Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 462

They were so engrossed in their work that neither noticed the tall figure standing in the doorway. With blonde hair and blue eyes, it was Professor Smith.

Surprisingly, Ethan was the first to spot him.

He had never seen a real foreigner in person before, so when his gaze suddenly met those deep blue eyes, a wave of timidity washed over him. He instinctively shrank back toward Willow, nervously clutching the hem of her shirt, too shy to lift his head again.

"Don't be scared, Ethan," Willow said, turning her head just in time to follow his line of sight and spot Smith standing at the entrance.

Leo also registered who it was, but the resentment from being misunderstood at the summit still lingered in his chest. Because of that, he made no move to greet the man.

Back then, they had approached him with genuine sincerity and a desire to learn, only to be met with prejudice and coldness. Respect was a two-way street; since the man had made his disdain obvious, they saw no reason to bend over backward for him now.

So, even though it was clear Smith had come over on his own accord, Leo simply withdrew his gaze coldly. He looked down and began packing up his recording equipment, completely ignoring the older man.

Willow, being a bit more composed, gave a slight nod in Smith's direction. It was purely out of politeness, layered with clear boundaries and detachment. The admiration and enthusiasm she once held for him had long dissipated, leaving behind nothing more than the courteous formalities afforded to a stranger.

Both of them had braced themselves for his cold shoulder, or perhaps even a public reprimand. To their surprise, Smith didn't turn away indifferently as he had before. Instead, he stepped forward and slowly walked into the small yard.

He had been standing outside listening quietly to the entire interview, and his perspective had undergone a monumental shift.

He had seen countless researchers who only cared about project data and academic accolades, but he rarely encountered anyone like Willow. Her questions were thoughtful and gentle, every word attuned to the suffering of the patient and their family. Her eyes held genuine compassion and kindness. Beyond her sheer professionalism, it was the profound empathy she displayed during the interview that truly moved him.

Willow didn't stop what she was doing. She didn't understand why he was suddenly asking this, but out of politeness, she answered, "The biggest challenge right now is the lack of stability post-gene editing, which often leads to off-target effects. Additionally, the engraftment rate of the corrected skin cells is extremely low, making it difficult to achieve long-term, effective healing, which results in recurrent blistering."

Smith gave a slight nod, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. He quickly followed up with a second question, zeroing in on a crucial aspect of patient care. "And for this type of condition, what do you believe is the optimal age for intervention?"

It was a highly practical clinical question, a basic prerequisite for any researcher studying rare diseases.

Willow gently patted the top of Ethan's head, a tender sorrow flashing in her eyes as she gave the honest answer. "The golden window for treatment is under the age of three. Young children have high cell viability, which yields the best results for repair and intervention, with the fewest side effects."

She looked down at Ethan, who had already passed that critical age, but her tone remained steady, filled with undeniable confidence as she added, "Although Ethan has missed the optimal window, that doesn't mean there are no options left. The golden period is just the ideal scenario. We can use a staggered restorative care regimen paired with targeted adjunct therapy to steadily manage his condition, improve his skin integrity, and minimize his pain as much as possible."