CHAPTER 0300

A TALL FIGURE WALKED OUT AS CHRISTINE FINISHED SPEAKING

MIRANDA WAS STUNNED WHEN SHE SAW WHO IT WAS.

CHRISTINE SAID, “LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO SAM COOPER, DR. SANCHEZ’S STUDENT.”

SAM EXTENDED HIS HAND TO MIRANDA WITH A SMILE. “MIRANDA, NICE TO MEET YOU.”

“YOU’RE DR. SANCHEZ’S STUDENT?” MIRANDA ASKED WITH ASTONISHMENT.

“WHY? DO I NOT SEEM LIKE IT?”

“NOT EXACTLY…”

CHRISTINE GLANCED BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. “DO YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER?”

SAM NODDED. “YES, WE DO.” IN FACT, THEY HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

“WELL, THAT’S GREAT. SINCE WE’RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH EACH OTHER, WHY DON’T YOU

SAM ANSWERED, “THANK YOU, DR. YOUNG. I’LL BE HAPPY TO

MIRANDA HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO STAY FOR DINNER BEFORE LEAVING.

TAY FOR DINNER TONIGHT?

OLIVIA HAD PREPARED A TABLE FULL OF FOOD, INCLUDING TWO OF MIRANDA’S FAVORITE DISHES. WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT, SAM LET MIRANDA TAKE A SEAT CLOSEST TO HER TWO FAVORITE DISHES WHEN THEY SAT AT THE TABLE. MEANWHILE, HE TOOK A SEAT NEARBY.

CHRISTINE RAISED AN EYEBROW AT THIS.

HOWEVER, MIRANDA SAW IT AS MERE COINCIDENCE AND DIDN’T READ MORE INTO IT. SHE JUST FELT THAT OLIVIA WAS BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL TO PREPARE HER FAVORITE DISHES FOR DINNER!

“SAM, HOW OLD ARE YOU?” CHRISTINE SUDDENLY ASKED.

SAM REPLIED, “I’M 28 THIS YEAR.”

“YOU’RE ALREADY RUNNING AN INVESTMENT COMPANY AT 28 YEARS OLD. THAT’S QUITE IMPRESSIVE.”

SAM WAVED IT AWAY HUMBLY. “YOU’RE TOO KIND. I MANAGED TO THE COMPANY THANKS TO MY FAMILY’S

SUPPORT. IT’S ONLY IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS THAT THE COMPANY FOUND ITS FOOTING. COMPARED TO RUNNING A BUSINESS, I ADMIRE DEDICATED RESEARCHERS LIKE YOU AND DR. SANCHEZ MORE.

“YOU IMMERSE YOURSELVES IN EXPERIMENTS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, YEAR AFTER YEAR. YOU HAD TO ENDURE SOLITUDE AND MONOTONY IN PURSUIT OF THE MYSTERIES OF ACADEMIA AND SCIENTIFIC TRUTHS, DEDICATING YOUR LIVES TO RESEARCH.”

“SUCH A LIFE ISN’T LONELY OR MONOTONOUS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE RESEARCH. ISN’T THAT RIGHT, MIMI? CHRISTINE

ASKED.

“YES.” MIRANDA NODDED.

THERE WERE NO WORKPLACE POLITICS NOR PRESSURES FROM SOCIETY. LIFE IN THE LAB WAS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD, A PLACE THAT MADE HER FEEL AT EASE. AT LEAST, IT WAS LIKE THAT FOR HER AND CHRISTINE.

7/2

CHAPTER 0301

IN REALITY, SAM WASN’T MUCH HELP IN THE KITCHEN.

NOT ONLY WERE HIS ACTIONS CLUMSY, BUT HE ALSO SQUEEZED DISH SOAP ONTO EVERY SINGLE PLATE AND BOWL. WHEN MIRANDA GAVE HIM A POINTED LOOK, HE ASKED INNOCENTLY ISN’T THIS HOW YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO WASH THEM??

MIRANDA WAS AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.

SAM CLEARED HIS THROAT “MAYBE YOU COULD TEACH ME IF YOU DON’T MIND? BACK WHEN I WAS ABROAD, I ONLY USED ONE OR TWO PLATES WHEN COOKING FOR MYSELF, SO I’D JUST SQUEEZE A BIT OF SOAP ON EACH ONE”

“WELL THERE’S NO FIXED WAY TO WASH DISHES, AND THERE’S NO SINGLE RIGHT WAY TO USE DISH SOAP. EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN METHOD, AND IT’S FINE AS LONG AS THE DISHES ARE CLEAN. HOWEVER…

MIRANDA PAUSED FOR A MOMENT BEFORE CONTINUING, “FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BEING CONSERVATIVE, IT’S BETTER TO SQUEEZE SOAP INTO SOME WATER AND MIX IT. THEN, USE A SPONGE TO WASH THE DISHES. AFTER THAT, RINSE THEM WITH CLEAN WATER, LET THEM AIR DRY, AND PUT THEM AWAY.”

“IS THAT SO? SAM LISTENED CAREFULLY AND FOLLOWED HER INSTANS.

JUST AS HE WAS ABOUT TO DILUTE THE DISH SOAP WITH WATER, MIRANDA SUDDENLY SAID, “WAIT”

SAM WAS SLIGHTLY TAKEN ABACK

“LISE HOT WATER,” SHE SPOKE.

“OH, ALRIGHT!”

THEY STAYED BACK A LITTLE LONGER AFTER TIDYING UP. BOTH OF THEM BID GOODBYE TO CHRISTINE AS IT GOT LATE

“I DROVE HERE. LET ME GIVE YOU A RIDE, SAM OFFERED.

MIRANDA DIDN’T REFUSE SINCE THE SUBWAY HAD ALREADY STOPPED RUNNING AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MR. COOPER

WHEN BOTH OF THEM GOT INTO THE CAR, SAM SAID, “IF YOU DON’T MIND, I’D PREFER IF YOU CALL ME BY MY NAME INSTEAD. OR WOULD YOU PREFER COOPER?”

“ALRIGHT, MR. COOPER.”

“YOU’RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE, AREN’T YOU?”

MIRANDA FEIGNED INNOCENCE. TVE GOTTEN USED TO CALLING YOU THAT. IT’S HARD TO CHANGE AT ONCE.”

“FINE, CALL ME WHATEVER YOU WANT, SAM SIGHED. HE WAS SURE HE COULD MAKE HER WILLINGLY CHANGE HOW SHE ADDRESSED HIM SOONER OR LATER.

HALF AN HOUR LATER, THE CAR PULLED UP AT THE CAMPUS MAIN ROAD.

MIRANDA SAID, “JUST DROP ME OFF AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF BEDFORD COLLEGE.

“AREN’T YOU GOING BACK TO YOUR PLACE?”

“I NEED TO STOP BY THE LAB. THERE ARE TWO SETS OF DATA THAT HAVEN’T COME OUT YET, PO I’LL HAVE TO WORK