Kent Farm.
After renting a car, Lucien asked around and finally learned the location of the Kent Farm. He drove out from the small town, covering over ten kilometers before finally arriving near the farm.
From a distance, Lucien, still in the car, spotted an elderly woman busy working near the barn.
"Martha?"
Lucien recognized her. After all, people in this world looked exactly like their movie counterparts, making identification fairly simple.
Having confirmed Clark's adoptive mother, Lucien turned the steering wheel and drove into the farm.
Mrs. Kent, who had been tidying up, heard the sound of a car approaching from behind.
She paused her work and stood up, looking at the unfamiliar vehicle entering the farm.
The car stopped in the farmyard, and a young man with a boyish face stepped out from the driver's seat.
"Hello, is Clark here?"
Lucien walked up and asked directly.
If Clark was at the farm, this direct question would undoubtedly alert him.
But it didn't matter;
Because Clark was Superman!
Superman, being the good guy he was, wouldn't give a minor like him a hard time.
"And you are...?"
Mrs. Kent looked at the young man inquiring about her son with confusion.
"My name is Lucien Valemont. You can call me Lucien," he said. "Is Mr. Clark not here?"
Mrs. Kent shook her head. "Clark left last year. What did you need him for?"
Last year?
It was already late September, meaning Clark had been gone for nearly a year?
In that case, he should be close to finding that spaceship hidden in the polar region.
Maybe I can wait here?
Lucien thought to himself while answering the questions from Mrs. Kent in front of him.
"I came to ask him about something, but since Mr. Clark isn't here, I'll come back another time."
"Goodbye, ma'am!"
With that, Lucien turned and left.
With Clark absent, there was no reason for him to stay at the Kent farm any longer.
'Lucien, huh? A strange boy.'
Mrs. Kent watched Lucien leave with a puzzled expression, wondering how her son could know someone so young.
Clark was already 33 this year, while this boy named Lucien looked no older than fourteen or fifteen. Considering that Asians generally appeared younger, he might actually be around sixteen or seventeen.
But he was probably still underage.
Was he the child of one of Clark's friends?
Mrs. Kent's mind raced with wild guesses.
Meanwhile—
Driving away from the Kent farm, Lucien pondered whether he should stay in Smallville and wait for Clark to return.
After all, Clark had come back to the Kent farm not long after finding that spaceship, and according to Mrs. Kent, he had left last year.
So his return couldn't be too far off.
"Never mind, I'll figure it out once I get back to town."
Lucien gave up on further deliberation, deciding to think it over after returning to town.
...
Outside a fast-food restaurant in Smallville.
Lucien parked his car in a spot and walked inside.
"Welcome!"
A waiter mopping the floor glanced at him.
"Any available seats?"
Lucien scanned the small but bustling restaurant—nearly every table was occupied.
"Sure, follow me. I'll take you to one."
The waiter didn't discriminate against Lucien's ethnicity. In the U.S., racial discrimination was a serious issue, but the atmosphere in Kansas was relatively better, with less overt prejudice compared to some other places.
Soon, Lucien was led to an empty table and seated.
"What would you like to order?"
"Do you have any noodles?" Lucien asked.
"Spaghetti with meat sauce—it's pretty good," the waiter suggested after a glance at him.
"Then I'll have the spaghetti, plus some fries and a Coke."
The waiter quickly noted it down, gave Lucien a small smile, and headed to the counter.
Sitting at the table, Lucien curiously observed the people around him.
In his past life, he had never been abroad. After transmigrating, he had gone skiing in Europe a few times, but that was years ago when his parents in this life were still alive.
As for the U.S., whether before or after transmigrating, he had never visited.
He had always heard that racial discrimination here was severe, but so far, Lucien hadn't experienced it.
Most of the diners in this restaurant seemed to be stereotypical middle-aged white men—burly, in their thirties or forties, with bellies that grew progressively larger.
Obesity was indeed a serious problem in the U.S., largely due to their diet.
After all, eating burgers, fried chicken, and fries every day—how could they not get fat?
After a while, the spaghetti bolognese Lucien had ordered arrived, delivered by the same waitress as before. She placed the dish on the table and then stared at Lucien.
"Is there a problem?" Lucien asked.
"Your bill comes to $12.80," the waitress said, holding out her hand.
Lucien wasn't sure if everyone paid upfront here, but he didn't ask. Instead, he simply handed her a $20 bill.
"Enjoy your meal!" The waitress gave him a smile and walked away.
"???"
No change?
Lucien watched as the waitress took his $20 and left without another word. Then it suddenly hit him—this was America, not back home.
"So... she kept $7.20 as a tip?"
Lucien was speechless.
It was his own fault for not specifying that he wanted change. She must have assumed the extra was his tip.
No wonder she smiled and wished him a good meal on her way out.
All for the sake of that tip!
"Total rip-off!" Lucien muttered under his breath.
Still, live and learn. Next time, he wouldn't make the same mistake.
As he ate the $20 spaghetti bolognese, he had to admit—it wasn't bad. At least there weren't any weird flavors in it.
While eating, he pulled out his phone to check the news.
Just then—
"Breaking news: Yesterday evening, a fire broke out at one of our offshore drilling platforms in the Atlantic. The blaze has since triggered an explosion. Casualty numbers remain unknown!"
The report on the TV caught Lucien's attention.
He looked up at the screen mounted on the wall.
"An offshore drilling platform explosion?!"
His eyes lit up. This was exactly what he'd been waiting for.
"So, Clark's about to return?"
Though he wasn't sure exactly how many days it would take, it probably wouldn't be more than a week.
"Guess I'll stick around here and wait for him to come to me."
Lucien thought to himself.