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Mike's new home: a cozy, two-story standalone house.
"So, what do you think? Do you like it?"
Mike lowered his head and asked Gwen.
Gwen nodded eagerly as she looked around her new room. "It's beautiful!"
The soft pink walls were decorated with floral patterns, and the ceiling featured a chandelier shaped like the sun—it all looked incredibly charming.
"There's something even better," Mike said with a mysterious smile. He closed the door, drew the curtains, and the moment the room darkened, a starry sky appeared overhead, illuminating the darkness with a magical glow.
Gwen looked up, her mouth opening wide in astonishment.
"Wow, it's so, so pretty!"
"Do you like it?"
"Mm-hmm!" Gwen nodded quickly and enthusiastically.
"Daddy!" She hugged Mike tightly, exclaiming, "I love it! I love you the most, Daddy!"
Mike beamed, lifting Gwen into his arms and raising her high above his head.
"Eeeek!" Gwen giggled joyfully, reaching her hands toward the sky. "Higher, Daddy! I'm almost touching the stars!"
Mike lifted her even higher. Amid Gwen's delighted squeals, he gently tossed her into the air and caught her again, bumping foreheads with her as they both laughed.
Father and daughter shared a moment of pure happiness.
Ding dong!
The doorbell rang. Mike set Gwen down and moved to draw the curtains, but Gwen was already dashing toward the door.
"I'll get it!" she called over her shoulder.
"Slow down!"
Seeing her rush toward the stairs, Mike shouted after her, chuckling as he opened the curtains.
Gwen leapt down the last two steps and, with a bright smile, opened the door.
Standing outside was a man, his face filled with surprise and confusion.
"Hi there. Who are you looking for?" Gwen asked, sizing him up.
Charles blinked, crouched down to her level with a friendly smile, and said, "You must be Gwen."
Gwen nodded, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "How do you know that? Do I know you?"
"I know you," Charles replied with a mysterious grin. "You just moved in yesterday, didn't you?"
Gwen looked at him in surprise, then suddenly furrowed her brows. "You're not some creepy stalker, are you?!"
Charles: _
This kid is savage—who does she take after?
As he stood there, slightly stunned, Mike appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Dad!" Charles called out.
Gwen took a step back, eyes wide in shock. "You're my brother?!"
Charles gently patted her head. "Nice to meet you, Gwen."
Then he stood up, arms open, and embraced Mike with a smile.
Mike patted Charles on the back and said, "Well done—I saw everything."
"How was I?"
Charles winked at Mike. "Didn't I look cool on TV?"
Mike grinned and said seriously, "Still not quite as cool as me."
"Ha! Of course not!" Charles laughed, flattering him. "You're the coolest, Dad."
Digging holes…
Pfft!
Actually, it was about building an underground space that still needed Dad's help, so he had to butter him up a little.
Mike waved Gwen over. "Gwen, this is your big brother, Charles."
Charles?
Gwen tilted her head, studying the smiling Charles with a puzzled expression.
That name… and that face… she felt like she had seen them somewhere before.
"TV!"
She gasped. "I saw you on TV! They said you're a mutant!"
Charles covered his face, then bent down toward her, suddenly pulling his hands away and making a silly face.
"Boo!"
Gwen froze for a second, then burst into laughter at his goofy expression.
Charles reached out, gently pinching Gwen's cheeks with a smile. "You're not afraid of me?"
"Nope!"
"Why not?"
"Because you're my brother!"
Gwen's eyes sparkled with joy as she grinned at him.
Charles instinctively used his powers for a moment and, sensing the joy in Gwen's heart, couldn't help but feel a fondness for this little sister he was meeting for the first time—despite the nearly twenty-year age gap between them.
Smack!
Mike slapped Charles's hand away.
Hiss!
Charles clutched his hand and winced, watching Mike now rubbing Gwen's face with exaggerated care. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Dad, the difference in treatment between Gwen and me is ridiculous!"
Mike shot Charles a sideways glance, his tone filled with disdain. "You're seriously comparing yourself to Gwen? Don't humiliate yourself."
Charles: "…"
Clatter!
Did you hear that?
The sound of a heart breaking.
Letting out a long sigh, Charles staggered up the stairs dramatically, only to immediately return to normal. He called out, "Dad, which one's my room?"
"First door on your right."
Charles stepped into the room and glanced around, his eyes lighting up.
It resembled his room back on the farm. From the look of it, Dad must have tried to preserve its original style.
Lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling, Charles suddenly thought of Clark and Erik.
"Wonder how they're doing," he murmured, falling into silence.
Just then, Gwen poked her head through the open doorway, peeking into Charles's room.
"So this is what my big brother's room looks like, huh?"
Charles sat up suddenly and waved her over. Digging around in his pocket, he pulled out a mushroom-shaped hair clip and handed it to her.
Gwen's eyes sparkled as she leaned in eagerly. "Big Brother, put it on for me!"
As Charles gently touched her soft, silky hair, his heart softened as well.
Gwen, feeling the hair clip on her head, grabbed Charles's hand and said, "Come with me!"
Charles followed Gwen into her pink-themed room and couldn't help but smirk.
Wow, the old man really went all out—even painted the place pink.
Gwen closed the door, drew the curtains, and pointed up as the starry sky appeared above them. "Pretty, right?"
Charles: "…"
Not even a little jealous. He was over twenty now. No way he'd be envious of a little girl.
So he shoved his hands in his pockets and coolly replied, "Not really."
Gwen looked a bit deflated and silently opened the curtains again.
But before she could get upset, Charles scooped her up.
"But it's very beautiful," he said with a grin, tapping her forehead lightly.
Gwen laughed and kissed Charles on the cheek, then giggled, covering her mouth.
Hopping down from his arms, Gwen sneakily pulled out a hidden piece of candy, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and handed it to Charles.
"Shh! Don't tell Dad, okay?"
Charles nodded and tossed the candy into his mouth.
Not bad.
He glanced at little Gwen.
Tch, what a clever little rascal.
He chuckled inwardly.
Sitting together on the bed, munching on candy, Gwen swung her legs happily.
"Big Brother, can you tell me about mutants? I heard they all have superpowers!"
Charles smiled, his eyes narrowing playfully. "You wanna know, huh?"
"Mm-hmm!"
(End of Chapter)