"One hour. You come up with your questions, and I'll answer them. That's all," Yvette declared. The words sent a ripple of excitement through the researchers.

Spencer, the boy with glasses, paused, his gaze deepening. "Alright, as you say."

A pleasant, resonant voice cut through the sudden hush. "Yvette?" Though phrased as a question, the speaker's tone was confident. His voice, though not loud, commanded attention, and all eyes turned.

Ryan couldn't believe his eyes. This was their first encounter since the Seacrity Library, and the sight of Yvette here, especially with James's unusual affability, felt surreal. Seeing James's kindness towards Yvette left him momentarily speechless. He'd only been in the physics lab for a week, but he already knew of Mr. Owens's strict demeanor. He couldn't fathom such pleasantness, especially toward Yvette, a girl he felt guilty about. It felt strangely incongruous.

Ryan knew Yvette was the long-lost Ms. Chambers, but now he wondered about her life over the past two decades and her connection to the renowned Mr. Owens.

A week earlier, Ryan had joined James's physics lab after winning the national physics competition. James, recalling a vague memory of the boy, had been favorably impressed by Simon's recommendation of the promising newcomer from a prominent Seacrity family. Newcomers to the outer lab typically underwent extensive testing before joining the core team. James knew little about Ryan but wasn't surprised by his acquaintance with Yvette, given their shared school, major, and location. He mused, Yvette is so remarkable; many boys must admire her. How could Ryan not know her?

Yvette gave a slight, expressionless nod, showing no surprise. Her cool gaze met Ryan's briefly before shifting to James. "Shall we go? Anything else to see?"

Her words stunned everyone. How could she treat Mr. Owens like a tour guide? they wondered. Having witnessed James's temper, they expected an outburst, but he merely smiled and nodded kindly. "Let's go meet the core group."

The students, both senior and new, were utterly bewildered by this unexpected display of deference. Yet, the illusion of a changed Mr. Owens was fleeting.

James's expression hardened, his voice turning serious. "You have one hour to print out all your unresolved questions regarding the experiment." He paused, a hint of severity in his eyes. "Cherish this opportunity. It knocks but once. Understand?"

With that, James and Yvette departed, leaving the students awestruck by the scene: James, seemingly escorting Yvette like an ancient queen attended by a servant. Their entrance into the core lab shattered the lingering disbelief. We've never been allowed inside; how did she just waltz in?

Spencer, having made some sort of agreement with Yvette, looked at Ryan. The others followed suit.

"Ryan, do you know this girl, Yvette?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, Ryan, who is she? She's really bold, isn't she?" another chimed in.

"Did you see how Mr. Owens treated her? My God, she's more important than Michael!"

A petite girl, last year's Alpineshire physics competition winner, addressed Ryan directly. "Ryan, you seemed a bit flustered. Is there a history between you two?" Her words were unsurprising to those who knew her penchant for shipping lab couples.

Ryan's grip tightened, a sense of relief washing over him. He acknowledged the curious stares and explained, "She's Yvette, from Argrol University's physics department, just like me. She transferred this year, and she's... our campus beauty."

He deliberately omitted her family background, fueling the mystery. How could a student from Seacrity's Argrol University appear so self-assured? They were all top talents from diverse backgrounds, after all.

Spencer still believed James's words were a stark warning: seize the opportunity or regret it forever. "She's in your department, right? Is she a good student? You won the Seacrity physics competition—how about her?"

Ryan, his head initially lowered, looked up. "I don't know. She hasn't taken any exams yet and has been on leave. She didn't participate in the physics competition either. I'm not at school much, so I haven't a clue."

Some scoffed, believing Mr. Owens had lost his mind. They resented the idea of a rarely-seen student instructing them.

Ryan paused, recalling an incident involving Ethan, and added, "She's… good at gambling. She once won a hundred million dollars overnight."

The revelation of her gambling prowess painted Yvette as a reckless spender, reinforcing the misconceptions. Ryan, still preoccupied with Yvette's unexpected presence, failed to notice the negative impact of his words.

"Holy shit, Mr. Owens is crazy! How could he let a girl who's always absent teach us?"

"She even said we could ask any question. Is she kidding?"

"She's insulting our intelligence. I'm not asking any questions."

"Me neither. I have experiments and reaction tests to do. I don't have time for this."

The bespectacled girl who'd earlier defended Spencer calmly observed the growing uproar. "Guys, calm down. Mr. Owens agreed for a reason. Spencer's already committed, so we should too. I have a suggestion: twenty of us, one question each."

The others, relieved by the suggestion, readily agreed. The girl felt a sense of relief, having avoided burdening Spencer.

"Alright, everyone back to your seats. We only have an hour. Mr. Owens said to take this seriously, so pick a problem you don't understand."