The mushroom soup was quickly prepared, and Sha Yi scooped a bowlful using a wooden container.
She had no intention of calling him to eat. Although he had given her fruit twice, she didn’t want any further entanglement with him. After all, she had already helped bandage his wounds—even if those wounds had split open because of Xi Yi, it was his own fault for interfering between her and Xi Yi in the first place. As far as she was concerned, they were even.
But he clearly didn’t see it that way.
Just as she began sipping the soup, he swiftly approached, grabbed another wooden container, and unceremoniously scooped up most of the remaining mushrooms and broth from the stainless steel pot. Drinking quickly, he even reached out to touch the scalding-hot pot, marveling at it in amazement.
Sha Yi was furious. She snatched a nearby branch and hurled it at him.
He didn’t dodge, letting the branch hit his chest before it fell to the ground.
Her petty retaliation seemed to mean nothing to him—in fact, he even seemed faintly pleased, just like when they first met. Back then, he had grabbed her, and her resistance had delighted him. If she had remained indifferent, he would have been puzzled instead!
Sha Yi decided then and there to ignore him completely from now on.
But… she couldn’t understand his utter lack of hesitation when eating the mushrooms.
Everyone here likely had an instinctive aversion to mushrooms—even Xi Yi and his group were no exception. If not for having tried them once before and having absolute trust in her, even Xigu probably wouldn’t have eaten them, despite the mushrooms later proving non-toxic.
So, was Sai Na’s immediate willingness to eat them simply because she had eaten first?
She didn’t know.
But the fact remained—he had stolen her food. She had originally planned to save some for Xi Yi and the others. They would return from hunting exhausted and hungry, and a bowl of mushroom soup before the roasted meat would have been perfect. Yet this shameless man had swooped in, and there was nothing she could do about it. Scolding or hitting him was useless—she could only watch helplessly.
Fortunately, he left after finishing, unlike before when he would linger endlessly. Sha Yi sighed in relief, though she was still speechless at the pitiful remnants of soup left in the pot.
By noon, no one had returned—not just from their group, but from any of the others either. The entire cave was eerily empty. Only the woman who had spoken to her earlier and asked for the child brought her two pieces of roasted meat. By afternoon, even the women had left to gather edible plants.
Even Sai Na, whom she had been wary of, was nowhere to be seen.
Outside the cave, the midday sun grew unbearably fierce. Sha Yi stayed inside, not daring to venture out, but she didn’t idle either. Taking advantage of the time, she sorted through her dirty clothes again. When the sun dipped slightly westward, she gathered some toiletries and the soiled garments and headed to the small river she had visited before with Xi Yi.
In this rare good weather, she intended to thoroughly wash away the “bad luck” she had picked up in that terrifying forest and finally clean her clothes. Since arriving here, she had barely touched them. If she didn’t deal with them now, another heavy rain would leave her with nothing to change into.
The river had swelled considerably after days of relentless rain. Being a non-swimmer, Sha Yi only dared to wash in the shallow waters near the bank. Two things worked in her favor: the water, warmed by the sun, was pleasantly temperate, and the riverbed was covered in smooth pebbles, ensuring she wouldn’t sink into mud or slip.
She washed the clothes first, then draped them over the trunk of a massive tree—half of which had been struck by lightning and now leaned into the water—before starting on her hair and body.
The secluded spot, shaded by trees at midday, with warm water and rare tranquility, made the experience so relaxing that Sha Yi lingered far longer than intended. By the time she felt satisfied, the sun had shifted further west, and the clothes hanging on the tree trunk had completely dried.
Xi Yi and the others would likely return soon. If they didn’t find her, he’d probably panic again. With that thought, she slowly waded out of the river. But just as she reached for her clothes, she belatedly noticed a familiar—and infuriating—figure not far from the bank.
The man sat there with utter ease, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. When he saw her finish washing, he even stood and took a few steps toward the river.
Sha Yi immediately retreated back into the water.
The first time, she and Xi Yi had ended up in an “uninhibited encounter,” and she had accepted it—after all, they were bound to live together. But Sai Na was different. She refused to let him see her exposed, even in this primitive era where women barely covered themselves beyond the bare minimum. She simply couldn’t accept such a lack of modesty, no matter how normalized it was here. Swallowing her frustration, she forced herself to endure the situation without lashing out.
Sai Na, oblivious to her thoughts, continued walking steadily toward her until he crouched right in front of her.
Startled, Sha Yi instinctively stepped back.
She misjudged the river’s depth and edge—that single misstep sent her plunging into the deep, overbearing current.
Her heart sank. She barely had time to grab at the dry branches hanging over the bank before she was fully submerged. Just as the water closed over her head, she heard Sai Na’s low chuckle. Rage surged through her.
This damned jinx! Every time he was around, she ended up in trouble. Not only had he caused her to fall into deep water, but he had the nerve to stand there laughing!
Furious but helpless, Sha Yi knew she was doomed. She couldn’t swim—staying in the shallow area had been her limit. If that bastard just stood there laughing, she’d drown for sure.
Caught off guard, she struggled as she sank, holding her breath until she couldn’t anymore. The moment she gasped, water flooded her mouth and lungs. Choking violently but unable to cough, she felt death creeping closer.
But just as she was fading into unconsciousness, a pair of scorching hands gripped her waist and lifted her effortlessly out of the water.
Breaking the surface, she gasped for air—only to inhale water into her windpipe, sending her into a violent, uncontrollable coughing fit.
The man who had caused this near-death experience—and then saved her—was now visibly panicked. All traces of amusement vanished as he frantically patted and rubbed her back, though his strength only made it worse. Sha Yi struggled free with great effort.
Without a second thought, she snatched the silk dress hanging from the tree trunk, ignoring the man’s stunned expression as she hastily pulled it on. Grabbing the rest of her clothes, she moved to leave the water.
But Sai Na wasn’t having it. Snapping out of his daze, he suddenly seized her ankle.
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