I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 504 [3 Chapters Combined] Showcasing Connections

The weather was almost too good on the day Xiaoyu's parents visited New York.

Sunlight streamed down from the azure sky, reflecting a dazzling light onto the glass dome of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Riley, meanwhile, was leaning against a pillar in the arrival hall, yawning listlessly.

He looked different than usual at that moment.

He looked to be nearly fifty years old, with a few shallow wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and a calm smile on his lips. Dressed in a well-fitting casual suit, he exuded an air of maturity that came with age.

This is his specially adjusted appearance.

After all, Tony was one of the "special guests" invited by Riley to support Jade today.

The Iron Man who possesses the ability to travel through time and space caused Riley to turn against the Heavenly Gang and become the "elder" in the other's eyes.

If someone saw him appear with the face of a minor, they would probably be completely dumbfounded.

"Are you nervous?" he asked Xiaoyu, who was sitting next to him.

Xiaoyu was wearing a brand new orange hoodie with a giant moose print on the chest. It was her most prized possession, and she had specially taken it out to wear for this meeting with her parents.

At this moment, Xiaoyu was standing on tiptoe, trying hard to find those two familiar faces in the crowd.

"I'm not nervous, just a little...annoyed."

Riley raised an eyebrow.

"bother?"

"They're definitely going to say those things again." Xiaoyu pouted. "Like 'We're doing this for your own good,' 'We're worried about you here,' 'You can only study properly if you go back'... They say it every time they call, I could recite it by heart."

Riley smiled but didn't say anything.

He knew perfectly well what Xiaoyu was worried about.

This girl has been in New York for half a year, experienced so much, and met so many people. She is no longer the little girl who was forcibly put on the plane by her parents.

But her parents didn't know.

Or rather, they simply don't care.

After all, being Chinese himself, Riley knew very well that in the traditional mindset of older generations of parents, children didn't need to have any personal ideas until they reached adulthood. They just needed to obediently follow the path they had laid out for them.

"Xiaoyu!"

Just then, a woman's voice came from the crowd.

Xiaoyu stiffened for a moment, then turned her head, a sweet smile already on her face.

"Mom! Dad!"

She ran over and threw herself into the arms of a well-dressed, gentle-looking middle-aged woman. The woman hugged her tightly, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.

"You've lost weight, so much weight... Have you not been eating properly?"

"I've eaten! I'm full every day!" Xiaoyu said sullenly in her arms. "It's just that the food here is too sweet and oily, it gets boring easily..."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyu's mother simply smiled and patted her head, without responding to Xiaoyu's complaints. She clearly assumed Xiaoyu's maladjustment to the environment was simply due to her being spoiled and overly "picky."

This made Riley, who was watching with his hands in his pockets, frown.

At the same time, Xiaoyu's father stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings before finally settling on Riley.

"Xiaoyu, who is this...?"

"Oh, this is Riley, one of the friends I've made here!"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyu broke free from her mother's embrace, ran to Riley's side, and grabbed his arm.

"He's amazing! He knows so many things!"

Riley stumbled as he was pulled, a polite smile on his face.

"Hello, elder brother and sister-in-law, I'm Riley Parker, a friend of Jackie Chan. When he goes out on archaeological expeditions, my dad and I usually take care of Jade."

In his half-truthful, half-joking response, Riley deliberately answered the questions of the people in front of him in Chinese, which made Xiaoyu's parents take a second look at Riley.

After all, at this point in time, when China is still developing at a low level, it is rare to find Europeans and Americans who are willing to take the initiative to learn Chinese.

For this reason, Xiaoyu's father's gaze changed from a cursory glance to a careful observation from head to toe.

A middle-aged man, well-dressed and with a composed demeanor. He looked like a reliable elder who had seen it all.

However, entrusting her daughter to the care of a strange man...

It seems that Jackie Chan has lived here for so long that he has been influenced by the environment and has even forgotten the most basic distinctions between men and women.

"Hello, Mr. Riley, I didn't expect you to speak Mandarin so well... Thank you for taking care of Xiaoyu during this time."

Thinking this, Xiaoyu's father's initial impression of Riley plummeted several notches. While nodding in response, his tone was polite, but clearly maintained a sense of distance.

"It's no trouble at all. Xiaoyu is a sensible and good girl, and I don't have to worry about her at all. Besides, she's doing quite well here, so you two don't need to worry too much."

Riley noticed the change in the other person's attitude, but didn't take it to heart. Instead, he solemnly praised Xiaoyu to her face.

Well, in a sense, Riley wasn't exactly lying.

After all, it was ultimately Dad and Uncle Long who were responsible for taking care of Xiaoyu on a daily basis. Even if Xiaoyu was naughty and caused trouble, they were the first to feel a headache. So when they spoke, they were quite self-righteous, without a trace of conscience.

Xiaoyu's father grunted in response, remaining noncommittal and not saying anything more.

His gaze had turned to Xiaoyu, and he began to inquire about her situation over the past six months—how her studies were going, how her lifestyle was, and whether she had caused any trouble.

As for Riley...

While the fact that Riley could speak Chinese was indeed intriguing, he still felt that Riley was just an ordinary elder who was occasionally entrusted by Uncle Long to help take care of Jade, and he didn't take him too seriously.

Moreover, although Xiaoyu had sent them a message on the way here, confidently promising that she would introduce them to several important figures during this trip to New York, which would greatly impress them.

But what weight can an ordinary person who is almost fifty years old and whose clothes are extremely common have?

It's impossible that the person standing in front of me right now is actually a superhero, isn't it?

After a brief conversation, the group, led by Riley, left the airport and boarded a private car provided by District 13.

The driver was Riley, of course, and as for the driver's license issue, Sheriff Black had already taken care of it.

Xiaoyu's mother sat in the back seat, holding Xiaoyu's hand and asking her all sorts of questions.

Xiaoyu's father sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the unfamiliar city outside the window.

"New York is... way more chaotic than it looks, don't you think?"

He suddenly spoke when he heard Xiaoyu clinging to her mother's arm, pleading in a soft, coquettish voice, almost hoarse, begging to stay in New York.

The tone, seemingly questioning, was actually firm and resolute, putting pressure on Xiaoyu.

"It's alright," Xiaoyu chimed in from behind. "I also found it chaotic when I first arrived, but I've gotten used to it now."

Xiaoyu's father did not respond.

The car drove through the streets and finally stopped in front of a community center.

"This is our first stop!" Xiaoyu jumped out of the car, excitedly pointing to the building in front of her. "A place I come here often!"

Xiaoyu's father got out of the car, looked at the three-story building in front of him, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"A residential community center?"

"Yes!" Xiaoyu nodded. "This is a welfare project promoted by the 13th... government department for ordinary people, and it's now open to community residents free of charge. I often come here, sometimes to learn, and sometimes to help out."

"Help?" Xiaoyu's mother asked, puzzled. "Help in what way?"

"It's just helping the staff organize things and playing with the kids," Xiaoyu said, pulling her mother's hand and leading her inside. "Mom, come and see, it's so nice inside!"

The community center has a spacious hall on the first floor, where several children are drawing in a corner. Behind the counter, some young people in uniform are looking after the children while occasionally looking down at their computers, typing away and making daily records.

A sign on the wall reads "Starlight Home". The colors of the walls, public facilities, and toys are also chosen to be bright and warm, which children would like, making it look cozy and beautiful.

"There are free classes here every day," Xiaoyu said, listing them off to her parents as if they were her most cherished possessions. "Computer classes, English classes, art classes... they're all for the kids in the neighborhood. When their parents are busy with work and don't have time to look after them, they send them here. Sometimes I come here too, to be a little teacher and teach the other kids to draw!"

Xiaoyu's mother's eyes lit up: "Really? You teach painting?"

"Yes!" Xiaoyu puffed out her chest, took her mother's hand, and walked in one direction. "I'm really good at drawing! If you don't believe me, come with me, there are my drawings on this wall!"

Xiaoyu's father didn't respond; he just looked around.

His gaze lingered on the children for a moment, then swept over the timetable on the wall, and finally landed on a middle-aged man reading a book in the corner.

The man, dressed in an ordinary jacket, looked to be in his forties with a weathered face. He was holding a storybook and reading it aloud to the rosy-cheeked young girl beside him in a gentle voice.

It was supposed to be a heartwarming scene, but the subtle fierceness in the other person's eyes made Xiaoyu's father instinctively frown.

"That person is...."

"Oh, him..." Xiaoyu glanced at him, her eyes darting around before she spoke. "His name is Flint, he's a new volunteer, he's in charge of helping to organize things."

During their conversation, the father and daughter who caught Xiaoyu's father's attention were naturally the Sandman and his daughter.

I don't know whether to say that good deeds are rewarded or that it was just a lucky accident.

Like the Sandman, Riley initially assumed that little Kamia, suffering from a serious illness and evicted from her home by her neighbors, had long since died on the streets. So, while asking the agents of District 13 to help search for her, Riley was already prepared to receive the worst news and then travel through time to rewrite the little girl's fate.

To Riley's surprise, Kemia was not only alive and well, but her condition had also stabilized considerably.

It turns out that on the day Kemia was kicked out of her home by her heartless neighbor, Kemia, who was crying uncontrollably, unknowingly walked into this newly completed community center.

After the staff patiently comforted her and learned about Kemia's past, they took her in, making her their first "little guest." They also did what they could to help Kemia with her treatment.

Therefore, when Shak learned that his daughter was safe and sound, and that her rescue was closely related to District 13, he felt even more guilty. He then asked Sheriff Black if he could volunteer in the community during his incarceration, to atone for his sins through his actions.

Therefore, under the full protection of the Sand People...

In a sense, this unassuming community center might just be the safest place in all of New York City, outside of the 13 boroughs.

Of course, Xiaoyu's father was unaware of these hidden details. Seeing Xiaoyu chatting and greeting the sand people in a familiar manner, receiving a slightly awkward and simple smile in return, he simply assumed she was an honest and law-abiding ordinary person, nodded, and did not ask any further questions.

After that, no matter how hard Xiaoyu tried to introduce the community center, her father remained unmoved and showed no interest.

This caused Xiaoyu's smile to freeze for a moment, but she quickly returned to normal.

After leaving the community center, the group went to several other places—the park Xiaoyu frequented, her favorite pizza shop, and the open space where she usually practiced her martial arts.

Wherever they went, Xiaoyu would excitedly introduce how fun it was here and how interesting it was there.

Her parents, on the other hand, maintained a polite but distant attitude throughout.

He would nod occasionally, ask a couple of questions, but never offer any opinions.

Riley followed behind, watching Xiaoyu's increasingly forced smile, and sighed inwardly.

He knew that this girl was trying hard to show her parents how well she was doing in New York and to gain their approval without relying on any external forces.

Given her current age, it would be incredibly difficult for her to change the mindset of "dictatorial" parents on her own.

Around 3 p.m., the group went into a coffee shop and sat down to rest.

Xiaoyu's father picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, then put the cup down and looked at Xiaoyu. His tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Xiaoyu, after we finish visiting your father, get ready to pack your bags. We're going back tomorrow."

Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment.

"Tomorrow? Didn't we agree to stay for three days?"

"Something came up at the company, so I have to go back early. You should pack your things and come with us so we don't have to make an extra trip later."

Xiaoyu's expression changed, and she hurriedly spoke up, forgetting to enjoy the small cake in front of her.

"Dad, I..."

"What?"

Before Xiaoyu could finish speaking, her father interrupted her, his tone becoming somewhat harsh.

"You've been having a blast outside for six months already, aren't you satisfied yet?"

"But I didn't...!"

"No buts, Xiaoyu, aren't you going to listen to your father?"

Xiaoyu's father frowned, his tone resolute, giving Xiaoyu no chance to explain herself.

"We haven't paid any attention to you for the past six months. You should have had enough fun and be content... It's time to come back with us and study hard. We've already contacted schools for you and taken care of the connections. You can enroll as soon as you go back. If you repeat a year, you can get in..."

Looking at her father, who was muttering to himself and had already clearly laid out Xiaoyu's life path, Xiaoyu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that she couldn't say anything.

She looked at her mother, who smiled gently but nodded slightly, indicating her approval of her husband's decision.

This chilled Xiaoyu's heart. She could only purse her lips and bite them tightly, casting a pleading look at Riley.

Riley put down his coffee cup at the right moment, nodded slightly in response to Xiaoyu, and then spoke.

"Ahem... Sir, although theoretically this is your family matter and I have no right to interfere, as Xiaoyu's temporary guardian in New York, I feel that I should say a few words for her at this time."

Xiaoyu's father glanced at him, a hint of wariness creeping into his eyes.

This middle-aged man has been quiet and reserved since we met, and hasn't said a single word.

What do you want to say now that you've suddenly opened your mouth?

I'd heard how bad the atmosphere was here even before I arrived...

Could it be that this guy has feelings for his daughter...?

Thinking of this, Xiaoyu's father's gaze towards Riley became increasingly subtle. Without making a sound, he nudged his wife with his elbow, signaling her to pull Xiaoyu to his side for protection, while, with a somewhat stiff smile, he replied, word by word, wanting to find out what was going on.

"Of course, Xiaoyu has been taken care of by you a lot. You are practically Xiaoyu's uncle, so you certainly deserve it."

During their conversation, Xiaoyu's father deliberately emphasized the word "uncle" to imply the age difference between Riley and Xiaoyu, hoping to discourage the man in front of him.

However, while Riley was quick-witted in other matters, he was completely ignorant about matters of the heart, treating Jade as nothing more than a younger sister without any other romantic feelings.

Therefore, Riley completely missed the underlying meaning in Xiaoyu's father's words. Instead, he took it as a form of approval and thus unceremoniously took over the conversation, speaking eloquently.

"I know you two are worried about Xiaoyu and think that New York is not safe enough for her to live in for a long time—in fact, six months ago, this idea was indeed correct—but you two may not know that in the past six months, the safety of New York has improved a lot."

"improve?"

"Yes, with the appearance of Spider-Man, the crime rate in New York City has dropped by 70 percent compared to the first half of the year, and street crime has dropped by 82 percent."

"Ha, Spider-Man? You must have heard of him. Just how cruel is that black Spider-Man? Especially recently, he recklessly invaded the territories of other countries, causing one massacre after another. He's practically an unstable threat! If it weren't for him, my wife and I wouldn't be so worried about Jade and so eager to bring her back."

Xiaoyu's father sneered, his tone filled with annoyance and dissatisfaction towards "Spider-Man".

"Besides, how do I know that the data you just mentioned wasn't something you made up on the spot?"

Riley paused for a moment, his lips twitching slightly.

Although Jade had mentioned this before, Riley was still left speechless, both amused and exasperated, after witnessing her father's attitude towards Spider-Man. He never imagined that the price he paid for his radical approach in eliminating the cancer would fall on Jade's shoulders.

"I have a friend who works in the police department, and this data was obtained from an official NYPD study and is publicly available. You can check it out online right now."

Xiaoyu's father glanced at Riley but said nothing.

But his eyes clearly said—you think you can fool him with just a "friend made up out of thin air"? Do you think he's a fool?

Riley understood that look in his eyes and knew that persuading parents with such traditional views would not be something that could be done in a few words.

But then the other party suddenly announced that they would take Xiaoyu back the next day, and made it clear that they would not let Xiaoyu return, which conflicted somewhat with Riley's plan. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue to persuade her.

"Of course, I understand your concerns as a father about your daughter's future. But Xiaoyu is really doing very well here. She has made many friends, learned a lot, and grown a lot. If you take her back now, it will actually hinder her future development..."

"Taking her back now will only benefit her, not harm her!"

However, in Xiaoyu's father's eyes, in just half a year, what friends could a little girl make or how much could she learn?

So, before Riley could finish speaking, he interrupted him and waved his hand impatiently.

"Sir, I know you mean well. But this is a family matter, and my husband and I can handle it ourselves. We don't need to trouble you, an outsider."

Riley fell silent.

That's already made very clear.

You're an outsider, so don't meddle in other people's business.

Unless Riley is willing to completely break ties and confront the couple head-on.

Otherwise, given how directly the other party had put it, Riley really couldn't interfere.

That's why Xiaoyu, understanding Riley's predicament, turned completely pale.

She looked at her father, her mother, and those faces that had once warmed her heart and filled her with longing, but now they felt utterly unfamiliar.

She finally understood that her parents didn't care how she was doing or what she wanted.

In their eyes, they are like puppets on strings, not needing to have any personal ideas, but only needing to follow the route they have set, step by step.

Just like six months ago, without discussing it with Xiaoyu, they suddenly decided to send her on a plane, across the ocean, to this unfamiliar city.

"...Yes, this is the coffee shop. Just come in, our seats are..."

Fortunately, Riley's plans were always trustworthy.

Just as Xiaoyu was trembling all over and was about to lose control of her emotions, Riley's phone suddenly rang.

Shortly after Riley hung up the phone, the café door was pushed open. A middle-aged man in a police uniform strode in, heading straight for the area where Riley and the others were, amidst the curious gazes of the others.

That was the first savior Riley brought to Jade, George Stacy.