One reason he worked so hard was heavy financial pressure because he had borrowed money to go overseas. Another possibility is that before leaving Taiwan he had made a "secret backyard vow" with his fiancee and biggest supporter, Di-hwa Liu, whom he affectionately refers to as the "big boss," and he hoped to complete his studies as quickly as possible so he could bring her to the U.S. and marry her.
這麼拚命，一方面是因為舉債出國，經濟壓力大；另一個可能，則是他出國前已與現為他暱稱為最大支持力量的「大老闆」﹘﹘田夫人劉棣華「在後花園私訂終身」，因此希望盡早學成，接她來完婚。