Marvel's Iron Lady

When Peter Parker awoke, he found his lower half sprawled across the lab's couch, while his upper body rested awkwardly on the lab floor.

Yes, that's right—his body was in a completely upside-down position with a large gap between the couch and floor, yet he still slept soundly. The exhaustion from the previous night had gotten the better of him.

The couch, which he had purchased secondhand, wasn't exactly the most comfortable, but Peter had no complaints—mainly because he was out of money.

His lease had expired, and without the funds to renew it, the outcome was inevitable. As Dr. Olivia Octavius's assistant, he knew the lab could no longer afford to pay him. This left Peter with no choice but to pick up side jobs just to get by.

As Peter lay there contemplating what to do next, he noticed a sticky note dangling over his forehead.

"Check your email, Peter. It's a gift from me—your dear mentor, Olivia."

The neatly written note prompted Peter to scramble off the floor and rush over to the nearby computer.

When he logged into his email, he found a message from Dr. Olivia Octavius.

"Sorry, Peter, but I happened to stumble upon your little secret. I hope you don't mind."

"I noticed that Spider-Man's suit seemed damaged, so I took the liberty of making a few improvements."

"In the email attachment, you'll find my proposal—a compound material formula based on spandex. It might come in handy."

After reading her message, Peter quickly downloaded the attached files. Upon opening them, he was greeted with a comprehensive design.

It was a blueprint for a new composite material centered around spandex fibers, or polyurethane, as the core component. Additionally, there was another attachment—a concept for a dynamic visual tracking technology, though Peter had no idea where she got it from.

The analysis system in Spider-Man's suit had been a collaboration with another mentor of Peter's, Dr. Curt Connors. However, if Olivia's new technology was implemented, it could give Peter a significant advantage in combat.

Excited by the prospect, Peter felt a surge of energy. He brewed a cup of coffee and immediately got to work on breaking down the technical aspects of her designs.

The lab was equipped with ample tools and materials, allowing Peter to conduct tests on these new upgrades for his suit right there.

Thanks to the spider-gene mutation that had enhanced his brainpower, Peter was able to process and apply complex concepts far faster than a regular person. He stayed at the lab for an entire day and night, sleeping only briefly on the couch when exhaustion hit and grabbing quick bites of food from the shop downstairs.

After working tirelessly, Peter finally completed an upgraded version of the Spider-Man suit.

The new suit retained the classic red-and-blue color scheme but now featured white webbing patterns woven into its design.

Not having come up with a formal name yet, Peter simply referred to it as the "Advanced Suit."

Yes, it was a straightforward name, but it highlighted the key point—this suit was advanced.

The inspiration for the suit came from athletic wear, and the synthetic spandex material made it even lighter and more form-fitting. After testing the suit once, Peter was thrilled to discover that it exceeded his expectations. In fact, it was almost too good.

Returning to the lab after testing the suit, Peter realized he had worked non-stop for two whole days.

And today—well, it just happened to be his Aunt May's birthday, and there was no way he could miss that.

Beforehand, May's boss, Mr. Martin Li, who ran the New York City Homeless Shelter, had approached Peter.

Mr. Li, a kind-hearted man from China, had asked Peter to help organize a surprise birthday party for Aunt May.

Martin Li hailed from the southern Chinese province of Fujian. He was a highly regarded entrepreneur and philanthropist.

The Feast Homeless Shelter was one of his charitable ventures, established to help homeless people throughout New York find both shelter and employment.

Since Aunt May worked there, Peter had plenty of interactions with Mr. Li. In his spare time, Peter would often volunteer at the shelter, helping out however he could.

This time, though, the fact that Mr. Li had personally suggested throwing a birthday party for Aunt May deeply moved Peter.

"Right now, everyone's probably in the kitchen preparing for Aunt May's birthday. I need to hurry."

Even superheroes like Spider-Man didn't spend all their time swinging around the city in costume. Sometimes, Peter Parker took the bus.

He took public transportation to the location of the Feast shelter, making his way inside.

As Peter crossed the lobby and entered the kitchen, just as he had expected, Mr. Li was already there.

"Hey, Martin, I'm sorry I'm late."

"No, Peter, you're right on time. Come help me out."

Li set down the box he was carrying and grabbed Peter's arm with a smile.

"Go distract your aunt for a bit. We'll use the time to bring in the cake."

Li leaned in, speaking like a conspirator planning a heist, then patted Peter on the shoulder with a grin.

Glancing over at Aunt May, who was organizing the shelter's storeroom inventory, Peter nodded, quickly approaching her.

"Hey, isn't this my favorite Aunt May? What are you up to?" Peter called out in an overly dramatic voice, swaggering toward her in an exaggerated, comical fashion.

May looked surprised but immediately smiled, turning her full attention to her nephew.

At the same time, Mr. Li and his team hurried out of the kitchen, pushing a cart behind them.

"Peter, don't you have work today? You're here pretty early," May asked.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Aunt May?" Peter inquired, glancing at the wooden crates in the storeroom.

"Oh, it's nothing important, just a few heavy boxes," May said, checking her inventory clipboard and preparing to walk away.

But before she could take another step, Peter, in his nervousness, grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Wait, no, I mean—hold on a second, May," Peter blurted out, fumbling for words to keep her distracted and away from the birthday preparations happening behind her.

"Actually, I came to... well, I just wanted to have a chat with you."

Sensing something was off, May gave Peter a puzzled look but smiled warmly. Her nephew was clearly nervous, and she could tell he was up to something.

"Peter, dear, is something bothering you? Do you need to talk? You know you can come to me or Uncle Ben if you ever need anything, even if it's money."

She sighed softly, her tone gentle as she saw Peter's discomfort. She guessed what was on his mind.

"No, no, it's not like that. I mean, I'm behind on my rent by a couple of days, but it's fine! I'm okay," Peter stammered, waving his hands defensively.

He didn't want to burden Aunt May and Uncle Ben, even though he was struggling financially. He was determined to solve his problems on his own.

"Ah, then it must be about a girl, right? Peter, I still think MJ is a great match for you," May said with a wistful smile as she began walking away again.

Peter had always been a bit stiff when it came to relationships, much like her late husband, Ben. Both men were constantly surrounded by women, though. There had always been plenty of girls interested in the Parker men—first Ben, and now Peter.

Remembering her own courtship with Ben, May couldn't help but smile, reminiscing fondly about their early days together.

"I still hope you and Mary Jane Watson get back together. She's a wonderful girl, and your kids would be adorable."

"Yeah, I think so too, but... May? May!!!" Peter's voice rose in alarm as he saw her about to turn and walk toward the kitchen, which would ruin the surprise.

Left with no other option, Peter raised his voice to stop her, leaving May bewildered by her nephew's sudden outburst.

"Peter, what on earth is going on? Come, sit with me, and let's talk about this," she said, guiding him to a chair, genuinely concerned.

Maybe she hadn't been giving him enough attention lately, and that's why he seemed so anxious.

"Actually... these past years, you've helped me through college, and you've found me many jobs," Peter began, trying to come up with a way to stall her. But as he spoke, he found himself becoming genuinely emotional.

"You've sacrificed so much for me, without ever asking for anything in return. I just hope there are more people like you in this world."

"You know, Peter, your nephew is right—there should be more people like you, May."

A voice suddenly sounded from behind, and May turned around to see Mr. Li leading a group of people toward her.

"Five years ago, you came to me, inspired by my efforts to help others, and you offered to help me in return."

"And now, after all these years, it's you, May, who has inspired us."

Behind Mr. Li were the shelter's staff members, all of whom had worked with Aunt May to assist those in need. Some had been there for years, while others were relatively new, but they were all kind-hearted people.

"Thank you, May, for everything you've done. Thank you for your years of dedication."

With that, Mr. Li began clapping, and the group stepped aside to reveal a cart holding a large cake. Though it wasn't particularly extravagant, it was a heartfelt gesture.

"I know it looks a little rough around the edges, but we made it together."

"I hope this cake conveys our gratitude and appreciation for everything you've done."

Aunt May stood there, her eyes welling up with tears, her smile gentle yet full of emotion.

"You always tell me that helping one person is like helping everyone."

"You've helped so many people, May. Now, let us show you how grateful we are."

The birthday party was simple, but it warmed the hearts of everyone present.

As the cake was being cut, Peter's phone suddenly buzzed.

He glanced at the screen, then excused himself, giving his Aunt May a quick hug before stepping outside.

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