Chapter 18
Adeline was baffled. She asked, “I just looked through your book, and it’s all about acupuncture. Are you seriously switching to acupuncture?”
“Yes,” Josie said, without looking up.
Adeline was getting a little overwhelmed. Though she and Josie weren’t exactly close, after four years of living together, she considered Josie a friend.
Adeline reminded her, “Josie, acupuncture is the most unpopular major in our whole school. You’re going from the hottest major to the coldest. Isn’t that a bit too drastic?”
“Have you really thought this through? You won’t regret it later? This isn’t some joke; it’s a lifelong decision. Don’t be impulsive.”
Josie knew Adeline was genuinely concerned, so she offered a bit more explanation. She replied, “I’ve thought it through. Learning acupuncture doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my original major.”
“I’m just leaving Professor Lawson’s team. It’s not as serious as you think. I need an internship spot and a mentor. Professor Wilcourt is willing to take me in at a time like this, and I’m really grateful.”
Adeline caught onto something. She continued, “That Professor Lawson…”
“I don’t want to talk about anything else. Bottom line is, I’m serious about this. It’s not a joke. I believe I can master acupuncture.” Josie smiled at her, signaling she didn’t want to explain further.
Adeline’s gossip-loving heart was about to explode, but she didn’t have the nerve to press her any further. She could only let her mind run wild.
Suddenly, Adeline said, “By the way, there’s been a lot of drama on the forum. Aiden and Sean don’t seem to get along. A bunch of people are waiting for the fireworks.”
“Got it,” Josie said, picking up her phone. “Thanks.”
Adeline waved it off. “Don’t be so polite. But if you really want to thank me, could you help me out with next month’s Medical Innovation Competition?”
Adeline’s words sparked a memory for Josie. In their previous life, she had still been on David’s team when Aiden signed up for the contest.
The contest required teams of three to six members. Even though the innovation was Josie’s idea, she had planned it all, and even wrote the final thesis herself, her name never appeared on the official team list. Aiden had said Josie already had plenty of accolades, while Natalie’s resume looked too thin in comparison.
Aiden had said that they were a team and there should be no weak links. To balance things out, Natalie’s name would be on the entry list instead. After all, Natalie participated in the innovation process too.
At the time, Aiden’s gentle and kind eyes had made Josie agree against her better judgment.
Later, when they won the grand prize, the personal award money was thirty thousand dollars, but Natalie didn’t give her a single cent.
Not only did they keep her out of the winnings, the entire team shamelessly claimed credit for her innovation, and not one of them thought to thank her, as if everything Josie did for them was something she owed.
Josie let out a slow breath. “Have you already got a project proposal? Show me, I’ll help you review it.”
Josie remembered that in her past life, Delilah’s team never entered the innovation contest, but Adeline’s team had won first prize.
If I give Adeline the innovation proposal from my past life and guide her through it, maybe that grand prize won’t be theirs this time, Josie thought.
Once the thought came, it was impossible to suppress.
Adeline hadn’t expected Josie to actually agree. She had only mentioned it casually, thinking it was too much to ask.
Her own mentor was nowhere near David’s level. Adeline had tried to enroll in David’s classes before, but she never managed to get in.
Now, being able to get advice from his students was a golden opportunity.
Adeline brought over her laptop and said, “Take a look. This is what we’ve come up with so far. We’re just stuck on how to develop it further.”
Josie was surprised to see that their idea was quite similar to the innovation she had proposed in her past life. Then Josie asked, “Is this project something your entire team came up with, or is it your personal idea?”