Sha Yi remembered her original intention of making him eat shrimp, so she nudged his arm to reach for the stainless steel basin placed nearby. However, Xi Yi was reluctant. Just as she grabbed the basin, he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her with a possessive grip.
Sha Yi chuckled but complied, carefully selecting another shrimp. She meticulously removed the head and shell before offering it to him again, gesturing for him to open his mouth.
When Xi Yi saw the shrimp, now reduced to just its tender pink tail, his expression showed surprise, though a trace of hesitation lingered in his eyes. Still, he obediently opened his mouth—it seemed he couldn’t bring himself to refuse her.
After feeding him the shrimp, Sha Yi picked another from the remaining two and quickly peeled it. But before she could hand it to him, he swiftly lowered his head and snatched the shrimp tail from her fingers. Then, as if savoring the moment, he playfully licked her fingertips.
Sha Yi was stunned.
Had he turned mischievous? Stealing food was one thing, but now he was even flirting without being taught!
Xi Yi had no idea her thoughts had wandered far. Seeing her lack of reaction, he grew a little uneasy and let out a sheepish chuckle. Picking up a piece of meat from the fire, he began roasting it again with exaggerated seriousness.
His act was so transparent that Sha Yi almost wanted to cover her eyes. Still, she was pleased that he had accepted the shrimp. Besides, if they hadn’t been eating shrimp before, there must be plenty here. With the ancient era and the approaching rainy season, nothing was more reassuring than an abundance of food.
The real concern, however, was the lack of salt, which meant food couldn’t be preserved long-term. If the rainy season or winter arrived, there would inevitably be times when hunting was impossible. In such cases, stored food would be essential for survival.
She didn’t know how Xi Yi and his people handled this issue. Since she hadn’t reached their settlement yet, she had no idea what conditions were like there or whether they kept any domesticated animals. She’d have to wait and see.
For now, she planned to have Xi Yi catch more shrimp at daybreak. Not only were they nutritious, plentiful, and tasty, but carrying them would also serve as a backup in case hunting became difficult during their journey, ensuring their progress wouldn’t be hindered.
Lost in thought, Sha Yi was gently tapped by Xi Yi. When she snapped back to reality, he was already offering her a piece of roasted meat.
The aroma was enticing, stirring hunger in her stomach. But the moment she remembered it was the meat of a large rodent, a wave of disgust conflicted with her appetite. After an internal struggle, she shook her head and gestured for him to eat it himself.
Xi Yi was puzzled. He didn’t understand why she had eaten roasted meat without issue before but was now refusing it. It had been a long time since their last meal, and she had even eaten that strange-looking thing earlier—why wouldn’t she eat the roasted meat now?
He didn’t get it, but he didn’t want her to go hungry. So he kept holding out the meat, insisting she take it.
Eventually, Sha Yi accepted the roasted meat.
Though she still felt some resistance, she realized she had no room for pickiness. Having traveled to this era, she needed strong adaptability. To survive, she had to change herself to fit into this world.
She should learn from Xi Yi. What she considered disgusting was merely a product of modern conditioning—like how certain cultures avoided pork. These were just ingrained beliefs, not absolute truths. If she had been born in this era, she wouldn’t have held modern biases either.
It was all a matter of habit. A piece of rodent meat was nothing—eating it wouldn’t kill her; it would simply fill her stomach. She had been too pampered!
Glancing at the roasted meat in her hand, Sha Yi resolved to eat it. Even if she couldn’t finish it all at once, she could take it slowly. Besides, the meat was perfectly browned and likely tasted decent.
Without further hesitation, she took a small bite. After chewing carefully, she realized her earlier assumption had been wrong.
The meat of this rodent-like creature was surprisingly delicious—far more tender than the rabbit meat they usually ate, almost comparable to the shrimp she had just enjoyed. There was none of the expected gaminess or foul odor. In fact, she even detected a faint, long-missed hint of saltiness in the savory, tender meat.
Sha Yi was astonished—partly because the meat didn’t resemble rodent meat at all, and partly because of the hidden saltiness. Logically, this era shouldn’t have discovered or isolated salt yet. Aside from animal blood, she wasn’t aware of any other means for humans to intake salt.
The situation left her baffled. Could it be a coincidence that only her piece of meat had salt?
Unable to resist, she glanced at Xi Yi. He was also eating roasted meat, but at a much faster pace. While she had only taken a few bites, he had already finished a large piece.
Noticing her gaze, Xi Yi grinned and handed her another piece from the fire.
Only two pieces of roasted meat remained, but each was sizable—the one in her hand being the largest. She doubted she could finish it, whereas Xi Yi had a big appetite. Even if he ate the remaining two pieces, it might not be enough to fill him. There was still one cold shrimp left in the basin, and she decided he should have that too. Ever since meeting her, it seemed he had never eaten his fill.
Sha Yi made a mental note: if they caught plenty of shrimp at daybreak, she would make sure he ate until he was stuffed. After all, he had been doing all the heavy lifting on this journey. If she couldn’t contribute at all, she’d just be dead weight.
With that plan in mind, she firmly pushed the roasted meat back toward him and instead peeled the last shrimp from the stainless steel basin before offering it to him.
Though not as substantial as the roasted meat, the shrimp tail was still sizable—about two-thirds the length of her palm—and would help fill his stomach.
Xi Yi was visibly delighted by her gesture, just as before. But this time, instead of immediately accepting it, he leaned back slightly, as if refusing her kindness.
Sha Yi understood—he thought she hadn’t eaten enough. In his eyes, her modern-standard physique probably seemed emaciated. But she truly couldn’t eat any more; her appetite was nowhere near his.
Patting her stomach to signal she was full, she smiled and pulled him back, offering the shrimp tail once more. This time, Xi Yi didn’t refuse. Instead, he gazed at her intently with his deep brown eyes before finally accepting the shrimp from her hand.
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