Andrew had already automatically ignored the money, hearing this, he actually felt a secret sense of relief in his heart.
“Finn, this—" Peter naturally knew that Finn was deliberately trying to provoke Andrew's resentment again.
But what he didn't expect was that Andrew suddenly reached out and secretly grabbed the corner of his clothes.
Peter looked at Andrew in confusion, while the young man secretly gave Spider-Man a quick "OK" gesture.
This—this is clearly a good thing!
Steve Montgomery and Matt were incredibly busy preparing for the Halloween party, Andrew Damon wasn't much help. Anyway, since he had nothing else to do besides attending classes, Andrew didn't want to go home at all; it didn't matter where he went.
Finn had him hold the camera by his side just to record him; could that even be considered torture?
Andrew: ".." This is simply—finally meeting his match!
But Andrew knew that he couldn't act too relieved, otherwise Finn would feel unsatisfied again.
Andrew was also starting to act.
The young man didn't have much acting skill; he could only manage a reluctant frown and muttered a low, "Fine."
Finn looked at Andrew's expression, which remained one of suppressed rage and silent endurance, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
The Only Spectator, Spider-Man: ".." Are you two putting on an act for each other?
Finn's physical activity for the day had been intense enough, dancing in a heavy mascot suit was indeed quite a burden; he had neither the mental energy nor the physical strength left to keep playing with Peter and Andrew. Finn asked Joseph to drive Andrew and Peter back, but Peter was in no rush. He watched Finn head upstairs to take a shower and intentionally kept Andrew in the living room to chat for a while.
Peter began to strike up a conversation with Andrew, but in truth, Andrew was also curious about Peter, who got along so well with Finn.
"Your channel is—" Andrew asked somewhat cautiously.
Peter understood his meaning immediately.
After all, most of the young people hanging around Finn were internet celebrities with some level of fame. Andrew could tell that Peter certainly wasn't from a wealthy family, he likely assumed that Peter also had some kind of impressive channel.
"I don't really have a channel. I'm just an ordinary high school student," Peter explained hurriedly.
"Then how did you meet Young Master Finn?" Hearing that he was just an ordinary high schooler, the pressure in Andrew's heart eased slightly. It turned out that Finn's circle of friends wasn't composed entirely of people with halos.
However, Andrew felt that Peter and Finn would become such good friends because they shared the same kind of vibrant, energetic bounce.
"Harry Osborn.. I'm friends with Finn's brother, then we just happened to meet," Peter explained.
Harry Osborn." Andrew also recalled it; the last time he saw Peter chasing after Harry, they were clearly on familiar terms as well. "The relationship between those brothers.. it's not very good, is it?
.. It certainly seems that way." At the mention of this matter, Peter felt a massive headache coming on. He had to find a way to mend things with Harry, he also had to properly soothe Andrew; he was terrified that Andrew would truly be provoked by Finn's difficulties and ultimately resort to using his powers against him, just as Finn had planned. Peter carefully chose his words, racking his brains to try and explain for Finn, "Finn didn't mean to make things difficult for you, he was just—
"He just thinks I look like Harry Osborn, doesn't he?" Andrew had long since figured that out.
"??" Peter slowly froze, looking at Andrew with a face full of confusion.
Seeing Peter's stunned expression, Andrew felt that he had indeed guessed correctly.
I know, of course, I can also see that their brotherhood is very strained," Andrew said. "When Finn first met me, he said I reminded him of his brother. That Mr. Harry Osborn always treats Finn with a condescending attitude of superiority, doesn't he? Even though they are brothers, he always maintains a cold and indifferent attitude toward him.
I can understand why Finn would harbor such pent-up resentment, he also dislikes my face because it looks so much like Harry's; he deliberately makes up excuses to boss me around, which is actually quite understandable," Andrew added, his tone remaining calm. "I'm afraid the two brothers had another argument this morning, which is why they called me over on such short notice.
Peter really didn't expect Andrew to think that way, but it seemed that one couldn't deny the logic; "This morning.. Finn and Harry did indeed have another confrontation at the Osborn Building."
—It actually makes a fair amount of sense?
"Your attitude is quite.. calm?" Peter asked, feeling somewhat strange. He knew, of course, that Andrew had already defined himself as a scapegoat. But even so, that was a very unfair way to treat him.
It's nothing." Andrew curled his lips, revealing a faint, self-mocking smile. "There are plenty of bastards in this world. In school, there were more than a few times when people simply couldn't stand the sight of me, mocking me in public or cornering me to beat me up. It's as if those people can only find that sense of condescending superiority through bullying the weak.
Not to mention his father.
Those endless insults and devaluations clung to him like damp mold, making every single moment he spent at home feel like the agony of watching himself slowly rot.
If it weren't for his mother still being there, Andrew wouldn't even want to return to that so-called "home."
"Finn is not that kind of person," Andrew Damon said softly.
No matter what kind of cold and aloof expression Finn deliberately put on before him, Andrew knew it wasn't Finn's true expression. Because he had seen the defenseless Finn when they first met in the wilderness, that was his most authentic self.
Andrew had seen too much naked contempt in people's eyes, so he could naturally tell that Finn had never truly looked down on him.
Finn was merely using his face, which bore a resemblance to Harry's, as a way to vent his frustrations.
If I were Finn Osborn, I would do even worse things," Andrew Damon said softly. He knew all too well the despicable side hidden beneath his cowardly shell. "If Finn wants to use me to vent his frustration, he could use much more vicious means, to be honest, I am really short on cash; the compensation Finn is giving me now is enough to make me endure any amount of embarrassment. Of course, I don't mean the kind of embarrassment we're talking about now. You know, I wouldn't even mind being hit or verbally abused.
But Finn did not.
Andrew would feel like a weed growing in the shadows, suddenly exposed to the sunlight.
He would feel very out of place, his entire being filled with awkwardness.
But he was not unable to live.
It wasn't that he didn't like the sunlight, it was just that he hadn't been in contact with it for so long that he couldn't learn how to accept it in a short amount of time.
He called me over specifically just to have me pretend to be a hamster, with him, no less." Andrew looked up at Peter and asked softly, "Do you think that's a humiliation?
Eagerly Seeking Humiliation Spider-Man: ".. How could it be?"
Andrew couldn't help but laugh; of course he could tell that Peter Parker was extremely pleased.
Finn always possessed a kind of pure innocence that Andrew couldn't quite understand. But it wasn't surprising, considering Finn had been raised under the heavy protection of the Osborn family.
You don't need to worry, I don't hold any resentment toward Finn because of this." Andrew could, of course, see Peter's concern. "It's more accurate to say that it's a good thing that Harry Osborn and I look somewhat alike; at least I can provide some emotional value to Finn.
Andrew also felt there was no need to put on a likable act for Finn; Finn's own appearance was dazzling enough. It was just that when Finn deliberately mentioned Harry Osborn back then, he was clearly feeling competitive again. Andrew also felt that it seemed as if Finn would subconsciously react whenever anything regarding Harry Osborn was mentioned.
"How did you meet Finn?" Peter couldn't help but ask.
Andrew then recounted the story of how he had happened upon Finn, who was suffering from a sudden stomachache in the wilderness that night.
"You mean Finn went there to look for stray dogs?" A moment of blankness crossed Peter's face, as if he had heard some extraordinarily shocking news. With a face full of disbelief, he repeated that remote address back to Andrew.
Yeah, Finn went looking for them twice." Andrew nodded. "Montgomery, Matt, I also searched for two days, but we couldn't find them either.
Peter stared blankly at Andrew. A few seconds later, the look of shock faded, replaced by unmistakable excitement. He didn't even have time to say another word to Andrew before turning and rushing up the stairs.
Andrew had no idea what had happened.
By the time he realized what was happening, he saw Peter rushing down from upstairs with someone on his back—it was none other than Finn, who had just finished his shower and changed into loose pajamas, with only a jacket casually draped over him.
Peter! What are you rushing for!" Finn had been lying on the bed, prepared to start painting, but unexpectedly was forcibly carried out by Peter. "Was there an earthquake? Or is someone coming to kidnap me?
Peter didn't say a word, simply smiling as he carried Finn on his back.
"Mr. Wilson, would you mind stepping out of the car? I'm taking Finn somewhere." Peter turned to look at Joseph, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement.
Joseph and Catherine were also looking bewildered, not knowing what had suddenly excited Peter.
"Go ahead, go ahead." Finn certainly didn't know either, but he still waved toward Joseph.
"Andrew, want to come along?" Peter asked with a smile, turning back to look at Andrew, who was standing still.
"Huh? Oh, sure." Andrew froze for a second before nodding in agreement immediately.
Andrew hadn't even put down the camera in his hands, the lens happened to capture this scene—Peter carrying the disheveled Young Master Osborn, who wasn't dressed in any fancy attire, as he rushed out the door with light, quick steps.
The excitement in Peter Parker's demeanor seemed to carry an invisible infectiousness.
Andrew jogged behind Peter, holding the camera, feeling equally bewildered by himself, yet something in his heart seemed to soar, making his footsteps feel even lighter.
"Where are we going? You're being so sudden." It wasn't until they were in the car that Peter finally addressed Finn, who still looked completely bewildered.
"To my house," Peter said seriously.
"To your house? What am I going to your house for?" Finn was even more confused.
"You'll find out once we get there." Peter was still playing the mystery man.
The car pulled up outside Peter's home. As soon as they reached the door, Peter could no longer contain his anticipation; he grabbed Finn's hand and pulled him toward the house.
"Peter, you're back?" Aunt May opened the door and was surprised to see Peter, looking full of joy and anticipation, leading a handsome, dazed young man, with another young man carrying a camera following behind them.
"These are my friends, Finn and Andrew," Peter introduced hurriedly.
Just as the door was fully opened, a crisp "woof" drifted over—
A fluffy puppy came running over, wagging its tail, stumbled straight toward Peter's feet, rubbing against them.
“Didn't I tell you before that I had a puppy at home?” Peter crouched down, rubbed the puppy's head, turned to look at Finn. Since the puppy had a home, Peter hadn't mentioned that it was a stray, “I never told you, but I didn't buy this puppy; I picked him up, I only gave him the name Oreo later.”
Finn stood where he was, staring in surprise at the little puppy wagging its tail on the ground.
Is that the stray puppy from the video!" Finn stared for a long time before finally looking up at Peter with a look of pleasant surprise, as if finally realizing. "So you're the one who picked it up? Andrew and the others were looking for it for a long time!
Andrew was also stunned in place.
Yes, he had also heard some scattered news at the time, saying that it seemed someone had taken the puppy away.
But no one saw clearly, so the information was uncertain.
Yeah, I happened to come across the video that night, so I thought I'd try my luck." Peter nodded with a smile, then he went to buy some puppy treats and swung over while wearing the Spider-Man suit, "I ran into him just in time, so I brought him back.
No wonder.. so you were the one who found him first." Finn reached out, gently stroking the puppy's back, the puppy nuzzled into his palm comfortably. The corners of Finn's mouth curled upward involuntarily, his clear, translucent green eyes shimmering with light as he said softly, "That's wonderful. I was worried he would never find his way home.
Andrew stood to the side, still holding the camera, the lens pointed directly at the scene before him:
On the screen, two young people were enveloped in the warm light of their living room, their eyes crinkling into crescents as they huddled around a puppy, their smiles so bright they were dazzling.
At this moment, Andrew suddenly felt.. he was no longer a person peeking at the vivid lives of others from behind a camera, but that his lens had truly captured precious and beautiful moments.
The puppy on the ground seemed unaware that it had become the protagonist of a "surprise," only knowing that the people before it were smiling at it. It wagged its tail and approached affectionately, gently licking Finn's palm, which made Finn laugh again.
The puppy had a home and a name now; it was no longer the pitiful, wary, defensive creature seen in the videos.
At this moment, an indescribable sense of emotion suddenly touched Andrew—
It turns out he really is..
The "naive fool" who, after scrolling through videos late at night, puts down their phone to go look for stray dogs.
He could encounter two at the same time.
Chapter 31: Bodyguard · Secretary
“Let me do it.”
Noah took over for Catherine, his fingertips touching Finn's hair with a swift and gentle touch, skillfully styling it for him.