"The three of you, come out for dinner."

Just as Wang Hao was teaching Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan singing techniques, Zhang Fu's voice called out from outside.

"Let's go," Wang Hao said, immediately pausing the lesson. Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan, however, looked reluctant, clearly feeling they had only just begun to grasp the basics—and that Wang Hao's teaching was not only impressive but also remarkably clear and easy to understand.

"How was it? Learned something?" Zhang Fu asked, easily reading their expressions.

"It was amazing... Brother knows so much," Zhang Xin said excitedly, already convinced that with a bit more practice, the songs she had struggled with would no longer be a challenge.

Zhang Nan nodded in agreement.

"Xiao Hao, you're heading into the mountains again this weekend," Zhang Fu said after a moment of thought.

"Mm, I'll head in early Saturday morning," Wang Hao replied with a nod.

"Good. We'll come with you," Zhang Fu said, then hesitated before adding, "Don't argue—this is decided. Besides, it'll be good for these two to see how privileged they are."

Zhang Fu looked at Wang Hao's clear eyes and youthful face, a wave of emotion washing over him. The poor are forced to grow up fast—this saying was never more true.

---

Days passed in routine. Wang Hao attended classes as usual, but his mind was elsewhere, constantly churning through ideas to solve the Dragon Brain’s junk file problem. His movements in and out of the classroom grew quicker each day, always slipping away before Ma Ling could stop him.

But today, just as he was about to leave, the beautiful class monitor, Ma Ling, blocked his desk.

"Monitor, what’s this about?" Wang Hao asked calmly.

"Tomorrow’s class trip. It’s perfect for your work-hard-play-hard philosophy, and you’re the only one left who hasn’t been notified," Ma Ling said irritably.

"Tomorrow? Saturday. I’m busy," Wang Hao replied firmly, rejecting the invitation without hesitation.

"Wang Hao, do you have to be so antisocial? You skipped every other activity, but this is our last trip before the college exams—a rare chance for the class to bond!" Ma Ling’s voice rose, drawing the attention of their classmates.

"Seriously, Wang Hao is such a loner. He never joins any class events."

"Right? We’ve been in the same class since freshman year, and he’s the most antisocial person I’ve ever met."

The sudden increase in volume drew even more curious stares, and whispers began to spread.

Wang Hao glanced at the others, his expression unreadable. He was antisocial—apart from sports, he had little in common with these classmates. Despite the saying that girls matured faster than boys, the girls here didn’t seem particularly mature to him.

His mindset had matured early, shaped by his experiences and the learning system he possessed. Naturally, he felt a generation apart from these high school seniors. His knowledge now surpassed even that of many professors.

"Monitor, I really do have plans tomorrow," he said, though he felt a pang of guilt. The monitor was just doing her job, and her dedication was admirable.

"Fine... Fine... Your plans are obviously more important," Ma Ling huffed, retreating to her seat, convinced he was utterly impossible.

Wang Hao offered a faint apologetic smile but said nothing further. Explanations would only make things worse. He stood and walked out, and one person immediately followed.

"Bro Hao, wait up!"

Recognizing the voice, Wang Hao paused. "Bing, how did you escape the monitor’s clutches?"

It was Fang Bing, one of the few friends he had at school.

"Why didn’t you just explain?" Fang Bing asked with a wry smile.

"Explain what? I’ve been antisocial for years—what’s one more time? You guys have fun tomorrow. My parents are visiting, so I won’t be around to chat," Wang Hao said lightly, unconcerned.

"Alright, send my regards to your parents," Fang Bing nodded, a small smile on his face.

"Will do. See you."

---

At 5 a.m., Wang Hao, Zhang Fu, Zhang Mu, and the others loaded their gear into the car and left Ganzhou, heading north.

Meanwhile, Ma Ling, Fang Bing, and the rest of the class were also preparing for their trip—a weekend of hiking and camping.

"The road ahead is rough—be careful," Wang Hao warned as they trekked through the mountains. The path he took wasn’t even a proper trail—just a narrow, barely passable mountain path that could fit only one person at a time.

"Xiao Hao, how do you usually get here?" Zhang Fu asked, astonished. He had known Wang Hao occasionally went into the mountains for volunteer work, but he never imagined it was this far—or this difficult. And yet, Wang Hao had been making this trip every weekend for the past three years.

"Bro, how much longer? I’m so tired," Zhang Xin complained, her legs aching after over an hour of walking. She prided herself on her endurance, but now her muscles burned, and she couldn’t remember how many hills they had climbed. Every time they reached a peak, all she saw were more mountains.

"At least you get to rest on weekends. Xiao Hao walks this whole path both ways every Saturday and Sunday," Zhang Mu snapped, her usual gentleness replaced with rare irritation—not at Zhang Xin, but at the thought of Wang Hao’s relentless effort over the years.

Zhang Xin fell silent, chastened. Her admiration for Wang Hao grew even stronger.

"Let’s take a break. Sudden intense exercise is exhausting," Wang Hao said, though he was completely unfazed. His physical condition was far beyond ordinary—his Fitness Level 6 granted him terrifying endurance. He had once tested his vertical jump and reached nearly 1.5 meters—a height no basketball player he knew of could match. The highest recorded vertical jump in the world was only about 1.2-1.3 meters.

"No way, keep moving. Hurry up, or I’ll hold you responsible if you delay Xiao Hao’s schedule," Zhang Mu said firmly, refusing to let them rest. She called Wang Hao daily and knew exactly why he was in the mountains.