Chapter 141
After every failure, my dad and I would analyze what went wrong.
We would find an even more secluded spot.
But the outcome was always the same.
Mom was like a human tracking device.
No matter how well-hidden the place, she always…”
Sophia Sullivan trailed off.
She realized the man hadn't spoken for a while.
"Professor, are you listening?"
She turned her head.
Her gaze collided with his deep, intense eyes.
Sophia froze.
Her hair now fell past her shoulders.
Her hair tie had been loose during dinner.
The night breeze swept through.
Tendrils of hair danced wildly around her face.
For a fleeting moment, she looked unexpectedly captivating.
"Mhm, I'm listening." His voice was slightly hoarse.
"Your mother is very clever."
"She also has a sharp eye."
Sophia averted her gaze.
Her throat felt dry.
She swallowed hard.
After a long pause, she continued, "Of course she is! She writes mystery novels!"
Mystery novels prioritize logical deduction.
David Sullivan taught her morals and integrity.
Isabella Sullivan shaped the very foundation of her life.
She allowed Sophia to grow freely into the person she wanted to be.
"Professor, what about your childhood?"
Alexander Laurent: "Reading, studying, exams."
"...That's it?"
"Perhaps there was more, but I don't remember clearly."
Perhaps the streetlights were too gentle.
Perhaps Sophia's eyes were too bright.
Alexander looked towards the neon lights across the river.
He suddenly felt a desire to confide.
"The year I turned five."
"I found a book in my grandfather's study."
"‘The Way Things Work’."
"It was my first encounter with physics."
The man smiled faintly.
His gaze was sincere and fervent.
"Chuang Tzu said: ‘Appreciate the beauty of the universe. Probe into the laws of nature.’"
"The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."
Sophia listened intently.
She didn't understand physics.
But she could empathize with his passion.
"Before I discovered physics, my world was dull and monotonous."
His voice paused.
He turned to look at Sophia.
"After discovering physics, this world finally held meaning."
And now.
It seemed there was one more person.
The man's gaze was intense.
His eyes burned.
Sophia was the first to look away.
Her unfinished ice cream was melting.
A cold drop fell on the back of her hand.
She stood up flustered. "It's getting late. We should head back."
The girl turned sideways.
Alexander couldn't see her expression clearly.
But he could sense her emotional turmoil.
He felt he had been somewhat unusual today...
"Alright, let's go."
…
That night, Sophia suffered from rare insomnia.
She lay with her eyes closed.
Her consciousness drifted between sleep and wakefulness.
Alexander Laurent's face flashed through her mind.
Then, memories of her past with Ethan Roscente surfaced.
She recalled the foolish things she had done for that man.
The foolish words she had said.
She jolted awake!
Hadn't she endured enough pain from love?
Since she had already freed herself, why consider entering another game?
It would just be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
It was unnecessary.
It wasn't worth it.
Having clarified this.
Her anxious heart quickly calmed.
Since she couldn't sleep anyway.
She simply got up to revise her thesis.
Mhm, studying was still happier.
…
The next day at the lab.
Sophia had just swiped her card to enter.
She met the burning gazes of Zoe Langley and Quincy Evans.
"??" What was going on?
She paused mid-step.
"Dr. Langley, Professor Evans, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Is there a problem?"
Zoe and Quincy had been waiting for this!
"Sophia, can we discuss something?"
"What is it?"
Zoe: "I have two sets of data."
"The scale is massive."
"Organizing it is difficult, let alone calculating it."
"You're great at programming. Can you help us figure out a solution?"
Quincy quickly added: "None of us know how to program."
"We can only use traditional speed-calculation methods."
"This time the quantity is too large."
"The human brain is no match for a computer."
"Could you write a program for us?"
"Preferably one that can process the data in batches."
Half an hour later—
"Dr. Langley, take a look."
"How's this calculation chain and processing speed?"
"Does it need adjustment?"
Sophia moved aside.
Zoe sat down and checked the mouse.
Calculations that originally required five days.
At this speed, they could be completed in one day!
"Amazing!"
"Thank you, Sophia!"
"Love you! Love you! Love you to bits!"
Zoe hadn't held out much hope.
But! But!
Sophia waved her hand. "Don't mention it. It was nothing."
Quincy hurriedly crowded in.
"Let me try…"
Alexander Laurent came to the lab as usual after his class.
As soon as he entered, he saw Sophia sitting uncomfortably in a chair.
To be precise, she was being pressed into the chair!
Zoe Langley and Quincy Evans.
One was massaging her shoulders.
The other was handing her a freshly bought bubble tea.
Zoe: "You've worked hard, Sophia."
"Let me pound your shoulders for you."
"Even my husband doesn't get this treatment…"
Quincy: "Have some bubble tea, sweetie."
"Low sugar, no ice. Guaranteed healthy!"
Alexander Laurent: "?"
Since when had his team become Sophia's lackeys?!
Just then.
Lillian Lopez pushed the door open.
Seeing Zoe and Quincy hovering around Sophia with attentive expressions.
She couldn't help but curl her lip.
Simon Lowell was two steps behind.
Chasing after her with breakfast.
"Lillian, I bought your favorite soup dumplings and chicken congee."
"They're still hot. Eat them while they're warm?"
Lillian's expression was sour.
"Who eats greasy soup dumplings first thing in the morning?"
"So oily."
"Who told you I like chicken congee?"
Simon scratched his head.
"Didn't you say that place's chicken congee was good last time?"
"I thought you liked it."
"Last time was last time. I don't like it now."
"Oh. Then I'll buy something else next time."
Simon quickly went along with her words.
He could sense Lillian was in a bad mood.
She was throwing a tantrum.
And it was directed at him.
He didn't know what he had done wrong.
He just thought it was normal for a wealthy young lady to have a big temper.
He would just indulge her.
…
After Isabella Langley dropped out.
She focused entirely on the prenatal classes arranged by Victoria Roscente.
But this wasn't enough.
Victoria saw she had free time.
She simply filled all her leisure hours.
Like the upcoming clothing coordination class.
The class was held at a mall.
The instructor was supposedly a famous designer.
Isabella was initially interested.
But after fifteen minutes.
She was bored to tears, yawning repeatedly.
Another teacher might have pretended not to see.
The tuition was already paid.
How much the student learned was their own business.
But this teacher was different.
She particularly disliked inattentive students like Isabella.
Seeing her head nodding, about to doze off.
Her gaze turned severe.