Chapter 19: Not Happening

Jonathan frowned and was about to step forward when he saw Sierra dodge Yaron’s hand before he could touch her. Her gaze darkened as she looked at the pen and paper he had knocked to the ground. Coldly, she met his eyes. “Who gave you the confidence to think I still like you?”

Yaron really was just like Evan—both suffering from an incurable case of blind arrogance. Maybe it was a common flaw among scientists. She glanced instinctively at Jonathan. Their eyes met. To her surprise, Jonathan actually understood what she was thinking. Adjusting his glasses, he said, “Not all researchers are delusional. Uh… maybe those two are just special cases.”

Sierra blinked, then let out a tiny smirk. So, he had heard her mocking Evan that day. It was only now that Yaron seemed to notice Jonathan’s presence. His face turned pale with panic. “P-Professor Yeager!” He stammered out a greeting.

If Evan was his goal, then Jonathan was a legend—someone on an entirely different level. And yet, he had just embarrassed himself in front of this godlike figure. Yaron was overwhelmed with regret. He never should have come to find Sierra. Yes—this was Sierra’s fault. But even as he blamed her in his heart, he didn’t dare show it on his face. His only priority now was salvaging his image in front of Jonathan.

“Professor Yeager, let me explain, I—”

Jonathan lifted a hand, cutting him off. “There’s no need to explain anything to me.”

“After all, I don’t even know who you are.”

“Hah!” Sierra couldn’t hide her laughter. She had always thought Jonathan seemed mild-mannered, but when he wanted to be sharp, he didn’t hold back at all. Anyone could see how much Yaron respected him, and yet he had landed a direct hit. Yaron’s face turned red, then white, then green—what a show.

And Jonathan wasn’t done. “I might not know you, but you are a man, aren’t you? At the very least, you should have some basic manners.” With that, his gaze flickered to the pen and paper on the ground.

Yaron snapped out of it and quickly bent down to pick them up. That’s when he finally saw what was written on the paper: chemical equations. For a moment, he was stunned, staring at the formulas. He was about to take a closer look when Sierra snatched the paper away.

“Wait, let me see it again,” he blurted out instinctively. He studied chemical biology—he knew exactly what those equations meant. He had never thought of that kind of combination before. He hadn’t even gotten a good look at the rest—then he realized something. This was Sierra’s paper.

His first reaction? It couldn’t be hers. “Where did you copy this from?” The words slipped out, but he immediately realized his mistake and tried to backtrack. “I mean… these equations don’t work. They’re impossible.”

Sierra shot him a mocking look. “I’ve never seen a man so eager to declare himself ‘not working.’ You’re the first.”

Jonathan’s lips curled up slightly at that. This girl was pretty entertaining when she was on the attack. At this moment, she seemed nothing like the fragile girl from before—the one who had looked like she might shatter at any moment.

Sierra turned to Jonathan. “Professor Yeager, let’s go.” She had something to discuss with him anyway.

“Alright.” Jonathan nodded. But before leaving, he landed one last jab at Yaron. “By the way, as a man, you really shouldn’t go around saying you ‘don’t work.’”

With that, he and Sierra walked off, leaving Yaron standing there, utterly humiliated. He watched their retreating figures, jealousy simmering in his eyes. There was no way Sierra had come up with those equations. She was a literature major. How could she possibly understand advanced chemistry? There was only one explanation. Jonathan must have taught her.

He was a legend in the field of chemical biology, a man who had won countless awards before the age of thirty. The moment he arrived at Northwind University, he was given the title of Honorary Professor. His presence alone had attracted a wave of top-tier talent to the school. Countless students would kill for the chance to get guidance from him. But outside of class, he never entertained any requests. Even during lectures, he only answered questions strictly related to the coursework.

Even Evan—who was considered a genius—had chosen to stay at Northwind just for the chance to study under him. And yet, Sierra had Jonathan’s personal guidance?

Thinking back to the formulas he had glimpsed, Yaron’s eyes flickered with excitement. Those were Jonathan’s notes. Even if they went against conventional knowledge, they were worth testing. Who knew? There might actually be a breakthrough hidden in them.

At that thought, Yaron’s frustration faded. Without wasting another second, he turned and rushed toward the lab.

Meanwhile, Sierra and Jonathan arrived at his office. Sierra looked at him seriously. “Professor Yeager, I’ve been thinking about something. Can you take a look?”

She hadn’t originally planned to find him today, but after he had helped her put Yaron in his place, she suddenly realized—this was Misty. Even though he knew Bradley, he was still the same Misty who had given her endless guidance.

She handed him the paper. But instead of looking at it right away, Jonathan covered it with his hand. “This is your work. You shouldn’t show it to just anyone.”

Academic theft was rampant. Sierra wasn’t sure what he was thinking. “I trust you, Professor Yeager.”

“I know you’re a good person.”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply. She really was too easy to fool. They had only met a few times, and he had only helped her here and there, yet she already trusted him this much? Thought he was a good person? No wonder the Xander family had bullied her so badly.

Still, he was genuinely interested in what she had written. He moved his hand aside and began reading. As he read, his expression became increasingly unreadable. He didn’t doubt the work was hers—he had watched her write it with his own eyes. Her research was completely at odds with conventional theories, yet it fascinated him. “Have you tested any of these ideas?”

Sierra shook her head. “These are just preliminary thoughts. I haven’t done any experiments yet.”

“If this works, it’ll shake up the academic world.” Jonathan leaned back slightly.

“You don’t think it’s ridiculous? Unrealistic?” Sierra asked. She knew her ideas contradicted current research. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure how she had managed to write them down in the first place. If she tried to get back into that mindset now, she wasn’t sure she could. But she had chosen to show Jonathan for a reason. She wasn’t easily fooled. She trusted him because he was Jonathan.

Jonathan placed the papers back in front of her. “Isn’t science all about breaking boundaries?”

Looking into his calm, confident eyes, Sierra felt a wave of reassurance. “Thank you, Professor Yeager.”

Jonathan nodded. “I look forward to your success. If you need any help, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to answer your questions.”

“Also, make sure your experiments are done in a secure environment. And don’t show these notes to anyone. It’s always good to be cautious.”

He hadn’t planned to say all that. Even he was surprised by his own words. For some reason, when it came to Sierra, he always found himself being extra patient. Maybe it was because she was a genius too. How old was she? Twenty-one?

Jonathan’s expression shifted slightly as a thought occurred to him. “What was your major three years ago?” he suddenly asked.

Sierra blinked. “Three years ago? Literature.”