Chapter 6

Leaves was taken aback for a moment but then saw Xiao Bing looking behind him. About ten meters away, two men were pacing as if they were admiring the scenery. When they noticed Xiao Bing looking at them, they immediately pretended to walk away, but they stopped not far from there.

"Those two are your bodyguards, right? It seems your identity is quite extraordinary."

Leaves looked at Xiao Bing with a complex expression and asked, "Did you notice them early on?"

"I didn't notice them in the club, but when I took action, I realized these two were quickly approaching. When they saw me move, they stopped. I guessed that if I hadn't acted, your bodyguards would have."

Leaves gazed at the river, her eyes losing their focus. Suddenly, she sighed heavily. For some reason, Xiao Bing felt a great impact deep in his soul. From her sigh, he sensed endless loneliness and sadness. This feeling made Xiao Bing want to comfort the lively and sweet girl in front of him, who was inwardly lonely.

"Brother Bing, do you know, I really envy you."

"Others think being born into a wealthy family means happiness, but they don't know that some people are like canaries in a cage from the moment they are born. Every path in life is arranged by their parents, including which school to attend, what friends to make, and what to do every day... Even when I occasionally rebel and sneak out, I find that someone is still following me. Haha."

"Sometimes I think, if I could be born into an ordinary family, living freely, that would be something no amount of money can buy. Freedom means being free from constraints; freedom means flying in the sky; freedom means doing whatever you want."

Leaves pointed to the sky and said with a smile, "Like the birds in the sky, flying freely. Just one day, no, even one second would be enough!"

She was smiling, but her eyes were red.

Xiao Bing was moved and suddenly stood up, asking, "Do you really want to fly?"

Leaves looked at Xiao Bing and nodded vigorously.

Xiao Bing extended his hand, gently meeting her gaze, and said, "Give me your hand, and I'll take you flying."

Leaves's smooth, soft hand lightly rested on Xiao Bing's rough, calloused hand. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of anticipation and disbelief as she asked, "Really?"

"It might be very short."

"Shorter than a second?"

Xiao Bing smiled, and so did Leaves.

Xiao Bing suddenly wrapped his arms around Leaves's slim waist and ran madly into the nearby forest. His feet moved like the wind, as fast as lightning, and gradually lifted off the ground.

Leaves stretched out her hand, feeling the wind rush against her palm, and watched as everything around her blurred past. Her beautiful big eyes glistened with tears, and two drops rolled down her cheeks. Her voice was a mix of joy and a low murmur, "This is... freedom."

"Heavens, what am I seeing? The young lady is being taken away by that man... Not running, but flying."

"Don't talk nonsense... Holy crap, he's really flying? What should we do?"

"Of course, chase after them, don't just stand there!"

The two bodyguards chased desperately, but compared to Xiao Bing's speed, they were like snails.

Xiao Bing had used the power of his steps to leap into the air, his feet stepping on the air in quick succession. When his speed and strength reached their limit, it created a flying effect, similar to the legendary Wudang School's lightness skill, Tiyunzong.

However, this effect couldn't last long. Before landing, Xiao Bing had already flown into the forest, then stepped on a tree to propel himself forward. When his strength weakened, he stepped on another tree, repeating the process. Leaves saw the forest blur past her, and she let out excited screams.

Xiao Bing also began to roar, feeling like a wild beast, but it was exhilarating.

Xiao Bing was never a man who blamed fate or held grudges. But this time, the blow was too heavy, and Su Peiya's death might also be linked to a traitor in the Longmen.

However, after shouting, Xiao Bing felt much better and understood a lot. The fault was not his or Su Peiya's. Since she chose this path, she had to walk it, and whatever the outcome, she had to bear it. Now that the matter was over, he needed to look forward, take care of Su Peiya's family, and slowly uncover the truth behind her death.

The forest was very long. When they passed through it, Xiao Bing was also exhausted, and the two finally landed on the ground.

Under the moonlight, Xiao Bing stared blankly at the little girl pressed against his chest. Leaves's eyes sparkled with excitement, and her face was flushed with excitement. When she noticed Xiao Bing's dazed expression, she showed a mischievous look and said playfully, "You're not in love with me, are you?"

"Maybe," Xiao Bing let her go, leaned against a big tree, and said with a smile, "Your bodyguards are too weak. They probably won't catch up for a while."

"It's not that they're weak, it's that you're too strong. I've never seen anyone fly... Is this a martial art? My bodyguards also know martial arts, but they're not as strong as you."

Seeing Leaves's curious eyes, Xiao Bing smiled and said, "Actually, this isn't really flying. At first, it was a hovering ability when I leaped into the air. Later, I used the trees in the forest as stepping stones, moving through the forest like an ape. It's far from true flight."

Leaves sat next to Xiao Bing and said with a smile, "Flying doesn't have to be real flying. What matters is the feeling, and I felt it just now."

Xiao Bing smiled, "Can I take that as a compliment?"

Leaves's smile was beautiful, her eyes like the moon, "I'm not just complimenting you, I'm also grateful to you. From a young age, my parents and siblings have loved me, but I've grown up, and I'll be twenty soon. Let's not talk about me. Brother Bing, let's talk about you... You're a man with a story, right? I can tell you had something on your mind earlier."

Xiao Bing sighed, "You're right, you've really grown up."

"Tell me, maybe I can help you. Even if I don't understand, it's good to have someone to share with."

Xiao Bing looked at the cute girl and couldn't bear to refuse. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "I'm different from you. I grew up in an orphanage."

"Then... what about your parents?"

"I don't know." Xiao Bing said indifferently, "If they're not there, it's fine. I've made it this far. Even though I grew up in an orphanage, I was very happy. The aunts there were very kind to me and sent me to school. Because I was an orphan, the other students bullied me, but for some reason, they couldn't beat me. Gradually, I gained a reputation, and even the thugs outside school were afraid of me."

If it were someone else talking about being an orphan, they would sound very sad, but Xiao Bing always had a smile on his face. He felt very happy and grateful. Even now, he often donates to the orphanage and visits occasionally. Those days were the happiest of his life.

"Later, the thugs outside school teamed up to plot against me, but I beat them all. A man saw this and later visited my school and the orphanage. He then took me away."

"Took you away? To do what?"

"To join the military." Xiao Bing smiled, "In the military, I learned systematic combat, shooting, reconnaissance, and counter-reconnaissance. I gradually gained a reputation and became a captain. There was a girl in the unit who always challenged me. She was very beautiful. At first, I thought she didn't respect me, but when I applied for retirement for some reason, she also applied. I created an organization, and she joined... Later, she died during a mission. She was lured into an enemy ambush, and by the time we arrived, it was too late."

At the end, the smile on Xiao Bing's face disappeared. Although he remained calm, his fingers trembled slightly, "Before she died, she told me that she had always liked me. Even though she always challenged me in the military, it was to get my attention. She retired because of me, and I didn't take good care of her..."

Xiao Bing's eyes turned red, and he forced a smile, "Unfortunately, I left the beer by the river while taking you. Otherwise, I would have had a few drinks!"

Leaves looked at Xiao Bing seriously and said cautiously, "You're sad."

"She died because of me."

"She loved you, do you love her?"

Xiao Bing hesitated and sighed, "In many ways, we were like-minded, and we had a deep understanding of each other, like soulmates."

Leaves sighed, "Unrequited love is indeed painful."

Xiao Bing looked gloomy for a moment, then smiled and asked, "Do you have a crush?"

"Me?" Leaves smiled, "Don't underestimate unrequited love. In a country of over a billion people, there's only one person who can make you miss them and lose your appetite. And I... haven't met a man worthy of my unrequited love yet."

Leaves blinked her bright eyes, which shone like stars at night, and smiled sweetly, "I heard that the first happiness for a woman is to meet the man she loves, and she did. The second happiness is to make this man remember her forever, and she did. The third happiness is to be with the man she loves forever, which she didn't get, but I believe her life was without regret. Brother Bing, leave a place in your heart for this big sister, and let her stay there forever."

Xiao Bing stared at Leaves, who blinked her eyes, which sparkled like stars, and her face still wore a sweet, playful smile.