Chapter 260: Tenderness and Affection

Sha Yi trembled slightly.

He didn’t push her away, though it seemed he really didn’t want to turn around. But that did nothing to stop his desire to be close to her.

After only a fleeting moment of hesitation, he suddenly reached out with his large hand and firmly grasped the one she had placed on his chest.

Sha Yi’s hand still had that rough, thick texture, and now, soaked in the warm spring water, the heat in his palm felt even more intense. Moreover, his grip on her delicate hand wasn’t entirely innocent. Just by pressing close to him, she could sense his breathing had grown noticeably heavier.

Yet, in the end, he didn’t dare act recklessly. Instead, he seemed to be restraining himself, suppressing any movement beyond the hand he held.

Sha Yi found it a bit strange.

Logically, Sha Yi shouldn’t have known much about the common knowledge of pregnancy. Though they had been together for a while and often slept side by side, they hadn’t engaged in the kind of wild intimacy they once had.

She had always assumed it was because her morning sickness was too obvious and intense, making him hesitant to touch her. Or perhaps, the chaos caused by Yeli had left him too preoccupied to pester her as he had in the beginning.

But now, Yeli—that troublemaker—was gone. Yelai and the other men had been captured. With Jialuo and Xigu guarding their new settlement, there was no immediate threat. As for Yeli, his remains were likely lost forever—at least, when Sha Yi and Xina emerged from the smoke, she hadn’t caught even a glimpse of his shadow.

The women from the old cave settlement and the men who had once followed Manlun but later betrayed Jialuo had all been injured in the explosion due to their proximity. Once Yeli’s death was confirmed, they silently dispersed.

Now, it was just her and Sha Yi, alone in this warm spring pool. Sha Yi couldn’t quite understand why his usual impulsiveness toward her had suddenly become so restrained.

Perhaps he was genuinely troubled by something.

For instance, he might have sustained serious injuries. This was evident from his refusal to turn around once he entered the water—a stark contrast to his usual behavior.

In the past, he would have already pushed her down and had his way with her!

Especially since, between them, they were practically in the “honeymoon phase” by modern standards.

Yet even with this reasoning, there were still contradictions. After all, during the rainy season and long before, even when injured, Sha Yi had never been able to resist touching her. Even if he held back at the last moment, their intimacy had always skirted the line—his only concern being to ensure she survived.

But now… what was holding him back?

Biting her lip, she felt a twinge of frustration but could do little about it. In the end, she simply leaned forward and rested her chin against the hollow of his shoulder.

He tightened his grip on her.

But her sharp eyes caught a faint trace of red floating on the water in front of him. In the next second, she remembered her earlier panic.

If she wasn’t mistaken, Sha Yi was indeed seriously injured, but he seemed indifferent to it. Yet his refusal to face her… was it because he feared she’d panic again?

Touched and heartbroken, Sha Yi felt her vision blur. Before tears could spill, she quickly tilted her head back, forcing them away.

She didn’t want to worry him. Every time she cried, he’d become frantic. Though his insecurity had lessened compared to before, it still lingered.

Meanwhile, Sha Yi had initially enjoyed the pressure of her chin on his shoulder, but when she moved away after a short while, he seemed both confused and frustrated. After a brief pause, he turned his head to look at her again.

His deep brown eyes were still filled with affection, and the corners of his lips curled upward. Yet she could also detect a hint of conflicted longing and worry in his expression.

At that moment, Sha Yi’s heart softened once more.

She couldn’t bear his hesitant, hopeful gaze, but she was even more concerned about his physical condition. A moment of intimacy couldn’t compare to a lifetime together. Sha Yi chose rationality.

Without hesitation, she withdrew her hand from his rough grasp. Sha Yi’s face fell briefly, but before his disappointment could linger, she leaned in and kissed his lips. Instantly, his earlier gloom vanished, replaced by pure joy.

His childlike mood swings were endearingly honest. Sha Yi couldn’t help but smile. But in the next moment, she seized the opportunity of his distraction to slip from behind him to his front.

Caught off guard, Sha Yi hadn’t expected this move. Her sudden shift left him momentarily stunned, staring at her dumbfounded, lips parting without a word.

Sha Yi ignored his bewilderment. The moment she faced him, her eyes locked onto a gruesome wound on his side.

When they emerged from the smoke, he must have deliberately hiked up his hide pants to hide it. Combined with his silence and the countless minor cuts covering his body—not to mention standing beside Xina, who was severely injured—both of them covered in soot, her attention had been entirely on Xina. She hadn’t noticed Sha Yi might also be seriously hurt.

Looking back now, she regretted her oversight. She had noticed his unsteady steps when helping Xina out. No matter how small the explosion, charging in recklessly to save someone would never leave one unscathed!

Examining the wound underwater—its edges blurred but still horrifyingly raw—Sha Yi’s heart ached.

The injury resembled a deep puncture from a jagged object, similar to Xina’s wound but likely far worse.

Sha Yi knew the force of an explosion wasn’t like an animal’s charge.

She guessed that during the blast, a thick branch from the oil pit had shattered and, propelled by the explosion, impaled him.

Yet she saw no sign of the offending object—he must have pulled it out before leaving the smoke.

She admired his courage and endurance but hated his habit of enduring pain silently. She didn’t want him to end up like Xina, ignoring injuries until they left permanent damage.

Moreover, soaking in the hot spring for too long wasn’t ideal. They needed to clean up quickly and find Tuge for treatment—otherwise, her worry would kill her first!

With that in mind, Sha Yi swiftly grabbed the soft clothing she’d left by the spring and began carefully wiping his body.

Seemingly understanding her intent and relieved she wasn’t panicking again, Sha Yi relaxed completely, letting her tend to him. Yet his lustful gaze remained fixed on her.

Sha Yi was torn between amusement and exasperation, but she didn’t dare demand he look away. For one, their intimacy meant his desire was a testament to his feelings. For another, his numerous wounds—some quite deep—required urgent cleaning. Without medical expertise, she could only hope Tuge could handle the rest.

Between them, it was as if they were both teetering on the edge of restraint—growing closer in action yet silently adhering to unspoken boundaries.

By the end, seeing the blood from his side wound wasn’t excessive, Sha Yi relaxed slightly. Carefully helping him up, he suddenly pulled her into his arms.

Sha Yi gasped, her face burning.

She had thought, after all their closeness and even having his child, she wouldn’t be so easily flustered. When she had embraced him earlier, it hadn’t felt awkward. So why did his initiative make her surrender so quickly?

Sha Yi, however, seemed delighted by her reaction, holding her tightly, unwilling to let go. She couldn’t resist, and he ignored the pain of his wounds, stubbornly maintaining the embrace—until she shivered.

Winter here wasn’t as harsh as in modern times, but the chill was still present.

As Sha Yi shuddered, goosebumps rising, the man holding her suddenly panicked. Releasing her hastily, he turned and grabbed the hide by the shore, wrapping her in it.

Not stopping there, he even gently lifted her out of the water.

She had underestimated Sha Yi. Despite his injuries, he still had strength to spare!

Still, the man now standing in the spring had no idea what she was thinking. After a quick scrub, he stepped out, pulling on his hide pants with startling speed.

Moreover, Sha Yi seemed remarkably cold-resistant. Bare-chested in this weather, his skin was warmer than her hands.

But there was no helping it. His clothes had been taken by Yeli earlier, and hers were far too small for him. He’d have to return half-naked.

Fortunately, it was nearly noon, and the sun was strong. With Sha Yi’s robust physique, he likely wouldn’t suffer from the cold.

Reassured, she stood, only for Sha Yi to approach again.

This time, he didn’t embrace her roughly as in the water. Instead, he gently took her hand, then lowered his gaze to her abdomen, speaking with solemn sincerity:

“Sha Yi, I’ll take care of you—and our child. No matter what happens, I won’t let today’s events repeat. I promise.”

It was a sweet vow, uncertain yet undeniably heartfelt.

Wasn’t that what she wanted too?

She couldn’t predict the future, but she would strive for it—just like Sha Yi. For their new life, for their coming child, she would face everything positively.

Shared understanding and companionship—that was enough.

Compared to the woman who had crossed decades before her, she was far luckier.

At least, Sha Yi had never left her, not in disaster nor strife. She was content and wouldn’t dwell on trivialities.

Though she cherished the present, she also looked ahead—because she, too, longed for the beauty of new beginnings.

The past was behind them.

With that thought, she lifted her face, smiling softly at the man gazing down at her. Then, rising on her toes, she nuzzled his chin with her forehead.

Sha Yi burst into laughter, utterly delighted.

But then, he reached out, wiping her cheek with a chuckle. “Sha Yi, your face isn’t clean!”

He showed her the faint black smudge on his fingers.

Sha Yi suddenly remembered—when he’d wiped her tears in the woods earlier, he’d stopped midway. Turns out, he’d smeared soot from his hands onto her face!

Worse, during their bath, she’d been too focused on him to notice, and he hadn’t bothered to tell her.

Now that she knew, they were already out of the water—and he was teasing her on purpose!