Chapter 476
She was supposed to be on Alexander Laurent's team.
Yet the chance to shine had fallen to Sophia Sullivan.
It was favoritism.
The morning forum concluded.
Lunch was uniformly arranged at the hotel.
After an hour's rest, the afternoon session continued.
The same process.
Different guest speakers.
Different academic fields.
Sophia's pen flew across the page.
Her notebook filled, one page after another.
She became more engrossed the longer she listened.
The fascinating connections between disciplines amazed her.
It was like a symphony.
Piano and violin in duet.
Flute and zither in harmony.
Dulcimer and harp complementing each other.
Together, they composed a magnificent movement.
This was the charm of interdisciplinary studies.
Bioinformatics meeting astrophysics.
Applied chemistry colliding with biomedical science.
Her brain was flooded with new knowledge.
It would take time to digest it all.
The forum ended at five in the afternoon.
Sophia and Professor Eleanor Watson returned to the hotel.
Professor Watson changed her jacket.
She carefully styled her hair.
"Sophia, get ready. You're coming to dinner with me."
"Aren't we eating at the hotel?"
"It's a gathering of old friends. You're coming along."
Sophia hesitated. "Is it appropriate for me to be there?"
"You are my most accomplished student. Meeting senior colleagues is only natural."
It was an opportunity for academic networking.
Professor Watson was deliberately including her.
"Alright," Sophia nodded. "I'll change."
Professor Watson waited with a smile.
They arrived at the designated location.
Sophia noticed Alexander Laurent was also there.
Professor Watson's arrival caused everyone to rise.
"Eleanor's here!"
"We thought you weren't coming."
Professor Watson's lips curved upward. "I wouldn't dare miss Old Moore's gathering."
"Haha... That's debatable! We've all tried to arrange meetings. You haven't attended many of ours!"
Professor Watson feigned anger. "Stirring trouble the moment I step in? Old Huang, what are you scheming?"
"Haha... I wouldn't dare! Everyone treasures you. I even heard Old Moore secretly ordered extra dishes."
Professor Moore: "..."
"Hahaha..."
Amid the laughter, someone noticed Sophia.
"Eleanor, you brought a young friend today?"
"Yes," Professor Watson drew Sophia closer. "My most accomplished student. I hope you'll all look out for her in the future."
The group turned their full attention to Sophia.
"Of course! A student Eleanor is proud of must be exceptional. What guidance could we possibly offer?"
"Young people can always benefit from listening and learning."
"I'm very curious about the student who has earned Eleanor's high praise."
"Alexander is familiar with this topic, right? You called on Sophia to answer a question this morning."
Alexander hadn't expected the conversation to turn to him.
He quickly recovered. "An MIT master's student, Professor Watson's pupil. It's not strange that I know her."
"Haha... Not strange at all! Not strange at all!"
"Enough talk, Eleanor, take a seat!"
"Sophia, you too..."
This was Sophia's first time at a private academic gathering.
She discovered professors and scholars were quite relaxed in private.
They cracked jokes.
They spoke loudly.
They laughed heartily.
Professor Watson raised her glass first.
Paving the way for Sophia.
Sophia politely returned the toasts a few times.
After a few rounds of drinks, an elderly professor struck up a conversation with her.
They discussed everything from her specialty to her aspirations.
From papers to experiments.
The old professor's admiration grew increasingly evident.
"Haha... Young minds are so sharp! Why don't my students have this? Comparisons are truly frustrating!"
He looked at Professor Watson. "Where did you find this student? You snatch up all the promising seedlings?"
Leaving no opportunities for anyone else?
Professor Watson thought for a moment. "Perhaps I have a good eye? I spotted her immediately? What can I say, I recognize talent."
The old professor scoffed. "I'm not trying to steal your student. Who are you implying has a poor eye?"
"Old Gao, who was it last time that claimed poor eyesight and insisted on taking the tea I'd been saving for two years?"
A professor nearby immediately exposed him.
"Ahem, weren't we discussing the student's excellence? Why bring that up..."
The topic drifted away.
Sophia listened with a smile.
She reached for her wine glass.
Alexander handed her a glass of milk instead.
"Drink less. The sentiment is enough."
Sophia looked up, slightly tipsy.
Her hazy, drunken gaze settled on Alexander.
The man's breath hitched.
Alexander didn't play games.
He didn't understand the term "hard crowd control."
Until—
Sophia nodded gently. "Okay."
She picked up the glass and drank the milk.
It was still warm.
The dinner concluded at nine PM.
The night was pitch black.
City lights glittered brightly.
No one was drunk.
No one behaved inappropriately.
As they left the gathering place.
Their shirt buttons remained neatly fastened.
They carried a faint scent of alcohol.
But they still maintained the dignified demeanor of scholars.
...
Lillian Lopez heard noises in the hallway.
She peered through the peephole.
Professor Watson, Alexander, and Sophia were returning together.
Sophia had actually gone!
Lillian knew Alexander was attending the gathering of academic luminaries.
She had试探atively asked if she could accompany him.
Alexander didn't take the bait.
Finally, she directly asked if she could go to gain some exposure.
Alexander replied, "It wouldn't be appropriate."
Then he left.
How utterly "inappropriate"!
But it was appropriate for Sophia?
Sophia got all the good opportunities.
Professor Watson clearing her path.
Alexander attending to her every need.
Hmph...