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In the midst of the lively atmosphere, William suddenly seemed to notice James in the corner. He smiled and elegantly maneuvered through the professors surrounding him, making his way toward James. A tightness gripped James's chest as he glanced up slightly, realizing William was approaching. He immediately lowered his head, pretending to sift through the documents on the table, his fingers slowly gliding over the pages he had read countless times.
"That bastard!" James cursed inwardly, feeling his anger flare as William drew closer. "Was it not enough for him to show off in front of everyone earlier? Now he has to come over here and mock me to my face?" His fingers involuntarily clenched a few pages, suppressing the rage boiling within.
William finally stopped in front of James, still wearing that confident yet somewhat insincere smile. "James," he said softly, but the weight behind his words was undeniable, "I wanted to come over and express my gratitude."
James lifted his head, maintaining a calm expression while turmoil raged inside him. He coldly stared at William, silently questioning every word that came from his mouth. "Gratitude?" James scoffed internally; what trick was this guy trying to play now?
"In fact," William continued, his smile growing brighter, "if it weren't for your in-depth research on ancient texts in the past, I might not have been able to conceive the overall framework for this study. Your paper has been a great inspiration to me, especially in interpreting those obscure ancient phrases."
On the surface, William's words sounded like sincere praise, but James keenly sensed the underlying sarcasm. The tone seemed to remind him of his past brilliance while highlighting how he now languished alone in a corner, unable to stand in the spotlight again.
"Thank you very much," William paused briefly, his gaze intense before shifting gears. "Actually, I'm considering something. I would like to invite you to join our team as a consultant for our literature work. I know you've been facing some bottlenecks with your recent paper; perhaps this opportunity could spark some new inspiration for you and help you overcome those long-standing challenges."
William's tone was filled with "good intentions," yet the hidden mockery pierced James's pride like a sharp blade. While he appeared to be extending an invitation, it felt more like a reminder of James's current predicament, even deliberately mentioning his stagnant academic progress—an obvious public humiliation.
James's insides churned violently as he struggled to maintain a calm facade. His fingers tightened into fists beneath the table, nails digging into his palms. "This guy not only wants me to be his subordinate but also aims to ridicule my current failures publicly?" The anger within him surged stronger, threatening to explode from his chest.
However, James did not respond immediately; a faint smile remained on his lips, carrying an ambiguous intent.
The fury inside him nearly erupted at William's words—an outright provocation. He felt as if a hot stone pressed against his chest, flames of anger igniting within him. Yet as he glanced around, he saw professors gathered nearby excitedly discussing the project, clearly aware of the exchange between him and William. He knew this was not the time to lose control; after all, there were so many people present.
As a senior figure in academia, James understood one crucial principle—no matter how furious he felt inside, he must never lose composure in public, especially not in front of an up-and-coming junior like William. If he let his emotions get the better of him now and exploded with anger, it would not only make him appear petty but also lead to endless gossip afterward. Such an incident of "a senior losing their temper at a junior" would only bring him unending rumors—something he could not tolerate at all. Above all else in life, James valued maintaining his dignity and image; no matter how resentful he felt inside, he could never allow others to witness him lose control.
"Embarrassment? That's something I absolutely cannot allow," James reminded himself inwardly.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the anger boiling within him, and slowly forced a warm smile onto his face—a smile he had perfected in countless situations. Even though he felt deeply displeased, he appeared composed and graceful on the surface. "Ah, William, you flatter me," he said in a calm tone, laced with a hint of helplessness, as if William's earlier words had not bothered him at all. "I've been quite busy with some new research projects in my lab lately."
He deliberately paused, scanning the colleagues beside him to ensure they were listening to his words. "And to be honest, I'm not getting any younger. Holding such an important position might be more responsibility than I can handle," James said in a self-deprecating manner, yet there was an underlying tone of refusal and subtle rejection. He knew that accepting this invitation would reduce him to a pawn in William's game, something he could never accept.
James then raised his voice intentionally, deepening his smile as if he were genuinely happy for William. "But regardless, I'm thrilled that my past research could inspire your current project!" He emphasized "my research," his tone carrying a faint sense of pride and possession. James understood that this way, not only could he avoid accepting William's invitation, but he could also make his colleagues recognize that his achievements and contributions were still significant.
William's smile seemed to stiffen slightly, while the professors around them nodded in appreciation of James's humility and grace. Inside, James smirked coldly, maintaining his gentle demeanor on the surface as if everything was under control.
James's response clearly exceeded William's expectations. When James's self-effacing and evasive words were delivered lightly, William's smile faltered for a moment. Perhaps he hadn't anticipated that this once-prominent figure, now gradually marginalized in academia, could still decline so elegantly without showing any signs of submission.
James's words carried a subtle pride and cleverly hinted at his past academic achievements. This stirred a flicker of dissatisfaction within William, even causing him some impatience. The corner of his eye twitched slightly, but he quickly forced another strained smile, striving to appear calm and friendly.
"Oh, I completely understand, James," William maintained a tone of feigned ease and goodwill, but beneath it lay an almost imperceptible chill. "You've always been very dedicated; it's understandable that you're busy with research." He nodded as if acknowledging James's busyness before abruptly shifting the topic.
"However, James," William lowered his voice slightly, though those around them could still hear him clearly, "it seems your paper deadline is approaching as well? If you don't submit a new paper soon, your professor position... well, it might become somewhat unstable?" He spoke casually, but the implications in his words were like a sharp knife piercing James’s most sensitive spot.
A glint of coldness flashed in William's eyes as he looked at James, seemingly waiting for his reaction. "But if you could participate in this national project," he paused for effect and forced another strained smile before continuing, "then the paper situation would actually be much easier to handle. You could apply for an extension or even explore new research directions. This way, the constraints on your paper would be easier to navigate; you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore."
William's tone appeared filled with goodwill, yet every word carried an invisible pressure as if he had already taken control of everything and was waiting for James to obediently accept his arrangement. His smile was no longer sincere; instead, it held a hint of disdain as if to say: Just bow down, and all your problems will be solved—why not submit early?
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