Chapter 536: An Unusual Relationship
Sophia was the best student he had ever taught.
Sophia frowned slightly, seeming a bit hesitant.
Francis immediately added, "This will be conducted as a competition. Besides our research team, there are many top teams from other hospitals."
Sophia was the most talented person in Oasis University's medical program.
"Francis, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
Sophia shook her head and declined.
She wasn't alone anymore, she had a baby in her belly.
She had participated in experimental research before, working almost every day without rest or food. Sometimes when things got busy, it was complete chaos, and she couldn't take care of anything else.
She didn't mind for herself, but she couldn't let her child be in that kind of environment long-term.
Plus, once a research project started, it couldn't be finished in less than three months.
Francis sat up in bed and tried to persuade her earnestly, "Sophia, you don't have to participate in the research. You can just guide them. Would that work?"
Francis's face was still pale. After his serious illness, he had aged several years and looked quite worn out.
He looked at Sophia with eager eyes full of pleading, his tone careful.
Sophia couldn't bear it. After thinking for a moment, she agreed.
But she still insisted on her principles: "I'll only provide some directional guidance when necessary. I won't interfere with your research."
The other people in the hospital room showed excitement in their eyes, looking at Sophia with delight.
After settling this matter, the people from Oasis University's research team left satisfied.
After they left, only Sophia and Francis remained in the room.
Sophia sighed softly, "Francis, given your current physical condition, you need to rest well. You can let go of some things."
Francis often said he was used to handling everything personally.
In the end, he had made himself like this.
Francis felt relieved after resolving this matter. His mood improved, and his expression relaxed.
Sophia felt helpless, but she could understand Francis's feelings at this moment.
Then Francis continued, "There's one last thing."
Sophia smiled, "Go ahead."
"Well, you and Odette should be familiar with each other by now, right? She's also an excellent doctor. I'd like her to join your group."
Sophia was taken aback, then nodded, "You don't need to tell me about this. I'm not the team leader anymore."
Although she liked studying medicine, she could never be like Robert and Francis, treating this profession as the most important thing in life.
She didn't have such grand ambitions.
Especially after getting pregnant, she had become increasingly tired and just wanted to take good care of her pregnancy.
Occasionally, when she had free time, she would travel with Benjamin, wander around, and enjoy life.
She had her own laboratory and could make whatever medicine she wanted whenever she wanted.
And she wasn't bound by anyone.
Easy and free.
This was her ideal lifestyle.
Francis knew her heart wasn't in it, so he didn't push her further. "The team leader position is currently vacant. As the former team leader, you have the right to know."
Sophia nodded with a smile.
She had a strong impression of Odette, but not a good one.
She always felt that Odette seemed hostile toward her, yet Odette kept pretending to want to get closer to her.
Very awkward.
And very strange.
This made her feel somewhat resistant.
But she didn't plan to tell Francis about this.
She left the hospital room to go back to her office to pack up.
Now that Francis's condition had basically stabilized, she had completed half of her task.
Next, she needed to start preparing for the medical research.
One of the team members added her to a group chat.
Messages kept coming in the group, almost all discussing this research project.
This research was similar to a team competition format. Besides their group, some top teams from other hospitals would also participate.
According to them, teams from other hospitals were already on their way to Harmony City and would arrive in the afternoon.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, everyone participating in the competition needed to go to the Medical Association for a meeting.
Sophia had to attend, too.
As she finished packing and was about to leave, she happened to run into Odette, also known as Sabrina, at the door.
"Dr. Brown, are you going out too? We're probably heading the same way. Why don't we go together? I drove here."
Sophia thought for a moment and nodded slightly, "That would be great, thanks."
Sabrina smiled, "No problem. Dr. Brown, don't you have a driver's license? I don't think I've ever seen you drive."
Sophia glanced at her coolly, her lips curving slightly, "I have a license, but my husband doesn't want me to drive. He's afraid I'll be too tired, so he picks me up and drops me off every day."
Sabrina was choked by her words and fell silent for a long while before laughing lightly, "I didn't expect Benjamin to be so caring. The old Benjamin was very aloof and wouldn't let anyone get close."
She deliberately emphasized the name "Benjamin" heavily, with a smug smile on her lips.
Sophia blinked curiously, "So you know my husband? From the way you call him, you must be quite familiar with him?"
Sabrina drove while nodding with a light laugh, "Yes, we're very familiar. We used to be together every day."
She wasn't lying. When Benjamin was still Finnley, they often trained together.
However, it wasn't just the two of them alone, but with many other members.
Still, she really wanted to know if Sophia would get angry or jealous because of this.
She wanted to see what was so special about the woman Benjamin had chosen.
Sophia's smile deepened, her eyes curved innocently, "So you're that close, then why when we met last time, my husband didn't remember who you were at all?"
Passive-aggressive - who couldn't do that!
Since Sabrina wasn't even willing to keep up appearances, she didn't mind tearing off the facade either.
Although she didn't quite understand where Sabrina's hostility toward her came from.
She didn't remember ever meeting Sabrina before, let alone offending her.
Sabrina was immediately left speechless, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
She took a deep breath and slowly adjusted her emotions.
Only after she had completely calmed down did she continue speaking to Sophia, "Maybe his memory isn't good. After all, I'm closer to his brother than to him."
"You mean Alaric?" Sophia asked curiously.
Now she was genuinely curious.
As far as she knew, Alaric hadn't had a single woman around him in recent years.
Before, there was Hannah, who had a crush on him, but then she got together with Steven.
After that, there were no women around Alaric.
Until now, Emilio's biological mother still hadn't been found.
Sabrina smiled without answering her question, just showing a trace of nostalgia in her eyes.
Her relationship with Alaric was quite special.
She just didn't know if Alaric still remembered her.