I'm doing bidirectional science popularization in American comics

The training session that night left Clark both incredibly excited and slightly exhausted.

It's not because of the amount of training or how tiring sparring is, but mainly because deliberately suppressing one's strength is just too exhausting and mentally taxing.

Crawling into the covers, inhaling his own scent, Clark took a deep breath.

"Mmm~ So comfortable!" Clark said. "Indeed, nothing is more comfortable than my own bed."

Clark decided that once he found a house in the Metropolitan Area, he would move all his bedding, sheets, and mattress, which he had used for several years, there.

That way, at least I can smell familiar scents in the metropolis and feel less lonely.

After all, Pete, Chloe, and Lana all felt that they should continue to college instead of starting work right after high school like they did.

With Martha's third call, Clark finally threw off the covers and reluctantly left his bed.

When we arrived at the table, today's breakfast consisted of sandwiches, boiled corn kernels, and a vegetable salad.

Jonathan was holding a newspaper, looking at today's local news.

Martha served the vegetable salad to the three of them on small plates, then asked, "Are you ready to leave when?"

Upon hearing Martha's question, Jonathan immediately moved the newspaper down five centimeters and secretly glanced at Clark.

"I estimate that after saying goodbye to my friends at noon today, I will set off alone."

Clark brought the spoon full of corn kernels to his mouth, finished speaking, and then swallowed it in one gulp.

It must be said that the corn grown on Kent's farm is indeed sweeter and softer than that from other places.

"Going alone?" Jonathan asked doubtfully. "Are you sure you don't need me to drive you?"

Clark shook his head and said, "You know, Father, it would be much faster if I went by myself."

Jonathan put the newspaper aside, picked up a sandwich, and said, “Okay, you’re all grown up now, you can decide these things for yourself. But remember, don’t let other people know you’re different.”

Clark nodded and said, "I understand, Father. Unless the time is right, I will hide among ordinary people, even... more ordinary than them."

Is the time ripe?

Jonathan didn't quite understand what Clark meant, but he didn't delve into it, after all, Clark was an adult and a sensible child.

Therefore, long before Clark graduated, he and Martha had already decided that Clark would choose his own path in the future.

“Now, eat your food properly, and then go say goodbye to your friends one by one,” Jonathan said.

Clark quickly finished his food, wiped his mouth, stood up, and said, "I'll go find Pete and Chloe first; they're definitely waiting for me at our secret base."

Clark got up and left, leaving Jonathan and Martha at the table.

Martha pulled herself to Jonathan's side, took her man's hand, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Clark is leaving this house to make his own way in the metropolis,” Martha said. “Don’t you have anything to say, honey?”

Jonathan looked reluctant, but quickly composed himself and said, "Don't worry, Martha. Clark is a mature and sensible kid, and he's reached the age where he can go out and make his own way in the world. When I was Clark's age, I was even more eager to go out and make my own way in the world than he is."

Upon hearing this, Martha wiped away her tears and said with a smile, "Yes, otherwise you wouldn't have brought your farm to Smallville, and you wouldn't have met me."

Jonathan pulled Martha into his arms and said, "We just need to go about our business as usual, and live our lives well. Whether we miss Clark or Clark misses us, we can just give each other a call right away, right?"

Martha nodded and said, "Yes! And... our son is special. Whenever he wants, he can run back faster than an airplane, right?"

"That's right! Our son is the most unique person in the world!"

Jonathan said.

Clark, Chloe, and Pete's secret base is located in a grove of trees on the outskirts of Smallville.

Here, they built a little wooden cabin that no one knew about.

From childhood to adulthood, they have renovated and rebuilt this wooden house several times.

They caught insects, looked at the stars, and chatted about the girls and boys in their class.

They talked about everything under the sun without any inhibitions.

But in the end, they had to say goodbye to each other in this simple yet cozy little wooden house.

Clark is going to the Metropolitan to begin his career, while Chloe is going to a prestigious university in New York.

As for Pete... his academic performance was average, but he was quite talented in sports. As a football player, he was admitted to a university that, while not a prestigious one, was quite noteworthy... Gotham University.

Inside the wooden cabin, the orange-yellow lamp was switched on with a click.

Chloe arranged the various snacks she had just made, along with pieces of fruit, on the table in the middle of the cabin.

Three chairs are placed around the table.

Chloe sat in the leftmost chair, opened the lid of the food container containing fruit, and took out a box of toothpicks from her backpack.

Chloe picked up a piece of apple with a toothpick, put it in her mouth, and savored it with an expression of enjoyment.

"As expected of fruit from the Kent family farm, it is indeed the sweetest and most fragrant."

This batch of fruit was purchased by Chloe's family at the market; it came from the Kent family.

The Kent family's crops were renowned in the town and always sold out quickly.

Chloe glanced at the clock on the wooden wall and said angrily, "Clark and Pete, those two guys, they're always late! As men, they're just too much!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Clark appeared beside Chloe like a gust of wind. He snatched the toothpick from Chloe's hand, picked up a grape, and put it in his mouth.

"I'm not late at all! Look, I'm just in time!"

Clark pointed to 8:15 on the clock and said smugly.

Chloe blushed and snatched the toothpick from Clark's hand, saying, "If you want to eat, go get your own toothpick! Besides, what's the difference between being on time and being late?"

Clark chuckled and shook his head, then sat down in the chair next to Chloe and said, "Are all girls this unreasonable?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and said, "I suggest you ask Lana Lan about this!"

"Lana Lan? Is he here too?" Behind the two, accompanied by the creaking sound of the door opening, Pete walked in hastily.

Chloe picked up a grape, tossed it to Pete, and said, "Of course not, otherwise, would Clark, that womanizer, be eating fruit with my toothpick?"

Pete deftly caught the green grape, casually tossed it into his mouth, and exclaimed, "Wow, Clark and Chloe indirectly kissed! That's big news!"

Pete threw his backpack on the ground and laid out various kinds of barbecue he had brought from home on the table, saying, "Clark, if you don't introduce me to some girls from the metropolis, I'm going to tell Lana Lan about this!"

"Hahahaha, that's a great suggestion!" Chloe laughed and said, "Clark, you have to introduce me to a handsome guy who's over 1.85 meters tall, or I'll tell Lana Lan about the time you and I kissed!"

"I didn't kiss you!" Clark said somewhat flusteredly. "I just... used your toothpick."

"Look! Clark's getting shy!" Pete joked. "This guy gets really nervous whenever Lana Lan is mentioned. Look at him now, he's as tense as a balloon about to burst!"

"Pete, don't worry, I'll definitely introduce you to a few wealthy women in their fifties from the metropolis!" Clark said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Pete immediately refused, saying, "Come on, I don't want to play the 'twister game' with those old ladies!"

"Oh right, I brought fruit, Pete brought barbecue, so what about you, Clark? What did you bring?"

Chloe asked.

Upon hearing this, Clark opened his backpack and took out two bottles of bright red wine.

“This is wine my father made himself,” Clark said. “He always told me I wasn’t old enough to drink. I think now… we can all try it!”

"Oh!!!"

Chloe took the glass of red wine and exclaimed excitedly, "Clark, you really understand me!"

Pete chimed in, saying, "From now on, no one can refuse us drinks because of our age!"

"cheers!"

"cheers!"

"cheers!"

The group ate fruit and grilled meat while drinking large gulps of red wine.

Jonathan Kent's red wines are made entirely from the finest grapes grown on his own farm.

In addition, the special brewing method gives the red wine a fruity aroma and makes it quite delicious.

Of course, this red wine also has an alcohol content that matches its quality.

With its extremely high alcohol content and the fearlessness of teenagers drinking for the first time, Chloe and Pete quickly got drunk.

Pete slumped over the table, his originally dark face now flushed. He mumbled sleepily, "Honestly, I really want to get into Gotham University! I thought... I was going to fail miserably."

Upon hearing this, Clark silently began to pray for Pete.

He had already witnessed the darkness and horror of Gotham, and although it was only the tip of the iceberg, it still made this Kryptonian boy, who had grown up surrounded by truth, goodness and beauty, feel extremely uncomfortable.

Clark had tried several times to dissuade Pete from giving up his acceptance to Gotham University, but Pete felt that this might be his only chance to go to college in his life and refused to give it up.

In the end, Clark could only stop trying to dissuade him and hope that Batman would come to his aid if Pete was in danger.

Chloe, her eyes glazed with drunkenness, said, "Clark, do you think... the three of us will ever see each other again?"

Upon hearing this, Clark replied without hesitation, "Of course, we can meet anytime we want, whenever we want."

"Hehe." Chloe smiled happily and then said, "That's good, that's good. Don't forget about me, Clark."

Looking at his two best friends who had fallen into a deep sleep, Clark smiled helplessly.

“Of course, I can’t forget any of you,” Clark said softly. “Whether it’s you, Pete, or Lana, I think... I will never forget the bond I have with you all.”

Finally, Clark drove Chloe and Pete home separately.

After that, Clark went to visit Lana Lan again.

The relationship between him and Lana Lan is somewhat ambiguous and difficult to explain, yet it is intricately intertwined.

Although Depp has repeatedly told Clark that he and Lana Lam should break up as soon as possible, Clark is now completely unable to do so.

The two chatted until noon, when Clark checked the time and said, "I should go back now. I'll tell my mother I'll be back by noon."

Lana Lan nodded, flashing her signature charming smile, and said, "Okay, Clark, I hope you find a job you like in the Metropolis."

"Thank you very much, well... goodbye."

Back at the farm, after having lunch with his parents, Clark hugged Jonathan and Martha separately.

He picked up his bag and looked toward the metropolis.