#451 - The Parker Family

"Don't run around, Cindy."

Ignoring her brother's warning, the black-haired girl continued to walk ahead, forcing the young man behind her to quicken his pace to catch up.

"At least you should wait for me; it's really hard to keep up with you."

Cindy pouted, still ignoring her brother. Today was her first prom at Midtown High, and they had originally planned to attend as a family, but now only her brother could make it.

Cindy shouldn't have vented her frustrations on the only family member who could come, but with her parents absent, and accustomed to her brother's doting, she was subconsciously sulking with him.

"Cindy, you should understand Mom and Dad. Their research is at a crucial stage, and they really can't leave," the young man said with a conciliatory smile, seizing the opportunity to offer a gentle lecture.

Feeling grown-up, the girl was well aware of her parents' difficulties, but that didn't mean she liked being told about it and lectured on it, which made her feel embarrassed.

"How amazing," Cindy said in a low voice, using a strange tone. "They were able to come home on time every day for the past week, but they're absent today of all days, as if they're avoiding me."

"Cindy," the young man said, his tone slightly sharper. "Scientific research is unpredictable. This experiment is crucial to Mom and Dad's company, and Norman's too."

"Yes, yes, yes, I know. I don't need the great Peter Parker to lecture me," Cindy said irritably, lightly slapping her companion's shoulder.

"Compared to the great Peter Parker, the adorable Cindy Parker is much more popular," Peter said, affectionately ruffling Cindy's hair, much to her displeasure.

"Stop it, you're messing it up."

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The sudden roar of an engine interrupted the siblings' banter. A black sports car of unknown make screeched to a halt in front of the school. Its beautiful design captivated Peter, who was at just the right age.

"What a beauty," Peter said dazedly, while Cindy rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to tell Mary Jane."

"It's just a car, Cindy," Peter said with a helpless smile. In fact, not only Peter, but a large number of students at the school were stopping to admire the suddenly appearing sports car, including some adults.

Cindy ignored her brother. She was also curious about the sudden appearance of the unfamiliar sports car, though she wasn't interested in the car itself, but rather the person inside.

"Is that? Gwen Stacy?" Cindy said in surprise.

"How do you know that girl?" Peter asked curiously.

"She's the transfer student I told you about, the popular upperclassman," Cindy rolled her eyes at the forgetful Peter.

After Cindy reminded him, Peter remembered, and said with sudden realization, "The one who's talented in both academics and sports, turned down all the boys who pursued her, and then announced she had a boyfriend?"

"That's right." Cindy stared intently at the convertible, wanting to see what kind of person Gwen's boyfriend was. After all, if the girl was so outstanding, the boy wouldn't be bad either.

Under the gaze of many onlookers, Gwen's mysterious boyfriend finally revealed himself. Yang Le didn't choose to jump out of the convertible, a seemingly dashing but actually cheesy move, and simply waited for the car door to open automatically before getting out.

A person who seemed to be a school staff member walked over and said to Yang Le, "Excuse me, sir, you can't park the car here. Midtown High has a parking area specifically for guests."

This caused some people who still hadn't given up on Gwen to laugh secretly, as it was a loss of face for Yang Le, and they were happy when their rival lost face.

"Oh." Yang Le's expression remained normal, as if unaffected, and asked, "Then, where is the parking lot?"

The staff member politely and clearly described the location of the parking lot, and responsibly offered to accompany Yang Le if he didn't know the way, hoping to sit in the passenger seat and give directions.

But Yang Le simply waved his hand and said, "No need, let's go."

The staff member knew the first half of the sentence was directed at him, but the second half shouldn't be. Moreover, Yang Le's first half of the sentence shouldn't have been a refusal. Before he could ask, the unoccupied convertible started on its own.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Accompanied by the powerful engine sound and the stunned expressions of the onlookers, the convertible began to move towards its destination according to the staff member's previous description.

Saying thank you to the dumbfounded staff member, Yang Le took Gwen's hand, who was barely holding back her laughter, and walked towards the venue of the students' prom.

"Using alien technology to bully Earthlings," Gwen looked at Yang Le with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You're really something, you cunning otherworldly person."

"You're an otherworldly person now too, Miss Stacy," Yang Le reminded her with a smile, only to receive a playful face and a sticking out tongue in response.

"What a talented and beautiful couple," Peter searched his brain for all the cars he knew, but couldn't find one that matched the one in front of him. As a scientist, he naturally assumed that the car was Yang Le's own invention.

Even if it wasn't Yang Le's invention, the fact that he owned this car equipped with artificial intelligence meant that his identity was certainly not low.

"No wonder your upperclassman doesn't like the pursuers at school."

Peter seemed to have suddenly understood. It was true that Midtown High had many wealthy students, but in the face of such sophisticated artificial intelligence, it was like using a cannon to kill a mosquito, a case of dimensional reduction.

"Don't bring your old man's thinking into our lives," Cindy rolled her eyes at Peter again. Teenagers' criteria for choosing a partner wouldn't be completely mixed with realistic factors.

"I, I'm only thirty years old this year," Peter couldn't help but bend over, as if he had been greatly hit.

"Isn't that an old man?" Cindy added another blow, but Peter continued to speak with his head buried.

"If you don't work hard, Mary Jane will be with someone else. Then you can go live with Uncle Harry for the rest of your life."

Peter Parker couldn't get up again.

"Are you really not going to see your dad over there?" Xue Xi looked at the casual man in front of her, who was holding a goblet, gently swirling the red liquid inside.

"No matter how fast you shake it, strawberry juice won't turn into red wine, Tony."

The underage Tony Stark froze in place, and the atmosphere of a business magnate instantly dissipated.

Exposed, Tony said in exasperation, "They're going to have something like a technology exhibition over there today, I'm not going there."