"Hey, honey, are you back yet? Did you have a good day?" Lin Xiao asked gently, holding his phone on a large pink bed.
"Yeah, just got home. Honey, we had a really fun day. We bought so many things. Jian even cried. She's such a wonderful girl. Hmm? Xiao, where are you? Aren't you home?"
"Me?" Lin Xiao hesitated for a few seconds before exhaling, "I'm busy. You know, a lot has happened at S.H.I.E.L.D.. lately, and that Black Baldy can't handle some things. He's been crying and begging me to go back and help."
"Hmm..."
Lying beside Lin Xiao, with her black hair disheveled, her whole body trembling, and covered in sweat, Hill was desperately trying to cover her mouth to keep herself from making a sound, but a gasp still escaped her lips.
"Hmm, what's that sound, Xiao?"
Mei, you must have misheard.
"Okay, so where are you now? Tell the truth."
Lin Xiao smiled slightly as he looked at the pink water glass, the pink mattress, and the pink wallpaper on the bedside table.
"I'm working overtime at Hill's house."
Mei sighed softly, her voice drifting over.
"I knew it... you've been working overtime so much you've been sleeping in bed! Come back tomorrow and tell me what exactly you've been working overtime on, and when you should invite Hill over for a visit."
Hill's cheeks were burning, and she secretly buried her face in the pink pillow, only peeking out one ear. Lin Xiao looked at everything in front of him and the corners of his mouth curved up.
"Okay, honey, remember to lock the doors and windows tonight. See you tomorrow."
After he finished speaking, the other end of the phone hung up, Hill stared at Lin Xiao with wide eyes.
" Lin Xiao, that's the coldest and worst excuse I've ever heard."
Lin Xiao smiled slightly and hugged Hill: "Isn't it overtime? We were just talking about the captain's matter, and you, as if afraid I wouldn't have time to rest, actually suggested that I contact that Old Popsicle."
Hill bit her lip and turned her head away, her voice a little weak. "No, the captain has almost recovered. Staying there any longer would only give him away eventually. Besides, Fury found out that the captain noticed something, so he asked me to contact the captain. I didn't want to go alone, so..."
Lin Xiao hugged Hill tightly. "Okay, okay, I understand, I agree. Don't blame me, I had to tell them eventually. Mei is smart, she should have guessed it. I can't keep you in the dark forever. Hill, do you know? In my heart, you are just like them, you are my everything."
Hill's blue eyes flickered, and she softly hummed in agreement, snuggling her head against Lin Xiao's chest.
Lin Xiao placed his hand on her back, patting her gently, like coaxing a docile kitten. Hill didn't speak again, but pressed her face against his collarbone, her breathing gradually evening out. The small pink lamp by the bedside illuminated her profile, her eyelashes casting two faint shadows on her cheekbones. Lin Xiao looked down at her for a while, then suddenly chuckled.
What are you laughing at?
"You really have a huge contrast to yourself. You're usually such a serious person, walking around the bureau in a suit and skirt. Who would have thought your house is full of pink?"
Hill didn't look up, but pinched his waist lightly with her fingers.
Lin Xiao hissed in response and pulled her closer to him. The two sat like that against the headboard for a while, the New York night outside the window seeping in through the gaps in the curtains, a hazy gray.
"We have news about Dr. Wu," Hill said first.
Lin Xiao paused for a moment.
"Found it?"
"Yes, I used S.H.I.E.L.D..'s special network to find out. He's been in Texas all this time, working as a private doctor for a wealthy Germany businessman. The businessman isn't in good health and has been keeping Dr. Wu on board for almost three months. This matter is being kept very secret."
Lin Xiao's eyes slowly brightened, and his hands began to wander, sliding down Hill's waist. Hill grabbed his wrist and glared at him.
"Let's get down to business."
"I'm listening. Texas, Germany tycoon."
Hill snuggled closer to him, looking at Lin Xiao for a long time before finally saying, "I won't ask what you wanted with him. Just remember to be careful."
Lin Xiao felt a surge of tenderness in his heart and kissed Hill on the forehead. He paused, then suddenly remembered something, and his lips twitched.
He remembered Dr. Wu, who had only made a brief appearance in Iron Man 3, saying "Hello" and then nothing more. Now, Dr. Wu had become a real-life problem. Lin Xiao was sighing with regret.
Hill snuggled closer to Lin Xiao.
What did you mean by what you said today?
Which sentence?
Hill turned his head, revealing one eye as he looked at him. "You said Reed has a problem."
Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then sighed softly.
" Reed was taken away by Doom, and his return was too easy. Doom is the kind of person who won't give up until he gets what he wants. He must have kidnapped Reed for something, and even if he didn't get it, he wouldn't release him easily. But now Reed has come back on his own, saying that nothing happened. This doesn't make sense."
"So you suspect he's... an imposter?"
"It's not necessarily an impersonation. Doom has many tricks up his sleeve. Besides shapeshifting, there's mind control, puppetry, and mind parasitism. Any of them are possible." Lin Xiao rested his chin on Hill's shoulder. "And didn't you notice? After Reed came back, his eyes were strange, filled with a coldness that seemed to emanate from his very bones. Reed is a clown. Although I've never met him, I've heard about his character and actions. My intuition tells me something's not right."
Hill dozed off as he listened, and Lin Xiao affectionately pinched Hill's nose.
"Go to sleep if you're tired. We can deal with tomorrow's problems tomorrow."
Hill closed his eyes. Lin Xiao closed his eyes too, but his mind was racing. Dr. Wu, Heartfire, Reed, Doom... these things were all mixed up like a tangled mess. He had to untangle them one by one.
Downtown New York, S.H.I.E.L.D.. Hospital.
Reed sat by Susan's bedside, holding a glass of warm water, and fed her spoonful by spoonful. Susan had three stitches in the back of her head, and the gauze was still a little pink through. But she was in good spirits, smiling and talking to Reed.
"It's good to see you back. I slept all day, and when I woke up Jonathan told me you were back, I didn't believe him. Now everything's alright."
Reed nodded, finished feeding her the last sip of water, and placed the cup on the bedside table. He reached out and tucked the stray hairs from Susan's forehead behind her ear, but if someone were to look closely into his eyes at that moment, they would notice a faint green light slowly moving deep within his brown pupils.
Susan didn't notice. She yawned and buried her face in the pillow. "I'm going to sleep a little longer, will you stay with me?"
"Good."
Reed sat on the edge of the bed, his hand on Susan's, quietly waiting for her to fall asleep. A few minutes later, Susan's breathing became steady, and she drifted off to sleep.
Reed slowly withdrew his hand and placed it on his knee. He looked down at his fingers, waiting for the surroundings to become completely quiet.
His eyes, a green light welling up from the depths of his pupils, tinged his brown pupils with a pale green hue. He slowly raised his right hand, his palm hovering above Susan's forehead, and a fine green rune seeped from his palm, flowing down the air like vines, gently touching Susan's forehead.
Reed frowned and closed his eyes.
The runes danced on his fingertips, tracing along Susan's forehead and drilling into the depths of her mind. He sifted through her memories, her emotions, and every nerve ending in her body.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes.
"Strange," he said softly, his voice still Reed's, but his tone was colder than Reed's, "Why is there nothing here?"
He withdrew his hand, sat back down on the edge of the bed, and looked at Susan. Her breathing was still even, and the smile from before still lingered on her cheeks. Reed stared at her for a long time, then slowly stood up, walked to the window, and the light from the streetlamp shone through the gaps in the blinds, falling on his face, half bright and half dark.