Chapter 435

The lecture hall emptied like a receding tide after the departmental meeting.

Shane Evlanch's gang slunk along the walls like sewer rats, hunched and furtive.

Humiliated before the entire faculty, they wished the ground would swallow them whole.

"Evelyn, you were absolutely brilliant!" Hannah Flores' eyes sparkled like searchlights.

Liam Kalmien unconsciously straightened his posture. "Let's see anyone call our research team amateurish now."

"Next time we run into Shane's crew, I'm looking down my nose at them!" Hannah was already daydreaming about the scenario.

Her grin stretched ear to ear, brighter than a landlord counting rent money.

"Evelyn, can we have more moments like this? Slapping arrogance right back?"

"You think this is some online game?" Liam adjusted his glasses.

"Want me to slap you next?"

Hannah glared at him, cheeks puffing like an angry chipmunk.

......

Isabella Evans drifted home in a daze.

"Oof—"

She nearly collided with Margaret Evans carrying a bowl of bird's nest soup.

"Walking around like a ghost... Don't forget tomorrow's blind date with Roger. Stanford graduate, multiple Science Citation Index publications..."

"Evelyn Langley got published in Science." The words tumbled out.

"What science?" Margaret frowned. "Why bring her up?"

"The journal Science. Capital S." Isabella's voice tightened.

Margaret's spoon clattered against the porcelain bowl.

......

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains.

Evelyn gathered her lecture notes, heading for the dining hall.

She nearly collided with Adrian Klein at her doorway.

They froze simultaneously.

"Morning, Professor." Evelyn recovered first.

"Morning." Adrian's ears pinked. "Campus-bound?"

"Breakfast first."

"Join me?"

"Sure."

Walking beneath the elms, Adrian remarked, "The university posted your achievement online."

"Only possible with your lab access." Evelyn kicked a pebble. "And you as corresponding author."

Adrian did carry some weight with Science's editors.

"Preparation meets opportunity."

Their shadows lengthened in the dawn light.

Since that candid conversation, Adrian no longer avoided her.

As for whether those dreams still came...

Only the frequently changed bedsheets on his balcony knew for certain.