By the time Lin Xiao returned to his apartment, it was completely dark. He kicked off his shoes and flopped back onto the sofa. With a thump, he landed on the floor, leaving a huge crater in the sofa. He sighed softly and was about to get some tools to fix it.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone was at the door.
A voice called out in broken Chinese. "Mr. Lin? Are you home?"
It was May's voice.
Lin Xiao took a deep breath and opened the door.
The sight outside left him stunned for a moment.
May stood in the doorway in a beige knit sweater, holding a white porcelain plate with six neatly arranged waffles, still steaming. Melted butter trickled down their grid patterns, filling the air with a sweet aroma.
She looked a little uneasy, her heels slightly raised, as though ready to turn and flee at any moment.
"May?" Lin Xiao blurted out.
May looked up, the speech she had rehearsed all the way here just reaching her lips-
Then she got a clear look at Lin Xiao's face.
Every word stuck in her throat. She couldn't get a single one out.
The man before her and that vicious-looking hulk in the alley a few days ago... their features did bear some resemblance, but their entire bearing was worlds apart. The one in the alley had a scar on his face and fierce eyes, standing beneath the streetlight like some dread god. But this man had clear skin, sharply defined features, strong brows, and bright eyes.
The hallway light fell across Lin Xiao's profile, outlining a remarkably clean jawline.
May's mouth parted slightly, then closed again. Her gaze lingered on his face for several seconds before shifting to the apartment number-307. Confirmed. Then she looked back at Lin Xiao, her expression swinging between confusion and shock.
"Sorry," she said, taking half a step back, her voice a little unsteady. "I might... have the wrong apartment? I'm looking for Lin Xiao-"
"I'm Lin Xiao." Lin Xiao tried to make his voice sound gentle.
May looked even more confused. Her expression could probably have been translated as: Do you think I have dementia?
"I mean-" Her gaze swept over his face. "The Lin Xiao from a few days ago, the one who saved me in the alley, with a scar on his face, who lives in 307."
Lin Xiao's heart lurched.
But he reacted quickly. His recent experiences had taught him one thing-when he didn't know how to explain something, blame show business.
"Oh, that." Lin Xiao waved a hand, sounding as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "I took a bit part a few days ago, playing a villain's thug. The makeup artist drew that scar on my face. That makeup was really hard to remove. They used some kind of special-effects glue, and it took several washes to get it all off."
As he spoke, he gave his own acting full marks in his head.
May blinked.
Her reason told her the explanation didn't sound very convincing, but her eyes saw an exceptionally sincere face. And that face was smiling at her-a bright, clean smile with just the right touch of embarrassment.
Just like that, she actually believed him. Or rather, she decided to believe him.
"That film crew," May said, the corners of her mouth rising as she struggled to hold back a smile, "must have lost a fine actor."
Lin Xiao rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.
The atmosphere relaxed.
Suddenly remembering something, May held out the plate, her movements a little stiff-she still didn't quite dare get too close. With his build, Lin Xiao almost filled the entire doorway. The hallway light shone through from behind him, casting a broad shadow across the floor.
"These are... waffles. Freshly baked." Her tone was apologetic. "I've been looking for a chance to apologize for what happened a few days ago."
"Apologize?" Lin Xiao paused.
"That night in the alley, you saved me, but I... I really shouldn't have reacted that way." May lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the plate. "I shouldn't have decided someone wasn't a good person just because he looked frightening. Peter told me off for it too-oh, Peter is my nephew. He said I was being unfair."
Lin Xiao's ears pricked up.
Peter. Her nephew. Spider-Man had put in a good word for him. That was good news.
"I've been meaning to come apologize these past two days," May continued, speaking a little faster now. "But every time I reached your door, I-anyway, I happened to bake a few extra today, so consider them an apology." She looked up at Lin Xiao, this time without averting her eyes. "When you saved me last time, I was so busy running away that I didn't even thank you properly. Really, thank you so much."
Lin Xiao looked at the plate of waffles.
Six of them, neatly arranged, their golden surfaces topped with half-melted butter. They smelled incredible. The last time he'd eaten something home-baked was probably in his previous life. In this world, his meals had long consisted of a rotation of instant noodles, hot dogs, and convenience-store sandwiches. Occasionally adding a bag of chips counted as an upgrade.
"Want to come in and sit down?" Lin Xiao stepped aside.
May hesitated for a second, then nodded and entered his apartment with the plate.
Lin Xiao's apartment wasn't large, with one bedroom and a living room, but it was reasonably tidy-mainly because he had pitifully few possessions. At the sight of the collapsed sofa, May frowned, then seemed to think of something and burst into a chuckle.
May sat down at the folding table and set down the waffles. Lin Xiao sat across from her. The metal-framed chair gave a faint groan, but at least it held.
"Right, you said your name was May last time."
Lin Xiao picked up a waffle and began eating. It tasted pretty good, with just the right sweetness, unlike other American desserts that piled on sugar like there was no tomorrow and still claimed it wasn't sweet enough. In his previous life, he'd heard that Mixue had gone to America, serving sugary drinks with 200 percent syrup. He'd been dumbfounded at the time.
Lin Xiao took another bite of waffle. "This is really good, May. You're a great cook."
"Thank you." May smiled, her eyes curving. The fine lines at their corners only added to her gentle warmth.
Lin Xiao swallowed the waffle and remembered that he ought to make some small talk.
"So, is it just you and your nephew at home?"
May nodded, picking up the glass of water Lin Xiao had poured her and cradling it in her palms. "His name is Peter Parker. He's still in high school. His parents passed away early, so I took him in. So many years have gone by in a flash."
Her tone was calm, as though discussing something she had long grown used to. But her fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
Lin Xiao looked at her hands and fell silent for a moment.
May raised her head, a smile returning to her face as she turned the question back on him. "What about you? Do you live alone?"
"Alone." Lin Xiao nodded, his tone light. "I've only just settled into a steady job. Haven't had time to find someone yet."
"You don't have a girlfriend?" Somewhat surprised, May looked him up and down. "With what you have going for you, I'd think plenty of girls would be chasing you."
Lin Xiao looked into her eyes and considered his wording.
"There are girls chasing me," he said with a sigh, just the right amount of distress in his voice. "But they start right off saying they like my pecs. They don't genuinely like me as a person."
May froze for a moment.
Then she laughed.
It wasn't a polite, courteous smile, but a genuine laugh of amusement. Her eyes curved into crescents, her shoulders shook slightly, and the water nearly sloshed out of her glass.
"You," she said, pointing at him and laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath, "look like a mountain, but you're quite funny."
Watching her laugh, Lin Xiao's lips curved too.
They chatted for quite a while longer. May was a nurse at a community hospital in Queens. Her work was tiring but stable. Peter got good grades but liked to play around, often heading to classmates' homes after school. Money wasn't plentiful, but they weren't struggling either.
"If Peter knew you could send someone flying with one punch, he'd definitely pester you with questions," May said, half joking. "That boy is obsessed with superheroes and things like that."
"I'm hardly a superhero." Lin Xiao waved a hand modestly. "I'm just a little stronger, a little more muscular, and a little nicer."
"And a little more shameless," May added.
They both laughed.
Before they knew it, it was almost ten. May checked the time on her phone and stood. "I have work tomorrow. I'd better head back."
She picked up the empty plate, and Lin Xiao walked her to the door. As it opened, May turned, hesitated, and said, "Lin Xiao, if you have time-you're welcome to come over for dinner."
"Sure. Definitely."
May smoothed her hair, her voice a little brighter than before. "Well, good night."
The door closed, and Lin Xiao shook his head with a smile.
Just then, an indescribable, strange sensation rose from the base of his spine.
Lin Xiao's pupils contracted slightly. The feeling of being watched.
It came from outside the window.
Lin Xiao didn't move immediately. His breathing stayed the same, his reclining posture stayed the same, and even his expression remained unchanged. Keeping his hands behind his head, he pretended to roll over, turning his face toward the window-and opening his eyes a sliver.
There was nothing outside. The apartment building opposite was pitch-black, with no one in sight.
But Lin Xiao knew that didn't mean no one was there.
An expert.
He counted silently. Thirty seconds. One minute. Two minutes. The sensation of being watched never faded, like an invisible thread, thin and steady, tethering him.
Finally, he sat up, stretched, and yawned, moving as naturally as if he were getting up to take a leak. He walked barefoot to the window, bracing one hand against the frame and resting the other casually on the sill. His lazy gaze swept the opposite rooftop. The feeling of being watched came from that direction.
As he drew the curtains shut, Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes.
The opposite rooftop, roughly two hundred meters away. A little to the left, near the water tank. Two silhouettes so indistinct they almost blended into the night. One stood, the other half crouched. The standing one was a bald Black man, his smooth scalp actually catching a faint glimmer in the darkness. The crouching one was holding binoculars.
Lin Xiao stopped at the bathroom sink and turned on the faucet. Amid the rushing water, he spoke quietly. "Doupao."
"Ding-here."
"How many are on the opposite rooftop?"
The system was silent for a second. "...Ding-two."
"Any experts?"
"Ding-Agent Coulson and Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury."
Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow.
Nick Fury. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. That Black Baldy who ran circles around a bunch of superheroes in the Marvel Universe. What was he doing here?
"Doupao, what do you think that Black Baldy Fury is doing here?"
"Ding-searching. Host, Fury monitored your conspicuous reactions throughout the interview."
"Conspicuous reactions?" The corner of Lin Xiao's mouth twitched.
"Ding, your performance that day made him sufficiently curious about you, prompting an investigation into your records. You fully matched the superhuman profiles in his database. Combined with today's extraordinary performance..."
Lin Xiao waved a hand and shut off the faucet. Looking at himself in the mirror, he slowly curled his lips.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had its eye on him. But that was fine. He'd been aiming to hug a powerful thigh in the first place. Catching a big shot's attention wasn't necessarily bad-as long as he could prove his worth without posing a threat.
And he, Lin Xiao, was currently just a clerk who wanted a desk job. Mild-mannered, good at communicating, conscientious, and dedicated to his work. Certainly no superhuman.
He gave the mirror a sincere smile. The man in the mirror smiled back, looking utterly harmless.
"Good night, Black Baldy."