Manhattan, Goring Apartments!
Since marrying George Stacy, Helen Stacy, a stay-at-home wife and mother, was preparing dinner in the kitchen.
Nine-year-old Howard Stacy and eight-year-old Simon Stacy, Gwen's two younger brothers, were sitting in the living room, watching television intently.
Yes,intently, because whenever Helen had a spare moment, she would urge them to study.
In Helen's words, "Your sister Gwen is such a good student; you two came from the same womb, so you should be doing well too."
But in reality, Howard and Simon's grades weren't bad; they just hovered around the passing mark, sometimes even dropping slightly.
And now, Howard and Simon had failed their year-end exams, so Helen had cut their daily entertainment hour.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Howard, Simon, you should go back to your rooms and read."
"…Alright."
Helen, who came out of the kitchen, glanced at Howard and Simon sitting on the sofa and said casually.
Then, while watching Howard and Simon obediently head upstairs to their rooms, she walked to the door and opened it.
Hawke,standing at the door, greeted Helen with a smile.
Her first impression of her was that she gave off a very gentle feeling.
"Good evening, Mrs. Stacy."
Helen was taken aback for a moment, then warmly invited Hawke into the house.
"Good evening, Hawke, please come in."
Hawke thanked her and was then pulled into the house by Gwen.
This was Hawke's first time visiting someone else's home in this life.
Gwen's apartment was also on the top floor, and it was a two-story duplex.
The area wasn't very large, but everything in sight gave a warm and clean feeling.
Hearing the noise downstairs, George Stacy, who was in the study on the second floor, came down the stairs with a serious expression.
Gwen, who was downstairs quickly introducing Hawke to his mother, heard footsteps and saw George coming down:
"Dad."
Hawke greeted George politely: "Mr. Stacy." George's face was serious and meticulous, like a stern, unsmiling leader.
But this time was much better than yesterday. At least George hummed in response, then walked silently towards the dining table.
Helen, seeing her husband's appearance, shook her head with amusement, then said to Hawke, "Hawk, sit down, dinner's ready."
Hawke thanked her again, and then, led by Gwen, nodded and smiled as he sat down opposite George.
Helen then called upstairs, "Howard, Simon, come down for dinner."
"Coming!"
Howard and Simon, who had been waiting in the room with their books, rushed down from the second floor, then paused slightly when they saw a stranger in the dining room, still staring intently at Hawke even after they sat down.
Hawke noticed and extended his right hand to Howard.
"Hello, Howard, my name is Hawke."
"My name is Howard."
"My name is Simon."
Eight-year-old Simon, who had gotten up from his seat, also extended his little hand to shake Hawke's, then looked at Hawke and blinked:
"Are you my sister's boyfriend?"
Hawke subconsciously glanced at George sitting opposite him.
Sure enough.
George's face was as dark as a black man's.
Very dark.
But he didn't object.
Hawke smiled slightly and nodded to Simon, who had blond hair like Gwen's:
"Yes."
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Upon hearing this,George's face darkened even more.
Gwen, on the other hand, smiled and reached out to pat her younger brother Simon's head. "
Well done, little brother."
She decided to give him ten dollars before bedtime as a reward.
As for Howard, he didn't receive any.
Unlike the communal dining style in the East, Gwen's family's dinner was a very clear and typical American-style individual serving system.
Of course,this could also be George Stacy's idea.
In any case, Hawke was an outsider.
Unless they were very familiar with each other since childhood or had visited many times, the first visit would generally not involve communal dining.
Hawke understood.
However, individual servings aside, it had to be said that dinner was indeed quite good.
In this lifetime alone, this was the first dinner Hawke had ever had that truly resembled a dinner.
School food was another story.
As for when he was alone, Hawke didn't care about color, aroma, or taste; as long as he was full, that was enough, because just surviving was difficult enough.
At the table,George, like a patriarch, silently ate his dinner.
Helen, like a gentle matriarch, occasionally checked on Hawke, asking if his food was to his liking and inquiring about simple, unimportant things.
Gwen,meanwhile, acted as a mediator between her boyfriend and mother, while also serving as a vigilant watchdog, fearing her father George might suddenly erupt in anger.
Nine-year-old Howard and eight-year-old Simon happily ate their meals.
Just then,George, having grabbed a sip of his whiskey, coughed and cleared his throat.
The next second,Helen and Gwen's gazes instantly fell on George.
Here it comes, Hawke thought to himself, shifting his gaze to George, who had been watching him closely out of the corner of his eye.
Just as George was about to speak, Helen, meeting Gwen's pleading look, smiled inwardly but spoke first.
"By the way, George, tell us about your work. That Spider-Man, did you catch him?"
"…"
George glanced at Helen, then at Gwen with a half-smile, finally fixing his gaze on Hawke: "Not yet, but we will. After all, he's an outsider, and he left us with a lot of clues."
He didn't give Helen and Gwen another chance to interrupt, smiling at Hawke: "By the way, Hawke, what do you think of this Spider-Man who's recently appeared? Do you also think he's some kind of vigilante?"
Gwen's left hand, hidden under the table, gave Hawke's thigh a light squeeze.
Hawke, receiving Gwen's subtle hint, chuckled and shook his head.
"Sir, I've been in Maryland these past few days. I just got back yesterday, and spent the whole day at the library today."
"To be frank,"
"I'm still a student, so right now I'm only concerned with getting a scholarship to NYU, which will then get my loan application approved by the bank."
"As for that Spider-Man, I don't care if he's a vigilante or some attention-seeking hippie criminal."
"…"
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