"Brother, is that smoke up ahead? I think I see something!" Zhang Xin said, her voice a mix of despair and sudden excitement as she spotted a faint plume rising in the distance.

"We're almost there—that's cooking smoke. The villagers are having breakfast," Wang Hao said, glancing ahead.

"Finally!" Zhang Xin exclaimed, her spirits lifting instantly.

The surge of energy wasn’t limited to her—Zhang Fu, Zhang Mu, and even Zhang Nan perked up as well. The grueling hike, with its relentless climbs and treacherous paths, had left them exhausted. Yet, as they crested yet another hill and caught sight of the small mountain village below, their fatigue seemed to melt away.

The village was nestled in a valley, surrounded by terraced fields and towering mountains. A clear stream meandered through the settlement, and several water buffalo grazed lazily nearby. Women washed clothes by a waterfall, their laughter echoing through the crisp mountain air.

"Beautiful," Zhang Xin breathed, momentarily forgetting her exhaustion as she took in the serene scene.

Wang Hao watched his companions silently, noting their awe. Just then, a booming voice called out from the village.

"Teacher Wang is here—Teacher Wang is here!"

Zhang Fu didn’t understand the dialect—it was a local variation of Hakka, distinct from standard Mandarin.

"Is that Hakka? Hard to understand," Zhang Fu remarked, turning to Wang Hao.

"Yes, it’s the Hakka dialect common in southern Jiangxi," Wang Hao replied. As a native Hakka speaker himself, he felt a pang of nostalgia at the familiar sounds.

The villagers in the fields paused their work, excitement spreading like wildfire.

"Teacher Wang is here!" someone shouted again. "Big Niu, take good care of Teacher Wang while I fetch the village chief!"

Without waiting for a response, the man abandoned his chores and sprinted toward the village.

"Teacher Wang, who are these people?" Big Niu asked, eyeing Wang Hao’s companions curiously.

"These are my parents, my younger brother, and my sister," Wang Hao introduced them.

Zhang Fu, Zhang Mu, and the siblings froze. Though they hadn’t caught every word—Hakka was still foreign to them—they understood enough. This was the first time Wang Hao had introduced them this way, and the realization left them stunned.

Zhang Fu and Zhang Mu quickly composed themselves, forcing polite smiles. "Hello," Zhang Fu said, extending a hand. Big Niu, unaccustomed to such formalities, awkwardly wiped his hands on his clothes before shaking it.

"Teacher Wang, these visitors are..." Big Niu asked, puzzled.

"My family," Wang Hao said simply.

Just then, a hurried voice called from the village. "Old Chief, come quick—Teacher Wang’s here!" Footsteps approached, and soon, a group of villagers emerged, their faces alight with excitement.

"Let’s go meet them. Don’t keep the old chief waiting," Wang Hao said, leading the way.

Zhang Fu and Zhang Mu exchanged glances, marveling at how effortlessly Wang Hao interacted with the villagers—as if he were a respected elder rather than a high school student.

Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan, meanwhile, gazed at their brother with wide-eyed admiration, as if he were some untouchable prodigy capable of solving any problem.

"Chief, Elder Zhen—greetings," Wang Hao said, bowing slightly.

The group entered the village, where Zhang Fu fell into conversation with Elder Zhen, the only villager who spoke passable Mandarin. Meanwhile, Wang Hao headed toward a small stone courtyard, where he knew the children were waiting. The hike had delayed him, and he didn’t want to keep them waiting any longer.

Zhang Fu, finishing his chat with Elder Zhen, watched Wang Hao with newfound respect. From bits of their conversation, he gathered that Wang Hao had single-handedly taught a student who later became the top scorer in Jiangxi Province’s college entrance exams—a once-in-a-generation achievement.

The student, once an average performer, had skyrocketed in just a few months, surpassing everyone else and maintaining flawless grades until graduation.

Zhang Fu remembered reading about that student in the news. The young prodigy had credited a mysterious "mentor" for his success—a teacher younger than himself. At the time, Zhang Fu had dismissed it as sensationalism. But now, hearing it from Elder Zhen’s sincere praise, he couldn’t help but wonder…

Could it really be true?

"Brother’s lessons are amazing," Zhang Xin whispered, watching intently.

Inside the open-sided grass hut, thick oilpaper shielded the students from the rain. Though the hut was packed with children of all ages, not a single one looked distracted. Even the youngest, barely five or six, listened intently, scribbling notes despite their confusion.

"You’re just jealous," Zhang Mu retorted under her breath, glaring at her husband. "Xiao Hao’s too principled to cheat. He earned this."

Their whispers were barely audible over the rustling leaves, but Wang Hao’s focused expression never wavered.

Outside, the villagers whispered among themselves, their pride in their teacher evident. And as Zhang Fu watched his son-in-law (though he still struggled to fully accept it), he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of Wang Hao’s extraordinary story.