Leaning back against the cave wall once more, Saina relaxed considerably. Though his breathing was still somewhat uneven, the bleeding from the wound on his left abdomen had slowed significantly.
After much deliberation, Sha Yi ultimately decided to cut the thin vine tied around his waist and gently pull his animal-hide skirt down slightly to expose the wound.
What she saw was a deep, partially scabbed gash—as if it had been pierced by something sharp but not particularly refined. Moreover, the wound appeared to have been injured more than once. A slash extended diagonally from its outer edge, equally severe, causing the surrounding flesh to curl outward. Dried and fresh bloodstains intermingled, creating a gruesome sight.
Sha Yi recalled how, during his earlier fight with Xi Yi, the latter had struck his wound twice. Yet, Saina hadn’t made a single sound, enduring it silently. If it had been her, she would have been writhing in agony long ago.
Such endurance was rare even in this era. At this moment, she found herself unsure of how to regard him.
After studying the wound for a while, she picked up a bone knife and a small piece of hide beside him. First, she used the hide dipped in water to clean the blood around the wound. Then, she heated the bone knife to scrape away the dried, hardened blood clots clinging to the wound, hindering its healing. Finally, she took some crushed herb-like substance near him and gently pressed it onto the wound to help stop the bleeding.
Saina’s hide skirt was proving to be a major hindrance—not only obstructing her efforts to treat the wound but also reeking of blood, which had already soiled a large portion of the sanitary pad in her hand. Left with no choice, Sha Yi reluctantly used the white fur that had previously covered him to conceal his private area while slowly removing the filthy hide skirt with her other hand.
Throughout all this, Saina watched her intently. He seemed deeply curious about her, much like his curiosity toward the sanitary pad. Yet, he remained completely silent, not uttering a single word.
Sha Yi, however, was perfectly content with his silence. In a way, it felt like an unspoken compromise and submission.
Saina’s physique was indeed robust, with an impressive blood-clotting ability. Within moments, his wound stopped bleeding. She suspected that his tribesmen had previously treated it too roughly, and he himself had neglected to protect it, leading to the current reopening and persistent bleeding.
When the time seemed right, she removed the crushed herb stems from his wound and instead lathered soap onto the small piece of hide with water, carefully wiping the area around the wound for basic disinfection. After rinsing and drying it once more, she hesitated to apply toothpaste directly to the wound. For one, the gash was too deep for reckless treatment; for another, the wound hadn’t fully scabbed, and while toothpaste had antiseptic and clotting properties, its stinging sensation was too intense. In the end, she squeezed only a small amount around the edges of the wound.
Now, only the final step remained.
Peeling off the adhesive side of the sanitary pad, Sha Yi gently placed the cotton side over his wound. Using the bone knife, she cut the cotton camisole into strips and secured them over the pad’s adhesive side. Then, bending down, she wrapped the strips around his waist several times before tying a large knot on the opposite side.
With the wound fully treated, Sha Yi finally exhaled in relief. Rubbing her numb knees from kneeling, she stood up, rearranged the dry grass beneath him, and spread out the hide properly. After signaling him not to exert his abdomen, she helped him lie down slowly.
Truthfully, Sha Yi wanted to give him more instructions, but given her clumsy grasp of the ancient language, she had no choice but to simplify her words, supplementing them with gestures to convey the need for rest, warmth, and keeping the wound dry.
She wasn’t sure if he fully understood, but she had no time to dwell on it—she could already hear commotion outside, including what sounded like Xi Yi’s voice. Rushing to the cave entrance in a panic, she collided straight into someone’s chest.
A pair of large hands steadied her in time.
Sha Yi looked up hurriedly and met the deep brown eyes of the towering figure before her—it was indeed Xi Yi.
Drenched from head to toe, his body radiated a chilling coldness from prolonged exposure to the heavy rain. Still, she was relieved he had returned. Earlier, she hadn’t even known where he had gone, leaving her frantic with worry. Seeing him now, the tension in her heart finally eased, though her nose stung with emotion.
Xi Yi seemed surprised by her welcome, though delight quickly overshadowed his initial shock. He immediately moved to embrace her, but the gesture froze midway.
After a brief hesitation, he settled for holding her hand instead.
Faced with his restrained affection, Sha Yi felt an uncharacteristic reluctance and dissatisfaction. Breaking free from his grip, she ignored his nervous gaze and threw her arms around him tightly.
Xi Yi stiffened for a moment before gradually relaxing and returning the embrace with equal intensity.
In that instant, Sha Yi understood why he had hesitated—his entire body was soaked and icy cold. He hadn’t wanted to drench her or use her warmth to comfort himself.
His care for her was boundless.
Overwhelmed by emotion, tears welled in her eyes—not from sorrow, but from profound happiness. In this ancient era, no one else could ever treat her the way Xi Yi did.
Though the chill radiating from him made her shiver, she wished time would freeze in this moment—even if it meant dying right then and there.
Xi Yi must have noticed her trembling, because the next second, he firmly pushed her away. Despite her reluctance, he refused to indulge her stubbornness this time. Left with no choice, Sha Yi removed the oversized robe she was wearing and draped it over him.
Xi Yi didn’t reject her kindness. Gratefully, he reached out and caressed her face. Only then did she belatedly notice that more than half of his stubble was gone. When she touched his beard, it felt singed, as if burned by fire, though his skin remained unharmed. The sight was somewhat comical.
On the bright side, the lack of facial hair had its advantages—at least she could now clearly see the face of the man she would spend her life with.
This was the first time she had seen his full, unaltered appearance. Before, she had imagined his features based on Xigu’s, but to her surprise, Xi Yi looked nothing like him.
Now, she had to admit—Xi Yi was quite handsome. His deep, striking brown eyes were already captivating, and while the contours of his face were somewhat rugged, this very roughness exuded a wild charm. Paired with his tall nose, thin lips, and towering, muscular frame, he was undeniably pleasing to the eye.
Gazing at this unexpectedly attractive man, Sha Yi suddenly had the urge to shave his beard properly.
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