Chapter 161: You Knew It All Along

Chapter 161: You Knew It All Along

Before going to bed, Bai Mu made a point to inform everyone that they would be leaving the base again the next day.

At 8:30 in the morning, everyone in the villa was up and ready in the living room on the first floor.

Bai Mu glanced around at the group standing together and waved his hand, "Xiao Zui and Xiao Hua are to stay behind. The rest of you, go back to your rooms and wait for orders."

Zhao Ye, mid-yawn, abruptly stopped, his face blossoming into a wide grin as he dragged Han Xiu Jie and Tang Yi upstairs.

Su Mo glanced at the three who were about to discuss the mission, not wanting to stay around and feel insulted by their intelligence, and hurried off.

In no time, only Xiao Hua and two others were left in the living room.

Xiao Zui, remembering last night's talk with Bai Mu, confirmed, "Then we'll follow last night's plan. You accompany Xiao Hua to handle the water supply, and I'll go to the hall to accept a mission."

Bai Mu gave a slight nod, "Right, nothing too difficult. Just find something simple and easy, something that can serve as authorization to leave the base."

Xiao Zui: "Understood."

Hearing their conversation, Xiao Hua raised an eyebrow in surprise, "So urgent?"

"The longer the drought drags on, the more pressing the issues of water and food become. We need to act as soon as possible."

Xiao Hua was on the verge of nodding, struck by Bai Mu's strategic foresight.

But just before she could speak, he casually added, "Most importantly, the sooner we leave, the better it is for you, Xiao Hua."

Bai Mu looked at Xiao Hua, a subtle smile in his dark eyes, clearly directing his words at her.

Xiao Hua: "..."

Xiao Hua smiled, pleased, and smoothly added, "Nice work. I'll make it up to you later."

"Alright," Bai Mu responded, his gaze dropping to Xiao Hua's smile as he chuckled softly.

Xiao Zui, an unwilling spectator to their affectionate exchange, "..."

He turned around expressionlessly and strode toward the stairs, tossing a disdainful "Too much" over his shoulder as he went.

Xiao Hua blinked, letting out a defiant "Hmph," then quickly taunted just as Xiao Zui was about to reach the second floor, "If you have the guts, don't go looking for Xiao Mo."

Xiao Zui hesitated, then spun around to glare at Xiao Hua.

Xiao Hua beamed but retorted, "As if you're any better. You're all the same."

Xiao Zui, without a comeback, quickened his pace up the stairs.

What do you do when your pesky little sister always teases you? Asking for a friend, urgently.

As Xiao Zui disappeared from view, Xiao Hua let out a soft laugh and turned her attention back, only to see Bai Mu looking at her with a helpless expression. He reached out and tapped her delicate nose.

"You..."

Xiao Hua leaned in, her whisper confident and close to his ear, "After all, he's not really my brother."

Bai Mu's expression hardened slightly, and he lowered his voice, his tone unusually stern, "Don't say such things."

Xiao Hua was momentarily taken aback, forgetting her next move.

Bai Mu quickly realized his tone and took Xiao Hua's hand to apologize, "I'm sorry, Xiao Hua."

He paused for a second, then continued, "But you can't tell anyone about this, it could harm you."

Xiao Hua suddenly pulled away from Bai Mu, looking up at him, "Not even you...?"

"No one," Bai Mu said with unexpected firmness, his tone softening as he tried to persuade Xiao Hua, "Please, understand."

Xiao Hua's expression suddenly calmed, quietly locking eyes with him, and asked softly, "You knew I wasn't the original host all along?"

Bai Mu hesitated for a moment, he looked directly into Xiao Hua's troubled eyes and nodded.

"When?" Xiao Hua knew that pretending to be someone else would always have its flaws, she had long prepared for the day she would be exposed.

But no one had ever brought it up, and she gradually believed that no one had discovered her secret.

After all, even Xiao Zui, who was closest to the original host, hadn't picked up on any clues, so logically, this would remain a secret buried deep within Xiao Hua.

Later, when Bai Mu saw her confront another "Xiao Hua," she thought Bai Mu had discovered it then.

He didn't show any surprise, and Xiao Hua assumed it was because he was reserved and didn't show his emotions, not realizing that Bai Mu had known from the start.

From this perspective, he was indeed shrewd, no doubt about it.

So, how early was it?

Xiao Hua suddenly became curious, she calmly looked at Bai Mu.

Bai Mu looked much more panicked than she did, as if he was the one who had exposed the secret.

He couldn't read Xiao Hua's thoughts, but he didn't dare lie to her.

Bai Mu's eyes were anxious but locked on Xiao Hua, while he carefully observed her expression and cautiously said, "The first time."

Xiao Hua's eyelashes trembled slightly, her expression changing.

Bai Mu's heart skipped a beat, he quickly scrambled to think, hurriedly trying to find the right words to fix the situation.

"It was when I saw Xiao Hua once before, and then I noticed that your temperaments were different, so I paid attention..."

Xiao Hua guessed the subsequent result, she suddenly chuckled and continued, "And then you found out I wasn't the original host?"

Bai Mu nodded in admission.

In this situation, Xiao Hua was somewhat alert inside, Bai Mu's mind was too meticulous, and his brain was too sharp.

If they ever fell out and became enemies in the future, she would definitely not be Bai Mu's match.

Or, if Bai Mu had directly told Xiao Zui about her abnormality back then, she would have been completely done for.

Thinking this way, Xiao Hua's thoughts inevitably drifted back to the very beginning, why Bai Mu could detect the difference between her and the original host.