Shadows and Stars

Chen Yuan is extremely lonely. At 40, short of winning the Nobel Prize, he had realized most of his ambitions he had set out with except one- family. His nephew was at MIT pursuing education he couldn't dream of when he was Chen Tao's age. Around him, his colleague, Shen Rongyi, had found love in the most unexpected place - online. He couldn't be Shen Rongyi if he wanted to be. Even his students admitted to being enamored by him.
Chen Yuan wasn't so charismatic. He was jealous and lonely. His chance of love came early. But Chen Yuan wanted to settle in life first. There was a scandal in his hometown. His girlfriend Xiaofei was married off to another town. He got an offer from Nanjing and settled there. He was content with his teaching and mentoring till a research scholar started getting under his skin.

Lu Ming knew what she wanted in life. She wanted a thriving research career and a house full of cats. She had seen her mother suffer at the hands of a loveless marriage. As soon as she could live on her own she rented an apartment and moved out with Lu Ding, her half brother. Six years her junior, Lu Ding became her ward, known to her friends as her 'adopted son'. Now while he was in college she was his sole guardian. When Lu Ming got the opportunity to conduct research at Nanjing she jumped at the offer. She had not made allowance for her research guide Chen Yuan who suspiciously looked like her 'son'.