Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed



The person with the sourest expression on her face was Edna.

When she heard the words "self-built lab," she froze, disbelief washed over her, and then it turned into a scornful sneer.

Self-built lab?

Easier said than done, huh?

Not to mention the cost, just getting the land and permits wasn't something Roseanne could pull off.

Back in the day, when the college favored Madeleine, Edna had a rough time.

No students, no resources.

The college administrators might as well have been blind for all the attention they paid her.

During her toughest days, Edna held her breath, even contemplating breaking away from the college to establish her own lab!

By the time she made a name for herself, the college would surely come crawling back to her.

But that thought was just a fleeting fantasy during her lowest moments, never seriously considered.

Because

It was too hard!

You can't just find a spot, throw up some bricks, and call it a "lab."

A nationally and socially recognized lab had strict requirements for location, detailed architectural specifications, and had to go through layers of departmental approvals.

"Ha!"

"Uh... Ms. Edna, what are you laughing at?" Sybil asked quietly.

"I'm laughing at some people's overestimation of themselves. Playing around in secret is one thing, but to formally submit it to the college? As if they're not afraid of biting off more than they can chew."

"What do you mean?" Sybil prodded cautiously.

"Oh, you think setting up a lab is easy? Just submitting a proposal doesn't mean anything."

A proposal is just that, a proposal...

How long to build, what it ends up looking like, whether it gets recognized in the end, all remains to be seen.

What's the rush?

Edna: "Some people try to salvage their pride this way. Wishful thinking."

"You mean, they might not succeed?"

Edna lifted her chin slightly, a cold smirk in her eyes: "Remove 'might.""

Sybil immediately laughed: "I knew it, how could they possibly set up their own lab? Those three are really dreamers!"

"Some people just refuse to face reality, that's why they live in fantasies. But eventually, everyone wakes up."

"Exactly! And when they do, they'll have nothing, and that'll be a real wake-up call!"

Sybil spoke in a hushed tone, leaning in, "Auntie, do we need to do anything?"

"No need, just wait and see. Now that they've boasted in front of the whole college, when they can't follow through, it'll be Roseanne's group shooting themselves in the foot."

UMS

"Heehee, Auntie, you always see right through them."

Edna's sneer faded as she immediately turned serious, "Mind your words, in public, stick to formal titles." "Right, Ms. Edna~"

The meeting ended, but the talk about Roseanne's group didn't.

Everyone had something to say.

Without exception, it was all doubt and skepticism.

Babur returned to his office, immediately calling the oversight committee to inquire about the submission details: when it was submitted, who did it, was it

Madeleine's idea, or her set

One question after another.

The committee's response was succinct-

"No comment!"

sw novel

Babur frowned, "Waldo, this isn't like you. We've worked together for over a decade, is it necessary to give me the official runaround?" The person known as "Waldo" didn't crack a smile, "If you value our decade-long friendship, you wouldn't test my limits."

"It's not that... Didn't you use to share some insights with me?"

"That was then, this is now. How can you compare?"

Babur: "Why not?"

"A self-built lab is unprecedented in our college, and now that it's caught the attention of the higher-ups, you think I'd dare to share anything? I'm not tired of living."

Babur was taken aback, it was that serious?

"Really can't share even a little? I just want to know who submitted it, please, old friend!"

Waldo sighed, "You'll be the death of me yet!"

Despite his words, he eventually revealed, "The Roseanne group submitted it themselves."

Babur let out a sigh of relief.

As long as it wasn't Madeleine's doing.

Three students together couldn't cause much trouble. As long as Madeleine stayed out of it, their efforts were insignificant.noveldrama

Waldo left.

Babur hummed a tune, feeling pleased.

However, amid all the naysaying-

By the beginning of January, Roseanne's lab was finally complete!