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Howard was very efficient. It didn't take him long to dig into Hannah's past.
"You were right. This Professor Nguyen once had a lover, a girl. They were attracted to each other during their university days and naturally got together."
"But such unconventional love was not accepted by society. They were forced to separate. The girl was taken back by her family, got married, had children, and was never heard from again."
"Professor Nguyen has been alone all these years, probably waiting for her lover to return. She doesn't know where the girl went. She tried to find her but never succeeded. Maybe the girl is already dead."
My gaze darkened. Hannah had never left Emerald City in her entire life, probably waiting for this girl. But with the changing times, where could she find her now?
"Professor Nguyen is really devoted, holding on for so many years. Nowadays, people are so fickle in their relationships, breaking up and divorcing at the drop of a hat. I can imagine how much criticism Professor Nguyen and her lover faced back then! Love is not about gender; it's the thrill of hormones!"
I couldn't help but complain. Howard pulled me into his arms and gently comforted me.
"Don't worry, I will love only you in this lifetime and never fall for another woman."
I snorted coldly and said nothing. If Howard could handle his own affairs, Sienna wouldn't have had a chance. Conversely, if he couldn't control himself, I wouldn't hesitate to take action.
I felt conflicted about Howard. On one hand, I couldn't forget the fact that my child and father were killed. On the other hand, it wasn't directly related to Howard, and he treated me well. I couldn't bear to leave him.
These mixed feelings tormented me every day.
"Alright, let's tell Matthew the news. Maybe he has a solution."
At noon, we chose a restaurant to meet.
Howard informed Matthew of what he had found out, hoping to see his reaction.
"If Professor Nguyen really wants to find her lover, we could advertise and post a missing person notice. But that would be too high-profile, and Professor Nguyen might not accept it."
Matthew seemed deep in thought, contemplating the situation.
Seeing them like this, I got anxious and tugged at Howard.
"Do you have any ideas?"
Howard shook his head. This wasn't his area of expertise.
"I do have an idea, but I can't guarantee it will work."
Howard and I looked at Matthew, waiting for him to continue.
"Professor Nguyen is very reserved in her emotions. I reviewed her courses, and most of the content is about love. She needs an outlet to express herself."
"But she hasn't looked for her lover all these years, probably because she's worried it would trouble the other person or that the other person might no longer be alive."
A light bulb went off in my head.
"So we can take a different approach, a gentler one. If Professor Nguyen is willing to cooperate with us, we can focus on a painting. Using the painting as a starting point, we can infuse it with emotions and promote it. This way, we can advertise the gallery and let the girl recognize that Professor Nguyen is looking for her!"