As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, Asgard's moon appeared especially large and round, hanging in the sky like a jade disc—truly a stunning sight.
Under the moonlight, two spiders secretly wove a large web at the highest point. It spanned several meters, shaped like a heart—perfect for rolling around, with no risk of falling, no matter how wild things got.
On this web, the two spiders embraced, quietly enjoying the calm after the storm.
"Ye, it's been so long since we've peacefully watched the moon like this," Gwen said tenderly.
Su Ye nodded. "Yeah. No matter how much time passes, you'll always be my sweetheart. I won't let you turn into Madam Minotaur."
"Madam Minotaur? What's that?" Gwen asked, puzzled.
"It's... well, about minotaurs..." Su Ye quipped, though Gwen didn't catch the reference.
"Ahem, let me tell you a story. It starts five hundred years ago. Once upon a time, Monk Tang and his disciples were journeying west to fetch scriptures. Along the way, Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King decided to eat the monk…"
Su Ye launched into a long-winded story. It was so lengthy that Gwen nearly fell asleep.
Gwen, unwilling to waste such a beautiful moment, flipped over and playfully asked Su Ye to scratch her back while listening to his tale.
That kept her wide awake.
The story lasted all night, and so did the scratching. The itch only grew, lasting until dawn.
"You've held so much in. Looks like I've been neglecting you lately. Sorry about that. Once things settle down at Dr. Connors' lab, I'll make more time for you," Gwen said, gently holding Su Ye and stroking his hair with concern.
Su Ye, being "considerate," shook his head. "A woman should prioritize her career. A strong, independent woman is most worthy of love. Isn't there a saying that women who focus on their careers are the most beautiful? So just be yourself. You don't need to be anyone's shadow. I'm fine on my own."
He threw in a feminist pep talk. Whether he agreed deep down or not, it was definitely the right thing to say.
Sure enough, Gwen was flattered and promised repeatedly that she'd balance work and personal life, ensuring Su Ye wouldn't suffer in silence.
And with that, another round of affection followed.
The essence of biological existence lies in ensuring the survival of the species. Thus, bonding and mating are noble acts, and there's no need to shy away from them.
They should be viewed with reverence, even celebrated and praised.
Of course, unions that don't aim for procreation... well, those can be condemned as needed.
Pfft!
Half a month later, in Asgard's palace, Odin hosted a grand banquet to honor the Earthly Expeditionary Force and the triumphant return of Thor and his warriors.
After half a month, Thor finally quelled the rebellion in Vanaheim, taking twice as long as Su Ye and the Earthly Expeditionary Force had to subdue Jotunheim.
In other words, while Thor was fighting, the expeditionary force was basically vacationing in Asgard.
There was no helping it. They had completed their mission too quickly, and Odin didn't send them to assist in Vanaheim. It was as if having help would somehow tarnish Thor's eventual victory, making it seem less impressive.
So in the end, Thor and his team were fighting tooth and nail in Vanaheim.
Meanwhile, Su Ye and his crew were living it up in Asgard.
He experienced spinning webs with Gwen at the palace's highest point, explored Asgard's male restrooms with Raven, had all-night discussions with Sharon about the Great Wall Defenders' future, and even found time to train Natasha in close-combat techniques.
In short, life was both monotonous and fulfilling.
So much so that Angel Salvadore couldn't even find an opportunity to seek guidance from "Teacher Su."
By the way, in X-Men: First Class, the actress playing Salvadore had a godmother named Marisa Tomei. You might not recognize the name, but you'd definitely know one of her roles.
She played Aunt May in the third Spider-Man series.
Many people don't know that a young Aunt May, Marisa Tomei, once dated Robert Downey Jr., who played Tony Stark. At 45, she delivered a memorable performance in The Wrestler, where the male lead was Mickey Rourke—Whiplash from Iron Man 2.
After watching that, you'd understand why Aunt May's physique management was so impressive. Even in her fifties, her first appearance in the MCU turned heads, sparking thoughts that might not be entirely pure.
Back to Angel Salvadore—she originally worked as a stripper, much like Tomei's role in The Wrestler. We all know what that profession entails.
Their income didn't come from just dancing—most earnings were from what happened afterward.
No need to elaborate on what that entails.
Su Ye didn't discriminate against Angel Salvadore's profession. After all, she was a laborer earning an honest living, far better than those who steal, rob, or simply beg despite being able-bodied.
However, respecting her work didn't mean Su Ye would accept anything happening between them.
Keeping a straightforward teacher-student and superior-subordinate relationship was best.
This busy yet fulfilling life continued until Thor's return.
At the banquet, Thor, on behalf of Asgard, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Great Wall Defenders from Earth and the warriors who had fought alongside him.
Everyone was immersed in celebration. Volstagg, one of the Warriors Three, enthusiastically exaggerated their heroic deeds in Vanaheim.
Eventually, the Great Wall Defenders could no longer listen. Abomination and Kisame, like gate guardians, flanked Volstagg and began a drinking contest, each holding massive goblets.
Volstagg, a literal keg of ale, feared no one in Asgard except Thor. Even against these two physically imposing oddities, he remained undaunted.
As their drinking contest heated up, the entire banquet's atmosphere soared.
Since ancient times, alcohol has been the easiest bridge to forge bonds between men.
Yet amid the lively atmosphere, one person's melancholic expression stood out, clearly out of place.
Thor was thinking about Jane.
After witnessing the horrors of war—families torn apart, homes destroyed—Thor gained a new appreciation for the concept of family and home.
Thor felt it might be time for him to settle down.
The Asgardian tradition of living for thousands of years without marrying or having children needed to change—starting with him.
The problem was that ever since he left Jane behind at the Shiranui Dojo in New York and returned to Asgard, they hadn't seen each other.
During the Battle of New York, Jane had gone to London for research, avoiding both the dangers of war and a reunion with Thor.
Now, Thor wanted to find Jane but had no idea where to start.
Sif noticed Thor's melancholy and could guess what he was thinking. Given their history, she felt she should counsel Thor, reminding him that she was the best choice to be Asgard's queen.
But before she could rise, Sif spotted Su Ye chatting casually. In that instant, she felt like her position had vanished.
Although gods and Westerners alike didn't place much importance on chastity or past relationships…
After seeing the stark contrast between how quickly Su Ye and Thor handled their respective world conflicts, Sif found herself less eager to be the queen of Asgard.
Perhaps joining the Great Wall Defenders and exploring the broader universe with them wasn't such a bad idea.
With no one stopping him, Thor quietly left the banquet hall, standing on the balcony to brood over his sorrows.
"Looking at you now, you've really changed a lot since we first met."
A familiar voice spoke from behind. Thor turned to see Su Ye approaching with a jug of wine in one hand and a hammer in the other, smiling.
Su Ye hadn't come out just to comfort Thor. He felt the banquet hall was filled with too many women, and staying there too long could spell trouble. So, he chose to step out for a breather.
Before leaving, he happened to spot Mjolnir and casually brought it along.
Thor raised an eyebrow when he saw Mjolnir in Su Ye's hand.
"Did I leave my hammer behind? Thanks for bringing it out," Thor said, reaching out to summon Mjolnir.
But Su Ye shook his head. "As a wielder of the hammer, it should never leave your side. But just now, you discarded it like trash. Never mind whether Mjolnir is upset—it's clear your heart is in turmoil."
Su Ye directed this remark at Mjolnir.
As everyone knows, Mjolnir has a consciousness and can understand human speech. Su Ye decided to test if badmouthing Thor could win the hammer over to his side.
Though the odds were slim, it didn't cost anything to try—what if it worked?
Stealing someone's thunder—or in this case, their hammer—wasn't something done in one fell swoop. It required a gradual, patient approach.
Sure enough, Mjolnir didn't immediately fly back to Thor. It hesitated, pondering for a moment, then floated slowly toward him, stopping every few feet.
Su Ye's eyes lit up. It seemed his plan was working—completely winning Mjolnir over from Thor wasn't out of the question.
"I just got distracted earlier. We've been together for over a thousand years—how could I forget you?" Thor said, stroking Mjolnir with a mix of relief and regret.
Su Ye turned and started walking away, speaking without looking back.
"Come on, let's take a walk. When you're feeling down, don't bottle it up. Talking helps."
Thor didn't refuse and followed behind. As they talked and walked, they eventually found themselves at the Rainbow Bridge, near Heimdall's observatory.
"Good evening, Old Heim!"
Once inside, Su Ye tossed his jug of wine to Heimdall. "Everyone's celebrating, but they forgot the hero behind it all. We brought you some wine—don't hold back."
Heimdall caught the jug and glanced at Thor. Technically, being on duty meant he shouldn't drink.
Thor quickly nodded. "It's fine, we'll watch over things. Drink up—it's a night for celebration. I shouldn't have overlooked you, old friend."
"He's overlooked quite a few old friends, hasn't he, Mjolnir?" Su Ye added slyly.
Mjolnir gave a slight wobble, as if agreeing with Su Ye.
Thor almost teared up, shooting Su Ye a look that was part annoyance, part plea, as if to say, "Stop messing with me!"
Heimdall, ever the easygoing type, shrugged and opened the jug, taking a hearty swig.
"Excellent wine!"
Heimdall nodded at Su Ye, clearly appreciating the gesture and mentally filing this as a favor owed to him.
Thor instinctively tightened his grip on Mjolnir, muttering countless silent curses in his head.
If only he knew that even Sif—whom Odin had subtly earmarked as his future wife—was slipping away. Otherwise, he wouldn't be standing here calmly chatting with Su Ye.
Seeing Heimdall drink so heartily, Thor felt his throat tighten. He hadn't had much earlier, and now he was craving more.
Noticing this, Su Ye pulled out two more jugs of wine, handing one to Thor and keeping one for himself.
Drinking was more enjoyable when done together.
As they drank and talked, the conversation inevitably turned to women—a staple topic for men boasting over drinks.
Thor and Heimdall, both over a thousand years old, shamelessly used their age as an excuse to exaggerate their romantic exploits.
One claimed he'd averaged a new girlfriend every year, totaling over a thousand. The other boasted he'd had a new girlfriend every six months, with dozens of children to show for it.
It didn't take much thought to realize they were full of hot air.
Take Thor, for instance—if he really had a new girlfriend every year, he wouldn't treat Jane like a treasure. Jane was average-looking, not particularly curvy, and while her skills were unknown, could they be that exceptional?
From what Su Ye could tell—judging by Sif—Asgardians didn't seem all that experienced in these matters.
As for Heimdall, the "watchdog"—ahem, gatekeeper—he spent all his time on the Rainbow Bridge. Where would he find time to party?
If Heimdall could find a wife, have a child, and pass down the duty of guarding the Rainbow Bridge after his death, that would already be quite an achievement.
Just look at his successor, Executioner Skurge. Even he couldn't handle the solitude and, after Asgard's destruction, went to The Boys universe for a new gig. (laughs)
So Thor and Heimdall were merely giants in spirit. When it came to practical experience, they probably had less than Su Ye, who was only nineteen.
"By the way, your little girlfriend on Earth seems to have…"
Heimdall said with a smile, turning his gaze toward Earth. His omniscient sight across the Nine Realms meant he was always peeking into places, giving people zero sense of privacy.
"Thor, Jane is missing!"
Thor immediately tensed up, shouting, "What happened?"
Su Ye raised an eyebrow. Jane's disappearance—had she gone to the Aether's seal location?
So, the Dark Elves were about to make their move, huh?