Chapter 178: Unknown Visitor

Without the disturbances from Jialuo and Tuge, the past few days had been filled with restful sleep.

Outside the stone cave, rain began to fall once again.

Holding the soft, chubby little wolf pup in her arms, Sha Yi stood at the mouth of the cave, gazing at the dense curtain of rain over the green grassland.

Unlike the endless thunderstorms of the rainy season, this rain seemed to mark the end of the season—more akin to autumn rain in the modern world, light and fine, yet carrying a faint, icy chill.

It felt like a lifetime had passed.

Unconsciously, she had already been in this world for so long. Recalling the events of the past, they seemed as vivid as if they had just happened a few days ago.

But if she really thought about the past few days, they had indeed been frustrating, especially the day Jialuo and Tuge left.

Aside from searching for herbs during the day, the afternoon spent driving those two away had been exhausting. It wasn’t Jialuo who was difficult—it was Tuge.

Tuge had stubbornly refused to leave, clinging on with sheer persistence. When he could no longer stay, he even stole two of Xi Yi’s herbs before Jialuo finally threw him onto the back of a giant-toothed eagle. Jialuo himself had ridden off on the bird without a backward glance, grinding his teeth in frustration.

She had prepared about ten days’ worth of food for them, which should have been more than enough.

But now, their own food supply had been significantly reduced. Sha Yi estimated it might not even last a month.

Xi Yi was also quite worried about this issue, so early in the morning, he had wanted to venture into the forest to hunt for something.

Sha Yi hadn’t dared to let him go.

Though his injuries were gradually healing, it had only been a few days. Getting soaked in the rain wouldn’t do him any good, and she didn’t want him taking unnecessary risks.

Besides, the rainy season was over now, and their food could still last a few more days. They had plenty of time and opportunity to wait for clear weather.

Unable to argue with her, Xi Yi had no choice but to listen. In the end, he even seemed unusually happy to spend the entire day by her side.

During this time, Sha Yi thoroughly tidied up the stone cave.

Compared to the two or three places they had lived in before, this cave was undoubtedly the best. Not only was the outer area spacious and bright, but there was also an inner chamber that was equally open. The ground was entirely made of light-gray stone, so even during rainy days, it didn’t feel damp or uncomfortable.

She had Xi Yi move the wooden raft into the inner chamber, leaning it against a relatively flat wall before covering it with several animal hides. Sha Yi thought that once the weather cleared, she could gather some dry grass to place beneath the hides. That way, during winter, it would block more cold and provide better insulation—after all, the raft wasn’t perfectly sealed.

Her bathtub had also been moved into the inner chamber. For now, the weather wasn’t too cold, so the tub could still be used for storage. But once winter fully set in, it would serve as a bathing vessel. So, when the skies cleared, they might need to gather more wooden branches for storage.

Their stored food was placed in a corner of the outer cave, also resting on dry branches and wrapped in animal hides to keep it as clean as possible. The fire pit was fixed on the opposite side—after all, it was a source of intense heat.

As for necessities like stools, Sha Yi didn’t want to bother too much. If stones could serve the purpose, she used stones.

All in all, they didn’t have many belongings. Even with everything arranged, there was still plenty of empty space in the cave. But she believed their possessions would gradually increase over time.

As for the wolf pup they had unexpectedly picked up along the way—the one with squinty eyes—she kept it in a corner of the outer cave.

Xi Yi had told her that one cycle here was divided into three seasons: summer, the rainy season, and winter. Summer was the longest, twice the length of the rainy season, while winter fell in between.

Based on her actual experience of the rainy season—having gone through one menstrual cycle, with the second long overdue—she estimated that the rainy season lasted just under three months.

If summer was twice as long as the rainy season, that would make it nearly six months. Assuming one cycle was a year, winter would then last about four months.

With that in mind, she had come to terms with the fact that she couldn’t expect the wolf pup to grow much during this winter.

Given that wolf pups were born before the rainy season, and this one had grown for nearly three months yet remained so small, she guessed its adulthood would take over a year.

Xi Yi, however, said it was like the saber-toothed tiger—its juvenile period was long, which also made survival more difficult. Only after reaching a stage where its gender could be distinguished would it suddenly grow rapidly, likely reaching adulthood by the end of winter, just before summer.

In fact, if Xi Yi hadn’t emphasized it, she wouldn’t have known that wolf pups were indistinguishable by gender in their early stages. This realization filled Sha Yi with hope.

A couple of days ago, during their free time, Xi Yi had also cleaned the saber-toothed tiger hide thoroughly. But with the rainy weather, it hadn’t dried yet and needed a few more days of sun.

Sha Yi thought that if winter became too harsh, they might use the hide for warmth. But for now, it was unnecessary, and the likelihood of needing it in winter was minimal.

She even considered using her own skirt or similar materials to make a pair of underpants for Xi Yi.

The thought made her laugh every time. They only wore animal-hide skirts, essentially going commando underneath. If not for their relatively long skirts and Xi Yi’s habit of sitting properly, she might have caught glimpses of something embarrassing.

But altering clothes was indeed a challenge.

They rarely used bone needles, and the one he had taken from Pankuo’s cave was enormous. If they tried sewing clothes with it, the fabric might tear before the stitches were even done. So refining bone needles was necessary, as was finding suitable thread.

Back when they were migrating through the dangerous forest to the settlement, she had used thread unraveled from her nightgown. But now, there was no more of that thread left.

Finally, Sha Yi remembered the two rolls of polyethylene rope she had. She had used some for the bowstring, but plenty remained. If she split it into strands for sewing, it might work—though the result might look crude, it was still far superior to the rough vines Xi Yi and the others used.

The light but persistent rain only stopped by evening.

Seizing the opportunity, Sha Yi went to the shallow upstream to fetch water for cooking meat soup. On her way back, she noticed a massive boulder near the cave entrance. The upper part of the boulder protruded significantly, creating a large sheltered area beneath it.

Despite the rain, the ground beneath it remained mostly dry.

Sha Yi suddenly recalled her earlier domestication plan.

If Xi Yi hunted small or medium-sized prey in the future, they could bring them back to raise here. The spot was close to the cave, partially windproof, fully rain- and sun-proof, and spacious enough. If they built a fence around it, it would make a perfect enclosure.

The thought excited her, and she couldn’t resist dragging Xi Yi out to see it. But then she remembered the enormous long-nosed beast they had once hunted, and she realized Xi Yi could be foolish at times. A creature that size would be impossible to feed, let alone confine. She had no idea how they had even considered it back then.

Just thinking about it now made her laugh.

Xi Yi didn’t understand what she found so amusing, assuming she was just pleased with the location, so he laughed along with her.

Sha Yi laughed even harder. When she finally managed to stop, she reminded him that if they were to domesticate animals, they should choose smaller ones—easier to catch alive and more feasible to raise.

Finally understanding her laughter, Xi Yi reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair. Without another word, he tried to pull her back into the cave.

But as he turned, he froze.

Following his gaze, Sha Yi spotted several dark shapes floating in the beautiful blue waters. But the distance was too great, and the dim light made it impossible for her to discern what they were.

As the shapes drifted closer, Sha Yi continued to watch, but she still couldn’t make them out.

Xi Yi, however, seemed to see them clearly.

His expression was complex—distant yet intense, his chest rising and falling rapidly with barely contained excitement. But the moment passed quickly, and he soon regained his composure, tightening his grip on her hand slightly.

In his eyes, she caught a glimmer of hope.

Sha Yi didn’t understand what that look meant. She wanted to ask but hesitated, unsure how to phrase it.

Before she could speak, he broke the silence.

“Sha Yi,” he called her name, his eyes still fixed on the distant dark shapes.

Without waiting for her response, he continued, “Do you see what’s in the water? Can you make it out?”

Confused by his question, Sha Yi hesitated before shaking her head honestly. “I see something in the water, but I can’t tell what it is. My eyesight isn’t as good as yours.”

Xi Yi lowered his head. “Those dark spots are three small rafts.”

“Rafts?” she repeated in disbelief. “You mean…”

“I can’t see their faces clearly, so I’m not sure if it’s them,” he admitted after a pause, pointing at the dark shapes on the water. “But I think it might be Xigu…”

“It might be Xigu, or it might be someone else.” Sha Yi didn’t voice her suspicions, but a hint of worry crept in. “But aside from those people back then, no one else knew how to make rafts. People like Tuge and Jialuo’s group had no concept of rafts at all.”

Understanding her unspoken concern, Xi Yi fell silent for a long moment before sighing. “I know what you mean. But whether it’s them or not, I want to…”

He trailed off, as if afraid she would object or get upset, so he stayed quiet.

He wanted to call out to them, but he feared it might not be Xigu. If they mistakenly welcomed the wrong people—especially if it was Saina—their troubles might return.

His worries weren’t unfounded, but she didn’t want him to live in constant anxiety. So, going to check or leaving something noticeable would be reasonable.

Even if it was Saina, by now, he likely wouldn’t resort to hostility again. During their last encounter at the volcano, he hadn’t forcibly taken her away. She had glimpsed his vulnerability then—maybe she could trust him this once?

She wasn’t expecting Xi Yi to reconcile with him, nor would she ever agree to it. They might remain enemies or strangers, but she couldn’t let Xi Yi miss this chance. Otherwise, he might regret it for the rest of his life.

Even if it turned out to be the wrong people, at least it would give him hope and something to hold onto.

Dismissing her doubts, she fetched a half-burned thick branch, dampened it slightly, and then burned it a little more before handing it to him. “Xi Yi, go to them. It might be Xigu and the others.”

Xi Yi was stunned, staring at her in disbelief.

Sha Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you hesitating? A damp branch burns with smoke. They won’t see you clearly from afar, but the smoke will be visible. It’ll be easier to catch their attention!”

“But…” He hesitated. “What if… it’s not Xigu? If it’s not…”

“You won’t know unless you go. Don’t leave yourself with regrets.” Pushing him gently toward the riverbank, she spoke lightly. “After surviving such a disaster, they’re unlikely to be as you fear. No matter what, you’ll protect me, right?”

A look of gratitude crossed his face. He reached out, brushing her cheek with his large hand before turning resolutely and striding toward the riverbank.

Watching his retreating figure, Sha Yi sighed softly.

No matter what, she still hoped it wasn’t Saina and his group.