Graduation

After the photos, the seventeen- and eighteen-year-old students gathered in small groups of three or five to say goodbye to one another.

A handsome blond boy said to Peter Parker, "Peter, how about we go out and have some fun together during the break?"

Peter shook his head. "No, Harry. I'm planning to find a part-time job during the break so I can ease Aunt May's financial burden."

Harry knew about Peter's family situation, so he could only say helplessly, "All right, that's really too bad."

Mary Jane, the red-haired beauty who had been holding Harry's arm, said happily, "Peter, Harry and I will bring you a gift when we get back."

Peter looked at Mary Jane and smiled as he wished them both well. "Harry, I hope you and Jane have a great time."

Grinning, Harry lightly punched Peter in the chest with his fist. "Peter, we're off, then. See you at school at the end of August."

"Yeah, see you then, Harry, Jane."

Before getting into the car, Harry and Mary Jane waved vigorously at Peter. Peter waved back with a broad smile. But once the sedan started and drove away, he lowered his arm, and the dazzling smile on his face immediately seemed forced, with even a faint trace of sorrow in it.

Only after their car disappeared from sight did Peter turn and head toward the bus stop.

By the time Peter got home, Aunt May had already prepared lunch. While they ate, she asked, "Peter, where are you planning to go for fun during the break?"

Peter replied, "Aunt May, I'm not planning to go anywhere. I'm going to find a part-time job so I can cover my college tuition."

Hearing that, Aunt May felt terrible. Other children were going out to have fun during their graduation break, while Peter could not do the same. Holding Peter's hand, her eyes reddened slightly as she said, "Peter, this has really been hard on you."

Peter gently squeezed Aunt May's hand and comforted her. "Don't say that, Aunt May. You and Uncle Ben have already been very good to me all these years."

"Peter, have you decided what kind of part-time job you want?"

Peter said, "I'm planning to work as a photojournalist for the Daily Bugle, taking news photos and selling them to them."

"That would be good. I remember you like taking your camera around to photograph things, but Peter, you must remember not to go to dangerous places to take pictures. Don't worry too much about college tuition. The money Ben left behind is enough to cover your expenses for the next few years of college," Aunt May advised him.

Peter smiled. "Don't worry, Aunt May. I won't go to dangerous places. I got into Empire State University with excellent grades, so the tuition isn't very high. Ordinary news photos will be enough for me to earn it."

"That's good."

(Empire State University, a fictional university in Spider-Man comics, is set in New York.)

That morning, George Stacy had pretended to go to work at the police station. He had not told his family that he had moved his day off to today. After wandering around the station for a while and checking the time, he drove to his daughter's school, intending to surprise her.

After waiting outside the school for ten minutes, the students began filing cheerfully out through the gates. Before long, George Stacy spotted his daughter.

Gwen Stacy was walking and chatting with three female classmates when a car horn suddenly sounded behind them, startling all four girls. Gwen turned around and saw a familiar black sedan, with her father, George Stacy, sitting in the driver's seat.

Seeing George Stacy smiling and waving at her, Gwen pretended to be angry at her father's prank and put on a stern face. After saying goodbye to her three classmates, she opened the rear door and got in.

Once seated in the back, Gwen said with a grin, "Old George, as a police officer, you're slacking off during work hours? That doesn't sound like you at all."

"Because Old George missed his daughter," George replied with a smile.

Gwen's eyes flickered as she thought for a moment, then said, "No! You can't fool me. Old George, you didn't go to work at all today, did you?"

"Oh my, just as expected of my daughter. You even figured that out," George said with a chuckle.

"Of course. Who told me to be so smart?" Gwen said proudly.

As George drove, he asked, "Gwen, where are you planning to go during the break?"

Gwen sighed. "I won't be able to have fun during the break."

"Why?" George asked in confusion.

"Because..." Gwen paused. "Because I received an invitation from Professor Curt Connors at Empire State University. He wants me to intern in his lab during the break and study under him."

George said in surprise, "You agreed? Gwen, this is your rare graduation break!"

"Of course I agreed. Professor Connors is an expert in genetic research. Many enrolled students do not even get the chance to join his research team. Since I have the opportunity to join before entering college, I naturally won't miss it," Gwen said excitedly.

George shrugged. "All right. I was originally planning to take a long vacation and have the whole family go traveling during your graduation break. But since you've already made up your mind, it looks like I can only give up on that plan."

"Hehe, sorry, Dad. What are we having for lunch?" Gwen asked with a grin.

After thinking for a moment, George said, "Let's pick up your mother and go to that newly opened three-star restaurant. I heard the food there is quite good."

Upon hearing that, Gwen said happily, "Wow, Old George is being so generous. I'm definitely going to eat a whole lot this time."

"Hehe~"

In a slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a hooded man walked cautiously down the street, observing the surrounding roads as he went. Before long, he found a place to stay. After paying, he entered the room and immediately went to the window. Standing beside it, he lifted a corner of the curtain and carefully looked around outside. Only after confirming there was no danger did he sit on the bed and remove his hood.

Bruce Banner lay on the bed and let out a deep breath. Once he relaxed, the exhaustion in his body quickly surfaced. Before long, Banner fell asleep.

Ever since the accident in that laboratory, which had exposed Bruce Banner to gamma radiation and turned him into the green giant Hulk, Banner had spent the past few years being relentlessly pursued by the military led by General Ross. In truth, after Banner transformed into Hulk, he could have easily dealt with the soldiers chasing him. But their commander, General Ross, happened to be Banner's father-in-law. Neither Banner nor Hulk wanted to clash head-on with General Ross, so they had no choice but to find ways to avoid them.

Although the U.S. military's combat capability was lacking, its intelligence network was formidable. Each time, Banner had escaped pursuit by transforming into Hulk. Over the past few years, Banner had lived as a fugitive, hiding from place to place and concealing his identity. After giving it some thought in order to evade capture, Banner had come to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. There were many slums here, with complicated populations and virtually no surveillance equipment, making it difficult for the U.S. military to find him.

After waking up, Bruce Banner first carefully observed the area from the window. Once he confirmed there was no danger, he put on his hood and went out. After eating a terrible lunch, he felt the little money remaining in his pocket and decided to find a job. Otherwise, once he ran out of money, he would not even have a place to stay.

Before long, Bruce Banner found a local employment agency and immediately set his sights on a job opening. A soda bottling plant was hiring workers.