Chapter 199: Dr. Wolfe and Professor Harper's Scientific Experiment
"Chuck, no!"
Seeing that Sheldon was frozen in place by Chuck's words again, Professor Alicia Harper could only shout her classic line in desperation.
She really didn't want to see Sheldon have another 'accident' in public!
Chuck glanced at her but didn't say anything more.
"Cooper, sit down. Class is starting."
Professor Alicia Harper breathed a sigh of relief, stepped down from the podium, and pulled the frozen Sheldon to his seat.
Pulled by her and seeing that Chuck wasn't pressing the issue, Sheldon regained his composure and secretly resolved, "This is the last time! Time is on my side! I can definitely beat him!"
At the back door of the lecture hall.
A pair of eyes secretly watched everything. Chuck turned his head and looked over, and the eyes immediately withdrew.
"What's wrong?"
Cheryl, sitting next to him, asked curiously.
"Nothing."
Chuck looked away and adjusted his glasses.
Outside the classroom.
Gold, his ponytail now withdrawn from prying, leaned against the wall for a moment, his eyes flickering before he gritted his teeth, his gaze hardening with determination.
After class.
"There's an experiment this afternoon,"
Professor Alicia Harper called to Sheldon and Chuck, hesitantly asking, "Do you have time?"
"If he has time, I have time too,"
Chuck replied simply.
"If he has time, I have time too!"
Sheldon, in his exasperation, momentarily forgot his own policy of avoidance and blurted it out.
"Are you sure?"
Professor Alicia Harper, both regretful and exasperated, hinted to Sheldon, "If you have other commitments, I understand."
Sheldon's jaw immediately set with determination.
He didn't know how he'd managed to say such a defiant thing; afterward, he was filled with worry. But now, under Chuck's gaze, he couldn't bring himself to utter a word of surrender or retreat.
"Three o'clock this afternoon?"
Chuck confirmed. "The solar neutrino detector experiment?"
"Yes."
Professor Alicia Harper was taken aback. "You know the details of the experiment?"
"I'm your lab assistant,"
Chuck reminded her.
"..."
Professor Alicia Harper remained silent.
Although she had impulsively invited Chuck to use the Big Demon to suppress the Little Demon, she hadn't actually invited him to the lab even once, nor had she revealed any experimental information.
As a woman, she was sensitive to eye contact.
She knew Chuck's gaze often followed her; with anyone else, she would be almost certain it meant they were interested in her.
But with Chuck, common sense and intuition failed her.
After all, aside from coming to class, Chuck had never spoken to her proactively, nor had he made any other moves that could confirm this.
However, this also gave her a slight sense of relief.
Because if Chuck were like Gold, she wouldn't know what to do.
She would definitely refuse!
Although Chuck and she were both scientists, and he possessed an artistic sensibility that her husband couldn't match, she was still a married woman, and she wasn't who she used to be.
"I can help you design a better solar neutrino detector!"
Little Sheldon, seeing that he seemed to have no place in the conversation, quickly raised his hand and stood on tiptoe to assert his presence.
"You really didn't have to come!"
Professor Alicia Harper couldn't help but complain again when she heard Sheldon's words.
This awkward situation stemmed from this little troublemaker insisting on being her lab assistant.
Fine, many students were applying, and the lab needed assistants to help, otherwise she would waste a lot of time on menial tasks.
But Sheldon wasn't simply trying to be an assistant; he was clearly trying to take over. On his first day in the lab, dissatisfied with the cleaning tasks she assigned him—tasks that any new lab assistant would do—he immediately offered to improve her experiments, claiming he wanted to build a better solar neutrino detector.
Then he repeatedly caused trouble under the guise of being her lab assistant, forcing her to seek Chuck's help, and then inexplicably gaining another lab assistant who made her feel uncomfortable.
"Oh, in this situation, I'm definitely coming!"
Sheldon completely ignored Professor Alicia Harper's complaints, looked at Chuck and Professor Alicia Harper, and said confidently.
"..."
Professor Alicia Harper was speechless.
If she didn't know that young Sheldon was clueless about many things, and if she didn't know that he was just trying to get back at Chuck, she would have suspected he was implying something inappropriate.
"Oh no, I have class in a few minutes!"
Young Sheldon glanced at his watch, then grabbed his small suitcase and hurriedly rushed out.
The campus was huge, and if he didn't hustle during the break between classes, he would definitely be late, especially for short-legged Sheldon.
"Is there any way to stop him from being so disruptive?"
Professor Alicia Harper couldn't help but comment, watching Young Sheldon's stiff-legged rush.
"Yes."
Chuck nodded.
"...Without making him uncomfortable!"
Professor Alicia Harper glanced at him and quickly added.
"Yes."
Chuck nodded again.
"What is it?"
Professor Alicia Harper looked at Chuck expectantly.
"Make me uncomfortable."
Chuck said bluntly.
"...Don't joke around!"
Professor Alicia Harper was both amused and exasperated. News about Detective Chuck had been everywhere recently, and even she, who didn't follow the news, had been bombarded with gossip and analysis about Chuck, learning that Chuck had a dry, deadpan sense of humor.
"We'll find out this afternoon."
Chuck nodded and walked out.
Seeing the students from other classes heading into their classrooms, Professor Alicia Harper also packed up her things and left.
"Alicia, class is over."
Just as she stepped out, she saw Gold with his ponytail standing in the corridor, holding out a bouquet of flowers: "These are for you!"
"Mr. Gold, please have some self-respect!"
Professor Alicia Harper raised her striking, expressive eyebrows, her face cold as ice: "And 'Alicia' isn't what you get to call me!"
"Okay, okay."
Gold shrugged: "Professor Alicia Harper, is that better? Good grief, we were having such a pleasant conversation... was it because of Detective Chuck?"
Without giving Professor Alicia Harper, who was almost laughing in exasperation, a chance to speak, he shifted his gaze to Chuck: "Detective Chuck, don't you have Amazing Amy? This isn't right!"
Glancing at the suddenly quiet corridor and the gossipy stares of the crowd, he loudly proclaimed: "Fine! I won't back down—we'll compete fairly! As long as it's fair, no dirty tricks, I'm not afraid of you!"
He then pointed at Chuck, flipped him off with both middle fingers, and retreated. Once he left the building, the smile on his lips was uncontrollable.
"Has he lost his mind?"
Professor Alicia Harper was both embarrassed and annoyed, utterly unable to understand what Gold was up to.
It seemed like petty drama, but he'd completely crossed Chuck!
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded.
"Really lost his mind?"
Hearing Chuck say this, Alicia Harper calmed down, then thought it unlikely; no one goes crazy for no reason.
Not even an artist!
"Whether he's faking it or not, he's truly lost it now,"
Chuck said calmly.
Professor Alicia Harper hadn't seen any kung fu movies, but at this moment, her high intelligence allowed her to transcend cultural limitations and grasp the concept: "He messed with the wrong guy... Crossed Chuck and thinks he's walking away?"
Amidst the gossipy gazes of the crowd, Professor Alicia Harper walked away with a cold expression. Hearing Chuck's words, she also felt that whether Gold was truly crazy or faking it, in her eyes, he'd genuinely lost his mind!
Afternoon.
The physics lab.
Professor Alicia Harper and Sheldon arrived.
"Why does he always cut it so close?"
Sheldon grumbled, glancing at his watch again.
"I thought you'd arrive right on time too,"
Professor Harper said, glancing at him.
"I do usually like to time everything perfectly—bathroom breaks, meals, study time, bedtime—everything's scheduled,"
Sheldon nodded. "But I'm really looking forward to the experiments, so I'm willing to come early."
"Whatever makes you happy,"
Professor Harper said, a slight smile playing on her lips, her anticipation growing for Chuck's solution to keep Sheldon quiet without making him cry.
The clock struck three, and she and Sheldon looked toward the lab door. Sure enough, Chuck appeared there.
"Dr. Wolfe, you're here,"
Professor Harper greeted with a smile.
She wouldn't call Chuck by his first name except in a moment of urgency; "Dr. Wolfe" was both a sign of respect and professional distance.
"I'm here!"
Chuck nodded, meeting Professor Alicia Harper's expectant gaze, and looked at Sheldon: "Cooper, is that thing outside yours?"
"What thing?"
Sheldon was taken aback.
Chuck remained silent.
Sheldon immediately looked at Chuck warily: "It's not April Fool's Day or Halloween—no pranks!"
"Cooper, you're being too paranoid,"
Professor Alicia Harper chuckled.
"It's a roll of bubble wrap,"
Chuck revealed.
"Ha!"
Young Sheldon took a half step back, pointing at Chuck and yelling, "I knew it! You're trying to manipulate me! I'm not going to pop those bubbles!"
"I know."
Chuck went out, popped a single bubble, and then came back in to the dumbfounded Professor Alicia Harper, saying, "Let's start the experiment."
Young Sheldon froze, watching Chuck and Professor Alicia Harper actually begin the experiment, and cried out anxiously, "Aren't you going to pop the rest of the bubbles?"
"I'll pop them after the experiment,"
Chuck said calmly. "If you want to pop them, you can help me. I don't mind."
"I won't fall for it!"
Young Sheldon knew exactly what Chuck was up to, took a step back, and shouted.
"I believe you."
Professor Alicia Harper understood, suppressing a laugh as she coaxed, "But if you enjoy it, then it's fine. After all, your happiness makes him unhappy."
"That's right."
Little Sheldon's eyes lit up. His already weakening resolve crumbled instantly, and he felt that Professor Alicia Harper's words were absolutely true. He immediately raised his chin and looked at Chuck, a smug smile appearing on his lips: "You've outsmarted yourself! Haha!"
With that, he couldn't hold back any longer, quickly went outside, brought in the roll of bubble wrap, popped one bubble, and involuntarily closed his eyes, his face full of satisfaction.
"This is absolutely brilliant."
Professor Alicia Harper watched Little Sheldon sitting there happily popping bubble wrap, marveling at Chuck's cleverness while also wondering what kind of person he really was.
"For some people, you could send a supermodel to seduce them, and they'd be unmoved. But if you pop a piece of bubble wrap in front of them, they'd immediately make you leave, then snatch the remaining wrap and vow to pop every single bubble,"
Chuck said. "Cooper has always been, is, and will always be that kind of person."
"That's fascinating, truly fascinating,"
Professor Alicia Harper exclaimed admiringly, glancing at Chuck.
She knew this was exploiting Sheldon's obsessive-compulsive disorder, but she also knew Chuck had OCD tendencies too.
Why, after deliberately popping one bubble, could he tolerate it and give the rest to Sheldon?
Was he trying to impress her...?
Seeing Chuck remain calm and unaffected, she quickly banished these distracting thoughts and began earnestly explaining her experiment to him.
Chuck also offered his assistance, using his exceptional mathematical abilities to help her optimize the experimental design.
Suddenly, Professor Alicia Harper forgot about the little demon popping bubble wrap beside her and devoted herself entirely to optimizing and upgrading the experiment.
Scientific experiments captivate scientists.
And she, in particular, was a true scientist. She had previously hoped her husband would collaborate with her to explore the mysteries of the universe, but unfortunately, her husband, Professor John Harper, was distracted by other pursuits, focused solely on a grand project he claimed was most beneficial to humanity's 'democracy and freedom,' and had no interest in listening to her explain her scientific experiments.
Time flew by.
Night had fallen in the blink of an eye.
"Excuse me, are you finished with your experiment?"
Beverly, Sheldon's guardian, knocked on the laboratory door with her son, Leonard.
"Is it already this late?"
Professor Alicia Harper looked up, realizing how quickly time had passed. Seeing little Sheldon still sitting there popping bubble wrap, she whispered to Chuck, "How much bubble wrap did you bring?"
"Enough,"
Chuck replied casually.
"..."
Professor Alicia Harper was speechless and could only apologize to Beverly, "I'm sorry, you can take Cooper home now."
"What kind of experiment are you doing?"
Beverly frowned at little Sheldon, who was still popping bubble wrap.
Professor Alicia Harper was immediately embarrassed and didn't know how to explain when Chuck's calm voice rang out: "Measuring Cooper's OCD severity level."
"Oh, I see!"
Little Leonard immediately smiled: "That's pretty cool, isn't it, Mom?"
"Yes."
Hearing Chuck's words, Beverly's furrowed brows immediately smoothed out: "Dr. Wolfe's approach is very interesting."
"It's getting late, everyone should head home."
Professor Alicia Harper just wanted to end this awkward situation as quickly as possible.
"No!"
Little Sheldon protested, "I haven't finished yet!"
"Keep going, I'm not in a hurry."
Beverly, no longer tired at the mention of experiments, chatted with Professor Alicia Harper while watching Little Sheldon work.
"Chuck."
Little Leonard stared at Chuck expectantly, seemingly wanting to say something to him.
Chuck went outside.
Little Leonard quickly followed. Reaching the corridor, he hesitated, "Did Sheldon say anything?"
"What do you think?"
Chuck asked.
"It was him!"
Little Leonard immediately knew his worst fears had come true; Little Sheldon had indeed told his idol about his embarrassing moment. His face flushed as he explained, "It's not that I'm a coward... it's just that guy's stare was terrifying! You have to believe me!"
"I believe you!"
Chuck nodded.
"It's true!"
Leonard, still unsatisfied after Chuck's acknowledgment, continued urgently, "And it wasn't just me; all those adults there didn't dare look directly into those terrifying eyes either... so it's really not my fault."
"I know,"
Chuck said, looking at him. "You'll get used to it."
"...Get used to it?"
Leonard was stunned.
"Yeah."
Chuck didn't mention that this "getting used to it" might mean Leonard would face intimidating stares for a long time in the future, but simply said, "Cooper is like that; he already knows to bring spare pants."
"Hahaha."
After hearing what had happened that morning, Leonard laughed happily, the gloom in his heart instantly vanishing.
(End of Chapter)
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