Chapter 82
Stephen shut his eyes tightly, but he couldn’t erase the lingering image from his mind.
He exhaled deeply, lowering his gaze as he tried to collect himself.
It took him a while before he finally reopened the door.
When Stellar stepped out in her lab coat, she was surprised to see him still standing there.
Their eyes met for a brief moment before he hesitated, then spoke up.
“I didn’t know you were inside. I wasn’t trying to intrude… I’m really sorry.”
For the first time, his apology was sincere, his gaze avoiding hers as if he were trying to escape something.
Stellar had felt a little embarrassed at first, but the feeling faded quickly.
It wasn’t as if losing a little modesty would cost her anything.
Besides, she was wearing a camisole underneath.
She wasn’t the type to make a big deal out of something like this or expect responsibility over a fleeting moment.
Still, his reaction was far stronger than she had expected.
Was he… embarrassed?
She shook off the thought, deciding she was overanalyzing things.
“It’s fine, Senior. I’ll head to the lab now.”
By the time she reached the others, everyone was already waiting for her.
Since she specialized in patching structural flaws, she quickly immersed herself in the experiment.
Less than half an hour later, the new CM material was fully synthesized.
“Stellar, you’re amazing!”
Lilian’s eyes sparkled with adiniration.
“Nothing is too difficult for you. Now we can finally submit our work.”
Simon and Nathan both looked noticeably relieved.
But Vivian’s expression darkened.
Stellar chuckled lightly. “I’ll take this to Senior and see if there’s anything that needs improvement.”
+20 Bonus:
She picked up the experimental results and knocked on the inner lab door.
“Come in.”
+20 Bonus
When she stepped inside, she saw Stephen sitting upright at his desk, meticulously recording experimental data.
“Senior, I’ve completed my experiment. Would you like to take a look?”
Her voice was soft as she asked.
Stephen looked up, slightly surprised.
Seeing how composed she was, it was clear she had already brushed off the earlier awkward encounter.
Meanwhile, he still couldn’t quite shake it off.
Still, when it came to work, he quickly adjusted his demeanor and shook his head.
“There’s no need. Before your paper is published, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to be involved.”
Truthfully, he wasn’t even sure what experiment she was working on.
“Just submit it to the professor. He’ll give you the answer.”
The way he said it almost sounded like he had complete confidence that she would be recognized for her work.
Stellar picked up on the implication but didn’t overthink it.
He was probably just handling things professionally, nothing more.
“Alright then, I’ll start working on my paper now. Thanks for your help today, Senior. I’ll treat you to a meal another day, but you better not pay in advance this time.”
Stephen raised an eyebrow. “Alright.”
“See you, Senior.”
With a lighthearted step, Stellar walked away.
That evening, before leaving the research institute, she finished writing her paper on the upgraded CM material and submitted it to Victor’s office.
Victor read through the entire paper carefully, his eyes lighting up with excitement by the time he reached the end.
“Excellent, excellent, excellent!”
He said it three times in a row, his excitement breaking through his usual strict demeanor.
His gaze toward Stellar was filled with unreserved admiration.
+20 Bonus
“I can’t believe you were away for two years, yet you haven’t regressed at all. Instead, you’ve developed something even more advanced. You’re a pure genius.
“To think that in my lifetime, I’ve had the honor of teaching two such outstanding students… I could die happy!”
At first, Stellar felt a little embarrassed by the praise, but when she heard the last part, she was speechless.
“Professor, can you not say something so
ominous?”
