Sha Yi was overjoyed and immediately passed the soup container to the three people beside her, signaling them to taste it.
At first, the three were a bit confused, but they soon caught on and obediently took a sip, just as she had.
As the salt crystals touched their tongues, their reactions varied. Mari froze in place, Xigu kept smacking his lips, and Xi Yi let out an excited “Eek!” before quickly darting into the small cave where animals were stored. He emerged with a half-dead creature resembling a cross between a rat and a squirrel, looking at her with eager eyes.
Nodding in approval, Sha Yi smiled and introduced the crystals to the three: “Salt.”
She used the Chinese word for it, as the ancient language had no term for this newly discovered substance. The name was simple and easy to remember.
Their pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but after a few repetitions, they got close enough. Sha Yi felt a small sense of accomplishment.
Glancing at the dozens of oddly shaped bucket-like containers left in the open area, she silently began planning again.
It was unlikely that the other small groups would return early today. With only two or three people available to help with salt production, the output would naturally be limited. She realized that by evening or the next day, they’d need to gather most of the group to join in. Otherwise, the animals and plants they had hunted and gathered in the past two days would spoil quickly, diminishing the impact of their salt discovery. Spending one of the rare sunny days of the rainy season on this would then feel like a wasted effort.
With that in mind, she spoke slowly: “I’ll teach you the detailed steps for filtering and boiling the brine one more time. Then, you’ll do it yourselves. By evening, distribute the salt crystals produced this afternoon to those who participated in the salt search. Also, teach them how to make salt to lighten our workload.”
She used the ancient language throughout, though her fluency was still slightly lacking. Fortunately, it didn’t hinder understanding. The three grasped her meaning immediately and agreed without hesitation.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Sha Yi thought for a moment and added, “If those who didn’t participate want to learn, teach them too.”
This time, Xigu wasn’t happy. He scowled and grumbled in protest, “Why should we give it to them? We worked so hard for this, and they didn’t lift a finger to help. Why share with them?”
Having said that, Xigu promptly elbowed Mari, urging him to voice his opinion. The latter had been standing idly by but, under Xigu’s murderous glare, scratched his head awkwardly before siding with his partner—also expressing disapproval.
Similarly, Xigu nudged Xi Yi, but the latter remained silent, simply pointing at Sha Yi to indicate he’d follow her lead.
Xigu was stunned.
Watching their interactions, Sha Yi was both amused and exasperated but had no choice but to explain: “The salt-making method must be taught to those who participated. It’s not something only our group should know. So, if the others want to learn, they’ll eventually find out from someone. Since it’s bound to spread, why not be the ones to generously share it?”
After all, the knowledge would come from them either way. Rather than letting the uninvolved pry it out of others, it was better to let them owe her group a favor. She didn’t expect the self-serving to remember the kindness, but at least it wouldn’t breed resentment.
They would generously teach the method, but the brine would be up to the others to procure.
This way, everyone benefited.
At her words, Xigu fell silent. After a long pause, he strode over and gave her shoulder a firm pat, nodding with approval and support.
On the other side, she saw Xi Yi smiling warmly at her. When their eyes met, his deep, beautiful brown eyes softened with tenderness.
She knew he would always choose to trust and support her unconditionally—this time was no exception. Even though the discovery of salt was nothing short of a miracle for their era, his devotion to her remained unchanged.
With their agreement secured, the next steps became much simpler.
With Xi Yi’s help, Sha Yi quickly demonstrated the basic filtration process again. While Xi Yi and Mari worked on boiling the brine, she reiterated key points and reminded them of things to watch out for. Then, she left Xigu and Mari to handle the rest. The results turned out quite well.
However, just as she was about to divide tasks and work alongside them, Xi Yi pulled her aside and made her sit on a fur mat, forbidding her from lifting another finger.
He was the same as always—unless absolutely necessary or if no one else could help, he refused to let her overexert herself. She understood his care for her and found it sweet, but lazing around while others worked didn’t sit right with her. It wasn’t good for her or their small group. Yet, he remained oblivious—as did Xigu.
Right now, Xigu was tacitly endorsing Xi Yi’s extreme pampering of her!
Sha Yi didn’t know how to describe Xigu. She was rough around the edges, more rugged than most men, fiercely protective of her own, especially her blood relatives. She could shout at anyone yet also show meticulous care. She held grudges but wasn’t stubborn, existing somewhere between crude and gentle—a walking contradiction!
Thinking back to her earlier protest, Sha Yi couldn’t help but chuckle. She wondered if Xigu would hold a grudge and seize the first chance to scold her, just as she had when she believed Xi Yi had committed an act forbidden during the rainy season—beating him first and asking questions later. Speaking of which, Sha Yi still wasn’t entirely clear on why women here didn’t conceive during the rains. Due to communication barriers, she’d vaguely assumed it was due to harsh natural conditions. Maybe she could ask about it properly later.
And so, Sha Yi sat on the fur mat, watching the three work until dusk. By the time the salt filled two wooden bowl-like containers, the scattered small groups had begun returning, including their own people, who soon entered the cave. Just then, the relentless rain finally stopped.
Sha Yi noticed little Masa among them, shaking off water before darting back inside. Xigu, however, was too busy filtering to pay him any attention.
After a moment’s thought, Sha Yi retrieved the leftover roasted meat from lunch, which had been warming on a low fire. She sprinkled a bit of salt on it and handed it to Masa the moment he ran over.
Masa’s eyes curved into delighted crescents as he took the meat and bit into it. After a few chews, he froze. A long silence followed before he let out an ecstatic shout.
Sha Yi smiled. The moment salt became a seasoning had just been witnessed!
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