SUP Chapter 3: Family and Another World

Does Superman get high blood pressure?

Occasionally, yes.

At that moment, Clark felt a rush of blood to his head.

"Why not write something about an ordinary person becoming a superhero through hard work?" he suggested, trying to steer Ian toward something serious.

"That wouldn’t be groundbreaking enough." Ian tilted his head, dismissing Clark’s idea and talent. Stories of superhero origins were everywhere.

Readers today needed real shock value.

"…"

Clark was speechless.

He always struggled to connect with his kids, whether it was his second son, Jordan, or his youngest, Ian.

His temples throbbed slightly, but Clark pressed on. "I think Superman wouldn’t appreciate people writing stories about his personal life."

"It’s too invasive of his privacy." Clark tried to keep his expression stern, his tone serious, aligning with mainstream values.

He thought he had a good chance of changing Ian’s mind.

But Clark didn’t know Ian had no doubts about who Superman was. The boy paused briefly before giving an airtight reason.

"We all know how kind and helpful Superman is. He wouldn’t refuse to help a kid in need." Ian winked at his father.

His flattery left Clark opening his mouth several times, unable to respond, until the planet’s mightiest hero finally relented.

"Fine, if that’s what you want to write…" Clark shook his head, left his youngest son’s room, and focused on preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Of course, multitasking was no challenge for him. While cooking, Clark couldn’t resist using his super vision to peek at his underage son’s secret writing. He wasn’t sure why he was so curious, perhaps because Ian’s title was just too explosive.

"Oh! My eyes!"

The content was even more outrageous.

It felt like Clark’s mind was polluted by something indescribable. Kids could be wildly imaginative, but he couldn’t fathom Ian’s thought process.

A forty-year-old divorced, menopausal woman with nine kids, working a job, being relentlessly pursued by Superman after one glance? It shattered Clark’s imagination. And then, the villain also fell for her, only for Superman to smirk and summon other superheroes to gang up on him.

Slap!

Clark smacked his forehead, convinced this story had no chance of being published. He couldn’t imagine what mental state Ian was in to write something so absurd. Was this really a sign of schizophrenia, as the psychologist warned?

Hiss!

Did his youngest son secretly want to be a menopausal woman?

The more Clark thought, the more horrified he felt. By dinnertime, he still hadn’t figured out how to explain to Lois what kind of stress relief Ian was pursuing.

Writing such absurd stories.

Could that really help his condition?

Clark’s mind was full of question marks.

At the dinner table, he kept glancing at Ian, who was focused on eating.

"What’s up?"

Ian looked at his father, puzzled. Clark forced a strained smile and placed a chicken drumstick in Ian’s bowl.

"Eat more, eat more."

Clark didn’t want his kids to notice his unease.

"I heard you didn’t go to school today? Did Mom and Dad take you to a psychologist?" Jonathan, the eldest, with neat short hair and youthful, sunny features, spoke up. As a high school football player, he was far more robust than most peers.

He was also the most gentle and steady child in the family.

"I told you being a bookworm would cause problems. See, I was right." Jordan, the lanky second brother with a usually aloof personality, was a bit more open at home. He teased Ian, lowering his voice with a suggestion. "But if you give me your meds to sell at school, we’d both make a fortune."

His words didn’t escape their parents’ ears.

"Jordan!"

Lois glared at him, displeased. "Stop being ridiculous. Your brother isn’t a bookworm. He just loves studying more than you and Jonathan. There’s nothing wrong with that!"

Her words made Jordan shrug indifferently.

"And your brother doesn’t need medication. He’s just a bit anxious, like you." Lois added sternly, though her cover-up was a bit obvious.

"Take your brother out to have fun this weekend," Clark said to his reliable eldest son, believing Ian needed more social interaction.

"Sure, no problem."

Jonathan gave his father an OK gesture.

"I know plenty of girls who are interested in Ian." Jonathan winked at Ian, his tone teasing.

"Really?"

Lois seemed delighted.

"Yup, those girls love his puppy-dog vibe." Jordan, poking at his plate, spoke with a hint of jealousy.

"I knew it! Look how handsome our Ian is!" Lois beamed at Ian, who was battling a large steak on his plate.

Ian was indeed good-looking.

In a word, he had a relatable charm.

His thick, slightly messy brown hair and deep blue eyes were quite attractive to the opposite sex. Perhaps only a young Leonardo DiCaprio could compare.

"I’d rather be a bit stronger." Ian wasn’t interested in meeting girls with Jonathan, especially since he didn’t know when he might be "sacrificed."

The Kryptonian blood in his brothers weighed heavily on him.

"Then come exercise with me!" Jonathan slung an arm around Ian’s neck. Though not yet awakened, he already had strength far beyond his peers.

"Cough, cough!"

Ian felt like he was being choked. Luckily, Jonathan noticed and let go, giving him a chance to breathe.

"Oh, sorry."

Jonathan apologized quickly.

"It’s fine."

Ian rubbed his neck, unbothered. Seeing his empty plate, he asked his parents if he could return to his room to rest.

"Of course, dear." Lois kissed Ian’s cheek, watching him hurry upstairs before turning curiously to her husband.

"What’s he rushing off to do? Not studying, right?" Her journalist instincts picked up on Ian’s mood, but Clark didn’t know how to answer.

"Uh, not studying."

He controlled his facial muscles, speaking calmly. "Kids need some private secrets, don’t they?"

The old privacy excuse worked well on Lois.

Seeing her drop the subject, Clark sighed inwardly with relief. But then came the troublesome topic of Jordan’s psychological issues and academic performance. No way around it, Superman’s married life was like this. Maintaining family harmony was far more headache-inducing than fighting disasters.

Perhaps.

This was a stage everyone had to go through, superhero or not.

[You diligently wrote, gaining some writing skills. [Student] occupation experience +1]

[You diligently wrote, gaining some writing skills. [Student] occupation experience +1]

…

In his room, Ian was writing fervently.

Unlike Clark’s doubts, Ian enjoyed it immensely. Not only could he showcase his talent, but he also gained occupational experience.

A win-win, twice the victory. Ian felt he’d fallen in love with writing. But something about his unique situation seemed less approving.

Despite his enthusiasm, believing he could write through several nights, a peculiar drowsiness hit him right on schedule as time passed.

"Ugh, can’t avoid it, can’t escape it."

Ian sighed, put down his pen, and resignedly looked at the clock.

[11:59]

[12:00]

…

As the clock crossed the boundary between one day and the next, Ian felt a familiar twitch in his brain.

His vision blurred, and the next moment, a lead-gray sky, snow-white ground, and a city of ruins appeared before him.

"Hoo~"

Ian exhaled, his breath forming a white mist. His pupils reflected this world: howling winds, swirling snow, and a city frozen for millennia.

Everything was still.

He was the only thing moving in this world.

Perhaps the only living thing.

[NEXT CHAPTER]