your skills have to keep up with the trends!"

"Here's my card. Give me a call next time you need to race!"

Vrooom—

The taxi sped away. When Sharon and Tony came outside, they saw Zhang sprawled over the flower bed railing together with four potted plants.

"Wow, that really is quite a surprise."

Tony pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on, shrugging.

"As expected of Brooklyn. Performance art everywhere."

"Ah, sorry..."

Hearing someone approach, Zhang finally caught his breath and climbed to his feet.

"I swear, I'm going to learn to drive when I get back!"

"Ah, Miss Carter. Huh? This gentleman looks kind of familiar?"

"He's my aunt's driver."

Sharon beat Tony to it and greeted Zhang with a smile.

"You've worked hard. Now do you know why I chose to ride a motorcycle?"

"Ah, a wise choice."

Zhang picked up a potted plant.

"Um, could you show me where these should go?"

"No problem, Mr. Driver. Could you help bring the plants inside?"

"...My pleasure."

Tony rubbed his nose. Thinking of his blonde assistant, he decided that after today, he should stay farther away from Carter women.

But first, he hoped this interesting Asian kid could satisfy his intense curiosity.

"Here, here, and here... Please put the last one here. Very good, thank you."

Sharon directed Zhang and "Mr. Driver" as they placed the plants, then shut the windows.

"Mr. Zhang, how long will it take?"

"Mm, around two or three minutes."

Zhang wiped away his sweat. Seeing "Mr. Driver" curiously fiddling with the leaves of a potted plant, he smiled.

"Miss Carter, don't worry. The boss said we can restock tonight. If you need to keep the windows open, you can buy four more pots tomorrow for the same effect."

"Oh, Sharon, I can feel something different already."

A sharp gleam flashed through Aunt Peggy's somewhat clouded eyes. She looked in surprise at the rather proud Zhang, then gave silent Tony an odd look.

"Looks like we need to thank Mrs. Brown for recommending such a good shop."

"Young man, who is your boss? He's truly remarkable. These plants must be difficult to cultivate, right?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Zhang introduced him proudly.

"Our boss is Dr. Oaks Lin, a truly great biologist. These plants are special varieties he cultivated with great care. Production is still low, but their effects are astonishing."

"Mr. Oaks keeps a low profile, so you can only learn about us through old customers—

"It's just a pity there's no Nobel Prize in biology. Otherwise, I have no doubt that Mr. Oaks would have a place on the awards stage at Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden next year."

"What an incredible achievement..."

Aunt Peggy smiled.

In just this short while, her aged body, which had become barely capable of walking, had relaxed as though she had just received oxygen therapy at a hospital.

The indoor air quality was rapidly improving at a rate the human body could actually feel.

"As long as you're satisfied, Auntie."

Sharon quietly breathed a sigh of relief, bending down and smiling as she wrapped an arm around her aunt's shoulders.

"So they were a little expensive. I charged you 4,500 dollars~"

"You little rascal~"

Peggy froze for a moment, then shook her head with a laugh.

"It was worth it. Take Mr. Zhang home."

"I'll take this young man home."

Tony, who had remained silent the entire time, turned around. He still wore his sunglasses, concealing his thoughts.

"I'm the driver, after all."

At Emerald Dream Plant Shop, Oaks had already closed for the day. He frowned as he looked through the notebook.

It contained the contact information left by customers who had come to buy things.

The newest entry was named "Sharon Carter."

It probably wasn't a coincidence.

She was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders, Peggy Carter's niece, and Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Even her colleagues did not know about her relationship with Peggy Carter.

Except for a certain cat-loving director. Mm, she probably had a senior fellow apprentice too.

Moreover, her identity as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent seemed to be kept secret from all relatives other than Peggy Carter.

Fortunately, nothing should go wrong.

Then he laughed at himself. If he were working on some other technological project, S.H.I.E.L.D. might be interested in investigating him, but something like this...

S.H.I.E.L.D. was busy. They still had to work hard for Hydra's rise. They weren't some environmental charity organization; where would they find the time to notice a guy who played with potted plants?

Shaking his head, he went out through the back door and opened the door beside it leading to the basement—

At the bottom of the stairs was his "supply source," a laboratory for cultivating magical plants.

Inside was an ecological cultivation facility simulating natural sunlight. He only needed to dig up the seedlings, bring them back to the shop, plant them in pots, and use Nature Magic to accelerate their growth.

While he was busy, an ostentatious Audi R8 convertible screeched to a sudden stop at the front entrance.

"Ah-ha, we're here!"

Tony Stark patted Zhang, who was nearly collapsed in the passenger seat, and struck an exaggeratedly self-satisfied pose.

"Hey~ buddy, I dare say my driving skills are leagues better than that taxi driver's!"

"..."

Zhang laboriously opened the door and got out. His throat had nearly gone hoarse from screaming along the way.

"Mr. Driver... thanks... blegh!"

"You should thank me. My car usually doesn't carry men!"

Tony adjusted his sunglasses and carefully examined the small shop's sign.

"Emerald Dream... Have a nice dream, bye~"

Vrooom—

The sports car sped away. Zhang shakily pulled out the shop key.

"I never used to get carsick, but after riding in Brooklyn cars so often, I do now... blegh..."