Chapter 216

Alexander Laurent Did It on Purpose

Sophia pressed him. "Who did you think of?"

Blake Cunningham gave a cold laugh. "Stop asking. You can't afford to mess with them."

Sebastian Evans would still be indirect.

That person barged right in and demanded answers.

That was the status of an academic titan.

MIT could lose a businessman's funding.

It could never afford to lose a scientist.

"Go back." Blake sneered. "You're nowhere near as good as Eleanor Watson!"

Eleanor Watson was lying in a hospital bed.

Yet she could still get two major figures to step in.

What was Sophia Sullivan, anyway?

…

Sophia returned to her office.

Blake's words echoed in her ears.

Nowhere near as good…

Far behind…

She was so angry she wanted to smash a cup.

But the cup was already shattered.

Only a pen holder remained on her desk.

Crash!

The pen holder hit the wall.

Pens scattered everywhere.

Ashley Lowell pushed the door open.

She didn't sense the tense atmosphere. "Auntie."

She walked into the breakroom to pour a drink.

She drank as she spoke. "So thirsty… When will Caleb's paper be done? The professor asked today. I said within the week. Can you hurry him?"

Sophia's face was expressionless. "Is a research paper cabbage? Within the week? Do you even think before you boast?"

Ashley was stunned. "Auntie…"

"Shut up! Address me as Professor Lowell!"

"There's no one else here…"

"Walls have ears! One wrong word, and we're both finished!"

Ashley was frightened. "Sorry, Professor Lowell! I'll be careful next time! The paper…"

"You still want the paper? Write it yourself! Sophia Sullivan can buy equipment. Can't you write one paper?"

"Caleb writes one or two for you. Can he write for you forever? Once he soars high, will he still care about you?"

"I can't write it…" Ashley pouted, close to tears.

She had boasted too much. Her persona was set. There was no turning back.

Sophia snapped. "Why cry? I'm not dead! If Sophia Sullivan and her team can do it, why can't you? Your mind isn't on academics at all!"

"You want to be the best at everything. Yet you're worse than everyone. How did I end up with a useless niece like you?!"

"Get—out—!"

Ashley walked out of the office in a daze.

She didn't understand what she had done wrong.

Her aunt had suddenly become fiercer than a demon.

After her outburst, Sophia felt slightly better.

Knock knock knock—

"Come in."

Caleb Watson entered. "Professor, the project progress…"

Sophia reached out.

She took the file and skimmed it.

Her frown deepened. "It's been a month. Why no progress?"

"The microbial culture data is inconsistent. We're troubleshooting. Progress is slow."

"How much longer?"

"…Unpredictable."

"Unpredictable? People find solutions! This project has been stalled for over half a year. No paper by year-end means zero output for the team in the second half!"

Caleb replied calmly. "Experiments can't be rushed. They require time for verification."

Sophia smiled. "Caleb, you're smart. You know how precious time is. Eleanor Watson's project had no output for two or three years. She was eliminated in the end!"

"You say the data is inconsistent. You want to reculture and verify. You want consistent results? If consistency is inevitable, why waste time verifying? Is it meaningful?"

"Anyway—" Sophia narrowed her eyes. "Consistent or not, we decide."

Caleb looked at her intently. "What do you mean?"

"Adjust the data. Make it consistent. No need for verification."

Caleb was shocked.

"This is academic fraud!" He enunciated each word.

Sophia's face changed. "Caleb, you're sensible. You know what should be said. The advisor only provides ideas. How to execute is your decision."

Caleb looked up. For the first time, he gazed sharply at Sophia.

"Professor, this isn't right."

This isn't right…

…

After Caleb left, Sophia sneered.

It didn't matter if he didn't understand now.

People always grew up.

Then he would realize truth didn't matter.

What mattered was how many SCI papers were published. How many results were produced.

Everyone said research was pure.

Sophia scoffed at that.

Where there were people, there was politics.

Resources, funding, status, professional titles… Which wasn't tied to output?

Only those who reached the summit could talk about "purity."

But first, you had to reach the summit.

Sophia took out her phone. "Send Amelia Roscente in."

It was time for her to be useful.

"Amelia, it's been a month since school started. Settling in okay? Are your seniors treating you well? No one bullying you?"

Amelia was flattered. "No, no. The seniors are all very nice."

"Good. I called you here to discuss a lab matter."

Amelia's eyes lit up. "Can I start working in the lab now?"

"You were recruited by me. There's a place for you in the research group. There's just a small problem… requiring your effort."

"What is it? Please tell me. I'll do my absolute best!"

Sophia smiled kindly. "I heard Eleanor Watson's group next door bought a new CPRT Dynamometer with their own funds. Our group's funding is limited. Do you think you could… lend a hand?"

"Your contribution won't be in vain. I'll remember it. Future high-priority projects, exchange opportunities… they'll go to you, our great benefactor, first!"

"If you want direct admission to the Ph.D. program, as long as your grades are passable, it's no problem."

She dangled the carrot. Whether Amelia could actually get it, who knew?

Amelia had worked hard to get into grad school. She wasn't here to mess around. She wanted to achieve something.

Her mother valued academic qualifications obsessively. If she could get a doctorate, Victoria Roscente would be pleased.

She agreed without a second thought.

A million wasn't much anyway. When she went home, and she'd get it.

Within two days, Sophia's lab also acquired a new CPRT Dynamometer.

The price though…

Amelia almost cried.

Wasn't it supposed to be just over a million?

It cost over two million!

Her family only gave her half. She had to sell over a dozen bags to scrape together the other million.

Those bags were her beloved treasures. Gone, just like that!

Sophia was cheerful all day. She looked for chances to flaunt it in front of Eleanor Watson.

See, it's not just your student who has financial backing.

She circled around a few times but didn't see any sign of Eleanor Watson.

"Professor Watson hasn't been around lately. She was invited to Sydney for the International Bio-Science Summit. Professor Lowell, didn't you receive an invitation?"

"…" Some people really shouldn't talk.

Sophia, unwilling to give up, loitered outside lab C116.

The door was tightly shut. Unusually low-key.

On the other side of the wall, Sophia Sullivan's trio officially began their research.

…

Time in the lab flew by. A week passed in the blink of an eye.

Sophia Sullivan headed home after class.

As she opened her door, she glanced at the neighboring apartment out of the corner of her eye.

She suddenly realized—

Apart from that time in the cafeteria, she hadn't run into Alexander Laurent for a very long time, both before and after.

Logically, they lived across from each other.

Before, even though Alexander was busy, they'd occasionally meet in the hallway.

But this time…

No matter if she left early in the morning or came home late at night, the door opposite was always tightly shut.

She had a faint feeling—Alexander Laurent was doing it on purpose.

He was avoiding her.