“Dr. Martin, why don’t you introduce yourself?” Myers said, his energy palpable as he spoke.Charles Martin rose from his seat, briefly glancing in Joseph’s direction before addressing the room.“Hello, everyone. I’m Charles Martin. It’s an honor to be here, and I look forward to working with all of you,” Martin said, his tone polite and composed.As he finished speaking, applause broke out—but only from one side of the room. Joseph instinctively started to clap but quickly noticed that no one around him was joining in. The applause was coming exclusively from the Modern Medicine faculty. His side—the Traditional Chinese Medicine faculty—remained silent.Feeling awkward, Joseph stopped clapping and glanced around, his expression puzzled.“Mr. Wilson, a little tip—this side of the room is for the Traditional Chinese Medicine faculty, while the other side is for the Modern Medicine folks. We don’t usually get involved in their affairs, and they wouldn’t appreciate our applause anyway,”

"Fine." Lincoln sat back down, though his expression remained stormy. "You, arrogant boy! Since you claim to cure what modern medicine cannot, then tell me—what illnesses can Traditional Medicine treat that we cannot?" He punctuated his demand with another slap to the table, his voice dripping with hostility. Joseph, however, remained unflustered, his composure like a still pond. "Shall I give an example?" he asked, his tone light but deliberate. "Go ahead. But if you fail to provide a convincing example, you’ll regret it," Lincoln threatened, his anger barely restrained. "Very well," Joseph said, his voice steady. "Let’s take, for instance, the condition both you and Vice Director Gray suffer from—baldness." "The condition you cannot cure, but I can." His words hung in the air for a moment, as the room fell eerily silent, everyone processing the unexpected turn of conversation. Then, like a dam breaking, muffled laughter erupted throughout the room. "Hahaha… Oh, this is too

"Let’s be clear," Geoffrey Harris began, addressing the room. "There’s no such thing as favoritism here. As the principal, I technically have the authority to decide how your departments’ funds are allocated all on my own." "That said, I’ve always strived to be fair and impartial. I’ve consistently sought your input, listened to your needs, and worked to find a distribution method that’s as equitable as possible." "Since Director Myers has made his position so clear, we’ll stick to the long-standing allocation rules for this semester—that is, the old system." Geoffrey Harris’s tone carried a note of resignation, as though he had no other choice. "Thank you, Principal! Hahaha…" Lincoln Myers couldn’t suppress his laughter, a smug grin spreading across his face. Leonard Sanchez, sitting nearby, wore an expression of quiet frustration. Geoffrey Harris ignored Myers’s reaction and instead cast a thoughtful glance in Joseph’s direction. Joseph, sensing the look, met his gaze. For a

"No, it’s nothing like that," Joseph replied hastily, forcing a smile. "I just didn’t expect this. I… happen to know Fiona." "Oh? What a coincidence," Leonard remarked, his curiosity piqued. "It’s a shame, though—Fiona is already married. Otherwise, Mr. Wilson, she might have made an ideal match for you. She’s hardworking, intelligent, beautiful, and comes from a good family. Truly a remarkable young lady." "She’s divorced now," Joseph said with an awkward chuckle. "Ah, I see. Well, that changes things. Still, for many men, the idea of a second marriage can be… difficult to accept," Leonard mused thoughtfully. "Old Mr. Sanchez, didn’t the principal mention anything about my background? Or have you not reviewed my file?" Joseph asked suddenly. Leonard seemed puzzled for a moment before shaking his head. "Your file? The principal personally recommended you, so I never had access to it. And we’ve only just met—why would I go out of my way to ask him about your personal life?" "Why?

“So the turkey really isn’t cooked?” Alice said, staring wide-eyed at her creation, as if she couldn’t believe it.“If there’s blood seeping out, it’s not done. Steak can be served rare, medium, or well-done, but with chicken or turkey, it’s either fully cooked or raw. There’s no in-between,” Joseph explained carefully.“Oh… I see,” Alice replied, nodding solemnly. It seemed cooking wasn’t as simple as she had imagined.“Joseph, will you teach me how to cook?” she asked suddenly, her eyes lighting up with determination.“Of course, as long as you’re willing to learn,” Joseph replied with a chuckle.“Of course, I’m willing!” Alice said, nodding eagerly like a little chick pecking at grains.“Alright then, I’ll teach you. You can watch me for now. But if you ever feel like giving up, that’s fine too. After all, with so many chefs in your household, there’s hardly a need for you to cook yourself,” Joseph teased.“What do you mean, my household? From now on, my home is your home too. You