She looked up and saw that the red fruit had already softened on one side, rolling all the way over, its broken skin leaving traces of pale red juice on the ground.
The unfamiliar man was now rubbing his forehead, his face twisted in pain and anger.
Sha Yi noticed that the juice had also smeared on the corner of his forehead where he was rubbing. She immediately thought of Xi Yi in the tree and quickly raised her head to look up.
At that moment, the dense layers of leaves on the massive fruit tree rustled rapidly from top to bottom. In just a moment, Xi Yi leaped down from the tree.
As she had guessed, the fruit that had struck the stranger was indeed thrown by Xi Yi.
However, Xi Yi’s expression now looked extremely unpleasant, as if he had suffered some great humiliation. Though his face remained cold and unreadable, there was an undercurrent of tension, as if he were on the verge of exploding. Sha Yi could sense his overwhelming anger.
In contrast, the stranger’s anger vanished the moment he saw Xi Yi, replaced by a smile as he raised his arm in greeting.
Sha Yi heard him call out Xi Yi’s name. When she turned to look, Xi Yi quickly strode over and pulled her behind him. She understood—he was protecting her, unwilling to let her have any further contact with the stranger—so she obediently hid behind him.
Xi Yi’s expression softened slightly at her compliance, but he was still worried. He held her and scrutinized her from head to toe several times before speaking to her in questioning tones.
Sha Yi guessed he was asking if she was hurt. Even though she couldn’t understand his words, the concern in his eyes was unmistakable. To ease his worries, she shook her head to signal that she was fine.
Xi Yi still wasn’t entirely reassured. His large hand on her arm trembled slightly with anger, but before long, the stranger approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
In that instant, Sha Yi was certain—they knew each other, and their relationship wasn’t so strained as to warrant outright hostility.
Unfortunately, no sooner had she reached this conclusion than she realized how wrong she was—Xi Yi abruptly turned and threw a heavy punch.
The blow landed squarely on the stranger’s cheek. He seemed caught off guard, staggering back several steps before finally stopping under the fruit tree. When he lowered his head, he quickly covered his mouth and nose, but Sha Yi still saw drops of bright red liquid fall to the ground near his feet.
Though she had known Xi Yi was furious, the sheer brutality of his attack startled her. Sensing her fear, Xi Yi turned and embraced her, gently patting her back in reassurance.
Fearing another confrontation, Sha Yi quickly tugged at Xi Yi, signaling that they should leave. Fortunately, Xi Yi usually listened to her. He nodded in agreement but pointed at the scattered red fruits on the ground, gesturing that he wanted to gather them before leaving. Sha Yi agreed and helped him collect the fruits.
Just as they were about to stand up, the stranger—now sporting a swollen cheek and faint traces of blood around his mouth and nose—approached again.
He completely ignored Xi Yi, looking down at Sha Yi instead. After a long pause, he pointed at himself and said, “Sainah.”
He was telling her his name, she realized.
Considering he hadn’t actually done anything to her, she might have responded differently. But recalling the earlier events, she couldn’t help but shrink back slightly—only to accidentally bump into Xi Yi’s back.
Xi Yi had been gathering the fruits, suppressing his anger for her sake. But hearing Sainah’s voice again and sensing her unease, he instantly lost control. He threw down the fruits, stood up abruptly, and swung another punch.
This time, Sainah was prepared. The moment Xi Yi struck, he sidestepped half a step back. But Xi Yi was just as quick, immediately following up with a punch to his abdomen. Unable to dodge, Sainah stopped retreating and instead grabbed Xi Yi’s fist midair, halting his momentum.
Both men were tall and strong. If they truly fought, neither would escape unscathed. Worried for Xi Yi, Sha Yi called out to him urgently.
Hearing her voice, Xi Yi glanced at her and hesitated, as if considering backing down. But Sainah smirked provocatively, pulling Xi Yi closer and whispering something in his ear.
Xi Yi erupted in fury.
Sha Yi was utterly baffled. In the span of a single sentence, the two had inexplicably started brawling again, completely ignoring her frantic attempts to intervene.
They were locked in a fierce struggle, too absorbed to pay her any mind. Even the usually obedient Xi Yi was now blinded by rage. What on earth had Sainah said to him?
At a complete loss, Sha Yi watched them fight for a while before finally plopping down on the ground, picking up a fruit, wiping it clean, and taking a bite.
If they were so determined to beat each other up, then fine—let them. Since she couldn’t stop them, she might as well enjoy the show.
The moment she sat down, the man fighting Xi Yi suddenly burst out laughing. Despite being locked in combat, he had apparently been keeping an eye on her. Seeing her reaction, he couldn’t help but laugh, completely ruining the seriousness of the fight.
But his distraction cost him. In that split second of amusement, he forgot to dodge, and Xi Yi’s fist landed squarely on his left side.
Sha Yi expected him to recover as before, but this time was different. The punch visibly staggered Sainah. Though he and Xi Yi were still grappling, preventing him from being knocked back, he didn’t steady himself. Instead, his legs buckled, and he dropped to his knees.
Sha Yi gasped in shock. Xi Yi, equally surprised, tried to pull back his force—but it was too late.
Sainah groaned as he knelt, clutching his left side. Blood seeped through the gaps between his fingers, staining his animal-hide skirt.
Xi Yi hesitated before crouching down to check on him, but Sainah pushed his hand away. Instead, he looked up at Sha Yi, raised an eyebrow, and repeated with a smirk, “Sainah!”
Then, with great effort, he stood up, sneered at Xi Yi, and said something.
Sha Yi saw anger flash across Xi Yi’s face again, but this time, he quickly regained his composure and replied. Sainah glanced back at him before limping away.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage