Chapter 1 Prologue: A Dream Half-Lived
The airport terminal bustled with activity.
Some carried small luggage, others held their children's hands as sunlight streamed through the towering glass panels, casting mottled patterns on the floor where countless travelers passed through.
Amid the crowd, Zhou Shengchen walked briskly toward his designated boarding gate, carrying only his laptop. His mind remained occupied with experimental data—vast amounts of information swiftly processed and filtered by his sharp intellect, retaining only what was useful.
Then, suddenly, someone grabbed his arm from behind, catching him completely off guard.
"Wait—I need to talk to you."
Frowning, he halted and instinctively turned to look.
It was... a young woman.
Dressed in a deep blue gown but barefoot, she clutched his sleeve, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Realizing how startling her actions must have been, she quickly released him when he turned. "Please wait for me. I haven’t cleared security yet—I need to go back and finish the procedures. Just give me a moment. I only want to say a few words..."
Behind her, four airport staff members were running toward them—confirming her story.
Had this girl really dashed barefoot through security just to stop him? Just to have him listen?
Zhou Shengchen studied her, puzzled.
His dark, clear eyes seemed to scrutinize her silently, peering deep into hers. She met his gaze cautiously, afraid he might refuse—terrified that if he did, she would lose this chance forever.
Her heartbeat slowed, so faint that it felt as though it might stop entirely if he rejected her.
I know you. Do you know me?
Zhou Shengchen, please don’t turn me away. Please, please don’t.
The steady drizzle painted Xi’an with the misty charm of Jiangnan.
Though this was the land of the Three Qins, the ancient capital of Chang’an was nowhere to be seen.
Shi Yi leaned against the car window, watching the road signs flash by.
"What do you want to eat?" Hong Xiaoyu, seated beside her, unfolded a small travel guide and flipped through food recommendations on her phone, planning their route after checking in.
"Finish your interview first, maybe?" Shi Yi reminded her with a smile.
The three of them stepped out of the car, winding through quiet streets and past scattered houses before finally arriving at their destination.
The door was opened by a young woman barely in her twenties. The subject of Hong Xiaoyu’s interview was her husband—a simple, honest man.
Once inside, the couple seemed shy, politely urging Shi Yi and the others to sit.
"Don’t be nervous—just treat it like a casual chat," Xiaoyu reassured warmly, gesturing for the man to sit across from her.
The dim, rainy light left the room shadowed.
Only a single amber lamp illuminated the space between interviewer and interviewee.
As the conversation unfolded, Shi Yi gradually pieced together their story.
The man came from extreme poverty. After years of hard work, he had earned some money—yet instead of keeping it, he invested everything back into his hometown’s education, helping families even poorer than his own.
No property, no house.
A man of noble character.
But what had drawn the media’s attention was his young wife. The delicate-faced girl before them was a university graduate from his hometown. After reading about his deeds in a news report, she sought him out—and married him.The first half of the story was touching, but the second half was truly unexpected.
(End of Chapter)
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