When the tiger is away from the mountain, the monkey reigns supreme. With Elder Sister gone, Little Shu and I were ecstatic. For one thing, we wouldn't have to explain the blood-stained clothes to her; for another, we were about to set off for our next destination, and seeing her again would likely just lead to more weeping and trying to keep me from leaving.

So, we quickened our pace, taking turns taking hot showers, and then pulling out clean clothes to change into. Little Shu and I weren't far apart in height or build, so I found an outfit of my own clothes and trousers for him. He didn't turn up his nose at them, just took them and put them on immediately, just like that time we ate noodles back home.

Before I met Li Xiaoshu, my impression of him was built from that pile of gleaming medals and his outstanding performance. I always felt this person was shrouded in the aura of success, unattainable and arrogantly commanding. After traveling together this far, I realized my first impression was inaccurate. Li Xiaoshu is exceptional, whether in terms of physical conditioning or mental fortitude—truly one in a million. Yet, he hasn't become haughty because of his many honors; instead, he possesses an approachable nature. This quality is especially rare and precious among people our age.

“Have you ever been to Li Xiaohao’s villa?” After changing, I asked Little Shu casually while mentally planning our next route.

“No, this is the first time!” Little Shu replied as if nothing were unusual.

Heavens! The first time! My heart sank, and I lost my bearings. I had originally assumed he would know Li Xiaohao’s villa like the back of his hand, only to receive such an answer. It seemed I couldn't rely on him to scout ahead or anything; I would have to rely on my memory from the last time I went with Hou Dayong to feel our way forward. This made the question of whether we could slip past Uncle Ou the most problematic issue.

“Well…” I faltered, stammering as I spoke to him, “Your villa has Jinlan’s mother guarding it, and Li Xiaohao’s villa has an Uncle Ou standing watch. How are we supposed to sneak past that old man unnoticed?”

“Haha! So that’s what you’re worried about.” Little Shu burst out laughing. “Can you even tell the difference between me and Li Xiaohao? Think back to when we were at Jingyin Mountain. You put the Gu-dispelling medicine in my hand—did you think you were done for then? Did you think your sister's last hope had fallen into the hands of the enemy?”

I had to admit that what he said was true. I silently admired Little Shu’s powers of observation again. Although I was very compliant with Bai Huajian at the time, when she told me to hand the Gu-dispelling medicine to Little Shu, I truly believed he was Li Xiaohao. I genuinely felt despair, and when I saw Old He and Elder Sister in the secret room, I was devastated by the apparent loss of the medicine. Thinking back now, I wasn't the only one who mistook him for Li Xiaohao back then; the fat woman Bai Huajian, who claimed to be Li Xiaohao’s lackey, was fooled too. If even Bai Huajian couldn't distinguish between the two, then perhaps Uncle Ou couldn't easily recognize them either. However, this solution hinges on the assumption that the two don't appear in the same location too close together. If the time gap is short, unless they are wearing identical clothing, like they were at Jingyin Mountain, they would still be easily identified.

Thinking of this, a question suddenly struck me. Why were he and Li Xiaohao wearing the exact same clothes that day? How could such a coincidence occur?

So, I asked, “Why were you and Li Xiaohao wearing the same clothes that day? Did you somehow know in advance that he would wear that specific outfit?”