Chapter 297

“Tell me, Joseph, how did you manage to get Gale to write the preface for us? I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw it.” Ian was grinning from ear to ear.

Joseph waved his hand and said, “This truly is not my achievement. After meeting Professor Wilcourt yesterday, he brought it up. Incidentally, you should all be aware that Mrs. Reedshaw is his mother-in-law, right?”

“I know. After all, he and Delilah are married. But no one else may know about this,” Tripp also spoke up.

After all, Delilah and Jeremy had always maintained a low profile. Except for those within their immediate circle, others who did not know them well were unaware that they were married.

Joseph nodded. “Let’s not say more. The Reedshaw family keeps a low profile, and we should too. These achievements aren’t worth making a big deal about.”

“Yes, let’s keep it low-key,” Adeline said in a lowered voice. “Josie, let’s go pick out something delicious.”

The topic changed instantly without any awkwardness, and Josie was amused. It was evident that Joseph and his associates were all reliable individuals, each showing a strong sense of tact and knowing their boundaries. Josie was immensely relieved that she had helped them. It seemed she hadn’t misjudged them.

They wanted to keep a low profile, but others did not want to allow that. Because they were in the research institute, as soon as they sat down at a table, quite a few researchers proactively approached to greet them. Many of them were unfamiliar faces. They didn’t even know most of their names.

An older man patted Joseph on the shoulder and said, “You young people are truly impressive. You have achieved such remarkable results in such a short time. Joseph, good job. You and your team are truly outstanding. Did you sign the deal with the research institute this time as the school’s Grand Prize winners?”

Joseph rose respectfully and replied, “Yes. I just happened to be about to start my internship when Professor Wilcourt signed me, so I joined the research institute.”

“It must be said, he really showed good judgment this time…” The jealousy in the speaker’s tone was almost impossible to hide. Joseph was drenched in sweat, uncertain of the individual’s identity and unwilling to speak rashly. He could only offer a forced smile.

He said, “We are fortunate to have met a good professor.”

The man shifted the topic and asked, “Are all of you studying the same major?”

Joseph began to discern the implication in the other person’s words. He said, “No, that’s not the case. We come from all kinds of majors. For example, Josie is studying acupuncture.”

The man glanced at Josie and said, “I have heard about this, but the research prospects for traditional medicine are difficult to predict. Cytology and clinical medicine ultimately remain the primary areas of focus. What do you think?”

They knew that this man was setting them up. Josie kept her head down and ate, ignoring him. Unlike Joseph and the others, she was not part of the institute, and her field ensured that no one would try to poach her.

“We believe that it’s more important to focus on the current research first!” Ian let out a laugh. He added, “We do not know what the outcome of this research will be. However, since we initiated it, we must see it through to completion. The future of the medical field is not something that we, as interns, are qualified to determine.”

“Yes!” Joseph nodded. “Our primary concern is the experiment at hand.”

A trace of displeasure flickered across the man’s face, yet he did not become angry. Instead, he smiled.

He said, “It’s good for young people to work diligently, but you’re about to graduate, aren’t you? There are some things you should start thinking about in advance. The threshold for entering the research institute is quite high!”

What he meant to say was, “Don’t assume that just because you are currently doing research with Jeremy, you will have the opportunity to stay at the institute. If you don’t choose your camp wisely, whether you can stay is still uncertain!”

Josie thought, “Oh my gosh! This isn’t recruiting us at all. It’s practically a threat, forcing us to join other research groups.” Josie’s brows knitted slightly as a trace of vexation flashed through her mind.

Only after the man had left did Joseph dare to sit down again.

He said, “You all should be careful these days. Watch what you say and do, and don’t let anyone target you!”

“We’re just a few interns. Isn’t that going a bit too far?” Adeline was puzzled.