Chapter 2

Adrian's POV

The lounge door opened a crack.

Ethan walked out while adjusting his tie. His voice wasn't loud, but in this quiet corner, I could hear him clearly.

"Sabrina is coming today, Veronica. You must find a chance to connect with her. If the Quinn family is willing to attach their name to our lab, our funding will be secure."

Veronica was touching up her lipstick with a compact mirror, her expression showing barely concealed anxiety.

"I know, but I've heard Sabrina has extremely high standards. My new paper's data isn't ready yet. If she asks..."

"The data is the students' job."

Ethan interrupted impatiently.

"You just need to look good on stage."

Veronica looked at herself in the mirror, pressed her freshly colored lips together, and nodded vigorously.

"Right. As long as the persona holds, the resources will come."

The two confidently turned the corner and happened upon the commotion on my end.

Brochures were scattered across the floor.

Ethan frowned and looked over with disgust, as if my shabby appearance ruined the venue's sophisticated atmosphere.

Veronica stopped in her tracks.

"Adrian? How did you sneak in here?"

I bent down to pick up the last brochure and brushed dust off the cover.

"Delivering materials."

A nearby guest holding champagne asked curiously.

"Professor Reed, who is this?"

Veronica's eyes flickered, her voice cold.

"Um, a former... lab technician I supervised."

The guest nodded in understanding.

Ethan casually added.

"Couldn't get into the doctoral program, right? Some people really aren't cut out for research. Switching to support staff early is also a way forward."

Veronica didn't contradict him. She didn't even glance at me again, turning instead to the aggressive volunteer.

"Forget it, don't make a fuss. Let him go."

Lab technician.

I looked at her averted profile.

In my previous life, during countless late nights, she'd lean on my shoulder and say, "Adrian, you're the most important person in our group. I couldn't graduate without you."

Now, under the spotlight, that most important person had become a shameful support staff member.

When faced with self-interest, memories can be rewritten.

I smiled. The last ripple of emotion toward an old acquaintance completely settled in my heart.

The surrounding crowd began whispering.

"That guy's pretty good-looking, but unfortunately he's just manual labor. Professor Reed actually supervised someone like that?"

"Birds of a feather flock together. Look at Professor Hayes. This guy clearly just coasted along. No wonder he doesn't belong."

Ethan listened to the recognition of his elite status from those around him and raised his chin even higher.

The volunteer remained relentless, pointing at the ink stains and paper scraps on my clothes.

"You need to leave now. You're filthy. Don't dirty the carpet."

Veronica sighed and stopped the volunteer.

"Forget it. Do me a favor."

Ethan stood on the steps, looking down at me from above, and laughed.

"Adrian, you at least have an undergraduate degree. How have you fallen to this state?"

Veronica pulled a credential with a gray lanyard from her bag and held it out to me like charity.

"Why force your way in? Even if you listen to these high-level lectures, they won't help you. You wouldn't understand them anyway."

She pushed the credential forward.

"Take it. I worked hard to get this guest pass. Go sit in the back."

I looked down at the credential. It read "Temporary Visitor."

Meanwhile, Veronica and Ethan wore bright red VIP guest badges around their necks.

One credential divided two worlds.

She could never imagine that I personally approved the distribution list for these red VIP badges the day before yesterday.