Paul quickly typed a reply but hesitated. After a moment’s thought, he decided it was better to head home. Since it was Sunday, he thought Miranda should be at home.

“Silas, I’m leaving now. Three sets of data are about to be released, so please keep an eye on them.”

As he turned to go, Silas called out, “Wait! I just said I was going home today! Why are you leaving?” Receiving no answer, he added, “Did I even agree? You didn’t go home to rest yesterday, and now you’re leaving today? Paul, what the hell is wrong with you?”

When Paul returned home and knocked on Miranda’s door, there was no answer.

“Miranda? Are you in there?”

He was answered with silence. Sighing, he retreated to his apartment. Sitting down, he picked up his phone and typed a message on WhatsApp.

“Sorry, I’ve been in the lab and didn’t check my phone. I’m not sure if I can help out now.”

Half an hour passed, and Paul still hadn’t received a response from Miranda. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had experienced that same shift from hope to disappointment when she messaged him.

At that moment, Miranda really couldn’t reply to his text message. She was busy cleaning and setting up the new lab for which she had applied.

When Sebastian submitted the application to the dean’s office, he specifically requested the largest lab. He preferred it to be in a remote location. The faculty confirmed his choice multiple times and expressed concern that he might make a rash decision. The lab had been vacant for quite some time and was rarely used by any research teams.

It had its downsides. The space was too large, the equipment was lacking, and its distance from the main building was inconvenient.

But Sebastian stood firm. “I want this one.”

A bigger space meant they could carve out a corner for lunch breaks. Plus, they could buy their own equipment to put in that lab. Although it was a trek from the classrooms, it was conveniently close to the cafeteria, much to Madison’s delight.

The only downside for the trio was the daunting task of cleaning the place.

After a morning of hard work, they finally arranged the lab tables, cabinets, coffee table, and water dispenser. Now, it was time for a thorough clean-up.

“Ugh, I’m so tired. Why can’t the college just hire a cleaning service?” Madison complained.

Sebastian shrugged. “It wouldn’t look good.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“It would affect the students’ spirit.”

Madison blinked, momentarily speechless. “Fine, you win.”

They decided to grab lunch first and tackle the cleaning later. Just as they reached the cafeteria entrance, Miranda spotted Paul approaching. As she hesitated to greet him, he already approached her. He gasped for breath as if he had just sprinted over. “Miranda, why are you looking for me?”

Miranda was stunned, while Madison and Sebastian exchanged curious glances.

“Sorry, I’ve been in the lab and didn’t check my phone. I didn’t get back to you sooner,” Paul explained.

Miranda finally recalled sending him a message but figured he was just busy. Eventually, she also forgot about it. “There was something, but it’s resolved now,” she said.

Sam had texted her earlier to say that the CPRT measurement device was en route to the country and was expected to arrive the following day.

“Why are you covering the expenses? What happened?” Paul asked, looking bewildered.

His question didn’t require an answer from Miranda because Madison jumped in like a cannonball and was ready to spill the details.

“Sophie?” Paul blurted out, clearly shocked.

“Yes, it’s her. The college is backing her in bullying us,” Madison gritted her teeth.