Chapter 31
One Hour Later
They walked out of the coffee shop, strolling along the street.
Night had deepened.
The warm glow of the coffee shop was left behind. Gwen stuffed her hands in her hoodie pockets, occasionally glancing sideways at the man beside her.
The night breeze tousled her golden hair—and scattered the pain in his heart.
"So."
She kicked a small pebble aside. "You really are just passing through from another universe?"
Yang Jian had both hands in his pockets, walking leisurely: "What else would it be?"
"So what do you usually do in your universe? Save the world? Or…?" She suddenly spun around, walking backward to face him, blinking playfully.
"Or, like in the Superman comics, catch kittens that fall from buildings every day?"
Yang Jian let out a low chuckle: "Occasionally."
"Ha! I knew it!" Gwen turned back triumphantly and walked beside him again.
"Okay, even though you already said it, I still want to ask—have you really met other Spider-People? I mean, besides me."
"The really talkative one in red and blue?"
"Yes yes yes!" Gwen's eyes lit up.
"Isn't he super annoying? Always going on about 'with great power comes great responsibility'?"
Yang Jian shrugged, answering as they walked.
"Every Spider has their own story. But you all do have one thing in common."
"What?" Gwen asked.
"You all talk non-stop during fights."
Gwen dramatically clutched her chest: "Hey! I call that atmosphere control!"
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
She pulled it out: a text from George Stacy — [Where'd you run off to again?]
Gwen pouted and quickly replied: [Having coffee with a friend. Heading home soon.]
After sending it, she looked up at Yang Jian: "My dad's been super paranoid lately. Thinks every masked vigilante in New York should be locked up."
"A wise judgment." "Mr. Superman."
They crossed a small bridge. The river reflected the city lights.
Gwen suddenly stopped and leaned against the railing.
"You know…" Her voice softened.
"If Harry had gotten help earlier, would things have been different?"
Yang Jian stood beside her: "Maybe. But some choices, once made, can't be taken back."
Gwen was silent for a long time. Then she turned to face him: "What about you? How long are you staying in this universe?"
The night wind blew past; Yang Jian's cape fluttered slightly.
His gaze settled on the distant Osborn Group building.
"What do you think?"
"You're just like my teacher—always making people guess." Gwen shook her head helplessly.
Yang Jian smiled. The two continued walking forward.
Streetlights cast warm yellow halos. Gwen stood on the sidewalk, toe unconsciously scuffing the ground.
This man wasn't just powerful—he was kind, handsome, and those muscles weren't exactly hidden by his clothes…
Was this really something a just-turned-20 girl could handle?
Thinking this,
Gwen looked up at Yang Jian, a faint smile on her lips. "Mr. Superman… is this what you call a multiverse meet-cute?"
Yang Jian had both hands in his pockets, looking down at her slightly: "Not satisfied?"
Gwen suddenly stepped forward and stood on tiptoes.
Her lips pressed against Yang Jian's.
The kiss came suddenly—but Yang Jian reacted even faster. The moment she tried to pull back, his palm was already cradling the back of her head, deepening the kiss.
Gwen's breathing hitched; her fingers unconsciously clutched his collar.
When they finally parted, Gwen's cheeks were flushed red: "Whoa!"
She breathed lightly: "You must be a total playboy in your universe."
Yang Jian raised an eyebrow: "What gave it away?"
Gwen looked him up and down—around 190 cm tall, Superman-like muscle lines from the comics, and the same captivating face.
"Come on, that face is the answer."
She stepped back a few paces and made an exaggerated waving gesture: "I should head home, or Dad's gonna file a missing person report."
"Need a ride?" Yang Jian extended his hand.
Gwen gave a sly smile: "Of course."
The next second, the scenery blurred instantly.
By the time Gwen reacted, she was already standing in front of her apartment building.
"This is way faster than webbing." she muttered quietly.
Then she suddenly grabbed Yang Jian's collar and gave him another quick kiss.
As she turned to leave, she stopped again: "Wait—if you go back to your universe, how do I contact you?"
Yang Jian lightly tapped her forehead with a finger. A thread of golden light sank into her skin: "This is a defensive array—and a communicator."
His voice was low: "Call me whenever you want to find me."
Gwen touched her forehead; her eyes lit up: "Cool! You know magic too!"
She backed toward the apartment door until she had to turn and take out her keys.
In the last moment before the wooden door closed, she looked back and winked at Yang Jian.
Yang Jian stood in place until he saw a certain window light up; Gwen's silhouette moved behind the curtain.
"Origin, record this universe's coordinates."
"Recorded, sir. Returning to main universe?"
Yang Jian took one last look at the lit window, waved his hand to open a portal: "Home."
The night wind blew past. The empty street held no trace of him.
Villa Balcony Night Still Deep
Yang Jian slowly opened his eyes. He found himself still lying on the lounge chair beneath the starry sky—as if he had never left.
The night breeze carried the familiar scent of the city.
"Origin."
"Sir, you were gone for 1 hour and 7 minutes." Origin's voice sounded immediately.
"Time flow comparison: the parallel universe's time passes approximately… times faster than the main universe."
Yang Jian rubbed his fingers; Gwen's hair still lingered in his touch: "Not bad."
"Preliminary parsing of that parallel universe's network data complete." Origin continued reporting.
"Similarity: 76.6%. Main differences: Osborn Group replaced Stark Industries, and—"
"Spider-Man is Gwen Stacy." Yang Jian finished.
"Need to establish a long-term observation channel, sir?"
Yang Jian stood up and walked to the balcony edge.
The city lights in the distance overlapped with memories of that universe's New York.
"I've already memorized it." He raised his hand; his fingertip traced a golden rune in the air.
"With Dreamwalking Technique, I can visit other places anytime."
Bedroom – Moonlight Still Quiet
Yang Jian silently pushed open the door. The room held only Wanda's even breathing.
She lay on her side in the center of the bed, red hair scattered across the pillow.
He walked to the bedside, leaned down, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
In her sleep, Wanda unconsciously shifted closer to him, her warm cheek pressing against the back of his hand.
"Origin."
"Here, sir."
"Tell S.H.I.E.L.D. not to bother me for a while."
"Arranged, sir. Need to adjust room temperature?"
Yang Jian lifted the blanket and lay down, pulling the sleeping Wanda into his arms: "Keep it as is."
Her warmth came through her nightgown, carrying a comforting heat.
Outside the window, New York's lights still shone brightly—but at this moment, all parallel universes, all adventures, felt distant.
Wanda murmured something unintelligible in her sleep.
She burrowed deeper into his embrace. Yang Jian tightened his arms and closed his eyes.
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