Super Soldier

“Li’l Bei, where are you?” Su Xiaoxiao telephoned Li’l Bei and asked in a strange voice.

“Me? I’m on the rooftop.”

“I’ll go look for you.”

Su Xiaoxiao hung up and tiptoed out of the house. Her mother was asleep. It was late at night. Su Xiaoxiao was embarrassed to call Li’l Bei, but Li’l Bei did not sleep either.

Su Xiaoxiao tiptoed out of her house and came to the rooftop. It was already late at night. Most of the people in the community were already asleep. Su Xiaoxiao was embarrassed to call Li’l Bei, but Li’l Bei did not sleep either and was sitting on the rooftop. Li’l Bei was perhaps feeling uneasy too.

When Su Xiaoxiao arrived at the rooftop, Li’l Bei was sitting on the edge of the tall building with his back to Su Xiaoxiao. His legs were dangling. Seeing the moonlight falling on Li’l Bei, Su Xiaoxiao realized that she had never really understood the big boy who always looked energetic. Under all that energy was a figure so lonely that it made people sad.

Su Xiaoxiao walked slowly to Li’l Bei. When she got behind Li’l Bei, he turned his head and smiled warmly. “It’s late. You didn’t sleep?”

“That’s right. You neither?” Su Xiaoxiao sighed softly, went to Li’l Bei and sat down next to him.

“Do you know that I’ve been afraid of heights since I was a child?”

Su Xiaoxiao did not expect Li’l Bei’s first sentence to be that. When she looked down, though she was not afraid of heights, she felt a little nervous. Li’l Bei feared heights, yet he was sitting here. Su Xiaoxiao felt a little incredulous.

“You don’t need to look. If I were afraid of heights now, I would’ve been kicked out of the army long ago and wouldn’t be a qualified soldier.” Li’l Bei laughed and said, “I feared heights because I lacked a sense of security. When I was just born, my father died in a car accident. Since then, I have been with my mother every day.”

Li’l Bei laughed and his laugh sounded brilliant. However, people hearing it couldn’t help but shed tears.

“At that time, the neighbors all around said behind my back that I was bad luck and I brought death to my father. When I was young, I naturally didn’t know anything, but when I was four or five years old, I could understand everything.”

Su Xiaoxiao hugged her legs, frowned tightly and sighed sympathetically. “Never thought you’d be more pitiful than I am.”

Li’l Bei smiled optimistically. “It was nothing. I’m not alone in our army. There are many more pitiful people. We can’t stop what other people say behind our backs. My mother was afraid that I would be hurt by the gossip. On top of that, I was raised in a single-parent family. She was afraid that I would feel inferior and lonely. So, when I was a child, she told me to laugh and always look forward, no matter what happened. My mother told me not to blame them because they did not know anything. More so, they didn’t know my father’s love for me, that’s why they talked nonsense. Do not blame them…”

Su Xiaoxiao was somewhat surprised and couldn’t help sighing emotionally. “Your mother is great.”

“That’s what I think.” Li’l Bei smiled and sighed. “I really didn’t blame them, because I knew they didn’t understand my father’s love for me, let alone my love for my father. But when I was seven years old, two big men rushed into my house and forced my mother to hand over money. At that time, I was so afraid… I knew the two men who pointed the knives at my mother. They lived in our neighborhood. My mom would rather die than take out the compensation for my father’s death, and then they stabbed my mother over and over again… I just hid under the bed and cried helplessly…”

“Later, I learned that the two men had gone gambling together and had been tricked of a great some of money. They knew we got compensation from my father’s death. They heard that my mother had not spent the money, and my mother saved money for my future education. They thought we were easy to bully. Without a man in my family, we were easy to rob. But they didn’t realize that my mother would rather die than give them the money. They searched all over the house and couldn’t find the money.”

“At that time, I hid under the bed shaking and covering my mouth with my hands to stop myself from crying. When they left, I crawled out from under the bed. My mother was still breathing. She couldn’t close her eyes until she saw me, her gutless son…”

Li’l Bei hugged his legs and buried his face on them. His body was shaking non-stop. He did not want to be seen crying at all, so he buried his face tightly, even though his trousers were wet with tears.

Su Xiaoxiao turned her head, looked at Li’l Bei in surprise, and suddenly felt distressed. This big boy who always looked energetic hid such a sad story.

Su Xiaoxiao did not know how to comfort Li’l Bei. It would be hard for anyone not to feel the terrible pain and guilt if they saw their own mother stabbed to death before them and they could do nothing about it.

Li’l Bei was quiet for a while. Then he finally raised his head. His face was still full of sunny smiles, just like warm sunshine, which warmed people’s hearts but made Su Xiaoxiao feel sad. “My mother took my hand before she died, and said, ‘Son, they are all miserable people. Doing wrong things, they naturally will be punished by the law and they have to pay the price. Don’t hate them…'”

What a great mother who educated such a man to always bring warmth to others.

Su Xiaoxiao sighed deeply and said, “Li’l Bei, I believe that even though your mother passed away, she must have gone to heaven.”

“Yes, I believe so too,” Li’l Bei said happily, “I believe my mother and my father must have been reunited in heaven. They must be having a good time in heaven, although I have no family from then on.”

“Later, an old man took me in, and taught me skills and principles of life. But, the old man died, I did not learn much, but I joined the army successfully because of my ability. Finally, I was lucky to join the same troop as Brother Bing.”

“After joining our troop, Brother Bing and Sister Peiya treated me well. At that time, I regarded Brother Bing as my real brother and Sister Peiya as my sister-in-law…” Li’l Bei smiled happily. “Although those days were hard, I was very happy. I was a new recruit. When other people bullied me, Sister Peiya would kick their butts. So I followed Brother Bing and Sister Peiya every day. Sister Peiya was very happy when I called her sister-in-law, although they never admitted their relationship.”

Su Xiaoxiao felt a lump in her throat and said with a forced smile, “My sister is really good person.”

“Yes, she could get along well with everyone in the troop. Brother Bing said that Sister Peiya was like a fire, enthusiastic and bold. After Brother Bing and Sister Peiya left, I felt depressed for a long time. Especially when Brother Bing was subjected to a purgatory-like extreme punishment. That incident has always made me feel uncomfortable. If it hadn’t been for Brother Bing’s dissuasion, I would have left with him.”

“But at that time, I still hoped that after Brother Bing and Sister Peiya left the army, they would be able to live freely and happily. But I didn’t expect that…” Li’l Bei’s fists clicked loudly. Even though he was laughing, his eyes and the fury in them could not be hidden, “I didn’t think the heavens will still take one of the only two family I had. Sister Peiya died unexpectedly. Xiaoxiao, you and Brother Bing are not the only ones who want revenge. I want it too and I will have it.”

“I know it’s very difficult to deal with things involving the Dragon Gate. Plus there’s the sudden appearance of Mr. Buddha to muddy the water. Someone who gets involved in this is likely to die. But this revenge has to be exacted.”

“My mother said that I should face the whole world with a smile and treat others with a tolerant heart, but my mother also said that bad people should be severely punished by the law. Since there is no law to punish those people, I shall personally punish them!”

Li’l Bei’s eyes were bright. “Even if I will lose my life one day, I must also confidently tell Sister Peiya in heaven that her younger brother didn’t let her down and has never forgotten her grudge.”

“I am willing to lose my life to take revenge.”

Looking at Li’l Bei, listening to his words and looking at his shining eyes, Su Xiaoxiao was moved but felt more uneasy, especially after what he said. I’m willing to lose my life… These ominous words made Su Xiaoxiao’s heart tremble.

At last, she controlled her uneasiness, looked at Li’l Bei earnestly and said, “Li’l Bei, promise me.”

“Promise you what?” Li’l Bei also cared about Peiya’s sister. Mrs. Su couldn’t live long. Su Xiaoxiao would be the only family Sister Peiya has in this world.

Su Xiaoxiao looked at Li’l Bei and said earnestly, “Promise me you will live well. Don’t treat your life so lightly and lose it so easily. My sister is dead. You guys mustn’t lose your lives for this.”

“I understand.” Li’l Bei smiled and said, “There are not many people in this world who can kill me… I promise you. I will live well.”

Su Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the night sky quietly. Only then did she realize that not only she and her mother were concerned about her sister. There were many who cared about her sister too. In that short life of hers, her sister met so many who cared about her and she even met the man she loved.

Perhaps that’s well worth it for her!