A comfortable family life often makes people lose track of time. Clark learned to walk, talk, run, and jump. He even sang "Happy Birthday to You" in his sweet, young voice for Ben and May's birthdays.
During this time, Richard never stopped watching Clark. He even secretly collected Clark's hair for experiments, and the results brought him a sense of relief. The good news was that Clark wasn't the result of a failed experiment; his genes were perfect.
The bad news was that Richard found, after comparing them, that while Clark's genes were very similar to humans, there were also differences. He wasn't human. This raised a big question mark about Clark's identity.
Because of this, Richard also kept an eye on his younger brother, Ben. When he found out Ben had been renting a shipping container long-term at the New York port, he realized Ben must know something.
In truth, even if Richard hadn't said anything, Ben and May had already noticed things were off as Clark grew up. They were first-time parents, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Clark was a very good older brother, almost too good.
He was incredibly strong. By the age of six, he was already playing basketball on the outdoor court. He even became a rising basketball star in their neighborhood. Once, while he was playing alone, Ben happened to walk by and saw something incredible: six-year-old Clark could dunk! A child just over a meter tall jumped up to a three-meter-high basketball hoop and dunked a basketball bigger than his head. If Clark's earlier abilities could be called gifted, this performance was truly unbelievable.
And this amazing ability wasn't just about physical strength. Ben and May both liked to watch news from around the world. Though American reporters usually traveled globally for broadcasts, local languages would pop up occasionally.
With just this little exposure, Clark learned Russian and Chinese without Ben and May even noticing. He even started to learn Korean and Japanese.
But he was only six years old. Important things usually need to be repeated over and over. When someone becomes too talented, they're no longer a genius; they're a marvel.
Ben and May, who knew Clark's background, felt this most deeply. They had known for a while that Clark was likely an alien and had always worried he'd face prejudice for being different. But now, it was more than just being different.
So, after slowly realizing how serious the situation was, Ben decided to go into Clark's room one night.
"Dad? What's going on?"
A Father's Concerns
Ben and Aunt May were both ordinary people, living ordinary lives. But their ordinariness was different from others. Most people were simply limited in their abilities, but Ben and Aunt May chose to be ordinary. They loved their simple, happy life and didn't want to chase too many things.
In fact, both were extremely smart. Under their guidance, Clark's development was different from what one might expect. He realized his talents early and began to use them to learn quickly. Just like now, Ben saw a copy of Romance of the Three Kingdoms written entirely in Chinese on Clark's desk.
"Clark, I need to tell you something."
Looking at his father's serious face, Clark remembered the times he was scolded for being naughty as a child. Even though it never hurt, he didn't want to go through that again. "I... haven't done anything wrong recently, right, Dad? What happened?"
Seeing Clark's scared look, Ben wanted to laugh. It seemed he was doing a good job as the strict father. But when he thought about the rumors he'd heard recently, he couldn't feel happy.
"Clark, you're a smart kid. You learn everything very quickly, but you're just too good."
Clark was confused. It sounded like his father was praising him, but why did the mood feel so strange?
"I hope you can grow up how you want, but it's clear you've surpassed this society by too much. You've surpassed too many of your peers, and even most adults. You are excellent, but too excellent."
Clark felt this too. He thought he was just smart at first, but when he compared himself to the people around him – people his age or even much older – he realized he and they were like two different kinds of beings; the difference was too big.
It was rare for him to play basketball at six, but actually, since that time, few people wanted to play basketball with him. If you won, you wouldn't be happy, and if you lost, you'd look bad. No one wanted to do that.
"So, Clark, I hope you can hold back your outward behavior and act like a normal kid your age. Don't show off your talents. Just study quietly. Only then can you live a peaceful life."
A New Resolve
When he said this, Ben felt very guilty. If he were Tony Stark, would he still need Clark to hide his talent to fit into society? The answer was no.
If Tony had found Clark, he would only announce to the world that his son was a genius, destined to become a great person. Instead of asking his child to adapt to the world, he would use his own power to make the world adapt to his child.
At this moment, Ben made up his mind. Since Clark's talent meant he was meant to be extraordinary, then Ben had no reason to keep choosing to be ordinary. He loved his home and his family.
For them, he could give up wealth within his reach and a chance to get rich. But also for his family, he was willing to fight for everything he could possibly have in this world.
"I understand, Dad. I'll be careful next time."
After Ben spoke, Clark realized he couldn't keep going like this. The number of people willing to be around him had started to drop, and Clark didn't want to be alone in the future with no friends.
Looking at Clark, who was so understanding, Ben felt even more guilty, and at the same time, his resolve grew stronger. Such a long period of ordinary life had indeed made him forget a lot of the knowledge he'd gained in the past, but he still had enough time.
Clark was only six years old, and Ben was less than thirty. He had enough time to work hard and create a better future for Clark. Just like when he moved to Queens, he was willing to give everything for Clark.