Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Extra Chapter for &Sha&’s Reward

That night.

Nanfeng stayed at Changxia’s for dinner.

Afterwards, she slowly made her way back to her own cave.

Changxia rubbed her sore neck, getting ready to wash up and go to bed.

“Changxia, I’ll fetch you some water so you can take a bath first,” Chenrong said, carrying a wooden bucket of hot water into the bathroom so Changxia could soak before sleeping. While she bathed, he planned to make her a salve for her hands and face.

After polishing the snowflake slates today, Changxia’s hands were covered in blisters.

She’d tried to hide it, but there was no fooling Chenrong.

He’d already gathered all the necessary herbs: angelica, bai zhi, turmeric, and licorice. There was no honey, but he could use maple syrup instead. This “white jade balm” wasn’t as luxurious as purple grass ointment, but it would moisturize, relieve itching, heal cracks, and soothe dryness.

The herbs had been soaking for three days and could now be simmered until dry, then strained. Other herbs like borneol would be ground into powder. The maple syrup would be melted in a stone pot, the prepared herbs mixed in and stirred until cool, then stored in a clay jar—voilà, white jade balm.

After her bath, Chang Xia dried her dripping wet hair with a blue cotton towel.

She walked into the kitchen, curiosity lighting up her face as she watched Shen Rong carefully stirring a thick paste in a stone pot.

Her curiosity grew.

“Shen Rong, what are you making?” she asked.

As she spoke, a strong scent of herbal medicine wafted over. The fragrance was subtle and pleasant, not at all unpleasant.

“Baiyu ointment,” Shen Rong replied. “It’s for your face and hands. I made it especially for you.”

Hearing this, Chang Xia was instantly delighted.

She peered seriously into the stone pot, watching the ointment slowly solidify, her nose twitching as she sniffed. “Angelica, turmeric, Chinese peony… And you added maple syrup to help it set. Good idea.”

Chang Xia herself knew a thing or two about making medicine.

Looking at Shen Rong’s ointment, she thought it was a bit rough around the edges. But for a first attempt, it was impressive—he had real talent. With some training, he might become an excellent shaman in the future.

“You know how to make medicine? Is it something the shamans taught you? Looks like… the shamans really value you,” Shen Rong said, carefully scooping the ointment into a small ceramic jar, about the size of a palm.

Last time, Muqin had brought over a variety of ceramic containers, big and small. Chang Xia had specifically requested the small ones—they were perfect for storing sugar and salt, and now, for ointment too.

Chang Xia smiled, not bothering to explain. Letting people think she was from the Suye school was fine by her.

“We should gather more herbs. On rainy days, when there’s nothing to do, we can make different kinds of ointments,” Chang Xia mused. “I’ll ask Nan Feng to tell the chief to save me some pork fat. I want to make some soap…”

“Soapnuts?” Shen Rong caught on quickly. As soon as he heard “soap,” he thought of soapnuts.

“Mm, something like that. Soap is just more convenient and less harsh,” Chang Xia replied.

The main issue was that there were no soapnut trees near the Heluo tribe, so gathering them was tricky—they’d have to trade with other beast tribes. Besides, she couldn’t always rely on Suye for freebies. Once or twice was fine, but more than that, Chang Xia would feel embarrassed.

After all, she had two hands and feet—there was nothing she couldn’t get for herself.

“There are plenty of herbs growing near White Lake. Which ones do you want to gather?” Shen Rong nodded, agreeing with Chang Xia’s plan. He preferred working for things rather than asking for handouts.

“Let’s stock up on angelica, peony, turmeric—those common ones,” Chang Xia said.

She didn’t ask for ginseng or fo-ti, just the most common herbs, which grew everywhere around White Lake and were easy to pick.

“Here, try it—” Shen Rong handed her the ceramic jar.

Chang Xia took it, dipped her finger in, and spread a little on the back of her hand. It was a bit warm, but as she rubbed it in, she could feel a gentle, moisturizing effect.

“It’s so smooth, and spreads easily,” Chang Xia said.

“I’m going to take a bath. Try it out, and if it works well, I’ll make more for Nan Feng and the others tomorrow,” Shen Rong said. Lately, Nan Feng and Nuan Chun had helped out a lot. Shen Rong and Chang Xia were similar in temperament: if you treated them sincerely, they’d return the favor.

Chang Xia smiled and nodded. Shen Rong’s attitude made her happy—it meant he’d accepted the Heluo tribe and saw himself as one of them.

After finishing her hands, Chang Xia dabbed a little on her face too. She’d been working so hard lately that her skin had grown noticeably rougher.

She wasn’t as obsessed with her looks as the bird or fish tribes, but who would turn down the chance to be more beautiful?

She rubbed the ointment in slowly, while drying her hair by the fire.

By the time Shen Rong finished his bath, Chang Xia’s hair was dry.

“Chang Xia, it’s time for bed,” Shen Rong said softly.

Chang Xia stiffened, a little embarrassed.

“Mm! Going to bed now,” she replied quietly, not daring to look up at him.

Listening to her soft mumbling, Shen Rong followed behind as they walked slowly down the corridor toward the cave. This time, Shen Rong had no intention of sleeping alone. He had a mate—who would want to sleep by themselves?

“Ahem!” Chang Xia coughed awkwardly, climbing into bed with matching awkwardness.

Shen Rong couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Was this really the same bold female who’d proposed to him at the Normandy market?

Before leaving, Suye had warned Shen Rong: after detoxifying, he couldn’t share a bed with Chang Xia for a month. He’d lost too much blood from coughing, and needed to recover before doing anything strenuous. Overexertion could lead to early aging.

No matter how tempted he was, Shen Rong would listen to Suye’s advice. Slow and steady was best.

“Don’t worry, the shaman told me to rest for a month before… anything,” Shen Rong said as he climbed into bed, stretching out his long arm to pull Chang Xia into his embrace. Pressing close to her neck, he spoke softly.

Feeling his breath on the back of her neck, Chang Xia tensed up instantly.

But when she heard what he said, she broke into a wide grin. She turned, cupped Shen Rong’s face in her hands, and planted a kiss on his forehead.

“Shen Rong, once you’re better, let’s have a baby together!”

When it came to teasing, Chang Xia was a pro. Knowing Shen Rong couldn’t do anything for now, she was fearless.

Feeling the warmth on his forehead, Shen Rong froze. Then, hearing Chang Xia’s teasing words, his handsome face turned bright red—even the tips of his ears flushed.

“Hee hee!” Chang Xia giggled mischievously. “Shen Rong, are you blushing?”

Hearing her teasing, Shen Rong’s deep, reserved eyes darkened. In a swift motion, he rolled over, pinning Chang Xia beneath him, gazing down at her as she suddenly grew nervous.

Leaning in close, he whispered, “Chang Xia, I want to kiss you—”

With that, he lowered his head and kissed her.

Gently, softly, as if she were the most precious treasure in the world, full of tenderness and longing.

The light stone was covered, and in the darkness of the cave, only the sound of their soft, shallow breaths remained.

At first, it was gentle—then, slowly, their breathing grew heavier.

Outside the cave dwelling, the lively chorus of insects echoed in response, weaving together a unique melody that was utterly delightful to the ears.