“Huh?” Matthew took some time to wrap his head around what Sam said. “Who delivered it? And when? Did you even mention this to me?”

Sam answered, “I happened to be on campus today. In the afternoon, I heard you saying that the USB drive was for Miranda, so I took it to her for you.”

“Oh, I see… Why didn’t you tell me? I spent ages looking for it…”

Sam thought to himself, “It would have been hard to explain if I told you beforehand. Better to act first and explain later.”

However, he said to Matthew, “I did it on the spur of the moment, so I forgot to let you know.”

“Alright, as long as you gave it to her safely.”

“Yeah.”

After the call ended, Sam held the steering wheel and whistled a cheerful tune.

Meanwhile, Paul was trying to calculate a set of experimental data in the study. However, he was unable to focus on his work. The scene he saw when he stood on his balcony two hours ago kept resurfacing in his mind involuntarily.

Sam and Miranda were walking side by side from the alley’s entrance.

His head was lowered, as if saying something to her. Miranda first frowned after hearing it, then rolled her eyes with mild exasperation before running off.

Sam stood at the same spot and watched her. His eyes were filled with a mix of helplessness and affection, as if she were an adorable yet mischievous child.

Under the streetlights, their shadows were stretched long, and some parts overlapped, making them look like an intimate couple.

So… the person she had plans with was Sam?

Paul snapped back to reality and turned to the screen of his computer. He got confused again.

From which column did his thoughts start to wander? Which row was he on?

In the end, he had to scrap his calculations and start over. The light in his study was still on at 3:00 am.

Dejected, Paul closed his notebook. He still couldn’t sort things out. Forget it; he would deal with it tomorrow.

He washed up quickly and lay down. However, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. When Paul finally drifted off, it was a fitful sleep. His dreams were chaotic and surreal.

Paul couldn’t clearly identify the setting in his dreams. Everything seemed to be veiled by a thin layer of mist. A slender, graceful figure moved closer to him slowly.

However, this wasn’t enough to relieve his discomfort. His whole body seemed to be burning in the flames, tormented by unbearable thirst from within.

It was pure torture and agony, yet there was a hint of desire that he couldn’t explain.

Inexplicably, Paul approached the figure and took the woman’s soft, delicate hand. His hand slowly wandered up her arm and grazed her slender neck.

Her smooth skin felt like a cooling balm, making him crave more of her body. Driven by his urge, he cautiously pressed his lips against hers.

The woman let out a soft moan. The sound seemed to have a magical pull that easily stirred the desires he had locked away deep within his heart. The fire inside him burned more intensely.

Paul finally saw the woman’s face clearly when she turned toward him.

Mimi…

The next morning, Paul looked down at his damp pajama pants, feeling overwhelmed with a mix of frustration, shame, and regret. He felt embarrassed when he recalled the vivid and sensual images from his dream last night.

How could he have had such a dream? How could he possibly dream of something like that? What on earth was wrong with him?

Meanwhile, Miranda was unaware of Paul’s inner turmoil. She had a good night’s sleep and woke up refreshed to go to her class. Her morning was packed.

After lunch, Sebastian, Madison, and Miranda headed to the lab. They ran into Christine, who was already there.

Miranda walked up to her and said, “Dr. Young, may I talk to you?”

Christine was taken aback. “Sure,” she replied.