Mindy snorted. “Train. I’ve been training since I was five.”
Joseph didn’t believe it. There were too many people in this world who started training at a young age. Even if it was a kid training in Muay Thai who already started bleeding in the ring at a young age, Joseph had never seen anyone with such terrifying strength.
Mindy’s kick just now had guaranteed that the Muay Thai kid would die on the spot.
Looking at his disbelieving expression, Mindy didn’t explain, but changed the subject. “You probably… Well, it’s impossible for you to undergo that sort of training, so why don’t you come up with a more feasible plan?”
She didn’t believe that Luke would be willing to put Joseph in a bulletproof vest and train him with a gun.
Joseph grew interested. “For example?”
Mindy mimed flipping down a visor. “Let’s do this. Then… be like Iron Man, understand?”
Joseph was lost for words.
He couldn’t beat her for now, so he magnanimously held in his words.
Mindy chuckled and bumped him with her shoulder. “Don’t be angry. I’m serious. Aren’t you very smart? If you work hard, you might become another Tony Stark.”
Joseph looked upward speechlessly. “Do you know how old Tony Stark is?”
Mindy was stumped – for one moment, she had forgotten.
She was a hardcore Batman fan and was more interested in knowing how old Batman was. Unfortunately, he never gave her the chance.
As for the middle-aged man who made a lot of noise in the group every time, how old was he? She didn’t remember at all.
Joseph sighed. “He’s already 36. Even when he first became Iron Man, he was 34. I’m only eight this year. I’m still a kid.”
Mindy subconsciously raised her fingers. What was 34 minus 8? Hm, 26.
It was clearly too much to point someone down a road that would take them 26 years without any guarantee of success.
She chuckled and rubbed his head again. “You’re still so young. Work harder. When you’re 18, make your own metal suit. Just surpass him.”
Joseph: “Heh, thanks for the encouragement.”
Did she think he didn’t read the news online? Iron Man’s suit was worth hundreds of millions of dollars – Joseph had nothing! Even as he cursed inwardly, however, he started to get some ideas.
Mindy didn’t know that her airy joke had piqued this little brother’s interest for real. She simply pulled him up. “Let’s go, let’s go. I heard a car outside. Nikki and Monica must be here. It’s another good day for training.”
Joseph: Do you enjoy beating me up?
After training, Luke picked Joseph up off the floor. When they returned home, Joseph quickly checked for news of Iron Man online.
After dinner, the two brothers sat in the living room. Luke enjoyed his tea and read the news as he casually asked Joseph about his training.
Suddenly, Joseph said, “Luke, I want to become Iron Man.”
Luke was stunned. What? You want me to kill a certain tycoon and help lift you up?
Instantly putting the comical thought aside, he nodded. “Why?”
Joseph was silent, and Luke didn’t press him.
Joseph was different from Claire. He was too smart.
Of course, Claire wasn’t stupid, but she loved sports more and rarely considered deeper issues.
People like that actually lived happier lives.
Although Joseph was only eight, he was extremely intelligent.
In the last three years, their family had become more middle-class, and Catherine had invested a lot of resources into Joseph’s education.
Catherine was an excellent middle school teacher. A lot of the kids she taught entered society, and it was easy to see from alumni records what kind of people these students became.
She knew very well that education could change a person’s fate.
Joseph, who had abundant education, matured very quickly.
If it wasn’t for Luke’s firm objection, the kid might’ve joined MENSA and started his crazy jump to college.
But Luke felt that childhood should be more relaxed and beautiful – it shouldn’t be a period just for learning.
In the end, everybody asked Joseph for his opinion, and he chose to play for a few more years.
He liked to play games, watch cartoons and use poisonous words to stab little girls in the heart, which was no different from ordinary kids.
Joseph was just an early bloomer, not a genius.
Luke was most thankful for this.
Many geniuses were truly different from ordinary people.
They might have high IQ, but lacked normal feelings.
If his family constantly pushed him, it would completely destroy Joseph.
Luke could only rejoice that Claire was ordinary, or his two siblings would make him lose a lot of hair.
He wasn’t dealing with bad guys or criminals here, but family. Plus, they weren’t even adults.
There was no way Luke would use tricks on them, so he could only guide them carefully.
For example, his expression was very formal right now, and he couldn’t smile like he did with Claire.
Joseph tilted his head and thought for a moment. “To… become more handsome?”
Luke’s face darkened. “Don’t learn from Claire. You’re not interested in celebrities at all.”
Joseph chuckled, but wasn’t embarrassed at being exposed. “Well, I’m only interested in some things about Iron Man, not the scandals, you know.”
Luke took a sip of his tea and took the opportunity to sense his brother’s mental fluctuations. “Hm, you don’t want to be a playboy, which means it’s that metal shell that you like? Or rather, the technology?”
Joseph frowned and thought for a moment before he shook his head. “No. The shell… Er, the armor is interesting. What I’m interested in are those mysterious unknown powers.”
Luke paused for a moment. “For example?”
After a brief silence, Joseph said, “That big monster in Grand Rapids, the Chitauri, that rainbow-colored pillar of light which appeared in New York, things like that.”
Luke cursed inwardly. He hadn’t expected his little brother to be interested in these mysterious powers. This was even more dangerous than being obsessed with science.
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Thinking quickly for a moment, he asked, “Do you want power like that for yourself, or are you just curious about its existence?”
Joseph thought for a moment before he replied, “I wouldn’t mind becoming a sorcerer. To become that ugly monster? Hehe, how would I find a girlfriend then?”
Luke was astonished. “Don’t you hate those stupid and annoying girls?”
Joseph gave him a disdainful look. “Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean I have to turn into an ugly monster.”
Luke understood. “Power is only temporary, but looks are forever.”
Stumped for a moment, Joseph then nodded decisively in agreement. “That’s right.”
After chatting for a while, Luke lightened the heavy atmosphere and continued, “I think I get what you’re saying. However, if you’re interested in these things, you need to have the basic knowledge and theory to explore them. How will you go about doing that?”
Joseph said, “Science. At the very least, it’s a mature system, and I don’t have to make guesses.”
“That’s fine.” Luke was relieved.
