Chapter 6: Xiao Man Is Taken In by Captain Zhou

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Zhou Lin stopped her from continuing: “Xiao Man inhaled thick smoke; I need to take her to the hospital for a check-up.”

Xiao Man heard the big yellow dog whimper softly: “And Big Yellow’s mom—she was injured in the fire too. Uncle, can we take her along to get checked as well?”

Big Yellow let out a low whine: [Man Cub, my stomach hurts a bit. Are the pups going to be okay?]

Xiao Man immediately waved her hand: [The puppies will be fine. Big Yellow’s mom is a hero who braved the fire to save people; your pups will be strong too.]

Everyone watched Xiao Man talking to the dog—some were surprised, some confused, others afraid…

Zhou Lin’s sharp gaze swept over them; everyone quickly averted their eyes and looked elsewhere. He ordered, “Lin Nan, take Big Yellow to the veterinary station for a check-up. Gu Ye, stay at the welfare center and wait for the other team members to investigate the cause of the fire.”

“Yes, Captain Zhou!” Lin Nan and Gu Ye answered in unison.

Zhou Lin took Xiao Man to the First People’s Hospital of Changjing City, his mood complicated.

Xiao Man returned to the ward. The doctor examined her and fortunately, she had inhaled only a small amount of smoke. She was admitted for observation and treatment.

Dou Dou and the other children from the welfare center were examined and found uninjured, so they returned home.

Zhou Lin sat by the bedside, his expression more serious. “Xiao Man, you had already left the dormitory and were away from the fire zone. Why did you go back to the dormitory to find Dou Dou? That’s very dangerous behavior, do you understand?”

Xiao Man read his expression and softly said, “Uncle, don’t be angry. I want to be a good police officer. Police officers protect everyone at all times, and when facing danger, they always rush to the front lines no matter what.”

A philosopher once said, education is a tree pushing another tree, a cloud pushing another cloud, a soul calling out to another soul.

Zhou Lin hadn’t expected that his influence on her would be so profound.

He couldn’t say a word and just wanted to step outside for a smoke.

The little girl saw his bad expression and lowered her head, afraid to speak.

Zhou Lin reached out and stroked her head: “Xiao Man, I’m not angry with you. I’m angry at myself for not protecting you properly.”

Xiao Man immediately smiled: “Uncle, don’t be angry. In this world, besides my mom protecting me, you are the one who cares for me the most.”

Mentioning her mother, Zhou Lin took a small pendant out of his pocket. “Xiao Man, this is for you.”

Xiao Man looked and saw it was a keychain made from her mother’s ID photo. Whenever she missed her mother, she could take it out and look at it.

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She happily placed it over her heart, feeling as if her mother was there with her as she slept.

Zhou Lin watched the little girl fall into a deep sleep and dozed off sitting in the chair.

When his phone buzzed with a message from Gu Ye, Zhou Lin rubbed his face, carefully tucked in Xiao Man’s quilt, and tiptoed out of the room.

At six in the morning in Changjing City, the sky was still dark with faint stars twinkling.

The cold wind howled as the two stood under a large tree outside the hospital, each lighting a cigarette.

“Captain Zhou, we’ve confirmed the cause of the fire in the welfare center kitchen—it was an accident caused by aging electrical wiring. The director said Xiao Man came to him in the evening and told him. He had the electrician check it, but the electrician thought it was already quitting time and decided to check first thing in the morning. No one expected the accident would happen before then.”

Zhou Lin nodded and flicked the ash from his cigarette. “Xiao Man is really something!”

Gu Ye hesitated, but Zhou Lin gave him a fierce glare. What’s there to dawdle about for a grown man?

“Captain Zhou, the children at the welfare center saw Xiao Man talking to animals and said she’s...” Gu Ye couldn’t bring himself to say “crazy.” Such a good child faced worldly prejudice. “Also, when I checked the surveillance footage, I found that last night Xiao Man was thrown out by the older kids in the dorm and had to sleep in the hallway...”

“What?” Zhou Lin’s hand holding the cigarette trembled. The little girl endured all that without telling him a word and still saved everyone from the fire. “Looks like she can’t stay at the welfare center anymore.”

Gu Ye grew anxious: “Where will Xiao Man go? Even if someone adopts her, who knows if the family will be prejudiced against her strange behavior?”

Zhou Lin crushed the cigarette butt fiercely into the ashtray on the trash bin nearby. “I’ll take her in!”

Having said that, he turned and headed back to the ward.

Gu Ye’s eyes widened, then happily threw over the breakfast: “Captain Zhou, I also bought steamed buns for you and Xiao Man.”

He looked forward to seeing their usually cold and stern captain become a father figure!

Before entering the ward, Zhou Lin patted his clothes to prevent the smell of smoke from entering.

Xiao Man had just woken up. “Uncle, I smell the steamed buns. They smell so good!”

“Go brush your teeth and wash up, breakfast is ready!” Zhou Lin beckoned her.

Xiao Man was very self-sufficient and quickly finished her grooming, then ate steamed buns with Zhou Lin.

Early in the morning, the welfare center director arrived with staff and children, bringing snacks and fruit to visit her.

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Zhou Lin’s face was dark as thunder. He had just sent the little girl away, and such a big incident happened!

Qiang Qiang, the leader of the children, quickly apologized: “Xiao Man, we’re sorry! You saved everyone at the welfare center—you’re our little lucky star. We were wrong to say those things. Please forgive us!”

Xiao Man saw how scared they were of Zhou Lin and how they trembled with lowered heads. She waved her small hand: “I’m not angry anymore, but you can’t bully or scare the animals anymore!”

Qiang Qiang and the others hurriedly nodded. “Xiao Man, we’ll all protect the animals now. When you get out of the hospital, come back to the welfare center and play with us!”

“Okay!” Xiao Man nodded, meeting Huan Huan’s gaze.

Huan Huan burst into tears as soon as she entered, frightened by Zhou Lin’s cold, stern eyes. Sobbing, she said, “Xiao Man, I’m sorry for kicking you out of the dorm last night... Grandpa Zeng even took away my Three Good Student award...”

Xiao Man was magnanimous: “Huan Huan, as long as you don’t bully the new kids in the future, you can still win the Three Good Student award again.”

Zhou Lin saw how easily she forgave others and felt a pang of sympathy for her hardships.

Xiao Man tugged his sleeve: “Uncle, because I slept outside last night, I was the first to notice the fire! Isn’t that a blessing in disguise?”

Her broad perspective and magnanimity made everyone at the welfare center hang their heads in shame.

The atmosphere grew a little awkward. Xiao Man shared the snacks and fruit with the children, who gradually relaxed and happily ate.

When they were finished eating, Zhou Lin cleared his throat, and the room fell silent.

The cold-faced captain gave a blunt order: “Xiao Man needs to rest. Once you’ve finished your visit, please leave!”

The children hurried away, with Grandpa Zeng walking last, affectionately patting Xiao Man’s head: “Xiao Man, get well soon. Grandpa will be waiting for you!”

He believed Xiao Man was a promising child and wanted to raise her personally and help her succeed.

Xiao Man looked up and smiled: “Okay, Grandpa. Bye-bye! Bye-bye, everyone!”

Xiao Man stayed in the hospital for two days. The doctors found all her indicators normal and prepared to discharge her.

When Zhou Lin was handling her discharge papers, he asked, “Xiao Man, have you thought about what kind of family you’d like to be adopted by?”