Chapter 565 - 561: I’m Too Pretty to Die

Cecilia Sterling smiled and nodded honestly.

She didn’t want to be captain; she didn’t even want to be on the team. But since she was here, she wouldn’t just slack off. Although John Lawson wouldn’t admit it, she knew in her heart that he must have been the one who insisted on recommending her.

She couldn’t let Director Lawson down.

Seeing her admit it so readily, the smile on Mr. Stone’s face deepened. He picked up Cecilia’s scratch paper and looked it over again. Her clear and fluid problem-solving process was a true joy to behold.

"The university is taking this competition very seriously. Our Lorcain Tech is one of the top institutions in the country, especially in science and engineering, where we rank in the top five."

"But in past Math Olympiads, our school’s performance has always been mediocre. Especially when facing pressure from universities like Lorcain U and Chariot University, we often don’t even place."

"However, this time, I see hope in you. I hope you can develop a greater sense of collective honor, help the others out, and strive to achieve a good result in this competition. How does that sound?"

Mr. Stone’s voice was soft and gentle, yet remarkably steady and powerful.

"Okay, Mr. Stone. I’ll do my best." Cecilia didn’t refuse, because she liked him.

Mr. Stone’s eyes showed his approval. He said softly, "Do your best. If you can achieve a good ranking for the university this time, I’ll apply to the school to get you a reward."

In the hallway, Elias Warner hadn’t gone far. Instead, he stood staring at the door to the lecture hall.

He only started walking over when the door opened and Cecilia Sterling emerged.

Confused, Cecilia watched Elias Warner walk toward her. She assumed he was approaching her, but when he got close, he brushed right past, staring straight ahead as he walked directly into the lecture hall without so much as a pause.

Cecilia pursed her lips. ’This guy has a weird vibe,’ she thought. ’My gut instinct is telling me I don’t like him.’

Mr. Stone was a little surprised to see Elias Warner return. "What is it, Elias? Is there something else?"

With a sullen expression, Elias Warner walked up to Mr. Stone and stopped. He spoke with a serious and earnest look on his face. "Mr. Stone, I don’t think Cecilia Sterling is suitable for our university team. I hope you and the university will reconsider and select a more capable student to replace her."

He was very direct, because he felt this was no trivial matter. As team captain, he had to be responsible for the team and the competition.

Mr. Stone’s expression froze for a moment upon hearing this, but he quickly resumed his smile. "Your reason?"

"You saw her performance just now. She couldn’t solve a single one of the six problems. I don’t think someone with that level of ability meets the qualifications to compete. She’s wasting a spot on the team."

Elias Warner spoke self-righteously. Then, his expression grew hesitant for a moment. Seeing this, Mr. Stone knew there was more to come.

He took a deep breath before continuing, "Besides, she’s too pretty. She’ll be a distraction to the other team members."

"What kind of reason is that?" After hearing his last sentence, Mr. Stone’s gentle expression instantly darkened.

Elias Warner pressed his lips together. But when he thought about how Lee Warner, Yates Sanders, and the others had reacted when Cecilia appeared today, he felt he wasn’t wrong.

’With such a beautiful girl on the team, how could they possibly focus on preparing for the competition? It would be a miracle if they could concentrate at all!’

"I can understand you questioning her abilities because she didn’t answer correctly. But a girl’s beauty should not be a fault in your eyes."

"If someone is distracted by her beauty, I would say that person lacks self-control. If they get distracted that easily, it means they don’t have the mental fortitude for a major competition. That person is the one who should be replaced, not Cecilia."

Mr. Stone sternly pointed out Elias Warner’s mistake. This was more than just a mistake; it was prejudice.

Prejudice against beautiful women.

But beautiful and intelligent women like Cecilia often faced this kind of problem. Their appearance always preceded their abilities; people’s initial focus was always on their beauty.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Stone. I shouldn’t have said that." Elias Warner belatedly realized his mistake and apologized, but that didn’t mean he accepted Cecilia. "However, for the Math Olympiad, ability is the most important thing. I still stand by my opinion and hope you will consider it carefully."

With that, he gave a slight bow and turned to leave before Mr. Stone could respond.

Mr. Stone stood at the lectern and sighed deeply. He had originally wanted to show Elias Warner Cecilia’s scratch papers so he could see how she had solved the problems. The test with no score was simply a reflection of her unwillingness to compete with him for the captaincy.

But in the end, he didn’t. He could see Elias Warner’s nature: young and aggressive, with a hidden, prideful backbone. But beneath that, pride and sensitivity coexisted.

If he let Elias know all this, it would surely be a blow to his ego.

But Cecilia’s true ability couldn’t be hidden forever. If the matter of the captaincy hadn’t been involved today, she probably would have turned in a perfect paper.

So, it was better to let Cecilia reveal her sharp edge to Elias Warner herself. A direct demonstration would be the most convincing.

For someone with Elias Warner’s personality, it would take a single, decisive blow to win his genuine respect.

「That very night, however, Cecilia suddenly came down with a high fever.」

Jasmine Sterling drove her daughter to the emergency room. After a series of tests, the doctor was shocked looking at her lab report. All her levels were completely out of whack.

Cecilia was shivering with cold, but her eyeballs felt uncomfortably hot, and all her muscles ached.

"Mom..." In her daze, she grabbed her mother’s hand and mumbled, "I’m too pretty to die..."

Jasmine Sterling was terrified when she heard that. ’Is the fever making her delirious? Why is she talking nonsense?’

Fortunately, the doctor was experienced and quickly identified the problem. Cecilia had recently been dieting, which led to various nutritional deficiencies, causing her body’s alarm bells to go off.

A fever caused by a weakened immune system was a common occurrence. The doctor quickly prescribed her some medication.

After a long ordeal, Jasmine Sterling finally got her daughter settled in a chair in the ER lobby with an IV drip.

Looking at her listless daughter, Jasmine Sterling’s heart ached. Cecilia had rarely been sick growing up. Now, the illness had hit her like a landslide. Her normally self-reliant daughter looked so soft and fragile.

"The doctor said it’s nothing serious, just a small issue," Jasmine Sterling said, stroking her daughter’s face to comfort her.

Cecilia nodded and placed two ice packs on her eyes to cool her burning eyeballs. Just then, a sudden commotion erupted at the entrance to the ER lobby. Before anyone could see what was happening, someone shouted, "Someone help, quickly!"

The nurses on duty swarmed out. Soon, a pregnant woman on the verge of labor was wheeled in on a gurney. But unlike most women in labor, she wasn’t wailing in pain. Instead, she was whimpering and muttering, her consciousness fading.

"The patient is hemorrhaging and her life is in danger! Get her to the trauma room first! We’ve already notified Dr. Grant; he’s on his way!"