Mirabe straightened her back, her eyes fixed on the tscreen TV in front of her. She replied modestly, "Oh, it''s nothing, really. I''m just a fragile girl."


    James'' lips twitched slightly, his eyes sweeping over the back of her hand again. If he wasn''t well-versed in the types of minor injuries caused by excessive force, he might have believed her.


    "Why did the Cunninghams contact you?" James chose not to call her out on her lie and instead changed the subject.


    "I have no idea who Austin is, but my mom''sst name is Song. Maybe there''s some family connection with the Cunninghams?" Mirabe shrugged, not bothering to ask how he knew they were looking for her.


    James seemed surprised that the Cunninghams had such a link to her, but it did exin how she managed to leave safely on her own.


    Mirabe nced at her watch, noting that As hadn''t picked anyone up from school, and then stood up. "I should get going."


    As hadn''t picked anyone up, and Nick probably knew by now.


    James thought for a moment, then nodded and stood up. "I''ll walk you home."


    Their homes were just a couple of hundred meters apart, so James didn''t bother with the car. They walked together to the front gate of her vi.


    Mirabe used her fingerprint to unlock the door. Once it opened, she turned around. "Thanks for today."


    James raised an eyebrow. "No need to be so formal with me."


    "Hmm?" Mirabe looked at him sideways, her eyes refined with a hint ofziness.


    James smiled casually, lifting his hand to touch his earlobe nonchntly.


    Feeling like she was being teased from a distance, Mirabe was at a loss for words. "..."


    "Goodnight," James said, gazing at her for a moment before turning to leave. His cool figure gradually faded into the night until it vanished.


    Mirabe snapped back to reality and stepped through the iron gate, only to see Nicking out. She paused, ced her hands behind her back, and called out to him before closing the gate.


    Nick looked her up and down, relieved to see she was okay.


    After hearing from As about what happened, he couldn''t bear to think how scared Mirabe must have been.


    They entered the house, one after the other. Nick was about to ask Mirabe about the Cunninghams but was interrupted.


    "Nick, I have something to show you."


    As Mirabe spoke, she had already opened her backpack, taking out aptop she borrowed from Wade and powering it on.


    Nick opened his mouth, pausing when his eyesnded on theptop. "Is this... a bioputer?"


    Mirabe nodded. "Yeah, I borrowed it from our department''s professor. It''s probably the only fully functional one in the country right now."


    Her fingers danced on the keyboard. The bioputer terminal was designed to integrateputers with the human brain, and this one had already started forming a basic data model of the human brain.


    Nick''s attention was fully captured by theputer, and he unconsciously sat beside Mirabe.


    After checking theputer''s data storage and not finding any particrly hidden confidential information, Mirabe handed theputer to Nick. She knew he would be very interested.


    Nick nced at theputer, then looked up at Mirabe. "Are you sure it''s okay? There must be information about your school stored in here."


    Mirabe smiled. "It''s fine. Theputer can be borrowed, and there''s no important confidential information."


    Otherwise, Wade wouldn''t have lent theputer to her today. Mirabe was very clear on that point.