The "Airhead" Actress and the Physics Professor

I was known as the "airhead eye candy" of the entertainment industry. Because I admitted in an interview that I had never taken the SATs, netizens had been mocking me for years. In contrast, the "genius straight-A student" actress, Chloe, had a much better public image, and her fans constantly used me as a stepping stone to praise her. Until one day, a renowned physics professor at MIT posted on Facebook: [The two best students both went into acting! Not a single one is doing experiments! Angry.] That night, it trended. In an interview the next day, Chloe complained playfully: "Professor, I need my dignity too! My acting won't delay my experiments!" I pondered this bitterly. I was in the physics department at MIT, and I didn't think I had ever seen her there. 01 After finishing a day's shoot, I happily sat in the chauffeured van heading back to the hotel, scrolling through my feed. The very first post was from Professor Davis. [The two best students both went into acting! Not a single one is doing experiments! Angry.] Feeling a bit guilty, I rubbed my nose and replied with an emoji of a little penguin falling over. A moment later, Caleb also saw the post. He replied to me with the exact same penguin emoji. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Caleb and I were both admitted to MIT through the National Physics Olympiad. From the state training camp, we had noticed each other, constantly competing neck-and-neck until the very end. Since we won gold medals in our junior year and secured early admission, we had nothing to do, so Caleb and I participated in quite a few physics events together. Entering MIT, we were under the same professor, so we were decent friends. Later, he discovered a passion for music, and I discovered a passion for acting. We both used our summer breaks to pursue these side hustles. However, our status in the entertainment industry was worlds apart. He was a genius, chart-topping pop star, while I was an infamous, poorly-educated actress known for scandals. Half a year ago, I don't know what got into him, but he suddenly insisted on breaking into acting, and insisted on co-starring with me. "I don't care, you're my junior, you have to guide me!" Caleb argued unreasonably. "I'm your senior!" I was exasperated. Back in the Physics Olympiad, I was clearly the national champion! "Also, with my scandalous reputation and terrible public image, acting with me will get you dragged!" Caleb frowned: "Why didn't you ever clarify the thing about you not taking the SATs?" I shrugged: "The agency won't let me. They insisted I'm suited for the 'beautiful airhead with a scandalous reputation' route." "But luckily, my contract is almost up, and I don't plan on renewing. I feel like the entertainment industry just isn't for me," I whispered. "Besides, if I keep delaying my thesis, old Davis is going to lose his mind!!" 02 Early the next morning, still half-asleep in the van on my way to an interview, my young assistant suddenly turned around anxiously: "Aria, look at the trending topics!! We're doomed, we're doomed, boo-hoo-hoo!" Filled with question marks, I opened Twitter and found Chloe's name glaringly occupying the top spots. #MITPhysicsDepartmentChloe #GeniusStraightAGirlFromOlympiad #ChloeRevealsAnotherHiddenIdentity #MITProfessor:TheBestStudentsWentIntoActing[Crying] #ChloeIsAwesome After reading through the gossip, I finally understood what was going on. Last night, someone anonymously took a screenshot of Professor Davis's Facebook post and uploaded it online. [The two best students both went into acting! Not a single one is doing experiments! Angry.] The person who took the screenshot probably didn't have me as a friend, so underneath, they could only see Caleb's comment with the falling penguin emoji. Professor Davis's humorous tone created a stark contrast with his status as an MIT physics professor. Combined with Caleb's massive fanbase, it went semi-viral last night and hit the trending topics. Many gossip accounts even made compilation videos. [The sharp-tongued pop star facing others: Roasting heaven, earth, and the air itself.] [The sharp-tongued pop star facing his teacher: Falling penguin emoji.] The comments section was filled with amusement. But many people were also confused. Because in the entertainment industry, the public only knew Caleb as an MIT physics student. But Professor Davis said "two best students," so who was the other actor? A little while later, perhaps by coincidence, Chloe posted a tweet. "Although Caleb and I are working hard at acting, it always feels like we're neglecting our true calling and getting caught by the teacher..." The accompanying photo was a pouty selfie of her on set, with a corner of a physics journal visible on the table. The whole internet instantly boiled over. [So it's Chloe!!] [Oh my god, is this a public admission?!] [My Chloe is so amazing!] [I knew my Chloe was awesome, but I didn't know she was THIS awesome!] [How can there be a girl who is both beautiful and a STEM genius? Boo-hoo, I'm bowing down to Chloe!] Me: ? First of all, when did I get a new junior? My assistant in the front seat was still wailing: "Boo-hoo-hoo Aria, she's definitely going to use you as a stepping stone in today's interview again! Why are our rivals so strong, boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Chloe was a famous straight-A student in the industry. Because our acting styles were similar, we were always being compared academically. Although my acting and looks were slightly superior, in terms of academics, my fans were incredibly frustrated. Because I had admitted myself that I "didn't take the SATs," making me a famous airhead and an uneducated celebrity. "Aria is stupid, but truly beautiful" was the netizens' evaluation of me. I could only shake my head and sigh deeply. I had been praised as a physics prodigy since childhood. Except for the state training camp where I basically tied with Caleb, I had always been number one. Compared to my brain, my looks were barely worth mentioning. Being evaluated as "stupid but beautiful" was definitely a first. 03 When I arrived at the interview, as someone hired merely to be a foil for Chloe, I naturally wasn't considered important and was seated in a corner. After the live broadcast started, the host predictably brought up last night's trending topic first. "Chloe, what do you think about Professor Davis's Facebook post last night?" the beautiful host asked with a smile. Chloe puffed her cheeks, a look of bashful annoyance on her face. "How did that get so popular? I need my dignity too! "I'll balance my time between acting and research. They won't interfere with each other!" The live chat exploded instantly, scrolling by rapidly. [Boo-hoo-hoo, I knew it! Our Chloe is literally the protagonist of a novel, oh my god!] [I knew she was an NPC!] [So the pampered junior of the MIT physics department is Chloe!] Me: ? First, I am the senior. Second, I am the senior. Lastly, although the gender ratio in the physics department is skewed, just looking at Professor Davis's students, besides me, there are two other girls. It's not exaggerated to the point where there's only one girl in the whole department, adored by everyone, right? What kind of ridiculous, pampered-wife trope is this? But some people in the chat noticed my expression was off. [What's with Aria's expression? Jealous of our Chloe?] [I think it's normal. A person who didn't even take the SATs, seeing Chloe being so amazing, is just green with envy!] [Why did this show even invite Aria? To be Chloe's foil? I feel like she might be a bit embarrassed.] [So gross, can't stand seeing others succeed. Her jealousy is too obvious.] [Why doesn't Aria go be jealous of Caleb? She just can't stand women being better than her, such a pick-me!] If I could post memes right now, I really wanted to post that one of the speechless foreign kid. Crazy, everyone's gone crazy. [I heard a goddess from the MIT physics department got in by winning first place in the National Physics Olympiad! Could it be Chloe?!] [First in the nation!! Oh my god, Chloe, you are my god!!] [Chloe, how many more surprises do you have that I don't know about!] The sharp-eyed host caught this comment: "Chloe, I saw someone in the chat saying you were first in the Physics Olympiad?! Is that true?!" Chloe smiled shyly, her eyes full of indifference: "Past honors aren't that important to me anymore. Next, I'm going to focus on honing my acting skills." [Chloe is awesome!] [The light skiff has passed ten thousand mountains!!] At this moment, for some unknown reason, other comments started popping up amidst the overwhelming praise for Chloe. [Does anyone else think Chloe and Caleb are a perfect match? I heard Caleb was second in the Olympiad that year!] [Soft, innocent genius girl x rebellious, sharp-tongued pop star, I'm shipping them so hard!!] [Boo-hoo-hoo, I'm raising the flag for the C-C ship!! C-C is real!] [Could it be Caleb had a crush on our Chloe, and purposefully dropped points so she could be first, boo-hoo-hoo!] [Oh my god! Loving you so much he lets you shine brighter, what kind of novel plot is this!] Chloe also saw this comment. She thought for a moment and said: "It does seem like Caleb has always been a bit better than me... I don't know why in the end..." She didn't finish her sentence. The chat went crazy; the shippers were losing their minds. [Caleb, you massive simp!] [Caleb: If wifey is happy, I'm happy!] [You two need to get married immediately, I've already thought of the baby names!] [Yes, yes, yes, Chloe just stand there, I'll bring the courthouse to you!] At the same time, trending topics related to this interview also climbed up. #ChloeFirstInOlympiad #C-CShip #SimpCaleb #CalebDroppingPoints 04 Meanwhile, looking at these disgraceful things, I was utterly exasperated. This world is a giant, absurd romance novel. Everyone is acting crazy. I don't know if Chloe even participated in the Olympiad. But I earned my first place with my own blood, sweat, and tears. My hard-won achievements were erased by Chloe in a few sentences, turning them into something Caleb "gave" to me. I ground my teeth in anger. Soon enough, the host finally remembered there was someone else sitting nearby and wanted to utilize my role as the foil. So she asked: "Aria, what do you think about people comparing you to Chloe?" I was already furious, and this host was digging a hole for me. So annoying. If you mess with me, you're asking for trouble. Thinking about the agency's astronomical breach-of-contract fee, I forced a fake smile: "She's amazing, I can't compare to her." But I wouldn't make it too troublesome. You picked the wrong soft target. It's fine. She was talking about herself anyway, not me, right? If others get mad, I won't. Getting mad only hurts myself, and no one will suffer for me. [Wait, who is this chick shading?] [Ugh, stupid and mean pick-me girl, please get lost!] [Don't be too harsh on Aria. What, does she have to bow down to show sincerity?] [The host had malicious intentions. What's wrong with Aria answering like that? I feel like being used as a foil would be very upsetting for her!] Seeing someone finally speaking up for me, I almost cried tears of gratitude. I don't look for trouble, but I'm also afraid of it. If you bully me, I'll just swallow my pride and endure it. I can't afford thirty million dollars in breach of contract. I can still distinguish between a moment's satisfaction and a lifetime of debt. [Holy crap, look quickly!! Caleb posted a tweet!] [Holy crap! I'm shipping them so hard, boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!] [For you, I'm willing to concede defeat!] [Lost the exam, won the romance!!] I quickly opened Twitter. Caleb had only posted a few words. [Inferior skills, I willingly concede.] And a direct message Caleb sent me. [You're just going to let her spout nonsense?! I'm crashing that interview program. If you won't clarify, I will.] My pupils dilated, and I quickly typed: [Wait, wait, wait, don't come bro, I have to pay a penalty if I break character!!! Bro, I'm begging you!] [Too late, I'm here.] As this message came through, the female host's voice, trembling with excitement, announced: "Mr. Caleb Vance has crashed our interview!!! Please welcome Mr. Vance!" My face went ashen. When I become homeless later, which bridge should I sleep under? 05 A man wearing a trench coat, taking off his sunglasses, his silver hair striking and vibrant. The live chat experienced a one-second void, then exploded in growth. [Ahhhhh, Caleb, mommy loves you!!] [So handsome, so handsome, boo-hoo-hoo, licking the screen!] [Songwriting, looks, intelligence—he maxed out all his stats! God, I'm never calling you God again! You really treat me like a joke!] [Everyone knows Caleb never does interviews. Is he here for the interview Chloe is on? Right? Right?] [Love makes people dizzy, hahaha!] Caleb naturally sat on the sofa next to me. He gave a slight nod to the host, his hazel eyes sparkling. "May I have a mic?" His clear, lazy voice was like a little hook. Even the host, who had seen it all, couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. "Of course you can!" Her cheeks flushed slightly. Caleb was simply too unfair! I was incredibly annoyed. This guy really couldn't stop flirting, regardless of the occasion. As if feeling my gaze, Caleb blinked his fox-like eyes at me innocently and shrugged, as if saying: Is it my fault I'm too charming? I was even more annoyed and secretly rolled my eyes at him. I knew this guy was stubborn as a mule; ten horses couldn't drag him back once he made up his mind. I had given up resisting. Sure enough, taking the mic, he slowly began: "Everyone knows I never do interviews. "I'm here today because of Ms. Chloe." The C-C shippers went crazy. [Ahhhhh, it's official, it's official!] [Boo-hoo-hoo, this is too sweet!] [Wait, did anyone notice Aria and Caleb making eye contact just now...? I feel like things aren't that simple!] [Vomit, pick-me girl get lost! You can be anything, but you choose to be the other woman!] [C-C is real! Brainless fan of a certain someone, get out of here, you're not welcome!] [Hilarious. Caleb is from the MIT physics department. Would he ignore the national champion for that uneducated dropout? Stop joking!] I didn't care about the chat's evaluation anymore. My debt-ridden future was a much bigger concern. I sat sorrowfully on the sofa, looking at the smiling Caleb, and couldn't help but shiver. Before he single-handedly drove the arrangers and sound engineers to tears, he had this exact same expression. I silently lit a candle for Chloe. Caleb slowly said: "How did I get a new junior without knowing about it?" 06 Hearing this, the chat instantly went quiet. Everyone was stunned. I secretly tore open a small bun, making a tiny noise. Everyone on set turned to look at me simultaneously. "You guys continue, you guys continue..." I awkwardly put the small bun back on the table. I hadn't eaten breakfast, and my stomach was aching from hunger. I finally thought everyone's attention was diverted, but I got caught trying to sneak a bite. I could cry. Caleb looked at my frustrated expression and almost laughed. He fished a row of chocolate out of his pocket and tossed it to me. As I caught his offering, I was almost moved to tears. It was my favorite brand! And such a big row! Good junior, you are forgiven for one second. Happily breaking off a piece to eat, I saw Caleb continue his verbal assault, completely unaffected. "Is spreading rumors fun? Ms. Chloe. You implying to everyone that I gave up first place for you, you've got some nerve." "I'm sorry, the national champion that year was Aria Thorne. Who are you?" Chloe clenched her hands, her face turning green and red with embarrassment. But hearing Caleb's last sentence, she was so shocked she forgot to move. How could that useless, non-SAT-taking Aria Thorne be the real national champion?! 07 The live chat experienced another brief vacuum, then erupted like a geyser. [Holy crap, did I hear that right?! The national champion is Aria Thorne?! What kind of earth-shattering gossip is this?] [Aria Thorne?!?! How is that possible!] [Just a bystander, just want to ask if Chloe's face hurts? ...] [This Caleb guy is savage. He starts spreading rumors when our Chloe rejects him?!] [I've been wanting to say Caleb doesn't deserve our Chloe...] [Wait, do people actually believe that dropout Aria Thorne took first place?! You guys are too funny!] Caleb didn't even glance at the large screen, seemingly uncaring about public opinion. He kept his smiling demeanor, continuing to utter shocking words. "On the way here, I specifically looked it up. I was curious where Ms. Chloe got the confidence to spread such rumors. Upon checking, you really are a student of Professor Davis. "Relying on your community college teacher's connections to get listed under Professor Davis, do you really think you're a big shot?" The perfect mask on Chloe's face finally shattered. Her community college teacher was a junior colleague of Professor Davis. She had spent a lot of money to get her name listed under him, just to build a persona and attract fans. She never expected to hit a brick wall. "Senior, did Aria say something to you? She definitely isn't the national champion. Were you tricked by her..." Chloe's eyes were slightly red, like a bullied little bunny. Unfortunately, Caleb was entirely unmoved. He smiled and said: "Who is your senior? Get lost." Then he looked at the large screen: "Regarding whether Aria Thorne is the national champion, let my senior explain it herself." Caleb's words mercilessly dragged Chloe's face through the mud. That "senior" indirectly confirmed a fact everyone was unwilling to believe. I, who had always been considered an uneducated dropout, was the person Caleb willingly called "senior." [Huh? No? Huh? Aria Thorne? National champion?! Am I crazy or is the world crazy?] [Caleb is awesome. I always thought Chloe was an eyesore, so manipulative!] [Holy crap, so Aria is the real genius...] [Bowing down to the boss. I used to think Aria had nothing going for her besides her looks. Now I realize her looks are her least significant advantage...] [Oh my god, is Aria a ninja? She was just shaded by Chloe, the fake champion, and didn't say a single word...] [Above commenter, Aria did speak. She said she couldn't compare to Chloe...] The live chat was in an uproar, while on the surface I was calm, internally I was dumbfounded. I had known Caleb for five years. To get him to call me "senior," I had tried coaxing and tricking him, but he never said it once. I never expected, never expected, to earn that "senior" so easily today. While I was thinking, Caleb looked at me and whispered: "The penalty fee, I paid it. You, explain." Hearing those words, I froze instantly. Despite my poker face, internally I was streaming tears. Is this my junior? No, this is my sugar daddy. Fighting the weakness in my legs, I nodded seriously. I looked at Caleb, feeling like I was reading a clickbait headline, like "With One Sentence, He Saved a Fallen Girl's Rest of Her Life"... I shivered, quickly shaking the bizarre thoughts out of my head, but also realizing an undeniable fact. My breach-of-contract fee was in the eight figures, and Caleb paid it just like that. Tears of jealousy and resentment flowed from the corner of my mouth. 08 Finally calming down, as I took the microphone, all eyes converged on me. I knew why Caleb was here today. He wanted to clear his name, my name, and the reputation of the Physics Olympiad. So I began: "I don't know how Ms. Chloe got her first place, but my first place was earned by me. "During my junior year, I flew back and forth across the country for exams, countless flights. "The practice papers I did could pile up into a mountain; the pen refills I emptied filled an entire drawer. "I did experiments late into the night countless times, walking home under the dim light of streetlamps." Speaking of this, I remembered those exhausting but fulfilling days. A good brain is certainly important, but day-after-day perseverance is equally indispensable. Every person sitting in the finals took it as solemnly as a war. Because behind this exam were crossed-out scratch papers, long formulas, late-night desk lamps, and moments woven with tears and smiles. "How could I playfully give away first place after pouring in so much blood, sweat, and tears?" "This is an insult to me, an insult to Caleb, and an insult to thousands of Olympiad students," I said with resounding force. [Fellow Olympiad student in tears, boo-hoo-hoo!] [Chemistry Olympiad student wants to cry too. Before, I thought Caleb really gave up first place to Chloe on purpose, and I felt a bit sad.] [It feels like a sense of powerlessness when hard work is trampled on. Thank goodness it's fake.] I ignored the chat's reaction and continued: "Today, I also want to announce one more thing. "As of today, Aria Thorne is retiring from the entertainment industry." 09 Twitter had almost never been as lively as today, with plot twists one after another. Bright red "HOT" tags hung next to the top trends on Twitter. #RealVsFakeGenius #AriaThorneNationalChampion #AriaThorneRetires #CalebVanceSlamsChloe Of course, there were some strange things mixed in. For example, the fifth trending topic, "Coconut Tree Ship." After the interview, I rode in Caleb's car home. Seeing this bizarre title, I curiously clicked on it. As a result, a familiar gossip account voice was accidentally played out loud by me, echoing in the enclosed car space. "The Coconut Tree Ship is so sweet! Caleb broke his rule and went on an interview show just to help Aria clarify things. He was so worried about her when she got in trouble. They are junior and senior under the same professor..." "Uh..." I was a bit speechless and pulled Caleb over. "These gossip accounts are too good at catching wind and shadows..." "Mhm." Caleb's expression was indifferent. As he spoke, he secretly turned off his phone screen. If I had looked closer, I would have noticed the tips of his ears were slightly red. And on the dimmed screen was the message he had sent to his studio: [Buy trending topics for my ship with Aria Thorne.]

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