Finally, Sha Yi gave the last remaining shrimp tail to Masa, who was overjoyed. Xigu and Mari were also delighted by this, while Xiyi said nothing but gazed at her with an unusually intense look.
Dinner lasted much longer than usual, yet even after everyone had finished eating, the other groups from the clustered tribes still hadn’t returned.
Perhaps it was due to their efficient hunting or better division of labor, but compared to the previous day, they had indeed returned much earlier. With the usual clamor absent, the cave settlement felt serene and quiet, the only oddity being the strange light filtering in from outside.
Sha Yi suspected it might rain again. She hadn’t paid much attention earlier, but now, looking out, the sky had taken on a ghastly pallor. Such conditions likely foretold a thunderstorm later that night—no wonder the sunlight had been unusually fierce all day.
After dinner, Xigu didn’t let her help with the cleanup. Instead, he assigned two of the four men to handle it while giving instructions to Mari, Masa, and the other two men. Finally, he muttered something and pushed Xiyi outside.
Sha Yi recognized the ancient word for “bathing.” Seeing Mari and the others leave first, and then Xiyi being pushed out as well, she turned back, wondering if she should suggest that the two men cleaning up also go wash. After all, they had sweated during the hunt, and she, with nothing else to do, could take over the chores. The sky was growing increasingly ominous, and if they didn’t hurry, they might run out of time.
But before she could act, Xiyi, who had been pushed several steps away, suddenly turned back, grabbed her arm, and pulled her right in front of him.
Sha Yi was stunned, while the two men burst into laughter. Xigu let out an exasperated sound and began scolding Xiyi.
She couldn’t fully understand Xigu’s words, catching only a few familiar sounds here and there. Xiyi, however, paid no attention to Xigu’s reprimands. Instead, he looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes, as if plotting something “mischievous.”
Xiyi’s behavior infuriated Xigu. She stomped over, yanked his ear hard, and unleashed a furious tirade. Amid her words, Sha Yi once again heard the familiar phrase she guessed meant “wait until after the rainy season.”
Still, she wasn’t entirely sure if Xigu’s words matched her interpretation.
However, in the next moment, Sha Yi realized with absolute clarity—Xigu did mean exactly that. She placed her own hand on Sha Yi’s abdomen, shook her head at Xiyi, and spoke quickly. Then she pulled Xiyi’s hand to rest on Sha Yi’s belly, repeating the same phrase slowly and firmly, as if issuing an unyielding warning.
With these actions, Sha Yi could easily piece together the meaning: Xigu was unmistakably warning Xiyi not to get her pregnant!
Xiyi had indeed promised her this before. He had never crossed the final line, always stopping himself despite his urges, never pushing beyond certain boundaries.
Thinking about it, Sha Yi found it rather puzzling. Logically, as a primitive human who placed great importance on reproduction and offspring, Xiyi should have prioritized expanding the tribe. Why, then, did it seem like he was holding back for some reason?
Unfortunately, she was too dense to figure out why.
Just as she was pondering this, the man being berated by Xigu suddenly scooped her up and bolted, leaving Xigu fuming behind them!
Xiyi’s abrupt move startled Sha Yi at first, but once she processed it, she nearly laughed—though she managed to suppress it. He ran so fast that, cradled in his arms, she barely saw the path. When he finally stopped, they were by a clear, small river.
They were alone here. Though the others had also come out to bathe, she didn’t see them anywhere. Perhaps they had deliberately avoided them, fearing Xigu’s wrath—those who had initially followed them now kept their distance.
She wanted to ask Xiyi, but he immediately began unfastening the thin straps of his animal-hide skirt. Sha Yi flushed, instantly regretting coming to the river with him. She had already learned from their last encounter by the big river that nudity didn’t embarrass him in the slightest. In this primitive era, where clothing was limited to hides and leaves, such modesty simply didn’t exist in their mindset.
But she was different. Though she could gradually adapt, she still needed time to adjust. Moreover, in modern times, she had never seen a man naked—feeling shy was only natural.
Instinctively, Sha Yi turned to leave, but Xiyi blocked her path. With a strong arm, he held her firmly in place, then chuckled lowly and embraced her from behind.
Pressed against Xiyi, Sha Yi felt a bit uneasy. But remembering their time by the vines, she relaxed.
Sooner or later, she and he would cross that line. She had already accepted it, fully and without reservation. Now, with just skin contact, if he wasn’t nervous, why should she be?
His chest was scorching hot. Even through the two layers of silk-like fabric, she could feel the searing warmth—likely from spending half the day under the blazing sun. She guessed he had sweated profusely again in the afternoon.
Thinking this, she turned to help him untie the thin vines securing his skirt. But Xiyi hadn’t expected her sudden movement. Standing on the riverbank, his foot slipped, and he tumbled straight into the water.
Panicked, Sha Yi reached out to grab him but underestimated his weight. The moment she caught his arm, she was yanked down with him.
A loud splash followed.
When she finally resurfaced, Sha Yi was filled with regret.
She shouldn’t have foolishly tried to pull him up. Now, not only were both of them drenched, but if she hadn’t clung to Xiyi’s neck, she would have sunk straight to the bottom. The water only reached just below Xiyi’s shoulders, but for her, dozens of centimeters shorter and unable to swim, it was practically suicidal.
Beside her, Xiyi burst into laughter at her miserable expression. Sha Yi shot him a glare and pointed at the riverbank, signaling for him to lift her out. But he refused to cooperate, his large hands roaming underwater, taking full advantage of the situation.
Sha Yi was torn between laughter and exasperation. With her hands occupied, she had no choice but to let him have his way.
Emboldened by her lack of resistance, Xiyi grew even bolder. After a while, though Sha Yi remained unfazed, he began panting heavily. Finally, unable to take it anymore, he reluctantly hoisted her onto the bank before diving back into the water.
Xiyi had brought this entirely upon himself. Sha Yi crouched on the riverbank, laughing for a long time.
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