Chapter 304: The Dramatic Changes in Peaceful Town
The next day.
Chuck's new assistant, Lisa, arrived early in the morning.
"You really don't need to fuss over me,"
Professor Alicia Harper said somewhat awkwardly to the exceptionally enthusiastic Texas native.
"I'll be downstairs. Just holler if you need anything, and I won't bother you any longer."
Lisa smiled warmly and headed downstairs.
Professor Alicia Harper shook her head helplessly, inwardly kicking herself for not listening to Chuck the night before and showing more restraint.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be in this embarrassing and uncomfortable situation now.
Unfortunately, no matter how rational she was, she was still human, and the hormones that had accumulated over the years needed release—something reason alone couldn't control.
No matter how much she thought about it, she could only push aside her chaotic thoughts, sit down, and bury herself in calculations.
The breakthrough she'd had last night, after discussing it with Sheldon and Chuck, showed tremendous potential, and she couldn't wait to get to the lab to verify it.
Her current physical condition wouldn't allow it, but that didn't stop her from doing the preliminary theoretical work.
"Alicia, lunch is ready."
The Texas girl walked in carrying a tray, startling Professor Alicia Harper, who was absorbed in her calculations. Looking up, she noticed the light outside had indeed changed from morning.
She rubbed her neck and wrists, and gave a wry smile, "Is it noon already?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Lisa handed her the plate, glancing curiously at the stack of papers she'd already filled with complex equations. Her light blue eyes sparkled with admiration: "You wrote all this in one morning—you're amazing."
"You're pretty amazing yourself."
Professor Alicia Harper took the plate, sampled a bite, and praised, "This Texas-style brisket is delicious."
"You're the amazing one."
Lisa looked at her with genuine admiration: "You're like the perfect combination of brains and beauty—no wonder the boss is so into you."
Professor Alicia Harper, hearing her say this, especially being watched by those husky-like eyes, didn't know what to say for a moment. She could only lower her head and focus on enjoying the Texas specialty, chatting with Lisa, who had taken the initiative to be friendly, and gradually they became more comfortable with each other.
"Lisa, you're gorgeous—you could totally be a model or actress. How did you end up as an assistant?"
Professor Alicia Harper couldn't help but ask, looking at Lisa's stunning looks and figure with genuine curiosity.
"I've had people approach me about commercials, but I turned them down,"
Lisa laughed. "I know what they're really after. Whether it's commercials or movies, it's just about selling sex appeal. I'm not into that. I wish I were as smart as you, Alicia. Too bad I get a migraine whenever I look at math—I'm just not cut out for academics."
That afternoon.
Professor Alicia Harper had had enough of lying in bed, but her body still couldn't support working normally. So she said to Lisa, who occasionally came in to refill her tea and water, "Lisa, how about you drive me around for a bit?"
"Sure thing!"
Lisa readily agreed. "Where do you want to go?"
"Let's go to Peaceful Town,"
Professor Alicia Harper thought for a moment and said.
She hadn't been to Chuck's hometown yet.
"You got it,"
Lisa agreed and started to bend down.
"What are you doing?"
Professor Alicia Harper was startled, especially as the substantial presence shifted from visual to physical proximity.
"I'll carry you downstairs,"
Lisa said matter-of-factly. "The boss said you're not feeling well. Don't worry, I can handle it. I'm pretty strong—back in Texas, I used to wrangle cattle and operate heavy machinery."
"That's not necessary,"
Professor Alicia Harper couldn't accept being carried downstairs in a princess carry by a woman ten years her junior.
Well,
okay.
She wasn't exactly a "little woman"—in fact, compared to this woman, she felt small.
But as a university professor, she still felt somewhat uncomfortable, so she declined Lisa's offer and, with Lisa's insistence on helping, managed to get downstairs on her own.
Lisa helped her into the passenger seat, then hopped into the driver's seat and pulled away from the house.
"This is Peaceful Town,"
Lisa said as she drove, giving Professor Alicia Harper a tour of the area.
Professor Alicia Harper glanced out the window. At first, everything seemed normal, but as time passed, driving through intersection after intersection, passing neighborhood after neighborhood, her expression grew increasingly peculiar, finally settling on Lisa's figure.
"This is Peaceful Town..."
What a Peaceful Town indeed!
She had heard about the infamous trio from Peaceful Town cracking the case of that twisted fake child Esther a few months ago, and she had a vivid impression of the media coverage about them.
But the reports only mentioned those three women, not that Peaceful Town was apparently full of them!
Everywhere she looked, there were strikingly proportioned women—what was going on here?
"Yep, this is Peaceful Town,"
Lisa said, noticing the change in Professor Alicia Harper's expression, then smiled, "Actually, you've got the wrong idea. This town wasn't like this originally. All these changes happened because of the boss."
"Chuck..."
Professor Alicia Harper didn't know what expression to make.
"Remember that case with the evil fake child Esther?"
Lisa pulled over and explained to Professor Alicia Harper, "Ever since that case broke, the whole vibe in Peaceful Town changed. Pretty soon, women started getting procedures done, and it was like a domino effect—more and more people jumped on the bandwagon.
So much so that Dr. Dan Brennan, the most famous plastic surgeon in the area, got ambitious and wanted to launch an advertising campaign to expand his practice."
"So it was Dr. Dan Brennan who approached you for the commercial."
Professor Alicia Harper glanced at Lisa and nodded. "He's got good taste—no one would be better suited than you!"
Lisa smiled modestly. "Dr. Dan Brennan didn't approach me first; he went to Mrs. Beth Berland.
Because his target demographic was these wives who wanted to change and get their husbands' attention back.
After she turned him down, he came to me.
Then he went to Mrs. Pritchett.
We all said no."
Professor Alicia Harper nodded; she understood the reason without Lisa needing to explain further.
Even in America, where commercialism rules, not everyone is willing to do these kinds of endorsements.
Especially for women who are naturally well-endowed—they definitely don't want people suspecting they've had work done after appearing in a plastic surgery ad.
(End of Chapter)
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