Simone Langley was talking with a few young students. Hearing her name, she turned in surprise, her face breaking into a wide, delighted grin. "Eleanor! What are you doing back here?"


    Simone said a few more words to her students and then walked over. Eleanor studied her, noting that her color looked good; the post-surgery recovery seemed to be going well.


    "Professor Langley, you two chat. I''ll head back to theb," Joel said politely.


    Once Joel was gone, Simone''s gaze softened as she studied Eleanor, asking quietly, "How have you been, Eleanor? Is your daughter doing well?"


    Eleanor thought of her recent copse and hospitalization but chose to focus on the positive. "I''m doing very well. And you? How is your recoverying along?"


    "All my vitals are stable. My research team has been disbanded, so now I juste to campus to teach a few sses a week," Simone said.


    "You definitely shouldn''t be leading a team right now. Your health has toe first," Eleanor advised.


    "Do you remember that leukemia patient, Marilyn? I did a follow-up visit with her recently. She''s made a full recovery."


    Eleanor had been swampedtely, but she remembered Marilyn. She nodded. "I remember her. Professor Langley, are you still doing patient follow-ups?"


    "I only visited her," Simone said, her look meaningful. "She was a special case."


    Eleanor recalled Marilyn''s mutated leukemia was indeed rare. It made sense that Simone would want to follow up for a research paper.


    "Eleanor, how are things between you andn?" Simone asked suddenly.


    Eleanor paused, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible. "We have some interaction for work, but otherwise, we don''t see each other."


    She knew Simone had been hoping they would reconcile, and she wanted to put that idea to rest.


    Simone looked at her and sighed gently, her eyes filled with concern. "You may be divorced, but you still have a child together. The truth is,n—"


    Eleanor interrupted with a smile. "Professor Langley, please don''t worry about me. You need to focus on your own health."


    Simone nodded, her voice warm but full of meaning. "Eleanor, sometimes things aren''t what they seem on the surface tan carries a heavy burden, and maybe he used some clumsy methods or did things that made you misunderstand him. But I truly believe that what he feels for you is different."


    A faint smile touched Eleanor''s lips. "Professor, I should get back to theb.


    Please take it easy and just focus on teaching for now."


    Seeing that Eleanor didn''t want to


    discuss it further, Simone didn''t press. They chatted for a few more minutes about campus life. As Eleano was about to leave, Simone suddenly took her hand and


    repeated earnestly, Tan isn''t over


    you. I''m sure of it."


    Eleanor just smiled. "Alright, I understand. Goodbye, Professor Langley."


    Simone''s words didn''t stir anything in Eleanor''s heart. A momentter, her mind was already back on her experiments.


    That afternoon, Smith informed her thatn had already provided six vials of


    blood, which were now in theb, ready for her research.


    Eleanor nodded, put on herb coat, and went to work.


    She decided to leave shortly before five. After her breakthrough, the experiments no longer required such long hours. Ian''s blood had proven to have a strong


    immune stimting effect on Gin? Quinn''s cells. Once the trial on


    Serena Goodwin wasplete, they


    could begin treatment for Gina.


    At five-twenty, Eleanor arrived at her daughter''s school. To her surprise,n''s car was already in the parking lot. The school gates hadn''t opened yet; he must have been waiting for a while.


    The setting sun outlined his tall figure. His silver-streaked hair was less noticeable in the warm light, but he was wearing a ck face mask, as if he were sick.


    He saw Eleanor and walked over. "Sorry, I should have called first."


    Eleanor frowned. "If you have a cold, you should see a doctor. I can pick up Evelyn."


    "Ahem,"n let out a muffled cough. "I am feeling a little under the weather."


    His thick hair fell across his forehead, his long eyebrows shadowing his eyes. His gaze, deep under thickshes, was fixed on Eleanor. "Are you sure you don''t want me to get her with you?"