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chapter167 

Or rather, she didn’t know what conditions Damian would propose in exchange for this favor. 

Outside the Antique Restoration Research Institute. 

At some point, the snow had stopped. A layer of white had already settled on the road in front of the Antique Restora- tion Research Institute. 

Claudine had come here earlier in Damian’s car. Now, glancing at the time, she saw it was already nine in the evening. 

The Antique Restoration Research Institute was in the suburbs, where it was already hard to get a cab. Now, with snow on the roads, there were even fewer cars around. 

Claudine stood by the roadside, opened the Uber app, and hoped she could get a ride soon if luck was on her side. 

In this weather, standing here in a coat late at night for half an hour would probably leave anyone frozen. 

Just as she turned on her phone, headlights lit up behind Claudine. 

A car stopped beside Claudine, and inside were several senior students who had just attended the meeting with her. 

The driver’s window rolled down, and senior Everett Merritt spoke. 

“Claudine, do you want us to give you a ride?” 

Claudine was just about to thank him when another senior in the passenger seat spoke up. 

“Everett, what are you thinking! 

Claudine is the lady of the Barrette Group. Does she need a ride in your little car?” 

As he spoke, the man waved at Claudine. 

“Mrs. Barrette, are you waiting for your driver? 

It’s too cold out here. Why don’t you wait in the office? Looks like it’s about to snow again.” 

With that, the window began to roll up in front of Claudine. 

Claudine glanced at the sky, then at the darkness surrounding her. 

She decisively stepped forward and knocked on the now-closed window. 

“Senior, could you drop me off at the nearest place where it’s easier to get a cab? Or a bus or subway station would be fine too.” 

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The people in the car looked at each other, hardly believing what they had just heard. 

To be honest, while they acknowledged Claudine’s professional abilities, they didn’t really feel any camaraderie with 

her. 

After all, her status was on a different level. 

Everett was the first to react. 

“Of course!” 

He made Winfred Griffin, who was in the passenger seat, move to the back and invited Claudine to get in. 

“Thank you, senior!” 

Claudine thanked everyone in the car. 

Along the way, the atmosphere in the car was eerily quiet. 

Claudine sensed that she was making them uncomfortable. When she saw the subway sign by the roadside, she spoke 

“Senior Fang, you can just drop me off at the subway entrance up ahead.” 

Everett leaned forward to look out the window; it had already started snowing again. 

“I’d better take you home. Just enter your address into the GPS.” 

Claudine hesitated a little-not because she was being difficult, but because Belmont Estates was really far from here. 

“No need to go to all that trouble. Where I live is a bit far, and you’d have to go out of your way.” 

Winfred poked his head out from the back seat. 

“Mrs. Barrette, in this cold weather, why didn’t Mr. Barrette come pick you up?” 

Everett shot Winfred a glare, signaling him to shut up. 

Winfred clicked his tongue. 

“Everett, Mrs. Barrette doesn’t mind, and besides, we’ll all be working in the same lab in the future. Isn’t it good to get to know each other better?” 

As he spoke, Winfred nudged Dominic Yoder beside him with his elbow. 

“Dominic, don’t you think I’m right?” 

Since getting in the car, Dominic had been sitting with his arms crossed, leaning back with his eyes closed, resting. 

Claudine had thought he was asleep. 

But as soon as Winfred asked, Dominic spoke up. 

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“I don’t think you want to get to know each other better. You’re just nosy and love to gossip!” 

Winfred was simultaneously disliked by both his seniors and juniors, and looked a bit dejected. 

Claudine stepped in to smooth things over. 

“Seniors, you can just call me by my name. 

“There’s no need to be so formal with me. 

“Otherwise, I’ll feel embarrassed to hitch a ride.” 

A few jokes helped close the distance between her and the seniors, while also steering the conversation away from 

Damian. 

Gradually, the car became livelier. 

They shared many stories about being tormented by Mitchell, which made Claudine a bit worried about the days ahead. 

Her own graduate years, tormented by her thesis, were already unforgettable enough. 

Now, hearing the seniors talk, she realized that compared to Mitchell, Adriana was practically gentle. 

Seeing that Claudine seemed genuinely a bit frightened, Everett said, “Prof. Hutchinson may be strict academically, but he takes good care of us in daily life.