American comic: From Beijing with Love, starting with a mutant.

A week has passed in the 749th Bureau in the blink of an eye.

With the combined effects of a host of bizarre medical devices invented by Leonardo da Vinci and modern medicine, several seriously ill patients finally recovered.

As for the most hardcore Wolverine, Logan?

He refused injections and medication, spending his days leaning against the headboard of his private ward, smoking cigars, drinking vodka delivered by the logistics department, and staring blankly at the wall.

At this moment, Stephen Chow was sitting opposite Director Wang, looking serious.

"Chief, I've decided to skip those rigid procedures for now."

"We'll move all these newlyweds to a courtyard house for temporary accommodation, so they can get a good night's sleep under a normal roof."

"A fortune can be wasted. To demonstrate our company's excellent humanistic care, tonight's welcome dinner is on me!"

Stephen Chow patted his chest. "We'll just set up a few copper pots in the courtyard and eat the most authentic Beijing-style hot pot!"

Director Wang squinted at the elite special agent with the look one might give a weasel presenting a banner to a chicken.

"Is this a private dinner?"

"You stingy rooster who'd hesitate to pluck a single feather all night, did you get your head caught in a door frame today?"

Stephen Chow's face fell, his features scrunched up, and he clutched his chest, howling incoherently.

"Director, how can you slander me without my knowledge! I, Zhou Xingxing, am utterly loyal to the organization, generous and courteous to my comrades, and have a well-deserved reputation!"

He paused for half a second, then changed his tone.

"Since this is a formal welcome dinner for new employees, shouldn't our bureau's overseas talent fund reimburse at least 80% for the cost of the hot pot base and the premium mutton?"

Director Wang sneered and lowered his head to continue reviewing the official documents in his hand.

"Get lost, make your own arrangements."

Night fell over the capital.

The courtyard was lit up with dim yellow lights.

Stephen Chow stood in the center of the courtyard and began to give his opinions.

"Listen up, comrades. Tonight's room allocation will follow three basic principles."

"Men and women are separated, the sick are given priority, and those who snore badly are sent to the farthest frontiers, far from the people."

He pulled out two keys and tossed them to his secretary, Xiao Liu, who was standing next to him.

"Aunt Martha and Nina live in the big room in the east wing, which has a private bathroom. The sheets and duvet covers are all newly changed pure cotton products by the maintenance auntie. Smell them; they smell of sunshine."

"Harry is sensitive to dryness, so he's going to stay in that little hut next to the water room. Secretary Liu just moved an industrial-grade humidifier in there yesterday; it produces mist 24 hours a day."

"Luke, you live next door to him. You have a back injury, so be careful when you turn over at night. If you need anything, knock on the wall and call for help."

The gerbil rubbed its hands together and licked its face as it squeezed to the front.

"Boss, look at me, I'm quick and efficient, could I be allocated a large south-facing master bedroom?"

Stephen Chow glanced at him with the white of his eye.

"You go sleep on the single folding bed next to the storage room."

The gerbil had just opened its mouth, trying to assert its legitimate right to sleep.

Stephen Chow pointed to the spherical surveillance camera at the entrance of the storage room.

"Your political background check is completely failing, and you've been up to no good."

"We're putting you here so the organization can provide you with round-the-clock ideological support. Avoid trouble, work hard, and follow the rules, and you'll have food to eat."

The gerbil shut its mouth and resignedly scurried to the corner.

Stephen Chow glanced at Wolverine: "Cousin, the room closest to the door is yours."

"If I can't sleep at night, I can just wander around the entrance a few times and save our unit some night shift security allowance."

"Room assignments complete, now... let's officially begin the welcoming ceremony for the newlyweds!"

Three bright yellow hot pots have already been set up in the courtyard.

Several small square tables were pushed together, and the tables were piled high with plates.

Thinly sliced ​​Inner Mongolian lamb hind leg meat, as thin as paper, and a large plate of black tripe...

Next to it were more than a dozen condiments, including sesame paste, chive blossoms, and fermented bean curd. The leisurely girl had already secured the best spot upwind.

Holding a large cup of full-sugar taro boba milk tea in my left hand, and a whole Peking duck, sliced ​​until it was glistening with oil, was placed on my right.

It comes with sweet bean sauce, shredded scallions, and cucumber strips.

This is her exclusive fee for international delivery.

Just as the gerbil reached out to grab a piece of duck meat with the skin on, she tapped the back of his hand with a chopstick.

"Non-formal staff are prohibited from coveting the special allowances for formal staff." The carefree girl protectively moved the whole plate of roast duck towards herself.

Stephen Chow picked up a long-handled strainer, exuding heroic spirit.

"Eat to your heart's content! Tonight's entire bill is on me, Young Master Zhou!"

Just as he was reveling in his glorious and noble image as a public servant, Xiao Liu came over.

A white receipt was handed to Stephen Chow.

"Brother Zhou, I've compiled all the bills that the logistics department sent over from the canteen."

"We ordered six portions of five catties of premium lamb hind leg, six portions of freshly sliced ​​black tripe (priced at 85 yuan per plate), and this roast duck."

"Including the milk tea delivery fee that Comrade Edith specifically requested. I signed your name on all of them and the money was directly transferred from your salary card."

Stephen Chow's hearty smile vanished.

His eyelids twitched wildly as he stared at the total number at the bottom of the receipt, his heart pounding with pain.

He severely underestimated the appetite of these mutants.

If he had known this would happen, he should have listened to the advice of the logistics lady and bought half a pig carcass from the Shunyi Meat Processing Plant to cut it himself. At least he could have saved on the cost of cutting!

The mutants took their seats one by one, awkwardly gesturing with their chopsticks.

Wolverine pulled out a chair, sat down, grabbed a large piece of black tripe with his chopsticks, and threw it directly into the boiling water.

Not only that, he also vigorously stirred the bottom of the pot with chopsticks.

This act of wasting ingredients directly pushed Stephen Chow to his breaking point on the spot.

"Hey buddy! Stop!" Stephen Chow snatched the chopsticks from Logan's hand.

"This is top-quality freshly cut black tripe, which cost me eighty-five yuan a plate! It's all about the precise seven-up-eight-down cooking process!"

He picked up a piece of tripe and dipped it into the boiling water.

"The way you're stewing it, the meat'll turn into rubber shoe soles!"

Wolverine snorted and picked up the plate of raw mutton slices, shoving them, blood and all, into the boiling soup pot.

Stephen Chow stared at the pot of mixed stew, his heart bleeding.

Luke, who was sitting next to me, had an injury on his back and could only eat clear soup.

Zhou Xingxing walked over, cursing, took the empty bowls from the group, scooped out two spoonfuls of pure sesame paste, added a few drops of sesame oil, some chive blossoms and fermented bean curd sauce, mixed it well, and then distributed it to them.

"You have to dip it in sauce. What's the point of just eating boiled cabbage?"

Martha scooped up a piece of cooked tofu and put it into Nina's bowl.

The little girl blew on the hot food and took a bite.

Harry ate until he was sweating profusely, coughing from the spiciness of the chili, but he couldn't resist putting more chopsticks into the hot pot.

Gerbils eat the least elegantly.

Towards the end of the hot pot meal, he even scooped out the scallion segments and ginger slices used to enhance the flavor from the broth, coated them with a thick layer of sesame sauce, and ate them clean.

The charcoal fire slowly dimmed.

The plates on the table were empty.

Martha put down her chopsticks, stood up, and began clearing away the empty bowls and plates on the table.

"You rest, let me do it." Secretary Liu stepped forward to help.

"I'm used to working on the farm, and my bones ache when I'm idle. It's good to move around." Martha was quick and efficient.

Nina also helped to put the bone plates on the table into the trash can.

Stephen Chow didn't stop him anymore.

I feel more at ease when I ask them to do something within their capabilities.

Wolverine lay on a recliner nearby, a bottle of Yanjing beer open in his hand. The sound of running water came from the kitchen, accompanied by Martha softly humming a Texas country folk song.

Harry and Luke leaned against the threshold and chatted.

The gerbil patted its full belly and burped.

This place...

not bad.