On the other end of the phone, Mason remained silent for a long time. “…You’re really planning to build your own lab?” “Of course!” “You’re not just acting on impulse?” Madison responded, “Definitely not! We’re serious about this!” “Alright, ten million, right? I’ll transfer it to your account in a bit.” “Wow! Thanks, Dad! Love you!” Mason chuckled happily in reply. That evening, Madison proudly shared a screenshot of the bank transfer in their group chat. The bright string of seven zeroes was hard to miss. Madison texted, “All set. Hehe.” Seeing that little “Hehe” made Sebastian smile, as he could almost picture how pleased she must have been while sending the message. It was clear that he needed to step up too. He pocketed his phone and walked over to the couch. “Grandpa, it’s been a while since we played chess. How about a game?”
“Sure! You’re rarely home, and it’s been ages since anyone played a proper game with me.” Sebastian’s grandfather, Samuel Landon, got up from the couch with his cane and sat at the chessboard. They played two rounds, each one as intense as the last. Sebastian discreetly let his grandfather win, making Samuel grin from ear to ear. “Seb, you’ve lost again. What’s up with you today? You don’t seem to be on your game.” Sebastian sighed dramatically and pretended to be troubled. “Clearly, your chess skills have improved. Be honest, have you been secretly practicing without telling me?” Flattery would never fail. Sure enough, Samuel laughed heartily. Sebastian grinned. “There’s just no way. Let’s play another game!” This time, Sebastian didn’t hold back. Naturally, he won in the end. Samuel huffed, sounding a bit like a sulking child. “You said I was practicing, but it’s obvious you’re the one who’s been practicing! I’m done, it’s no fun anymore!”
After a brief pause, he asked, “It’s not a weekend or holiday, so why are you home today? And even offering to play chess with me? Come on, spill it–what’s going on?” “Uh…”
Nothing ever escaped his grandfather’s sharp eyes. Sebastian had known this all along. So, without holding back, he told him everything about the academic bullying and malicious pressure they had been facing at college. “…Rather than suffer in silence, we thought it would be better to solve the problem at its root. We’re planning to build our own lab. We’ve got the money and the land, but we still need approval from the relevant departments…” He paused here, stealing glances at Samuel, his face practically saying, “I’ve laid it all out, now please agree to help us.” But Samuel still didn’t say anything. He just sat there, his expression dark and thoughtful. Sebastian didn’t dare rush him. Instead, he busied himself tidying up the chessboard, feeling a mix of anxiety and anticipation. After what felt like forever, Samuel finally sighed. “I never imagined the academic world had become so messy… If everything you’ve told me is true, then I’ll support you in building something for yourself. As for the approval process… you all go ahead with your plans. Don’t worry about the rest.” “Thank you, Grandpa!” “Remember–if you’re going to do it, do it right. Don’t give up halfway and make a fool of yourself.” “Absolutely! You can count on me!” Despite some ups and downs, Sebastian’s side of things ultimately worked out perfectly. That evening, he followed Madison’s message in the group chat with his own. “All set. Hehe.” Unexpectedly, Miranda, the one who was supposed to have the smoothest time, ran into some trouble.