The mushroom soup turned out to be more delicious than expected. Though it was clear and watery and lacked a bit of saltiness, the flavor was still incredibly fresh and savory. As a result, not only did she enjoy it, but even Xi Yi drank quite a lot.
Sha Yi thought that if Xi Yi went hunting again, she would definitely remind him to save some animal fat for rendering oil. That way, when making soup next time, she could add a little of it. Moreover, she really wanted to locate the area where those rat-like animals lived or frequented—she was eager to obtain some salt.
The mushroom soup was completely finished, with not a drop left. When Sha Yi tried to take the stainless steel basin to wash it, Xi Yi adamantly refused, snatching the basin from her and insisting she sit and wait for him. She had no choice but to relent.
As she sat, Sha Yi recalled that there were still many more mushrooms in the area covered by vines. If left unpicked, they would simply rot there. It would be better to gather them for food. The rainy season was approaching, and drying the mushrooms seemed like a good idea—at least they could serve as stored provisions.
Once decided, Sha Yi wasted no time. She took a large round leaf and returned to the spot to pick the deep brownish mushrooms.
The quantity of mushrooms was impressive. Sha Yi estimated they could fill the leaf, which was larger than a person. Fortunately, harvesting them was easy, and in just a short while, she had gathered nearly all of them.
When only a small portion remained, Sha Yi noticed a strikingly vivid red hue hidden among the deep brown clusters. Curious, she pushed aside the surrounding mushrooms to take a closer look.
It was another type of mushroom, smaller than the ones they had just eaten. Previously, its small size had allowed it to remain concealed among the larger mushrooms, escaping her notice. Now, with the surrounding mushrooms removed, it finally revealed itself. Its bright, translucent red color, coupled with the white, fungus-like warts covering its cap, made it unmistakably poisonous.
Earlier, Xi Yi had mentioned that Xi Mang once ate the same type of mushroom they had just consumed and later suffered severe poisoning, nearly dying. Considering that neither she nor Xi Yi had been poisoned, combined with her current observation, she deduced that since these two mushrooms grew together, it was possible Xi Mang had accidentally consumed both. The red one, though highly toxic, was rare in number, causing the harmless brown mushrooms to be wrongly blamed as poisonous.
Now, the remaining brown mushrooms grew closely intertwined with the bright red poisonous ones. Sha Yi hesitated to pick them. After a moment of consideration, she glanced at the large leaf beside her, already filled with a thick layer of mushrooms, and decided against taking the risk. Instead, she found a stick and crushed the poisonous mushroom to prevent anyone else from mistakenly consuming it and losing their life.
By the time Sha Yi dragged the leaf full of mushrooms back, Xi Yi had already returned. He was busy packing, clearly preparing to return to the settlement’s cave soon.
When Xi Yi noticed the leaf she was dragging, he set down what he was doing and walked over, taking the leaf from her hands. He then fetched another leaf to wrap the mushrooms together.
While he wrapped the mushrooms, Sha Yi folded the discarded animal hide and placed it with the stainless steel basin and the fruits. She wasn’t sure if it was because Xi Yi noticed her preference for the soap-like plant, but he had gathered quite a few of its leaves. Aside from that, there wasn’t much else.
Xi Yi finished wrapping all the mushrooms, securing the bundle with thick vines using the knotting method she had taught him.
The mushrooms were plentiful and full of moisture, making the bundle weigh at least ten to twenty pounds. Dragging it alone would have been strenuous, let alone carrying it over a distance while keeping the mushrooms intact. Sha Yi was concerned. Normally, such weight would be nothing to Xi Yi, but he was injured—one wound barely healed before another appeared. She couldn’t help but worry.
After a moment’s thought, Sha Yi decided she should carry the mushroom bundle herself. But just as she reached for it, Xi Yi was quicker, effortlessly lifting the bundle onto his shoulder while grabbing the animal hide, fruits, and stainless steel basin with his other hand.
He refused to let her carry anything, unwilling to let her expend any effort.
Sha Yi was stunned, but Xi Yi saw nothing wrong with his actions. Even while laden with their belongings, he extended his arm, gesturing for her to hold onto him.
Amused, Sha Yi still couldn’t shake her concern. She gently touched his chest, silently asking if he was alright. Xi Yi immediately shook his head, assuring her he was fine. Left with no choice, she complied with his wishes.
Xi Yi was delighted.
The settlement’s cave wasn’t far, but the vine-covered area they had been in was secluded, so few people frequented it. Perhaps most were unaware of its existence, or maybe the ancient people simply didn’t care for romantic spots. The area offered no hunting opportunities, and some might even consider it unsuitable for living.
At noon, the sunlight was unusually harsh, stinging and itching against the skin. Sha Yi, having given her short skirt to Xi Yi, was now traveling under the scorching sun wearing only her undergarments. Her exposed skin reddened under the heat, making the journey particularly uncomfortable.
Shortly after leaving the vine-covered haven, Sha Yi began struggling. Fortunately, Xi Yi noticed her discomfort and stopped to fetch a large leaf for shade, which provided some relief. When she glanced back at him, however, he seemed entirely unaffected by the intense sunlight.
Sha Yi figured he must be accustomed to it.
They walked on and soon arrived at the settlement’s cave.
Unlike the lively bustle of the previous day when she had first arrived, the cave was now eerily quiet. From the entrance, she could see only women and a few men gathered in small groups—most of the men were absent.
In the distance, Sha Yi spotted Xi Gu sitting alone with his head lowered in their usual spot. Everyone else, including Ma Sa, was gone.
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