Chapter 300: Is It My Fault for Being Too Outstanding
Aurora Donovan’s sarcastic tone instantly snapped Arabella Donovan’s attention back, reminding her of a certain someone’s previous tricks and deceptions.
"Aurora, don’t you think you owe me an explanation? What’s this whole ’Dr. Donovan’ thing about?"
Aurora Donovan hadn’t expected to have dug his own grave with just a few sentences. His expression stiffened.
After a long pause, he finally rubbed his nose in embarrassment. "It’s just that nothing was confirmed yet, so I felt awkward talking about it."
"Really?" This time, Arabella wasn’t going to be brushed off so easily. "Funny, because I get the feeling everyone in your lab knows. Even people who are just about to join know. The only one left in the dark is me, your own sister."
Arabella grew more dramatic as she spoke, wiping away imaginary tears and whimpering, "I knew it. You don’t see me as a real part of the family. You’d hide something this important from me."
Aurora Donovan looked as though he’d been struck by lightning. Every hair on his body stood on end.
"No, no, no, Serena, please don’t think that! I really didn’t mean to deceive you."
"If you didn’t do it by accident, you must have done it on purpose. I knew it... WAHHH..."
"It wasn’t on purpose, either! I just..." ’...I just didn’t want to become the main topic of gossip over the holidays, laughed at by all my gloating relatives.’ But that was obviously not a reason he could say out loud.
When Aurora’s explanation didn’t come, Arabella’s face fell, and she started wailing even louder. "Just what? I knew it! You never take what I say seriously."
Aurora felt like his head was going to explode, especially at the thought that after Arabella was done crying here, she would probably go home and tattle on him to the family.
Given how much the family doted on his little sister these days, Aurora had no doubt that if Arabella tattled at lunch, someone would have crowdfunded his assassination by dinner!
"Okay, okay, you’re the boss! I swear that’s not what I meant! What will it take for you to believe me?"
Arabella’s crying stopped on a dime. "Unless..."
"Unless what? Anything! As long as I can do it, name your terms!"
"For real? In that case, I won’t hold back. Just transfer back that extra money I sent you before, and I’ll forgive you."
The moment the words left Arabella’s mouth, Aurora recoiled, taking a large step back in terror. "Are you serious? You’re practically asking for my life! Besides, you’re rolling in dough now. Why are you still fussing over a few tens of millions...?"
Arabella ignored his guilt trip, quickly cutting him off mid-cast. "I knew it. I knew I meant nothing to you. Fine, forget it. I’ll just go home. Since my own brother doesn’t love me, I’m clearly not welcome here. I’ll just go find Mom, Dad, and our other siblings. I’m sure they can take me somewhere else."
’...’ ’Is this not the most blatant threat ever? That’s playing dirty!’
Aurora ground his teeth and said with helpless, wallet-aching reluctance, "Fine, fine, I’ll send it back. I’ll transfer it over in a little while."
"What do you mean, ’in a little while’? Delays cause complications. I want it now. Immediately. This instant."
’...’ ’I’m so lucky to have you as a sister!’
Fuming, Aurora had no choice but to submit to his sister’s tyranny. He transferred back the eighty million that had barely had time to warm his bank account.
A smile finally spread across Arabella’s face when she saw the transfer notification pop up.
’Heh, you little punk. As if I couldn’t handle you! Let’s see if you dare to lie to me so casually again.’
’...’ ’I’m terrified. I’ll never do it again.’
Caspian Rhodes had been a cool-headed spectator to this touching display of "sibling harmony," a fine drama in which the sister single-handedly scammed her brother out of a huge sum of money. To avoid becoming collateral damage when the victim’s anger was inevitably redirected, Caspian suppressed a laugh and changed the subject. "It’s getting late. Are you two hungry? Shall we go get something to eat?"
"You’re a busy man, Mr. Rhodes. We shouldn’t take up any more of your time."
Hearing this, Arabella looked at her brother in surprise. "Huh? You’re not hungry, Aurora? In that case, I’ll just go eat with Mr. Rhodes and bring some food back for you later."
"...No, I’m hungry too."
"Then let’s all go together." With that, Arabella linked her arms through each of theirs and began dragging them toward the food street next to the campus.
Aurora, being dragged along: "..."
Caspian glanced at the fuming but silent Aurora and sighed to himself. ’Everyone meets their match.’
Although Aurora wasn’t fond of Caspian Rhodes, he wouldn’t dare let his little sister go hungry. In the end, he led them to a Sichuan hot pot restaurant that a classmate from his department had recommended.
Steam curled and fragrant spices filled the air. Just a small bowl of broth was enough to warm her from the inside out.
Arabella let out a satisfied sigh before returning to the matter at hand. "So, Aurora, what’s the real story with this doctorate? Aren’t you only a junior? Even if you were skipping grades, shouldn’t you be a master’s student? How did you suddenly jump to a Ph.D.?"
Aurora could tell from her tone that she was merely curious, not angry. He breathed a sigh of relief and finally regained the spirited confidence befitting a star student.
"Hah, what’s so strange about it? I’ve told you before, I’m a genius. I taught myself the entire university curriculum back in high school. During my first two years of college, I self-studied the master’s program curriculum. Besides, in the competitions I’ve entered, I always registered in the higher-level divisions and won far more awards than actual grad students."
He punctuated this with a smug lift of his chin, his expression screaming, ’Look how amazing your brother is.’
"I mentioned it to my advisor, and he agreed that a talent like me shouldn’t waste time on the conventional step-by-step academic track. He took my records and applied to the university administration to let me skip the master’s program and enroll directly at Brynn University for my Ph.D."
Arabella’s expression was complicated after hearing Aurora’s explanation.
"...Aurora, why did you have to be so ridiculously brilliant?" ’If you weren’t so capable, if you had just followed the rules and become a regular master’s student, maybe you wouldn’t have been saddled with the role of a disposable cannon fodder character.’
Aurora: ’...’ ’I was born with a good brain. Is it my fault for being too exceptional?!’
’No wonder Derek Kensington is so jealous of him. Aurora really has both the skills and the backing. A genius isn’t scary. What’s scary is a genius who works harder than you. What’s even scarier is a hardworking genius who is also blessed with influential patrons. When you’ve got that many buffs stacked, of course you’re going to attract all sorts of ghouls and goblins.’
After this reflection, Arabella seemed to think of something else. She frowned. "Wait a minute. Aurora, you said you finished all your college courses in high school. If you’re that brilliant, how did you end up at Sylvan University instead of Brynn University? Don’t tell me you’re a homebody?"
"Of course not."
"Then why?"
"...I had a little accident during the last exam and missed a subject."
"You mean to tell me you got into Sylvan University with a zero in one of your subjects?"
"Yep."
Arabella: "..."
Caspian: "..."
’I don’t know if his classmates want to kill him, but I’m sure his professors and his advisor definitely do!’
Aurora: =.=