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Novel Catalog
Chapter_273
“One hour. You come up with your questions, and I’ll answer them. That’s all,” Yvette stated firmly, her voice calm but carrying an air of authority.
The moment the words left her mouth, the atmosphere shifted. Every researcher in the room felt a sudden jolt, their hearts skipping a beat.
Spencer, the boy with glasses, hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he processed what had just happened. After a moment, he gave a curt nod. “Alright, as you say.”
But before anyone could react further, a soft yet magnetic voice broke the stillness. “Yvette?”
It was a question, but it carried an underlying confidence that was impossible to miss. Even though the voice wasn’t loud, it was clear enough that everyone turned their attention toward it.
Ryan stood in the crowd, his gaze fixed on Yvette. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This was the first time they had encountered each other since their brief meeting at the Seacrity Library, and now here she was, in this situation. It seemed unreal that she was here now, standing in front of him in the very same lab.
For a moment, Ryan felt his mind go blank. His attention was divided, unsure of what to make of the situation. The sight of James being unusually kind to Yvette, of all people, seemed like a dream.
Ryan had only been part of Mr. Owens’ lab for a week, but in that short time, he had already learned about James’ strict and no-nonsense nature. I’ve never seen Mr. Owens act this friendly with anyone before, Ryan thought to himself. And it’s a girl I knew… someone I feel guilty about? This is strange.
Ryan knew who Yvette was. She was the long-lost Ms. Chambers, the mysterious figure who had everyone talking. But seeing her now, after all these years, made Ryan wonder. How did she spend the last twenty years? And how did she come to know Mr. Owens?
Just a week ago, Ryan had been recruited into James’ prestigious physics lab after winning first place in the national physics competition. James had recalled Ryan’s name vaguely, remembering that Simon had recommended him highly, mentioning that Ryan was from a prominent family in Seacrity.
However, newcomers to the outer lab had to go through a series of basic experiments and tests before joining the core team. James knew little about Ryan, but the fact that Ryan knew Yvette didn’t surprise him. After all, they were both from the same school, same department, and it wasn’t hard to see why Ryan would know Yvette. Yvette’s amazing—of course, many boys must admire her. How could Ryan not know her?
Yvette, as always, remained composed. She gave a slight nod, her face impassive, revealing no surprise. She glanced at Ryan, her expression neutral, before turning to James. “Shall we go? Is there anywhere else to see?”
Her casual tone took everyone by surprise. How could she talk to Mr. Owens like that?
The students, who had all experienced James’ temper firsthand, exchanged confused glances. They were certain that James would reprimand Yvette for her boldness. Instead, to everyone’s astonishment, James simply smiled warmly and nodded. “Let’s go meet the core group.”
At this, the researchers were completely thrown off. James, always serious and sometimes intimidating, seemed to have changed. But just as they were about to doubt the situation, they realized that James had slipped back into his usual routine.
James’ demeanor shifted quickly as he turned to address the group. His expression hardened, his voice taking on a serious edge. “You have one hour to print out all your unresolved questions related to the experiment.”
He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the room, locking onto each of the students. “Cherish this opportunity. It knocks but once. Do you understand?”
The students were taken aback by the gravity in his tone. As James and Yvette walked away together, their departure left a lingering sense of disbelief.
The two of them made their way toward the doors that led to the core lab. The researchers were left in stunned silence. Mr. Owens is taking her into the core lab? How did she manage to get in? We’ve never been inside!
Spencer, who had earlier made an agreement with Yvette, turned to Ryan, his eyes full of curiosity. Other students followed his gaze, looking expectantly at Ryan.
Spencer spoke first. “Ryan, do you know this girl named Yvette?”
“Yeah, Ryan,” another researcher chimed in. “Do you know her? Who is she? She’s really bold, huh?”
A petite girl, who had won last year’s physics competition in Alpineshire, leaned in. “Ryan, you seemed a bit off just now. Do you have a history with her?”
The others chuckled. They were used to this girl, who was an expert at spotting potential romantic connections among lab members. She was always quick to comment on any couple that caught her interest.
Ryan, feeling the pressure of the situation, clenched his fists but soon relaxed. Noticing the curious gazes from everyone around him, he explained, “She’s Yvette, from the physics department at Argrol University, just like me. She transferred in this year, and… well, she’s the campus beauty.”
He didn’t go into further detail about Yvette’s background, which only deepened the mystery for the others. How could someone from Argrol University handle such a situation? they wondered. After all, everyone in the lab came from top-tier institutions.
Spencer, still unsure of the whole situation, spoke up again. “She’s in your department, right? Is she good at her studies? You came first in Seacrity’s physics competition. What about her?”
Ryan hesitated for a moment before answering. “I don’t know. She hasn’t taken any exams yet and has been on leave for some reason. She didn’t even sign up for the physics competition. I don’t spend much time on campus, so I’m not sure.”
Some students exchanged skeptical glances. How could Mr. Owens allow someone who doesn’t even attend classes regularly to teach us?
Ryan thought for a moment, then recalled something else. “She’s good at gambling. She won 100 million dollars overnight.”
The reaction was immediate. What? A gambler? The students’ opinions shifted quickly. Some began to whisper among themselves. She spends that kind of money on gambling? She must be reckless.
Ryan hadn’t intended to defend Yvette in this way, but his comment only fueled the rumors. He didn’t notice the growing misunderstanding as he focused on the strange reality of seeing Yvette in the national physics lab.
“Holy crap,” someone muttered. “Mr. Owens has lost it. How could he let a girl who’s always absent teach us?”
“She even said we could ask any question. Is she serious?” another voice questioned.
“Is this some kind of joke?” someone else added. “We’re not here to waste time.”
The girl with glasses, who had defended Spencer earlier, watched the growing frustration unfold with a calm demeanor. “Guys, calm down,” she said, trying to steady the situation. “Mr. Owens agreed with what she said for a reason. Spencer has already cleared it up, so we should go along with it. I have a suggestion—there are twenty of us. How about each person comes up with one question?”
The room seemed to relax slightly at her suggestion. Everyone nodded in agreement. One question per person seemed like a reasonable compromise.
Feeling reassured, the girl with glasses smiled and gave a small nod. “Alright, everyone. Let’s head back to our seats. We only have an hour. Since Mr. Owens said to take this seriously, let’s pick a question that we don’t understand.”
The group, though still buzzing with curiosity about Yvette, settled into a quieter mood. The experiment was about to begin, but the mystery of Yvette’s presence lingered in the air.
