Chapter 122:
Yang Jian held Wanda's hand as they stood at the edge of Times Square.
The 2012 New York sunlight was perfect. The air carried the smell of hot dogs and that mindless, happy lead.
Stark Tower in the distance had only recently been topped off and didn't yet have the prominent "A" logo — of course, that would become Avengers Tower.
"It really is exactly the same as our world."
Wanda took a deep breath, feeling everything was novel.
Her Chaos Magic worked just as well in this universe, with no discomfort at all.
Yang Jian retracted his black battle suit and changed into a simple dark black short-sleeve shirt and cargo pants.
His super hearing picked up various pieces of information from this world.
"From what I can sense, Tony Stark is currently researching how to upgrade his armor. S.H.I.E.L.D. is still operating in the shadows. The Avengers Alliance…"
He paused for a moment and smiled faintly, "...hasn't even been conceived yet. But it will be soon."
The Battle of New York was just about to happen. This was actually a very good period. Earth at this time was very safe.
Basically, there were no major events, and the Avengers Alliance hadn't been formed yet.
Wanda's eyes lit up when she heard that.
This meant they could enjoy a date completely free from superhero interference.
She quickly linked her arm with Yang Jian's, her smile sweet.
"Then today, you're my Superman alone."
Yang Jian smiled and nodded, not refuting her.
They strolled along Fifth Avenue. Wanda's attention was quickly drawn to a French dessert shop.
The macaron tower displayed in the window looked great, but there was already a long line at the door.
"Limited edition rose macarons, two per person."
Wanda read the sign at the entrance and pouted in disappointment.
"We'll have to wait at least an hour."
Yang Jian gently squeezed her palm, a trace of red light flashing in his eyes.
The next second, his super speed activated. The world around him slowed to a crawl.
He easily passed through the stationary crowd, grabbed two boxes of macarons while the clerk was still frozen in shock, and instantly returned to Wanda's side.
"Look, no hassle."
He handed her the delicate pink box. The entire process took less than half a second.
Wanda blinked, looking at the dessert box that had suddenly appeared in her hands, then at the completely unaware queue around them, and couldn't help laughing.
"Does this count as cheating?"
"This is called reasonable use of ability."
Yang Jian raised an eyebrow with a smile and took the shopping bag from her hand.
"Want to find a place to try them?"
"Mhm." Wanda nodded.
Yang Jian patted her head and directly took her with him, disappearing from the spot.
They found an empty bench in Bryant Park.
As soon as they sat down, Wanda eagerly opened the box. The rose-colored macarons were neatly arranged, emitting a sweet fragrance.
She picked one up and brought it to Yang Jian's mouth.
"The first bite is for you."
Yang Jian opened his mouth and took it. The crispy shell crumbled in his mouth.
With his super taste buds, he could even clearly distinguish that the rose essence came from Bulgaria.
The sugar ratio was precise to 71.3%, and he could even taste the grinding method of the flour.
This was a unique ability of Kryptonians that he couldn't control.
"The frosting is a gram too much," he commented in a flat tone.
"Picky."
Wanda rolled her eyes at him, took a bite herself, and happily squinted her eyes.
"It's obviously perfect!"
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees and fell on Wanda's face. Yang Jian's super vision could see the tiny sugar powder clinging to her eyelashes.
The blood flowing in the capillaries of her cheeks gave her skin a healthy pink glow.
He reached out and gently wiped the crumbs from the corner of her mouth, his movement gentle. "What's wrong, Yang?"
Wanda felt a little uncomfortable under his focused gaze.
"I'm looking at you."
Yang Jian said honestly, "The light at this angle suits you very well."
Wanda's face turned even redder. She gave Yang Jian a white-eyed glare and continued eating the macaron, but she couldn't hide the upward curve of her lips.
Yang Jian didn't speak. This was nice just the way it was.
After finishing the dessert, they walked along the park path.
Soon, they passed a street performer's spot. Wanda was attracted by his violin performance.
The performer was playing a Gypsy-style piece. The melody was mournful and moving.
"It's a Romanian folk song."
Wanda said softly, her eyes suddenly becoming distant, as if remembering her childhood in Sokovia.
Yang Jian took a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket and put it in the performer's violin case.
The performer hurriedly bowed in thanks. Yang Jian thought for a moment and activated his super speed again. He lightly touched the strings with his fingers, changing their molecular structure.
The performer didn't understand what had happened. He played again.
But he discovered that the sound of the violin had suddenly become clearer and more pleasant, the tone improved by at least several levels.
"What did you do?"
Wanda asked in a low voice. She had seen Yang Jian make a small movement just now.
"Nothing much, just adjusted the arrangement a bit."
Yang Jian shrugged. "Now it can produce a purer sound."
The performer looked at his violin in surprise, then played with even more dedication.
This time he chose an upbeat piece, and several passersby began dancing to the music.
Wanda pulled Yang Jian's hand and spun in a circle, laughing even happier.
They continued walking. When they passed a retro photo studio, Wanda stopped again.
The old-style cameras displayed in the window reminded her of similar objects she had seen as a child in Sokovia.
"Want to take a photo?" Yang Jian asked.
The interior of the photo studio was nostalgic and warm. The owner was an old lady wearing round-framed glasses.
She enthusiastically guided them to stand in front of a backdrop painted with the New York skyline.
"Get a little closer, dears."
The old lady directed them through the viewfinder. "Yes, just like that. Wait!"
She suddenly lowered the camera and pushed up her glasses in surprise.
"Are you two glowing?"
Yang Jian and Wanda exchanged a glance. There was indeed a faint halo surrounding them.
"It's a special sunscreen," Wanda said quickly, thinking on her feet.
The old lady looked doubtful but still raised the camera.
The moment the shutter clicked, Yang Jian adjusted the light refraction, making the halo disappear briefly.
After getting the photo, Wanda couldn't help laughing.
In the photo, they looked completely normal, but Yang Jian's eyes showed an unnatural golden reflection under the flash.
"My eyes are just like that."
Yang Jian shook his head helplessly. "They always get exposed under strong light."
"I like it."
Wanda carefully put the photo into her bag. "This is a secret that belongs only to us."
When they left the photo studio, the sky was already close to dusk.
They turned into a quiet alley, planning to take a shortcut to the riverside to watch the sunset.
The alley was empty, with only a few pigeons pecking at breadcrumbs on the ground.
"Did you have fun today?"
Yang Jian asked, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of red hair behind Wanda's ear.
"Mhm."
Wanda nodded. Suddenly, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you for bringing me here."
Read ahead and support me on Patreon.com/arthursink! Early access chapters and more stories are available there.