The Ball

When Mrs. Reynolds saw the news of the plane crash on TV, she felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest. Fortunately, the report stated the plane was still circling the city, and she figured if she had seen words like "crashed," she might have fainted on the spot.

Thankfully, that didn't happen. Her heart had been racing like a rollercoaster the entire time until it was finally announced that the plane had successfully landed thanks to the pilot's "extraordinary skill." Only then did her heart settle back into her chest. She sat pale-faced at her dining table for a long time, as if she had just finished a ten-thousand-meter run.

Of course, the mainstream media once again said nothing about the miraculous external force that had aided the distressed aircraft. And although some citizens who witnessed the event insisted they saw someone holding up the plane to help it land, their claims were dismissed as insufficient evidence and not reported. Only some blurry videos recorded on mobile phones quickly spread across the internet, igniting a "Superman is back" craze among the citizens of Metropolis.

But that's a story for another time. Mr. Reynolds, the person directly involved, was still shaken when he returned home. Upon entering, he embraced Mrs. Reynolds, whose eyes were red and swollen. Then, he turned to Jay and asked, "You were there, weren't you? You caught that plane?"

Mr. Reynolds had guessed as much, but it was still within expectations. Jay nodded, "It was me. I was a bit flustered, sorry I didn't do a better job."

Mr. Reynolds smiled warmly and gave him a big hug, "Thank you, son."

Mrs. Reynolds prepared a feast to celebrate her husband's safe return. She opened a bottle of brandy, and the three of them raised their glasses at the table to celebrate.

After the third glass of brandy, Mrs. Reynolds couldn't help but ask, "Charles, you really need to talk to us. Did this accident have anything to do with the interview you were supposed to do?"

Mr. Reynolds stared at his plate for a long time, then downed the wine in his glass and shook his head, "I don't know, maybe it has nothing to do with it."

Mrs. Reynolds shook her head, "You're a terrible liar, Charles. We've been together for so many years, I know what you look like when you lie. And do you really expect me to believe this is a coincidence? The only plane accident in Metropolis in six years, and your strange behavior these past two days. Do you expect me to believe there's no connection?"

Mr. Reynolds remained silent and poured himself another full glass of brandy.

"Let me help you, Charles," Mrs. Reynolds continued to persuade. "Let Jay help you. We're family, aren't we?"

"Thank you, Jane," Mr. Reynolds said wearily. "But it's not time yet. Trust me."

The atmosphere suddenly became a bit heavy. For several minutes, all three of them just focused on their dinner, not speaking to each other. Mr. Reynolds, perhaps feeling the need to break the awkward silence, perked up and proactively started looking for other topics, "The ball is coming up soon, isn't it? Jay, how are your preparations?"

"Pretty good," Jay replied casually.

"You need to find time to practice your dance steps. I think she's a great girl," Mr. Reynolds said with a smile. "If I were you, I'd seize the opportunity."

Jay looked a little embarrassed, "Kara and I are just dancing. I don't have any other plans yet."

"Are you sure? Because it's written all over your face," Mr. Reynolds teased. Jay felt the need to find a mirror to check himself.

Mrs. Reynolds said with dissatisfaction, "You're the least qualified to say that, Charles. Have you seen yourself dance? I can hardly find suitable adjectives to describe it. I really don't understand how you tricked me back then."

She sighed as she spoke, as if feeling her life had been truly worthless. Mr. Reynolds' face flushed, and he defended himself to Jay, "Don't listen to your mom's nonsense. Back in high school, I was even called the King of Rock and Roll!"

"You?" Mrs. Reynolds didn't believe him. "With that beer belly?"

Thinking of Mr. Reynolds with his beer belly shining on the dance floor, Jay couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'm talking about back then!" Mr. Reynolds exclaimed. "I was a sturdy young man then!"

Mrs. Reynolds ignored him and turned to Jay, "Don't mind most of what he says; it's nonsense, but he's right about one thing. Dancing is the best opportunity to show a girl your charm, so you must seize it."

Jay felt he couldn't explain this aspect to them clearly and had to give up arguing, letting them say what they wanted. The two elders had clearly considered Kara a potential daughter-in-law and were now even heatedly discussing topics about Jay's future that were still far from certain.

The night of the banquet.

It wasn't until Jay arrived at the venue himself that he truly understood what Ms. Grant meant by "grand" when describing the banquet. A huge venue in the bustling heart of Metropolis had been completely booked. As night fell, all the floor-to-ceiling windows were illuminated with dazzling, ethereal crystal lights. The building resembled a villa isolated in the city center from the vibrant urban life, its walls covered in solid granite. High arches supported a luxurious welcome passage, where greeters with professional smiles stood on either side to welcome all guests.

In both his lives combined, this was Jay's first time attending such an event. As he stepped into the magnificent hall, illuminated by the crystal lights, he couldn't help but feel a slight nervousness. Guests dressed in suits and evening gowns streamed in from the entrance, their demeanor and conversation exuding the unique elegance and confidence of high society, creating the special atmosphere of the banquet.

Jay brought Mr. Reynolds' beloved DSLR camera. When Mr. Reynolds first brought this treasure home, he had shown it off to Jay for a long time, bragging about its high pixel count and comprehensive manual controls. However, Jay knew this thing wasn't considered truly high-end. Mr. Perry from The Daily Planet pulled him over to take photos of himself and several important figures he couldn't name. He instructed Jay to remember to get the photos developed by next week before he went off to chat with the influential figures of Metropolis.

Jay encountered Ms. Grant and Kara at the buffet. Ms. Grant seemed to be in a very good mood and took the initiative to greet him, "You look quite energetic. Well, I knew I was always good at judging people."

"Ms. Grant, Kara," Jay greeted with a smile. "I was looking for you both."

"I heard about Charles's incident. I'm so sorry about what happened," Ms. Grant asked. "Is he alright?"

"Thank you for your concern," Jay replied politely. "He's fine, just needs some time to rest."

Ms. Grant nodded, "That's good. Poor Charles, he's a good man, and he used to be a good reporter. It's a shame time has smoothed out his rough edges. But you can hardly blame him for that, most people are like that. As people get older, they have more and more worries."

She shook her head at this point and stopped, then changed the subject, "It will be time for dancing soon. I need to go say hello to Mr. Ferros. Kara, tomorrow's schedule, and the return arrangements."

"Yes, I'll have everything ready before tomorrow," Kara nodded repeatedly.

Ms. Grant left satisfied, finally leaving the two of them alone.

Jay felt they should have a lot to talk about, but he didn't know where to start. Kara was dressed beautifully today, in a sky-blue skirt suit and a silk blouse. Her smooth blonde hair fell neatly down her back, and she wore almost transparent crystal high heels. The only minor flaw was that she stubbornly wore those silly glasses, slightly ruining the overall impression.

"You look... really beautiful today," Jay said, hoping to start a conversation.

"Thank you," Kara replied. Jay noticed she also looked quite nervous. "You look good too."

"Is this your first time too?" Jay asked. "Dancing?"

"Well, strictly speaking, no," Kara said with a smile. "I attended a graduation ball on Krypton, but it was very different from here."

Jay also smiled, "Yeah, I can imagine."

The banquet soon entered its next phase. The side halls of the second-floor circular structure simultaneously opened their curtains, revealing the orchestras seated in symmetrical positions behind them. The loud overture echoed throughout the venue. Guests found their dance partners, pairing up and taking to the floor, dancing hand-in-hand to the melodious music.

Jay quickly cast aside his nervousness from stepping onto the floor, fully immersing himself in the dance. He could tell Kara felt the same. They hadn't rehearsed beforehand, and they had only known each other for a few days, but they moved with remarkable synchronicity. Their every move was precise, as if honed through countless practices. Kara's sky-blue dance dress twirled with the music, like a blooming orchid.

"And you said you couldn't dance," Jay teased with a smile, holding her hand.

"I really couldn't before this," Kara said. "I just learned these past two days. You wouldn't believe how nervous I was."

"You did wonderfully," Jay said.

They danced for a while longer, and he asked again, "By the way, you disappeared for so long that day. Did Ms. Grant say anything to you when you got back?"

At his mention, Kara seemed to recall a very frustrating experience and sighed, "You should have seen her then. She was only missing horns to be a demon."

Jay laughed out loud, "But she still didn't fire you, did she?"

"No."

"I guess that means she values you," Jay smiled. "I think she's optimistic about you, maybe she sees a younger version of herself in you."

"Optimistic about me? Seriously?" Kara spun around again, supported by Jay's right hand. "You think that's her way of showing it?"

Jay shrugged. "I don't know, humans can be pretty complicated sometimes. But Ms. Grant, even though she's often fierce, I don't think she's a bad person. Maybe she really is looking out for you, hoping you can grow to be independent."

"Hmm, maybe there's a possibility," Kara said thoughtfully. "She has been pushing me really hard."

"I heard what she just said," Jay smiled. "Schedule arrangements, huh? Looks like you're quite busy."

"Let me tell you a secret," Kara smiled brightly. "Actually, I'll be done very soon. Super Speed, you know."

"Hey, that's cheating. But does this mean you don't have other plans tonight?"

Kara reminded him, "You mean after the banquet ends? Ms. Grant said I can leave on my own after all the activities are finished, but... don't you think that'll be a bit too late?"

"Late? Are you kidding me?" Jay laughed. "Isn't that when the night is just beginning?"

Kara also let out a light chuckle.

"If you're going to say that, then fine, I don't have any other plans... unless you do."