Is it difficult to get a driver's license in the Federation?
Not really.
Compared to the exams required in the Eastern Country for a license, such as reverse parking, starting on a hill, and making right-angle turns, the difficulty of obtaining a driver's license in the Federation is simply outrageous.
To put it plainly.
As long as you can shift gears, turn, and brake, you'll be able to get a license.
Of course.
First, you need a car because getting a driver's license in the Federation requires you to bring your own vehicle. The examiner will sit in your car and observe your driving habits and proficiency to determine if you are qualified.
So…
At the entrance of the Manhattan Vehicle Management Bureau, Gwen was standing there waiting at the door. She looked at the yellow Corolla driving around the corner in the distance, and her eyes lit up as she hurriedly approached.
Hawk unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.
The examiner in charge of his test also climbed out from the passenger seat.
Gwen walked up to Hawk and looked at the examiner who was jotting down notes on the assessment record, and she asked softly.
"How did it go?"
"Should be fine."
Hawk replied in a low voice.
He wasn't entirely sure because just when he was turning back on Nineteen Avenue, he encountered a hippie who ran a red light.
Hawk braked at that time.
Actually, he wished he could just step on the gas and send that hippie flying.
But…
He hesitated, though later he caught a glimpse of the examiner's expression, and it seemed the examiner would have preferred to see him send the hippie flying.
Hawk wasn't sure if it was an illusion.
While Hawk and Gwen were whispering, the bearded white examiner who was jotting down notes on the assessment record finally stopped writing and looked up at Hawk.
"Mr. Hawke."
"Hello."
"Those who follow the rules should yield to those who don't."
"…"
Indeed.
Hawk mused silently, then met the examiner's slightly regretful gaze for not sending that guy flying and nodded firmly: "I understand."
The examiner caught the meaning in Hawk's eyes, smiled slightly, and handed the assessment record to Hawk.
"Congratulations, Mr. Hawke."
"Thank you."
Hawk's eyes lit up as he accepted the assessment record handed over by the examiner.
With this piece of paper, he could exchange it for his own driver's license inside the Manhattan Vehicle Management Bureau nearby.
But Gwen was clearly more enthusiastic about this than he was.
Don't ask.
If you ask, it's because other boyfriends are driving their girlfriends around.
So…
Whatever others have, she wants too.
Hence…
When Hawk and Gwen walked out of the Vehicle Management Bureau behind them, Gwen impatiently let Hawk take the driver's seat, even though he had just gotten his license and hadn't even warmed it up yet.
Before Hawk had a license, she drove.
Now that Hawk had a license, if she still drove, wouldn't that make Hawk's license pointless?
Gwen justified sternly.
Hawk was at a loss for words.
Once Hawk opened the door and got back into the car, Gwen was already seated in the passenger seat, with her seatbelt buckled, smiling sideways at Hawk as he got in.
"Drive, Mr. Driver."
"…"
Hawk's mouth twitched slightly as he looked at Gwen, who was clearly happier than he was about him getting his license, but he didn't respond. Instead, he buckled his seatbelt and pulled the car out from the roadside.
"Where to?"
"Didn't you say we were going to Saint Mark's Church?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's go."
"Alright."
Hawk said nothing more and drove onto the road.
"Tsk."
"Today seems to be the last day of the holiday."
Sitting in the passenger seat, Gwen, who was just about to take out her phone to snap a photo of Hawk's driver's license, glanced at today's date and blinked.
Winter break always feels shorter than summer vacation. It truly seemed like this winter break passed in the blink of an eye without doing much.
From picking Hawk up at the airport on the outskirts of New York that evening to today, almost half a month had passed.
Hawk returned on December 27th.
Now it's already January 7th.
But it's not January 7th, 2012; rather, it's January 7th, 2013.
Seven days ago, Hawk and Gwen both turned eighteen and officially reached the legal marriage age in New York City.
Unfortunately, neither of them dared to go.
Gwen might dare.
Hawk didn't dare.
He feared the moment he came out of City Hall with Gwen, George 'Sharpshooter' Stacy would show up and unload eight rounds into his back.
Of course.
Hawk certainly wouldn't die, but George might not be so lucky.
So…
To avoid such a tragedy, Hawk didn't grab Gwen and elope for marriage on the day they turned eighteen.
Half an hour later.
Saint Mark's Church.
Located near Second Avenue in Manhattan, Saint Mark's Church, founded in 1799, exudes a rich sense of history. It's also one of New York City's famous landmark buildings.
However, Hawk wasn't here to visit the church, but to help his sister move.
The Calvin Cemetery was no longer a place to stay.
The military incident at Calvin Cemetery happened almost half a month ago, and to this day, Calvin Cemetery is still in disarray.
Broken tombstones are scattered everywhere.
Protesters keep coming and going.
It's too noisy.
Moreover…
Hawk had already decided to move his sister Anna when he returned that day.
After all, he had money now.
Plus, Gwen lived in Manhattan, and New York University was also in Manhattan, so he would eventually have to move there too.
There's no reason for him to move to Manhattan and leave his sister in Queens.
So these days, Hawk has been searching online from home for cemeteries in Manhattan.
And here we are.
He's found Saint Mark's Church Cemetery.
Though Saint Mark's Church Cemetery is small, it's relatively quiet and lined with lush trees.
The first mayor of New York City rests here.
So this place is quite nice.
Unfortunately, like Trinity Church Cemetery, Saint Mark's Church Cemetery has limited space, and to prevent eternal residents from resting shoulder to shoulder, it generally no longer accepts new burials.
But this is New York City.
A place where money paves the way, and rules give way.
"Ding!"
"Thank you for your generous donation, Mr. Hawke. God bless you."
"I hope He blesses my sister."
"He will."
The smiling priest stood on a vacant plot in the cemetery, holding a POS machine in one hand and shaking hands warmly with Hawk.
After agreeing on a time to visit Calvin Cemetery tomorrow, Hawk left the church with Gwen.
The priest warmly waved goodbye to Hawk and Gwen as they drove away.
Gwen looked through the rearview mirror, noticing the priest still smiling and waving at the church entrance, and couldn't help but smirk.
"This priest is quite enthusiastic."
"He sure is enthusiastic, he has to be."
Having picked a new home for his sister, Hawk was in high spirits and chuckled, "Would you believe that if I donated five million US dollars, this priest would dig up New York's first mayor's grave for my sister?"
Faith?
Long gone.
Ever since the Vatican set an example by favoring young boys, is there any faith left to speak of?
God has long escaped with His Heaven Dimension.
Listening to Hawk, Gwen also chuckled, then remembered she was a believer, and playfully hit Hawk with her little fist.
"Don't talk nonsense, God might hear you."
"Didn't you say you'd join me in Hell last time?"
Hawk glanced at Gwen and said with a smile, "What, regretting it now?"
Gwen, hearing this, rolled her eyes, turned to Hawk, and said seriously, "I'll go to Hell with you, but I'll pull you up from Hell to Heaven with me."
Hawk gave Gwen a glance, didn't respond, just shrugged.
He thought about it, but decided not to tell her the harsh truth that maybe there's a Heaven Dimension somewhere in this world, but certainly not on Earth, where the dead can only end up in Hell.
Gwen noticed Hawk's silence but didn't mind, smiled, and refocused her gaze to the front of the car.
Then...
Gwen blinked, slightly startled as Hawk drove into the neighborhood streets near the church.
"What are we here for?"
"Buying a house."
Hawk, seeing a middle-aged woman in a sales dress at a house-for-sale sign, parked the car by the curb and glanced at Gwen in the passenger seat, who seemed a bit surprised.
Since his sister was moving, he would definitely have to move too.
Besides, it's a great time to buy a house now.
Because of last year's battle in New York City, especially in Manhattan, property prices have been on a downward trend, and by the end of the year, Manhattan's real estate prices had dropped by about thirty percent.
At the beginning of this year, although prices were still falling, the rate had obviously slowed, and it's estimated that within three months, prices will start to rise again.
The house Hawk is looking at is a very typical American home.
With large lawns on both sides of the entrance, non-slip large stone slabs stretching from the door to the roadside.
There's a garage on the right side of the house that can hold two cars.
The garage is connected to the ground floor hall of the house.
Beside the garage there's a utility room for storing lawn trimming tools.
Hmm.
The exterior somewhat resembles the white house in "The Smiths."
But the house Hawk has his eye on has orange external walls.
The space inside the house isn't just large, it's very large.
Huge open living space.
Fully functional kitchen with a large island.
A very spacious, walk-in closet master bedroom.
Luxurious master bathroom.
Hawk wandered around the three-story house with the real estate agent and returned to the spacious living room with a giant fireplace.
Gwen stared at the fireplace, imagining the snowy weather, the fireplace burning, and the two of them snuggled up on the ground carpet.
Hawk glanced at Gwen's expression, then at the agent.
"How much?"
"As agreed over the phone, a one-time payment of 120 million US dollars."
"Alright."
Hawk heard the price, nodded, took out his Stark Bank card, and handed it over to the agent.
"Swipe it!"
"..."