Free Web NovelChapter 527: Chapter 343: Never Forget Your Original Aspirations (Part 2)
The autumn wind brought bursts of coolness, with her beloved father by her side, the fragrance of osmanthus lingering in the air... She never forgot that scene her whole life.
As she ate, she looked at the mercenary uniform on her father and curiously asked, "Dad, Uncle and Aunt said you’re a mercenary. You’ve never told me, what do mercenaries do?"
Her father smiled and said, "Mercenaries, well, they’re just like nannies, helping others with work."
She tilted her head, pondering, "Mercenaries... soldiers... ancient books say soldiers are tools of violence, is it dangerous to be a mercenary?"
Her father nodded, not hiding the truth, "It is very dangerous, every day is like licking blood from the blade, there’s always a never-ending war."
After hearing this, she became anxious, tugged on her father’s sleeve, and said pitifully, "Dad, why do you want to be a mercenary? Can you stop doing it, please?"
Her father smiled gently, ruffling her small head, and said deeply, "I became a mercenary, not for myself, but for you."
"Actually, with my skills, I could be a security guard, a bodyguard, or open a martial arts school to make some money."
"That money would let you have an ordinary life, but it would just be ordinary."
"Ordinary sounds beautiful, but it’s actually painful, because ordinary people always go with the flow, unable to decide their own fate, or choose the path they wish to take."
"I don’t want that. I hope to earn enough money so you’re not bound by reality, and you can pursue the life you want."
She blinked innocently, too young to understand how deeply profound this fatherly love weighed like a mountain.
She smiled and said naively to her father, "Then, the life I want is to become a great hero like in the legends!"
Her father laughed heartily and gently encouraged, "Then tell Dad, what kind of person can be called a hero?"
She raised her small fists high, her young voice full of confidence, "A hero is, of course, someone who helps the weak and upholds justice!"
Her father patted her small head, and said with heartfelt laughter, "Ah Li, that’s quite good, but it’s still a bit superficial. You haven’t seen the two things behind being a hero—ability and responsibility."
She clapped her hands and said, "I know, I know, I’ve heard that saying—’With great power comes great responsibility!’"
Surprisingly, her father shook his head, "I don’t think that’s right."
"Unless you’re in some special position, everyone’s responsibilities by birth are equal. Additional responsibilities aren’t given by ability, but are self-imposed."
This was obviously too profound for a 5-year-old; she scratched her head in bewilderment, unable to grasp its meaning.
Her father didn’t urge her, just held her as they enjoyed the gentle breeze among the bamboo, letting her ponder slowly.
After what seemed a long time, she tentatively asked, "Dad, if someone has no ability and doesn’t want more responsibility, what kind of person are they?"
Her father answered, "A very ordinary person."
She asked, "What if someone has great ability but doesn’t want more responsibility, what kind of person are they?"
Her father replied, "A self-serving ordinary person."
She asked, "What if someone is willing to take on more responsibility but lacks the ability to match, what kind of person are they?"
Her father replied, "A noble ordinary person."
She thought for a long time and posed her last question, "What if someone has great ability and is willing to take on more responsibility, what kind of person are they?"
Her father’s face showed a knowing smile, giving her an answer she would remember for life.
"That would be a hero."
"A hero of great stature carries great responsibility and also needs great ability."
"Having ability but unwilling to take responsibility is just selfishness, a common human trait, nothing wrong with it, but in the end, they are but worldly people."
"Willing to take responsibility but lacking ability is just having aspirations without talent, despite their righteous heart, ultimately, they might achieve nothing."
"Only a person with extraordinary ability, willing to take on responsibilities not their own, standing tall on earth and looking up at the sky, can be called a hero!"
After hearing her father’s words, her mind surged, as if a flame never seen before burned brightly within her heart.
She clenched her small fists, full of ambition, and said, "From today, I must practice martial arts more diligently, make myself stronger so that I can bear more responsibility when I grow up and become a real hero!"
Her father lovingly stroked her face, his brows filled with tenderness, "I’m really glad you think that way. But, Ah Li, this path is a tough one."
"Life is like a circle; in the beginning, the circle is small, and the things you encounter are few, pure and simple."
"But as one grows, this circle becomes larger, and you encounter more, with temptations and obstacles increasing."
"Some people get stuck by those obstacles, losing their spirit after repeated failures, eventually stagnating."
"Others are lured by fame and fortune; they might start thinking—I’m chasing this for leverage, it’s forced by reality, and once I get through it, I’ll continue to pursue my dreams."
"But often in reality, people get lost, running in the name and fame circle, eventually forgetting their original intentions."
"Ah Li, many things in this world need fame and fortune to accomplish; I would never oppose you pursuing them, in fact, I encourage it, because wealth, status, and reputation are, like strength, the realistic foundations of chasing dreams."
