As she expected, Sha Yi’s flirtatious behavior didn’t last long.
Galo and Tuge returned quickly, both dripping wet—apparently, they had gone for a bath.
Though it was the tail end of the rainy season, there was still a transitional period before winter arrived. Despite the unpredictable weather, the temperature remained relatively high.
Sha Yi didn’t know the exact temperature, but based on how it felt, the days were neither too cold nor too hot, likely hovering between 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Nights were slightly cooler, but still much warmer than during the rainy season.
Thinking of Sha Yi’s wound, Sha Yi figured it wouldn’t hurt to clean it a bit. She turned and nudged him. “Sha Yi, let’s go wash up too. It’s been a whole day—cleaning your wound would be good.”
Sha Yi nodded quickly.
He was always obedient to her, and this time, it was just a simple wound cleaning. If it meant avoiding those two, he’d be thanking his lucky stars.
Having to face them constantly these past few days had left him thoroughly annoyed.
Unaware of his thoughts, Sha Yi turned to gather some spare clothes.
But Tuge sidled up. “How about I go with Sha Yi to clean his wound? You can tidy up here and lay out an extra hide for me. Our spot’s a bit uncomfortable.”
“Haven’t you already washed?” Sha Yi shot him a puzzled glance but kept rummaging through the tub of clothes. “I’ll help Sha Yi clean his wound first, and when we get back, you can apply the herb paste for him.”
Tuge pushed the clothes back into the tub, displeased. “Your attempts the past few days didn’t work! Look, his wound hasn’t improved at all!”
His exaggeration left Sha Yi speechless, but it was true—Tuge was far more skilled at using plants to treat wounds.
Though she knew some modern first aid, without proper supplies, her methods were useless for Sha Yi’s injury.
Rather than stubbornly insisting, it was better to let Tuge handle it the natural way. Among Sha Yi’s people, she hadn’t seen anyone as capable as Tuge.
She wondered how they usually dealt with serious injuries.
Since Tuge meant no harm, Sha Yi thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
The cave’s condition wasn’t ideal.
Though the structure was solid and the layout suited her, it was clearly uninhabited for years, leaving thick layers of dust everywhere. Cleaning was unavoidable.
She knew dust was bad for the respiratory system. Even if she couldn’t clean the entire cave in one night, at least their sleeping area had to be spotless.
But Sha Yi refused outright, even grabbing her wrist to stop her. In the end, Sha Yi had to accompany him to the shallow water, then slipped back to the cave while Tuge tended to his wound.
Galo leaned against the cave wall, chewing on a grass stem with a sullen expression.
Sha Yi couldn’t read his mind and didn’t care to try, focusing on tidying up.
Unexpectedly, he approached. “You’re really staying?”
“I already told you,” she snapped, pushing away his towering frame, which was blocking her work. “Should I just follow you to your place? Are you going to feed us?”
“I can feed you—just you.” His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by the stern expression he’d worn when they first met. “Our group has plenty of men. Let Sha Yi stay here alone.”
“Sha Yi can take care of me just fine. I won’t burden your group!” She shook her head, barely suppressing a laugh. “Besides, during the rainy season, your people can barely feed yourselves. Avoiding conflict is hard enough—why add another mouth to feed?”
“You really hate fighting, don’t you?” His face darkened. “Come with me, and I swear I’ll stop.”
“Of course I hate it, but that’s your business. My opinion doesn’t change anything.” She shrugged. “I won’t abandon Sha Yi. And why would I even go with you?”
Galo’s frown deepened as he glared at her.
His odd expression left Sha Yi at a loss. Galo was truly unpredictable—sometimes foolishly playful, other times cunning and ruthless. Honestly, she was often baffled.
Even now, she couldn’t claim to fully understand him. His stupidity surprised even himself, and his ruthlessness defied logic.
Like now, suddenly demanding she follow him to his home.
Days ago, he’d kidnapped her, threatened her, and schemed against her. At the volcano, he’d seemed utterly disgusted by her. Yet now, he wanted her to go back with him? What kind of game was this?
Unable to make sense of it, she grabbed a hide to lay out for Tuge.
But Galo seized her wrist. “You’re coming with me!”
Startled, Sha Yi yanked her arm back. “Let go! You’re hurting me!”
“Promise me, and I’ll release you.” His grip tightened. “Otherwise, don’t expect me to let go.”
“Galo, are you insane?” When struggling failed, she cursed, threw the hide aside, and bit his hand.
He grunted but only tightened his hold. Finally, when the pain became unbearable, he shoved her to the ground, teeth clenched. “You’re the savage one! How many times have you bitten me now?”
Her back ached from the rough landing, but she refused to back down. “If you weren’t always so brutish, I wouldn’t have to bite you! Hypocrite!”
“What hypocrite?” He shook his hand, glaring. “I’m asking you one last time—are you coming or not?”
“No!” She grabbed the hide and flung it at him, wincing as she sat up.
Batting it aside, Galo’s patience snapped. He lunged forward. “You’re not staying. You’re coming with me, willing or not!”
Alarm bells rang in her mind. As he closed in, she instinctively kicked out.
Caught off guard, Galo staggered back from the blow to his abdomen. Though it barely hurt, it enraged him.
From the start, this strange woman had repelled him.
At first glance, she’d seemed scrawny and ugly. Then he noticed her unusually pale, soft skin and hesitated.
Later, he realized her face was smeared with soap leaf juice. But urgent matters forced him to leave her behind.
Then came the cowards’ plan to kidnap a woman to barter for food. He’d agreed, never imagining they meant her—the same scrawny, “ugly” woman.
By the river, he saw her wash off the juice.
Her beauty was unlike anything he’d ever seen.
Curious, because she looked nothing like her own people, he watched as they delivered her, bound and unconscious, to him.
The third time he saw her, something stirred inside him—something he couldn’t name.
He considered taking her back. But she was too thin, seemingly unfit for childbearing, and bore no signs of having borne children.
He dismissed the idea of keeping the two women they’d seized from the rival cave, wondering instead if he could try with her.
What stunned him most was her reaction to the giant snake.
He sensed her fear, yet she’d cleverly exploited his hunger, manipulating him.
It struck him that strength wasn’t everything—intelligence could compensate.
She outsmarted him at every turn, negotiating boldly, cornering him until he fell into her trap.
Then Tuge vanished post-trade. Convinced she and her man had plotted it, he’d nearly strangled her in fury.
At the river, he ambushed them. With the terror bird’s advantage, he easily speared her man into the water.
But she retaliated with a strange weapon, downing the bird midair—and the sharp black branch pierced his chest too.
Luckily, the bird took the brunt. His injury was minor, but the grounded bird forced him into the raging floodwaters.
When he awoke, she was there—swept to the same spot. For a moment, he felt an odd thrill—until he realized she meant to kill him.
Their enmity ran deep: her kidnapping, his using her as leverage, his spear aimed at her man.
During the trade, he’d seen her affection for that man—a man he found utterly unremarkable. It irked him blindly, driving him to act without thought.
At the volcano, reuniting with Tuge, hearing of another man’s betrayal, he sensed misunderstandings between them. Her explanation convinced him.
She’d suffered the same misfortune—both she and her man had been duped by someone named Saina.
If even kin could betray, why not rival groups?
In those days, his foolishness surfaced fully. They bickered endlessly, yet he’d never been happier.
He’d assumed it was the relief of resolving conflict—fewer enemies were always better, even if he cared little for making them.
In the volcano cave, he saw her man again—weak, sickly, and aloof.
The man clearly disliked them, but Galo didn’t care.
There, he witnessed her tenderness—toward her man, not them. It stung, but he accepted it.
Later, he saw her intelligence firsthand. She wasn’t just timid or shrewd—she was brilliant, knowing things even Tuge didn’t.
He began to think Tuge alone wasn’t enough. He needed someone like her—someone to anchor his group.
As leaders, they’d formed a stable unit. Though he held the highest rank, distrust lingered—like with Manlun.
In that quaking cave, she spoke of things he didn’t grasp and asked about their home. He thought she and her man might join them—a prospect that pleased him.
He gladly welcomed them.
On the journey, he saw her man’s bravery—a threat. During the saber-tooth fight, he hesitated to help, torn between protecting his status and fearing her disapproval.
By the time he decided, her man had already slain the beast with that strange weapon and quick thinking.
Their group had many oddities: his weapon, her knife, her fire-making, her cooking, even her strange yet practical clothing.
For a while, he wondered if she was from another world—but that was impossible.
Eventually, he credited it all to her mind. Her man dressed normally; she didn’t.
At the lake, he eavesdropped on their bath.
He heard everything—her man’s wish for children.
In that instant, jealousy flared. He hated their intimacy, her gentleness with him. Since her man woke, she’d barely spared Galo a glance.
His own thoughts shocked him. He knew it was irrational, yet he couldn’t suppress the urge to separate them.
He confronted them. They were startled but complied.
But her man’s hostility was palpable. If before he’d merely disliked them, now he looked ready to kill.
Galo grew irritable, hating the sight of them together.
That night, witnessing the destruction she’d predicted, his feelings grew stranger, stronger.
The next day, he ignored everyone—especially when they refused to go to his home. Part of him was relieved her man was leaving; the other part furious at her betrayal.
He swore never to speak to her again—yet when she hunted by the water, he approached, desperate to understand his own mind.
She dismissed him.
Enraged, he resolved to cut her off.
Then they chose this place and abandoned him.
At the water’s edge, he vented to Tuge, who stunned him by saying he was in love with her.
Madness!
But if not love, what else explained his behavior? Why did that man irk him so?
Now, watching them together, he regretted not killing the man when he had the chance.
He decided: she was coming with him, or he’d burn this place down.
Rage surging, Galo seized her ankle, flipped her onto her back, and pinned her.
Sha Yi fought furiously, but his strength overwhelmed her. In their struggle, she saw the fury in his eyes.
This lunatic had lost it again!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage