Sha Yi guessed they had likely gone hunting, so she didn’t show any surprise. Xi Yi also seemed accustomed to it. He paused for a moment in front of the cave, not in a hurry to urge her to leave. Instead, he set down what he was carrying and handed her a leaf-wrapped bundle of wild fruits, suggesting she eat some to quench her thirst and rest a bit. Then he picked up the other items and walked further inside.
At this point, she wasn’t in a rush either. However, after walking under the scorching midday sun for so long, she was genuinely thirsty. She stopped, opened the leaf bundle, and picked a wild fruit to eat.
But before she could even swallow the first bite, another greenish fruit appeared right in front of her.
Sha Yi was startled and instinctively looked up—only to see a man’s enlarged grinning face leaning close to hers. It was that man from before, the one called Saina!
When he saw her looking at him, his smile widened even more. As he laughed, his eyes roamed over her, and when they landed on her “revealing” and peculiar outfit, his gaze darkened noticeably.
A sense of foreboding struck her, and Sha Yi reflexively tried to back away. But Saina had already anticipated it—he grabbed her wrist with terrifying strength, squeezing so hard she gasped in pain. The more she struggled, the tighter his grip became, nearly bringing tears to her eyes.
Saina, however, seemed completely unaware of his own strength. Not only did he refuse to let go, but the amusement in his eyes grew, his expression turning increasingly fervent.
Helpless, Sha Yi dropped the fruit and tried to pry his fingers off. Unfortunately, her feeble attempts barely fazed him. He remained indifferent, even as she threw her full weight into resisting. With a slight smirk, he merely flicked his wrist, effortlessly yanking her back into his control.
At this moment, Sha Yi was utterly distraught.
She didn’t want to get entangled with this inexplicable stranger, nor did she wish to make a scene. Yet this man kept provoking her. She hadn’t done anything to deserve this—why did he insist on tormenting her? It was unbearable!
Glaring at him furiously, Sha Yi opened her mouth to shout, but he merely smirked, as if certain she wouldn’t dare call for help.
She was on the verge of giving up entirely.
But before she could make a sound, Xi Gu’s furious voice erupted from inside the cave.
Hearing it, Saina’s brow furrowed, while Sha Yi exhaled in relief.
Now, she wouldn’t have to exhaust herself trying to escape. As long as she could break free from Saina’s grasp, anything was fine. She truly couldn’t stand his rough handling, and besides, she barely knew him. She didn’t want to jeopardize her relationship with Xi Yi over this, nor did she want to cause him any trouble.
Xi Gu’s fiery temper proved effective. Even someone as unpredictable as Saina seemed taken aback. He probably hadn’t intended to let go immediately, but the moment Xi Gu stormed out of the cave, he reluctantly released Sha Yi’s wrist, visibly annoyed by Xi Gu’s loud scolding.
Seizing the opportunity, Sha Yi yanked her hand back and ducked behind Xi Gu, only to notice Xi Yi following from a distance.
Xi Yi’s expression was calm, though slightly puzzled. It seemed he hadn’t noticed what Saina had done to her. Sha Yi thought it best to let the matter drop—after all, they had already fought over her just the night before. She didn’t want to escalate this minor issue and risk another explosive confrontation between Xi Yi and Saina.
But her hopes were in vain. With Xi Gu’s booming voice, there was no chance of keeping anything quiet. In the brief moment she weighed the pros and cons, Xi Gu had already recounted the entire incident to Xi Yi—word for word.
Xi Yi’s face darkened instantly. His lips moved, torn between anger and hesitation.
Perhaps considering Saina’s severe injuries, Sha Yi assumed their conflict would remain a tense undercurrent rather than escalate into physical violence.
Yet she was wrong again. Even though she knew Xi Yi’s temperament well, she didn’t understand Saina. He remained as brazen as he had been the previous night, delivering a blunt, disdainful remark with utter disregard for consequences.
In essence, it was pure provocation—so blatant that it was impossible not to react.
Sha Yi didn’t understand Saina’s words, but she could sense the deliberate taunt in them. Before she could fully process it, Xi Yi had already lunged forward. She barely had time to react before he was in front of Saina, throwing a punch straight at his face.
Saina reacted quickly but still couldn’t dodge completely. The blow landed on the side of his face, sending him staggering back several steps.
Sha Yi noticed his sluggish movements—likely due to his injuries. But he had brought this upon himself. Knowing he was badly hurt, he still chose to provoke her and challenge Xi Yi. If anything went wrong, it was entirely his own fault.
Xi Yi had no reason to hold back.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage