Chapter 1247

Austin turned and saw Lily approaching. "Professor Thompson," she greeted.

"You came at the perfect time," Thompson replied eagerly. "The team just finished a series of experiments, but the results are unsatisfactory. Come take a look." He ushered Lily toward the lab. "Professor Thompson," Austin called out.

Thompson, turning slightly and raising a hand, explained, "This is Austin Fike. You two met yesterday, I believe. He recently joined us and is a student of a highly respected figure in the field. You haven't been to the institute lately, so you may not know him." He paused. "Since one of you is an expert in medicinal herbs and the other in fragrances, I thought you might spark some innovative ideas by exchanging perspectives."

Lily nodded slightly at Austin, seemingly unfazed by their previous encounter. A smirk played on her lips. "I wonder who Austin's esteemed teacher is?"

Thompson hesitated. Everyone knew Austin was Dominic's student, but since Dominic hadn't made it public, the fact remained unspoken. "His teacher is a highly respected pioneer in medicinal herbs," Thompson finally said, "but he prefers to remain private, so I won't say more."

Austin straightened, hands clasped in front of him. "My teacher values his privacy and doesn't seek fame. I don't use his name to gain advantage. As doctors, saving lives is paramount, not accolades."

Lily tilted her head. "Mr. Fike, you may not wish to discuss it, but it seems to be common knowledge."

"People are kind because of their respect for my teacher," Austin replied, maintaining a demeanor that suggested he looked down upon Lily.

Lily, no longer angered by his affected humility, simply thought, This man is using Mr. Dominic's name to his advantage, yet dares to act superior?

Ignoring Austin, she turned to Thompson. "Professor Thompson, what went wrong?"

Thompson, energized, gestured animatedly as he led her to the lab. "The formula. The experiment was close to success before, but there was a faint scent of medicinal herbs. We reduced the dosage repeatedly, but now the medicine is less effective if we reduce it further, and too potent if we don't. Can you suggest adjustments to the ingredients?"

"We shouldn't change the main ingredient; its scent is closest to the medicinal herbs, and it blends easily. We can adjust the proportions," Lily stated confidently.

Austin followed, eager to witness her supposed incompetence.

After washing and disinfecting their hands, they donned masks and gloves. The lab air was thick with conflicting scents, even through their masks. Lily had to step back for air.

"What is this mess?" Thompson growled, waving his hand.

A nervous employee explained, "Professor Thompson, we ran several experiments concurrently due to time constraints, and the scents mixed."

Thompson frowned. "How can you differentiate the scents that way?" He ordered them to stop. Lily remained silent, recognizing the situation. She remembered the pressure to expedite progress, the fear of delays, and the institute's aggressive pursuit of results, which contrasted sharply with her own approach. Yet, she was determined to uncover their motives.

Examining the results, Lily weighed the ingredients and herbs, adding a few drops of essential oil. Thompson was about to speak, but Austin interrupted.

"You're fooling around!" he sneered disdainfully.

Lily ignored him, focusing on her work. Other researchers gathered, watching with hope, having previously failed numerous times. All hoped for success except Austin.

"Professor Thompson, she's wasting herbs! She should stop!" Austin protested, convinced of her failure. "Medicinal herbs are for saving lives, not frivolous pursuits! This is wasteful!"

A staff member countered, "Some waste is inevitable in experimentation. We learn and improve through it."

Austin felt suffocated by Lily's apparent influence. Did she brainwash everyone? She’s just a perfumer! How can she compete with someone in my field?

He remained silent, expecting failure. He watched the data, as Lily continued adding essential oil. Soon, a small pot of clear, light yellow liquid condensed. The color was far superior to previous attempts. The crucial test: the smell.

Lily extracted a drop onto test paper, lowered her mask, and inhaled.