For the team, none of them could remember the last time they'd had a meal this decent.

  It felt like ever since the eight of them had clicked and started chasing their dream, their quality of life had instantly plummeted to rock bottom. They couldn't even bring themselves to buy cup noodles over the bagged ones.

  So tonight, regardless of the chef's skill, this feast was pure ambrosia to them—a meal they would remember for the rest of their lives.

  Soon, the beer and Vodka arrived, and the atmosphere reached its peak. The invisible barrier between them and Grace temporarily dissolved. Some even shared the hardships of the past year's project as if they were telling jokes.

  And gradually, Grace began to understand why this team was destined to succeed.

  They were optimists who could find joy in suffering, laughing in the face of hardship without ever considering giving up. They possessed the courage to gamble it all, willing to tighten their belts and unite toward a single goal, betting everything they had at this stage of their lives.

  A saying came to Grace's mind: Strength creates classics; greatness is no accident.

  Halfway through the meal, with many already flushed from drinking, Richard suddenly remembered something important. He tapped Grace on the shoulder. "Grace, there's something I was wondering if you could help with."

  Grace's smile lingered as she looked at him. "What is it?"

  "Mid-month, there's an AI industry exchange conference in Aethelburg. Major companies from all over the country will send professional teams for technical discussions. I think this is an invaluable opportunity. Even if our team could just sit in and observe, we'd benefit immensely."

  Grace nodded in understanding. After a moment's thought, she said, "I can't guarantee I can get invitations, but I'll see what I can do. Wait for my news."

  Richard nodded excitedly. Though Grace hadn't given him a definite answer, deep down he felt she would find a way.

  Meanwhile, at The Royal Manor Vance family villa, it was also dinner time.

  Since today was the last day of the holiday and Grace was out dining with her team, Scarlett had returned to her own home.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Madam Vance couldn't resist a teasing remark as she looked at her daughter. "Oh, so you've finally decided to come home? I was starting to think you'd forgotten the way."

  Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Grace's place is less than five hundred meters from ours. You make it sound like I've been abroad."

  "Besides, school starts tomorrow. Don't I need to pack?"

  Arthur Vance looked at his daughter with doting affection. "It's actually quite nice that your dormmate lives so close. You won't get bored now."

  At this, he casually asked, "What does your friend's family do? Are their parents' companies in Aethelburg?"

  "I don't know." Scarlett pursed her lips.

  Arthur blinked in surprise. "You never asked?"

  "Why would I pry into that?" Scarlett looked seriously at her father. "Grace and I have a purely platonic friendship. I'm not like you—I don't befriend people with ulterior motives. What does Grace's family do have to do with me? If I dug that deep, would they give me shares? I just like Grace as a person. I feel especially compatible with her. That's why we became friends."

  Her words left both parents momentarily speechless.

  Madam Vance smiled helplessly at her husband. "Maybe we should stop asking. Our daughter just scolded us for asking two questions."

  Arthur shook his head with a wry smile and placed a piece of Scarlett's favorite Sweet and Sour Spareribs into her bowl. "Alright, whatever her family does, living in this villa district means they can't be badly off. You've been troubling her all holiday—when you have time, invite her over. We should host her too."

  Madam Vance nodded in agreement. "Your father's right. Friends made in university are important. And since she lives so close, she could very well be a lifelong friend. You get along well—cherish this relationship."

  "Of course. Right now, I'm Grace's only close friend at school." Scarlett couldn't help but feel smug whenever she thought of Grace. "She was ostracized by her old roommates because she was too outstanding. From now on, I'm going to protect her."

  "Mom, Dad, did you know? Grace isn't just beautiful—she's also a top student. She scored extremely high on her college entrance exams. Our school's admissions office personally recruited her from Novastra; otherwise, she would've gone to Aerospace University."

  Hearing how exceptional Grace was, the couple exchanged glances. Arthur nodded approvingly. "Mom and Dad support you befriending outstanding girls. Birds of a feather flock together. With a friend like that, you'll improve yourself and broaden your horizons."

  Scarlett smiled and nodded. If not for meeting Grace, she'd never have known how fun "ordering male hosts" could be. It had certainly expanded her awareness.

  "But you'll have to wait if you want her to visit. Grace has been pretty busy lately. She's gotten into investing and just put 200 Dollars into a project. She's out dining with that project team tonight—that's why I came home."

  "Investing?"

  "200 Dollars?"

  Both parents exclaimed in shock. While 200 Dollars wasn't much to their family, a sophomore in university already starting to invest—and dropping 200 Dollars on a project—required considerable courage and vision. One wrong move, and 200 Dollars could vanish without a trace.

  "You two look so surprised. I told you, Grace is exceptional. Whenever she wants to do something, she acts decisively. Do you know what project she invested in?"

  Scarlett fixed her gaze on her parents, savoring the anticipation of the revelation to come.

  They shook their heads simultaneously. Their daughter chuckled lightly. "It's an advanced AI program. You know, the field our family dominates. Remember that reception the other day? Those school seniors tried to pitch their project to you, but you didn't even glance at their materials before kicking them out. Grace noticed immediately and went after them. The next day, I went with her to negotiate."

  "Wh-what?"

  Arthur was startled. The scene flashed through his mind—he did remember that incident, but he never imagined there'd be a follow-up.

  Seeing her father's stunned expression, Scarlett raised an eyebrow in satisfaction. "I don't understand the technical stuff, but if this project Grace invested in succeeds... Dad, won't you become a laughingstock? So many people witnessed it that day..."

  "Scarlett..." Madam Vance shot her daughter a disapproving look. "What's wrong with you? Why do you want to see your father embarrassed?"

  Scarlett shrugged nonchalantly. " Does a joke care who it's about? If it's funny, that's enough!"