Chapter 1387

Mike was surprised. "As you said," he mused, "even if I go there, I can do nothing. He has his tasks, and I have mine. Professor Thompson is upstairs; he should be down soon. I'll wait for him."

She turned and went downstairs. His grin faded, replaced by a serious expression as he watched her go. Shaking his head, he sighed almost inaudibly.

Lily was worried about Alexander, but knew her concern was futile. Besides, she had much work to do. Her son needed her; if both parents were absent, he might become frightened and insecure.

Entering the lab, Lily didn't begin experimenting. Instead, she sat before her laptop, sorting and compiling data, starting with her first experiment's results. She'd sorted it before, but it was disorganized, having been done in separate groups. Now, seeing everything together, she confirmed her recent hypothesis.

'We can't continue studying these poisonous plants,' she thought. 'At the very least, we shouldn't include them in this test.'

Thompson arrived as she worked. Mike had apparently informed him, for he went straight to her. "Lily, were you looking for me?"

"Professor Thompson," she replied, removing her goggles and turning to him thoughtfully. "About the wilfordi roots and other poisonous herbs—"

He cut her off. "You're no longer in charge of them, so don't worry. Just sort out the data, and you can go home and rest."

Lily was dumbfounded. 'Go home and rest? He kept urging me to return, as if he couldn't manage without me. Does he no longer need me, now that I've completed three finished products?'

"Are you saying you no longer need me to research other plants? That you don't need me for the experiment?" she asked, seeking confirmation.

Tired, Thompson nodded, removing his reading glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. He sighed. "I know you've been under immense pressure. You've done remarkably well, producing three finished products. You've turned my idea into reality, proving my audacious hypothesis wasn't a pipe dream. For that, I'm truly grateful."

"Professor," Lily said, "I know you wanted to help those who couldn't swallow or had weakened arteries, to find another way for them to absorb medicine—to alleviate their suffering and make herbal medicine more accessible. But are you still on the right path?"

Her boldness unsettled Thompson. Without bothering with his glasses, he looked up abruptly. "What do you mean?"

Seeing the shock and panic in his unglassed eyes, Lily's speculation solidified. She sensed the experiment held hidden complexities, unforeseen by her or anyone else.

"Professor, it's not me who needs a break. It's us. This experiment must stop," she declared, her tone unwavering. 'We must not continue. Even the previous data must be destroyed!'