Sha Yi was terrified.
By the time she regained her composure, Xi Yi had already bent down and entered the cave through the opening.
In just a few strides, the distance between them had shortened considerably. However, it was late in the evening, and with the backlighting, she could barely make out the extent of his injuries. The only thing she could discern was the increasingly strong scent of blood in the air.
Sha Yi lunged forward, but when she reached him, she hesitated to embrace him.
She was afraid that if he was injured, her sudden hug might worsen his condition.
Xi Yi, however, reacted differently. When she rushed toward him, he was overjoyed and even made a move to reciprocate. It wasn’t until she stopped midway that a flicker of disappointment crossed his face.
But that disappointment didn’t last long. Just like her, he quickly restrained himself from hugging her and instead extended a large, bloodstained hand to hold hers.
Sha Yi instinctively responded, but Xi Yi withdrew his hand halfway. Then, before she could understand what was happening, he vigorously wiped his hand on his animal-hide skirt before reaching behind his waist to retrieve a small woven vine pouch, which he then handed to her.
Sha Yi realized that he hadn’t wiped his hand just to fetch the pouch. Instead, he likely thought she was repulsed by the blood on him.
Yet, even with that assumption, he showed no signs of resentment or anger toward her.
Every action of his conveyed submission and tolerance toward her.
But she was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, so much so that she couldn’t even decide whether to accept the pouch.
Just as she was drowning in frustration, Xi Gu, who had been standing nearby, suddenly approached. First, he gave her a puzzled look, then turned his confusion toward Xi Yi, scrutinizing him from head to toe. After a moment, Xi Gu swiftly wiped away some of the blood on Xi Yi’s chest and then burst out, “Xi Yi, are you out of your mind? You’re covered in animal blood—why didn’t you wash it off first? What’s the point of running back like this? Are you deliberately trying to make people worry and misunderstand?”
Xi Gu’s temper was unpredictable, and no one could ever anticipate his outbursts. But his words instantly cleared up the misunderstanding between her and Xi Yi.
She had thought he was injured, while he believed she was disgusted by the blood on him.
Now, with just that one sentence, not only did she understand, but even Xi Yi’s eyes crinkled into a smile. His earlier caution and melancholy vanished immediately, though he still deliberately kept his distance, as if some lingering concern remained.
But Sha Yi couldn’t be bothered to reassure him. She simply resumed her earlier action—lunging forward and embracing him!
Her desire to hug him couldn’t be stopped by anyone or anything. A little blood? She had long since stopped caring about that. If he could wash her menstrual cloths without hesitation, even when she stained him with blood, why should she hold back?
Xi Yi probably hadn’t expected that, despite being covered in blood and keeping his distance, she would still choose to throw herself into his arms. He was momentarily stunned, but in the end, overwhelming joy shattered all restraint, and he couldn’t help but hug her back tightly.
Sha Yi knew—he had never been able to resist her.
When she finally pulled away from his embrace, it belatedly dawned on her that her recklessness had left her just as bloodstained as he was. Xi Yi let out a soft “ah,” his voice tinged with regret, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Xi Gu, however, couldn’t stand the sight of two “bloody” people just standing there. He irritably pointed outside the cave and demanded they go wash up.
Xi Yi had no choice but to comply. For one, Xi Gu had a fiery temper. For another, returning covered in blood wasn’t ideal—it might even attract predators. So the moment Xi Gu spoke, Xi Yi was ready to lead her out.
Though Sha Yi was torn between laughter and exasperation, she didn’t forget to bring cleaning supplies.
How many times had they gone out empty-handed? Nine out of ten times, they had nothing to wash with, leaving them feeling unclean afterward. This time, she was determined to be fully prepared.
Second, this island-like place was far from safe. When it came to bathing, she didn’t even dare step into the river. Besides, it was already late in the evening. Though there was still some daylight, venturing too far was unwise.
Finally, she instructed Xi Yi to bring the bathtub. Though he didn’t quite understand, they had done this once before by the big river, so he didn’t question it. Meanwhile, she gathered all the cleaning supplies and spare clothes she could carry and followed him out.
As they exited the cave, they happened to run into Sai Na, who had just returned.
He and Xi Yi had been in separate groups, primarily tasked with searching for and gathering wild fruits that could temporarily substitute for breastfeeding. Hunting had been secondary, so she only saw them carrying a small number of rabbit-like animals.
The two men exchanged no words—Xi Yi gave a slight nod, while Sai Na glanced briefly at her and Xi Yi before brushing past them into the cave without any further acknowledgment.
Used to Sai Na’s frequent odd behavior, Xi Yi paid no mind, and neither did she. However, as they walked, she couldn’t help but wonder about the blood covering Xi Yi.
Logically, hunting shouldn’t have left him in such a state. She had never seen anything like this before—had he encountered some strange creature?
Unable to suppress her unease, she tugged at his arm and asked, “Xi Yi, how did you get all this blood on you? Why is there so much? Where are the others who were with you? Why are you the only one who came back?”
Her questions came rapid-fire, one after another. Xi Yi blinked in surprise before breaking into laughter. “Today, we found two long-nosed beasts. While surrounding them, I remembered what you said—about trying to capture them alive. But we failed.”
“You didn’t catch them?”
“We did, but only after killing them. They were huge—massive in size and strength, and extremely aggressive. When attacked, they fought back fiercely. We tried several times, injuring them with arrows, but they thrashed around until the end. Several of us got kicked. In the end, we had no choice but to kill them. That’s how I ended up covered in blood.”
After a pause, Xi Yi added, “The others in my group are still by the river, processing the long-nosed beasts. I wanted to bring this to you as soon as possible.”
With that, he handed her the small vine pouch again.
Back in the cave, her attention had been entirely focused on his “injuries.” Only now did Sha Yi realize that the pouch contained several round, orange-yellow fruits, strikingly similar to modern-day oranges. Since arriving in this world, she had never seen anything like them—just looking at them was a delight.
But when she took one, she realized it wasn’t an orange.
There were three fruits in the pouch, their skins incredibly soft. Just from being carried in the pouch, their surfaces were already marked with indentations. Worried that handling them directly might bruise them, Sha Yi carefully tilted the pouch to let one roll into her palm.
Xi Yi noticed immediately and softly explained, “They’ve been washed. I cleaned them by the river before coming back. You can eat them now, or I can wash them again later.”
He had misunderstood her caution, but she quickly realized: “You went to the river first? Then why didn’t you wash yourself before returning to the cave?”
“Because these fruits start to shrivel soon after being picked. They need to be eaten quickly, or they’ll go bad.” Pointing at the orange-yellow fruit in her hand, Xi Yi continued, “These trees are rare. Very few of their fruits ever ripen, and even when they do, they don’t stay ripe for long. Not every tree bears fruit, either. So, even in a whole rainy season, you might not find a single one left. This time, we got lucky. I just went to check, and there were all three.”
This was probably a fruit even Xi Yi had rarely eaten. Given how scarce they were, just seeing one was a rarity, let alone tasting it. She had never heard him mention them before, and she suspected he hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up. Only after finding them had he rushed to bring them to her.
And indeed, he had been in such a hurry that he hadn’t even bothered to wash off the blood, parting ways with his group to return to the cave—only to be chased out by Xi Gu.
Now, as they walked, he remembered his original purpose and instinctively acted on it.
Sha Yi was deeply moved but didn’t know how to express it. In the end, she simply smiled up at him before taking a curious bite of the fruit.
The taste was incredible. The flesh was translucent, revealing an equally orange-yellow seed when bitten. The texture was like jelly—sweet, soft, fragrant, and slightly springy.
The delicate sweetness of the fruit seemed to melt into her heart, and the slight elasticity instantly reminded her of the modern world and her family. A flood of emotions overwhelmed her.
Lowering her head, she couldn’t stop the mist from welling up in her eyes. Within moments, salty tears brimmed at her lashes.
Truthfully, since arriving here, apart from the initial melancholy, she hadn’t often dwelled on sadness when reminded of modern life. But this time, she couldn’t hold back. She didn’t know where the emotions came from, but they seized and overwhelmed her in an instant.
Perhaps her parents were still searching for her. Or perhaps they had long since assumed she was dead.
The thought of not being by their side now filled her with regret, even remorse for having moved away from home before. But there were no second chances—she could never go back.
This accidental crossing had saved her life, but it had also brought endless hardship, repeatedly placing her in danger. And in the days to come, more challenges and perils awaited.
Yet, in this harsh and perilous world, she had met Xi Yi—almost immediately after arriving. Before this, she had never imagined falling for a prehistoric man. But fate had other plans, turning the impossible into reality. She had truly crossed tens of thousands of years.
Though the living conditions were far from ideal, she had Xi Yi, and she wasn’t one to surrender easily. So, looking back now, there was nothing left to fear.
But just as she lowered her head, Xi Yi sensed her distress and instinctively stopped walking.
Sha Yi quickly wiped her eyes and forced a smile. “Why did we stop? It’s getting dark—we should head back soon.”
But Xi Yi shook his head firmly. “Why were you crying?”
“I wasn’t crying,” Sha Yi denied.
“You were.” He brushed away a lingering tear at the corner of her eye and showed her. “Tears. Was the fruit not good?”
Staring at the moisture on his fingertip, Sha Yi swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
After a long pause, she finally spoke softly. “The fruit was delicious. But it reminded me of my life before I came here.”
“Your life before here?” Xi Yi asked hesitantly.
“Do you know where I came from?”
After a moment’s thought, Xi Yi pointed in the direction of the forest where they had first met. “From the woods where we encountered the saber-toothed tiger?”
“You’ve been there before, haven’t you?” Sha Yi shook her head. “Then, besides me, have you ever seen anyone else like me in that forest?”
He stared at her, falling completely silent.
Though he didn’t speak, she knew—someone like her, Xi Yi had never seen a second one. His silence was answer enough.
Beyond that, he was likely conflicted. He wanted to know where she came from but was afraid she might have other thoughts.
He had never been entirely at ease with her, always worried she might leave him. Though he gave her ample freedom and space, she could still sense his underlying sensitivity.
Xi Yi was deeply insecure.
Xi Gu had once told her that Xi Yi’s mother had died during childbirth, leaving him to be raised by Xi Gu and Xi Mang. She didn’t know Xi Mang and had never met him, but Xi Gu was familiar—a fiery woman even men hesitated to cross, unlikely to express much tender affection.
Even after being taken in by the small forest community, the care had been limited to food and shelter. Emotional support had been lacking.
Though he had grown into an exceptional man with a cheerful and honest personality, it couldn’t mask the loneliness in his heart.
And in this era, women were scarce. Finding a partner in a normal community was difficult enough, let alone in their previous transient situation.
So, from the moment he met her, he had been utterly devoted.
Before this, she hadn’t believed in love at first sight, nor did she think prehistoric aesthetics aligned with modern ones. At most, she assumed the scarcity of women forced men to overlook preferences for the sake of survival.
But with Xi Yi, her beliefs wavered.
If he didn’t truly care for her, would he have gone to such lengths?
Perhaps, it really was as he said—from the very first glance, even when she was covered in mud from the swamp, he could immediately tell she was a woman and instantly felt drawn to her, even developing the desire to live with her.
However, his methods of pursuing her were truly cringe-worthy.
When she didn’t know him well, he was extremely pushy. He often tried to please her but always ended up making things worse. Even when she was willing to be with him, he still worried that something might go wrong.
To this day, she still doesn’t know how to comfort him enough to put his mind completely at ease.
Truth be told, the living environment and atmosphere have a significant impact on people—not just in modern times, but even among ancient humans.
Xigu’s “ferocious” temperament was likely shaped by necessity, but fortunately, his inherent nature kept him from going astray even when following her. Meanwhile, Marie was gentle and slow-moving, and under the influence of these two fundamentally good-natured individuals, Masa, though young, was still quite likable.
Then there was Saina. Sha Yi could bet that his childhood experiences were probably even worse than Xiyi’s, and his later living conditions were equally harsh. During the incident when the giant tree collapsed on the cave, he had told her many things, but she knew deep down that he hadn’t shared the most painful parts of his past.
People who have endured extreme hardships often develop some degree of twisted personality. Even if their sincerity remains, their way of thinking inevitably becomes convoluted.
Just like in the beginning, Saina always appeared cheerful, but after a few encounters, his expression darkened more often. She never quite figured out the reason.
But in the end, it had nothing to do with her, and she didn’t feel compelled to understand.
As she was lost in thought, the burly man beside her gently took hold of her hand. She looked up to find him gazing down at her with a serious expression. “I’ve thought about it. No matter where you came from, if you ever want to return to the place you once lived, I’ll go with you—anytime.”
Sha Yi couldn’t help but laugh.
If there really was a way for her to return to the modern world, he wouldn’t be able to accompany her even if he wanted to. Distance was a minor issue, but time was the real problem—and that wasn’t something humans could control.
Yet his words instantly dispelled the melancholy that had weighed on her for so long, bringing her complicated emotions back to calm.
“If…” Just as she fell silent, he added as if struck by another thought, “If you’re willing to tell me where you came from, you can let me know. That way, when you decide to go back, I can figure out the route ahead of time…”
After speaking, he looked at her with hopeful eyes.
Sha Yi laughed again but decided not to reveal her true origins.
Because if she explained it simply, he wouldn’t understand and would inevitably dwell on it. If she explained in detail, he would find it unbelievable and only grow more anxious about the possibility of her leaving.
After much deliberation, Sha Yi decided it was best to fabricate a story closer to their reality: “I didn’t come from the forest where you first met me. I wandered there by accident. The place I once lived is now empty—everyone else left because of the snakes.”
“I see.” Xiyi sighed sympathetically. “Actually, the snakes disappear after the rainy season. There were already far fewer snakes this rainy season compared to the last.”
Amused by Xiyi’s earnestness, Sha Yi teased, “Xiyi, why do I get the feeling you’re disappointed they abandoned me? Are you planning to send me back?”
He had been about to say something else, but her words made him immediately fall silent. After a long pause, he muttered, “Can I not send you back?”
Sha Yi burst into laughter.
Xiyi, however, turned red with urgency. Though his words were somewhat incoherent, his resolve was firm: “I don’t want you to go back. Don’t go back.”
Sha Yi was utterly thunderstruck and couldn’t stop laughing.
Xiyi, bewildered by her reaction, only realized she was teasing him when she was already laughing so hard she could barely breathe. Annoyed, he bent down, picked up the things she had left on the ground, tossed them into the bathtub, then swiftly scooped her up and, still holding her, dashed off with the bathtub in tow.
Between muffled laughter, Sha Yi couldn’t help but admire Xiyi’s brute strength.
Carrying a bathtub large enough to serve as a boat, plus a person weighing 120 pounds, while running swiftly and steadily through shallow but still resistant floodwaters—no one else could pull that off.
By the tributary river.
From a distance, Sha Yi spotted dozens of men squatting by the riverbank, gathered around a massive creature—likely the “long-nosed beast” Xiyi had mentioned. It looked nothing like she had imagined.
But back in the modern world, she had seen something similar on nature documentaries. Though not identical, it was close enough.
The creature resembled an antelope in build and appearance, with oddly hooked hooves, large deer-like ears, and a nose slightly longer than its mouth. Its face was broad and triangular, its neck short but sturdy, and its body oval-shaped. Its fur was yellowish on the back and white on the belly, stained with dark red blood. It measured at least three to four meters in length and stood nearly three meters tall at the shoulder—truly enormous, dwarfing the four-horned deer. No wonder it was so hard to catch.
They seemed to have already processed one, with the cleaned meat divided onto over a dozen large leaves and the hide hung from a nearby tree.
When they saw Xiyi bringing her over, they greeted her cheerfully.
Xiyi set her down not far from the riverbank and, without needing her to say anything, took the bathtub upstream to fetch water.
After a while, worried that the filled bathtub would be too heavy, Sha Yi followed—only to run into Xiyi on his way back. He carried it effortlessly and even smiled brightly at her before setting it down.
As she puzzled over his actions, he quickly approached, pointed around the bathtub, and explained, “There are bushes here for privacy—just how you like it. I checked, and there’s nothing else around. You can wash here. It’s not far from the others, so just call if you need anything.”
Glancing at the men busy processing the long-nosed beast, Sha Yi immediately understood Xiyi’s reasoning.
He wanted to help finish the task. Though it wasn’t late, time was still pressing, and lingering outside the cave was unwise.
Realizing this, Sha Yi nodded quickly. While testing the water, he brought over her washing supplies and spare clothes before rejoining the men.
Sha Yi didn’t bother checking on them further, focusing instead on washing her hair and then her body.
After her experience the previous day, she refused to waste time on such activities unless she was absolutely certain of safety.
Now, not only was the rainy season making the environment unsafe, but there were also unfamiliar, hostile groups prone to violent raids. Every action outdoors required caution and vigilance—especially something as vulnerable as bathing.
This was her first rainy season in this world, and it had already been exhausting. Combined with her initial unfamiliarity, she had suffered greatly. Though half the season had passed, she desperately hoped it would end soon.
No matter what, once she survived this rainy season, she could prepare for the next.
She didn’t want a repeat of these sudden crises or to live in constant fear.
Rather than being at the mercy of circumstances, she would create favorable conditions to minimize such risks.
After bathing, Sha Yi washed her bloodstained dress as well. But due to her lingering fear of snakes, she still hesitated to approach the river, settling for rinsing it in the bathwater.
She suspected this fear would last until the rainy season ended. Of course, if absolutely necessary, she could overcome it—but she wasn’t willing to yet.
By the river, Xiyi and the others were still working. Bored, Sha Yi tried to empty the bathtub but couldn’t even lift a corner—just like that snake-ridden morning when she had failed to move even the empty tub.
Giving up, she sat on the tub’s edge and ate the last two orange-yellow fruits.
As she finished one, faint rustling came from the nearby bushes. She listened but heard nothing more and continued eating—until the rustling turned into something like a human sigh.
Startled, she jumped up, but when she turned to look, the sound had vanished.
Heart pounding, she froze for a second before sprinting toward the men, stopping breathlessly behind them.
They had just finished processing the beast and were washing up. Seeing her dash over, they paused, confused.
Xiyi, especially concerned, stood up the moment he saw her, his worry evident.
Bent over, hands on knees, Sha Yi took several deep breaths before pointing shakily toward the bathtub. “Th-there… something’s in the bushes…”
Before she could finish, the men exchanged glances and rushed over.
Xiyi started to follow but stopped when the others went ahead, quickly washing his hands with prepared soap leaves before soothing her.
By the time her heartbeat steadied, the men returned, reporting nothing unusual—except for the rabbit one of them held out to her.
Staring at the dopey-looking rabbit, Sha Yi was speechless before awkwardly realizing her mistake. The men, however, burst into laughter.
Xiyi chuckled too, ruffling her hair affectionately, his deep brown eyes brimming with amusement and warmth.
Sha Yi coughed, embarrassed.
The men laughed even harder, though without malice. She couldn’t blame them—her paranoia had caused this.
Xiyi didn’t stop their good-natured teasing, simply signaling for them to wait after washing before leading her back to the bathtub.
Only then did Sha Yi finally shake off her embarrassment.
Yet, recalling the incident, she remained doubtful.
Besides rustling, she had heard something like a human sigh—something a rabbit couldn’t produce. But the men insisted they’d found nothing else.
It didn’t make sense.
Hopefully, she was overthinking it. Otherwise, it might have been one of those raiders.
Though the man they rescued claimed the raiders were still at their settlement, people weren’t trees—they could move and think. She didn’t fully trust his certainty.
Besides, they had just witnessed those people’s cunning.
Unaware of her concerns, Xiyi didn’t dwell on it. After emptying the tub, he prepared to wash in the river like the others.
Normally, this wouldn’t faze her—she had done the same long ago. But between the giant snake, the raiders, and the strange rustling, she refused to let him take the risk.
Unable to sway her, Xiyi reluctantly refilled the tub and, at her insistence, crouched beside it to dunk his head in—a comical sight.
Sha Yi laughed before washing his hair, just as she had by the stream near their old cave.
Unlike last time, Xiyi was energetic, playfully splashing until soap got in his eyes, forcing him to quiet down.
Though she thought he deserved it, she still carefully rinsed his eyes, unable to bear his discomfort.
Washing his body, however, proved troublesome.
Unlike her, Xiyi was unused to the tub. Despite its size, he found it restrictive compared to rivers, fumbling so much he tipped it over repeatedly.
Sha Yi feared the tub wouldn’t survive many more sessions. Since his hair was clean, she decided to spare it further abuse and sent him to the river.
Freed from the tub’s confines, Xiyi became like a wild horse, stripping off his bloodied hide and diving in without a second thought for his freshly washed hair.
Sha Yi, stunned, barely had time to react before getting splashed.
He was indeed different from her.
Just like those men bathing in the group over there—even if the water might not be entirely safe, they weren’t afraid at all, nor did they hold back. They simply did whatever felt comfortable. She, on the other hand, was sweating with anxiety, too nervous to dare step back into the water.
Still, with Sha Yi and those men splashing around, she mustered the courage to wash clothes in the river. After rinsing her own garments, she also cleaned his dirty animal-hide skirt. Fortunately, the fresh bloodstains weren’t hard to remove, and she quickly finished the task before placing the clean skirt on the shore.
Having already experienced Sha Yi’s diving antics once, Sha Yi didn’t bother worrying about him this time. Instead, she turned her attention to tidying up the small items around the bathtub.
What unsettled her, however, was the faint rustling sound she heard again from the bushes. This time, she didn’t even need to hold her breath to hear it clearly. A wave of panic washed over her.
At first, she wasn’t entirely sure, but now she was certain something was wrong. Yet, she didn’t dare go investigate—whether it was a snake or a person, she was too afraid.
Frozen in place, she could only stare wide-eyed at the rustling bushes, her heart pounding as she called out Sha Yi’s name in fear.
In the end, Sha Yi didn’t appear—instead, the group of men came running. Sensing her distress, they didn’t ask questions and immediately searched the area again. But this time, they found even less than before—not a single rabbit, not even a tuft of fur.
The men burst into laughter again, leaving Sha Yi speechless. Yet, she refused to believe it was just her imagination.
After a moment’s thought, she earnestly gave the men a few instructions. They exchanged puzzled glances but nodded one by one, agreeing to follow her advice.
Seeing this, she decided not to press further and simply continued with her tasks.
It was then that Sha Yi resurfaced, clutching several of those enormous shrimp in his hands. The men, who had been about to head back for meat, immediately jumped back into the water at the sight.
In no time, the riverbank was in chaos again.
Sha Yi sighed, unable to help but marvel at the simplicity of these men.
The trip to the river had taken far longer than expected. By the time everyone was ready to return to the cave, night had fully fallen, with only a sliver of a moon hanging in the sky—far too dim to provide any real light.
The prolonged rainstorms and lack of timekeeping tools had long since blurred her sense of days and moon phases. The only thing she could discern now was that the next day would likely be clear.
But an uneasy feeling lingered in her heart.
If the sun blazed for three straight days, would the weather afterward turn even worse than the previous storms?
After the two sunny days when they had searched for mineral salt, the rain had poured endlessly.
Even if there was no thunder in the early days, the relentless downpour was far from harmless. The river was already swelling, and the accumulated water was rising. If this continued, the land would be completely flooded in no time.
Her worries didn’t last long, though, as the boisterous chatter of the men soon snapped her out of her thoughts.
Sha Yi took her hand, and they followed the group back to the cave.
Inside, the others had already eaten. Those who had returned late, including them, couldn’t escape Xi Gu’s scolding. Still, the men just laughed it off and happily dug into the roasted meat, completely unbothered.
Xi Gu, too, gave up on wasting words on these carefree idiots. She wandered back to Sha Yi’s side and struck up a casual conversation.
Seizing the opportunity, Sha Yi shared what had happened by the river.
Xi Gu’s reaction was entirely different from the men’s. After listening, she fell into a long silence.
Sha Yi could tell she was worried.
Despite Xi Gu’s rough, impulsive demeanor, she had endured the cruelest struggles, faced the most devastating situations, and experienced the most turbulent displacements. She was also much older than men like Sha Yi, so she could likely foresee certain dangers.
Sha Yi didn’t expect Xi Gu to analyze the situation in depth, but given the current circumstances, she hoped Xi Gu could offer a clearer perspective and a more reasonable plan.
As expected, Xi Gu also believed something sinister was at play and supported the idea that the savages were behind it.
The rest of the time was spent with Xi Gu discussing strategies with the entire cave.
Meanwhile, Sha Yi took the opportunity to fill her stomach.
Honestly, she knew nothing about inter-tribal conflicts and had no clue about combat tactics. So, she decided not to interfere and simply followed the group’s lead, leaving command to those with experience—like Xi Gu.
Xi Gu’s proposal was straightforward: divide everyone into two groups. One would sleep first while the other kept watch near the cave entrance, observing any movement outside. They would rotate shifts at short intervals.
Since they had caught two long-nosed beasts that day, food supplies were sufficient. Even if the next day was sunny, there was no need to hunt—everyone would stay inside the cave on guard.
Whether the savages attacked that night or the next day, they would be prepared. If nothing happened, they could use the time to preserve the meat—either way, they’d have something to do.
Everyone immediately agreed.
It wasn’t a particularly brilliant plan—in fact, anyone could have thought of it—but its practicality made it perfectly suited to their current needs.
So, Sha Yi silently accepted it.
As for executing the plan, she knew she lacked the ability or skill to contribute. Xi Gu had also made it clear she didn’t need Sha Yi’s involvement. So, amid the tense bustle of the group, she lay down in the bathtub to sleep.
As for Sha Yi, he was assigned to the first watch.
Sha Yi felt both relieved and uneasy.
Relieved because those on the first shift wouldn’t have the chance to rest immediately, meaning he wouldn’t have time to stir up trouble—after all, he wouldn’t be able to sleep right away anyway.
Uneasy because if a night attack did happen, Sha Yi and the first group would be the first line of defense. Selfishly, she’d rather anyone else get hurt than him.
But these thoughts were impossible to voice, let alone explain. So, just like in the morning, she could only remind him to be careful.
Yet, Sha Yi’s concern for her was no less than hers for him. Even though she was inside the cave, within his line of sight, he still returned both her fruit knives to her. Then, he tried to hand her his bone knife as well.
Sha Yi found it both amusing and exasperating, but she understood the danger he was in. She insisted on giving him both fruit knives, keeping only his bone knife for herself. Though he disagreed, there was nothing he could do.
Only after finally shooing Sha Yi away did she truly settle down.
This entire day had been exhausting.
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