Ye Yunian stopped resisting, and the apple bear licked with even more enthusiasm.

The bear meticulously cleaned the dirt and sand between Ye Yunian’s paw pads, checking carefully to ensure there were no issues, and then moved on to clean another paw.

At first, Ye Yunian felt a little ticklish, but gradually, he got used to it. In fact, it even started to feel quite pleasant.

Feeling completely at ease, Ye Yunian sprawled out and lay flat on top of the apple bear, letting the bear clean all four of his paw pads, leaving them shiny and spotless.

Perhaps because it was so relaxing, Ye Yunian soon felt sleep creeping over him as the licking continued.

The two giant pandas were lying on a gentle slope, shaded by tall trees that blocked most of the sunlight. Only a few rays of sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, creating dappled patterns on the ground. Occasionally, a gentle breeze rustled through the forest.

A safe environment, comforting grooming, and a full belly—these three factors were enough to lull Ye Yunian to sleep. He closed his eyes and drifted off on the apple bear’s back, even exposing his belly as a sign of his total comfort.

Both pandas had traveled a long way during their migration, and not only was Ye Yunian exhausted, but the apple bear was also tired. Seeing that the little panda had fallen asleep, apple bear stopped licking, gave Ye Yunian’s face a final lick, and sniffed the air around them to check for any potential threats. Once he was sure there were no predators nearby, he closed his eyes for a quick nap.

The early summer forest was much livelier than in winter, filled with the constant sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing. Cicadas, who had emerged early from the ground, added their endless chorus to the symphony.

Bugs and snakes were more plentiful on the forest floor as well.

Ye Yunian, fast asleep, didn’t notice any of this, but the apple bear, ever vigilant, heard the faint rustling and opened his eyes to check the surroundings.

Aside from some annoying flies and ants, most of the other creatures, like insects and snakes, weren’t foolish enough to approach two giant pandas.

That didn’t stop the apple bear from being interested in the protein-rich little creatures, though.

Ye Yunian, still asleep, felt himself being flipped over. The soft cushion of the apple bear’s belly was gone, replaced by the slightly rough texture of the grass beneath him.

Without opening his eyes, he lazily sniffed the air, confirming that the apple bear was still nearby. Satisfied, he prepared to continue his nap.

It was then that he caught a strong whiff of blood.

Ye Yunian’s eyes snapped open, and he immediately rolled to his feet.

From the nearby trees, the sound of movement grew louder, and moments later, the apple bear emerged with a long, snake-like object in its mouth…

Wait—was that a snake?!

Ye Yunian’s jaw dropped in surprise.

“Umm, what?”

Can we even eat snakes?

The answer, of course, was yes.

Though pandas were known for their love of bamboo and their gentle temperament, they were still bears. When food was scarce, they wouldn’t turn down any edible opportunity, even snakes.

However, a panda actively hunting a snake was quite rare. After all, during summer, food was plentiful in the mountains—bamboo shoots were in abundance, and bamboo rats were rampant. No panda would bother with a scrawny snake that offered little meat.

But the apple bear was different.

He knew that the little panda he was taking care of had peculiar preferences when it came to food.

For instance, Ye Yunian wouldn’t touch bamboo leaves if there were plenty of bamboo shoots around, and he would avoid bamboo stalks if there were leaves available. Additionally, he was unusually interested in food beyond bamboo.

Whether it was wild fruits from the mountains or small fish and shrimp from the rivers, Ye Yunian would try anything, even if it didn’t taste good.

Once Ye Yunian found something he liked, he would eagerly share it with the apple bear.

Naturally, the apple bear returned the favor. Anything he found tasty, he wanted Ye Yunian to try too.

Of course, this didn’t include bamboo rats.

Carrying the snake, the apple bear walked over and placed it in front of Ye Yunian.

Staring at the lifeless snake on the ground, Ye Yunian instinctively took a step back.

Was this for him to eat?

Ye Yunian didn’t even need to ask because the next moment, the apple bear sat down, grabbed the snake with his paw, and skillfully removed its head. Then, he peeled off the snake’s skin with practiced precision.

After making sure the snake was properly prepared, the apple bear tore off a piece of snake meat and offered it to Ye Yunian.

Ye Yunian hesitated.

No, I’m not eating that.

He shook his head, refusing the apple bear’s offer.

Normally, when Ye Yunian rejected the apple bear twice, the bear would understand and stop offering. But today, for some reason, even after multiple refusals, the apple bear persistently held out the snake meat to Ye Yunian.

Looking at the pale pink meat in front of him, Ye Yunian let out a sigh, his panda face filled with resignation.

Why did he have to eat snake meat today?

Snakes were a bit terrifying to him. Ye Yunian couldn’t get over his fear.

But the apple bear had more patience than Ye Yunian expected.

After Ye Yunian refused again, the apple bear even let out a soft “bleat” and looked at him with wide, expectant eyes.

Oh no! He’s too cute!

Ye Yunian couldn’t resist whenever the apple bear made that face. He felt like clutching his chest in reaction to the overwhelming cuteness.

Fine. There was no way out.

Whenever the apple bear gave him that look, Ye Yunian couldn’t refuse.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Yunian reluctantly accepted the piece of snake meat.

Originally, he only planned to take a small bite, but the apple bear handed him the largest piece.

Fine.

Anything the apple bear gave him must be considered the best.

It didn’t matter what kind of meat it was—if it tasted good, then it was good meat!

After convincing himself, Ye Yunian cautiously took a bite of the snake meat.

The part the apple bear gave him was from the belly, where the fat was concentrated. The meat was tender and juicy.

As Ye Yunian chewed, his eyes widened.

It’s so crunchy!

It was like chewing on cartilage, but the meat was sweet and flavorful!

Ye Yunian’s eyes sparkled as he realized why the apple bear had been so insistent on offering it.

Snake meat was delicious!

Before he knew it, Ye Yunian had devoured the entire snake, not stopping until every last bite was gone.

When he finished, he even found himself craving more.

At that moment, the apple bear offered him the remaining piece of the snake.

Ye Yunian looked at the bear and sighed.

You don’t need to give me everything. You should eat some too.

He pushed the remaining snake meat back to the apple bear.

The apple bear looked confused, his wet, dark eyes staring at Ye Yunian not sure why he wasn’t accepting the food.

Ye Yunian snorted twice, grabbed the snake meat, and brought it directly to the bear’s mouth.

The two bears were now quite close. Seeing the piece of meat right in front of his face, the Apple Bear understood what Ye Yunian meant.

He wants me to eat it too.

Without hesitation, the Apple Bear took the meat and started chewing.

The two bears shared the snake, then carefully groomed themselves before continuing on their journey.

As they climbed higher into the mountains, the temperature dropped.

The Apple Bear slowed down, leading Ye Yunian through the forest at a more leisurely pace, stopping frequently.

Ye Yunian suspected the bear was searching for a suitable territory for them to settle in.

And indeed, that was the case.

For the next few days, the Apple Bear led Ye Yunian through various parts of the forest, changing territories frequently.

But no matter where they went, the Apple Bear couldn’t find a satisfactory place to settle.

For a panda, the ideal territory must have bamboo groves and a water source.

While the Apple Bear did find a few places with both, each location had its flaws.

Either the bamboo groves were too small, or the water source was insufficient.

A small bamboo grove might be enough to feed the Apple Bear alone, but now he had to care for Ye Yunian as well. Especially since the little bear didn’t like eating bamboo stalks and was picky about the bamboo leaves. A small bamboo grove wouldn’t be enough for the two of them.

And having a sufficient water source was crucial for both of them.

During the hot summer months, when droughts were possible, rivers could dry up, let alone smaller streams.

After several days of searching, the Apple Bear concluded that this forest didn’t have a suitable place to live.

So, despite having just rested for a few days, Ye Yunian and the Apple Bear were on the move again.

Even though migrating was tiring, Ye Yunian trusted the Apple Bear’s judgment, so he had no complaints.

Besides, Ye Yunian found that wandering through the forest had its perks!

For example, he had just discovered a large beehive hanging from a tree.

Even standing beneath it, Ye Yunian could already smell the sweet scent of honey.

Ah, sweet honey!

Ye Yunian’s mouth watered. He wanted some.

The Apple Bear had gotten used to Ye Yunian’s frequent stops. Noticing that the little bear wasn’t following, he turned back to find him halfway up a tree.

After a whole spring, Ye Yunian had grown a bit, looking rounder and plumper.

But despite his roundness, Ye Yunian was still quite agile when it came to climbing trees!

In a few quick moves, he had climbed up the tree and stopped about half a meter away from the beehive, sniffing carefully.

Yes!

There’s honey inside!

Ye Yunian’s eyes gleamed, and with swift movements, he scrambled up the last bit of the tree, sank his teeth into the beehive, and, before the bees could react, raced down the tree with the hive clutched in his mouth.

The Apple Bear, waiting at the base of the tree, saw the little bear coming down and heard him bleating urgently.

Run!

Understanding immediately, the Apple Bear turned and bolted, with Ye Yunian following close behind, clutching the hive.

Dozens of bees buzzed angrily around him, but thankfully, Ye Yunian’s thick fur protected him from their stingers.

Still, the Apple Bear seemed worried, circling around Ye Yunian, trying in vain to swat away the swarming bees.

But the bees were small and persistent, unaffected by the bear’s efforts.

Then, Ye Yunian felt a sharp pain on his eyelid and let out a yelp.

He’d been stung!

At that moment, the Apple Bear darted over, grabbed the hive from Ye Yunian’s mouth, and sprinted away.

Ye Yunian blinked in confusion, only to see the swarm of bees abandon him and chase after the Apple Bear.

What? They stung me, and now they’re going after him too?

You bees really are Unprincipled!

Ye Yunian huffed in frustration and hurried after the Apple Bear.

The two bears couldn’t remember how long they had been running. The panda’s top speed could reach 40 kilometers per hour, and they raced forward at full throttle.

When the Apple Bear finally stopped, Ye Yunian realized the buzzing of the bees had long since faded.

He flopped onto the ground, limbs spread out.

Phew~

Safe at last!