"What are you even imagining?" Zhang Fu gave his wife a wry smile, shaking his head. "I'm saying Xiao Hao's grades are definitely better than just top 100 in school. If he wanted to be first, he could be—simple as that."

He sighed inwardly, realizing how wrong he'd been. He'd assumed Wang Hao's academic performance was merely "good enough" because he divided his focus between studies and other pursuits. But Wang Hao's musical talent? That was undeniable. Zhang Fu had hired countless music tutors for Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan, yet none compared to Wang Hao's ability to teach.

In the end, he'd stopped hiring external teachers altogether, instead dedicating Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan's winter and summer vacations to studying under Wang Hao. The results? Astounding. A single summer under Wang Hao's guidance surpassed three years of lessons with professional instructors.

Zhang Fu wasn't a rigid traditionalist. Wang Hao was mature beyond his years, and his grades—while not Zhang Fu's primary concern—were more than satisfactory. As he often said, "As long as Xiao Hao is happy, that's what matters." This attitude left Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan both envious and exasperated. Every time they argued for more freedom, Zhang Fu would shut them down with a single line: "If you had even a fraction of your brother's talent, you wouldn't need to study at all."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Mu blinked, confused.

Zhang Fu didn't hide anything. He recounted everything Elder Zhen had told him about Wang Hao's teaching achievements. The revelation left the entire family stunned into silence.

"Wait... Did you say Xiao Hao taught last year's Jiangxi Provincial Top Scorer?" Zhang Mu's voice faltered. The image of Wang Hao she knew—the slightly awkward but brilliant music tutor—clashed violently with the idea of him being a legendary educator capable of shaping a provincial champion.

She had seen firsthand how exceptional Wang Hao was in music. Both Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan had studied under multiple instructors, yet none compared to him. But academics? She had assumed he was merely "above average," nothing extraordinary.

Yet here was the truth: a young man not even out of high school had single-handedly molded a provincial top scorer.

As university professors themselves, Zhang Fu and Zhang Mu knew just how improbable that was. Between them, they commanded vast knowledge, yet even they doubted they could produce a provincial champion in just one year. The breadth of high school curriculum was too vast—no two people could master every subject perfectly.

And yet, Wang Hao had done it.

"No way... Brother, are you that good?" Zhang Nan asked, incredulous. Teaching a provincial top scorer was leagues harder than being one.

"What do you mean, 'no way'?" Zhang Xin shot back, flicking her brother's forehead. "The more I'm around him, the more I realize—he's like an encyclopedia. Ask him anything, and he has the answer."

"I've been saying it all along—my brother knows everything," Zhang Xin declared proudly.

Before she could continue, Zhang Mu smacked her head.

"Oh, here we go again. Who was the one threatening to throw a tantrum when we wanted to bring Xiao Hao home?" Zhang Mu snapped.

"I was young and stupid back then!" Zhang Xin protested, her cheeks flushing at the memory of her dramatic attempts to sabotage Wang Hao's stay.

But when she saw Zhang Nan smirking, her temper flared again.

"You think this is funny?" She raised a hand threateningly.

"Ow—sister, that hurts!" Zhang Nan yelped, clutching his head.

"That's for laughing!" Zhang Xin glared at him.

"Enough," Zhang Fu interjected. "You're disturbing Xiao Hao's lesson."

Just then, a figure slipped quietly into the stone courtyard.

"Uh... Hello?" the newcomer said hesitantly.

The moment he entered, the Zhang family's eyes locked onto him.

"Lan Wei?" Zhang Fu squinted, recognizing the face but puzzled by the changes.

"Yes, Uncle? You know me?" Lan Wei asked, startled. His father had mentioned that Teacher Wang had brought his entire family this time. Hearing the commotion, he'd dropped the firewood he'd gathered and rushed over, excitement written all over his face.

"Of course I know you. Hard to recognize at first, though," Zhang Fu said, studying him. This was last year's provincial top scorer—but he looked older, more mature. Still, the resemblance was unmistakable.

"I saw your interview," Zhang Fu explained.

"Ah, that explains it. Hello, Uncle, Auntie," Lan Wei greeted warmly, then paused, unsure how to address Zhang Xin and Zhang Nan.

"Hello. You're quite the celebrity now. The seniors at our school hate you," Zhang Xin teased.

"Hate me? Why?" Lan Wei blinked.

"Because they're suffering under your shadow. 'Lan Wei this, Lan Wei that'—how he turned his life around, how he became the top scorer in Jiangxi. I'm only a sophomore now, but when I reach senior year, I'm sure I'll be next in line to 'suffer' and hate you too," Zhang Xin said with a laugh.

"No, no—you should direct your hatred at my teacher instead," Lan Wei said, gesturing toward Wang Hao, who was still teaching inside the hut.

"Wait... You're saying my brother was the one who taught you?" Zhang Xin gasped.

"You didn't know?" Lan Wei looked surprised. "Well, it makes sense. Teacher Wang always downplays his abilities. I rarely visited the village back then, and when I first heard about this 'kid' who commanded so much respect in the community, I was skeptical. Arrogant, even." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Looking back, I cringe at how petty I was."

"What happened next?" Zhang Nan asked, unable to contain his curiosity. The rest of the family leaned in, equally eager.

"What do you think happened? I got my ass handed to me. So I went back to school and worked my hardest, visiting the village every week just to challenge him. But can you believe it? Problems I spent weeks agonizing over—even ones our school teachers couldn't solve—I'd bring them here, and within five minutes, he'd dismantle them effortlessly." Lan Wei shook his head, still marveling at the memory.

The Zhang family exchanged stunned glances.

Wang Hao's quiet genius had just reached a whole new level.