Chapter 668 An Economics Seminar
Even after a late-night street barbecue session, Catherine couldn’t resist getting up early to head to the lab.
If she hadn’t received an unexpected message about Audrey’s mishap, she would’ve arrived even earlier, straight from the dorm to the lab.
Once inside the lab, Catherine immediately delved into her work.
To ensure she had a quiet work environment, Marshall cleared out his own exclusive lab space for Catherine.
In the research building, this was a treatment usually reserved for esteemed professors.
When professors from other departments got wind of this, they sought out Marshall and claimed he was breaking the rules. Once a precedent was set, it made things difficult for everyone else.
However, Marshall just chuckled and even teased them, saying, “If you had a gem like mine, you’d offer not just a lab but even your last penny.”
Those folks thought it was against the rules, but their arguments fell flat against Marshall’s words because Catherine’s capabilities spoke volumes. It left them envious and resigned.
After working all morning, Catherine finally emerged from the lab. Right at mealtime, Branden messaged her and reminded her to eat on time.
If she didn’t respond or eat as scheduled, Branden would probably show up at the lab with a food container in hand.
As soon as she stepped out of the lab, Catherine spotted Ciaran rushing toward her. “I knew you’d be out at mealtime!”
“Ciaran, did you need me?”
“It’s not me.” Ciaran pointed behind him and looked flustered. “Mr. Farrell is here and has been waiting for you for a long time!”
“Why didn’t you call me then, Ciaran?”
Ciaran looked embarrassed. “You know the instruction of the professor.”
Marshall had made it clear that no one was to disturb Catherine during her experiments, or they’d face consequences for violating lab rules. Given the severity of the offense, no one dared to cross that line.
Hearing this, Catherine didn’t know how to argue back.
She didn’t like being disturbed while working, but if there was a genuine reason, it was understandable. She wasn’t unreasonable and she could understand the situation. Marshall had just gone above and beyond to protect her.
“I’ll go find Mr. Farrell,” Catherine replied.
Ultan had been sipping coffee for two to three hours before finally meeting Catherine. “Catherine, seeing you is harder than catching Professor Hartley!
“Sorry, Mr. Farrell. I was in the lab, engrossed in some experiments,” Catherine politely explained.
Seeing her friendly attitude, Ultan didn’t dwell on it. He was more worried that if he counted things up too much, Marshall might come to him about it.
Then he said, “The school is inviting an economics expert for a seminar this afternoon. I hope you can attend.”
As a student from the EIE department, she was asked to attend an economics seminar. Catherine looked at Ultan skeptically and wondered if one of her secret identities had been inadvertently revealed.
“We’ve invited Mr. Shane, a financial bigwig from Euphosean,” Ultan added.
After Ultan said that, Catherine understood the situation. “Okay. Got it, ” she replied and turned to leave.
Watching Catherine depart, Ultan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. It was the first time he’d felt so stifled in front of a student. He realized that Catherine was definitely someone extraordinary.
At 2 PM sharp, Catherine appeared in the meeting room of the economics department, which caused a small stir among those present. Whispers buzzed around discreetly.
“Isn’t that Catherine from the EIE department?”
“Yeah. Her face is stunning. You won’t find another like hers.”
“She’s from the EIE department, right? What’s she doing in the forum of our economics department?”
“Who knows? Maybe she’s got some hidden connection to the big shots.”
“Keep it down. I heard she’s got some powerful backing.”
Many recognized Catherine. Isadora’s incident had caused a sensation not just at Styre University but across the entire academic circle in Loxton.
As the other main character in that event, Catherine naturally attracted much attention.
Combined with the previous rumors about her and Shane, even though Isadora later clarified it was all false, the fact that they were seen together in a restaurant was undeniable. This led people to speculate about their relationship.
Catherine strode forward with a cool demeanor and ignored the gazes of those around her. She had intended to find a corner to sit in, but Ultan noticed the commotion, turned his head, and spotted her. He waved at Catherine enthusiastically and called out, “Come!
With Ultan’s gesture, Catherine, who was already the center of attention, instantly drew the eyes of the entire room.
Under the gaze of everyone, Catherine walked to the front row and sat beside Ultan.
Once seated, the president began quietly conversing with Catherine. He said, “Having Mr. Shane here at our school for this exchange is a rare opportunity!”
Catherine agreed with this. In the business world, Shane was an absolute titan. He had years of experience in the business world, so securing him to lecture at a forum for students was an honor for everyone present.
Moreover, over the years, as his age advanced, Shane gradually faded from public view. He even declined invitations to several economic forums, let alone school lectures.
The doors of the meeting room closed, and the stage lights brightened. The entire venue fell silent. In this enthusiastic yet serious atmosphere, Shane slowly appeared on stage.
His opening words were humorous, infused with Theisian theatrical flair, instantly elevating the energy of the room.
At that moment, in the eyes of everyone present, he ceased to be just a financial giant. He became a sophisticated gentleman.
Shane mentioned his dislike for lengthy academic presentations and expressed a preference for conversation. He skipped the preliminary parts and directly dove into the discussion and research segment.
Many students eagerly raised their questions, and Shane did his best to answer each one earnestly.
Someone asked, “Sir, how do you view the recent economic crisis forecasted by the authoritative economic journal of Alton for the next six months?”
Shane chuckled lightly and then spoke into the microphone. He replied, “I’d like a student to answer that first, and I’ll supplement.”
It was a normal process, but when Shane looked at Catherine, the atmosphere suddenly felt tense.
Just as everyone speculated on Shane’s next move, he unexpectedly called out Catherine’s name.
“Cassie, would you like to answer this question?”
The statement shocked everyone, especially Shane’s intimate way of addressing Catherine. He addressed her with such familiarity and without any reservations.
