"As for the ones you mentioned..." Juniper''s gaze swept over the discarded pile. "Go look at the photos from when they arrived. You''ll understand why after youpare them."


    Dr. Landon didn''t dare argue. He immediately opened hisptop. He had documented every single nt upon its arrival. Sure enough, just as Ms. Payne had said, the ones that were discarded had been in the best condition initially but had withered rapidly over the week. The ten she kept, however, hadn''t changed much at all.


    "Ms. Payne, how did you remember all of them?" Dr. Landon asked in amazement. There were hundreds of nts!


    “Hm?” Juniper paused for a second, then replied helplessly, "My memory is decent, I guess? You could call it photographic."


    Photographic memory was just ''decent''? Dr. Landon''s mouth twitched. He felt like he''d just been pped in the face for no reason. How humbling.


    "You can get back to your work," Juniper said, turning to him politely. "Thank you for all your hard work this past week. I''ll take over the cultivation from here.”


    "It was no trouble at all!" Dr. Landon waved his hands quickly, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. Ms. Payne had taught him the cultivation method, and he''d learned so much in just one week.


    "Ms. Payne, if you have any work like this in the future, please don''t hesitate to call me."


    “Alright,” Juniper murmured before disappearing into theb.


    ...


    An hourter, after finishing her work, Juniper slung her backpack over her shoulder and prepared to leave. She spotted Dr. Landon at a desk, looking miserable as he fiddled with a chemical agent. Juniper recognized it immediately-it was the P3.0 form Shanley had bought at the auction.


    “Why is the data wrong?” Dr. Landon sighed, running ab over his balding head in frustration.


    Juniper walked over, nced at the form''sposition and the data on theputer screen. Without a word, she added 2ml of distilled water to the vial.


    "Try testing it again," she said, pulling on her hat. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked away.


    “Huh?” Dr. Landon watched her leave,pletely bewildered. He followed her instructions and re-ran the test.


    "It worked!" he eximed, bursting intoughter. Was Ms. Payne some kind of miracle worker? She was incredible!


    Finished for the day, Juniper sent Shanley a text: [I''m waiting.]


    Shanley: [I''m on my way now. Find a ce to sit for a bit.]


    She put her phone away and sat on a bench by the road, fiddling with her bottle and watching the intersection expectantly.


    Just then, Harold emerged from the adjacentb, closing his eyes for a moment of rest.


    "Dr. Houston, there''s your dream girl,” his assistant whispered excitedly, recognizing Juniper''s unforgettable face instantly.


    Dream girl? Harold frowned slightly


    and opened his eyes, looking out the window. It was her. She wasn''t wearing a mask today, and her hat was off, revealing her full face. The softyellow light of the streemp. Huminated her features, making her already exquisite face seem even more beautiful and radiant.


    Why did she look so familiar? Had he seen her somewhere before?


    Harold instinctively ced a hand over his racing heart, his eyes fixed on her face. He couldn''t bring


    el?


    himself to look away Could it be... love at first sight


    "Dr. Houston, opportunity knocks but once," his assistant prompted with a grin. "She looks gentle and she''s all alone. Thisus your chance to make a move."  ?wnovels