The undercurrent of tension between the two men was a complete enigma to her, leaving Sha Yi dumbfounded for a long moment before she finally snapped out of it, utterly speechless.
Xi Yi looked somewhat weary. When he turned and walked up to her, he seemed hesitant to speak.
Sha Yi couldn’t guess what was on his mind, but considering he had just fought with that man and exchanged heated words with him, she figured he must be feeling unsettled. So, she reached out and hugged him.
The effect of the hug was immediate. Xi Yi’s furrowed brow instantly relaxed, and as she embraced him, he pulled her into his arms, holding her in silence for a long time.
She let him hold her until nightfall. Only then did Xi Yi belatedly remember the pile of fruit on the ground. With a hint of apology, he released her, bent down, and quickly gathered the scattered fruit into a large leaf he had prepared earlier.
The new moon had just passed, so the moonlight was still faint. Sha Yi couldn’t clearly see Xi Yi’s movements as he stood up after collecting the fruit. Tentatively, she reached out to pull him up, but he, accustomed to night vision, was a step ahead. His warm, large hand firmly grasped hers.
She followed him as they slowly made their way out of the winding area.
However, Xi Yi’s destination wasn’t the cave in the settlement. Instead, he led her to another place.
It was a hidden and beautiful spot, covered with vines Sha Yi had never seen before. The vines entwined around the entire perimeter, leaving only a small gap—the way they had entered. It was unclear whether the gap was natural or man-made.
Above, the vines were sheltered beneath the canopy of a giant-leafed tree. Though the moonlight was dim, the enclosed space revealed a shallow, oval-shaped lake. The reflection of the lake and the faint glow of bioluminescent insects made the purple-green gradient leaves of the vines flicker in and out of sight, transforming the small space into something akin to a fairyland.
Sha Yi was awestruck.
Seeing her amazement, Xi Yi was visibly pleased. He set down the large leaf bundle and slipped back out through the gap in the vines. By the time Sha Yi noticed his absence, he had already returned, his arms full of large leaves—not the mosquito-repelling kind, but the broad, round leaves from the giant tree overhead.
Xi Yi found a spot where the vines grew thickly and carefully laid the leaves on the grass, then gestured for her to lie down.
Sha Yi understood immediately. She took off her furry “shoes” and sat on the leaves.
These large, round leaves were even bigger than the mosquito-repelling banana leaves. Though not as soft, they were exceptionally smooth. As soon as Sha Yi sat down, she caught a faint whiff of something resembling camphor, but when she tried to sniff it again, the elusive scent was gone.
Meanwhile, Xi Yi, seeing her content, picked up the leaf bundle of fruit and headed toward the small lake alone.
As he turned, Sha Yi noticed several fresh scratches on his back. Under the dim moonlight, they weren’t very noticeable, but since they overlapped with older wounds, the marks appeared deeper. Though Sai Na had seemed to take the brunt of their fight, it was hard to say Xi Yi had escaped unscathed—especially bruises, which often took hours to fully surface. And they certainly hadn’t held back during their brawl!
With that thought, Sha Yi got up and followed him.
Xi Yi noticed her trailing behind and initially tried to shoo her back, but Sha Yi quickly looped her arm around his and flashed him a shy smile.
That bashful grin stopped him in his tracks. The hand he’d raised to push her away instead settled on her shoulder, pulling her close.
He had no resistance when it came to her, and if she took the initiative, he surrendered completely. Now, with her subtly coaxing him, Xi Yi immediately gave in, letting her accompany him to the lake.
The scenery here surpassed even the lake near the marshlands. Though smaller in size, its clarity rivaled that of the great river. The lakebed was lined with smooth, rounded stones, free of the aquatic plants that choked the river, making the water pristine and refreshing.
As Xi Yi began washing the bright red fruit, Sha Yi moved behind him to inspect his wounds.
The injuries from the giant snake had begun to heal, but the scratches from climbing the tree had reopened some of the scabs. The fresh cuts were deeper at the bottom and shallower toward the top, suggesting he’d hastily jumped down when he saw Sai Na harassing her.
After helping him wash his hair by the river that one time, she’d abandoned the idea of making him wear clothes to protect his wounds. But now, she suddenly felt bandaging his injuries was necessary. She’d have to keep a close eye on him—no letting him near the water until he healed, or his wounds would surely worsen.
With that in mind, she took off her short skirt. Under his puzzled and conflicted gaze, she quickly dipped it into the lake, wrung it out, and carefully dabbed at his wounds. She repeated the process several times until she was satisfied, then wrung the skirt dry again.
If all went well, her skirt would dry quickly—it was made of lightweight silk, and though night had fallen, the breeze was warm. She could tend to his wounds properly by dawn. And though the skirt was short, stretched horizontally, it would be just enough to wrap around Xi Yi’s chest. This time, she was determined to fashion it into proper bandages!
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