DC: Starting with Superman's Powers - Chapter 15

Wild grass covered the ground, and a fresh, crisp breeze blew by. Clark took a deep breath, his heart racing for the first time.

The SUV keys lay quietly in his palm.

Just as Lex had said, many American high schoolers dreamed of owning their own car.

Clark looked at the car keys in his hand, then his gaze shifted back to the red SUV in front of him. Its rugged, imposing body, its aesthetically pleasing lines, and its red paint made the SUV incredibly eye-catching on the road.

If, if I were to drive a car like this on the road, I’d definitely catch Lana Lang’s eye, wouldn’t I?

Clark didn’t notice that his previously downcast lips had subtly curved upward, his smile almost impossible to suppress. Yes, at this moment, Clark looked like a massive simp.

“But, why?” Clark excitedly clenched his fists and looked at Jino beside him.

Why would the other person give him such an expensive SUV?

The blonde teenager chuckled, gently hooked his arm around Clark’s neck, patted Clark’s shoulder, and pointed at the sports car with the arm resting on Clark’s shoulder: “A Cadillac Escalade.”

“This car is a gift from me to you, to thank you for saving my brother.”

Jino felt that one should know how to repay kindness. Someone saved his brother, so giving them a $300,000 SUV wasn’t excessive, right?

“Wow, this is truly…” Clark gasped excitedly, taking slow steps around the red SUV as if it were a long-lost relative. He cautiously reached out his hand and pressed it against the car’s body, his face filled with excitement and joy.

But, thinking of his strict father, Clark’s previously smiling face stiffened slightly, his spirits deflated, and he hung his head somewhat dejectedly: “I’m sorry, Jino, I can’t accept such a valuable gift.”

He knew his father would never let him accept Jino’s gift.

[Negative emotion from Clark Kent +1, +1]
Jino wasn’t surprised by Clark’s reaction. After all, the big boy had a strict father, and it was impossible for him to let Clark accept such a valuable gift.

However, doesn’t that make it more challenging?

After all, a man’s two favorite things in life are convincing a “prostitute” to become virtuous, and forcing a virtuous person to become a “prostitute.”

Today, Clark had to accept this SUV. He and Lex had never lost a bet.

And, Jino had already thought of a solution before coming.

“You don’t want it?” Jino raised an eyebrow. Clark remained silent, then, after a long pause, he nodded with difficulty.

“Yes, please take it back. I didn’t save your life for a reward,” Clark said, nodding his head slightly.

“Alright, then I’ll smash it.” Jino raised his fist, then suddenly brought it down toward the SUV’s hood.

“What!?” Clark’s face changed drastically as he watched Jino’s unhurried fist about to land on the hood.

Clark had witnessed Jino’s strength. One punch like that would definitely wreck the engine, turning the car into a pile of scrap metal.

The fist came closer and closer. Jino seemed to be smashing nothing more than a cheap block of tofu, his handsome face filled with calm and ruthlessness.

“Damn it,” Clark cursed, a rare occurrence.

“Slam!”

The moment the fist was about to land, Clark raised his right hand and grabbed Jino’s wrist.

“Why are you smashing it?” Clark was somewhat exasperated, his large eyes staring into Jino’s blue ones, as if trying to discern Jino’s thoughts.

Smashing an expensive car just like that was simply a waste of wealth.

“Because it’s a gift for you,” Jino gently shook off Clark’s arm, speaking lightly: “There’s no precedent for a gift from the Luthor Family to be returned.”

Jino glanced at Clark as if by accident: “If you don’t want it, then it can only be smashed.”

Saying that, Jino raised his fist again.

Arrogant, overbearing—this was Jino’s true portrayal at that moment.

“Wait!” Clark pursed his lips and grabbed Jino’s wrist. He truly couldn’t bear to see the SUV wrecked in front of him, but he also found it difficult to accept the gift.

Jino saw the conflict in Clark’s eyes and changed his words: “Since you won’t let me smash it, then this car can stay with you for now, for safekeeping, Clark.”

“Safekeeping?” Clark pondered, then gave a wry smile. The “safekeeping” Jino mentioned probably meant for life, didn’t it? How was that different from a disguised gift? It was just a different way of putting it.

Jino didn’t care about Clark’s thoughts. He opened the passenger door, pulled out sunglasses from his white shirt pocket and put them on, then looked down at his watch. He tapped the car door, turned his head to look at Clark, who stood by the road with a complex expression: “Can you drive? We’ll be late if we don’t go now.”

“Sigh,” Clark sighed, but the smile on his lips still showed he was in a good mood.

“Yes! I got my license last summer!” Clark excitedly opened the car door, inserted the key, and started the ignition.

The SUV roared to life, and the powerful acceleration thrilled Clark.

Clark glanced gratefully at Jino, the bitter, aggrieved expression on his face disappearing, replaced by a spirited, bold look. He shouted loudly, “Jino, hold on tight!”

“Oh?” Jino raised an eyebrow, playing along: “Why?”

“Because,” Clark shifted gears, released the clutch, and stomped on the accelerator to raise the engine’s RPM: “It’s going to get fast now!”

Smallville High School.

“Vroom~” Chloe carefully drove her silver Bugatti sports car, slowly pulling into a parking spot.

Pete, the dark-skinned boy, followed Chloe out of the sports car, affectionately patting the car’s body as he mumbled, “Man, I’m gonna miss your speed.”

“Don’t be sad. Maybe if you work hard and persevere, you’ll be able to buy this sports car someday?” Chloe said, holding her backpack.

“Come on, even if I sold all my internal organs, I couldn’t afford this sports car.” Pete rolled his eyes. He didn’t believe the deceptive talk about hard work leading to wealth.

“Vroom!” The roar of an SUV interrupted their thoughts, and many students walking into the school stopped and turned to look into the distance.

A red SUV beast drove into the parking lot at a steady pace, pulling into the spot to the left of a silver sports car.

“Morning, everyone.” A beaming Clark pulled open the car door and stepped out.

“Your keys.” Chloe walked over to Jino, returning the sports car keys.

“Whoa, Jino, just how many cars do you have?” Pete looked at the steel beast in front of him with an expression of awe. “This red SUV is so cool.”

“I don’t know, maybe more than ten. But this car isn’t mine anymore; it belongs to Clark now.” Jino chuckled, patting Clark on the shoulder, while Clark offered a shy smile. “I’m just holding onto it for him.”

However, Chloe and Pete, having heard Jino’s explanation, widened their eyes, looking as if they’d seen a ghost:

“What?”

They exchanged a glance and simultaneously exclaimed, “You gave Clark a car!?”

For a moment, Chloe even wondered if Jino had ulterior motives for Clark. Why else would he just give Clark a car for no reason?

Are all rich people really this capricious?