Chapter 184
"Take these home and go through them," said Christine. "You'll officially start school again in September. Before then, you should have a basic understanding of your research direction. This way, when you join the lab group, you won't be completely in the dark."
Miranda glanced at the materials in her hand and nodded. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to master everything as quickly as possible. I won't let you down!"
Christine chuckled at Miranda's determined look. "Do you think I don't have faith in you?"
"I watched the video of your interview," Miranda replied. "It's been years, so I was worried that you might struggle to keep up with the current research pace." She patted Miranda on the shoulder. "But after watching the video, I realized you haven't lost your touch."
In fact, Miranda's response to Paul's question pleasantly surprised her. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that even final-year graduate students might not have answered as well as she did. The quality of an answer wasn't just about being right or wrong; it was about the thought process and logical skills displayed while solving the problem.
"You're my student," Christine said. "No one knows your talent and brilliance better than I do. You have the capability for this, got it?"
Their chat was interrupted when Christine received a phone call. Miranda took the stack of materials home, her mind drifting back to her teacher's words.
Throughout her journey, she hadn't always been steadfast in her beliefs. She had moments of fear, doubt, and worry that she might mess things up. This was especially true when she learned that Christine had been focused on a particular research topic for years without any breakthroughs. If Miranda's involvement couldn't bring something new to the table, it would be meaningless.
As she opened the papers, she noticed that the documents were organized chronologically, the further she went, the older they got. Some even dated back to the 1940s, when bioinformatics had just started to emerge as a distinct discipline.
In the past, she viewed the development of bioinformatics from the perspective of a reader, like flipping through a book. No matter how much she read, she remained just an observer. Now, seeing it from the perspective of a creator and practitioner, it felt like walking in the footsteps of those who came before, becoming a part of the journey. These were two completely different experiences.
Miranda was deeply engrossed in her reading when her phone rang. She answered it.
"Is this Winter Jefferson's relative? This is Elgerson City's Primrose Hospital. She was in a car accident, and you need to come quickly."
Miranda's hand trembled, and her heart nearly stopped. She quickly hung up the phone, grabbed her bag in a panic, and then realized that hospitalization would surely cost money. Just in case, she pulled out several cards containing her savings, grabbed her phone and coat, and rushed out the door. Fortunately, a cab drove by just as she was about to open a ride-hailing app. "Mister, please take me to Primrose Hospital."
The driver, an older man, quickly understood the situation when he glanced at her anxious face. "Hold on tight, miss! My driving is fast and steady; I'll get you there safely."
Miranda's lips moved slightly. "Thank you."
During the ride, her mind conjured up countless terrifying scenarios. Unsure of what else to do, she dialed Winter's number again. As expected, the phone was already turned off.
The old driver liked to listen to the radio. Just as the music faded, the female radio announcer's voice came on: "It is now 1:30 p.m., and here's a breaking news update. A chain collision occurred at No. 26 Elder Street, where a bus rear-ended a truck. So far, authorities have reported that ten people were injured, and one has died…"