Rejecting Tsinghua and Peking Universities: I Will Lead Harbin Institute of Technology to World Lead

During his first week back in the mountain city, Lin Feng seemed determined to make up for all the time he had missed over the past three years.

He sleeps until he naturally wakes up every day—truly naturally, without an alarm clock or emergency calls, until the sunlight shines on his face through the gaps in the curtains before he opens his eyes.

Breakfast was Chongqing noodles made by my mother, spicy and flavorful, making me sweat from the effort. Then I accompanied Shen Moran to a coffee shop, sitting in our usual spot, an Americano, watching her busy at work.

The coffee shop has opened its tenth branch, but Shen Moran still prefers the original one the most.

In the afternoon, the two strolled through the old street. Hand in hand, they looked like any ordinary couple. They found a few out-of-print books in a used bookstore, watched an old man play chess by the river, and ate a bowl of cold rice cake at a street corner.

In the evening, the family ate dinner. The father would open a bottle of wine and chat about the company's new projects and interesting stories from the coffee shop. Lin Feng rarely spoke, just listened, smiled, and served food to Shen Moran.

These days are as peaceful as a dream.

But dreams always come to an end.

On the seventh night, when Lin Feng and Shen Moran returned home, they found the atmosphere in the living room was different.

The four elderly people sat on the sofa—Lin Guodong and Su Wenqing, and Shen's father and mother. A fruit platter sat on the coffee table, but no one touched it. The lighting was warm, but everyone's expression was serious.

"You're back," Lin Guodong said first. "Sit down."

Lin Feng and Shen Moran exchanged a glance and sat down on the single sofa next to them.

The living room was quiet for a few seconds, with the ticking of the wall clock audible.

"Xiao Feng," Lin Guodong looked at him, then at Shen Moran, "We all know how busy you've been these past few years. We also know that Ranran has waited for you for so many years."

His voice was slow and deep: "We're apart most of the time, but Ranran has never complained. Every time you come back, she's as happy as if it's New Year's; every time you leave, she sees you off with a smile, and then hides away to cry."

Shen Moran lowered her head, her fingers twisting together.

"Our two families' elders discussed this for a long time," Lin Guodong continued, "and felt... that we should give you an explanation, and also give Ranran an explanation."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "Let's get the wedding done this month."

The moment the words left her lips, Shen Moran abruptly raised her head.

Her eyes widened, and her eye sockets visibly reddened. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out. She simply turned her head to look at Lin Feng.

There was anticipation, trepidation, all the grievances accumulated over three years of waiting, and a sense of relief that it had finally arrived.

Lin Feng was also looking at her.

He looked at the woman who had waited for him for many years, at her eyelashes trembling slightly under the light, and at the tears glistening in her eyes.

So many years.

From Kunpeng to Zhuque, from anti-cancer drugs to nuclear fusion, he devoted almost all his time to the country. And she devoted all her time to waiting for him.

It's time for an explanation.

"Okay." He only said one word.

But this one word carries immense weight.

Shen Moran's tears burst forth instantly. She covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling violently. It wasn't a loud cry, but a silent sob, the kind of suppressed emotion that had finally been released after so long.

Lin Guodong's eyes also reddened. He took a deep breath and turned to Shen Moran: "Ranran, it's just... Xiaofeng's situation is special, so the wedding might not be able to be too grand. There can't be many guests, the ceremony can't be public, and even... the wedding photos might not be able to be released. You... are being wronged."

Shen Moran shook her head vigorously, tears flying with the movement.

"I'm not wronged." Her voice choked with emotion, but it was clear. "As long as I can marry him, I don't care about having a wedding. Really."

She turned to look at Lin Feng, her eyes brimming with tears, yet she smiled: "I've waited so long for this day. The form doesn't matter, what matters is... the person."

Lin Feng reached out and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly, as if making up for all the hugs he had missed over the years.

In the living room, four elderly people quietly wiped away their tears.

The days that followed were busy yet heartwarming.

Wedding preparations were in full swing, but everything was kept simple. The guest list consisted only of immediate family members from both families, totaling less than thirty people. The hotel was an inconspicuous mountain villa in the suburbs, which was booked entirely by the hotel, and security was handled by people arranged by Zhao Weiguo.

Shen Moran chose her own wedding dress; it was a very simple white long dress without any elaborate lace or rhinestones, but it looked breathtakingly beautiful on her.

On the day she tried on her wedding dress, Lin Feng waited for her outside the fitting room.

He was stunned when the curtain was drawn back.

Shen Moran stood there, her wedding dress flowing like a cloud, her veil gently draped over her shoulders. Sunlight streamed in from the window, bathing her in a golden glow.

"Does it look good?" she asked nervously.

Lin Feng walked over, stopped in front of her, and stared at her for a long time.

Then say, "It looks good."

The night before the wedding, Lin Feng couldn't sleep.

He went out onto the balcony and looked at the night view of the mountain city. In the distance, the lights at the confluence of the two rivers shone like a galaxy, and cruise ships sailed slowly on the river like flowing pearls.

Shen Moran walked over and handed him a glass of warm water.

"Nervous?" she asked.

"No," Lin Feng took the water glass, "it's just that I feel... I owe you too much."

Shen Moran leaned on his shoulder: "I don't owe you anything. I don't know what you did, but I know it must be very important. Even though you don't say it, it's okay, I'll always be there for you."

Lin Feng turned to look at her.

In the darkness of the night, her eyes shone as if filled with starlight.

He lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

"After tomorrow," he said, "I'll take you out for a walk. Just the two of us, anywhere is fine."

"it is good."

The weather was beautiful on the wedding day.

The sun was shining brightly, but not scorching hot. The small chapel of the resort was simply decorated with flowers and ribbons. Guests arrived one after another; they were all close family members.

Shen Moran, led by her father, walked down the red carpet.

Lin Feng stood on the stage, watching her approach step by step. Sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the hall, casting long shadows behind her. The hem of her wedding dress swayed gently, like a lily in the wind.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

Years of waiting, years of separation, years of saying "I'm fine" on the phone, years of gazing at the stars and wondering where he is at dawn... all of it is condensed into this step by step.

When Shen's father handed Shen Moran's hand to Lin Feng, the old man's hand trembled.

"Xiaofeng," Shen's father's voice choked with emotion, "I'm entrusting my daughter... to you."

"Dad," Lin Feng gripped Shen Moran's hand tightly, "I will treat her well for the rest of my life."

The ceremony was very simple.

They exchanged rings, exchanged vows, and embraced. There were no emotional speeches from the emcee, no complicated procedures, only the simplest promises.

When Lin Feng lifted the veil and kissed Shen Moran, applause erupted from the audience.

It wasn't enthusiastic, but it was sincere. Everyone's eyes welled up with tears, including the usually serious Lin Guodong.

The wedding banquet was simple, just a home-cooked meal. Everyone sat together, chatting and laughing, like a typical family gathering.

The only unusual thing was that Zhao Weiguo and a few others stood guard outside the auditorium, looking vigilant, to ensure that no outsiders approached.

The wedding ended in the evening.

The guests gradually left, and the resort returned to tranquility.

Lin Feng and Shen Moran changed out of their formal attire and into casual clothes, walking hand in hand along the path in the mountain villa.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two of them, overlapping each other as if they could never be separated.

"Senior," Lin Feng suddenly spoke up, "Let's go for a walk next."

Shen Moran turned to look at him: "Where are we going?"

"I don't know," Lin Feng said. "We'll just go wherever we end up. Maybe we'll go to the Jiangnan region to see the water towns, maybe to the Northwest to see the desert, maybe to the seaside to watch the sunrise... Just the two of us, no jobs, no phones, no..."

He paused for a moment: "There is no time limit."

Shen Moran's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Really." Lin Feng nodded. "I took some time off."

"Well..." Shen Moran thought for a moment, "I'd like to go to Dunhuang first. I've heard the starry sky there is especially beautiful."

"Okay, let's go to Dunhuang."

The two smiled at each other.

In the distance, the last rays of the setting sun sank below the horizon.