“Mmm.” Xi Yi nodded in response. Seeing her confusion, he released her, placing his large hand on her abdomen and rubbing it a few times before pointing at the sky and waving his hand. He then turned to glance at the mottled ground and shook his head gently at her.
At first, Sha Yi still didn’t quite understand. But after a moment of thought, a sudden realization struck her—could it be… that the rainy season was approaching, making pregnancy unsuitable?
Recalling the commotion at the cave entrance earlier, Xi Gu and Xi Yi had begun whispering to each other, followed by Ma Sa pointing at her belly and asking questions in a tone that was familiar yet puzzling. After two attempts, Xi Gu and Xi Yi had answered on her behalf. Now, connecting what she had seen at the cave entrance with Xi Yi’s words and actions, she finally understood!
Xi Yi was telling her that he wouldn’t let her end up like that woman, nor would he allow her to get pregnant during the rainy season!
But… what about after the rainy season?
Sha Yi didn’t dare dwell on it. Still, that time hadn’t come yet, and perhaps things wouldn’t be as complicated as she feared. Maybe what she was encountering now was just a coincidence—she might be worrying unnecessarily.
Dismissing her premature concerns, Sha Yi suddenly felt a weight lift from her mind. When she looked up at Xi Yi again, she gave him a bright smile.
Seeing this, Xi Yi also relaxed and led her through the crowd, heading outside.
The noisy chatter of the people died down, just like the scene when she had first followed Xi Yi and Xi Gu into the cave before dinner. Everyone stared at her with wide eyes, and Sha Yi once again felt a creeping unease.
The gender ratio in this settlement was severely unbalanced. She estimated there were about forty or fifty men, while the number of women—including herself—could probably be counted on two hands.
But Xi Yi wasn’t like her. Having lived in this settlement for so long, he was accustomed to everything here. He paid no attention to the stares of the others and didn’t share her discomfort.
Sha Yi followed him for a while. The path wasn’t particularly long, but its twists and turns were disorienting. She couldn’t make out the route at all until Xi Yi stopped, and only then did she realize, somewhat dazedly, that they were standing before a massive fruit tree.
Xi Yi pointed at the tree for her to see.
The tree was laden with large, plump red fruits, their vibrant color especially striking. Sha Yi thought their shape resembled the fruit Ma Sa had given her during dinner, though the ones Ma Sa had handed her were much smaller. The ones before her now were enormous, and she imagined they must taste even better.
However, these fruits grew mostly in the middle section of the tree. The towering tree bore no fruit at its base or top, and the middle section was too high to reach from the ground with a stick. Climbing seemed like the only option, but the leaves were covered in stiff, thorny ridges—thicker and harder than modern pine needles—making it a daunting task.
Xi Yi motioned for her to wait. When she tried to speak, he smiled and stopped her.
Sha Yi had no choice but to stand under the tree, watching as he climbed with remarkable agility.
Xi Yi maneuvered through the inner gaps of the tree, and within moments, the dense layers of foliage shook violently. She saw him occasionally reaching out to pluck fruits and toss them to the ground. In no time, the ground was strewn with red.
Afraid of being hit, Sha Yi didn’t immediately gather the fruits. Instead, she kept her eyes on Xi Yi’s movements.
As dusk fell and the towering tree made it harder to track him, she grew increasingly worried. Beneath those dense, needle-like leaves, he might end up covered in scratches.
Compared to the variety of flavors in her mouth, she’d much rather he didn’t take such risks. She could live without the fruit, but without him… no way!
The thought made her unable to hold back, and she called out to him loudly.
Almost instantly, Xi Yi responded from the tree. His voice, muffled by the thick foliage, sounded deep and indistinct. Sha Yi had only grasped a tiny fraction of the ancient language, and in this situation, she couldn’t understand him at all. Still, her goal was achieved—her tense mood eased slightly.
In that short time, several newly picked fruits rolled to her feet. As the sky darkened further, she bent down to gather the nearest ones. After a few steps, she had collected about a dozen. Unable to hold them all, she lifted the hem of her short skirt to cradle the fruits before standing up straight.
The moment she straightened, she was startled.
A tall figure stood before her, having appeared out of nowhere. He was slightly hunched, eyeing her with keen interest before reaching into her skirt-held bounty, grabbing a red fruit, wiping it, and taking a bite.
Sha Yi was stunned.
The man wore a grayish-black animal hide around his waist and stood nearly as tall as Xi Yi. Though muscular, he was leaner, with darker skin, short bristly hair, and a faint stubble. His narrow eyes were sharp and lively, but he clearly didn’t belong to the same tribe as Xi Yi.
Now, munching on the stolen fruit, he fiddled with the long spear strapped to his back, as if it bothered him.
It took Sha Yi a moment to snap out of her daze. Instinctively, she tried to back away, but the man anticipated her move and grabbed her arm before she could escape.
This time, Sha Yi was so frightened that she dropped all the fruits from her skirt. She opened her mouth to scream, but the man swiftly discarded his half-eaten fruit and clamped a hand over her mouth. Struggling was futile—he barely registered her resistance.
Soon, he yanked her into his arms. No matter how hard she fought, it only made him tighten his grip. Realizing it was pointless, Sha Yi stopped struggling and let him pin her.
The moment she ceased resisting, his hold loosened slightly, as if surprised by her sudden compliance. Bewildered, he leaned in to study her face. Sha Yi rolled her eyes at him, and after a brief pause, he chuckled.
Unexpectedly, he didn’t seem intent on harming her further, but he still refused to let her go. His restraint was no longer forceful, yet he kept his hand over her mouth.
Sha Yi took a deep breath, preparing to break free at the first opportunity. But before she could act, he suddenly yelped, “Ouch!” and released her, jumping back.
A bright red fruit rolled to her feet in the wake of his abrupt movement.
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