Chapter 15
By the west lawn of the medical academy, Gianna found a warm spot to sit beneath a red maple tree.
The sterile scent of disinfectant still lingered in her nose. She loosened her collar, inhaling the crisp outdoor air as she scattered crumbled pieces of whole wheat bread toward the gray–and–white pigeons.
It had been three months since she arrived at the medical academy. Once she entered the lab, she often stayed inside for an entire day. Her access card, which was always in her pocket, felt like it was about to leave a permanent imprint on her white coat.
Most people wouldn’t be able to endure this level of intensity, but for Gianna–who had already survived so much–this was nothing.
In the new drug research team, she worked alongside some of the most brilliant minds in modern medicine. They were masters of the field or even pioneers of groundbreaking
research.
For now, she was just a lab assistant. But in these three short months, she had learned more than she had in over 20 years.
Beside her pillow, her notebook, which was covered in faint medicine stains, was nearly full. It was packed with dense, handwritten notes.
Today, she had unexpectedly been given a half–day off, yet she had no idea where to go. If there was anything she still wasn’t used to, it was the food.
However, something had changed over the past few days. The meals delivered to the lab had become noticeably lighter in flavor, which was more suited to her tastes.
At some point, with her eyes half–closed, she drifted off to sleep.
Hours later, a chill from the approaching dusk startled her awake. As she sat up, tiny grass seeds fell from her neck, and crumbs of bread and pigeon feathers clung to the left lapel
of her coat.
Normally, everyone in the lab ate food delivered from the cafeteria to save time. But since she had the afternoon off, she decided to go there herself for a meal.
Yet the moment she took her first bite, she froze. A sharp burst of peppercorn heat burned her tongue. The menu hadn’t changed, but the taste was completely different from the light, refreshing flavors she had been eating these past few days.
“Did the previous chef return?”
Unable to suppress her curiosity, Gianna wandered through the back entrance into the kitchen. The moment she stepped inside, she saw a familiar figure. He had an apron tied around his waist, and he was meticulously slicing vegetables at the counter.
The sharp scent of star anise filled the air, and as he moved, his rolled–up sleeves revealed a faint pink scar. It was a burn he got from a few days ago when he was making soup.
She had already walked up close, yet he remained oblivious to her presence.
Only when she softly called out “Adam?” did the cucumber slice slip sideways.
Adam spun around in surprise. In his panic, the knife–still covered in scallion bits–clattered into the sink.
He never thought Gianna would show herself here. His face quickly flushed red as he stammered, “Jeffrey! You said you’d keep this a secret—”
The chef, Jeffrey Milton, simply waved a hand. “I didn’t say anything.”
“What are you doing here?” Gianna asked in disbelief.
This was the medical academy. It was not a place just anyone could enter, let alone walk straight into the kitchen.
“You didn’t know? Adam here is the beloved grandson of the former academy director. He practically grew up in this place, so it’s more like home to him.
Jeffrey chuckled as he stirred a simmering pot. “He heard you were coming to the academy and was worried you wouldn’t be used to our northern cuisine.
“That’s why he secretly followed you here and even started working in the kitchen–just so he could adjust the meals to your taste.
“This brat even stole some of the century–old aged caterpillar fungus from the old director’s collection just to make soup for your stomach.”
“Stop, Jeffrey…” By now, Adam’s ears had turned bright red.
Flustered, he quickly tucked his burned arm behind his back, as if trying to hide it. His cautious, almost helplessly endearing demeanor made him both adorable and heart – wrenching at the same time.
