Chapter 111: Adversity Reveals True Character

Compared to her panic, Saina remained relatively calm, though the intense pain from the impact left her face pale under the heavy rain.

However, after she got up, he still lay on the ground, seemingly waiting for the unbearable pain to pass.

Sha Yi felt a pang of guilt.

If he hadn’t risked his life to save her just now, she would likely have been crushed beneath the fallen tree and scattered rocks. In any case, his current condition was her fault. Moreover, he had suffered severe injuries before, and in just these short ten days, he couldn’t have fully recovered. Yet, he still went all out to save her. Thinking about it, she felt deeply grateful.

Still, the memory of what he had done to her earlier lingered, leaving her with lingering resentment.

Honestly, she really didn’t want to have anything to do with him. She always felt he harbored some ulterior motives.

But the fact remained—he had saved her. Given the circumstances, rescuing her was nothing short of a miracle. She couldn’t just dismiss his help as something to be taken for granted.

Repaying kindness with gratitude had always been her way. She couldn’t ignore it, nor could she repay kindness with ingratitude.

Now, despite her hesitation, she couldn’t hold back any longer and reached out to help him up.

As if he had anticipated she wouldn’t abandon him, he cooperated naturally when she assisted him. She even caught a faint, almost imperceptible smile at the corner of his lips.

Sha Yi felt completely unable to decipher his thoughts.

Fortunately, he was very cooperative with her help. Once he stood up, Sha Yi suddenly realized she had been standing in the heavy rain for quite some time. If she stayed any longer, her period would surely make her suffer. At this point, she had no energy to worry about whether she’d be entangled with Saina. Instead, she looked around, searching for shelter.

The entrance to the settlement cave had collapsed. Trying to get back in would require considerable effort and would be extremely difficult. This was the disaster she had caused.

Moreover, with lightning striking again, finding a place to shelter from both rain and thunder seemed nearly impossible.

Her gaze swept around and briefly passed over Saina’s damp animal-hide skirt. Her sharp eyes caught a faint smear of bright red liquid on the light-yellow fur, gradually fading under the rain’s wash.

That looked… like blood?

But his wound was on his left abdomen, while the stain was near his right thigh. It didn’t seem like blood from his injury.

Had he gotten a new wound while saving her?

Hesitantly, she pointed at the stain on his skirt and asked softly, “Are you hurt?”

Following her gesture, Saina glanced down at his skirt, paused, then turned to scrutinize her from head to toe. His expression shifted slightly before returning to normal.

Sha Yi was puzzled, but he shook his head at her and then said thoughtfully, “I’m not hurt. But you need shelter. The entrance to the settlement cave is blocked. Trying to clear it alone would take too long, and it wouldn’t be good for you. Let me take you somewhere else first.”

Without waiting for her agreement, he grabbed her wrist and led her purposefully toward a thicket of grass and branches behind the settlement cave.

Startled by his directness, Sha Yi wanted to pull away, but his grip was too strong. Given her current condition, standing in the rain wasn’t an option, so she reluctantly followed.

However, as they walked, she belatedly noticed a faint red streak on the inside of her thigh. Though the rain had washed most of it away, the remnants were unmistakable—especially near the edge of her shorts.

Her mind blanked for a few seconds before she realized what it was. Her head buzzed with embarrassment.

—That was her period blood!

Earlier that morning, she had changed out of her usual clothes after staining them. Xi Yi had washed them and hung them on a rough vine near the bathtub. She had fallen asleep soon after and woke up only to rush to the cave entrance—leading to the current situation.

Wrapping cloth around ashes and tying it around her waist, then hastily pulling on a pair of shorts, had barely contained the flow. Expecting no leaks was nothing short of wishful thinking!

Mortified beyond words, she hadn’t even realized it immediately. Not only had she stained someone else, but she’d also pointed at his skirt and asked, “Are you hurt?”—what a way to embarrass herself!

Saina wasn’t Xi Yi. If she had been flustered around Xi Yi, she was downright humiliated now.

Unlike Xi Yi, who needed Xigu’s guidance to understand, Saina had clearly grasped the situation from her words and expression. He knew about women’s cycles and how to handle them. This realization made Sha Yi want to scream in frustration.

She really wanted to break free and flee, but Saina quickly noticed her thoughts. Turning his head, he arched a brow with an enigmatic smile and tightened his grip.

Sha Yi was indignant, but his next words, spoken with a trace of melancholy, stopped her from struggling.

He said, “I had a sister once. I remember she used to have the same condition as you do now. But she’s gone.”

Lost in his unexpected words, Sha Yi numbly followed him to a small, hidden cave nestled among tangled grass and branches.

Looking around, it was indeed a secluded spot—small and sunken, barely a meter high from the outside. Inside, however, it had some depth, with the ceiling nearly two meters high, providing ample space for them. It was a bit inconvenient, but compared to enduring the rain outside, it was the best option.

Strangely, despite being here for so long, she had never known about this place.

Noticing her thoughts, Saina smiled and helped her inside before explaining, “This was where a few of us from the tribe lived when we were young. Later, as everyone grew up, the cave couldn’t hold us all anymore. Actually, we were the first to settle in the main cave.”

Sitting on a rock inside, she didn’t know how to respond. Unlike his usual unruly self, he was surprisingly calm and composed, which eased her tension slightly. After a pause, she asked hesitantly, “Earlier, you mentioned your sister. What happened to her?”

“She died. She lost her child, and I lost her—during a rainy season like this, right in this cave. It was a long time ago.” His tone was steady, his expression not particularly sorrowful, but the slight tremor in his voice betrayed his deepest vulnerability. “After that, our small tribe never had another woman. Women became taboo for us, let alone children.”

After a pause, he continued, “But then you appeared. For the first time, I felt the absence of a woman beside me. It was a strange feeling—different from what I felt for my sister. With her, I just wanted to take care of her, as if it was instinctive. But with you… I feel a fierce desire to compete.”

“What you saw between Xi Yi and me wasn’t what you think. There were misunderstandings before, but I didn’t mean any harm. Last rainy season, their group only had Xigu as their woman. I suggested they take turns having children with her—it would help the tribe grow. Many small tribes do this. Look at those forest people who joined our two tribes—that’s how they have so many members. Of course, that was before lightning struck their settlement.”

“You suggested a woman have multiple partners?” Though she knew little about Saina, his words shocked her. “Why didn’t you propose this for your own tribe instead of interfering with Xi Yi’s?”

Saina gave her a look that said, “I knew you’d side with Xi Yi,” but didn’t argue. Instead, he patiently explained, “Here, it’s not taboo for a woman to have multiple partners. If a woman is willing, a man can pursue her freely. But Xi Yi’s group is different—they only allow one-to-one partnerships. I don’t know why. Last time I brought it up, they all glared at me.”

“You don’t seem supportive of it either. So you prefer one-to-one relationships too?” Sha Yi couldn’t help retorting.

“I do prefer one-to-one partnerships. But I’m also open to other arrangements. After all, Xi Yi’s already ahead of me—lucky guy.” As he spoke, a rare mix of resentment and hope flickered in his eyes, along with a hint of mischief. “Would you consider me too?”

Choking on his words and wary of provoking his unpredictable nature, Sha Yi quickly changed the subject. “Earlier, why did you bring up your sister? It didn’t seem relevant.”

“Oh, it was relevant.” He chuckled and pointed at her abdomen. “I know about this. My sister used to bleed periodically too. I’d often press her stomach and massage it—it seemed to help. Want me to do the same for you?”

“No!” She waved her hands frantically, nearly falling off the rock. Saina, however, looked thoroughly amused.

The conversation circled back to awkwardness, but at least the topic had shifted. Moreover, true to his behavior since entering the cave, while his words teased, his actions remained proper—limited to verbal banter.

For the first time, Sha Yi felt he had some redeeming qualities—despite his earlier madness.

Before she could dwell on it, Saina spoke again. “Don’t get caught in the rain again. I don’t know why men can handle it, but women in your condition can’t. My sister… she was caught in heavy rain while bleeding, then got pregnant during the rainy season. After spending time with the rongmo, she lost the child. That’s when she bled uncontrollably—like slaughtering prey.”

His voice was heavy with grief. The pain of losing his only family was something only those who had experienced it could truly understand. Though moved, she couldn’t fully grasp his sorrow.

For a moment, she couldn’t find words to comfort him.

For the first time, a long silence stretched between them.

But it was soon broken by shouts from outside the cave. She jumped to her feet.

Saina stood just as quickly, blocking her path before she could step out.

Confused, he smiled and warned her, “That day, I saw you and Xi Yi tying strange vines to the broken tree. I didn’t understand your intentions or reasoning, but that doesn’t change my advice: Don’t explain today’s events to anyone from other tribes. Don’t admit fault—whether yours or Xi Yi’s.”

He didn’t elaborate on the consequences, but she understood. Stunned by his sharpness and unexpected kindness, Sha Yi froze.

Releasing her, he added simply, “Wait here. The rain’s heavy—I’ll tell them you’re safe.”

Then he hurried out of the cave.