America: A Prodigy of Stereotypes

"What's up? Come here, we need to talk."

Peter gently closed the door and glanced at the kitchen table, where Aunt May was sitting, comparing the bills that had been sent to her.

Peter placed his backpack at the foot of the sofa and sat down next to Uncle Ben, who turned sideways to give Peter a good look.

“You’ve been coming home quite late every day lately, and Aunt Mei and I are very worried about you.”

“After school, during our club activities, Liqun and I stayed together the whole time. We didn’t do anything bad.”

"You've been eating dinner at other people's houses for the past few days."

“Okay, I’ll go home for dinner,” Peter said to Uncle Ben.

"That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to let you go hungry."

“You should focus more on your studies now, instead of spending your days engaging in random activities with your classmates,” Uncle Ben said earnestly to Peter.

“We are not messing around.”

"Uncle Ben, we've made money. Look, we've earned it through honest labor."

Peter took the money Stephanie had given him out of his pocket and showed it to Uncle Ben, but Uncle Ben's expression turned ugly.

“You smell like a kitchen kitchen; I know you’re selling snacks at a stall.”

“Yes.” Peter nodded.

"Have you received your recommendation letters? Have you submitted your university application materials to your academic advisor and mailed them out?"

"Are you planning to set up a food stall after graduating from high school?" Ben Parker asked Peter Parker seriously.

“…No.” Peter pursed his lips, his expression turning grim.

“I know there are many ways to live, but I want you to have a better life in the future.” Uncle Ben softened his tone.

"Now is the most crucial period of your life, and applying to a good university is the most important thing you should be doing right now."

“I know.” Peter lowered his head so that Uncle Ben couldn’t see his sad expression.

“You have this air about you that’s making you feel like you’re floating on air. I need to pull you down before you float away,” Uncle Ben said.

“I really don’t want to compare our family to others, but Peter, you have to be realistic.”

“Harry Osborne, his family background allows him to make mistakes at will; his father is a capitalist, belonging to the upper class of society.”

"Let's talk about your good friend Liqun. Their family seems to be close to ours, but that's an illusion. You could even say they live in another world, and their lives are governed by the rules of another society."

“Gwen Stacy is a special girl. Her father is a New York police officer, and a high-ranking one at that. I can foresee that George Stacy will become the New York City Police Commissioner in the future, becoming the second most powerful person in New York after the mayor. In the future, she may even enter politics.”

“What do we have, Peter? You have to ask yourself that.”

"I am Spider-Man."

Peter thought to himself.

“Our mortgage still has twelve years to go. When we signed the thirty-year mortgage with the bank, I didn’t know what thirty years meant. It’s only now that I’m slowly realizing it.”

Peter looked up and saw Uncle Ben's face.

“I have you, Uncle Ben, Aunt May,” Peter said.

“Harry, Lillian, and Gwen are the friends I have, and I will never meet anyone better in my life.”

Ben Parker smiled slightly; the way middle-aged people think is completely different from that of people about to become adults.

Peter picked up his backpack, went upstairs to his room, turned on his computer, and sent an email to Dr. Otto Octavius, asking if he could visit on Sunday.

At the dining table, Aunt May adjusted her glasses, and Uncle Ben sat down next to her. Aunt May had been listening to Uncle Ben and Peter's conversation the whole time.

"Didn't you go a bit too far with what you said?" Aunt Mei said to Uncle Ben.

“Peter is a little angry,” Uncle Ben said.

“But Peter’s personality requires someone to spur him on, otherwise he will regress on his own.”

"He and his friends made money together and thought that making money was not difficult. However, they did not know what they were going to have to pay."

“Ben, tell me, how did Peter make his money?” Aunt May asked Uncle Ben.

“His classmate’s family has a food truck operating license. They’re taking advantage of the popularity of the street fighting tournament to set up a food stall next to the venue to make money. The job is similar to working part-time at McDonald’s.” Ben used some of his investigative journalist skills to check on Peter and his friends’ recent activities.

“Peter earned his money through physical labor; he didn’t make any other hidden contributions,” Aunt May said.

"Mei, it's not time yet."

"Someone has already set their sights on them."

"Just think about it, a few high school students own a food truck, and they're clearly making a lot of money..."

Uncle Ben's words prompted Aunt Mei to make connections.

"Someone's eyeing this kind of small business?" Aunt Mei found it hard to believe.

“How could it be a small business?” Uncle Ben said.

"Are you trying to rob them of their money? Or their business license?" Aunt Mei asked, puzzled.

“The goal is to get Peter and his team to spend the money they earn, and to do so through legal means,” Uncle Ben said.

……

……

Peter stood on the field wearing the "Red Spider" mask.

Feeling a little down, Peter lowered his head slightly.

"Bone Saw McGraw vs. Red Spider!! One of them will be a quarterfinalist in the main event!!"

"Yeah!! Little Spider, I'm going to crush you right here!" shouted the muscular, bearded wrestler.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you scared?! I heard you won all your previous matches very easily, and so did I!"

Peter raised his head and looked around at the audience.

Li Qun held up a Canon Optura 100MC high-end home camcorder, the lens pointed at Peter. Li Qun gave Peter a thumbs-up and smiled.

"Let's get started quickly, I'm in a hurry to get home for dinner," Peter said casually.

"what!?"

The referee waved his hand, announcing the start of the match. Bone Saw McGraw opened his arms and hugged Peter, intending to throw him off the ring immediately.

Peter leaped lightly, twirled in mid-air, and delivered a flying kick to McGraw's shoulder, sending McGraw flying out of the ring.

"Red Spider showed us a beautiful kick! How could he beat Bone Saw McGraw so easily! It was so fast!!" the host shouted.

"Red Spider!! Red Spider!!"

Chapter 185 Unleashing the Power of Imagination

"Welcome, welcome, come in!"

Li Qun and Peter entered Dr. Otto's house, each carrying a gift.

"Just leave your things here."

Li Qun and Peter put down the gifts and sat down on the sofa somewhat awkwardly.

"Tea or coffee?" Dr. Otto asked the two.

“Let’s have coffee,” Li Qun replied to Otto.

"Then let's have some tea." Dr. Otto smiled and poured coffee for the two of them.

"Is it coffee?" Peter picked up his cup and looked at Dr. Otto with a puzzled expression.

“You need to have your own judgment,” Dr. Otto told Peter.

"Did you know that after I started researching artificial intelligence, I discovered that there are many people around us who are low-IQ and pretend to be normal?"

“Dr. Otto, doesn’t your research project need to be kept secret?” Peter asked.

“There’s no need to keep it a secret from you. What good would it do you to know some things? Unless you become my students again, you won’t have any value in some people’s eyes.” Dr. Otto smiled.

“Peter, I’ve prepared a letter of recommendation for you. I almost thought you weren’t going to come see me.” Dr. Otto got up and went to his study to get the letter of recommendation for Peter. Two minutes later, the letter of recommendation written by Dr. Otto was placed in front of Peter.

"You two will both be applying to Columbia University, right?" Dr. Otto asked.

"Yes."

“Liqun, do you need my letter of recommendation?” Dr. Otto asked with a smile.

"I have a letter of recommendation."

"I knew it, he prepared it for you, didn't he?"

"Yes."

“I also have a letter that I need you to pass on to him.” Dr. Otto got up again to go to the study to get the letter. Li Qun felt that Dr. Otto was a bit of a hypocrite. Why didn’t he just bring all the letters at once?

"Is it Dr. Bruce Banner?" Peter asked curiously.

“Oh? Peter, do you know Dr. Banner?” Dr. Otto turned to look at Peter.

“I know Dr. Banner, but Dr. Banner probably doesn’t know me,” Peter replied.

“Based on your performances, I believe Columbia University will admit you. Are you having any difficulties with tuition? I can help you secure two scholarships,” Dr. Otto said.

“Dr. Otto, are you very influential at Columbia University now? Isn’t this against the rules?” Li Qun asked.

“Of course it won’t break the rules. What’s wrong with wanting two smarter students? The students I have now don’t seem as useful as the two of you,” Dr. Otto said.

"They're bad at math, slow to react, and clueless about social niceties. When they came to my house, their hands were empty; they just brought their mouths to eat."

“Dr. Otto, Peter and I can cook, and we’re both very good at it,” Li Qun said.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing you in class next year,” Dr. Otto laughed. “You don’t need to show off your culinary skills today, as Rosie and I are going out tonight.”

After Li Qun and Peter finished their coffee, Dr. Otto asked them to leave.

Li Qun and Peter walked out of the community, found Gwen's car on the street, and got in.

"Is everything ready?" Gwen asked from the driver's seat.

“Got it,” Peter replied.