---
Hell's Kitchen was still a noisy mess.
Every night, without fail, some sort of chaos erupted from the direction of Gray Street. Lin Feng had long grown used to the gang's nightly outbursts, but even he had to admit—it was getting ridiculous.
"Do they have a party every day or what?" Lin Feng muttered from his window, squinting toward the source of the racket. "And of course... it's domestic violence again."
The familiar clang of metal against metal echoed from the apartment block across the street. He grimaced. "Good grief. That same woman is at it again. And this time she's using a frying pan."
The CLANG! that followed made him wince as though it had struck his skull.
With a sigh, he retreated from the window. Lin Feng had just returned from a full night of patrolling, keeping his presence low, and dealing with petty criminals when necessary. He'd finally picked up some fruit, a newspaper, and decided to unwind at home. But just as he opened his villa door, a blur of movement lunged toward him.
Startled, he instinctively took a half-step back, only to realize it was Susan.
The little reporter practically launched herself in front of the door like a sentry, blocking his path with wide eyes and frazzled hair. "Lin! You're back!"
He blinked. "Uh... yeah. Can I come in first?"
"Oh! Right—sorry!" She scurried aside.
Once inside, Lin Feng collapsed onto the sofa, stretching his legs. Before he could even catch his breath, Susan dropped down beside him, far closer than most would consider polite, staring at him intently.
There was anxiety in her eyes—a mix of hope and desperation. Her shoulders were tense. Her hands clutched the edge of the couch cushion as if it were a lifeline.
Lin Feng cleared his throat and looked away. "Man... I'm suddenly parched."
Without hesitation, Susan hopped up. "I'll get water!"
In a flash, she was back from the kitchen, presenting a glass of water with both hands like a ceremonial offering. "Here!"
Lin Feng took the glass, feigning exhaustion as he sighed theatrically. "Whew. Ran around all day. My shoulders feel like bricks…"
He began rubbing them himself in an exaggerated motion, casting Susan a not-so-subtle side glance.
Right on cue, a pair of small hands gently began massaging his shoulders. To him, it felt more like a butterfly landing than an actual massage—but he didn't complain.
After a full minute of silence, Susan couldn't take it anymore.
"Lin," she said, hands suddenly gripping his shoulders tightly, "just tell me already! What happened?"
He turned to face her, laughing softly. "Alright, alright. Don't shake me to death."
Her expression was so earnest—so vulnerable—that he couldn't bear to keep her waiting.
"The situation's under control," he said, offering a calm smile. "Tony Stark will send someone to handle it tonight. You'll be safe to go home tomorrow morning."
Susan's eyes widened. "Really?!"
Tears burst forth before he could brace for it. In a flash, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight, sobbing with gratitude.
"Thank you, Lin! Thank you so much!"
Lin Feng froze. His arms hovered awkwardly midair as his brain tried to process the sudden contact. Her hug was warm, sincere, and came with the soft scent of shower gel and something subtly floral. He stiffened.
No! Hold the line, soldier!
He gave himself a mental slap. This wasn't the time to lose composure.
When her sobs finally quieted, Lin Feng gently patted her back and carefully peeled her away. Her face was tear-streaked, her nose red. She sniffled, eyes shimmering with emotion.
"Here," he said quickly, grabbing a tissue box and offering it to her. "Let's not drown the sofa, okay?"
Susan laughed through her tears, dabbing at her eyes. "Sorry... I guess I just finally feel safe. It's been days of looking over my shoulder."
He didn't blame her. Being chased by gangsters, threatened for digging too deep, and forced to hide out in a stranger's home wasn't easy. Lin Feng saw now that beneath her bold exterior, Susan had been holding on by a thread.
She looked up at him with newfound resolve. "Thank you, Lin. Really. You'll always be my friend. I'll never forget what you've done for me."
Lin Feng scratched his head, suddenly uncomfortable under her sincere gaze. "Yeah, well... just don't go wandering back into Hell's Kitchen. I might not be there to save you next time."
"I won't," she promised, standing up. "I need to text my parents, though. I didn't dare contact them these past few days. They probably think I've been kidnapped."
Chuckling, she waved goodnight and scurried to her room. Just before closing the door, she peeked her head out—just like she had on the first night.
"Thanks again, Lin," she said with a gentle smile.
He grinned back. "Yeah yeah, go to sleep already."
She disappeared behind the door, and Lin Feng finally allowed himself to fall back on the couch. A chuckle escaped him.
The feeling of being trusted... appreciated... It was something new. Something good. And coming from a beautiful woman? That was just the cherry on top.
He stared at the ceiling for a moment. "I wonder if Superman ever got thanked like this..."
---
The next morning, Susan left at dawn.
She had family to reassure and a clingy little sister who probably hadn't slept for days without her. Lin Feng slept in for once, deciding he'd earned a day off. No heroics today—just rest, games, and food.
By noon, hunger kicked in. Too lazy to cook, he pulled out his phone and sighed. "Man, I miss food delivery apps."
He ended up calling a pizza place and placed an order the old-fashioned way. With his superhuman reflexes and precision, Lin Feng breezed through his video games like a pro, annihilating opponents without mercy.
Ding dong!
The doorbell rang. Lin Feng paused his game. "Wow, that was fast."
He walked to the door, still chuckling. "And here I thought American delivery was supposed to be slow."
Opening the door, his amusement froze on his face.
"Hello! Pizza delivery. That'll be twelve dollars," said the woman in the delivery cap, her voice cheerful.
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow.
She looked ordinary enough—brown ponytail tucked into a cap, red polo shirt with the pizza place's logo. But her voice, her posture... her eyes...
Too graceful.
He smiled and handed her the money. "Sure... thanks."
She didn't leave.
Instead, she stood there awkwardly and added, "Um, sorry to trouble you, but may I use your bathroom? It's a long way back to the city, and..."
Lin Feng's smile widened. "Of course. Right down the hall."
He pointed the way and returned to the couch—but didn't touch the pizza. Instead, he activated his x-ray vision and watched her movements.
She stepped into the bathroom, then immediately began unscrewing a section of the ceiling. A moment later, she installed a tiny black device no bigger than a matchbox. Then, she reached into her pocket and tossed a car key into the toilet.
"Classic," Lin Feng muttered.
She was good. Very good. But unfortunately for her, Lin Feng had already seen through the disguise.
"Nice try, Natasha Romanoff," he whispered with a smirk.
A moment later, her voice called out from the bathroom. "Oh no! My car key slipped into the toilet. Can you help me, sir?"
Lin Feng stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Let's play this game."
He swung open the bathroom door with theatrical concern. "Don't worry, sweetheart! It's just a key! If we can't find it, I'll buy you a new car!"
She blinked in surprise, caught off guard. Lin Feng strode in confidently and flushed the toilet with a grin. The key was gone in an instant.
Before she could protest, he pulled her into a completely unnecessary hug. "Don't worry! I've got you covered!"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Let go."
"What? I'm just being helpful—"
She reached behind her head and pulled out a compact shock device, aiming it at his side. "You're getting too close."
Lin Feng snatched it from her hand before she could blink. "What's this? A delivery girl carrying weapons?"
She stiffened. "You knew from the start."
"Oh, I knew the moment I opened the door," he said, his tone more serious now. "And in case you're wondering…"
He stepped back and folded his arms. "Guns don't work on me."
Her eyes narrowed. "So you're the one Fury's been watching."
"And you're the one they sent to test me?" Lin Feng replied with a smirk. "Come on, Natasha Romanoff. You don't need pizza to break into my house."
She sighed, lowering her weapon. "I had to be sure."
"Then tell Fury I'm not interested in joining S.H.I.E.L.D. I already work freelance."
Natasha studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she gave the faintest nod.
"Duly noted."
As she turned to leave, Lin Feng leaned against the doorframe. "Next time, skip the pizza. Just bring coffee."
She paused, glanced back with a faint smirk of her own, then disappeared into the afternoon sun.
Lin Feng shook his head, returning to his game console.
"First SHIELD, then gangsters, now spies disguised as delivery girls," he muttered. "I just wanted a normal day off…"
He took a bite of the now-cold pizza and grinned.
"…But I have to admit, life's way more interesting this way."