Urban Divine Doctor Descends the Mountain
Chapter 583: Dream and Reality

Chapter 583: Chapter 583: Dream and Reality

"By the way, Lin Dong, where did you go to get rich these years? How come there’s been no news from you? When I was at university, I looked for you many times but got no response. It was like you had vanished from the face of this world."

While sipping wine and munching on peanuts, Huang Tao couldn’t help but inquire about Lin Dong’s situation.

Lin Dong had been practicing with his master, Daoist Qing Shan, at Qing Shan observatory, which was practically the same as being isolated from the world.

At that time, his master, Daoist Qing Shan, strictly forbade him from using a phone.

That’s why his WeChat and QQ, these communication apps, hadn’t been logged into for four years. So it was very normal that Huang Tao couldn’t reach him.

As for leaving the mountain, this was also the first time the two had been in touch.

Huang Tao tried contacting Lin Dong because he was getting married, not really expecting a response. To his surprise, this time he got through.

Lin Dong didn’t know how to explain to Huang Tao, feeling that there was no need to tell him about such things.

Instead, he found a casual excuse, "I’ve been living in the mountains these years and didn’t use a phone at all. It’s only in the past six months that I’ve come down from the mountain."

"Oh, I see," Huang Tao didn’t ask further, half assuming that Lin Dong had returned to work in the village after failing the College Entrance Examination and was too embarrassed about his poor situation to make contact.

Huang Tao didn’t pry further, fearing he might hurt Lin Dong’s pride, and instead started chatting about other topics.

Chen Jing, however, wasn’t as considerate as Huang Tao. Hearing Lin Dong’s words, she couldn’t help but sneer, "Lin Dong, I used to tell you to study hard. For people like you and Huang Tao, studying is the only chance to change your fate!"

"Although Huang Tao isn’t doing great and isn’t very capable, at least he went to university. Now he’s got a respectable job teaching at County No.1 Middle School!"

"He shouldn’t have a problem getting by in his future life, and it’s also quite respectable to mention. But what about you? Without even attending university, what can you do besides farming and part-time jobs?"

"But what kind of society are we in now? Farming and part-time jobs mean you’ll just be like this for the rest of your life. Sooner or later, society will weed you out..."

She continued to talk, while Huang Tao kept giving her hints, signaling her to stop saying these things.

Lin Dong listened to Chen Jing’s words without retorting.

Because he didn’t see the necessity to do so. Perhaps she had a point, but Lin Dong’s path was clearly not like that of Huang Tao’s.

His path was to cultivate, a completely different one.

As for whether he would achieve anything, Lin Dong did not consider it; he only wanted to continue cultivating, to reach the highest level of the Nine Shift Longevity secret.

Find something to do, do it well, do it until you reach the summit. As long as one can achieve this, Lin Dong felt that person wouldn’t be too bad off.

"Forget it, what’s the point of talking about this now? A young man who doesn’t work hard will regret it later in life. No use saying any more to you now. For some people, by the time they turn twenty, their whole life is pretty much set."

Chen Jing shook her head and didn’t bother with Lin Dong anymore.

She went back to her own bedroom, closed the door, and played with her phone.

In her view, Lin Dong, who hadn’t attended university and was just farming and working at home, was doomed to achieve little.

So even though he was a former classmate and a good friend of her future husband, she did not want to maintain a good relationship with him.

In her opinion, there was simply no need for such a social connection.

Seeing this scene, Huang Tao sighed and embarrassingly said, "Lin Dong, I’m sorry. Don’t take Chen Jing’s words too much to heart. Let’s just drink and not think about anything else today. To hell with life!"

Huang Tao felt that he wasn’t living any better than Lin Dong anyway.

He may have made it to university and secured a job as a teacher.

But just getting a house and getting married had drained everything from him, leaving him exhausted.

But that’s life!

It’s nothing like the passionate dreams of childhood. Life ultimately grinds down your edges and shows you the gap between dreams and reality.

"I remember you once said your dream was to become a teacher, to educate and guide. Now you’ve got your wish and became one, so why don’t you seem happy at all?" Lin Dong asked.

"No money. Being a teacher, the pay is too low. Compared to the high housing prices and bethrothal gifts, that salary is just not enough. I just don’t understand why it’s so hard just to marry a wife, have a child, and have a warm home."

"Plus, being a teacher isn’t as wonderful as I thought. The school is full of troubles and filled with favors. Despite my teaching quality being superior to others’, someone else got the permanent position. Promotions went to others as well..."

"Do you know? Our old class monitor, Zhang Zhihao, that bastard is now teaching at County No.1 Middle School too. Relying on his connections, he frequently bullies me!"

"He corners all the benefits, not to mention always targeting me. He’s now my leader, making my work life difficult."

"Chen Jing often compares me to him, saying he went to a lesser university but still ended up better off than me, calling me trash... To get married, to afford a house and a car, I’ve mortgaged the second half of my life. Even when I’m bullied at work, I can’t afford to speak up."

"Sigh, brother, life is damn hard."

Listening to his old friend’s ’complaints,’ Lin Dong just silently listened.

That night, as he and Huang Tao drank their wine, the clink of their cups was the sound of shattered dreams from bygone days.