I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

Lu Han arrived alone at the state-run restaurant. His hair was disheveled, his beard was unkempt, and the buttons on his shirt were misaligned.

"Lu Han, where's Xia Yun?"

They were clearly the two of them.

We broke up.

"Break up? No, Lu Han, Xia Yun only has eyes for you. Haven't you wronged her?" Yang Zheng was furious.

"Do you think I'm the kind of person who's fickle? Bring the wine, bring the wine..."

Lu Han seemed very upset; he wanted to drink before the food had even been served.

"Kid, did you fail to get your professional title again?" Professor Dong asked, as if watching a show.

"I have no connections, no one to recommend me, it's too hard to become an engineer. Without a professional title, there's no house. I earn only fifty-odd yuan a month, barely enough to support myself, let alone a family. Xia Yun's parents are right, someone like me shouldn't get married, lest I ruin a girl's life," Lu Han said self-deprecatingly.

"Are Xia Yun's parents against it?"

"They were always against it, saying that if I got the award, they would allow Xia Yun to be with me; if I didn't, we would break up immediately. And look, we broke up."

"But... Lu Han, you are a capable person, and your superiors will definitely treat you differently," Yang Zheng comforted Lu Han.

"Stop trying to fob me off with these motivational platitudes. Do you think this is Huailin University? This is Shanghai, full of talented people. What the hell am I? Why should the leaders treat me differently? Just muddle through, take it one day at a time."

Lu Han is a scholar who rarely swears, but he swore today.

"Lu Han, since things aren't going well in Shanghai, haven't you thought about going back to Huailin? When I was admitted to Jiaotong University, Director Tang specifically talked to me. The machinery factory urgently needs talent, and he hopes I will return after completing my studies."

"Your skills far surpass mine. It's just that the Kong Xiange incident implicated you. Now that things have calmed down, Director Tang should agree to your return."

Yang Zheng suggested.

"Will Factory Director Tang really still want me?"

"Give it a try. You said it yourself, the machine factory is facing technological upgrades. If you go there, wouldn't you be able to participate in the transformation and upgrading? All your blueprints are in my master's hands, not a single one has been lost."

Yang Zheng said seriously. Professor Dong coughed and said, "Yang Zheng, why are you calling Chen Yan your master again? I am your master."

"Professor Dong, what do you think?" Lu Han looked at Professor Dong.

"I think Yang Zheng makes a good point. In Shanghai, interpersonal relationships are too complicated, and since you studied science, you won't be valued and life will be tough. It's better to go to a smaller place, be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond, and the important thing is to be happy at work."

Lu Han seemed to be deep in thought when the waiter brought out the dishes.

Chicken broth with bamboo shoots, sweet and sour pork ribs, flying carp, poached chicken, and stir-fried lettuce. And a bottle of local Shaoxing wine—Lu Han drank a glass first.

Professor Dong took a bite of the carp and praised it highly: "It's delicious, very authentic."

Yang Zheng took a bite, and his feelings were complicated.

Of the five dishes, Yang Zheng could hardly eat anything except for the poached chicken. The lettuce even had sugar in it! My God!

Yang Zheng usually eats in the canteen. Sugar is a precious commodity that the canteen can't afford to keep. The food is bland, but he can still eat it.

State-run restaurants serve high-end cuisine; they add sugar like it's free, so every bite is sweet.

Professor Dong ate with great relish, while Yang Zheng longed to go back to the cafeteria.

"Since you all agree that I should go back to Huailin, then I'll give it a try." Lu Han drank another glass of wine. "Eat your food, don't just focus on drinking."

Yang Zheng put a piece of pork rib on Lu Han's plate.

"Young man, you're making a scene over a little setback. You're still young and have many choices. Actually, you and Xia Yun were never a good match," Professor Dong said slowly and deliberately.

"Xia Yun is wonderful; she's the best woman I've ever met," Lu Han said sullenly.

"Her father is the director of the Housing Management Bureau, and you're just a lowly engineering assistant. There's the Huangpu River between you."

The director of the Housing Management Bureau? No wonder Xia Yun was able to buy famous dishes from the International Hotel.

Xia Yun may not care about your status. She grew up in a privileged environment and has never suffered. She thinks that houses and money are easy things to obtain, but love is the greatest thing.

What happens after marriage? After marriage, if you can't support the family, she'll have no choice but to go back to her father. Unconsciously, you'll become increasingly insecure. Lu Han, to be honest, if Xia Yun were my daughter, I probably wouldn't agree to this marriage either. A man without a career is useless.

"Master, you're being too absolute."

"Those words may be harsh, but they make sense. If you, Yang Zheng, didn't have any real skills, would you have become my apprentice? Do you think I would just take any good-for-nothing as my apprentice?"

"Master..."

"I was trying to persuade Lu Han, why are you changing the subject?"

This isn't advice; it's crushing a man's self-esteem.

"If Tang Ping agrees to let me go back, I'll leave immediately. Yang Zheng, come, have a drink. I'll be waiting for you in Huailin. It's a small place, but we can still achieve great things."

"Okay, with you here, I feel more confident."

Raising his glass and drinking, Lu Han decided to leave. He was leaving, but his love would remain in Shanghai forever.

One afternoon, Yang Zheng was shaping a mold, and Professor Dong was adjusting the temperature to heat it into a mold when a timid voice came: "Professor Dong."

It was Xia Yun.

"Come in, come in."

Professor Dong and Yang Zheng both stopped what they were doing.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed your work."

Xia Yun's face was pale and her eyes were red.

"It's nothing. Come in, are you looking for Lu Han?"

"Yes, Professor Dong, Lu Han has disappeared."

Director Tang admired Lu Han and, under the guise of a temporary transfer, moved him from the Shanghai Machinery Factory to Huailin.

"he……"

Before leaving, Lu Han instructed Xia Yun not to tell her and not to let her come to him.

Since there's no future, it's better to cut the Gordian knot quickly.

He left Shanghai.

Professor Dong interrupted Yang Zheng, saying that the young man was still a kid and had already told Xia Yun that he had gone to Huailin in just a few words.

Where did he go?

"Going to find my own sky."

Professor Dong poured Xia Yun a glass of water: "Have some water. I don't have any tea leaves here."

"Professor Dong, please tell me where he is, I'll go find him." Xia Yun lowered her head, looking pitiful.

"Xia Yun, you and Lu Han are doomed. Your father is high and mighty, while Lu Han is a penniless good-for-nothing. Getting entangled with him will only harm the two of you."

"He's not incompetent, he just lacks opportunities," Xia Yun retorted.

"Does your father also admit that he had no chance?"

"My dad..." Xia Yunyu choked.

"Love is beautiful, but we have to face reality. You are a high-ranking official's daughter who has no worries about food and clothing; you don't need to work hard, you have everything. Lu Han is different; he has to strive for it step by step."

Perhaps you think you can endure hardship with him, but are you willing to give up your current comfortable life and struggle alongside him from the bottom? No, it's unfair to you, and he wouldn't agree to you suffering with him.

"Why does everyone keep talking about money and status? Isn't there any true love in the world?"

"Yes, it's in fairy tales."

Professor Dong's words were sharp, but he also hoped that Xia Yun could move on from this relationship as soon as possible.

Xia Yun stood up with tears in her eyes and bowed to Professor Dong: "Thank you, Professor Dong, I'm sorry to have bothered you."

He turned away sadly, ready to leave.

Yang Zheng couldn't bear it and said, "Xia Yun, if you have anything you want to say to Lu Han, you can write a letter and I'll send it to him for you."

Professor Dong glared at Yang Zheng. "You're really meddling."

"Thank you, I'll go back and write the letter."

The lifeless eyes suddenly regained their light.

"You're too soft-hearted."

Xia Yun left, and Professor Dong couldn't help but blame Yang Zheng.

"Master, what you said touched me deeply. Love isn't just in fairy tales; it exists in the human world too. My sister and brother-in-law, Uncle Zhou and Aunt Luo, Zhao Jintao and Zheng Fenglin, and my father and mother—they all have genuine love."

Lu Han will definitely achieve great things in Huailin. If Xia Yun is willing to go to Huailin, perhaps it will be a love story set in a secluded paradise. I don't want them to have any regrets.

"Sigh, I can't control your love life as young people. Get back to work. This prosthetic leg has to be put on the patient's leg this month."