Gavin, the young American, had won the approval of all Yuli’s family members through his sincerity. Even when Kang Wei heard the news, he specially came to have a meal with Gavin, and afterward called Shao Guangrong:

“Guangzi, you have no chance now. Even I think Gavin is perfect for Little Yu.”

“…”

What defines brotherhood?

Brotherhood means deliberately stabbing someone in the heart, and not satisfied with just piercing the flesh, they must twist the knife handle to make it hurt even more.

Over these years, Shao Guangrong’s temper had become more stable, and he couldn’t be bothered to argue with Kang Wei.

After hanging up, he smoked in his office.

He had done well for himself, even getting his own private office. People used to say Tong Lili’s husband was the rising star of the younger generation, but now Shao Guangrong, who had focused on his career after his romantic setback, had almost caught up with Tong Lili’s husband.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t as capable as Tong Lili’s husband; he was just a bit younger.

Little Yu had returned from abroad.

Little Yu had brought back an American boyfriend.

Little Yu’s family liked that American young man.

Even without deliberately seeking this news, it would find its way to his ears. His friends intentionally leaked it to him, and he knew why… everyone thought he hadn’t forgotten Little Yu and hoped he could move on from his failed relationship.

When he first met Little Yu, things were good. He wasn’t very old then, and Little Yu was even younger.

But being too young had its drawbacks.

If it were now, his family wouldn’t question his choice.

Shao Guangrong was lost in thought while smoking when he suddenly inhaled too deeply and broke into earth-shattering coughs.

Yes, he had never forgotten Little Yu.

Even now, when he thought of that name, his heart would ache dully. That sense of loss would be his lifelong regret… For a while, Shao Guangrong believed in karma, thinking that because he hadn’t taken relationships seriously before, heaven had made his true love unattainable.

He was 32 years old now.

Still unmarried.

He hadn’t dated anyone since Little Yu went abroad.

The Shao family was nearly frantic with worry. Mother Shao had lost her former pride and apologized to her son several times in a low voice. After hearing that Tang Youru was doing well with her scholarship foundation, she even suggested that Shao Guangrong rekindle his relationship with Yu Li.

“If you can’t swallow your pride, I can speak to Yu Li. I can apologize to her, okay?”

Of course, this suggestion wasn’t accepted by Shao Guangrong.

Shao Limin had tried to sound out Tang Hongen but was firmly rejected.

Tang Hongen thought Shao Limin was being ridiculous – just because his nephew was over thirty and unmarried, did that mean his niece had to be with him?

If he had the courage, he could stay unmarried for life. Tang Hongen wouldn’t indulge the Shao family’s bad habits!

Shao Guangrong felt innocent in all this.

He wasn’t trying to play the romantic hero.

He just needed time to forget Little Yu.

Perhaps if he and Little Yu had successfully gotten together back then, after several years, their relationship would have fallen apart. It was precisely because they couldn’t be together that he kept remembering and idealizing that feeling!

Rationally, Shao Guangrong understood all this, but he still couldn’t let go.

Now that Yu Li had returned from studying abroad and brought back a boyfriend, even Kang Wei said that Gavin was reliable… He no longer had any excuse to convince himself there was still a faint hope. He should let go now; he couldn’t become Little Yu’s burden.

After finishing an entire pack of cigarettes in his office, Shao Guangrong extinguished the last cigarette butt and called home to tell his mother:

“That girl you mentioned last time, I’ll meet her.”

Mother Shao could hardly believe it.

“…You’re willing to go on a blind date?!”

“Yes, if she’s suitable, I’ll choose her. I don’t have much time.”

Mother Shao was first surprised, then overjoyed. Fearing her son might change his mind, she immediately set a time for the meeting.

She excitedly arranged everything before wondering about Shao Guangrong’s sudden compliance.

After making inquiries, she learned that Yu Li had returned with her American boyfriend… Mother Shao was so angry she didn’t eat a grain of rice for three days.

He only agreed to blind dates because he thought there was no hope with Yu Li.

That little vixen must have cast some spell on Guangrong, bewitching him so that he couldn’t forget her for so many years, refusing to marry or date anyone else, even straining his relationship with his mother.

Mother Shao could only see in private. After all, did she dare to accuse Yu Li?

Now the most successful person in the Shao family was Shao Limin, and even he was left behind by Tang Hongen. What right did Mother Shao have to accuse Tang Hongen’s niece?

Besides, she had been studying abroad and hadn’t actively contacted Shao Guangrong.

Furthermore, Mother Shao had always disapproved of Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng’s marriage, thinking Xia Xiaolan was too domineering and that the Zhou family wouldn’t tolerate her forever… But in the blink of an eye, Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng had been married for several years without any marital crisis. Xia Xiaolan’s business kept growing, Zhou Cheng’s position kept rising, and what Mother Shao envied most were the twin sons Xia Xiaolan had given Zhou Cheng!

What did family planning matter when you could have two at once, and both boys at that?

With such good-looking parents, Zhou Siming and Zhou Siyi were growing up to be handsome boys. Mother Shao had never seen such good-looking grandchildren in the compound. Everyone who saw the twins envied Guan Huie, and Mother Shao was one of the many who wished they could take the children home to raise.

Just thinking about it made her angry.

Such adorable twins, but they belonged to someone else’s family.

Mother Shao went three days without eating, yet still had to drag her weakened body around to arrange blind dates for her son.

She had never imagined her son would remain unmarried at 32, who had started dating in his teens. Back then, she had worried about Shao Guangrong getting someone pregnant and the Shao family having to grudgingly accept the girl.

Now she desperately hoped Shao Guangrong would hit it off with his blind date immediately, then get married, and best of all, conceive in the first month of marriage!

…

Yu Li had no idea about all the drama going through the mind of Mother Shao, whom she had met only once.

She brought Gavin back to China, her family approved of him, and she formally accepted his feelings, beginning their relationship.

She had been abroad for several years, and her relationship with Shao Guangrong was long in the past. After returning home, she didn’t specifically contact him – not disturbing him was a form of respect.

Since she had no intention of getting back together with Shao Guangrong, maintaining contact would only leave loose ends.

Upon returning to China, Yu Li was busy preparing to rejoin Qihang.

Qihang’s focus was now in Shanghai, and Yu Li needed to start work immediately – she still owed Xia Xiaolan a large sum of money!

Gavin, her boyfriend who had pursued her for two years before succeeding, curiously observed China.

From Shenzhen to Shanghai, he saw the country’s development, which wasn’t as backward as rumored.

Of course, it wasn’t a developed country either.

“It’s precisely because it’s developing that there are so many opportunities. Ten years ago today, I still needed to travel between cities by train, selling clothes to earn my living expenses and tuition. Ten years later today…”

Ten years later today, she could stand here confidently, looking at the nearly completed Oriental Zhenzhu Tower, using her success to show Gavin, this American, that developing China was full of opportunities!