It wasn't Tony coming to his door; rather, it was his own invitation.
Though it was a small gathering, it was still a hosted dinner, and as the host, he needed to show proper attitude.
Additionally, he had arranged to meet with Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. at his home tonight to deliver and settle payment for the one hundred bottles of potion ordered through him as representative.
A transaction worth one million dollars was significant for ordinary people, and Coulson agent identity was also rather special—neither was suitable for ordinary people to witness.
So Shi Xiaolei simply gave up his evening business and closed shop early around five o'clock, ending the day's operations.
After closing the door, he piled the prepared meat skewers onto a large tray and carried them all to the back.
The shop-with-living-quarters layout was indeed somewhat compact.
Fortunately, the landlord was an old-fashioned man who stubbornly maintained the principle that "staying close to the earth promotes health and longevity" and had very insistently preserved a small courtyard in the back.
After 2B tidying and organization, this cleared courtyard was perfect for hosting today gathering.
Lighting the charcoal bought along with the grill, Shi Xiaolei sat on a small stool behind the grill.
With a small brush in one hand and a handful of skewers in the other, he began his first round of cooking.
Old Liu had gone back to fetch his good liquor and would probably take about ten minutes to return.
2B was preparing salad.
Eating only grilled meat, especially lamb, could be a bit greasy, so having some cold dishes to cut through the richness was necessary.
Considering the limited ingredients at home and that it wasn't convenient to go shopping now, Shi Xiaolei had to abandon the spicy and sour cold dishes common in China and substitute with salads common in America.
"It smells so good~~!"
Crouching in front of the grill, Kanna bright eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the meat skewers turning over the charcoal fire.
The mingling of fat and seasonings released a rich aroma.
At this moment, Konna had completely forgotten about the half-eaten strawberry in her hand.
"Smells good, doesn't it?"
To prevent the cumin and chili powder from burning, Shi Xiaolei used the brush to apply a little spiced oil, gently dripping it onto the skewers.
"If it smells good, it tastes even better."
"I want to eat it so much~."
While mumbling, Kanna unconsciously began to salivate.
"Just wait a little longer, it's almost ready."
"Hello."
Just then, a greeting came from beyond the courtyard gate a few meters away.
Looking back, Shi Xiaolei saw it was Coulson.
Unexpectedly, he'd arrived early, and what surprised Shi Xiaolei even more was that Coulson was accompanied by another familiar woman.
'May? Why is she here?'
"Good evening, Rock."
Through the gate, Coulson displayed his trademark gentle smile.
Temporarily suppressing the questions in his mind, Shi Xiaolei nodded in response while instructing little Kanna.
"Konna, go open the gate."
"Oh."
"Hello there, Kanna."
As he entered, Coulson took out a small bag and handed it to 2B, who had come with Kanna to greet them at the gate.
"Miss Sylvia, this is a small token of my appreciation."
Whether this would be a one-time deal or a long-term collaboration was entirely up to Shi Xiaolei.
Since it was a seller market, Coulson or rather S.H.I.E.L.D. as the buyer, would naturally take a more proactive approach in their attitude.
To better deal with Shi Xiaolei, Coulson had not only researched the etiquette for visiting Chinese homes, prepared a gift for his visit, but had also specifically brought along May, who was of Chinese descent herself, to accompany him and help cover any gaps in his knowledge.
"Thank you, please come in."
"Coulson."
As the meat skewers were almost done, Shi Xiaolei took the opportunity to greet him.
"You've come at just the right time. Here, try my cooking. Oh, this is...?"
"This is May, my colleague."
Perhaps the scene before her, resembling a small courtyard in the suburbs of a Chinese town, stirred old memories, or perhaps it was intentional to leave a good first impression with Shi Xiaolei.
May spoke not in English, but in clear and precise Mandarin.
"Melinda May. Hello, Mr. Shi."
"Hello."
Though knowing exactly who she was, he had to pretend complete unfamiliarity.
Feeling somewhat awkward and unsure how to act, Shi Xiaolei simply abandoned overthinking and regarded her purely as a fellow countryman, smiling as he picked up a few freshly grilled skewers and offered them.
"Want to try?"
No small talk, just immediately offering food?
Although May was a bit older, she was still a woman, and this was their first meeting after all.
Looking at Shi Xiaolei, Coulson couldn't help but inwardly criticize.
"Thank you."
But outwardly, Coulson smiled happily as he took the skewers.
"I smelled them when getting out of the car. I thought a new barbecue restaurant had opened nearby."
"Xiaolei, Xiaolei, I want some too~!"
Little Kanna didn't know anything about reading social cues.
Seeing Coulson and May with skewers, she quickly ran over and hugged Shi Xiaolei leg.
"How could I forget our Kanna?"
Shi Xiaolei laughed, patted the little girl head and reached for two skewers from the plate.
"Here you go. They're a bit hot, remember to blow on them first."
"Mmm~."
Nodding vigorously with a beaming face, she took the skewers and blew on them several times.
Feeling they had cooled enough, Kanna opened her little mouth and bit off a piece of lamb.
"How is it? Delicious, right?"
"Mmm mmm~."
A drop of meat juice trickled from the corner of her mouth, but the little girl didn't notice at all, happily narrowing her eyes.
"So delicious, Xiaolei is amazing~!"
"If you like it, eat more."
After rubbing the little girl head again, Shi Xiaolei turned his attention back to Coulson and May.
"Very tasty. This is my first time trying skewers prepared this way."
Coulson gave a thumbs-up.
May also offered great praise.
"The flavor is excellent, very reminiscent of street barbecue stalls back home."
"Right? I learned this technique from a barbecue stall owner. You might not know this, but for good barbecue, the meat and seasonings are secondary—the key is in the oil."
"Many people just use bottled oil nowadays, but mine is different. It's properly rendered spiced oil with star anise."
With such positive reactions, Shi Xiaolei felt a sense of achievement, and became more talkative.
Seeing Shi Xiaolei enthusiasm for conversation, Coulson and May exchanged a quiet glance, forming a silent understanding.
They sat down in the courtyard and began chatting with Shi Xiaolei.
Thinking this was a good opportunity to build rapport and gather information, they didn't immediately remind Shi Xiaolei to produce the promised potions and complete the transaction.
As a result, this delay led to complications.
Why? Because just ten minutes later, Stark arrived with Pepper.
"Hmm?"
Due to the influence of Shi Xiaolei, the butterfly effect, the relationship between Stark and Coulson wasn't as familiar as in the original storyline.
But conversely, the reason Pepper hadn't been targeted by Obadiah was because Coulson had taken preemptive action and brought her to a safe house for protection.
Looking at Coulson, Stark found him somewhat familiar.
"You are...?"
"Phil Coulson, Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Mr. Stark, we've met before."
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist?you can read 20 chapters ahead on my P@treon [p@treon.com/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)