Robert couldn''t help but smirk. "Is this really about swimming skills?"


    He shot an exasperated nce at Mirabe. "Haven''t you heard the saying ''it''s the good swimmers who drown''?"


    Mirabe gave Robert aplicated look. "Professor, I didn''t expect this from you."


    Wishing she''d drown, seriously?


    "Judging by your mood to banter, you must be ready for tomorrow''s conference," Robert remarked, casting a sidelong nce at Mirabe.


    Mirabe instantly pressed her fingers to her temples. "Professor, I can''t. I''m dizzy. You haven''t been in that water-it''s like the Arctic out there. I''m sure I''m catching a cold."


    Robert: "..."


    Nearby, ze and the others were cracking up at Mira''s theatrics.


    Ignoring Mirabe''s dramatics, Robert stood up. "Tomorrow morning at eight- thirty, meet in the hotel lobby."


    With that, he headed for the door. Kids these days seemed so diligent on the surface, but it was all just a facade!


    **


    The next day.


    Mirabe and her group met up with the math department outside the hotel.


    Compared to the lively physics department, the math folks, including their professor, looked like they''d pulled an all-nighter, with matching dark circles under their eyes.


    Anyone would think they''d spent the night clubbing.


    "Did you redo your presentation?" Robert asked, staring unblinkingly at the math professor''s panda-like eyes.


    The math professor, feeling a chill run down his spine, replied, "Of course! Our student team is the best!"


    Robert gave a dismissive chuckle.


    Your team is the best? He thought with a smirk. Got any valedictorians? Competition champions? Anyone featured on an academic journal cover?


    Robert shrugged it off and led everyone towards Riverside University.


    *


    "Do you guys feel like there are a few cars tailing us?" ze had been watching


    the cars behind them for a while.


    They were walking to the university,


    and ever


    time they turned around, those cars were still there, creeping along, making it hard not to be Suspicious.


    Patrick, not as observant as ze, turned his head at thisment.


    When he noticed the familiar license te on one of the cars, Patrick instinctively shrank his head.


    His mind shed back to yesterday when he''d been picked up like a chicken and carried off.


    After a moment, Patrick said, "You might want to ask Mira."


    ze nced at him, puzzled. "Why ask Mira?"


    "Because those are Mira''s bodyguards," Patrick revealed, not wanting to be the only one shocked by this revtion.


    "Bodyguards?" ze touched his nose, turned to look at Mira walking behind them, then nced back at the neat line of seven or eight cars


    on the road.


    Quite the impressive entourage.


    ze: "!!!"


    This was something straight out of a TV drama!


    Could Mira be some heiress living the simple life before inheriting a billion-dor empire?


    ze was floored by his own thought.


    Seeing his expression, Mirabe was equally puzzled. "What?"