?


    "So, who exactly called you yesterday morning? Sent you all the way to the hospital in a huff."


    "Hmph!"


    Roseanne wasn''t in a rush. "Let me guess... The Dean? Nah, he wouldn''t bother with such trivial matters. So, it was... Babur? But I heard he got a p on the wrist recently because of someints from the sponsors. He''s probablyying low for a while..."novelbin


    As she spoke, she paused, her eyes twinkling with a sudden thought, "Both of them ruled out. Then, looking at the entire Department of Life Sciences, the only person who could''ve ruffled your feathers is - Edna Moore?"


    Sure enough, at the mention of that name, Madeleine''s eyes widened in anger, "Don''t even mention her!"


    Roseanne nodded, "Only she would pull off such a petty stunt."


    "Petty? If she hadn''t said anything, I''d still be in the dark! A fire safety overhaul in theb is no small matter, and you kept it from me?!"


    "Not keeping it from you would mean having you fly all the way back from the States, battling it out with the faculty or even the university authorities, only to find out ourb really is not up to fire code and must undergo renovation. And how long could that take? A few months at best, or even up to a year and a half?"


    "And in the meantime, the punishment remains, and you, absent from the conference without leave, would be held ountable by the university?" "Guess who would beughing at the end of all this?"


    "It''s Edna, isn''t it?"


    Madeleine couldn''t help butugh bitterly, "So, you''re saying I''m utterly useless as a mentor?"


    Roseanne sighed softly, going on in


    a gentle tone, You know? This fire safety inspection was organized by the district, not just an internal university check. If it were thetter, I wouldn''t have hesitated to call you and have you pull some strings to clear it up. But this time, it''s different. The district fire department is leading it, with the university merely cooperating."


    Madeleine scoffed, "You think my connections only work within the university? That they''re useless outside?"


    "Of course not! The name ''Madeleine''mands respect anywhere. But―"


    Roseanne shifted the conversation


    gently, "By the book, ourb really doesn''t meet the standards. If you were to pull some strings to exempt us, and someone with a vendetta decides to report us, what then?"


    "Or, to think even worse of human nature, what if this whole situation is a trap? Designed to provoke you into action, then p you with a charge of ''condoning and covering up"?"


    Madeleine, who had lived an honorable and transparent life, could see her reputation tarnished over this?


    "Even after an investigation rifies that ourb indeed vited fire safety standards, and your use of connections to protect your students is also a fact, we''d be left defenseless."


    Madeleine''s expression went through several changes, from initial anger to suspicion, followed by deep thought, and finally settling into calm. Seeing her effect, Roseanne gently took her hand, "Professor, please trust me, I''ll handle this."


    "As long as you guys are still in the universityb, she''ll always have a reason..."


    Roseanne''s lips curled into a smile, "What if we''re not?"


    Madeleine was visibly shaken.