I Have a Girlfriend in Marvel

Su Ye knew Gwen was very busy. She juggled school credits, college applications, and a weekend internship at Oscorp, keeping her schedule packed.

But the "busy" Gwen referred to wasn't about any of that.

When Gwen pulled out a stack of books from her bag, Su Ye was stunned.

(Algorithms and Data Structures), (General Programming), (The Path of Java Developers), (C++: From Beginner to Expert), (Python Programming in Action: Using Design Patterns), (Concurrency), (Libraries to Create High-Quality Code) ...

Just from reading the titles, let alone the contents, Su Ye felt a headache coming on.

Yet Gwen enthusiastically started introducing the content of each book.

"This one explains computational thinking, this one's about programming, and this one… Oh, and this one's about hacking—offense and defense!"

Once a biotech nerd, she now seemed to be evolving into an IT programmer.

Girl, do you realize learning this stuff can lead to baldness? Even if you're a woman, don't be too optimistic—IT spares no one's hairline.

But Su Ye knew Gwen wasn't planning to become a corporate code monkey.

Previously, after his fight with Green Goblin, the two had discussed superhero matters on the rooftop.

Although the mood kept shifting due to occasional flirting, they did manage to talk about a few things.

At the time, Su Ye had half-jokingly mentioned how, in movies, every lone hero actually had a support team behind them—some mapped out missions, while others hacked into enemy systems.

Unexpectedly, Gwen took him seriously and decided to handle all the logistics herself—becoming a one-person support team.

"You don't have to work so hard. You can have your own life, continue your internship, go to college, study what you like, and work on projects you enjoy," Su Ye said with concern.

Su Ye spoke with a hint of worry. He wanted Gwen to have her own life, not just be an accessory to his.

An independent woman deserved more respect.

Too bad he couldn't find that super-spider. Otherwise, he could let it bite Gwen and turn her into Spider-Gwen. That would've been perfect.

However, Gwen didn't see it that way.

"I used to think that working with Dr. Connors on those research projects was what I loved. But after learning your identity and getting involved in all this, I realized being a superhero's assistant can be really fun too."

"You can see me as a superhero's assistant, but I prefer to think of myself as the mastermind behind the scenes."

"Using my intelligence to analyze situations and guide the superhero to complete missions—don't you think that's pretty cool?"

Su Ye couldn't help but scratch his head. Gwen's perspective wasn't wrong at all.

It gave off a vibe of strategizing in a safe zone while deciding the outcome of distant battles.

Besides, this dynamic made her the thinker, managing him, while he became the doer, carrying out her plans.

That wouldn't be too bad—it would save him a lot of trouble. But it also felt like he was signing up for a strict housekeeper.

Wait a minute—Su Ye suddenly thought of a more serious problem.

If Gwen became a true tech expert, would she install some weird surveillance or monitoring devices on him? All his actions would then be under her watchful eye.

Then... what would happen when he had his moments with Mai Shiranui?

Would it be a live broadcast?

Caught red-handed?

That sounds... kind of thrilling!

Su Ye felt it was necessary to discuss this with Gwen, though perhaps not right now—he didn't want to dampen her enthusiasm. He'd find the right time later.

"You're right—that's really cool. You might even be cooler than me, Captain!"

As he spoke, Su Ye smiled and saluted Gwen.

Gwen chuckled. "Alright, Spider-Man, you're officially my first soldier. Don't let me down, okay?"

Su Ye raised an eyebrow. "First soldier? Am I not enough for you? Are you thinking of recruiting more? I think you're underestimating my capabilities—I'll make sure you can't handle it!"

"Oh really?" Gwen laughed, her eyes curling into crescent moons. "I don't believe you!"

"Well then, it seems I'll have to show you why the flower's color is so red!" Su Ye said as he prepared to pounce.

Just then, a voice came from nearby.

"Sorry! Am I interrupting something?"

The one speaking was Harry. Though he said "sorry," his face showed no trace of apology as he casually sat down next to Su Ye.

"To be honest, if you were Thompson, I'd probably have kicked you over to the opposite bleachers by now," Su Ye said, turning to Harry.

Su Ye turned and said to Harry.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. Nearby, Thompson, who had just come over to retrieve a ball, froze upon hearing Su Ye's words and quickly ran off clutching the basketball.

"I used to get pretty mad watching Thompson bully people, but now seeing how scared he is of you, I almost feel sorry for him," Gwen remarked.

Gwen said it casually, her indifferent expression making it clear she wasn't really invested in the sentiment.

Given all the things Thompson had done in the past, no amount of blowback now would be undeserved.

Harry had come to invite Su Ye to a Broadway show that evening.

"MJ has always dreamed of being an actress, so I pulled some strings to get her a role on Broadway. Tonight's her debut, and I'd like to invite you both to come watch."

Come to think of it, Mary Jane being with someone like Harry, a wealthy heir, was quite fortunate. With just a simple gesture, Harry could open doors for her that she would've had to fight tooth and nail—or even compromise herself—to achieve on her own.

Unfortunately, Norman Osborn didn't approve of Mary Jane, seeing her as a poor girl after his son's money.

Harry understood this well, which was why he worked hard to elevate Mary Jane's status, hoping she would eventually be seen by his father as someone worthy of him.

And tonight was a crucial moment for them.

As Harry's friend—perhaps his only friend—Su Ye felt it was his duty to show support.

However, Gwen shook her head as she held her books. "Here, take this. You guys go ahead. I can't stay out too late, and I need to get back to studying."

She handed Su Ye a small box, then began packing her bag.