At a high-end France restaurant on the Upper East Side, Lin Xiao was looking at the menu, inwardly complaining. The ten dishes here wouldn't even fill a tooth gap for him. To be honest, he didn't like French food. It was expensive and the portions were small. It just looked pretty, but the taste was so-so. It wasn't even as satisfying as a pot of Northeastern stew. Lin Xiao looked up at Storm.
"This is the good place you were talking about?"
"You're not satisfied?" Storm sat opposite her, her silver hair gleaming with a pale gold light in the candlelight, a half-smile playing on her lips.
"No, no, no, I'm very satisfied. I love this place—it's high-end and classy." Lin Xiao gave a thumbs up, closed the menu, and nodded to the waiter. "It's the same as what she ordered, but I'll have three servings."
After the waiter looked at Lin Xiao as if he were a monster as he left, Storm picked up her red wine and sipped it slowly, while Lin Xiao didn't have the patience to chug most of the glass down.
The appetizer arrived. A small lump of something was placed in the center of the plate, surrounded by several doodles of sauce. Lin Xiao poked it with his fork and realized it was foie gras.
Storm barely touched her knife and fork, leaning back in her chair with her silver hair falling over her shoulders, her expression indifferent. She barely glanced at Lin Xiao anymore, and Lin Xiao knew she was still annoyed. So he spoke up.
"Still thinking about the academy?" Lin Xiao stuffed a piece of foie gras into his mouth, chewed it twice, and swallowed. "Your student, Iceman, I think he's quite reasonable. Wasn't this matter resolved?"
Storm didn't reply, but simply picked up her glass and took a sip.
Lin Xiao didn't mind and continued eating his foie gras. Halfway through, he suddenly heard a few syllables drifting from across the table. They were very soft, as if hummed unintentionally, but he knew the tune all too well.
"Billie Jean" is one of Michael Jackson's classic hit songs.
Lin Xiao put down his fork, his eyes lighting up.
"You like Michael Jackson?"
Storm paused in her humming, glanced at him, and didn't reply.
"No answer, I'll take that as a yes." Lin Xiao leaned forward, the corners of his mouth curving upwards. "Do you prefer his songs or his dances?"
Storm put down her glass, looked at Lin Xiao's face which seemed to say, "Ask me, ask me so I can chime in," remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke, "I like them both, but I like the songs more."
"I prefer his dancing." Lin Xiao leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. "Especially the moonwalk. Have you ever seen students imitate Mike at the academy?"
"No."
"Then you're in for a treat today."
" Lin Xiao, what are you doing?" Storm's voice held a hint of wariness.
"Let me show you."
Lin Xiao moved the chair aside, clearing a small space. Lin Xiao stood still, looked down at the carpet under his feet, and then looked up at Storm.
"Watch closely."
He slid back a step, his left foot planted firmly on the ground, while his right foot scooted backward, shifting his entire body about half a meter. The movement was clean and swift, without the slightest hesitation. Storm's eyebrows twitched extremely subtly.
Lin Xiao watched, and the smile on his lips deepened. He took another step back, this time adding an upper body movement: his right shoulder jerked forward, his left shoulder pulled back, and his head nodded in rhythm. On his third step, he added a turn, his right toes touching the ground, turning his entire body ninety degrees, and continued gliding backward. His movements were as fluid as if he were gliding on ice.
The customers at the next table turned to look at him, their forks frozen in mid-air. A waiter carrying a tray passed by him, paused for a moment, and then silently walked around him.
Lin Xiao paid no attention to any of this. He glided a few more steps, touched the ground with the toes of his right foot, and did a standard 45-degree forward lean. After finishing, he even raised his chin at Storm.
"How about it?"
Storm, holding her wine glass, stared at him for several seconds, a slight smile playing on her lips. She gently set down the glass and clapped lightly twice.
"Not bad."
"Not bad?" Lin Xiao sat back in his chair, picked up his fork, and continued eating his foie gras, his tone clearly defiant. "Mine is the authentic Dragon Country version of Michael Jackson. I performed at Tony's party in Afghanistan back in the day, and four girls wanted to come with me on the spot."
What happened to those four girls?
"It's all in the past, let's not talk about it." Lin Xiao paused, silently stuffing the foie gras from his fork into his mouth. "Cough cough... Is this your food?"
Storm paused for a moment, lowered her head, and her shoulders twitched suspiciously several times. Lin Xiao's lips curled into a smile, and he raised his glass to clink glasses with Storm's.
"This meal wasn't a complete waste of money. Your moonwalk was alright, but nowhere near as good Michael's."
"Of course, they're professionals, I'm an amateur." Lin Xiao downed half a glass of red wine, wiped his mouth, and said, "But if an amateur can make you laugh, then this meal is worth it."
Storm looked at him, the smile still lingering on her lips, lost in thought.
Just then, Lin Xiao's phone rang.
He glanced down and saw a smug face pop up on the screen. Tony Stark. Lin Xiao pressed the answer button, but before he could even speak, the other end exploded.
"My God, Lin Xiao, you didn't see how brilliant my speech was today! Those old foxes were completely speechless after I roasted them, hahaha! That politician named Toville almost cried from my roasting, you didn't see it."
Lin Xiao's lips curled into a smile, " Tony, you called just to brag about how cocky you were at the hearing? That's not like you. If you want to brag, call me later. I'm on a date, that's much more important than listening to your bragging."
Storm lowered her head awkwardly when Lin Xiao said the word "date," took a small sip of red wine, and her ear tips turned red.
"No, no, no, I have something important to do." Tony cleared his throat. "I'm planning to go to Monaco to relax, watch a few races, have some champagne, and enjoy life. How about coming along?"
Lin Xiao paused for a moment.
Monaco.
Racing.
The two words collided in his mind, sparking a burst of inspiration.
"Did you attend the government briefing?"
"Yeah, didn't I just say that? I shut them up today, so I decided to take a break."
"I'll go too." Lin Xiao interrupted him, his tone suddenly becoming extremely decisive.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
"Weren't you just flirting with girls? You agreed so readily? I was just being polite..."
"Enough nonsense." Lin Xiao leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said in his usual lazy tone, "Since you've asked, I'll reluctantly go with you. Remember to bring Dragon Country dough sticks on the plane; I'm craving them."
"... Dragon Country Fried Dough Twists? Do you think my private jet is a Chinatown takeout window? Last time you asked me to prepare roast duck, this time it's fried dough twists, next time are you going to ask for candied hawthorns?"
"The candied hawthorns look good, you should get some too."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
" Lin Xiao, you're behaving strangely." Tony's voice held a hint of suspicion. "You weren't this agreeable before; getting you to go out was harder than developing armor."
"People can always improve," Lin Xiao said without changing his expression.
"... Okay. Tomorrow morning at nine, private airport. Don't be late." Tony paused, then added, "Being late is fine too, since it's my plane, I call the shots."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Xiao put his phone on the table, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and mentally reviewed the plot of " Iron Man 2 ".
Monaco, racing. Tony, that show-off, drives himself on the track and gets beaten up by a Russian bastard wielding an Electric Whip. Ivan Vanko, the Whiplash. His father has a grudge against Howard Stark, and now that grudge is being settled with Tony. In the original story, this guy almost chopped Tony in two.
Lin Xiao opened his eyes, frowned, and then smiled.
Ivan Vanko was just an ordinary person who knew how to use high technology; he wouldn't even catch Lin Xiao's eye now. Lin Xiao opened the system panel and saw that this mission was only worth four stars, half a star less than the Iron Monger. But even a small reward is still a reward, and he should still take it. Besides, those two Electric Whip were good stuff; he could just steal them and hang them on the wall as decorations—that sounded exciting.
Lin Xiao hung up the phone, slammed it on the table, pulled out a few bills from his wallet, and placed them under the bill. "Waiter, the bill, please."
Storm paused for a moment, then said, "I told you I paid."
"Just kidding, letting a woman pay is not in the Dragon Country character." Lin Xiao stood up, picked up his fork, and forked the half-eaten steak from her plate. The steak was cold by now, but he didn't care. He swallowed it in two bites. He would never eat French food again; it's not filling at all.
Storm stared at the empty plate, opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Lin Xiao had already turned and walked towards the door. After taking two steps, he stopped, spread his right hand, and a blue rose bloomed visibly in his palm, its petals still adorned with a few glistening water droplets.
He placed the flowers in front of Storm, waved to Storm, and mumbled, still chewing on his steak, "I'm leaving. Next time, it's my treat." Then he pushed open the door and left the restaurant.
Storm looked at the blue rose, picked it up, and smelled it. There was no scent, but the blue rose was truly beautiful. She stared at the flower for a while, then glanced at the banknotes on the table, and a slow smile crept onto her lips. This guy, clearly a jerk, yet somehow impossible to dislike.
Lin Xiao got into the driver's seat of the Hummer and started the engine. As soon as the car turned out of the parking lot, he dialed Mei's number.
" Lin Xiao?" Mei's voice was filled with surprise. "Are you done with work now? Why are you calling?"
"Honey, I have to go out for a bit and won't be back tonight. Remember to lock the door, Betty and Betty. I need to go to Monaco; Tony has something to take care of."
"Is it dangerous?"
"It's not dangerous, just watching a few races and beating up some idiots." Lin Xiao said casually. "By the way, if Natasha contacts you, ask her to ask S.H.I.E.L.D.. for leave for me. Just say it's official business, keep the details confidential."
Mei paused for a moment, then sighed softly, "Come back soon."
"Um."
"Don't get hurt."
"Won't."
"I'll steam some buns for you since you're back."
"Okay, I'll have the pork and scallion filling."
"Okay." Mei chuckled and hung up the phone.
Lin Xiao tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and stepped on the gas. The Hummer sped towards Manhattan into the New York night. Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, Tony's private airport. He leaned back in his seat, tapping his fingers twice on the steering wheel.
He really wanted those two Electric Whip.