Chapter 785 — If You Don't Save Her Now, She'll Die

Only after the children had all gone did the old woman turn her eyes to Wei Zhao: "Xiaoke stole your money, didn't she? But your hand was far too cruel... you even chased her all the way here... She stole your money, and I can repay you for it. I hope you will let Xiaoke go... She is a good child, and I believe you have seen that for yourself. She steals money purely for this orphanage. If this old woman were not so useless, I would never have let the child go out..."

The old woman did not want the children of the orphanage to know that the Sister Xiaoke they revered went out every day to earn money for them and was in truth going out to steal. This matter was known to the old woman alone; no one else was aware of it.

This was also why the old woman had sent all the children indoors. Such things were best kept from the children if at all possible; it was better that they not learn of them too early, for that would not be good for their growing up.

Hearing the old woman's words, Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback, then understood that she had misunderstood: she took him for the person who had lost something, took Yu Xiaoke's injuries to be his doing, and took his following her here to be plainly for that same reason.

As for Yu Xiaoke's skill, the old woman knew it well. Though it was not outstanding, anyone who could wound her was no common hand. Since Wei Zhao could wound Yu Xiaoke, he clearly had skill of his own. The old woman could not see through Wei Zhao's strength, and so she was very cautious.

So the old woman put in a few words on Yu Xiaoke's behalf, hoping Wei Zhao would understand.

"You've misunderstood. She didn't steal my money." Wei Zhao shook his head.

"She didn't steal?" The old woman was startled, and looked at Wei Zhao in some astonishment. "She didn't steal, so why did you strike so ruthlessly?"

The old woman's tone grew grave, and a wary look came over her face; in an instant her whole aura rose.

"A Yellow Rank expert?" Wei Zhao was slightly startled, then shook his head. "Your strength is not Yellow Rank... but your aura is. How strange..."

The old woman raised her aura, and Wei Zhao instantly perceived her strength: early Yellow Rank! Yet aura was aura; a moment later Wei Zhao sensed something amiss. Though the aura was Yellow Rank, the true qi in the old woman's body was not thick. To have even half a Yellow Rank's strength at this moment was already quite good; it was as though half her true qi had been sealed away by something.

"You... you know of the Yellow Rank?" The old woman's expression changed abruptly, and she stared fixedly at Wei Zhao. She had not expected him to see through her strength at a glance. Was Wei Zhao an expert as well?

"I didn't wound Xiaoke. Her injuries were dealt by Qiu Lingshan." Wei Zhao did not answer the old woman's question about the Yellow Rank, but explained Yu Xiaoke's wounds instead.

"Qiu Lingshan? Qiu Lingshan of the city bureau's criminal investigation team?" The old woman had evidently heard the name Qiu Lingshan before.

"Yes. Step aside a moment. Xiaoke's injuries are severe; if she isn't treated now, she may die." Wei Zhao paid the old woman no further heed and crouched down on his own, taking Yu Xiaoke's hand.

The mood had been taut as a drawn bow, and the old woman had already resolved to fight Wei Zhao head-on, but Wei Zhao seemed to have no intention of fighting her at all. He crouched down, exposing every weak point of his body to her, and for a moment the old woman did not know what to do.

To strike or not to strike? The old woman felt that from this angle, attacking Wei Zhao would give her an absolute advantage; at the very least she could seize the initiative and gain the upper hand. But Wei Zhao had said that he had not wounded Yu Xiaoke, and that he had come to save her.

Though the old woman did not quite believe Wei Zhao's words, seeing him grip Yu Xiaoke's hand without any apparent intent to harm her, her anxious heart eased a little. Still she watched him warily, afraid he might hurt Yu Xiaoke.

Wei Zhao examined Yu Xiaoke's injuries. Qiu Lingshan's palm strike had originally only displaced Yu Xiaoke's internal organs, and a period of rest would have restored her. But Yu Xiaoke had run back to the orphanage on her last breath, at the cost of her life, and this had worsened her injuries greatly; internal damage had already set in. If she were not treated soon, then even if she recovered she would be left with aftereffects.

"Find me a quiet room, and let no one disturb me." Wei Zhao lifted Yu Xiaoke in his arms and instructed the old woman.

"You... you really mean to save Xiaoke?" The old woman naturally did not quite trust Wei Zhao. After all, they had met only once, and she did not know what relation he bore to Yu Xiaoke, so she hesitated.

"If you can heal her, you may do it yourself," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"I..." How could the old woman heal anyone? Had Wei Zhao not been there, her first reaction would have been to send Yu Xiaoke to the hospital.

Perhaps it was Wei Zhao's lifting her that jarred Yu Xiaoke's injuries. Just as the old woman was wavering over whether to trust Wei Zhao, Yu Xiaoke woke. With difficulty she opened her eyes, saw that she was in Wei Zhao's arms, and after a slight start said, "You're a real friend after all. Are you taking me to the hospital? Did Qiu Lingshan follow us?"

"Xiaoke, how are you?" The old woman had not expected Yu Xiaoke to wake so suddenly, and in her joyful surprise she asked at once.

"Master..." Yu Xiaoke saw the old woman too, and smiled with difficulty. "I'm all right, I suppose. Qiu Lingshan hit me..."

Having said this, Yu Xiaoke fainted again. She felt certain Wei Zhao would not stand by and watch her die, and with the old director at her side as well, she had no need to keep forcing herself to hold on.

Hearing Yu Xiaoke's words and seeing that she bore Wei Zhao not the slightest hostility, the old woman finally set her mind at ease. She quickly led Wei Zhao to an empty room. "This is Xiaoke's room, separate from the children's. No one should disturb you here... But can you really save Xiaoke?"

Wei Zhao frowned. Since the old woman was Yu Xiaoke's master and was indeed concerned for her, he did not show much impatience.

"I can save her. Go out," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"This..." The old woman was somewhat at a loss. In the end she was still not one hundred percent at ease about Wei Zhao, and did not dare leave casually, fearing he might do something to harm Yu Xiaoke. After all, Yu Xiaoke was very beautiful; if Wei Zhao had wicked designs, what if he took advantage of her inability to move and did as he pleased?

Had Wei Zhao known the old woman's thoughts, he could only have smiled bitterly.

"If you wish to watch, then watch." Seeing that the old woman would not leave, Wei Zhao did not drive her out either. Since she was a quasi-Yellow Rank expert, she ought to be able to see how he treated Yu Xiaoke.

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