Chapter 784 — Sister Xiaoke — But Qiu Lingshan Just Could Not Figure It Out: What Was So Good About This Yu Xiaoke? A Female Flying Thief, and Wei Zhao Still Watched Over Her So?

The instant Yu Xiaoke's stretcher was about to be lifted into the ambulance, Yu Xiaoke suddenly sprang down from it, waved at Qiu Lingshan, and said, "Sister Lingshan, bye-bye, I'm off!"

The ambulance was parked outside the police cordon, so hardly any officers were left guarding it; and those who were there had come to assist the medics. It had never once occurred to them that these badly wounded prisoners might get up and run!

"Yu Xiaoke! Stop right where you are!" Qiu Lingshan was so furious her nose nearly twisted off its axis. This Yu Xiaoke was far too cunning — she had feigned unconsciousness earlier, and only once Qiu Lingshan had let down her guard did she bolt from the stretcher!

And by now it was plainly too late to catch her. Yu Xiaoke was wounded, true, but her lightness skill was no idle boast! Qiu Lingshan rather regretted that her palm strike had been too light, that she had not wounded Yu Xiaoke badly enough — and so given her the opening to slip away!

In truth, Qiu Lingshan had misread the situation. Yu Xiaoke's injuries were in fact severe; a palm from a Yellow Rank expert, even one not struck with full force, was not something an ordinary person could withstand. The reason Yu Xiaoke could still rise and flee despite her grave wounds was a conviction lodged in her heart: she must not be caught by Qiu Lingshan. If she were caught, going to prison herself would not matter — but what would become of the children at the orphanage?

So even if it killed her, Yu Xiaoke would grit her teeth and flee back. She bore on her shoulders the food, clothing, shelter and every need of all the children in the orphanage; her responsibility and her burden were too great to permit the slightest misstep!

"Sister Lingshan, till we meet again!" Yu Xiaoke's expression was pained, but her voice was cheerful. She had, once again, successfully escaped Qiu Lingshan's pursuit.

"Yu Xiaoke, you just remember this! Next time, see if I don't beat you to death on the spot!" Qiu Lingshan was beside herself with rage, glaring at Yu Xiaoke and speaking through her teeth.

But Yu Xiaoke did not argue with her. She knew her own condition well enough: her wounds were grave, and she was now running toward the orphanage purely on gritted teeth and a single conviction!

Wei Zhao's heart stirred faintly, and he said to Qiu Lingshan, "I'll follow and take a look."

"You can catch her?" Qiu Lingshan was delighted at his words, thinking Wei Zhao meant to help her capture Yu Xiaoke.

"I'm not going to catch her. Her condition isn't good. I'm afraid you've beaten her to death." With that, Wei Zhao set off after her.

Qiu Lingshan stamped her foot in fury. It seemed plain that Wei Zhao could catch Yu Xiaoke, yet he would not; instead he wanted to go and see how badly she was hurt!

But Wei Zhao's affairs were not hers to meddle in. Angry as she was, Qiu Lingshan did not dare raise a single word of objection to him.

Wei Zhao followed Yu Xiaoke in secret, and saw her running toward the shantytown. He had to admit that Yu Xiaoke's speed was truly remarkable; had he not already advanced to the Mystic Rank, and had he not excelled in speed, Wei Zhao could hardly say whether he would have been able to keep pace with her.

Yu Xiaoke's figure was swift; in the blink of an eye she had crossed the shantytown and come before a dilapidated courtyard. She pushed the door open and went in. Perhaps the earlier flight had burned up the last shred of strength in her body, for the moment she passed through the gate she collapsed to the ground and could not rise again!

Wei Zhao silently admired Yu Xiaoke's endurance. Over such a distance, to have run all the way here on her very last breath was truly admirable.

It was a very old, very rundown courtyard. At its gate hung a wooden sign, white background with black characters, but the years had weathered it beyond all recognition; only a few characters remained faintly visible, and one had to look closely to make them out: "Shantytown Private Orphanage," eight characters in all.

So it really was an orphanage? Seeing this sign, much of Wei Zhao's suspicion toward Yu Xiaoke dissolved; now he could be almost one hundred percent certain that everything Yu Xiaoke had said was true.

Only, the orphanage was so dilapidated that Wei Zhao felt a stir of emotion.

Wei Zhao quickly followed, came to Yu Xiaoke's side, bent down, and reached out to examine her injuries.

"Who are you? Let go of Sister Xiaoke!"

"You big villain! Get away from Sister Xiaoke!"

Suddenly a crowd of children ran out of the single red-brick house in the courtyard and surrounded Wei Zhao, refusing to let him near Yu Xiaoke.

"Sister Xiaoke, what's wrong? Boo-hoo... Sister Xiaoke, why are you coughing blood?" A little girl saw the fresh blood at the corner of Yu Xiaoke's mouth and burst into frightened tears.

The other boys who had come with her glared at Wei Zhao: "Who are you? Why did you hurt Sister Xiaoke?"

Wei Zhao had not expected his good intentions to be so misunderstood by these children, but he did not hold it against them. Children did not know better; seeing Yu Xiaoke lying there, they naturally took him for the villain who had hurt her.

Still, one thing Wei Zhao could see: the bond between these children and Yu Xiaoke was clearly deep. Which meant that what Yu Xiaoke had said before was all true — the money she stole was very likely for these children, for this orphanage!

"What are you all doing? Get back inside, every one of you!" An authoritative voice rang out. Wei Zhao looked up and saw an old woman of over fifty emerge from the red-brick house and hurry over to him. She looked at Yu Xiaoke on the ground, then at Wei Zhao, and a complicated expression crossed her face.

"Director, this man is a big villain — he's the one who hurt Sister Xiaoke!"

"Sister Xiaoke is coughing blood! Let's call the police and have him arrested!"

"Quiet, all of you! Get back inside!" The old woman they called the director berated the children sharply: "This is none of your business. Go back and read your books!"

"But Director, Sister Xiaoke is coughing blood... boo-hoo..." The youngest girl wept, unwilling to leave.

"What? Have I lost the authority to speak? All of you, get back inside!" As she scolded the little girl, the old woman pulled her away so she could not get near Wei Zhao, then said to one of the older boys: "Xiao Ken, take your brothers and sisters back inside!"

The boy called Xiao Ken looked at Yu Xiaoke on the ground, somewhat worried, but did not dare defy the director. He called the children together, and they returned to the red-brick house.

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