Chapter 0198

Elizabeth didn't even bother to hide her aversion. The others hadn't expected her to be so uncooperative, and the atmosphere grew tense. Feeling the weight of an awkward glance, Bryan stepped in to smooth things over. He said to Elizabeth, “Come on, you brat, I've already run predictions on that experimental data for you. The results won't be ready until tomorrow morning at the earliest. It's rare for everyone to have time together—wouldn't it be nice to relax and have a meal? Besides, everyone knows how busy Dr. Jefferson is. He barely has time to breathe. Now that he's inviting us, you can't just turn him down, right?”

Elizabeth hesitated, but when she heard Bryan's last comment, she bit her lip and glanced up. Paul's handsome face remained indifferent. His perfectly buttoned shirt made him look like a god removed from earthly concerns, yet somehow captivating.

In the end, Elizabeth conceded. “Fine, I don't want to ruin everyone's fun.”

Bryan breathed a sigh of relief, though a tinge of disappointment lingered. This young lady was truly hard to please, and only Paul could sway her decisions.

Sandy, from Saltsberg (known for its love of spicy cuisine), was especially pleased with the choice of restaurant.

Bryan, always the most outgoing, warmly welcomed Miranda, treating her like a younger sister given the lab's scarcity of young women. “Miranda, order whatever you like. Don't be shy. Whenever Dr. Jefferson treats us, he's always generous and easygoing, so just relax.”

Sandy nodded in agreement, smiling as she half-jokingly added, “Usually, you can't trust half of what Bryan says, but he's telling the absolute truth today.”

Bryan joked, “Sandy, can't you leave me with a bit of dignity? Just say the nice things next time and skip the rest.” His playful remark instantly lightened the mood. Miranda was impressed by Bryan and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Only Elizabeth remained silent, her beautiful face cold and distant, as if someone owed her millions of dollars. Bryan quickly slid the menu to her. “Didn't you say your stomach's been bothering you and you wanted something light? This one isn't spicy; how about this? I also ordered your favorite fish Florentine. They say it's amazing here. You should try it…”

“You're so annoying. It's not like I don't have hands of my own…” Elizabeth grumbled irritably, frowning. In the end, she didn't reject his suggestion.

Bryan, seemingly accustomed to her attitude, didn't mind. He simply closed the menu with a grin and continued chatting with everyone.

Miranda took a sip of her drink. It wasn't sweet, but slightly sour—just the way she liked it. Sandy leaned in and whispered, “Bryan's been pursuing Elizabeth for years. Pretty obvious, right?”

Miranda, usually uninterested in others' private lives, nodded. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“It's been a while since we've had a couple in our lab. Who knows if those two will make it? By the way, do you have a boyfriend, Miranda?”

Sandy sighed, and the conversation shifted to Miranda. Her voice wasn't loud, but Paul, sitting nearby, overheard their exchange.

“No, I don't,” Miranda replied.

Sandy was a bit surprised. A beautiful woman like Miranda was still single? While she enjoyed gossip, she wasn't one to pry. Noticing Miranda wasn't keen on discussing it further, she dropped the topic.