Chapter 119: Unreadable
Q"Everyone, please do not leave yet. There is an important announcement regarding the school banquet," the voice from the loudspeakers boomed, drawing everyone’s attention. The excited murmurs of the crowd quieted as the announcement continued. "As you know, the banquet is traditionally held in the middle of the academic year, but this time it was shifted to the end of the year. However, there’s been another development—the banquet will now be sponsored by none other than Aelion Laboratories."
The air grew electric with a mixture of shock and curiosity. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd, and a wave of animated whispers swept over students and parents alike. The name Aelion Laboratories carried undeniable weight—a powerhouse in global research and innovation. Anytime it was mentioned, it commanded attention, no matter the audience. To hear it associated with the school was beyond unexpected.
"What could this mean?" someone murmured.
"Why would Aelion Labs care about our school?" another wondered aloud.
The announcer resumed, cutting through the speculation. "We understand your surprise, as the school administration was just as astonished. To provide some clarity: Aelion Laboratories recently partnered with Latham Laboratories after winning a prestigious Global Research Competition. As part of their goodwill celebration, Aelion proposed hosting a grand banquet to mark this achievement. Upon discovering that the CEO’s son is a
student of this very school—and that he recently became engaged—they suggested merging these celebrations with our school banquet."
The crowd hung on every word, stunned by the magnitude of what was being announced.
"To put it simply," the voice continued, "this event will now be a threefold celebration: a banquet for our graduating students, a milestone celebration for Aelion and Latham Laboratories’ partnership, and the engagement party for Alan Latham and Myra Allen. As you can imagine, this means the event has been elevated far beyond what any of us initially anticipated."
The speaker, one of the school administrators, paused, allowing the weight of the news to settle over the courtyard. Gasps and murmurs swelled again, some students and parents exchanging astonished glances.
"To accommodate this," the administrator continued, raising their voice slightly, "the banquet will now be held at the Grand Meridian Hall downtown, with Aelion Laboratories fully covering the costs."
The crowd’s murmurs turned into whispers of disbelief. The Grand Meridian Hall was one of the most luxurious venues in the city, often reserved for political galas and international conferences. Hosting the school banquet there was not just unusual—it was practically unheard of.