Xi Yi stopped in his tracks, standing silently for a long while. When he turned back, his face was once again shrouded in desolation.
Though Xi Gu was usually carefree, even she noticed something was amiss now. She waited quietly for Xi Yi’s next words, but he remained silent. Growing impatient, she grabbed his arm and roared, “Xi Yi, Xi Mang ke na?!”
Xi Yi still said nothing. Beside them, Ma Rui also grew uneasy, glancing worriedly between the two but hesitating to speak.
“Xi Mang…” Just as Xi Gu was about to explode, Xi Yi finally spoke as if steeling himself, “Qi En Da An, Ge Nei Tu Yi Ka, Pu Lu…” (Translation: [Qi En Da An, Ge Nei Tu Yi Ka, Pu Lu]: It was the saber-toothed tiger. The giant serpent appeared too… and devoured him.)
The moment the words left his mouth, Ma Rui was visibly shocked, while Xi Gu’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees.
The unfamiliar words left Sha Yi momentarily stunned, but her intuition told her they were talking about the person who had died in the serpent’s belly. Earlier, Xi Yi had been in agony, and now they were all grieving so deeply—that person must have been their kin.
Sha Yi didn’t know how to comfort them. As she hesitated, Xi Yi spoke again: “Wei Fu Jia Ye…” (Translation: [Wei Fu Jia Ye]: I saw it.)
This time, Xi Gu burst into loud sobs, and Ma Rui turned pale. He tried to help Xi Gu up, but she not only ignored him but also slapped his hand away, wailing and shouting, refusing to let him near.
Ma Rui sighed helplessly, glanced at Xi Yi, and stepped back.
Xi Yi stood motionless, neither attempting to console nor help Xi Gu up. His lips were pressed tightly together, his expression rigid.
Xi Gu continued crying, leaving Ma Rui at a loss. After waiting a while and seeing no reaction from Xi Yi, Sha Yi tentatively reached out and shook his arm, calling softly, “Xi Yi…”
Xi Yi turned to her, gently squeezing her hand. His brown eyes were clear and bright as he gazed at her for a moment before lifting her out of the bathtub and murmuring something under his breath.
Sha Yi didn’t catch it, but even if she had, she doubted she would have understood. Instead, she studied his expression carefully.
The sorrow on Xi Yi’s face hadn’t fully faded, but as he spoke to her now, his brows lifted slightly, and his eyes held a questioning glint.
At a time like this, Sha Yi felt she had to give him an affirmative answer—even if she didn’t know what he was asking. Nothing could be more devastating than losing a loved one.
She didn’t want him to grieve any longer, nor did she want… his remaining family to suffer.
With that thought, she nodded.
Xi Yi seemed satisfied. After receiving her response, he gently ruffled her hair before turning to speak to Ma Rui. Finally, he pointed at Xi Gu and then at the bathtub.
Ma Rui nodded and began fiddling with the contents of the tub, while Xi Yi went to help Xi Gu up. But Xi Gu, overwhelmed by grief, resisted fiercely, kicking and flailing until the two were tangled in a chaotic struggle.
Ma Rui panicked and rushed over to assist Xi Yi, but he misjudged his position and was kicked away by Xi Gu.
Sha Yi hurried to help Ma Rui up, inwardly marveling at how ruthlessly these ancient people fought when upset. Still, standing idly by felt wrong—she had to help Xi Yi. If Xi Gu kept this up, night would fall before they resolved anything, and Xi Yi, exhausted from the day’s work, needed rest.
But the moment Sha Yi took two steps forward, Xi Yi understood her intention and immediately shook his head, trying to stop her with his gaze.
She didn’t grasp his meaning and paused briefly before continuing. Unable to hold back, Xi Yi spoke up: “Sha Yi, Ken Ku Wen Na Ye…” (Translation: [Ken Ku Wen Na Ye]: Don’t come here.)
“Ken Ku” meant “don’t,” though she wasn’t sure about “Wen.” “Na Ye” roughly translated to “here,” so the phrase likely meant he didn’t want her to approach. Sha Yi felt warmth in her chest—he must be worried his sister might hurt her in her emotional state.
By the time she figured it out, Xi Gu had also reacted. Her wailing and thrashing abruptly stopped, and she grew eerily quiet. The sudden change stunned not only Sha Yi but even Xi Yi, as if he’d never expected such a reaction.
Before either could process it, Xi Gu wiped her tears, sniffled, and muttered something before shoving Xi Yi away and reaching out to Sha Yi, mumbling, “Xia Ye… Na Ye… Wei Jia.” (Translation: [Wei Jia]: Help me up [inverted syntax].)
Xi Gu had called her name—albeit mispronounced—but Sha Yi recognized it. Seemingly asking for help, Xi Gu didn’t hesitate to grasp Sha Yi’s hand, letting her pull her up with great effort.
Once on her feet, Xi Gu leaned heavily against Sha Yi, still emotionally fragile. Though she’d stopped wailing, tears still streamed down her face.
Sha Yi comfortingly patted Xi Gu’s back a few times before quickly retracting her hand to steady her.
Xi Gu was much heavier—shorter than Xi Yi but still taller and far sturdier than Sha Yi. Now, with her full weight pressed against her, Sha Yi felt she’d need every ounce of strength just to keep them both upright.
Xi Gu didn’t seem to notice her struggle but appeared particularly fond of her, gripping her hand tightly as if afraid she’d vanish. Sha Yi found it amusing but still struggled to support her.
When Ma Rui finished adjusting the bathtub, this was the scene that greeted him, leaving him gaping in astonishment. But no one paid him any mind, and after a brief moment of shock, he returned to inspecting the tub—perhaps, in his eyes, it was the more fascinating object.
Meanwhile, Xi Yi crouched nearby, silently watching the two. Only when he noticed the slender woman’s unsteady footing did he frown slightly, rise slowly, and call out to the man still examining the bathtub. Then, without a word, he moved to Sha Yi’s other side and steadied her.
At that moment, Sha Yi was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Thus, with three leading the way and one carrying the bathtub behind, the four soon arrived at a cave.
It was an enormous cavern, though its entrance was relatively narrow.
As Sha Yi helped Xi Gu inside, she noticed groups of people clustered throughout the cave—three here, five there. Strangely, their appearances varied drastically; some had strikingly dark skin and features that seemed entirely different from Xi Yi’s group. Perhaps because dinner time was nearing, they were all cooking something, the mingling scents creating an oddly pungent aroma.
Xi Yi ignored them all, leading Sha Yi and Xi Gu straight toward the back. But along the way, countless curious eyes followed them, making Sha Yi deeply uncomfortable.
—
**Author’s Note:**
**Translator’s Notes:**
**[Xi Mang]**: The younger brother of Xi Gu and the elder brother of Xi Yi (the character “Mang” resembles the character “亡” [death]).
**[Xi Gu]**: Sounds similar to “watermelon” (西瓜) and “buttocks” (屁股). (Watermelons have many seeds [symbolizing children], while “buttocks” refers to fertility.)
**[Ke Na]**: “Are you there?” or “Where are you?”
**[Qi En Da An]**: “It was the saber-toothed tiger.”
**[Ge Nei Tu Yi Ka]**: “The giant serpent appeared too.”
**[Pu Lu]**: “Devoured.”
**[Wei Fu Jia Ye]**: “I saw it.”
**[Ken Ku Wen Na Ye]**: “Don’t come here.”
**[Wei Jia]**: “Help me up” (inverted syntax).
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