"Big brother, are you a hero?"
On a remote suburban road outside Beijing, walking hand in hand along a country path with barely any lights, the little boy looked up at the young man beside him. In response to his curious question, the young man gave a quiet laugh.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because ordinary people can't jump that high."
Another child might already have been terrified and crying helplessly, but this was a bold, attentive, clever child.
There was something innocent yet certain in his voice, something that vaguely reminded the young man of someone else. Looking at him, the young man smiled and answered mysteriously.
"Not yet."
"But, big brother, you're obviously already so amazing. You could even get up to a place like that."
A lively but sensible little boy, fond of asking questions but polite about it—rarely the kind of child people found annoying.
"Being amazing alone doesn't make someone a hero."
As they walked down the path, hearing him say that, the young man could not help patting his head and replying with a soft smile.
Then he patted the boy's back and pointed toward the brightly lit city district ahead.
"All right, see that police officer up ahead? Go over there. He'll take you home."
"And remember, don't just go off with strangers so easily."
"You came all this way to save me, big brother, so you definitely aren't a bad person."
With a police officer ahead whom he could ask for help, the little boy argued confidently, then tugged at the young man's sleeve.
Remembering the cool sight of him scaling walls and leaping across rooftops just now, his eyes glimmered slightly as he asked.
"What do I need to do to become as amazing as you, big brother?"
"Well..."
Crouching down, the