Seeing my silence, Jason called over two female students.
He instructed them to take me home first.
Then he turned to me, his voice lowered, carrying a coaxing tone.
"Samantha, you go home first."
"We'll talk about it when I get home tonight." The two girls whose names were called timidly approached me.
"Mrs. Moore, we'll go home with you."
I, who never made things difficult for others, nodded quietly and followed them away.
Behind me came Jessica's coquettish voice.
"Mr. Whitman, Samantha is so arrogant and domineering. What if she pressures the school and prevents me from graduating?"
Jason, usually aloof, chuckled.
"You're fearless in the lab every day, even daring to force me to eat spicy hot pot, and now you're scared?"
"Samantha is just tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She won't do anything for you, and besides, I'm here to protect you, aren't I?"
Two people behind me laughed in unison.
I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms, and let out a cold laugh.
It seems that even after all these years of marriage with Jason, he still hasn’t grasped one fact.
Can Jason protect the person I, Samantha, want to deal with?
On the way home, the two female students hesitated, seemingly wanting to say something.
Finally, they gritted their teeth and handed me their phones.
"Professor's wife, please take a look at this. It's quite popular on the school forum."
It was a pinned post.
"Rational discussion: Are Professor Jason and Ms. Jessica the strongest academic couple in our department?"
I took it and scrolled down.
Someone posted many photos.
There were photos of them standing side by side at academic conferences.
There were photos of them discussing data together in the lab, heads bowed.
Another photo showed Jessica smiling as she adjusted Jason's tie, with Jason bowing slightly in agreement.
My grip on my phone tightened.
That tie was one I bought, and I personally put it on Jason every morning.
The poster's tone was exciting.
"Who understands, folks! Professor Whitman is rigorous and abstinent, while Ms. Jessica is quick-witted and agile. When they team up for debates, they're absolutely insane! They know what the other wants with just a glance!"
Hundreds of replies followed.
"That's true, evenly matched love! What do some parasitic bastards know?"
"Stop talking, give them some face. After all, all they can do is make soup."
I read through the replies one by one.
The screen light reflected in my eyes, making them a little sore.
So, in other people's eyes, they were a match made in heaven, soulmates.
And I, just a superfluous parasitic bastard who couldn't even squeeze into academia.
A slightly different reply popped up. "What nonsense are some people upstairs spouting? Do they know how good Professor Whitman and Samantha were back then?"
"I was in their undergraduate class, I know they were truly a match made in heaven!"
"Samantha gave up her guaranteed postgraduate admission to work and supported Professor Whitman's studies."
"On the day Professor Whitman passed his doctoral defense, he didn't go to anyone else; he rushed back to hug Samantha first, saying that such moments should be celebrated with the most important person, and that Samantha was more important to him than anyone else!"
"Now you call this parasitic relationship? Call it a lack of common ground?"
"Without Samantha, whether Professor Whitman would be where he is today is another matter!"
This reply was silent for a while.
Then a few new comments followed.
"I'm from the School of Physics and Electronics. I've vaguely heard rumors that Professor Whitman's wife has been kind to him."
