But she was clearly overthinking it.
The person in question, the one who always ended up getting beaten, didn’t seem to care at all. Even when severely injured, he showed no sign of restraint. At that moment, one hand holding a greenish fruit was half-protecting his left side, while the other wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. His dark eyes remained locked onto her.
Sha Yi couldn’t help but shrink back under his gaze, yet he seemed quite pleased, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
A blindingly arrogant smirk.
This time, not only Xi Yi, but even Xi Gu looked displeased.
Sha Yi thought he was simply asking for trouble—always doing things that begged for a beating, even now, when he was seriously injured. Yet here he was, courting death again, as if he couldn’t go a day without itching for a fight, utterly bored to the point of self-destruction.
Before she could finish her thoughts, he spoke again, his tone dripping with provocation.
This time, he got exactly what he wanted. Xi Yi didn’t just get angry—he exploded. Before anyone could react, he lunged at the instigator with lightning speed, swinging his fist!
The punch carried all of Xi Yi’s fury. Though powerful, it wasn’t particularly fast. Sai Na could have dodged it easily—even with his injuries, his agility and reflexes made it trivial.
But everything took an unexpected turn.
Sai Na had no intention of dodging. As the heavy fist came at him, he swiftly moved the hand holding the green fruit away, letting Xi Yi’s full-force punch land squarely on his injured left side. The impact tore the wound open again, blood gushing out, staining the ground crimson.
Sha Yi watched in horror.
Sai Na only let out a muffled grunt upon impact, his expression still indifferent. He didn’t retreat a single step, standing firm. After a long moment, he curled his lips into a smirk and retaliated with a lightning-fast punch of his own.
Xi Yi didn’t dodge either, taking the full brunt of the blow to the side of his face. Whether it was because Sai Na was at a disadvantage due to his injuries, Sha Yi couldn’t tell, but she felt a pang of sympathy.
Just then, Sai Na glanced at her. For a fleeting moment, his expression turned inscrutable, but soon enough, his usual cocky grin returned. He raised the undamaged green fruit in his hand and waved it at her.
He didn’t notice, but Sha Yi did—the fruit was now smeared with his own blood, glaringly vivid, just like the crimson trail running down his leg.
At that moment, she realized Sai Na’s true nature might not be as carefree as he pretended. Beneath his flippant and rebellious demeanor, she sensed a stubborn persistence. Though its meaning remained unclear, it was unmistakable. She didn’t understand why he kept provoking Xi Yi, knowing full well he was at a disadvantage, yet he persisted, heedless of consequences.
Now, his wound had been reopened by Xi Yi’s blow, bleeding profusely again. Despite his infuriating behavior, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity. Moreover, his defiant attitude suggested he held a high status among his people. If he were to die at Xi Yi’s hands, his tribe would surely retaliate, possibly leading to a full-blown conflict between the two groups. She didn’t want that, nor did she want Xi Yi to face any trouble.
What puzzled her was how Xi Yi had become so impulsive and irritable ever since they met Sai Na near that giant fruit tree. Before this, he had always been gentle and patient, only losing his temper when misunderstandings arose between them. Normally, he was calm and obedient.
Now, a single taunt from Sai Na had sent him into a brawl. Worse, unlike the previous night when he had backed off upon seeing Sai Na’s injuries, this time he seemed intent on escalating the fight. As their clash threatened to intensify, Sha Yi couldn’t hold back and wanted to intervene, but Xi Gu shook her head and stopped her, stepping forward herself to pull Xi Yi away.
Xi Gu whispered something to Xi Yi—Sha Yi couldn’t hear what—but she saw Xi Yi’s furrowed brow gradually relax.
Sai Na didn’t press further either. After a cold glance at Xi Yi and Xi Gu, he turned back to Sha Yi, his lips curling into a meaningful smirk.
Sha Yi found his smile deeply unsettling. Just as she tried to avoid his strange gaze, he strode forward and unceremoniously shoved the green fruit into her hand. Without a word, he brushed past Xi Yi and walked away, ignoring Xi Gu’s murderous glare.
Staring at the smooth green fruit in her palm, then at Sai Na’s retreating figure, Sha Yi was speechless.
Had he really gone through all that just to give her a fruit? She barely knew him and had done nothing to warrant such a gesture. What was his deal?
Xi Gu was the first to approach, snatching the fruit from Sha Yi’s hand without hesitation. She raised her arm to throw it away but suddenly paused, glancing between Sha Yi and Xi Yi. Before Sha Yi could process what was happening, Xi Gu changed her mind and wiped the fruit clean instead.
Then, without hesitation, she handed it to Xi Yi, wearing a look that said, *Might as well eat it.*
But Xi Yi was in no mood for it. He pushed the fruit away and turned to Sha Yi, gently massaging her reddened wrist with a pained expression.
Sha Yi noticed his swollen cheek and the blood at the corner of his mouth. Heart aching, she reached up to softly touch his face.
Xi Yi smiled, bending down slightly to make it easier for her.
Just as Sha Yi was overwhelmed by his tenderness, Xi Gu suddenly peeked over Xi Yi’s shoulder. Sha Yi’s face darkened instantly, but Xi Gu just grinned and took a big, deliberate bite of the green fruit, smacking her lips.
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