At that moment, Aunt May's face lit up with a warm, radiant smile as she looked at Maguire and Garfield.
"You're here, that's wonderful. Holland already told me today that his two best friends would be coming over. Come in, quickly."
At her invitation, Maguire and Garfield stepped inside.
Holland was in the kitchen, busy "cooking."
But to be honest, Holland's cooking looked more like a battlefield. The entire kitchen was a disaster.
Maguire sighed inwardly.
"Back in the day, I was a master chef. And now, this is the garbage I've had to eat since coming to this place. No way—I'll show them what real food is."
…
When Holland saw them enter, he hurriedly put down his knife.
"You guys made it. Sit down, sit down."
Garfield immediately plopped onto the sofa.
Aunt May, however, went straight to the kitchen to help Holland.
Maguire watched the two of them running around like headless chickens and shook his head.
"Seriously, how do these two even feed themselves? Must be living off takeout."
Their cooking was hopeless.
So Maguire stood up, walked over to the kitchen, and said with a smile,
"Holland, Aunt May, let me do it. I can actually cook."
The two, frazzled and overwhelmed, looked at him like he was a savior.
In America, there was no custom forbidding guests from cooking.
Aunt May quickly agreed,
"That would be wonderful. Please, go ahead."
Holland looked stunned.
"You can cook?"
Maguire smirked.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me. For example… well, you get the idea."
…
He took the knife and glanced at the ingredients.
"Not bad, Holland. You got a lot here. Today, you'll eat well."
Knowing American tastes leaned sweet and sour, he prepared several signature dishes:
Sweet and Sour Pork,
Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork,
Sweet and Sour Ribs,
Tomato Beef Stew,
and Spicy Beef.
…
As he cooked, Garfield, Holland, and Aunt May stood by, wide-eyed.
His knife work, his serious expression, his effortless combinations—everything left them in awe.
Aunt May even found herself curious.
"This boy, who looks about the same age as Holland, cooks so beautifully."
There was no denying it—nothing was more attractive than a man cooking with focus.
…
The ingredients were different here than in his homeland, but Maguire improvised with substitutes.
An hour and a half later, a full table of vibrant, aromatic dishes stood ready.
Holland and Garfield were drooling.
And then—*gulp.*
Maguire turned and realized the sound had come from Aunt May.
Her face flushed red when she saw him looking, and she stammered,
"Maguire, I never knew you could cook like this. You're amazing. I wish I had your skills."
Maguire smiled faintly.
"No problem. If you'd like, I can teach you sometime."
…
The four of them sat down.
Holland and Garfield couldn't contain themselves, shoveling food into their mouths. Their eyes sparkled like stars.
Even Aunt May finally picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour rib.
The moment she tasted it, her eyes went wide.
"This is incredible! And I've never seen dishes like these before. Maguire, are you a Michelin chef? This is unbelievable."
Maguire only chuckled.
"It's cuisine from the mysterious East. I just happened to learn it."
…
Despite the large spread, Garfield and Holland's appetites made short work of it.
Soon, the table was empty.
Even Aunt May, lips shining with oil, gazed at Maguire with admiration.
…
Afterward, the three of them followed Holland into his room.
That's when Garfield opened the suitcase he had carried, looking secretive.
"Maguire, close your eyes."
Maguire rolled his eyes.
"What do you think this is, a date? I'm not into you."
Garfield ignored him and popped the case open.
Inside was a red-and-blue Spider suit, the black spider emblem bold on the chest.
At the same time, Holland pulled something small from behind his back.
…
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