On the ABC TV network, <Louis and Clark> is playing a critical moment: the controlled killer, the Planet Daily employee, Jimmy, is attacking Lois. Lois, frightened, calls for Superman. Clark transforms into Superman in a flash, putting on his iconic three-colored tights, and rushes to the rescue. The killer, dressed in black tights, lunges forward to fight with Superman.
But any woman with normal orientations might find it hard to ignore the black-clad killer's broad chest muscles, slim waist accentuated by the tights, and the bulge whose size made an exaggerated presence between his two slender and powerful thighs.
Unlike the rigid, bulky muscles typical of fitness trainers or professional athletes, the muscles outlined by the black tights are sleek yet undeniably powerful.
"Gulp." This is the sound of several girls in the room swallowing their saliva.
While Superman is undeniably heroic and handsome, the attention of many in the room is equally captured by the black-clad killer's striking appearance. For a moment, the young actor portraying the killer also could grab viewers's attention from Dean Cain, the well-known actor playing Superman.
"Wow, it turns out that Bradley has such an incredible body under that suit," Hannah says, eyes glued to the screen.
"Even in just a white shirt, suit pants, and a bow tie, he was already irresistible. But this—this is insane," Nancy chimes in, equally entranced.
"I believe he would make some splash in this industry…" Nancy said with her eyes staring without blinking at some inappropriate part.
Carmella pats her cheeks, visibly flustered. "I thought he was handsome when he smiled, but I didn't expect him to be even more handsome with such an expressionless face."
Rachel, holding the remote control, interrupts, "Wait, are we watching ABC or FOX?"
The four friends exchange conflicted looks.
That's a real dilemma.
What follows next is a chaotic half-hour in the Ohio State University women's apartment, where their TV endures "brutal" treatment. In just a minute, it flipped between channels almost every thirty seconds.
At the same time, the same scene happened not only in Ohio, but also in many other cities. Fans of the two TV series <Lois and Clark> and <Beverly Hills, 90210>, especially those who followed both shows at the same time, invariably had a deep impression on William Bradley as a person.
…
At Evans Family Home, Boston, Massachusetts…
Dentist Bob Evans and his wife Lisa Evans have four children: Sarah, Carly, Christopher, and Scott. While Sarah, the eldest, is old enough to wash the dinner dishes, Carly (11), Christopher (headed to high school in the fall), and Scott (just starting middle school) aren't far apart in age—and their interests often collide.
After dinner, Sarah dutifully takes the dishes to the kitchen, leaving the other three siblings sitting around the dining table, eyes colliding at each other. In unison, they rushed for the living room.
Christopher, relying on his tall frame and long legs, stepped over the couch and claims his spot first. He pats the seat next to him, signaling Scott to join him, then grabs the nearest pillow to search beneath it.
"Where's the remote?!"
"Right here!" Carly triumphantly pulls the remote out of a nearby basket, twirling it smugly. "I saw you trying to hide it earlier, so I hid it somewhere else!"
"We want to watch the game! We want to watch the game!" Christopher protests loudly, supported by Scott and Carly. "There's a Celtics game tonight!"
"To the Lakers!"
"We're going to see—" Christopher paused, glancing at his brother.
Scott immediately shouted, "The Celtics slaughter the Lakers!"
The Celtics are Boston's basketball team, while the Lakers are from Los Angeles. Both are legendary franchises and natural rivals in the NBA.
"What's so great about the game? Let's watch <90210>" Carly declared, ignoring her brothers' heart-wrenching protests. She quickly turned on the TV with the remote and switched to the FOX network.
Suddenly, Carly Evans' eyes got glued to the screen.
Christopher glanced at her noticing her love-struck expression with disdain.
He was about to launch Scott in a sneak attack to strip the remote from Carly. However, he quickly realized his younger brother's cheeks were flushed, and he was also staring intently at the screen.
Christopher turned to the screen. The TV is now featuring a couple's heartbreaking breakup.
There was no doubt that Carly's target must be the "oily" man in the suit. And what about Scott, who had just entered middle school. Did he just lose his mind as soon as he saw a blonde?
"This show… it's not bad…" Seeing that his brother had been staring at him, Scott blushed and stammered.
'Oh my God, I've got a fangirl for a sister and a fanboy for a brother' Christopher thought in despair. 'How am I supposed to live?'
"What's the name of this actor? He's really hot and incredible." Carly held her blushing face and muttered, "When I hear him speak, my phantom limb has hardened."
'WTF is the phantom limb?' Christopher Evans yelled in his mind but had no desire to find out whatsoever.
…
At the gates of Santa Monica High School, a group of tall, burly boys gathered, their voices loud and mocking as they spotted William Bradley approaching.
"Well, well! Look who it is!"
"William Bradley, Hollywood's rising star!"
"How can big stars still have time to go to school? Isn't it right to stay in Los Angeles and make a lot of money?! "
As if waiting at the school gate specifically for William, several tall and sturdy boys gathered and make noise as soon as they saw William appear. Although they did not directly attack anyone physically, the malice in the words was something that a normal person could see.
William glanced coldly at the boys and recognized them as members of the varsity football team, one of whom seemed to be Claire's current boyfriend, Thomson.
Ah, so that's where this hostility was coming from.
"Little Tommy, are you looking for a fight?" William asked calmly, cracking his knuckles.
Ken, the team's quarterback, a towering figure nearing two meters in height, felt his confidence falter at William's nonchalant demeanor.
While many movies and TV shows dramatized high school life in the U.S, the reality is not far off—cliques dominate. Jocks and cheerleaders are at the top, closely followed by social butterflies and party hosts. Then come the geeks, nerds, and the more marginalized groups like exchange students or loners, often referred to as "freaks." Those labeled as weak or odd are frequently targeted for bullying.
By those standards, Thomson and Claire undoubtedly ranked among the elite. Danny, the infamous party-thrower with access to illicit contraband, sat just below them. William, on the other hand, as a transfer student and budding actor, stood out for his exceptional looks and reserved nature.
William, who is always seen as a "white face", has been very popular with girls since he first transferred to Santa Monica High School. They talk about his dress and identity as an actor. When he eats in the cafeteria, he sits around him and peeps openly, like a flock of chirping sparrows - it is logical that William, who is not more than two meters tall and is not big as a bull, has naturally become the type of character hated by boys. (T/N: "White face" - a handsome but useless boy, like a gigolo?"
But no one could successfully bully William.
- It's not that the boys at Santa Monica School only talk and can't do anything, it's that they has tried, but they all fail!
Raised by his father, Edwin Bradley, William had undergone rigorous elite training from an early age, which included years of boxing and taekwondo. The clumsy brawls typical of high school boys posed no challenge to him.
Once, a boy cornered William in an alley shortly after he'd transferred. The next day, that same boy didn't show up at school. On the 3rd day, he appeared in the classroom with a bruised nose and swollen face...
Come one then beat one, come in groups then beat a group. Whenever there is trouble after school, William faithfully implements this sentence.
"Don't mess with William Brandley," became the unofficial motto among the boys at Santa Monica High. "He fights like James Bond."
Now, even Thomson, despite his imposing size, had brought his teammates for moral support before confronting William.
"Who's going to fight you?" Thomson scoffed, though his voice lacked confidence. "You're shorter and skinnier than me. If I hit you, people will say I'm bullying the weak."
"That's right!" his teammates chimed in.
"Are you sure you're not up for a round?" William asked again, his tone calm but dangerous.
Something in his voice made Thomson's hair stand on end. Memories of the boys who had dared to challenge William and failed miserably crossed his mind.
"Nope, not a chance," Thomson said quickly. "I never bully someone who's smaller than me!"
The corners of William's mouth curled slightly. He knew the truth about Thomson's "heroism". Just not long ago, plenty of his victims gathered in groups in the boys' bathroom to comfort each other for his violent antics.
The players of the rugby team obviously remembered Thomson's "great achievements" that were completely opposite to his words and deeds now. Their expressions became a little strange for a while.
Finding it dull to continue confronting William at the school gate, especially since he couldn't intimidate him, Thomson waved at his classmates to follow him and left, muttering under his breath.
Thomson originally came to laugh at people but not getting the results he wanted, and originally wanted to bully people but he couldn't bully. Thomson felt very boring to confront William at the school gate again, so he beckoned his gang and left.
Having dealt with the troublemakers with minimal effort, William felt pretty good about the day so far.
Aside from the overly eager stares from the girls at school, his morning classes were relatively calm.
At lunchtime in the cafeteria, William, carrying his tray, quickly spotted an empty table and sat down.
Soon, Danny, his fiery red hair standing out like a beacon, plopped into the seat across from him. "Hey, man, I caught your performance last night. You were incredible! Have you seen yourself?"
"Really? Thanks," William shrugged his shoulders as he took a bite of his lunch. "It feels a bit weird seeing myself on TV. I haven't gotten used to it yet, so I didn't watch it. But Madeleine was so excited that she camped in front of the TV all night."
"Did you see the newspaper reviews?" Danny asked eagerly. "People are saying you nailed it! And last night's episode of
The half-eaten burger stopped at his mouth, and William's expression finally changed: "The highest rating? Are you serious? "
"Didn't you read today's papers?!" Danny asked, incredulous.
"Uh... I forgot"
Immediately, Danny rushed out of the school cafeteria like a hurricane, and a few minutes later rushed in again, slapping several newspapers in front of William: "Fortunately, I bought the newspaper on the way to school, look at it! You're mentioned in several copies! "
William glanced down at the stack. His eyes immediately caught the bold headline in the entertainment section of the Los Angeles Times:
"'Princeton' Shines: <90210> Ratings Break Record!"