Chapter 27: The Identity of the Mysterious Man

Early the next morning, Jiang Chen was ready to take Anna and leave the small hotel. As he descended the stairs, a sleek, black Rolls-Royce Phantom parked outside caught his eye. A man in a sharp black suit, complete with white gloves, stepped out of the car and immediately bowed to Jiang Chen, speaking with the utmost respect.

"Sir, I'll be taking you back to New York."

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow in surprise. He knew better than to believe that anyone would go out of their way for him without expecting something in return. This mysterious man seemed far too eager. But who could possibly want something from him so soon after his arrival?

S.H.I.E.L.D? he mused. No, that didn't seem right. If S.H.I.E.L.D. were involved, they'd likely send someone like Black Widow—someone subtle who could play psychological games, not a man in a suit with a fancy car.

Intrigued, Jiang Chen decided to play along. After all, he figured, whoever this was wouldn't pose any real threat to him. Besides, the prospect of being chauffeured in a luxury car, with food and drinks likely involved, didn't seem like such a bad deal.

As Jiang Chen climbed into the Rolls-Royce, Anna stood at the hotel entrance, pointing towards Lisa, who was standing nearby. "Big brother, why aren't you taking the pretty sister with us?"

Jiang Chen glanced briefly at Lisa, who was still throwing flirtatious looks his way. He sighed, shaking his head. "She'd only bring trouble," he muttered under his breath.

Anna, satisfied with his answer, quickly hopped into the car next to him. As soon as they settled inside, Anna leaned closer and asked with wide, curious eyes, "Big brother, is the pretty sister good at fighting?"

Jiang Chen coughed, caught off guard by her innocent yet unexpected question. "That's not something you need to be worrying about right now."

Anna, pouting, said, "I'm not a kid anymore. I can fight too!"

Jiang Chen stared at her for a moment, feeling as though he had a mouthful of blood stuck in his throat. Is this my problem or hers? he thought to himself.

Ignoring her for the moment, Jiang Chen closed his eyes and leaned back in the plush seat. Anna's attention quickly shifted to the luxurious interior of the car. "Big brother, is this your car? It's so pretty! You're amazing!" she exclaimed.

Jiang Chen shook his head. "No, it's not mine."

Anna blinked in confusion. "If it's not your car, why did you get in?"

Jiang Chen chuckled. "If someone offers you a ride, why not take it?"

After thinking for a moment, he added, "But don't just get into random cars. You could get taken by bad guys."

The mention of being taken made Anna shiver, clearly recalling the trauma of being kidnapped and taken to the lab where she was injected with Extremis. She scooted closer to Jiang Chen, her voice trembling slightly. "But... aren't you afraid of being caught by bad guys, big brother?"

Jiang Chen smiled and confidently replied, "I'm not afraid because I'm lucky."

Anna looked up at him with admiration. "I want to be lucky too! That way, I can ride nice cars and meet pretty ladies just like you!"

Jiang Chen laughed softly but didn't respond, closing his eyes once again and drifting off to sleep. In the midst of his slumber, he vaguely felt something soft brush against his cheek—like a small kiss. When he finally woke up, the car had come to a stop in front of an opulent hotel. The door was open, and a man in a black suit was standing there, waiting.

Jiang Chen stepped out of the car, immediately noticing Anna wasn't with him. He turned to the man, his voice laced with concern. "Where's the little girl?"

"Don't worry," the man assured him with a deep bow. "She's been sent home. She's safe now."

Jiang Chen nodded, relieved but a little unsettled by the sudden change. He was in New York now, and things were moving quickly.

"Our boss would like to see you," the man continued, gesturing towards the hotel entrance. "I hope you will grant him the honor of a meeting."

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, though it wasn't unexpected. Whoever brought him back to New York clearly had their reasons. And Jiang Chen knew that if someone was going to treat him well—fine cars, luxury hotels—he couldn't refuse a face-to-face.

After all, as the saying goes, "You can't bite the hand that feeds you."

He followed the man into the hotel, walking down a long corridor lined with expensive decor, leading to an elaborate private box. Inside, a blonde man sat with his back facing Jiang Chen, a wheelchair supporting him.

The man must have heard the door open because he slowly began to turn around, pushing the wheels of his chair until he faced Jiang Chen fully. As the wheelchair came to a stop, the man's face became visible—a face that Jiang Chen had seen before, but only in passing.

The man smiled softly, but the gravity of his identity was unmistakable.

"Welcome to New York, Jiang Chen," the man said, his voice smooth and controlled. "I've been waiting for you."