Before the large bucket of broth they had taken over could finish cooking, rain began to fall outside the cave. In no time, the evening weather turned ominous, and within the few seconds she spent watching the downpour, the sky had completely darkened.
Many had yet to return, including Xi Yi. Sha Yi couldn’t help but grow anxious, her mind wandering even as she absentmindedly tended to the fire.
The rainy season’s weather was truly unpredictable. After so many days, even she—a newcomer—had learned not to take it lightly. Yet the shifts in weather still managed to catch her off guard, just like moments ago when the change had been abrupt, without any transition.
Though she had expected it, the sudden shift from one extreme to another still felt difficult to process.
Fortunately, the woman who had been soothing the infant came over immediately, taking over the task from her hands and allowing her to step away.
The group didn’t particularly care whether she participated in the labor, much like how Xi Gu and the others treated her, so no one pressured her. Without much thought, she stood up and moved to the cave entrance to wait.
There was no lightning, but the rainstorm raged violently, accompanied by fierce winds. The world outside was pitch black, making it nearly impossible to see anything.
After standing at the cave entrance for a short while, Sha Yi realized the wind direction was unfavorable—the gale-driven rain was relentlessly pouring into the cave. She had no choice but to retreat further inside, though the limited height of the entrance made it difficult. Within moments, half of her body was already damp.
Not daring to risk getting soaked, Sha Yi returned to the spot Xi Gu had arranged for her. She wrapped herself in the waterproof animal hide Xi Yi had given her the day before, then retrieved some spare resin. Moving to the cooking area, she picked up a half-burned thick branch, combined it with the resin, and let it burn for a while before returning to the cave entrance.
The sky was too dark, and this was a new settlement. Even though Xi Yi was familiar with the area, it had been a long time since he’d been here. With the darkness, heavy rain, and wind, visibility was severely limited. Holding a torch at the entrance would help guide those returning—even from a distance, they should be able to make out the direction. She also hadn’t forgotten that many others were still unaccounted for. Though they all had strong survival skills, none matched Xi Yi’s familiarity with this place.
Sha Yi waited for a long time before Xi Yi finally returned—along with the others.
No one came back empty-handed. Most had caught small animals like rabbits, while a few carried large leaf-wrapped bundles. Xi Yi and Sai Na were the exceptions.
Both of them were holding armfuls of the slender black wood she had used that afternoon to make arrows. She wasn’t sure if they had run into each other by chance or if they had planned it together, but either way, she found it strange.
Before this, their relationship had been far from friendly. Even if recent events had temporarily aligned them, she didn’t believe they could ever become true friends.
Xi Yi was loyal and generous—he might not hold grudges over everything, but when it came to her, he would never compromise or yield. It was because of her that he had once fought fiercely with Sai Na. Given his meticulous nature, he would always remain guarded.
As for Sai Na, he was shrewd and adaptable yet also proud and stubborn—a walking contradiction. She didn’t claim to fully understand him, but judging by his sharp mind and untamed wildness, he wouldn’t lower his guard either. He might make concessions, but his core beliefs would never change.
Given this, the two of them could never truly become friends. Even if they temporarily united their small groups, it was purely a matter of necessity.
Still, this wasn’t the time for her to interfere. Letting things unfold naturally was best. With that thought, she turned away from the entrance and retreated deeper into the cave.
The last few to enter rolled the prepared boulder into place, sealing the cave.
Everything proceeded as usual.
Xi Yi was both pleased and concerned to see her waiting at the entrance with a torch. After dropping the black wood, he wanted to embrace her but ultimately held back—just like that night when he had been drenched and reluctant to pass the chill to her.
She didn’t push it either, unlike the first time. The circumstances were different now, and she didn’t dare provoke her body’s limits.
Meanwhile, Sai Na, standing behind Xi Yi, watched her with an inscrutable gaze. He remained silent, as indifferent as before. Only when he set down the black wood and turned away did the faintest hint of an ambiguous smile curl at the corner of his lips.
He didn’t say a word to Xi Yi, and neither did she. Only after he left did she take a piece of hide to dry Xi Yi, then handed him a folded robe and urged him to change out of his wet animal-skin skirt.
Used to her insistence on privacy when changing, Xi Yi only kissed her lightly as she nudged him behind the hide partition. With tender reluctance, he murmured, “Don’t wait at the entrance next time. Getting soaked will make you sick. We know our way back.”
Sha Yi didn’t argue, merely smiling in response.
His thoughtfulness had moved her countless times, and she wanted to reciprocate his care. Even if he said this, it wouldn’t stop her from worrying when he was away—just as he always looked out for her.
Still, she hadn’t expected this. She had thought he’d only taken the bow and arrows to test them. Instead, he had gone out of his way to gather more of the black wood ideal for arrow-making.
The rainy season brought many challenges, and defensive tools couldn’t be delayed. But his efficiency was astonishing—even Sai Na must have recognized this, abandoning his hunt to help collect the wood instead.
Now, with the current haul, they had enough material for over a dozen bows. This stormy night, at least, they had something productive to do without cutting into their usual time.
The only thing left was the reddish-brown thick vines. If there was strong lightning tonight, the remaining wood she needed would likely be ready in just a few days.
Once that was done, they could finally start building the raft.
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