Chapter 1362

The institute's laboratory lights burned all night. Austin yawned at dawn as he removed his mask and washed his hands, rubbing his tired, swollen eyes before leaving the lab. His two sleepless nights hadn't been in vain; they were in the final stage.

He hadn't considered the problem so serious. Over the past two days, he'd carefully considered the issue. If Lily could do it, why couldn't he? She'd simply joined the project earlier and had more experience, more opportunities for practice. He'd been too impatient, overlooking this.

This new perspective spurred him to immerse himself in the project, working long hours to close the gap between himself and Lily. He needed to achieve something; failure to surpass her would necessitate a serious self-evaluation. The memory of Dominic's appraisal and harsh words tightened his chest. He had to succeed—no, he must surpass Lily. Only then would he feel proud. He stretched, easing his sore shoulders.

Despite his limited knowledge of raw materials, Lily's success without extensive medicinal herb knowledge suggested a shared approach. That was his reasoning. Lily's selfishness in withholding previous experimental data had forced him to painstakingly analyze all the lab's failed attempts, drawing his own conclusions. Then, he thought of sandalwood. Common, yet ideal as a base to fuse with the herbs. He didn't need to create a unique scent; he wasn't a perfumer, after all.

"That's it!"

The idea filled him with pride. He was as capable as she was. Looking out the window, he was surprised to see others present. Thompson faced him, speaking with a woman whose back was turned. While other women worked at the institute, it wasn't their presence that struck him as odd, but their late-night presence.

'Could that be Lily?!' He leaned forward, squinting. But the woman's figure didn't seem quite right. Lily, pregnant, usually wore loose, casual clothing. This woman wore a long, black dress, cinched at the waist—a deliberate attempt to appear slender.

Thompson noticed Austin and raised his head, waving. "Austin, up all night again!"

"Couldn't sleep, so I did some experiments to pass the time," Austin replied with a smile.

"I thank you for your hard work!" Thompson knew Austin was competing with Lily. He considered such friendly competition beneficial, so instead of reprimanding Austin, he offered encouragement. "You can do it."

They exchanged a few more words, but the woman remained turned away, showing no interest in who stood behind her. This piqued Austin's curiosity. Besides Lily, were there other women who worked as hard, staying up as late as he did? "I thank you for your hard work!"