RRose helped her daughter take off her backpack and hung it neatly on the wall, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"I got it, Mom," Annie said softly.
She wrinkled her cute little nose and craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the guest sitting in their living room.
To her memory, no outsiders had ever visited their home.
Just as she was sneaking around the edge for a better look, Aetheris turned his head and made a goofy face at her.
"Ah!"
Annie jumped with a startled cry.
"It's you, Uncle!"
Delighted, she skipped over and plopped down next to Aetheris, hugging his arm tightly without a care in the world, even her two little teddy bears were squished in the process.
"You two know each other?" Ethan's expression changed the moment he heard his daughter speak.
It was one thing to be friends with someone like Tony Stark, but if his daughter had any personal connection with the man, that was another matter entirely.
After all, this was the Tony Stark—a globe-trotting billionaire and famous playboy. What parent wouldn't feel uneasy?
"Uh, I ..."Annie hesitated, unsure what to say.
If she told the truth—that she'd been tricked by a classmate into going to a concert and nearly robbed—her parents would surely blow up. But realistically, how else could an ordinary college student like her have met someone like Tony Stark?
"Haha, Ethan," Aetheris chuckled, quickly stepping in to save her. "As a goodwill ambassador for the World United Organization, I attend charity events now and then. Just last week, I met your daughter at the Youth with Love event. She was representing her school."
"Oh, I see. That's nothing to be embarrassed about," Ethan said, visibly relieved, patting his daughter on the head.
"Hmph, I just didn't want you to overthink it," Annie huffed. "You don't understand, Iron Man is like a dream prince at school. My dormmates have posters of Mr. Stark all over their walls."
She clung even tighter to Aetheris's arm. He couldn't help but admire how strong Rose's genes were—this girl clearly inherited the best of the family's traits.
At this rate, Annie's future kids wouldn't ever go hungry. Her mother would never need to worry about them drinking tainted milk again.
"By the way, Mr. Stark," Annie grinned slyly, "what brings you to my house today?"
"Annie!" Ethan scolded. "You're not a little girl anymore. Why are you clinging to Mr. Stark like that? Sit properly."
"Oh… okay."Annie pouted, reluctantly letting go of Aetheris's arm and taking her place beside her father.
Aetheris simply smiled and didn't seem bothered at all.
"Annie, come give me a hand in the kitchen. I'm swamped in here," Rose called from behind the kitchen door. She had been keeping a close eye on the living room and jumped in just as Ethan began chastising their daughter.
"Coming, Mom," Annie replied and shuffled into the kitchen with a pout. Rose looked her up and down, curiosity twinkling in her eyes.
"What's the matter, sweetheart? Who got under your skin?"
Rather than ask directly about her relationship with Aetheris, Rose chose to gently probe.
"It's nothing. I'm just annoyed with myself."
Annie sounded distracted, her mood noticeably off.
"Mr. Stark is still out there. Are you planning to go back to the living room with that gloomy face?"
As she prepared dinner, Rose teased her daughter, who was standing nearby rinsing fruit.
Having a daughter is a gift for any parent. Daughters are like soft little jackets—sensitive to warmth and cold, always caring and thoughtful. And when a daughter is not only beautiful and kind but also talented and well-behaved, she brings even more pride and joy.
But if a daughter is too beautiful and exceptional, it becomes a source of constant anxiety.
Pretty flowers always attract bees and butterflies. "Beauty brings trouble" a truth passed down from generation to generation.
Watching her beloved daughter grow more beautiful with each passing year, Rose felt both immense pride and an undercurrent of worry. When teaching Annie how to protect herself, she always had to tread carefully, lest her well-meant warnings backfire.
"Hmph. It's Dad's fault," Annie grumbled. "I just wanted to spend a little more time with my idol, but he got all strict and pulled me away."
Rose chuckled. "Are you sure he's just an idol? Nothing else going on? If Mr. Stark asked you to be his girlfriend, would you say yes?"
Annie's face flushed crimson, and her feet shuffled awkwardly in her sneakers.
"Oh my gosh, Mom! What are you even saying? Of course he's just an idol. He's more than ten years older than me, he's practically Dad's age!"
The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she became. She leaned into her mom, whining playfully.
"Alright, alright, I believe you. Now don't hover around the stove."
Rose gently flicked Annie's nose with wet fingers and whispered with a teasing smile, "But seriously, that Tony Stark is quite the looker. If I were ten years younger, I might fall for him too."
"Ah!" Annie exclaimed, eyes wide as she looked at her stunningly beautiful mother.
Rose's golden hair was tied up in a casual bun, making her look years younger. Her delicate neck had only the faintest lines, which added to her mature charm rather than aging her. Silver earrings sparkled against her ears, highlighting her elegance.
"Mom, you don't even need to be ten years younger. If you stepped out right now, you'd have those older guys falling over themselves."
Annie looked at her mother's graceful curves beneath her casual homewear and the soft, scholarly glow she naturally carried with deep admiration.
"You silly girl, don't talk nonsense. I'm already old," Rose replied, rolling her eyes and turning back to the turkey she was marinating.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Aetheris and Ethan were deep in conversation about a certain wall-crawler.
"That kid's heart is in the right place," Ethan said, pulling out a pack of Baisha cigarettes and offering one. "Since I came to New York, I've seen him on the front page of The Daily Planet almost every day. Sure, they call him a public menace, a masked vigilante, but everything he's doing is for the greater good. He's really trying to serve the people."
"No thanks, I can't handle those," Aetheris declined politely. He took out his own pack of Hongtashan, pulled one out, and lit it with practiced ease.
"Mind if I get a light?"
Ethan leaned in to catch the flame from Aetheris's silver Zippo and took a deep drag.
Soon, the room was filled with cigarette smoke as the two veterans discussed Spider-Man's future.
"But don't you think Peter's a little too caught up in it all? He's only twenty. His values, worldview—they're still developing. Dedicating himself entirely to this whole 'saving the world' thing—it's not exactly healthy."
(End of Chapter)
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