Chapter 179
A Man with Plans is Different
Signposts appeared every fifty meters.
They pointed the way to the library.
Alexander Laurent explained as they walked.
The North Campus was one big loop.
Maxwell Dworkin Building was to the left.
The library was to the right…
Sophia Sullivan listened intently.
She tried to map the route in her mind.
The three of them were talking.
Sophia came up the stairs.
They ran right into each other.
"Mom? Dad? Are you going out?"
"It looks like it's about to rain…"
Her gaze shifted.
She saw Alexander was also there.
"Professor? What's this about?"
Isabella Sullivan gave a brief explanation.
Sophia immediately thanked Alexander.
The man just waved a hand.
"Don't mention it. I'm glad you're back."
The four of them walked back together.
"Thank you so much, Alexander."
"Come over for dinner sometime? I'll cook myself. Let you taste my skills!"
David Sullivan issued the invitation warmly.
Isabella nodded in agreement.
On the topic of inviting people to dinner.
The family of three were exactly the same.
But there were differences—
David wanted to show off his cooking skills.
Isabella was purely hospitable.
Sophia just loved to cook. She enjoyed it. She often made too much for one person. An extra mouth was perfect!
Alexander's gaze swept imperceptibly over the girl.
He didn't stand on ceremony. He nodded and accepted immediately.
Back home, Isabella teased David.
"Look at you, so eager. Afraid people won't know you're a good cook?"
David chuckled.
"Good skills should be shown off~ How will people know otherwise?"
"Such a show-off!"
Sophia changed into slippers and walked inside.
She asked casually, "Dad, when did you get so familiar with the Professor?"
"You keep calling him 'Alexander'."
David shook his head.
"You don't understand. Relationships are built. Alexander and I both study physics. And we love chess. We just started talking back and forth."
Isabella pierced his bubble mercilessly.
"Don't listen to him. Your dad just wants someone to discuss research papers with."
Isabella didn't understand the specialized physics knowledge.
She couldn't discuss it with him.
David's students were even less possible.
They were all still high schoolers. Learning basic physics concepts. They hadn't touched specialized fields of physics. Let alone those complex research papers.
When Sophia was in high school, she could at least listen to his one-sided output.
Even if they couldn't discuss it, David could at least express himself smoothly.
After his daughter went to college, he could only bury his head in papers alone.
No one understood his academic loneliness. Until…
He met Alexander Laurent!
"Alexander is really great."
This was the second time Sophia had heard this phrase in recent days.
Isabella joked.
"You two get along so well, you should become academic brothers. Makes communication easier later."
David rubbed his chin.
He seemed to be considering the feasibility of this proposal.
…
A couple of days later, David suddenly brought up the dinner.
"Sophia, did you notify Alexander?"
"Huh?" Sophia was a bit confused. "Wasn't it just being polite?"
"Who said it was just being polite? We invited him, we can't go back on our word!"
He straightened his face, expression serious.
Then he turned to Isabella and immediately switched to a smile.
"Right, honey?"
Sophia was speechless.
"You've mastered face-changing without even studying Sichuan Opera."
David patted her shoulder.
"Sweetie, this glorious task is yours. Call or message him. Just extend the invitation. Whether he comes is up to Alexander. Your mom and I will go buy groceries…"
He hurried out without stopping.
Sophia was completely exasperated.
"Whatever, as long as they're happy…"
Lab —
Alexander was checking two sets of data from last week.
He found a deviation in the fourth column of the second set. He was about to call Dr. Simon Lowell. Suddenly, his phone rang.
He picked it up casually —
"Hello?"
"Professor, it's Sophia Sullivan."
Alexander's movements paused.
His gaze, originally fixed on the screen, slowly shifted away. His tone unconsciously softened. "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
"It's about what my dad said the other day, wanting to invite you over for dinner, he'd cook himself… If you're busy, it's fine. I'll just tell him…"
"I'm free."
Sophia paused for a few seconds. "The lab isn't busy?"
"It's manageable."
"Then…"
Alexander's voice was gentle. "See you tonight. Thank your father for me, for going to the trouble of cooking."
"Y-You're welcome."
Hanging up, Sophia was a little dazed.
"That's not right…"
Just yesterday, Dr. Zoe Langley had complained to her over WeChat.
Said the whole team was swamped lately trying to meet deadlines.
How could he say it was manageable?
Over there, Professor Quincy Evans saw Alexander finish his call.
He leaned over and deliberately nudged his shoulder. "Who was that? Was it our dear Sophia? I heard her voice."
Alexander gave him a cool glance. "You know, so why ask?"
Quincy snorted. "I've pulled three all-nighters. Zoe and Simon are complaining nonstop too. Only you, Professor Laurent, can casually say 'manageable'. A man with plans is indeed different."
Truth was, Alexander had been working harder than anyone.
But coming from him, why did it sound so light and easy?
Were the rest of them doing fake experiments, writing fake reports, and fake papers?
Alexander moved aside, putting some distance between them.
Then he pointed at his watch. "If I recall correctly, it's been over nine hours since I gave you the initial experimental data yesterday. How much have you reviewed? Is the accuracy rate up to standard? Deviations corrected? When do you plan to have the report ready?"
The deadly four questions.
Quincy immediately pulled a long face. "Sorry to bother you. I'll take my leave."
He returned to his own lab bench. Looked at the pile of unprocessed data on his computer.
At times like this, Quincy missed Sophia terribly.
If she were still here, she'd whip up a program in minutes. This data would be like magic, instantly transforming from chaos to order.
Sigh. Easy to go from frugality to luxury, hard to go back!
If only dear Sophia could be a permanent fixture in their lab…
…
Six PM, Alexander showed up at Sophia's house with a bottle of red wine.
David heard the commotion and ran out of the kitchen holding a spatula. He greeted him with a beaming smile. "Alexander, you're here!"
"Hello, Uncle. Sorry for the trouble."
"Oh, no trouble at all! Come in, come in—"
Isabella moved to get him slippers. Alexander stopped her. "No need, I can help myself."
Then Isabella watched as he skillfully took a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and put them on.
He then handed over a bottle of red wine.
Isabella smiled. "You didn't have to bring anything, just coming is enough."
"It's the least I could do. A friend gave me this bottle, so I'm just passing on the favor."
Isabella accepted it with a smile, glanced at the origin and vintage, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
Her eyes then swept over the slippers on Alexander's feet, her gaze deepening thoughtfully…