Chapter 1956 — A Difference in Attitude

"Master, your identity..." Yu Xiaoke was startled. She knew a fair amount about her master's past. If he went out and showed his face, and someone with ill intentions caught sight of him, his life would very likely be in danger.

"It has been so many years — that business should have died down by now. Besides, the commissions I take are all jobs from the Thief Sect. There shouldn't be any problem," the old director said.

"Master, why don't I go instead..." Yu Xiaoke hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"No! Last time you nearly lost your life — if the Male Thief had not been there to shield you, you would never have made it back!" The old director rejected Yu Xiaoke's proposal outright. "You may be skilled in the arts of hidden mechanisms and secret passages, but your experience is still far too thin. Against those cunning people in our trade, how could you possibly be their match?"

Hearing the old director's words, Yu Xiaoke could not help falling silent. Indeed, during that tomb raid, if the Male Thief had not protected her the whole way, she would long ago have become cannon fodder shoved out by Old Black and his lot — she would have died without ever knowing how.

"Ah, if only the Male Thief could come with me..." Yu Xiaoke sighed.

Wei Zhao stood quietly outside the old director's room, listening to the conversation between Yu Xiaoke and the old director. He had not expected the orphanage to still be struggling so! He had assumed that with the sum of money he had given them last time, plus Lai the Fatso's help with construction at no charge, the orphanage's days should have been comfortable. How was he to know that more than two hundred orphans had suddenly been added? It was enough to be the death of Yu Xiaoke!

Given Yu Xiaoke's character, even if she herself went without food or drink, she would never let these children go short.

So although Yu Xiaoke was a little reckless and desperately greedy for money, Wei Zhao's impression of her was very good. Otherwise, the moment he had gotten his hands on this small case of US dollars, he could not have thought first of all of bringing it to Yu Xiaoke.

Wei Zhao did not disturb them. He waited quietly outside the room for Yu Xiaoke. He did not want the old director to know he had been here; the sole purpose of his visit was to see Yu Xiaoke, hand over the things, and be on his way.

Wei Zhao did not want the identity of the Male Thief to be known by too many people. This old director was a half-Yellow-Rank expert, and Wei Zhao always felt there was some secret about her. Moreover, Yu Xiaoke had said that she seemed to have a feud with someone. So Wei Zhao did not want to have too much dealings with her.

Having finished speaking with the old director, Yu Xiaoke came out of the room. But she had not gone two steps before she heard a voice behind her.

"Heroine Yan, a word with you in private." Wei Zhao appeared abruptly behind Yu Xiaoke.

"Ah..." Yu Xiaoke was startled, but when she heard that somewhat familiar voice and that distinctive form of address, a flicker of excitement immediately shone in her eyes. "Male Thief!"

She turned around, and there indeed was that familiar mask. Yu Xiaoke's heart gave a leap for no reason at all, and her cute little face flushed in spite of herself.

This was the man she thought of day and night, the one who so often appeared in her dreams — and now, unexpectedly, he had appeared before her once again.

At every parting, had he not said they would not meet again? Yet before long they met again, which made Yu Xiaoke very happy.

"Heh... it's me. But won't you invite me into your room to sit for a while? It's not really appropriate for others to see me like this, is it?" Wei Zhao pointed at his mask and gave a bitter smile.

Although Yu Xiaoke could not see Wei Zhao's bitter smile, she could hear the awkwardness in his voice. Yet she said rather playfully, "Then just take the mask off!"

"Take it off... and I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Sometimes anticipation is far better than the reality," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"If you don't want to take it off, then don't. Even if you're an ugly monster, I'll still like you!" Yu Xiaoke was telling the truth. What she liked was the Male Thief as a person. Though from first to last she had never known what the Male Thief looked like — he always appeared before her wearing this same stiff mask — Yu Xiaoke simply liked him.

"Heh heh, then just take me for an ugly monster," Wei Zhao said with a laugh.

Though Yu Xiaoke said so, she still quickened her pace and led Wei Zhao to her room.

Once inside, Yu Xiaoke cheerfully brewed Wei Zhao a cup of tea, then sat down beside him. "What brings you to see me today?"

"I saw you were having a hard time. This is for you." Wei Zhao handed the small leather case in his hand straight to Yu Xiaoke.

"What is this?" Yu Xiaoke was taken aback. She took the case and opened it — but the instant it opened, her eyes filled with a ravenous green gleam. "US dollars! So much! For me?"

"Mm." Wei Zhao nodded.

"Wow, Male Thief, you're so good to me!" Yu Xiaoke threw her arms around Wei Zhao and, in her excitement, planted a kiss on his mask. "I love you to death!"

Wei Zhao was somewhat speechless. This Yu Xiaoke treated the Male Thief and Wei Zhao as two entirely different people! Last time, when he had delivered money to her as Wei Zhao, not only had she shown no joy, she had looked as though she feared he was plotting something against her. Swap in the Male Thief, and she was throwing herself at him...

"This money comes from no honest source — it was taken from drug dealers. You should have a way to exchange it, I take it?" Wei Zhao offered a reminder.

"No problem at all. We of the Thief Sect handle a bit of black money like this without the slightest difficulty," Yu Xiaoke said carelessly. "One and a half million US dollars? Haha, wonderful — that's enough to eat on for ages!"

"Use it for now. If I come by money like this again in the future, I'll bring you more." Wei Zhao decided that if similar occasions arose later, he would not mind pocketing a little extra along the way. "I'll be going now."

"Ah! You're leaving already..." Yu Xiaoke was immediately rather disappointed. But then she thought of how the Male Thief had come especially to bring her money, and her heart went sweet and soft. He does care about me — otherwise, why would he think of me the moment he robbed the drug dealers?

"Mm... oh, that's right. Does your Thief Sect have a dedicated channel for information? I'm looking for some rare items — do you have a way to help?" Wei Zhao was about to leave when something suddenly occurred to him.

"Of course we do. Whatever you're looking for, I can keep an eye out for it." Yu Xiaoke was overjoyed. Her one fear was that the Male Thief would have no reason to come looking for her. As long as the two of them had established a connection, seeing the Male Thief again in the future would be an easy matter, wouldn't it?

"Color steel — a kind of steel that comes in all sorts of colors," Wei Zhao said. "And blue crystal, and pure yellow jade. Those three things."

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