Worried that Arthur might run away, Derek clutched his arm tightly and warned in a low voice, “You better not run!”


    Running at a time like this would clearly make him look guilty.


    Arthur, like a puppet being controlled, was forced to walk over and sit down.


    “This is the roommate I told you about, Arthur,” Derek said.


    Aria’s gaze lingered on Arthur’s tense face for a second. “Hello.”


    Arthur swallowed. His voice was dry. “Hello, Ms. Saxon.”


    Aria said, “No need to be so nervous. Today, I’m meeting you as Derek’s sister, not as a professor.”


    Aria thought Arthur’s tension was because he was facing a teacher. She didn’t recognize him.


    Arthur secretly let out a breath and rxed his shoulders a bit. “Alright.”


    He wondered to himself, ‘Does she recognize me or not?’


    Derek was momentarily confused and quickly changed the subject. “Aria, Arthur is really amazing. Only second to Patrick.”


    Arthur’s face flushed slightly. “I’m not that amazing.”


    Aria smiled faintly. “Derek rarely praises anyone. I trust his judgment.”


    One sentence, and sheplimented both of them.


    Derek puffed up with pride, grinning almost to his ears. “You’re getting better atpliments.”


    Aria kept looking at Arthur’s face. It felt familiar somehow. She paused for a moment, then suddenly said, “Have we met before?”


    Arthur’s pupils shrank. His fists clenched. If she recognized him, she might be disappointed.


    Just as his heart pounded furiously, Aria suddenly remembered. “I remember now. I saw you at the restaurant.”


    Arthur felt as though someone had just pulled him back from the edge of a cliff. He let out a breath of relief. “Right. My roommates recognized you at that time.”


    Aria smiled. “The Stars Group has a major project going on. If you’re considering an internship, you could give the Stars Group a try.”


    Arthur paused. “You mean the Quantum Superbrain Project?”


    Aria replied, “Yes.”


    Arthur looked troubled. “Ms. Saxon, I’ve signed an agreement with my advisor to go to Kanit City.”


    Aria looked a bit disappointed. “I see.”


    Speaking of this, Derek said indignantly, “He even added someone else’s name to your patent, and you’re still choosing to


    follow him?”


    Arthur looked a bit embarrassed. “I… made that promise back in undergrad.”


    “We must all be hungry.” Aria smoothly shifted the topic. “Eatinges first. Everything else can wait.”


    Derek realized the timing of hisint wasn’t great. He cursed himself under his breath. “Right, right, food first.”


    After dinner, Arthur suddenly thought of someone. “Ms. Saxon, Mr. Gn’s team is really good at this type of research, but he refuses to work with businesses, so…”


    He continued, “Manypanies tried to poach him and his team. None seeded.”


    Aria smiled. “That’s very useful information. Thank you.”


    Arthur pressed his lips together and nodded.


    The three walked out of the cafeteria.


    Just as they reached the stairwell, a stern voice came from above. “Arthur?”


    Richard walked down with several students, frowning with displeasure. “This is the important appointment you mentioned?”


    Arthur kept a neutral expression, ignoring the professor’s usation. He turned to introduce, “Mr. Lloyd, this is Ms. Saxon, a mentor in the pharmaceutical analysis department.”


    A male student next to Richard spoke with a sarcastic tone. “Arthur, you’re inputer science. What are you doing meeting a pharmaceutical analysis professor? nning a career change?”


    All six looked at Arthur, each with their ownplicated expression.


    Aria calmly scanned the group.


    Derek retorted, “So what? Is there a school rule against meeting professors from other departments?”


    The guy scoffed. “You’re a mid-program transfer. Instead of catching up, you have the nerve to speak up for others?”


    Derek held up his hand like an orchid, voice light. “Sadly, as a cross-discipline student, my grad school exam scores were higher than yours, Laird.”


    Laird’s face instantly changed.


    Richard nced at him, then turned to Aria, his tone slow and deliberate, “This is Ms. Saxon, someone the university holds in high regard. Say hello to her.”


    He smile.. but his eyescked any real respect.


    A girl smiled at Aria. “Hello, Ms. Saxon.”


    “Hello, Ms. Saxon,” the others mumbled.


    Three of the five were clearly just being perfunctory.


    Laird couldn’t even be bothered with the surface politeness. He sneered. “She had no degree. She probably stole someone else’s research, and yet still got a job at Mandino University as a mentor.”


    He added, “Since Ms. Saxon is so capable, why not teach us how to pull strings and get in the back door?”


    “Laird!” Arthur’s face darkened. “Have you no respect for teachers?”


    “She didn’t even say anything. Why are you defending her?” Laird’s gaze turned suggestive, flicking between the two. “You’d skip a dinner with your advisor just to see Aria? You two aren’t… together, are you?”


    914


    Derek’s fist clenched. “You little…”


    “Back,” Aria said just one word. Derek gritted his teeth hard, then stepped back.


    Aria turned to Laird with a smile. “Your name is Laird?”


    Standing on the stairs, Laird looked down on her. “Yeah, why? Want to hit on me?”


    Aria continued, “And your advisor is this professor?”


    Laird replied, “So what?”


    “What’s his name?” Aria asked calmly.


    “Richard Lloyd,” Derek answered for him.


    Aria smiled again. “So it’s Mr. Lloyd.”


    She calmly pulled out her phone and called Fred.


    Fred asked, “Ms. Saxon, is something the matter?”


    “I’d like to resign,” Aria said.


    “What?” Fred eximed.


    Everyone’s expression changed.


    “Someone just publicly said I stole my research, that I have no academic credentials, that I only got into Mandino University through connections…” She paused, her tone low and dejected. “He even said I was having an affair with a student… that I wanted to seduce him…”


    She added, “Mr. Gardner, my poor, fragile heart is deeply wounded. I’m very sad. I want to leave.”


    Her posture was rxed, her tone calm. “I won’t teach the remaining sses. Please apologize to Mr. Schmidt and the others. for me. I’m heading home.”


    She hung up without waiting for a response. Everyone was stunned.


    Laird was the first to snap out of it, his face flushing crimson. “Seriously? You’re a teacher, yet you’re tattling like a damn grade-schooler!”


    Aria replied, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tattled. I’ll leave right away and nevere back.”


    If it weren’t for her cold expression and emotionless tone, Laird might’ve believed her nonsense.


    “You…”


    44


    Just as Laird opened his mouth, Aria turned and walked away, letting out a quiet sigh. “No more work… how sad.”


    Derek and Arthur looked at each other and instinctively followed.


    Aria was walking toward the parking lot.


    Derek caught up. “Aria, you’re really leaving?”


    “Why not? Getting off work early is a rare treat,” Aria said with a smile, waving at them. “Go now.”


    She walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped and looked at Derek. “Oh, right. Don’t forget to tell Mr. Gardner that I was


    h


    heartbroken because I was ndered by Mr. Llyord’s student, Laird.”


    She added, “There’s a camera at the stairwell. They can check the footage.”


    With a yful wave, Aria said, “Bye.”