Two days later.
Hong Gu Niang arrived with two bandits.
Her face flushed slightly upon seeing Zhang Chen.
But she quickly regained her composure.
"Second in Command, come in, come in!"
Old Li was incredibly enthusiastic.
He was an old fox, cunning and sharp.
He had long sensed something amiss with the Second in Command.
When the young man returned from the mountain that day, shirtless, Old Li felt it was unusual.
But he didn't dare ask.
Now, seeing the Second in Command, he was naturally enthusiastic.
He treated her as if she were his daughter-in-law.
And…
Old Li could tell.
The Second in Command seemed to have dressed up before coming.
The distance from Chang Sheng Mountain to here was at least ten or twenty li.
She didn't have a horse, only her two legs.
Wouldn't she have been sweating profusely by now?
Yet, Old Li saw that Hong Gu Niang had already bathed.
She even wore a brand new set of clothes.
Her hair was also freshly tied.
She looked quite exquisite.
Of course, she was a person of the martial world.
She couldn't compare with those ladies of the boudoir.
Her attire was rather plain.
But the fact that she had taken the effort to dress up meant she had put in the effort.
Old Li was even more delighted.
Hong Gu Niang was naturally defiant and unruly.
People like Old Li, who were just ordinary folk in the martial world, were considered inferior in the eyes of Chang Sheng Mountain's bandits.
Usually, she wouldn't even bother with them.
But seeing Old Li's enthusiasm this time, she actually blushed slightly and said politely, "Li Shu, no need to be polite, I'm here to find him, where is he?"
The two bandits beside her looked at each other, wanting to laugh but afraid to.
Where had the Hong Gu Niang they knew gone?
When had she ever been so kind to people?
Had she actually traveled dozens of li, specifically to bathe at their outpost?
And brought new clothes, rouge, and powder?
If not for the rouge on her lips being so awkward, she would have looked like a bride about to get married.
Even seeing her like this, her brothers were really struggling to adapt.
"That kid went to the market, he'll be back soon, Second in Command, you sit down first!"
Old Li cleaned a stool.
He invited her to sit.
Hong Gu Niang nodded.
After settling down, she looked at the big rat on Old Li's shoulder.
"Li Shu, this rat looks quite smart, did you raise it?"
"No, but this rat has a connection with me, so I'm keeping it for now. You see, its whiskers are already white, it's lived for many years, it's not afraid of people, anyway, that kid is going with you, so I'll just keep it as a pet!"
Said Old Li.
He was incredibly shrewd.
He wouldn't reveal the secret of the rat.
Hong Gu Niang wouldn't harm him, of course.
But others were a different story.
Hong Gu Niang just nodded.
She wasn't surprised.
These days, there were all sorts of strange things.
There were people who kept corpses as pets.
Keeping a rat wasn't anything special.
And…
This rat was indeed quite odd.
Its mung bean-sized eyes seemed to hold a certain intelligence.
It had probably lived for so long that it had developed some consciousness.
"Li Shu, you don't have to worry about your old age, why don't you come with us to Chang Sheng Mountain, you won't go hungry!"
Hong Gu Niang invited.
Her two brothers were shocked.
Second in Command, Second in Command.
Are you treating him like your father-in-law?
Of course.
If she really did.
The Head wouldn't say anything.
He would even treat him with the best food and drink.
After all, they had witnessed the young man's strength.
He was truly terrifying.
Old Li was stunned for a moment.
He quickly shook his head and said, "It's too early."
"Too early?"
Hong Gu Niang was taken aback.
Old Li glanced at his two trusted brothers.
He leaned towards Hong Gu Niang and whispered, "Wait until you and that kid get married, then you can take him."
"What are you talking about!"
Hong Gu Niang's face instantly flushed red, she was a bit furious.
But Old Li retreated immediately.
He pretended as if he hadn't said anything.
He left Hong Gu Niang blushing with embarrassment, anger, and unable to retort.
At that moment.
Zhang Chen walked over with his carrying pole.
"Eh, are we leaving today?"
He asked.
Hong Gu Niang turned around.
Zhang Chen saw her face flushed red.
She looked quite different from the carefree and confident Hong Gu Niang he knew before.
And…
She had actually dressed up?
A woman of the martial world.
Suddenly dressing up.
As long as one wasn't a fool.
They could tell.
As expected.
Hong Gu Niang was a bit angry and embarrassed.
But the moment she saw Zhang Chen, her heart instantly filled with joy.
Her face couldn't help but smile, she stood up confidently, walked up to him, took the basket hanging on his carrying pole, and said, "Yes, you have to go with me today, we'll leave together tomorrow!"
The two brothers were dumbfounded.
Second in Command, hey.
Why are you being so smooth?
It's as if you're a little wife.
However.
They were also observant.
They immediately went to help, taking Zhang Chen's carrying pole and the other basket.
They said, "Let us do it, you just keep our Second in Command company!"
Hong Gu Niang frowned and couldn't help but glare at them.
But the two of them immediately ran away, faster than anyone else.
"Alright, wait a moment, I'll pack up and go!"
Zhang Chen wiped his sweat.
He went to the well.
He washed his hands and face.
Then he returned to his room, packing the necessary hidden weapons and his grappling hook.
He also packed some ocean essence, just in case.
"Wait!"
He hadn't finished packing.
Hong Gu Niang came in.
"What's wrong?"
Zhang Chen was startled.
Hong Gu Niang skillfully took out a bundle and said, "You're not just coming with us, you're also going to meet the Head, your clothes are all old, I brought you a new set, for good luck!"
"Uh!"
Zhang Chen was a bit dazed.
Being cared for was quite a pleasant feeling.
"Don't be dazed, change your clothes and come out, we need to hurry!"
Hong Gu Niang said.
"Alright!"
Zhang Chen didn't waste any time.
He changed his clothes.
He noticed that the inner lining of the clothes had many secret pockets.
They were specifically for holding hidden weapons or other valuables.
It looked like they were hand-sewn.
"Could it be Hong Gu Niang sewed this?"
Zhang Chen thought.
But he thought about it and couldn't imagine it.
"Forget it, let's go to Ping Mountain first, then…"
He couldn't help but think back.
He recalled seeing that night, touching…
…
"Let's go!"
Zhang Chen said.
Hong Gu Niang's eyes lit up.
The saying that "clothes make the man" really wasn't false.
These clothes looked much better on him.
"Let's go!"
Hong Gu Niang waved her hand.
The four of them left the house.
They rushed towards Chang Sheng Mountain.