Rebirth 08: A Happy Life Begins in Elementary School

The little girl is so perceptive...

Meticulous.

Li Zhao was suddenly stuck.

I can't exactly answer that I was reborn because I was unhappy for the next twenty-odd years, and now I'm given a happiness system but I still don't understand how to become happy, so I'm asking you, a primary school student, for help, right?

"Do you feel unhappy?" He Shuyao pressed.

Li Zhao sighed, "I'm worried that I'll become unhappy in the future."

"For example?"

"For example... someone who is single-mindedly focused on gaining approval from those around them, or on making money and becoming a successful person, ends up losing family, love, and friendship, even though they have made money."

"That's strange, why would you think that?"

"I also find it strange."

He Shuyao chuckled softly, "So, was what I said today useful?"

"Very useful."

"So, Li Zhao," He Shuyao suddenly placed her hand on Li Zhao's, "how do you plan to become happy?"

Fortunately, it was only elementary school, and Li Zhao only saw pure friendship in He Shuyao's eyes.

Hopefully, this is what He Shuyao saw...

"I still need to make money; that's my confidence, and there are many things I want to experience."

"Uh-huh."

"I also want to maintain good friendships and make family relationships comfortable and healthy."

"Uh-huh."

"...And also, in the future, I want to be with the person I love."

"Okay."

These are the most obvious regrets from my past life.

"..."

"Is that all?" He Shuyao tilted her head again.

"I want to get into New Taipei First Senior High School, then New Taipei High School, and... get into Huaxia University!"

I never experienced what it's like to be a super genius in my past life, but I have the chance in this one.

"Then I'll become the top student in the school!" He Shuyao exclaimed excitedly.

"To be the top scholar in Linjiang!" Li Zhao decided to join in the excitement.

"Anything else? Anything else?"

"besides?"

Making money, relationships, becoming stronger... what else is there?

"What are your dreams?" He Shuyao asked.

"Ideal..." Li Zhao was stunned again.

This is a question even harder to answer than happiness.

The word "ideal" is somewhat distant from him.

"Yes, I remember last semester the teacher asked us what our ideals were when we grew up, and you said you wanted to change the world."

When I first got involved in urban planning, I hoped to truly change cities according to my own ideas and make one city, or even thousands of cities, better.

It can also be considered a grand ambition to "change the world".

later?

Later, it was all in the wine.

Every urban planning student believes that their future will be that of a designer who paves the way with their professional knowledge, and at least their work will be visible in a corner of a city.

I only realized after I started working that the next step for a draftsman is to become a braggart.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the flow of conversation, even the worst plot of land can be transformed into a multi-center, multi-axis development zone, with plans for industrial hubs and tourist resorts, all if you pay enough for planning documents…

The result is just an extra planning document, which is used to collect money while also being presented as an achievement.

Ultimately, it becomes a reference for the next wave of planners.

Of course, this is not just a problem in the planning industry, but a common problem in all professions across society.

The ability to apply one's will to work results is a privilege that is not held by most people.

but……

If Li Zhao, with his knowledge and work experience from the next twenty-odd years, could foresee existing social and urban development problems...

If Li Zhao had already achieved financial freedom when he went to university, he wouldn't have needed to expend energy on work and could have devoted himself entirely to academic research and knowledge production...

If Li Zhao had started writing and publishing articles to increase his influence from now, from sixth grade of elementary school, starting in 2008...

The privileges will fall into his hands.

At the age of thirty-six, he became the deputy chief designer and department manager of Leo Planning. The seniors and juniors he knew, his leaders, mentors, and colleagues, who would become the backbone of the industry giants and the rising stars who would shine brightly, are now in a different state.

Just like facing his own life problems, there is still a lot that Li Zhao can do now.

He could even reverse the wrong direction that New Taipei City and even Linjiang have taken in their development over the next twenty years.

The chief architect of New Taipei City, the helmsman of the Linjiang planning project, and even a leader in the planning industry.

And after having the resources, to do more.

This, too, is a kind of happiness.

"I want to make this land we live on a better place."

Li Zhao gave the answer.

He Shuyao blinked, stunned by this grand and clear ideal.

"That's amazing... but it must be very difficult, right?"

Li Zhao nodded. "Just like you said, as long as it's something you want to do, the process of pursuing it is happiness."

He Shuyao smiled happily, "I'm glad I helped you. Let's keep going!"

As she spoke, she extended her hand.

She genuinely just wanted to help Li Zhao; it was a pure and fervent sincerity.

Li Zhao hesitated for a moment, but still gripped it tightly.

Let's cheer each other on.

Find the path to inner fulfillment, happiness +5, total 24.

We're almost at 25 points; the redeemed rewards probably won't appear.

Li Zhao suddenly remembered a conversation he had with a colleague in his past life about the question of a happy life. His colleague looked at him with a wry smile and said that Li Zhao's question was pretentious:

"Happiness? Making money is happiness. With money, you have love and respect. As long as you have money, these things will come to you. When you have money, you have everything, and having everything is happiness."

Another subordinate said that he only earned one-tenth of Li Zhao's income and was not qualified to talk about happiness, as he felt that "happiness is a luxury."

Looking at the smiling He Shuyao in front of him, Li Zhao thought that perhaps children's eyes have a special magic when they see the world.

"Li Zhao, Shu Yao, what are you doing?"

Huang Keyun returned from outside the school, carrying bread in her hand.

He Shuyao's expression changed immediately, and she even subconsciously hid behind Li Zhao.

"I was taking a walk downstairs when Shuyao happened to have a question for me, so I answered it," Li Zhao replied.

He Shuyao experienced the shock of someone speaking so fluently for the first time.

"You two are really studious," Huang Keyun smiled, taking a loaf of bread from the bag. "Here, Shuyao, have some bread."

"Thank you, teacher!" He Shuyao happily accepted the gift and started eating right away, while looking longingly at Huang Keyun and Li Zhao.

This child... how can he be so insensible?

The unspoken message of this bread is "Go away and eat!"

"Are you asking about the national competition, Professor Huang?"

He Shuyao stopped chewing her bread.

"Yes, your application has been approved. You will officially represent New Taipei Sixth Elementary School in the National English Competition." Huang Keyun nodded. "Regarding what you mentioned before, the teacher has already given you some advice. The student who was substituted out had a tendency to withdraw from the competition, and he didn't have any objections. However, for the other students, the teacher can't necessarily guarantee anything..."

"It's alright." Li Zhao shook his head confidently. "The teacher did what he was supposed to do; leave the rest to me."

"Well... that's good." Huang Keyun felt that something was not quite right.

In a moment of surprise, she saw the two of them already at the top of the stairs. He Shuyao listened to Li Zhao's explanation while munching on bread:

"Teacher Huang insists that I participate in the national competition..."