Chapter 261: Handling and Decision Making

After lingering by the hot spring, the two of them held hands and slowly made their way back to the settlement near the shallow basin.

By noon, the group of people who had stayed behind were busy cooking food in front of the row of neatly built brick houses on the high ground. From a distance, the scene looked warm and inviting.

It was a long-lost feeling.

Since moving here after the rainy season, Sha Yi had never seen so many people gathered together before. The number far exceeded that of the old settlement in the cave.

Indeed, without Yeli’s presence, much of the mutual distrust and barriers between the group had dissolved. At the very least, for a short period, she was certain that this place would no longer be plagued by excessive selfish dominance, nor would there immediately emerge someone who sought to overpower everyone else. Thus, the group could naturally work together and coexist harmoniously.

Especially when it came to forming a tribe.

In truth, Yeli might have originally aimed for this very goal. But in the end, under the influence of his cruel, ruthless, and savage nature, he took a wrong turn and ultimately lost the hearts of everyone.

Of course, the most crucial point was that all development must follow its natural course rather than leap forward. In this regard, Yeli’s intentions were doomed from the start.

However, this place had now clearly become a settlement for a diverse group of people with different origins. For the moment, she couldn’t quite articulate how she felt about it.

Just like her attitude toward the tribe—she had hopes and expectations, yet at the same time, she feared she might not adapt to it all.

But no matter what, she would go with the flow. After all, small groups coming together to form a tribe would provide much-needed security for life in this ancient era.

Lost in thought, she followed Xi Yi back. Unaware of her musings, Xi Yi only realized she was distracted when she bumped into his back after he stopped walking.

As always, he was deeply concerned about her. He scrutinized her repeatedly, only relaxing when she couldn’t hold back her laughter and finally let out a sigh of relief.

Sha Yi, however, was anxious about his injuries. Without further ado, she pulled him along to find Tuge.

On the way, they ran into Kasan, who, just as gentle and composed as when they first met, led her and Xi Yi to the house where Saina was staying.

At that moment, Sha Yi suddenly remembered Kapa.

Earlier, Kapa had indeed been with them. But after the explosion at the oil pit, she hadn’t paid attention to him anymore. Later, she left with Xi Yi, completely forgetting about Kapa.

Now that she recalled it, she felt a bit embarrassed.

Kasan, however, immediately noticed her guilt and quickly explained, “Kapa already came back once with Jialuo, but he took some people back to inspect the pit. Everyone is fine now.”

With that, Kasan pointed inside the house, indicating that Tuge was there.

Judging by Kasan’s demeanor, Saina was likely fine as well.

Sha Yi felt reassured and smiled slightly, nodding in acknowledgment.

Tuge was still busy tending to Saina’s wounds. When he saw her and Xi Yi enter, he unceremoniously pointed to a wooden pallet on the other side. “If you can walk back on your own, go lie down there first.”

It seemed this had been prepared in advance.

After all, such an explosion was unprecedented in this ancient era. Had it not been for her encounter with Yelai’s pursuit, this would never have happened to Saina.

Moreover, his current condition was dire—covered in fresh and old wounds. She was genuinely worried he might die from them.

Fortunately, he seemed to have just fallen asleep, his closed eyes giving him a peaceful appearance.

Xi Yi also seemed concerned about Saina, though he didn’t voice it. In the end, he complied with her wishes and lay down on another pallet, but he held onto her hand tightly, refusing to let go.

Sha Yi had no choice but to stay by his side until he gradually drifted off to sleep.

These past few days had exhausted everyone—not just Xi Yi and the others, but even she herself was barely holding on. So much so that she fell asleep while watching Tuge tend to Xi Yi’s wounds.

By the time she woke up, it was already the next morning.

Sha Yi was roused by hunger.

Yet, the first thing she saw upon waking was Xi Yi, inside the house that belonged to the two of them.

He seemed to have risen early and had already prepared food for her—a clever trick he’d learned from Tuge.

Xi Yi still remembered that she couldn’t stand the smell of roasted meat during this phase of her pregnancy.

Her heart warmed, and she quickly got up. Using the warm water he’d brought her, she washed up and then enjoyed a hearty meal.

He sat quietly beside her, watching her eat while chatting. “Yesterday, Kapa went back to the pit. She said Yeli was gone—no trace of him after searching for a long time. He must be dead.”

Perhaps worried about ruining her appetite, Xi Yi phrased it delicately. She found his uncharacteristic tact amusing and laughed.

He continued, “Aside from that, there’s also the matter of Yelai…”

“Are they still tied up here?” she asked hesitantly when he didn’t elaborate. “What do you plan to do with them?”

“Well…” After a long pause, Xi Yi answered honestly, “I don’t know.”

It was a straightforward answer, and it didn’t surprise her. She’d already considered this possibility before asking.

When it came to intelligence, Xi Yi was certainly one of the sharper men among them. But he often stuck to rigid logic and had never experienced the trials Saina had. By nature, he was non-confrontational—thoughtful, gentle, and unlikely to seriously consider anything beyond her.

In this situation, forcing him to make a decision would likely require coercion or bribery. Otherwise, he wouldn’t give it serious thought.

The only two major decisions she’d seen him make were when he chased Yeli in the middle of the night and when he stopped Saina from replacing Tuge.

Neither of these demonstrated decisive ruthlessness. Instead, they reflected his selfless kindness.

As she’d observed, all he sought was a peaceful life and to stay by her side.

If he didn’t want to be troubled, why should she push him?

After all, she was just a willful woman whose world revolved solely around him.

Their hearts were one and the same.

With that in mind, she smiled. “Do you have any other ideas, then?”

“I think we can leave it to Kasan,” Xi Yi said after some thought. “She came from Yeli’s side. She’ll know the best way to handle it.”

Sha Yi nodded, quite supportive of his suggestion.

Though Yelai’s actions against her had infuriated her, ultimately, it had been Yeli and Manlun’s decision. As a loyal follower, Yelai’s allegiance to Yeli was understandable—this was an era devoid of moral codes.

Moreover, since Yelai had been captured by Jialuo, she hadn’t seen any particularly malicious behavior from him. Privately, she didn’t want to resort to extreme measures.

But she couldn’t let her guard down entirely—Manlun had been a harsh lesson.

She only hoped that if Kasan showed leniency, Yelai wouldn’t turn out as extreme as Yeli. Otherwise, the others might not tolerate them.

As if he’d anticipated her agreement, Xi Yi remained calm. He continued watching her eat with a smile until she was nearly done. Then he reached out to test the temperature of the wooden bowl containing the broth and gently touched her belly, murmuring tenderly, “You’ve eaten so little after all this time. Is the taste not good? Should I cook something else for you?”

Before she could respond, he picked up the two wooden containers in front of her and made to stand.

At that very moment, she caught a glimpse of the wound peeking out from beneath his waistband.

Tuge’s bandaging was a marked improvement from before. Unlike the initial method of simply applying chewed grass and sap, he had wrapped the wound tightly, much like how she had once stopped Saina’s bleeding.

However, even though Tuge had taken inspiration from her technique, the material he used was still rough animal hide. He’d merely wound a thin vine around the hide pressing against the wound, tying it haphazardly—much like Xi Yi’s early attempts at knotting—before tucking the ends in and calling it done.

The craftsmanship was crude.

Heart aching, Sha Yi pressed down on Xi Yi’s hand to stop him from taking the containers. She then hurried to the tub, retrieved her old cotton nightgown, and carefully replaced the animal hide, re-bandaging his wound properly before finally letting go.

Perhaps because he was so accustomed to injuries, Xi Yi seemed unfazed by her actions. He sat obediently as she worked, only breaking into a silly grin when she returned to her seat and picked up the now-cooled broth.

Sha Yi didn’t dare linger on the topic.

Knowing how little people in this ancient era valued injuries, she had to avoid worrying him further. Otherwise, he might fuss over her again, which would only add to her stress. Moreover, she feared that under his doting, she might grow too pampered, which could affect the baby’s birth.

With that in mind, she quickly finished the remaining food.

Her uncharacteristic speed seemed to startle Xi Yi, but he recovered swiftly. After clearing away the dishes, he stood up. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly paused.

Sha Yi had intended to go with him, so his abrupt halt puzzled her slightly.