Chapter 119: How Wonderful It Is to Have Someone to Rely On

At first, Zhong Shenxiu was not entirely certain whether Peter’s identity had been exposed.

However, Gwen’s evasive gaze provided him with an undeniable answer: predictably, Peter had already been exposed to her.

Zhong Shenxiu had first met Gwen back in July. That encounter could be described as a typical meeting between strangers; Gwen’s gaze had been perfectly normal, and when they locked eyes, she hadn’t looked away as she was doing now. This indicated that Gwen was neither excessively shy nor plagued by low self-esteem.

Her current behavior was easy to interpret: it meant that over this period, something had shifted in how she regarded "Zhong Shenxiu." These changes caused her to feel a sense of guilt when facing him, leading her to subconsciously resist his gaze.

What were these "changes"?

It was simple to map out. The only hubs connecting Zhong Shenxiu and Gwen were two people: Dr. Jinsha and Peter. Zhong Shenxiu hadn't been in contact with Dr. Jinsha since their last meeting, so that could be ruled out. That left only Peter.

Through his "Eye of Truth," Gwen’s identity had already been confirmed: she was the Spider-Woman who had fought Peter and trailed the truck that day. Her decision to track that truck meant she at least knew it was the culprit behind the Stark Industries robbery. Since Peter had intervened to stop her, it was effectively an admission that he was associated with the group that had robbed Stark Industries.

If one assumed Gwen now knew Peter’s identity, she would inevitably investigate the truck and its cohorts through him. As the person closest to Peter, Zhong Shenxiu would certainly be under suspicion.

*Is her current guilt because she has started to suspect me?* Zhong Shenxiu wondered.

Of course, the biggest flaw in this hypothesis was that it relied entirely on the assumption that Gwen’s aversion of her gaze was due to hidden circumstances. What if she was simply shy? Or perhaps he was just too handsome, his gaze too captivating, and she couldn't handle it? Both were possibilities. If either were true, all of his previous conclusions would be instantly invalidated.

However, such was Zhong Shenxiu’s nature: he always considered the worst-case scenario first to formulate a strategy. He would keep the theory of Gwen’s suspicion in mind, seeking proof while preparing his defenses, just in case. It was better to be over-prepared; he had learned that lesson well during these past few months of keeping a low profile.

"Xiu... Uncle, you’re here!"

Peter, who had been staring at the sky, finally spotted Zhong Shenxiu and called out in surprise. Perhaps remembering the lie he had just told his teacher, he hurriedly patched it up by adding "Uncle" at the end.

Carla didn't seem to notice the correction. She first said to Zhong Shenxiu, "I’m going to the office to speak with the other parents. Please talk to Peter and get the full story."

"Understood," Zhong Shenxiu nodded.

Seeing this, Carla offered a faint smile, then turned to Peter and said with feigned sternness, "Tell Uncle Xiu the truth, do you hear?"

Peter’s eyes darted around, and he nodded his head like a bobblehead.

After Carla entered the office, Zhong Shenxiu stepped forward and ruffled Peter’s hair. However, his first words were directed at Gwen: "We meet again. Do you remember me? Why aren't you home yet at this hour?"

"I remember..." Gwen replied, her delicate chin lowered. She didn't meet his eyes, appearing rather shy.

Seeing this, Peter couldn't help but laugh. "Haha, are you shy, Gwen? See, I wasn't wrong, was I? Isn't Xiu handsome? I didn't expect even you..."

"Get lost!" Gwen instantly shed her sheepish persona and shot Peter a fierce glare.

"Right away." Peter immediately backed down, rolling away and keeping his mouth shut.

Sensing her loss of composure, Gwen’s face flushed a deep red. She lowered her head further and, as if to change the subject, answered Zhong Shenxiu’s second question. "Dad said he’d pick me up from school... but he hasn't arrived yet. He probably got caught up with some emergency, so I’m just waiting by the teacher’s office."

*The Police Commissioner is indeed a busy man,* Zhong Shenxiu thought, smiling back. "I see. If he doesn't show up in a while, I can take you home. Consider it compensation for what Jinsha did for me before."

"Thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need. My house is quite far, and I’ll just wait for my dad. He should be here soon." Gwen politely declined.

Zhong Shenxiu didn't mind. He had only suggested it in passing; he didn't even have a car, so he would have had to hail a cab anyway. *I really should buy a car,* he thought.

"Anyway, since that's the case, did you see what happened with Peter? Ms. Carla said he got into a fight today?"

Beyond his interest in Gwen, he hadn't forgotten he was here to handle Peter’s mess. At this, Gwen looked up, seemingly trying to plead for Peter. "Peter isn't at fault at all; those people brought it on themselves."

"Exactly! Xiu, remember that Thompson kid I told you about? He couldn't beat me last time and felt he’d lost face. So, today after school, he found three seniors to try and block me at the classroom door..." Peter jumped in, explaining indignantly.

"Hmph! My Thompson is gentle and weak; how could he possibly do such a thing? You must be lying!" An Indian woman stormed out of the office, scowling and pointing an accusatory finger at Peter.

*Gentle and weak...* Zhong Shenxiu’s expression darkened. *Why do all parents love using those two words?*

Carla hurried over to smooth things over. "There must be a misunderstanding... please, let's not get agitated. Let's go inside and talk." She leaned toward Zhong Shenxiu and whispered, "That’s Thompson’s mother."

Zhong Shenxiu nodded and said to the woman with a smile, "Peter is a very good boy. I’m sure there’s a misunderstanding here. Why don't we..."

"There’s nothing to talk about! My Thompson is still lying in there!"

Thompson’s mother interrupted, glaring at him. "So you’re the uncle of this little bastard? Look at how you’ve raised this child—learning to hit people at such a young age! What will he be like when he grows up?"

This direct confrontation made Zhong Shenxiu’s expression turn ice-cold. He had approached the situation with a calm, resolution-oriented attitude, but given the woman’s irrational and abrasive behavior, he saw no reason to be polite.

Zhong Shenxiu took two steps forward, looking down at the woman with an imposing air. "How Peter turns out is none of your concern. As for you, acting like a shrew and hurling insults—what kind of child could you possibly raise?"

"And that 'gentle and weak' nonsense... who would believe that drivel from a mother like you? They say if the top beam is crooked, the bottom ones will be too. Your top beam is already warped beyond repair; you can't expect the bottom to be straight."

"Just looking at what kind of mother you are, I know this was all your son’s fault!" Zhong Shenxiu retorted bluntly. Since the other party was being unreasonable, he had no reason to stay cordial.

"You... you..." Zhong Shenxiu’s biting, sarcastic words left Thompson’s mother fuming, unable to spit out a coherent sentence.

Carla glanced at Zhong Shenxiu, surprised. She hadn't expected this handsome "Uncle Parker" to be so sharp-tongued. Still, she didn't forget her duty. She stepped between them and said conciliatorily, "There must be a misunderstanding. Let's go in and talk..." She ushered the woman into the office. Before entering, the woman glared at Zhong Shenxiu once more, her eyes burning with rage.

Zhong Shenxiu ignored her completely; there was no reasoning with people like that. He ruffled Peter’s hair and asked softly, "You did hit them, didn't you?"

Peter lowered his head, looking a bit guilty. "Yes... I’m sorry to drag you into this, Xiu. I’ll go apologize to them right now..."

*Thump.*

Zhong Shenxiu tapped Peter’s head, cutting off his defeatist words. He smiled and said, "You did the right thing. Leave the rest to me."

He then strode toward the office. Peter stood rooted to the spot, watching Zhong Shenxiu’s retreating back with a dazed expression. Having lost his parents at a young age and coming to live with Uncle Ben, Peter had always been sensible, suffering in silence rather than causing trouble for his family. But at this moment, for the first time, he felt that having someone to rely on... was a truly wonderful thing.

***

As soon as he entered the office, Zhong Shenxiu saw the dark-skinned, chubby boy lying on the sofa. He was nearly twice the size of Peter—this must be Thompson. Beside him stood an Indian man with gold-rimmed glasses, presumably Thompson’s father.

*Didn't they say he beat up four kids?* Zhong Shenxiu wondered.

Carla, noticing his gaze, leaned in and whispered, "The other three students were fine. Since they weren't third-graders, their parents have already taken them home."

Zhong Shenxiu understood. *That makes it too easy.* He had been prepared for a verbal battle, but it seemed he wouldn't get the chance. He felt a flicker of disappointment.

Carla began the introductions. "This is Peter Parker’s uncle, Mr. Zhong Shen." She then turned to him. "This is Thompson’s father, Mr. Eugene, and his mother, Ms. Eugene."

"Enough! Skip the pleasantries. How are you going to resolve this?" Ms. Eugene demanded, eyes fixed on Zhong Shenxiu with lingering venom.

Carla’s expression stiffened, but she quickly recovered. "Student fights, while rare, are inevitable. Our school’s policy is to handle things leniently; they are only children, after all."

"That won't do!" Ms. Eugene shouted. "My Thompson is still lying there! It can't be settled so easily! He must be expelled! Otherwise, I’m reporting this to the Board of Education!"

*Does this woman have a brain?* Zhong Shenxiu thought. *She’s a loose cannon.*

Mr. Eugene, playing the good cop, softened his tone. "It’s not that serious, Ms. Carla. We just want an explanation. Last time Thompson came home crying after being beaten, we let it slide, but this is too much. Look, he’s still unconscious..."

*If your son didn't provoke Peter every single day, would he have been beaten?*

Zhong Shenxiu didn't want to waste time arguing. He wanted to end this quickly. "I am a doctor. Let me examine Thompson."

Through his "Eye of Truth," he had long since noticed that Peter’s strikes were perfectly controlled. The boy had no actual injuries; the unconsciousness was clearly faked.

As he moved toward the sofa, Ms. Eugene blocked his path. "Who are you trying to fool? A doctor as young as you? Even if you are one, you must be a quack. I’m not letting you touch my precious son."

Zhong Shenxiu stopped and looked at her with a hint of amusement. "What? Feeling guilty? I’ve been wondering—if Thompson is truly unconscious, why didn't you take him to the hospital immediately instead of arguing with the school? It defies all logic. I’d say Thompson is faking it."

At those words, the couple’s pupils contracted. They had clearly been caught.

"You... what nonsense are you spewing? You’re clearly not a doctor. You’re just throwing baseless accusations!" Ms. Eugene stammered, her voice betraying her panic.

Zhong Shenxiu turned his gaze to Carla. She understood his intent and was about to speak, but Mr. Eugene interrupted. "Zhong Shen... doctor... wait, what is your relationship to Zhong Shen Clinic?"

"Oh, nothing special. I just happen to be the owner," Zhong Shenxiu replied calmly.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Eugene’s face turned deathly pale.