When she came before, the dim light and intermittent lightning, coupled with her own exhaustion, had prevented her from noticing the layout of this place—which was just as well.
But now, illuminated by the flashes of lightning, she took it all in and felt a chill run down her spine.
Outside the shelter, broken and twisted giant tree branches lay haphazardly, with withered vines dangling into the murky water. Among the shattered trees, there were many shelters like the one she was lying in, most of them either crushed or charred.
Amid the chaotic tangle of giant trees, many branches bore grotesque, stiff human-shaped charred remains, eerie and horrifying under the lightning. Beyond that, even the hollows of the thick tree trunks contained blackened human-like figures in various postures, their sizes differing, some even missing limbs.
Sha Yi was both terrified and nauseated.
What she saw now was likely identical to the charred human figure she had encountered in the evening—all victims of lightning strikes. The woman from the deep waters, though she had escaped this area, ultimately hadn’t avoided death by lightning. The luckier one was her child, spared by clinging to a vine and later brought back by Sha Yi.
But she couldn’t understand why the lightning had struck such a vast area. The idea that it was caused by fire was unbelievable—under such a heavy downpour, even a massive fire couldn’t have persisted, let alone spread.
Moreover, these people had turned to charcoal instantly. Without the storm, it might have been possible for unconscious individuals to burn, but unconscious people wouldn’t have the awareness to cling to branches or endure the flames until death.
Therefore, the charred figures she saw could only be the result of direct lightning strikes.
This was why she initially thought the remaining shelter was relatively far from the towering trees. Still, this gave her some reassurance about the likelihood of lightning striking here, though she couldn’t help feeling afraid. She was also worried about Xi Yi—she didn’t know where he was or whether he had been affected by the recent lightning strikes.
Including the infant beside her.
She hardly knew how to soothe him. Fortunately, rainwater dripping from the shelter landed right in his mouth. After crying a few times, he stopped and began eagerly drinking the rainwater, looking adorably silly.
Sha Yi felt her heart soften again at the sight of the child. Watching him, she pushed the terrifying images from the lightning flashes out of her mind, instead blushing as another thought surfaced—perhaps in the near future, she and Xi Yi might have a child like this.
If… she and Xi Yi had a child, would they be just as cute?
Lost in thought, exhaustion soon overtook her, and Sha Yi fell asleep. When she woke again, the surroundings were brighter, but the infant who had been beside her was gone, replaced by Xi Yi’s strong figure.
He held her tightly, breathing steadily.
The sky was still dark, and the rain poured relentlessly, but while she slept, Xi Yi must have repaired the shelter—it no longer leaked.
She didn’t know when he had returned or what time it was now. All she noticed was that the torch that had been burning in the small shelter had gone out, replaced by the glow of several small fires he had built.
Among the fires, she spotted some wild fruits and a large bundle of unknown grass-like plants. Curious, she propped herself up slightly to get a better look, only to realize that the soreness in her body had vanished. Moreover, her waist and abdomen felt warm.
Looking down, she was startled to find that the animal hide bandaging her wound had been removed, replaced by a thick layer of chewed green plants. The warmth radiated from there—likely the medicinal effect of the plant juices drawing out toxins.
Thanks to the heat from the herbs, Sha Yi felt warm all over, but Xi Yi, who held her as he slept, was much cooler.
On this stormy, thunderous night, he had been busy searching the forest for medicinal plants and edible wild fruits. The hardship and danger of the journey went without saying. On top of that, after returning, he had repaired the shelter, built fires to keep her warm, and tended to her wounds. He must have only just fallen asleep, utterly exhausted.
Worried he might catch cold, Sha Yi tried to pull a large leaf over to cover him. But no matter how she shifted, Xi Yi’s arms remained firmly around her, holding her close in his embrace—she couldn’t break free.
She wasn’t sure whether this was Xi Yi’s doting affection or desire, but either way, she didn’t mind. In fact, she loved his straightforward and unreserved manner. The initial awkwardness between them had long faded, replaced by a comfortable, unspoken understanding.
Still, she couldn’t let him freeze. The problem was, even in sleep, he clung to her so tightly that she couldn’t reach the leaf.
After a pause, Sha Yi simply settled back into his arms and returned his embrace. Her body was warm now—she would let her own warmth shield him from the cold.
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