Chapter 249 - 249: Do You Cook Well?

Sophia had been familiar with her colleagues for some time at the academy. Several of her former colleagues on the project team, in particular, soon got close to her.

In the lab, "Sophia, Andrew just called Professor Normand to his office. The thing is, Andrew's face is not good," Ivy gossiped. "He had been doing bad. Andrew was very dissatisfied with him. Both you and he are from Glinton. Tell us about him?"

Sophia didn't want to judge others. "Maybe he didn't work on the new energy project. He just needs some time," she said.

Professor Normand specialized in chemical additives. Sophia didn't know much about him and didn't know if he had ever studied new energy.

"That's impossible," Ivy said, "Andrew had his paper. If he didn't study it, how could he write the paper? It's not some random writing. You know how strict Andrew is."

She then began to talk about Professor Normand with several colleagues. He was not easy to get along with. They didn't talk much with him. But he didn't do very well in the study.

Ivy loved gossiping. They talked for a while, and then she was about to go out for information.

Sophia grabbed her. "You'd better not."

Just then, Sophia's phone rang. It was Andrew. She answered the phone. Andrew asked her to go to his office with a colleague who once worked on the project.

Ivy heard that and leaned over, "I'll go, I'll go with you!"

She loved gossip. Of course, she wouldn't miss the chance.

Sophia came to Andrew's office and saw his unhappy face. Seeing Sophia, Andrew couldn't help complaining, "What's wrong with Normand? He's making up the number. I suspect his paper was written by someone else. It's been two months, and he did nothing. Do you think he wrote his paper himself?"

Sophia had such doubts in mind in terms of Professor Normand's performance. But as his colleague, she didn't want to make groundless comments on him.

Ivy came over and said, "Give me his paper. I know the project well. I've worked on it with professor Green for two years, and I know all the views on such projects at home and abroad. And I think that's the reason you asked me here, right?"

Andrew nodded and took out a paper. "Here's his paper. Sophia, you're an academic talent, and Ivy, you've worked on the project. Read the paper. Tell me have you ever read the opinions anywhere? Is it copied or written by someone else?"

Ivy reached for the paper, flipped through it, and was surprised.

"The paper…" Ivy couldn't help shouting, "These are all professor Green's ideas!"

When Sophia heard this, she took the paper at once. After a glance, she knew that it was based on a paper she had written before and that the core ideas were the same.

She hadn't published the paper yet, and only a few people on the project had read it. There were electronic and print versions of the paper, which were in the laboratory. But in the fire, the computer and the paper were both burned, and nothing existed.

So, Professor Normand must have sneaked into her lab to get the paper. In Benjamin's investigation, he had suspected that professor Normand had a motive, and now it seemed that he was probably the one who set the fire.

But… wasn't professor Thompson the murderer?

Or did the two men conspire to kill her? Sophia was confused.

Hearing that, Andrew was shuddering with anger. Ivy had to comfort him.

"He stole professor Green's paper. How shameless!" Andrew hammered the table hard. "I wonder why he had so many unique ideas but couldn't do anything."

Ivy was also very angry, "Professor Green had passed away. Normand is so shameless to do that. Isn't he afraid of professor Green's retribution?"

Sophia said nothing.

Although she was angry, she would not add fuel to the fire under the circumstances.

Andrew decided at once that Normand would be dismissed from the team for faking paper. In consideration of Normand's dignity, Andrew did not publicize the scandal but claimed that Normand had voluntarily quit the team due to physical discomfort.

When Normand heard the news, he pleaded with Andrew to give him another chance, but Andrew wouldn't change his mind but asked him to leave with all his belongings in a day.

In the afternoon, Normand dejectedly returned to his seat to pack up. No one talked to him. Academics despised people who falsified papers. Although they didn't talk about it, they all looked down upon such people.

Especially those who had worked with Sophia before were furious that Normand had plagiarized Sophia's work and looked coldly at him.

Normand didn't talk to anyone but packed his things in silence. He packed up carefully and took away all his things in the laboratory, even a pot of flowers he had bought.

After work, the colleagues in the lab left one after another. Sophia just had a new idea and wanted to finish the experiment before she left.

Albert called, "Mrs. Green asked me to ask when you would come back?"

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe later… I have to finish the experiment. Tell them to eat first," Sophia said.

Kate and Andy had been living in Kate's house since they got married. Daniel also moved in. Andy had wanted her to move into his villa, but Kate thought it would be uncomfortable and would rather stay at her house. Andy obeyed her in everything. She could choose wherever she wanted to live. So, he just moved in. The house was big enough for the four people.

Albert hung up and started cooking. 

Actually, Kate never let him ask when Sophia would be back. She went out with Andy in the afternoon. Before going out, she told Albert, "Pearson, Andy, and I will go to the movies. We may come later. So, can you help Sophia and Daniel with dinner?"

"All right," Albert answered at once, "I don't want to eat alone."

However, "Do you cook well?" Daniel looked at him, suspiciously.

Albert smiled, "You doubt my cooking?"

"You don't seem to know how to cook."

Half an hour later, the meal was ready. Daniel looked at the food and couldn't help drooling. "It looks delicious! Oh, the porridge smells so good!"

He thought about it and said, "Oh, my sister hasn't come back yet. Call her."

Albert shook his head, "No. Let's eat first. I'll take some to her later. She's always like this, and she doesn't remember the time when she's working, and she doesn't remember to eat."

Daniel looked at him, "You know her?"

"Yeah."

"Then why don't you tell her you love her?"

Albert was drinking his soup and nearly spat it out. "What are you talking about, kid?"

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "I've had seven girlfriends! I'm more experienced than you. You know you'll die alone if you don't dare to tell her."

Albert didn't know what to say.

Silently, he finished his meal.. Then he put the food in a lunch box and drove to the academy with it.