When they returned to the cave where they had stayed at noon, the sky had completely darkened.
This small, well-hidden cave was indeed as described and observed—awkward in terms of capacity.
Sha Yi counted carefully: Saina’s original group had seven people, and he had brought six more. Their group had a solid twelve members. Now, combined, there were twenty-five people, making the space insufficient for everyone to settle, let alone store the large amount of food. Moreover, due to the cave’s terrain, continuous heavy rain had caused some water to accumulate at the very bottom, which only added to the trouble.
Fortunately, everyone had brought dry branches and leaves for fuel when they arrived. Though they couldn’t be completely dry, a small portion would suffice—especially since they had plenty of resin, which was currently the best and highest-energy fuel. Most importantly, it wouldn’t get damp.
Tonight’s dinner was destined to be simple.
After a long and exhausting day, she was extremely thirsty but lacked the energy to fetch water. Once the fire was set up by the others, she took out a lighter to help start it.
Throughout the roasting process, everyone remained silent. Though they had all responded to the sudden crisis with the most positive attitude, deep down, each of them must have felt sorrow.
The boundary between the old life and a new chapter was just a thought away, yet it might as well have been the distance between heaven and earth. It seemed easy in theory but was exceptionally difficult in practice.
Dinner didn’t last long. Over twenty people gathered to eat, yet none tasted the food, and no one was willing to break the silence.
The thunder and heavy rain continued, and hearts were filled with uncertainty.
This was a period before the tribe had fully formed. Though food was usually abundant, the rainy season brought harsh environmental conditions, making survival quite difficult. Now, with this incident, those accustomed to living in close-knit groups could only feel pessimistic about the future.
A large number of people was indeed a form of reliance. Even if unfamiliar individuals couldn’t give their all, they could still do their best. But now, even that condition was completely gone.
To put it bluntly, they hadn’t left voluntarily—they had been scorned and driven out.
Given the ongoing thunderstorm, leaving the settlement cave at this time was highly unwise, but they had no choice. Their current shelter couldn’t possibly accommodate so many people, so they had to find a new cave as soon as possible.
However, the terrifying night and dreadful weather outside made any decision-making feel nearly impossible.
Moreover, large caves suitable for communal living weren’t easy to find—otherwise, why would so many small groups have crowded into the settlement cave in the first place?
Sha Yi recalled the cave Xi Yi had taken her to before their first return to the settlement cave. Though it wasn’t as good as the settlement cave, it was much larger than this one. Moving there collectively would make living easier, but she wasn’t sure about the external conditions. Still, during the rainy season, they likely wouldn’t need to hunt frequently. Perhaps they just needed to wait for a slightly milder rainy day.
Just as she was about to suggest this to Xi Yi, scattered and hurried footsteps echoed outside the small cave.
No one moved until the visitors entered the cave on their own, prompting everyone to look up.
There were four men, relatively short in stature, each carrying a wooden bucket-like container covered with small pieces of animal hide. When they saw the people inside, they grew visibly awkward, even somewhat ashamed. After standing silently for a moment, one of them hesitantly lifted the hides and stammered, “S-sorry… we didn’t stand by you this afternoon…”
Before anyone in the cave could respond, they hastily placed the four containers on the ground and pointed at them sheepishly, murmuring, “Soup… soup… for you…”
As if speaking the hardest words in the world, the man trailed off mid-sentence before finally giving up and closing his mouth. Before anyone could react, they bolted out of the cave like refugees, moving with startling speed.
Sha Yi was stunned speechless by the four men. It took her a while to remember who they were.
Back when they had gone to search for mineral salt, these four hadn’t participated. Later, after they brought back the brine, the men had come to ask questions, and she and Xi Gu had patiently explained everything to them. Unexpectedly, after the incident forced them to relocate, it was these four who showed up.
This unforeseen gesture warmed her chilled heart considerably. In that instant, she felt the atmosphere in the cave soften, and the expressions of the others shifted from stiffness to relief.
Xi Gu, not one to miss an opportunity to foster unity, quickly stood up and urged everyone to drink the soup. Sha Yi was among the first to receive a bowl of faint greenish broth.
The soup was still warm. Given the considerable distance from the settlement cave and the pouring rain, keeping it at this temperature was no small feat. Though the broth wasn’t particularly well-prepared, and the floating bits of unknown plants were rough in texture, everyone drank it with warmth in their hearts, savoring its simple comfort.
She was no exception. Somehow, this messy concoction miraculously soothed the grievances in her heart.
At that very moment, she became acutely aware of the discomfort brought on by her period again. Perhaps it was due to the day’s rain and exhaustion, but the pain, which had been fading, returned with a vengeance. It wasn’t severe, but it was deeply unpleasant. Worse still, the flow seemed to have increased significantly. Just sitting on the rock, she could feel the makeshift cloth stuffed with plant ash struggling to hold up against the relentless tide.
The most frustrating part was that there didn’t seem to be anything resembling a toilet here, nor any private space. Truly, misfortunes never came singly—just like when she first transmigrated, and now again. And of all times, that towering giant tree had to collapse onto the settlement cave on the very first day of her period. If only it had happened a few days later!
Sitting on the rock with a head full of exasperation, Sha Yi finally couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up and pulled Xi Gu outside.
Xi Yi, seeing this, reflexively jumped up and grabbed her arm in alarm. For the first time, his attentiveness made her want to die of frustration. Fortunately, Xi Gu reacted swiftly, stepping in front of her to quietly explain to Xi Yi while prying his hand off and leading Sha Yi deeper into the cave, away from the others.
This time, Xi Gu’s choice was far wiser than hers. Sha Yi quickly understood her intention, and the rare understanding from Xi Gu filled her with gratitude.
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