Chapter 0324

Paul, Miranda, and Winter stepped out of the restaurant.

“Paul, you’re so popular. You were surrounded by a bunch of seniors, just like fans do around their favorite idol,” Winter remarked.

“Idol?”

“Oh, it means celebrity,” she replied.

Paul chuckled. “It’s just for practical reasons. I’m not a celebrity, so linking me to them doesn’t make sense.”

Winter wrinkled her nose. “Have you been drinking? Did you drive here?”

“Just a little. I didn’t drive.”

She said, “Great. Let’s get in the car. I’ll send you and Mimi home.”

Winter drove her car to the alley entrance but couldn’t go any further. So, Miranda and Paul exited the vehicle and walked in together.

The moon was bright, and a gentle breeze brushed through the night. In the quiet alley, the soft meow of a cat occasionally broke the silence.

Paul stepped on a bag of trash and swayed slightly from the effect of the alcohol he had earlier.

“Are you okay?” Miranda asked.

“Yeah, sorry. I might have had a few too many tonight.” Since Paul was worried that the smell of alcohol on him might rub off on her, he intentionally kept a distance.

She felt his apology came across as particularly genuine. It made her pause and reflect.

In the past, Hansel often drank and got home drunk. But he never seemed to think he needed to apologize for it. This made her realize how different people could be.

Miranda used to believe all men were like Hansel, Calvin, and Zach: they lived lives of debauchery and fooled around while working and partying.

Or they were like Lionel, reliable and down-to-earth—just an average guy.

It wasn’t until Miranda met Paul that she realized how different he was. Despite being the center of attention and seemingly unreachable, he was humble, patient, and understated.

She had always thought brilliance came with indulgence and that success brought arrogance, but Paul shattered that belief. He had every reason to be carefree and reckless, yet he was the most disciplined and self-controlled person she had ever known.

Miranda asked curiously, “Do researchers also need to socialize?”

“We live in a society that values relationships and mutual exchanges,” Paul said. “But how do we engage? Alcohol often serves as a social icebreaker, though coffee, books, art, and poetry can do the same.”

“Think about the holidays. Parents take their kids to visit relatives, and relatives visit you. Isn’t that considered socializing?

“If you consider these interactions as simply spending time together, they don’t have to revolve around alcohol. Instead, activities like having tea, fishing, hiking, or camping can serve the same purpose.

“By framing it this way, these gatherings feel less like ‘socializing,’ right? If you stick with that first definition, it’s still called socializing.”

This was the first time Miranda had heard that perspective, and she couldn’t resist asking, “So, does tonight’s meal count as socializing for you?”

Paul smiled faintly. “In a way, yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

He explained, “Today, I’m having a meal with my former mentor, some good friends, and a few acquaintances who want to ask me for favors.

“Having a meal and a few drinks with my mentor and friends doesn’t feel like socializing to me. But when I’m pressured to drink by those I’m not familiar with and can’t refuse, that feels like socializing. So…”

He paused and turned to her with a faint smile. “I guess it’s a bit of both.”

Miranda laughed. “So, you’ve got it all figured out. Happiness and unhappiness balance each other out perfectly.”

“Yeah.” Paul nodded. “I hope you can find that balance too.”

She was taken aback and wondered what he meant. She wanted to ask, but they had already reached their doorstep. They had been talking the entire way without even realizing it.

“Goodnight, Dr. Jefferson,” she said.

“See you tomorrow.”

As Miranda lay in bed that night, the image of Paul talking replayed in her mind. He spoke assertively, confidently, and calmly. She wondered if one needed to reach such a level of confidence to be emotionally strong in the same way.

For the first time, she felt a desire for something greater. She didn’t realize that this complex feeling was her admiration for Paul’s strength and confidence.