This literally happened to one of my aunts. She wasn't allowed to marry an indigenous dude who later on got a PHD and did very well for himself, because he wasn't Han Chinese and my grandfather wasn't having any of it. She ended up marrying someone who had a decent job but wasn't nearly as accomplished as the first guy.
The only reason I exist is because apparently 'white guy' ranks close enough to 'han chinese' on the social totem pole for it to have been an acceptable marriage.