"Really? No wonder it tasted so good." Alice smacked her lips, as if savoring the lingering flavor of the water.Joseph chuckled and gently pinched her cheek."Ow! That hurts, you bully! You always pinch my face—it's going to swell!" Alice covered her cheek, pouting in mock grievance."It’s getting late. I’m going to shower and get to bed. I’ve got class early tomorrow." Joseph glanced at the time again."Then give me a kiss!" Alice stood before him, lips adorably puckered.Joseph leaned in and gave her a light peck on her rosy lips."Hee hee, now I can sleep. You wash up quick too!" Alice tidied his collar out of habit, then skipped off to her room.Just as she closed the door, she peeked back out, poked her head around the frame, and blew him a playful kiss.Joseph couldn’t help but smile. She was a grown woman, yet somehow, she still felt like a mischievous little girl. No matter how time passed, Alice in his eyes would always be that sprightly, untamed girl.Shaking his head

"Professor Alvarez, I really don’t think there’s much to worry about. First of all, I haven't done anything wrong. And secondly, I have this strong feeling I might actually know someone on the team."Joseph responded with a calm smile, his demeanor relaxed."I hope you're right. If they’re people you know, things might go a lot smoother.""But still, you’d better stay on your toes.""Seriously, what’s up with your brain? How does someone forget so many things?"Mason Alvarez looked at him, half-confused, half-concerned."Well, what’s forgotten is forgotten. I might not remember the events, but the feelings linger.""And besides, what I’ve forgotten will come back to me, eventually—it just takes time."Joseph gave a helpless chuckle."Alright, I won’t nag you.""You don’t exactly strike me as an idiot, Mr. Wilson. I’m sure you know how to handle this.""But if you need any help, don’t hesitate to come to me. My personal network might not be impressive, but I do know plenty of influenti

"Joseph, you’re full of crap! You call that fair and impartial? You just say whatever pops into your head! There’s not a single decent person in your entire Traditional Medicine Department!"Lincoln Myers was nearly hopping with rage, his voice shrill with fury."Exactly! Joseph, when I tried to speak fairly last time, you accused me of being biased. And now here you are—pretending to be neutral. If your bias leaned any harder, it’d be orbiting the moon!""Myers is right. There's nothing good coming out of your department."Malcolm Gray jumped in, echoing the sentiment."Director Myers, Deputy Gray—watch the sweeping statements, will you? What do you mean there’s no one decent in the Traditional Medicine Department? Be mindful of your words. Or are you saying Mr. Harris isn’t decent either? He’s also the Associate Dean of that same department."Joseph shot a meaningful glance at Geoffrey Harris.Despite being the university president, Harris also held the position of associate dean in

Joseph stepped forward with a calm smile."Good day, everyone. I'm Joseph—the one scheduled for this investigation."He extended his hand to each of the three bald elders, who greeted him warmly, their faces full of congeniality as they shook his hand."Look at that—truly the scholarly giants of Metropolis City. Just look how friendly they all seem," Lincoln Myers murmured from the back, rubbing his own shiny dome as he spoke to Malcolm Gray."I don’t know why," Malcolm replied, also rubbing his bald head, "but I feel a strange sense of familiarity too.""Mr. Wilson, investigation sounds so harsh. We’re only here for a friendly visit," Eryndor Vexley chuckled."I don’t know why, but you three feel oddly familiar," Joseph said, his eyes scanning the trio with a faint frown.At his words, the three bald men visibly tensed, the smiles on their faces faltering."Are you sure you’ve seen us before?" Eryndor asked, nervously rubbing his smooth scalp."Not certain. It’s just a feeling," Jose

"Esteemed elders," Joseph said with an embarrassed smile, "the fields you’ve dedicated yourselves to are at the very frontier of national innovation. How could I, of all people, presume to discuss such profound topics alongside you?"Beyond his modesty, he was genuinely uncertain—he had forgotten so much that he wasn’t even sure what he knew anymore."Research thrives on discussion and exchange. We say you understand, so you must. I can tell just from looking at you.""Exactly. You're a professor at Nova University—an academic by title and by knowledge. Naturally, we'd like to talk shop with you.""I’m sure Mr. Wilson has unique insights on nuclear energy development and applications."The elders continued to engage him with warmth and enthusiasm, leaving Joseph at a loss for how to respond.As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at the conference room. Everyone took their seats while the university staff served tea.It was a spacious room. The three team leaders and Geoffrey Ha