The crisp, decisive answer made Eleanor swallow the rest of her words. She looked at the man standing against the light.

He was wearing a casual blazer, which softened the sharp edge he had in business settings, giving him a more relaxed and easygoing air. But his composed presence remained.

"Well... I'll see you later then. I'm going back to the hotel to rest," Eleanor said.

"Let's get something to eat first," lan said in a low voice. He had come to pick her up.

The conference was over, and Eleanor felt a wave of relief wash over her. She nodded. "Okay."

They walked along a tree-lined path on campus. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. In the distance,

groundskeepers were mowing the lawn, and the scent of fresh-cut grass drifted

over.

Eleanor took a deep breath, watching the students hurry by with books in their arms. She couldn't help but think of her own student days and smiled to herself. "Thinking about your university days?" lan glanced at her, guessing her thoughts. Eleanor nodded. "Yeah. I used to be just like them, always in a rush."

"Do

you

I miss it?" lan asked.

Eleanor thought for a moment and nodded. "I do. Life was so carefree and full of energy back then."

lan smiled too. Images of her as a student, vivid and clear, surfaced in his memory. There was a nice steakhouse nearby, and they chose a table by the window.

They didn't talk much, but the atmosphere was peaceful and natural for both of them.

lan brought up what she had gained from the program, and Eleanor chatted about it briefly, clearly not very interested. Just as she was about to drop the topic, lan mentioned a surprisingly insightful point about neurology.

Eleanor looked up, surprised. "How do you know about that?"

The concept he'd mentioned was from a paper recently published in a medical journal, one she had just read herself.

lan put down his wine glass and answered honestly, "Over the past few years, following you all in and out of the lab, I've read a fair amount of material. And I try to understand

Some of what's said in your

meetings and reports."

Pet

Eleanor thought back to when she had to give him weekly reports on the leukemia project. He had seemed like he didn't understand, but the questions he'd asked had been quite sharp.

lan looked at her, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "Besides, I carefully read every paper and important report you ever gave me."

Eleanor paused, her fork hovering over her steak. She looked up. "I thought you weren't interested in any of that. Could you even understand it?"

lan's lips curved into a smile. "I did my best to."

Eleanor couldn't help but say, "The medical field can be dry and difficult for a layperson. You don't have to waste your time on it next time."

lan smiled and shook his head. "It's not a waste of time. Consider it research to pass the time."

Eleanor didn't press the issue. They ate in comfortable silence. Compared to before, it felt like something between them was gradually changing.

After dinner, they walked back to the hotel. The dinner was at eight, and Eleanor needed to change into a dress.

Walking the streets of this unfamiliar city, a sense of ease washed over her. The setting sun stretched their shadows long, making them almost overlap.

"It starts at eight tonight, in the auditorium," Eleanor said, checking the time. "Let's get some rest."

"Okay. I'll meet you in the lobby at seven-thirty," lan said. Eleanor nodded.

Back in her room, Eleanor took a shower to wash away her fatigue. She opened her suitcase to choose a dress for the evening. She hadn't packed much besides her daily suits, there was only one blue dress. It was knee-length, with a tasteful cut, a very proper and conventional choice.