A Warm Home, Toby's Two Sides

But being a big-rig driver was something from Toby's previous life.

After being maliciously scammed by that damned father-and-son pair in his previous life, the first thought that entered his mind when he opened his eyes in this life was that he would never again be a good man who always looked ahead, because good people might not receive good endings after all!

He wanted to be a bad guy—a bad guy who looked toward money!

Money might not solve every problem, but it could solve 99% of them!

For example, his family's less-than-wealthy circumstances in this life.

Toby pulled the "spare change" check Kingpin had given him from his pocket and handed it to Ben Parker.

"I completed a project at Fisk Tower this month, and Mr. Wilson Fisk gave me a bonus of one hundred thousand dollars. Take it and replace that ancient old clunker of yours already."

Yet Ben Parker did not seem particularly surprised by Toby suddenly producing such a large sum of money.

After all, Toby had not only possessed extraordinary strength since childhood, but had also been a once-in-a-generation genius.

Not only had he consistently ranked first in the entire school since elementary school, he had skipped grades all the way through and graduated early from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the age of eighteen!

He was only one year behind Tony Stark, whose graduation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology at seventeen had made headlines around the world.

Given Toby's utterly unrestrained display of genius, it was only natural that many major corporations had tried to recruit him after he graduated early.

Top-tier corporations such as Osborn Enterprises, which had killed Peter's parents, and Tony Stark's Stark Industries had all sent people to recruit Toby.

But in the end, Toby chose none of them. Instead, he joined Fisk Tower, also one of New York City's top-ranked companies, where he had worked for two years now.

As for why he had chosen Fisk Group, there was probably no need to explain.

He was only nominally employed by Kingpin's Fisk Group; in reality, he had not worked a single day!

And not only did Kingpin have to pay him a salary, he also had to pay him mission rewards.

With a job this free, why would he go somewhere else and work himself to the bone?

Did they really think he was some workplace masochist like Spider-Man or Superman?

In short, from Ben Parker's perspective as an old father, wasn't it perfectly normal for his genius son to receive a handsome bonus from his boss after completing a project for the company?

Besides, this was not the first time Toby had given money to the family.

Ever since Toby started working at Fisk Group, aside from transferring a fixed fifty thousand dollars home every month as "salary" for the household expenses...

He would occasionally give the family a project bonus like this one as well.

So Ben Parker did not bother with any polite refusals and readily accepted the check Carl handed him.

However, he had no intention of actually using the money to buy a new car as Toby had suggested. He smiled instead.

"The usual rule. I'll save it for you, for when you get married and have children someday. As for my car, stop worrying about it. I can't bear to replace my old partner!"

Toby's mouth twitched. "Didn't I tell you? Stop worrying about my future. I've got plenty of private savings..."

Wasn't that the truth?

The work he had done in the underworld over the years did not always pay as extravagantly as this time, when wiping out a gang had earned him tens of millions of dollars, but his savings had long since surpassed a hundred million.

Even if he retired early right now, as long as he stayed away from gambling and drugs, that money would be enough for him to live comfortably for the rest of his life.

At that moment, May, carrying a plate of cookies, knocked Toby on the head and scolded him. "Toby, that's not right!"

"You young people nowadays are all so used to spending freely. How would you know how much money it takes to get married, have children, buy a house, and buy a car? We're saving it for you now so things will be easier for you later!"

Toby covered his face helplessly. His old dad and mom were wonderful in every way—kindhearted and not old-fashioned. Ever since he was young, they had supported whatever he liked.

But like countless parents in China, they could never bear to spend on themselves and always thought of their son first.

The money he brought home each month was clearly enough for Ben and May to stop working so hard and enjoy an early retirement.

Yet the two of them still diligently worked jobs that did not even pay as much as a fraction of what Toby transferred home. They had not spent a single cent of Toby's money, saving it all for him instead...

Forget it. Toby had grown used to his parents' simple, honest nature over the past twenty years.

Rather than let old Ben make the decision himself, Toby would just go buy him a car tomorrow and be done with it.

He had done plenty of things first and told them afterward over the past two years. That was also why his mother May said he was used to spending lavishly.

Aside from the house Ben and May had worked so hard to build up themselves, Toby had gradually replaced virtually every appliance, piece of furniture, and household item with top-of-the-line versions.

After perfunctorily dealing with his still-nagging parents, Toby took another manila envelope from his pocket and placed it in Peter's hands.

He smiled. "Here, this month's allowance~"

Peter, who had been enviously watching the harmonious scene between Toby and his family, blushed and scratched his head awkwardly.

"Cousin, I haven't even spent all the allowance you gave me last month. You don't need to give me any this month, and I'm grown up now. I can work part-time and earn money myself..."

Before Toby could say anything, May beat him to it, stuffing the envelope into Peter's pocket as she began scolding him too.

"If your cousin gives it to you, take it. You're graduating this year and heading to college. Your mind should be on your studies. Why would you get a part-time job? You're not allowed to!"

Ben chimed in from the side. "That's right, Peter. Now isn't the time for you to earn money—it's the time for you to spend it!"

"And don't I remember that you like Dr. Philip Watson's daughter next door, Mary Jane Watson?"

"You need some money in hand to pursue a girl these days, so take it when your cousin gives it to you!"

After being told off by May and Ben like that—especially after Uncle Ben somehow learned the secret that he liked Mary Jane—Peter, who had never been good with words before becoming Spider-Man, was now so embarrassed he nearly buried his face in his chest.

When Toby heard the name Mary Jane, he froze for a moment and looked at Ben in confusion. "Mary Jane? Aren't the Warrens living next door?"

Ben smiled and shook his head. "You've probably been leaving early and coming home late because of that company project, so you might not know. The Warrens and their daughter moved to Connecticut at the end of last month. The Watson family just moved in next door!"

"And our Peter fell in love with the Watsons' eldest daughter at first sight!"

Toby nodded in understanding.

It seemed that even in this universe, Peter still couldn't avoid meeting his destined Mary Jane...

Looking at Peter, whose face had turned as red as a monkey's butt, Toby took the plate of cookies from May and patted Peter on the shoulder.

"Come on, Peter. Go upstairs and play some games with me. Relax a little."

"Sure! I'll take the cookies upstairs for you first!" Peter, who had long wanted to escape the scene, immediately took the out Toby had offered him.

He snatched the cookie plate and shot upstairs with a whoosh, like a spider whose butt had been set on fire.

Toby helplessly shook his head at Ben and May, the two old-timers teasing Peter for fun, then followed him upstairs.

Perhaps because this universe had an extra Toby, Ben and May here were just as kind as they had been in the movies, but they lacked that sorrowful undertone that seemed impossible to ever fade. Instead, there was a little more of a bright, cheerful color to them.