"It's complete!" Rhea exclaimed, a touch too excitedly. Before she could examine the results, Lily said, "Don't move."

Rhea fell silent, exasperated by her own subconscious obedience. "Lily, don't make a mountain out of a molehill," she complained angrily. "Do you honestly think you're so great? If this experiment fails, nothing good will happen to you."

"We'll only know that once I fail," Lily replied calmly, a slight smile playing on her lips. "What's wrong? Are you hoping I'll fail?"

Before Rhea could respond, Lily rose and moved toward the instrument. Unhurriedly, she switched it off and placed several small vials on a nearby shelf.

Rhea watched nervously as the clear liquid within the vials caught her eye, and the computer data frantically refreshed. Her gaze remained fixed on the screen, while Lily remained seemingly indifferent, pacing slowly around the room—a much-needed stretch after hours of work.

Finally, the numbers on the computer stopped. "100%" flashed across the screen. All shaded areas overlapped perfectly, the red area glowing. "It's a success!" Rhea exclaimed, shocked.

Lily turned, her expression more surprised than excited, as if the success was unexpected, perhaps even unwanted. "It's a success! It's a success!" Rhea repeated, her excitement palpable.

Despite her dislike of Lily and her lack of desire for Lily's success, a sense of professional joy welled up within her. They had conducted this experiment countless times over a long period, with Rhea involved since their work abroad. The organization constantly relocated, pursuing new opportunities, yet every attempt had failed. Rhea never believed Lily would succeed.

Why did she succeed and not me? she mused. She knows traditional medicine, but so do I. I also know modern medicine, and I'm better than her at viral research. So what if Lily knows about flowers and plants? Why is she better than those specializing in medical research?

Despite her internal conflict, Rhea's excitement remained. Ignoring Lily's instructions, she stepped forward, bending to examine the computer screen more closely. The display remained unchanged: the experiment was undeniably a success.

Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, Rhea felt a strange inability to laugh. Her expression was conflicted. "It's a success. It genuinely is. Lily, did you actually succeed?!"

Turning to Lily, Rhea's hostility vanished, replaced by surprise, excitement, and perhaps a touch of jealousy.