It was no wonder Miranda was so surprised.

First, Paul was usually buried in work at the lab during this time of day, so seeing him anywhere else was unexpected. Second, he and Lionel were sitting there playing chess, with an open Calendar Notebook beside them.

It was as if they were long-lost friends catching up. They seemed to be having a great time, completely immersed in conversation.

“Mimi, you’re back!” Lionel called out the moment he heard the door. Paul’s gaze followed, and he locked eyes with Miranda.

Meeting her surprised look, he smiled and said, “Surprised to see me?”

“Dr. Jefferson, what are you doing here?” Miranda asked as she slipped into her house shoes and walked further in.

Before Paul could respond, Lionel quickly explained, “Your mom and I ran into Paul on the stairs this morning, so I invited him over for a visit…”

And that visit turned into quite the event. Lionel soon realized that no matter what topic he brought up, Paul had something to say. Even when it came to gardening and plants, Paul had knowledge to share!

Then, they got onto the topic of physics—Paul’s expertise. Within just a few exchanges, Lionel was thoroughly impressed. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “I’m getting old. The world now belongs to young people!”

Paul quickly waved off the compliment. “Not at all, sir. You’re the one with hidden talents.”

He wasn’t just being polite, either. Lionel had a solid foundation of knowledge, with clear, logical frameworks in his mind. It was something Paul could tell came from a strong undergraduate background.

This part didn’t surprise Paul much. What really amazed him was Lionel’s familiarity with the latest developments in the field of physics. He could even discuss recent breakthroughs in specialized areas of research.

This wasn’t knowledge that one could gain just from an undergraduate education. It required consistent, long-term engagement with academic papers.

Paul asked, “Do you regularly read research theses?”

“I used to read one or two papers a day after preparing lessons, as a way to relax,” Lionel replied.

Paul was momentarily speechless. “The topic you mentioned about collecting information on proton internal structure through neutrinos scattered from plastic targets—that’s a recent technological breakthrough. There aren’t many theses on it yet, but you seem quite knowledgeable about it.”

Lionel nodded in realization, “Oh, that? Back in the day, when I was making notes for my research, I analyzed that very topic. The main challenge in using neutrinos to study proton structure lies in how to observe the neutrino signal from a single proton’s scattering.”

Paul’s surprise grew.

Making notes, he said? He must be referring to Forrest’s famous Calendar Notebook, a compilation he prided himself on.

Coincidentally, Paul had brought it with him today. He quickly took it out and, sure enough, found Lionel’s section of research notes.

Miranda raised an eyebrow after hearing this. “So my dad’s work is really in there?”

“Of course,” Paul responded earnestly. “Your dad is quite remarkable.”

Miranda turned to Lionel. “Dad, how come I’ve never heard you mention this before?”

Lionel waved it off. “What’s there to talk about? I didn’t go down the research path, and those notes were written so long ago. Who knew they’d still exist?”

So many years had passed, yet Lionel’s research foresight had precisely hit on the current popular fields of study. Paul’s respect for Lionel deepened with every passing moment.

It all made sense now.

It was no wonder. It was truly no wonder Miranda was so exceptional.

Like father, like daughter.

When Miranda returned, Paul sensed that the family needed time together, so he didn’t overstay his welcome. He politely declined Mindy’s invitation to stay for dinner, leaving them to enjoy the rest of their evening as a family.