Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Just tweak the data a bit to keep it consistent, no need to waste time verifying.' Even though Carlson had anticipated it, hearing it firsthand was still a shock.

"This is, academic, fraud!" He stressed every word.

Edna's face turned sour: "Carlson, you're a sensible guy. I trust you know what should and shouldn't be said. As your mentor, I'm just offering you a way to solve the problem. What to do with it, is up to you." Carlson looked up, locking eyes with Edna with an intensity she hadn't seen before.

"Professor, this isn't right."

It just wasn't right...

After Carlson left, Edna watched his departing back and snickered.

It's okay if he doesn't get it now. People grow.

Eventually, he'll understand that truth doesn't matter. What matters is how many papers you've published, how much academic output you've produced.

People say research is pure, but Edna scoffed at that.

Wherever there are people, there's a struggle - for resources, funding, status, titles... Aren't all these tied to output?

Only those who reach the summit have the right to talk about "purity". But first, you've got to reach the summit.

Edna took out her phone, "Call Hertha Sherwood over."

was her time to

senior students treating you? No one's giving you a hard time, right?" Hertha was somewhat flattered: "No,

you here because there's something related to

mean I

for you in the research team. It's just that we've run into a bit of

tell me, and

bought the latest model of the CPRT analyzer

worry,

go unnoticed. I'll

of your contribution. When

high-priority projects or conference

be the

long as your grades are solid, that shouldn't

the moon. Whether they'll

mother placed such high value on education, it was almost a fixation. If she could earn her PhD, she

a second thought,

million isn't that much, after all. A little sweet talk at home, and

days of Hertha securing a new CPRT analyzer for Edna's lab,

to the budget being just

ended up costing over two

half, and Hertha had to sell more than a dozen of her beloved designer bags to make up the rest. Those bags were her treasures, and just