3 Learning Tasks

“Doctor, I’m a relative of the patient in bed number five. Is he well enough to leave now?” Fang Shouyi stood beside the doctor, who appeared quite busy, searching through medical records. Looking up, the doctor addressed Fang Shouyi, “You mean that young boy, right?” To a doctor, a twelve- or thirteen-year-old student is indeed just a child.

“Yes,” Fang Shouyi nodded. The doctor pondered for a moment and said, “I don’t see any serious issues. If he feels uncomfortable at any point, you can always bring him back to the hospital. But there’s no need for him to be admitted, especially since he was healthy before all this. Take him home. However, he’s dressed quite lightly—make sure he doesn’t catch a cold. When you get home, have him wear something warmer. Kids his age might not have other ailments, but they’re prone to colds.”

“Thank you,” Fang Shouyi breathed a sigh of relief. He walked to the door, opened it quietly, and said, “Xiao Ran, let’s go. We’re heading home now.”

“Mm.” Chen Ran responded obediently, though the sorrowful expression still lingered on his face. Fang Shouyi gently stroked Chen Ran’s head but said nothing.

Fang Shouyi packed Chen Ran’s belongings quickly, slinging the bag over his shoulder. They left the hospital as cold raindrops fell from the gray, overcast sky. Chen Ran, dressed lightly, followed closely behind Fang Shouyi, walking carefully. Outside the hospital, Fang Shouyi flagged down a car, and they got in. Chen Ran shivered slightly, likely from the chill. Fang Shouyi noticed him wrapping his clothes tighter and softly asked, “Are you cold?”

“Yeah.” The city’s traffic was underdeveloped, and the already gloomy sky seemed even darker, like a menacing beast looming overhead, ready to swallow everyone whole. Gazing upward, Chen Ran heard his own breath and recalled the words from the academic system: his father was gone, and wallowing in grief would do no good. Studying hard was the best way to honor his father.

His father had always told him to study diligently and become someone who contributes to the country.

Regrettably, he had never fulfilled that promise before. Now, recalling his father’s words, Chen Ran clenched the edge of his clothes tightly. He would study hard. Even though his father had left, he must live well and study well—that was what his father wanted to see. He knew there was no other world, but his father lived on in his heart—the father he revered most.

Fang Shouyi took off his coat and draped it over Chen Ran.

“Brother Shouyi!” Chen Ran looked up at him, worry still visible in his eyes.

Fang Shouyi smiled. “It’s okay, I’m fine. Xiao Ran, put this on first. When we get home, find something warmer to wear.”

“Mm.” Chen Ran nodded and wrapped himself in the oversized coat. Fang Shouyi was tall, nearly 1.9 meters, and the coat nearly reached Chen Ran’s thighs.

The car rumbled over the potholes of the uneven road. Ningchuan City was the third-largest city near the provincial border, home to many heavy industries. Located on a plain, Chen Ran now lived in the Qinghe District police compound. The buildings on both sides were low-rise; the province still lacked funds for urban development.

In this early millennium, apart from the capital, Shanghai, and coastal cities, most places appeared quite dilapidated. People came and went, their clothing looking outdated decades later. Chen Ran gazed absentmindedly at the passing scenery outside the window. He had truly traveled through time—no, he had returned to the past. Somehow, he had been given a second chance at life. Since he could live again, he refused to waste it in mediocrity as before.

He would study hard, even if only for his father’s sake.

The car arrived at the police compound’s entrance. After paying the driver, Chen Ran wrapped himself tightly in the coat and stepped out. The cement pathway was riddled with potholes. He followed closely behind Fang Shouyi into the courtyard, where flower wreaths were laid out and many people sat quietly under a rain shelter. Chen Ran soon spotted his mother, Luo Mingxiu, sitting dazed at the far end. Inside the shelter hung a black-and-white photo of his father—handsome and upright, his face stern and without a smile.

Chen Ran approached his mother cautiously. “Mom!” Seeing his father’s portrait, his voice trembled uncontrollably. Next to Luo Mingxiu sat Fang Shouyi’s mother, who appeared to be comforting her.

Luo Mingxiu forced a faint smile, more painful than tears. “Xiao Ran, what did the doctor say? Is he alright?”

“No… no problems,” Luo Mingxiu’s eyes were bloodshot, probably from staying up all night. Chen Ran lowered his voice. “Mom, you should rest. I can stay here.”

“Yes,” Yang Meiyue, Fang Shouyi’s mother, gently advised, “Mingxiu, you need to rest. Xiao Ran is only thirteen. With Lao Chen gone, if you don’t take care of yourself…”

“We have Fang Shouyi and me here. It’s fine,” Luo Mingxiu replied.

“Shouyi,” a deep voice came. Fang Shouyi turned to see his father signaling him. He approached and heard him whisper, “What did the doctor say? Is Chen’s boy okay?”

“The doctor said he’s fine,” Fang Shouyi shook his head. “Dad, I asked. He rested a bit, and his health is good.”

“That’s good.” Looking at the silent crowd under the shelter, Fang Shouyi’s father asked hoarsely, “Those people didn’t come, did they?”

His expression darkened. “They dared to come! To bully Aunt Luo and the two orphans? They’ve got no shame.”

Chen Ran’s youthful face was resolute. Luo Mingxiu fought back tears, trying to keep a composed adult demeanor. She gently stroked Chen Ran’s soft hair. “Xiao Ran, you should go home first. Mom’s fine.”

“Mom…”

“Be good, Xiao Ran. Listen to Mom. You’re fragile; you should rest at home.”

“Mm.” Chen Ran lowered his head, uneasy. His mother’s health was never robust, and she looked stubborn, standing still without moving.

Yang Meiyue whispered, “Mingxiu, you haven’t slept for two days. Go home and rest. Fang Shouyi and I will watch over things. Look at Xiao Ran... Please don’t be stubborn now.”

Luo Mingxiu sighed wearily. “Meiyue, I’ll leave this to you for now. I’ll take Xiao Ran home and come back right away.”

“Go ahead,” Yang Meiyue said softly, like a sigh.

Luo Mingxiu took Chen Ran’s hand. “Xiao Ran, go home first.”

“Mom.” Chen Ran stood rooted to the spot. “I want to stay here with Dad.”

“Be good, Xiao Ran,” Luo Mingxiu crouched down and said, “You’re already grown up. Remember what Dad said—don’t make your parents worry.” Her voice trembled, “If you act like this, Mom will worry about you, and Dad will too.”

“Mom!” Chen Ran could no longer hold back and began to sob.

“Cry if you need to, Xiao Ran. It’ll make you feel better,” Luo Mingxiu said softly. She wanted to cry too, but could not in front of her child. Despite the heavy blow, she had to stay strong for Chen Ran. As a mother, she had to be firm—the child had lost his father, and she could never abandon him.

Chen Ran cried for a long time. Everyone present was deeply saddened; the atmosphere under the shelter was heavy and oppressive. Eventually, exhausted from crying, Chen Ran’s tears dried. Luo Mingxiu looked at his delicate, youthful face and gently wiped away the streaks. “Xiao Ran, you’re a little man now. Don’t cry anymore—you’ll mess up your face. Come on, let’s go home.”

Luo Mingxiu took Chen Ran’s hand and led him toward the old apartment building. The building, constructed in the early 1990s, was assigned to Chen Ran’s father. In happier times, their home was filled with laughter. His father was a police officer at the local station, handling mostly trivial matters, but worked many late nights. No one expected that on a clear day, after breakfast, his father went to work and never returned.

The home was now cold and somber, weighed down by silence. Normally, his mother was strict with him, but his father often told her it was okay to let the child play a little.

Now, there was no laughter—only a grieving mother and a weary Chen Ran. The three-bedroom apartment felt heavy with sorrow. Sitting on the sofa, Luo Mingxiu spoke to Chen Ran with difficulty, “Xiao Ran, go wash up. You probably didn’t rest well in the hospital.”

“Mm.” Chen Ran’s voice was congested. He entered the bathroom, washed up, and changed into thicker clothes. Seeing Luo Mingxiu asleep on the sofa, Chen Ran quietly entered the master bedroom, took out a quilt, and covered his mother. Returning to his room, he closed the door and took a deep breath. Clenching his fists, he said, “System, I want to study!”

[Host, greetings. The Learning System is at your service!]

[Since you have forgotten much, we will start with the basics!]

“Good, let’s begin.”

Chen Ran approached his desk—a gift from his father when he started middle school that August, purchased because the workload was heavier.

[Learning objectives are being prepared, please wait!]

[Task One: Begin your studies. Over the next half month, complete the curriculum of three years of middle school. Upon passing the assessment, you will receive rewards.

Rewards: Memory +5, Wisdom +5, Thinking +5

When your stats in Memory, Wisdom, and Thinking reach 10, the Tech Tree will unlock! Study hard and improve every day!]

Tech Tree? Chen Ran shook his head and began reading the textbook carefully. These were contents he had studied before. After his father died, he had been despondent for a while, but eventually, he resumed his efforts. Now, with the Learning System’s help, how would things change? Lost in thought, a sharp voice suddenly erupted downstairs: “What are you all doing?”