"Three days.." Ningning repeated, testing the weight of the words.
"If that is too soon, I will tell him to delay.." Weijie said, just as calmly as if he were discussing the weather.
She looked at him, surprised by how easily he offered her that choice.
There was no impatience in his expression, no expectation that she should accept simply because this was how things were done.
"No.." she said. "Three days is fine."
He nodded, the tension in his posture easing almost imperceptibly.
He turned to the pot on the stone table, so this was the delicious aroma he saw smelling before he even entered the cave.
"What did you make?"
This immediately brought Ningning to her feet. She dusted her hand on her skirt then walked to the table.
"This, my dear Weijie is food. I made this for you, with the ingredients I could find. Let me dish it for you.."
Weijie nodded as he watched her dish the food and when she handed him he smiled.
"Let's sit down. I want to watch you eat and you tell me if you like it.."
Weijie chucked when he saw her expectant eyes, he sniffed the food slightly then he picked one of the potatoes.
Ningning nodded as she stared at him, waiting for his verdict.
"I love it. My wife is very good at cooking.."
Ningning smiled, pride bubbling up in her chest, warm and unfamiliar. It wasn't the sharp, desperate kind of pride she remembered chasing in her first life, but something quieter, steadier.
The kind that came from having done something with her own hands and seeing it received well.
"You're not allowed to flatter me just because I'm feeding you.." she said, though the corners of her mouth refused to stay down.
Weijie took another bite, slower this time, as if he were truly tasting it. "I am not flattering you. I am stating a fact."
He paused, then added, almost thoughtfully, "You used herbs. We usually only roast or boil."
"I figured plain food would get boring.." Ningning replied. "Potatoes are forgiving. Even if you mess them up, they're still edible."
Weijie hummed in agreement and continued eating, his movements relaxed.
For a while, the cave was filled only with the quiet sounds of chewing and the soft crackle of the fire.
Ningning watched him without realizing it, noting how at ease he seemed now, as though something heavy had been set aside the moment she agreed to the bonding.
He finished his portion quickly, too quickly, in her opinion and looked up to find her staring.
"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked.
Ningning smiled, then even started laughing. "I'm really glad you like it Weijie. You must have been hungry."
Weijie blinked, then laughed softly. "In a way, I have. A top male eats last during gatherings. It keeps peace."
Ningning frowned. "That's ridiculous."
"It is. Tribe laws are quite stupid." he corrected, though there was no real argument in his tone.
She refilled his bowl without asking, and this time he didn't refuse. When he reached for the water pot, Ningning beat him to it and poured him a cup.
The gesture seemed to catch him off guard. He accepted it with a quiet, "Thank you." his gaze lingering on her face a fraction longer than before.
After a moment, he spoke again. "The bonding will be witnessed by the elders and the invited tribes. It is… formal. But after that, it will only be us."
Her fingers paused around the cup. "Only us?"
Weijie nodded as he quickly guffed down the food again "Yes, we will come to our cave and we will make love.."
…
Ningning froze, page 79 of the illustration guide book resurfacing in her mind and her face immediately reddened.
[Haha! Starting to feel the burn aren't you?]
Weijie stood up grabbing the bowl and the cup and placing them on the table.
"Are you scared? We will not do it if you don't want to."
…
"I-i can do it!" she stood up as well, though her face was still pink.
Weijie chucked as he turned back to her,
One step,
Two step,
Third until he was right in front of Ningning.
"Thank you for the food, my wife. I love it .."
He said while placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I will find something delicious for you tomorrow.."
Ningning was speechless, her insides felt so warm and tingly she didn't answer him for a while.
She was busy dealing with her own emotions.
"Thank you.."
Weijie nodded, then he walked back to the pots and arranged them carefully. Before turning back to Ningning, "let's go to the lake to wash ourselves." he walked to another basket and brought a set of clothes, which looked like a roughly put together nightwear.
"This is for you. I had it made for you, I hid it behind the pots so you wouldn't see it until I gave it to you.."
Ningning smiled, she liked how attentive Weijie was towards her and she wanted to be the same for him as well.
"Thank you." She stared at the cloth, it wasn't short like the one she was wearing currently, it seems Weijie had taken her discomfort into consideration.
"Let me take off the leaf from your feet. I will reapply it when we return.."
Weijie knelt in front of her without ceremony, his movements careful and practiced.
He untied the thin binding around her ankle and slowly peeled the leaf away.
The paste had dried slightly, flaking at the edges.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked.
Ningning wiggled her toes experimentally. "Not really. It feels… warm."
"That is good." he said, inspecting her foot briefly before nodding in satisfaction.
"It means it is working."
He wrapped the used leaf aside and stood, then did something that caught her off guard entirely.
He extended his hand, then patiently waited for her to place hers on his.
"For balance," he said, as if suddenly aware it might look strange. "The path to the lake is uneven."
"Oh." Ningning blinked, then placed her hand in his.
His palm was warm—much warmer than she expected and rough in a way that felt grounding rather than uncomfortable.
His fingers closed around hers naturally, like this was something they'd done many times before.
They took a few steps toward the cave entrance when Ningning suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Weijie turned back instantly. "What is it? Are you in pain?"