Actually, there was nothing to it—just shaving a beard. But the moment Xigu appeared, everything seemed to go wrong.
Sha Yi was utterly embarrassed. Unable to tug the animal hide from beneath Xi Yi, she had no choice but to leap out of the bathtub and flee in a panic.
As she left, she faintly heard Xi Yi chuckle, but she didn’t dare look back. By the time she sat down by the fire, she noticed the pot of broth mixed with fruits and mushrooms had already boiled over, splattering everywhere and filling the air with a rich aroma.
She guessed Xigu had woken up because of the commotion and, after searching around, deduced they must have been the ones cooking the soup. So, he lifted the hide and entered—only to coincidentally witness her shaving Xi Yi’s beard…
While scooping mushroom soup into a wooden container, she heard Xigu’s low scolding and Xi Yi’s muffled protests from the direction of the bathtub. It sounded like Xigu had hit Xi Yi, which struck her as oddly amusing.
Still, she couldn’t quite understand. Xigu was genuinely sincere toward her and clearly wanted her to live well with Xi Yi. Yet, puzzlingly, while he seemed to support their relationship, he couldn’t stand them being even slightly intimate. Like today—Xi Yi had inexplicably taken the blame and ended up getting beaten by Xigu for no reason.
As Sha Yi rinsed her mouth, Xigu emerged, beaming at her. Too embarrassed to greet him, she was startled when he walked over and abruptly pulled aside the fur wrapped around her to inspect her body.
Sha Yi dropped her cup in shock and instinctively tried to stop him, but Xigu swiftly yanked her hand away with surprising force, making her cry out in pain.
At that sound, the man who had been lingering awkwardly behind Xigu could no longer hold back. He rushed forward and stopped Xigu from fully removing the fur. Though Xigu seemed reluctant, he only showed mild disappointment before taking advantage of Xi Yi’s intervention to scrutinize her once more. Finally, he smiled and let go, turning away to fetch some venison, looking thoroughly pleased.
Sha Yi was still shaken—not so much from fear, but because Xigu’s behavior was so bizarre that she was left utterly bewildered, unable to react in time.
In contrast, Xi Yi was full of concern, worried she might have been frightened by Xigu. He nervously adjusted the fur around her and refused to let go of her hand.
Seeing his unease and guilt, Sha Yi felt a warmth in her heart. She reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the lips.
Xi Yi was pleasantly surprised. After a brief pause, he cupped her waist and quickly pecked her lips in return, his earlier worries gradually fading with this tender gesture.
Sha Yi smiled at him, bent down to pick up the fallen plastic cup, and gestured for him to go rinse his mouth.
Xi Yi obeyed willingly. He always followed her lead—so long as it didn’t involve her leaving him. That was his one boundary.
While Xi Yi went to rinse his mouth, she helped Xigu prepare the venison.
The mushroom and fruit soup was far too little for their suddenly expanded group of thirteen. They couldn’t rely on it as the main meal, so roasted meat was a must.
At the moment, the others were still asleep. She had no idea what had happened in the middle of the night, where these newcomers had come from, or why they had joined Xi Yi’s group.
Sha Yi’s roasting skills had improved significantly. Though still not on par with the others, at least she no longer burned half while leaving the other half raw. Still, preparing enough meat for thirteen people took considerable effort. By the time she finished, nearly all the stored venison had been used up. She estimated there was only enough left for one more meal.
That meant they’d have to rely on what they’d caught the previous day. Thinking it over, Sha Yi doubted they had enough meat stored. The sudden storm had disrupted their plans, and without salt, preserving meat was extremely difficult. Even if they had prepared, she suspected it was limited to vegetables, fruits, and wild herbs.
She had only brought back the mushrooms the day before, and now there was no chance to dry them. The plan to store mushrooms had failed, and they’d have to consume them soon—otherwise, the moisture-rich fungi would quickly rot.
Just as Xigu got up to wake the sleeping newcomers, Xi Yi returned. Seizing the moment, Sha Yi handed him a large piece of mushroom—only for one of the newly arrived women to rush over and slap it out of his hand.
Xi Yi froze, mouth still open. Sha Yi was equally stunned, taking a moment to recover. When she did, she saw the woman looking anxious, as if deeply concerned for them.
Remembering how Xi Yi had reacted the first time they cooked mushrooms, Sha Yi couldn’t help but laugh. Xi Yi, snapping out of his daze, began conversing with the woman.
Listening to their exchange, Sha Yi noticed it was somewhat halting and awkward—much like her early interactions with Xi Yi. It didn’t sound like they were speaking the same ancient dialect, though they managed to understand each other after a few sentences.
She watched as the woman’s furrowed brow gradually relaxed, though a trace of doubt lingered on her face.
Soon, more people emerged from behind the hides. The first to appear were the newcomers from the night before. Their features were noticeably different from Xi Yi’s group. The men were as tall as Xigu, while the women were about her height, with darker skin. They wore clothing made of leaves rather than animal hides.
That last detail alone made Sha Yi think they might be far less developed than Xi Yi’s group. But since Xi Yi and the others had accepted them, they must have some redeeming qualities.
Finally, Marui, Marsa, and the four men also came out. Marsa was delighted to see her and rushed over, while the others greeted her briefly. Sha Yi noticed two of the men were holding hides, sparking her curiosity. But with everyone settling down to eat, she didn’t ask.
As expected, everyone was wary of the mushrooms—even Xigu disapproved at first. Only after Xi Yi explained did they hesitantly try some.
Even so, Sha Yi felt satisfied. In their minds, mushrooms were poisonous. The fact that they didn’t insist she and Xi Yi taste-test first was a sign of great trust. A few brief words of explanation were enough—their group already had a strong foundation of mutual trust.
As the meal ended, thunder rumbled again. The three newly arrived women, who had volunteered to clean up, had to sit back down. That was when Sha Yi noticed the two men with hides beginning to move.
They each presented their carefully prepared hides to two of the three women, who accepted them without hesitation.
The exchange was straightforward and unambiguous—a clear courtship ritual, much like when Xi Yi had first given her furs. Though he hadn’t been as bold as these two men, the underlying meaning was the same.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage