Autumn's "Little Troubles"

Autumn in Queens always carried a hint of caramel. The sycamore leaves had been baked yellow by the sun, their edges curled as they drifted down from the branches like countless fluttering butterflies. A half-person-high pile of fallen leaves sat outside Lin Mo's auto repair shop. Whenever the wind blew, they spiraled into the garage and stuck to the hood of a freshly repaired Ford, as though embroidering a golden trim onto its blue body.

"Lin! Slacking off again!" Old Martha emerged from the grocery store across the street with her cane, her scarf wrapped around her like a dumpling. "Those leaves are practically blocking your door. How much could it cost to hire a cleaner? Look how exhausted you are—those dark circles are so bad, it looks like a panda beat you up." She set the bread she had just bought on the counter, sympathy in her eyes.

Lin Mo was crouched on the ground, tightening tire bolts as grease ran through his fingers. He looked up and smiled. "It's fine, Mrs. Martha. I'll sweep them up tonight. I'm too busy during the day." He pointed at the three cars in the garage. "They're all rush jobs. The customers are picking them up this afternoon."

He had taken over the repair shop from Old Joe last month. It was right next to the computer store, the rent was cheap, and it came with a spacious backyard. Carlos had been so mad that he ignored him for three days, though in the end, he still shoved a new set of wrenches into Lin Mo's hands. "Fixing cars is ten times dirtier than fixing computers. Don't regret it." Lin Mo did not regret it—the place was roomy enough to conceal his abilities. Lifting engines and dismantling transmissions put the strength from Physical Enhancement to good use, without making people think he was a monster.

"Tonight? What are you, an owl?" Martha poked the fallen leaves with her cane. "I'm telling you, the community sanitation inspection is tomorrow. If you leave them piled up, you'll get fined." She took out a piece of apple pie wrapped in wax paper. "Fresh out of the oven. Have something to eat."

Lin Mo accepted it. It was still warm, and the sweet fragrance mingled with the motor oil smell in the garage in a strangely harmonious way. "Thank you. I'll definitely clean it all up tonight." He stuffed the pie into his pocket and lowered his head to keep tightening bolts. Physical Enhancement made his fingers exceptionally strong. With a click, the rusted nut loosened faster than an air wrench could have managed.

Martha shook her head and hobbled away with her cane, still muttering, "Young people are always so stubborn. You won't know better until you work yourselves sick..."

The noon sunlight slanted into the garage, exposing every speck of dust in the air. Lin Mo leaned against a car, eating apple pie and reading the newspaper. In a corner of the society section were the words "Avengers Initiative," alongside a blurry Shield emblem. His fingertips brushed over the page as he recalled what Phil Coulson had said last week while getting his car computer repaired: "Queens hasn't been safe lately. A group of arms dealers has been active." At the time, Lin Mo had been using his Phasing Ability to replace an engine filter. The metal casing had felt like soft cloth beneath his hands. Coulson's gaze had lingered on them for three seconds, but he had said nothing.

"Woof!" Shield ran in from the backyard with a sycamore leaf in his mouth, his tail knocking against the toolbox with a clatter. The stray dog was sleek and glossy now, and his front leg had long since healed. He spent his days chasing butterflies around the garage and occasionally helped Lin Mo fetch wrenches—though eight times out of ten, he brought back the wrong one.

"Being naughty again." Lin Mo took the leaf and rubbed the dog's head. "You're helping me sweep leaves tonight."

Shield wagged his tail as if he understood, then suddenly began barking furiously at the entrance. Lin Mo looked up to see Ted standing amid the leaves with an enormous magic box in his arms. Grass clippings clung to his pant legs, and a maple leaf was stuck in his hair. "Mo! Look at my new invention—the 'Leaf Vanishing Trick'!" He set the box down and opened the lid, revealing a homemade blower. "Plug it in, and I guarantee it'll blow everything clean!"

"That thing is too powerful. You'll just blow dirt all over the customers' cars." Lin Mo shook his head with a smile. The last time Ted had used it to blow off his magic props, he had nearly sent Carlos's computer motherboard flying into a coffee cup.

"Then what do you suggest?" Ted kicked at the leaves near his feet. "Mrs. Martha is right. We'll get fined during tomorrow's inspection." He suddenly leaned closer and lowered his voice. "How about... using your 'Wall-Crossing Technique'? Just throw the leaves into space?"

"Into space? You want NASA to come have tea with me?" Lin Mo rapped him on the head. "We'll talk tonight. Help me push that Chevrolet out first."

Ted wailed as he went to push the car, muttering that it was ridiculously heavy. Lin Mo pretended not to hear and secretly gave him a little help with Physical Enhancement—the Chevrolet glided smoothly to the entrance as if pushed by invisible hands. Ted froze, then scratched his head. "Weird. Why does this car feel lighter today?"

By the time he saw off the last customer that evening, it was already getting dark. Lin Mo locked the door and dug a large broom out of the toolbox. Shield sat beside him, his tail swishing in time with the broom. "Watch closely." Lin Mo winked at the dog and activated Physical Enhancement. His muscles tightened instantly, and the broom became a blur in his hands. The swishing rang especially clearly through the quiet street.

The dry yellow leaves were swept into neat piles, like tiny pyramids. Lin Mo grabbed the largest pile, took a deep breath, and activated his Phasing Ability. The moment his body became translucent, he could feel the strange sensation of leaves passing through his clothes, as though he were immersed in cold water. He passed through the repair shop wall, appeared beside the trash can at the street corner, dumped the leaves inside, then phased back. The entire process took less than ten seconds.

Shield's eyes went wide. He ran circles around Lin Mo, barking wildly as if cheering. Lin Mo laughed, picking up speed. His figure darted back and forth between the garage and the trash can. The hum of passing through walls intertwined with the scrape of the broom, forming a bizarre nocturne.

By the time moonlight crept onto the roof, every leaf outside the shop had vanished. Even the corners by the walls had been swept clean. Lin Mo leaned against the doorframe, breathing hard. Using Physical Enhancement too much still tired him out. Sweat dripped from his forehead onto the ground, spreading into small dark patches. He touched the apple pie in his pocket. The wax paper had softened from his body heat. Just as he was about to take a bite, he heard movement behind him.

"Eh..." Aunt May's voice was sleepy. "Where are my glasses...?"

Lin Mo spun around in alarm. The old woman was standing by the wall across the street, holding a freshly washed sweater. She had evidently come out to hang laundry after waking in the middle of the night. She squinted at the entrance to the repair shop, rubbed her eyes, and muttered, "I clearly remember those leaves being piled up this afternoon. Did the wind blow them away?"

Lin Mo held his breath, his back pressed against the cold wall, his Phasing Ability ready at any moment. If she caught him phasing through walls to throw away leaves, he truly had no idea how he would explain it. Shield was clever, though. Wagging his tail, he ran over and rubbed against Aunt May's pant leg, drawing her attention away.

"Oh, it's little Shield." Aunt May bent down to pat the dog's head. "Where's your owner? Did he slack off and forget to sweep again?" She looked toward the entrance once more, this time putting on the reading glasses hanging from her chest. "How strange. They're really gone... Did the community send someone to clean early?"

Lin Mo hid behind the door, his heart pounding until Aunt May slowly returned upstairs with the sweater in her arms. Only then did he dare breathe again. He looked down at Shield, who was tilting his head at him with his tongue hanging out. "You almost gave me away." Lin Mo flicked the dog's nose and broke off half of the remaining apple pie for him.

Early the next morning, Peter came by with his backpack to get his computer repaired. Ted's magic props had spilled cola on his laptop, leaving the keyboard sticky as malt syrup. The moment he entered, the boy stared at the ground. "Brother Lin Mo, where are the leaves outside your door? I saw them piled up like a little mountain after school yesterday."

"The wind blew them away," Lin Mo said casually. His screwdriver deftly removed the laptop's back cover, while his Phasing Ability let him avoid the circuitry with precision. "Your computer needs a new keyboard. I've got an old one here. It'll do for now?"

"The wind blew them away?" Peter frowned and pushed up his glasses. "But there was no wind last night. I measured the wind speed—it was no more than 0.5 meters per second." He suddenly leaned closer, his eyes shining like searchlights. "Did you use your 'ability'? Like... phasing through walls to carry them to the trash can?"

Lin Mo's hand paused. He looked up at him. "How did you know?"

"Brother Ted told me." Peter scratched his head sheepishly. "He said you 'fly' at night and can make things disappear out of thin air." The boy pulled out a notebook from his backpack, filled with diagrams showing how the fallen leaves had vanished. "I calculated it. To move that many leaves, you'd need a speed of at least twelve meters per second, and you'd have to pass through obstacles. In fluid mechanics, that..."

"Stop right there." Lin Mo smiled and closed the notebook. "Let's fix your computer first, or you'll miss morning study." He installed the new keyboard and powered it on for a test. "There. Next time, stay away from Ted's magic props."

Peter took the computer but did not leave. He stared at the broom in the corner for a long time. "Brother Lin Mo, isn't it hard for you? Sweeping every night." His voice was soft. "Actually, I could help. I invented an automatic cleaning robot. It just hasn't been calibrated yet..."

"No need." Lin Mo patted his hair. "Just focus on your studies. This little bit of work won't tire me out." He pointed out the window. "Look, Mrs. Martha is here again. If you don't leave now, she'll start nagging you about being late."

Peter immediately jolted in fright, grabbed his backpack, and ran out. At the door, he stopped and looked back. "Once I finish calibrating my robot, I'll definitely help you!"

Lin Mo smiled and waved as the boy disappeared beneath the sycamore trees. Martha's voice sounded right on cue. "Lin! How is it so clean outside your door? Did you really hire a cleaner?" Her cane tapped crisply against the ground. "See? Young people shouldn't try to tough everything out..."

Lin Mo leaned against the doorframe, watching Martha walk away while chattering on. Then he looked at the fresh leaves that occasionally drifted down and suddenly felt that autumn's "little troubles" were not so annoying after all. The strength of Physical Enhancement and the convenience of passing through walls—abilities that had once terrified him—had become tools for sweeping leaves, little tricks for protecting this tiny repair shop.

The afternoon sunlight was perfect. Lin Mo moved a reclining chair to the entrance, and Shield dozed at his feet. Fallen leaves occasionally landed on them both like gentle kisses. He closed his eyes and listened to distant car horns, the nearby wind, and the chatter of Martha and Aunt May outside the grocery store. His heart was peaceful.

Perhaps life was like this: there would always be leaves to sweep, cars to repair, and nagging to hear. Yet it was precisely these trivial "little troubles" that made life feel real and warm. Lin Mo touched the wristband on his wrist. Its screen glowed quietly. There were still 287 days until his next check-in.

The wind rose again, and new leaves drifted down leisurely. Lin Mo opened his eyes, smiled, and picked up the broom—he would have to work overtime again tonight.