Bai Lin said anxiously, "We really searched everywhere. Look, our Qinghe Village is only so big, and everyone in the village searched together multiple tis."
Ling Zhenfei was also surprised in his heart. Since Ling Xiu couldn't be found in the village, where could she have gone?
At that mont, Bai Lin spoke softly, "Master, at this point we can't help but think more. We should expand the search area. Now Xue Bing has taken people to the lakeside, and Zhang Duo has taken people up the mountain. Could Ling Xiu have left the village?"
"The mountain?" Ling Zhenfei truly feared to think that Ling Xiu dared to go up the mountain alone. He vaguely rembered that during their childhood, Ling Xiu was most afraid of going up the mountain. No matter where they went, Ling Zhenfei was always with her.
Thinking of this, Ling Zhenfei couldn't help but recall his own childhood with He Lingxiu. At that ti, they were the closest friends. Ling Zhenfei's family was poor, while Ling Xiu's was relatively well-off. The two often played together.
They would pick wild mushrooms together in the mountains and catch water buffaloes in the mountains after the rain. After school, they would go to the fields to cut pigweed, their laughter spreading throughout the entire Qinghe Village.
Ling Zhenfei rembered vividly an occasion when the two of them went to dig mushrooms in the mountains but had walked too deep and ended up getting lost. They wandered around until they reached the edge of a cliff.
The cliff was very steep, but the Qinghe Village could be seen from the other side of it. No matter what, they couldn't find a way down. As the sky gradually darkened, both of them were tired and hungry.
The two sat at the edge of the cliff, with Ling Xiu lying on the ground and resting her head on Ling Zhenfei's legs, saying, "Brother Afei, I think we can't get back anymore. We are going to die here."
Ling Zhenfei comforted her, saying, "Ling Xiu, don't be afraid. With here, we won't die."
He Lingxiu nodded trustfully and responded, "Mmm, I'm not scared. With Brother Afei here, I'm not afraid of anything."
"..."
Recalling the past made Ling Zhenfei's heart ache. He looked toward Bai Ling and the others and said, "Go check by the river, and make sure to search carefully."
"Yes, Master, we'll go right now," Bai Lin said and led those with him toward the riverbank.
Ling Zhenfei pondered briefly and then promptly headed up the mountain. He used his Northern Spiritual Energy and ascended the mountain in the quickest ti possible.
The place Ling Zhenfei visited was Nanshan, a place he visited noticeably fewer tis compared to Xi Shan. Although Nanshan was now part of Xishan Manor, Ling Zhenfei frequented Xi Shan more often.
It was only upon arriving at Nanshan did he realize how much it had changed after such a long ti, but relying on his mory, he ran toward the mountain.
The destination Ling Zhenfei aid for was the cliff where he and He Lingxiu had been trapped as children. Back then, the cliff was easy to get lost around. But now things were different. He had grown up and, filled with Northern Spiritual Energy, he definitely wouldn't get lost.
For so reason, Ling Zhenfei felt compelled to go up to that cliff to check. Although he thought it unlikely that Ling Xiu would venture to such a dangerous place, he still felt drawn to this spot.
Ling Zhenfei reached the place and stepped out of the forest to stun. Far ahead, he saw a figure standing right at the edge of the cliff, at the most dangerous spot.
This person was clearly a girl, wearing a light green dress that fluttered like a fairy when the mountain winds blew.
Although he was quite far away, just seeing the dress was enough for Ling Zhenfei to recognize that the girl was He Lingxiu.
Because he recognized the dress. It was the one he had bought for He Lingxiu with his first month's salary from work, a dress He Lingxiu usually hesitated to wear, yet now she was wearing it.
Seeing her standing in such a precarious place, it was clear to him what He Lingxiu intended to do.
"Ling Xiu, what are you doing?" Ling Zhenfei shouted to He Lingxiu.
He Lingxiu hurriedly turned her head upon hearing Ling Zhenfei's voice, her expression both surprised and sad, but still slightly happy.
"Brother Afei, you're here. You still rember this place." Ling Xiu's voice was faint, very calm.
"I, of course, rember this place; I'll never forget it in my lifeti. Don't say anything; just co here quickly."
Ling Zhenfei was walking towards He Lingxiu as he spoke.
"Brother Afei, don't co any closer, if you step forward again, I'll jump down." He Lingxiu suddenly shouted at Ling Zhenfei, excitedly.
Ling Zhenfei, seeing He Lingxiu so agitated, quickly stopped in his tracks, "Okay, I won't co any closer, co back, don't scare ."
He Lingxiu suddenly laughed and said, "Brother Afei, I am leaving, I won't be able to accompany you anymore."
Ling Zhenfei hurriedly interrupted He Lingxiu, "Ling Xiu, stop talking nonsense. Whatever you want to say, just tell . Like it was before, just the two of us."
He Lingxiu shook her head, "It won't be the sa; there will never be a 'us' again. I am still that He Lingxiu, but you are no longer my Brother Afei."
Ling Zhenfei, pretending to be angry, said, "Ling Xiu, what are you talking about? I am your Brother Afei, who else besides could rember this place? Have you forgotten what you once said here?"
At that, tears suddenly stread down He Lingxiu's face, "I rember, of course, I rember. But what about you, do you still rember that you said you would marry , right here, right where I am standing now?"
Ling Zhenfei was taken aback, they had indeed said that, but back then they were just kids, and even most of those words were forgotten in his rush; only a vague impression remained in his heart.
Ling Zhenfei said, "Ling Xiu, co here first, there's nothing we cannot resolve between us."
Ling Xiu laughed, "Then let ask you now, how are you going to resolve this? Your sister-in-law already told ; I know this was your intention."
Ling Zhenfei shook his head hurriedly, "Ling Xiu, it's really not what you think, can't we sit down and let explain properly?"
"Forget it, there's nothing to explain. You don't have to explain anything to . Just rember, there is a girl nad Ling Xiu in the world who will always love you."
After saying this, Ling Xiu once again showed a smile on her face, then she opened her arms wide, her body slowly leaned back, and then she fell down the cliff.
As He Lingxiu opened her arms, Ling Zhenfei knew what she was intending to do, so he imdiately ran towards her direction as fast as he could.
But by the ti he reached the edge of the cliff, He Lingxiu's body had already gone over, and Ling Zhenfei could see her green dress and her content expression.
Ling Zhenfei was shocked, never having imagined that He Lingxiu would commit suicide, right at the place where they had made a lifelong promise as children.
For so reason, in that instant, many thoughts rushed through Ling Zhenfei's mind, recalling their childhood, the words they had spoken at this place.
He even thought of the song they sang while picking mushrooms as kids, and incredibly, he rembered Zhuo Yue, who had died before his eyes in the sa manner.
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