Disasters always strike suddenly.
Sha Yi suddenly felt that the incident where the giant tree had crushed the cave of their old settlement wasn’t entirely bad. At the very least, she had learned about the high probability of a volcano in the area. After all, the distance between the old and new settlements would be negligible in the event of an eruption.
Perhaps she really should persuade Xi Yi and the others to discuss finding a suitable opportunity to leave this place. It wasn’t just the volcano—there were plenty of other dangers here as well.
Lost in thought, she turned to speak to Xi Yi, only for him to suddenly bend down and scoop her up in his arms. Before she could even gasp in surprise, he had already placed her into the hollow of a massive boulder, where clear, cool water instantly enveloped her.
Sha Yi immediately fell silent.
The water felt just right when touched with her hands, but as her entire body submerged, she realized it was slightly colder than expected. After enduring days of heavy rain and the chilly morning breeze, she figured the early days of the rainy season would have been the most suitable time for this.
Perhaps Xi Yi and the others had much hardier constitutions than hers, or maybe they were simply accustomed to cold baths, making this temperature feel warm to them.
On the other hand, the shallow pool beneath the rocky cliff would have been more to her liking. But after just one glance downward, she immediately abandoned any thought of going down there.
Even if someone assured her there were no snakes, she still wouldn’t dare to be too careless. Some things were better left unknown—once you knew, it was hard not to feel uneasy. And besides, she had already seen three large snakes and one small one with her own eyes.
If even Xi Yi hadn’t tried it, she certainly wouldn’t dare. For now, the slightly chilly water wasn’t a big deal. After all, the raindrops during storms were always icy, and today was a scorching sunny day anyway—she wouldn’t freeze.
Xi Yi, however, noticed her fidgeting at the edge of the hollow and reached in to test the water himself. After a moment, he scratched his head in slight frustration. “Sha Yi, is the water too cold?”
His tone was hesitant, and Sha Yi almost laughed but managed to hold it in.
Judging by his expression, he didn’t seem to think the water was cold, but he could probably tell she found it chilly. As a result, he seemed utterly confused about whether the water was actually cold or not—his bewildered look was adorably silly.
So, she deliberately furrowed her brows and pouted for a long while, until he grew so anxious that he reached out to pull her out. Only then did she burst into laughter.
Xi Yi quickly realized he’d been tricked.
In retaliation, he swiftly wrapped an arm around her waist, pinched her chin with his other hand, and planted a firm kiss on her lips. She was stunned, but he looked thoroughly satisfied—even giving her a playful, punishing nip before pulling away.
Still processing his sudden boldness, Sha Yi was slow to react, which only worked to his advantage.
Seeing her frozen, Xi Yi leaned in again.
This time, his target wasn’t her soft, tempting lips, but her slender body.
In the blink of an eye, he had straightened her up, kneeling before him.
And in that fleeting moment of distraction, his rough hands slipped beneath her short skirt, gliding up to her delicate waist, where they lingered, caressing her skin with no intention of letting go—and even showing signs of wandering higher.
By the time Sha Yi snapped out of it, their positions had shifted into her kneeling above him… while he shamelessly explored her body.
For the first time, Sha Yi felt that being taken advantage of could leave her both exasperated and amused.
But she didn’t push him away.
They would be together sooner or later anyway.
She cared for him, just as he cared for her. So she didn’t mind his flirtatious advances—in fact, she even enjoyed them a little.
Resting her elbows on his broad shoulders, she couldn’t help but lean down and ask, “Xi Yi, do you want children?”
“Yes!” he blurted out without hesitation. But after a brief pause, he hesitated again. “But…”
She guessed he was thinking about Xi Gu and Shang Xinma’s situation again. To prevent him from being misled, Sha Yi immediately cut him off. “Tell me the truth. I want to hear what you really think!”
Her words startled him, and he reflexively looked up at her, his deep brown eyes filled with astonishment.
“Well? Do you want them or not?” After waiting for what felt like forever without a response, Sha Yi sighed and repeated her question. But simply repeating it wasn’t fun—she might as well tease him a little. The thought made her grin. “Either way, you’d better make it clear to me now. If you don’t want them, then try not to touch me like this anymore. Otherwise, if you keep this up after the rainy season, I might not be able to stop you—and that would be a real headache.”
Her words left Xi Yi utterly speechless. He simply stared up at her, mouth slightly agape.
Judging by his expression, she had successfully bamboozled him. It was pretty amusing, but she wasn’t entirely joking. She knew he was considering her well-being, and she wasn’t unwilling to give him everything—but if he wasn’t ready yet, she’d have to let it go.
Seeing him still frozen, Sha Yi began to feel that maybe she shouldn’t joke like this with him anymore. Even if she meant some of it, this wasn’t the right way to communicate.
He seemed to have fallen back into conflict and frustration.
Feeling both regretful and awkward, Sha Yi sheepishly withdrew her hands and turned to sit back in the cool water. But before she could, the large hands on her waist suddenly tightened with unexpected strength. Caught off guard, she was yanked forward and crashed into a solid, muscular chest. The next second, he had her locked tightly in his arms.
“Sha Yi.” His low, husky voice murmured by her ear. She tilted her head slightly, her forehead brushing against his chin, but he continued speaking. “I want children. I want a child with you. I’ve wanted it for a long time—I even wish we could have one right now. But when I first saw you, the rainy season was just days away. At the time, I kept thinking, if only I had met you sooner. Later, I told myself that once the rainy season ended, I would make sure you gave me children. Now… do you still want to?”
Stunned by his words—and even more by his earnestness—Sha Yi remained silent for a long moment. Only when his anxious embrace nearly suffocated her did she snap out of it and mutter under her breath, “You fool!”
He didn’t understand the meaning behind her words and grew even more agitated, his strong arms unconsciously tightening around her.
Sha Yi quickly surrendered, taking a moment to catch her breath before sighing. “What do you think?”
Her retort carried a sweet, teasing lilt, and Xi Yi’s heart soared. It took him a while to calm down before he belatedly remembered his original purpose—bringing her here to bathe. Reluctantly, he let her go.
But he wasn’t satisfied. In the end, after gathering a few large leaves and some soap plants, he finally succeeded in tugging off her short skirt before walking away, thoroughly pleased with himself.
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