He was worried that the apple bear would leave again while he was out searching for herbs.

The whole way back, Ye Yunian was filled with unease.

It wasn’t until the scent of the apple bear grew stronger and he saw the bear still sitting beneath the large tree where he had left him that Ye Yunian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He rushed over, dropping the herbs from his mouth, and without even looking at the bear, immediately lowered his head to check the wound.

Although the dandelions had weak hemostatic properties, using so many of them together had some effect.

While the apple bear’s wound was still bleeding, it wasn’t gushing like when it was first injured.

Still, the bleeding hadn’t completely stopped, and the bear had lost a lot of blood. His condition looked grim.

Without wasting any time, Ye Yunian used his tongue to clean away the blood-soaked dandelions from the wound. Then, he chewed up the thistle he had brought back and reapplied it to the wound.

Ye Yunian had brought plenty of thistle. After dressing the bear’s wound, he still had two plants left. He picked them up and brought them to the apple bear’s mouth.

The apple bear didn’t know what the plants were for, but since Ye Yunian had brought them, they must be useful.

He opened his mouth and ate the two thistles that Ye Yunian offered.

Seeing the bear eat, Ye Yunian felt somewhat relieved and turned back to examine the wound again.

The thistle worked well, and soon the wound had stopped bleeding.

However, the cut was deep, and even the slightest movement caused fresh blood to seep out.

Ye Yunián knew he had to find another solution.

He lifted his head and sniffed the air.

This territory had been marked by the apple bear for a long time, so no other large predators were likely to venture in anytime soon. But the strong scent of blood would definitely attract other animals.

The bear’s wound had just stopped bleeding, and he wasn’t in any condition to move quickly.

Ye Yunian needed to figure out a way to mask the smell of blood as much as possible.

He moved closer to check the apple bear’s condition again.

The bear looked weak, his eyes half-closed as he sat there listlessly.

The most important thing now was to help the bear regain his strength and ensure the wound stayed closed.

Ye Yunian gently licked the bear’s nose and called to him softly.

The apple bear enjoyed the little panda’s affectionate grooming, and though he was exhausted, he forced himself to open his eyes at Ye Yunian’s call.

The little bear had been busy all day, and it seemed like he was about to leave again.

The apple bear wasn’t sure what Ye Yunian was going to do, and his body felt so weak. His eyelids were heavy, and he wanted to just close them and rest, but he worried about the little bear and let out a small, soft sound.

Ye Yunian responded with a couple of gentle bleats and then turned toward the nearby bamboo forest.

He was exhausted. First, he had helped the apple bear fend off the intruding panda, and then he had spent hours searching the mountains for thistle.

But there was no time to rest now.

The apple bear was still waiting for him.

Ye Yunian entered the bamboo grove and bit through two stalks of bamboo. He was just about to drag them back to the bear when he stopped.

No. Bamboo wouldn’t provide enough energy, and it would be difficult to eat.

The apple bear was seriously injured; he might not even have the strength to eat.

Ye Yunian dropped the bamboo on the ground.

He needed to find something that was high in energy and easy to eat.

His eyes landed on a bamboo rat burrow nearby.

Having a human soul, Ye Yunian had never liked rodents. Even as a panda, he found it hard to stomach the idea of hunting bamboo rats, let alone eating them.

This was the first time Ye Yunian had willingly gone after one.

After spending an entire summer practicing his hunting skills, Ye Yunian could now easily catch even the most agile of wild hares. Catching these bamboo rats would be no problem.

However, with the weather growing colder, the bamboo forest didn’t have as many rats as it did in the summer.

But as long as he caught enough, it wouldn’t be an issue.

After sweeping through the forest, Ye Yunián managed to catch over a dozen bamboo rats.

He carried all the rats back to the apple bear.

The bear was still waiting for him in the same spot, though he looked worse than before.

Perhaps due to blood loss, the apple bear was now half-lying on the ground, his chest barely rising and falling with each breath.

Ye Yunian hurried over, dropped the bamboo rats, and immediately checked the bear’s wound.

Fortunately, it hadn’t started bleeding again.

Sensing Ye Yunian’s return, the apple bear opened his eyes.

Ye Yunian called out softly, then picked up one of the bamboo rats, skinned it, and brought the tender meat to the apple bear’s mouth.

Apple Bear blinked sluggishly.

Ye Yunian was getting anxious.

Eat. You need to eat something, especially now that you’re injured!

How can your wounds heal if you don’t eat?

Ye Yunian began making soft “woo woo” sounds, trying to encourage Apple Bear.

Apple Bear stirred slightly, attempting to sit up but failing.

Ye Yunian quickly realized that Apple Bear was too weak to move, his strength drained by blood loss, even causing his body temperature to drop.

Ye Yunian hurried over, gently lifting Apple Bear’s head onto his lap. He carefully broke the bamboo rat meat into small pieces with his mouth and placed it at the edge of Apple Bear’s mouth.

This time, Apple Bear ate.

Ye Yunian let out a sigh of relief.

After feeding Apple Bear five bamboo rats, some of his strength seemed to return.

Ye Yunian tore open another bamboo rat, ready to continue feeding him, but Apple Bear shook his head.

Ye Yunian was puzzled.

He watched as Apple Bear lifted his paw, pushing Ye Yunian’s paw with the meat toward Ye Yunian’s mouth.

Apple Bear, still resting his head on Ye Yunian’s lap, lay close beside him.

Ye Yunian looked down at Apple Bear. Though still visibly weak, the bear was concerned for him.

He knew that Ye Yunian hadn’t eaten anything all day either. Even though Apple Bear needed the food to regain his strength, he didn’t eat any more, thinking instead of Ye Yunian.

Ye Yunian found it hard to describe what he felt at that moment.

He knew that if he didn’t eat, Apple Bear wouldn’t either.

So, to ensure Apple Bear would continue eating and to keep his own strength up in case of any unforeseen events, Ye Yunian began to eat.

It was the first time Ye Yunian, after turning into a panda, tasted bamboo rat meat—and to his surprise, it was actually delicious.

No wonder Apple Bear had always tried to share it with him before.

For the rest of the meal, Ye Yunian followed a pattern: for every two bamboo rats he fed Apple Bear, he would eat one himself under Apple Bear’s watchful eye.

Before long, the two bears had devoured more than ten bamboo rats between them. Apple Bear looked slightly more energized, but his exhaustion was still evident, and he quickly closed his eyes to rest.

Ye Yunian listened closely to Apple Bear’s breathing and, once he confirmed that he was merely sleeping, he let out a small sigh of relief.

The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, but autumn’s warmth lacked the scorching heat of summer. A gentle breeze swept through the forest, bringing with it a hint of coolness.

Fortunately, the weather wasn’t too hot, and there weren’t many insects. However, the heavy scent of blood did attract a few mosquitoes, buzzing around him and Apple Bear.

Despite feeling both tired and sleepy, Ye Yunian forced himself to stay awake, periodically waving his paw to chase the mosquitoes away from Apple Bear’s wounds.

Apple Bear’s injuries were already severe; the last thing he needed was an infection.

But just shooing away mosquitoes wasn’t enough to prevent infection.

Ideally, the wounds should be disinfected, and Apple Bear should take some antibiotics.

But where could Ye Yunian find herbs to disinfect the wounds?

Wait…

Ye Yunian’s eyes suddenly brightened.

There might not be herbs to disinfect Apple Bear’s wounds, but there was a place where Apple Bear could recover properly.

Looking down at Apple Bear resting on his lap, Ye Yunian saw how uneasy his sleep was, likely due to the pain.

He had cleaned the fur on Apple Bear’s face earlier, but the rest of his fur was still a mess, especially around the wounds.

Ye Younian leaned down and, while he still had the energy, began to clean the fur on Apple Bear’s belly.

There was no rush.

They could move once Apple Bear woke up and regained more strength.

Ever since they had met, Apple Bear had been taking care of him in every way possible.

Now that Apple Bear was injured, it was Ye Yunian’s turn to look after him.

After cleaning up Apple Bear’s messy fur and removing the blood stains from his own fur, Ye Yunian got up and went to the bamboo forest nearby, fetching a few stalks of bamboo.

Once he had eaten and drunk his fill, Ye Yunian returned to Apple Bear’s side and took a brief nap.

By the time the sun was about to set, Apple Bear stirred from his sleep.

Ye Yunian immediately noticed and rushed over.

Apple Bear glanced at the little panda in front of him and let out a soft growl.

Ye Yunian extended his tongue and gently licked the nose of Apple Bear.

Apple Bear stretched his limbs a little and slowly sat up. He looked more energetic, but the pain from his wounds was still evident, as his movements were minimal.

While Apple Bear was asleep, Ye Yunian had gone to the nearby bamboo forest, bringing back a large amount of bamboo. He had even caught a few bamboo rats. However, he didn’t dare stay out for too long or venture too far, so he brought the food back in several trips, placing it all beside Apple Bear.

Apple Bear glanced at the food but didn’t eat it right away. Instead, he leaned in and sniffed Ye Yunian.

Ye Yunian, in return, leaned closer and affectionately nuzzled Apple Bear’s head before picking up a bamboo rat and placing it in front of him.

Although Apple Bear had regained some strength, he didn’t immediately look at the bamboo rat Ye Yunian offered. Instead, he carefully observed Ye Yunian’s eyes. The gaze he received was gentle, the same look Apple Bear had often given him in the past.

When Apple Bear had been injured and was about to leave, Ye Yunian’s eyes had been filled with misty sadness. But now, that mist was gone. His eyes were bright, though a closer look revealed a hidden worry within them.

He was concerned for Apple Bear.

Apple Bear understood the emotions in Ye Yunian’s eyes. It was out of concern for him that Ye Yunian didn’t want him to leave, that he helped stop the bleeding and brought him so much food.

Apple Bear had a good memory and clearly recalled that the little bear in front of him didn’t like bamboo rats. Yet, for his sake, Ye Yunian not only caught the bamboo rats but also skinned and fed them to him.

A complex emotion spread within Apple Bear, one he couldn’t quite understand. His chest felt tight, sour, and uncomfortable.

He wanted to recover quickly. Only when he was well would his little bear stop doing things he disliked.

With that thought in mind, Apple Bear decisively lowered his head and ate the bamboo rat Ye Yunian had offered.

After finishing the bamboo rat, Apple Bear even reached for a stalk of bamboo on his own.

Seeing Apple Bear begin to eat on his own, a large weight lifted off Ye Yunian’s heart. As long as Apple Bear could still feed himself, it meant he had the will to survive, and the situation wasn’t too dire!

However, to ensure Apple Bear’s full recovery and to prevent infection, Ye Yunian knew he had to move him to a safer place.

Ye Yunian sat down beside Apple Bear and ate with him. As the last traces of sunlight disappeared from the horizon, Ye Yunian stood up first.

Apple Bear understood what Ye Yunian meant—they couldn’t stay here any longer. The wilderness was most dangerous at night, with countless predators emerging under the cover of darkness.

Apple Bear had lost too much blood in this area. They needed to find a new place to spend the night and avoid danger.

The safest place to avoid predators would be in the trees. But with Apple Bear’s injuries, climbing was out of the question. So Ye Yunian led him back to the cave they had been staying in before.

Apple Bear, still weak, walked slowly, and Ye Yunian patiently stayed by his side. When they came across steep slopes, Ye Yunian worried that Apple Bear might strain his wounds, so he supported him with his head, letting Apple Bear lean on him for balance.

During the afternoon, while Apple Bear had been asleep, Ye Yunian had been busy. In addition to catching bamboo rats, he had gathered some large thistle herbs and stored them in their cave.

As soon as Apple Bear sat down in the cave, Ye Yunian immediately approached to check his wounds.

The medicinal herbs applied to Apple Bear’s wound had completely fallen off during their recent movements, leaving the bloody wound exposed. It looked quite alarming.

Ye Yunian carefully examined the wound and, after confirming there was no infection, grabbed some nearby Thistle, chewed it up, and applied it to Apple Bear’s wound, just like he had done earlier.

He handed the remaining herbs to Apple Bear, instructing him to eat them as before.

After tending to the wounds, Ye Yunian didn’t stop.

Predators have a sharp sense of smell when it comes to blood.

To deter them, Ye Yunian began marking the area around their cave, imitating the way Apple Bear had previously marked his territory.

Ye Yunian wasn’t sure if this would be effective, but for the sake of both his and Apple Bear’s safety, he had to try.

Apple Bear watched Ye Yunian’s actions, wanting to help, but after just a short distance, he was completely exhausted.

Fatigue overwhelmed him, and despite his efforts to stay alert, Apple Bear couldn’t keep himself awake.

When Ye Yunian finished his patrol and returned, he found Apple Bear had once again fallen into a deep sleep.

Ye Yunian sat down beside him and gently licked his head.

“Rest.”

Apple Bear needed proper rest to recover from his injuries.

He had protected Ye Yunian for countless nights; tonight, it was Ye Yunian’s turn to guard him.

The night was silent, with occasional cries of unknown beasts echoing through the forest.

Ye Yunian remained on high alert, his ears tuned to every sound around him.

The first half of the night passed uneventfully. Although some predators lingered near the edge of their territory, the strong presence of Apple Bear, a powerful predator who had lived in the area for a long time, kept them at bay. Even though they had caught the scent of blood, they were too cautious to intrude.

As the second half of the night wore on, Ye Yunian became too tired and drifted into a light sleep.

Just as he was about to slip into a deeper rest, Apple Bear suddenly stirred beside him, and Ye Yunian snapped awake.

A predator had entered their territory!

Apple Bear had also sensed the unusual presence, causing him to sit up from the ground.

Every nerve in Ye Yunian’s body tensed. He jumped to his feet and, without hesitation, charged out of the cave, letting out a threatening roar in the direction of the approaching predator.

His roar made the predators freeze for a moment.

Ye Yunian sniffed the air, his sharp sense of smell identifying the intruders’ number and type—

Three red-furred wild dogs.

They paused for only a moment before continuing to advance toward the cave.

Ye Yunian’s intimidation wasn’t enough!

They didn’t see a juvenile panda as a threat.

Ye Yunian grew even more anxious.

Other than his hunting skills, he had no real combat experience.

But there were only three wild dogs, right? Surely he could handle them?

Ye Yunian felt a bit uncertain and couldn’t resist glancing at Apple Bear, who had just sat up. At the same time, Apple Bear was also looking at Ye Yunian.

Ye Yunian wanted to walk over and comfort him, but before he could, Apple Bear suddenly stood up and let out a loud roar in the direction of the three red-furred dogs.

This time, the three red-furred dogs didn’t approach the cave. If it were just a sub-adult panda, they wouldn’t be afraid. However, with an almost fully grown panda in the mix, things weren’t as certain.

Even though the dogs knew the panda was injured, there was no need for a fight that might end in mutual destruction.

After a brief hesitation, they changed direction and left.

Hearing their departure, Ye Yunian finally relaxed and quickly turned his attention to Apple Bear.

Because of his loud roar, Apple Bear’s abdominal wound, which had stopped bleeding earlier in the afternoon, began to ooze again. Thankfully, the bleeding wasn’t severe, and it soon stopped.

Ye Yunian hurriedly used his head to gently nudge Apple Bear, urging him to sit and rest.

Apple Bear complied, sitting down as Ye Yunian suggested, but he refused to close his eyes and sleep again.

Ye Yunian understood what he meant—Apple Bear wanted him to rest instead.

Ah… Apple Bear, how could you be so kind!

Ye Yunian wanted to bury his face into Apple Bear’s belly but stopped midway through the motion. No, Apple Bear was injured.

Instead, he leaned in and rubbed his head against Apple Bear’s gently.

Apple Bear was truly the best.

Even when hurt, he was still trying his best to take care of him.

That was why Ye Yunian knew he needed to rest as well. Only by resting properly could he bring Apple Bear to a safer place to recover tomorrow.

With that thought, Ye Yunian lay down beside Apple Bear and peacefully closed his eyes.

The rest of the night passed without any disturbances.

When the first light of dawn broke, Ye Yunian woke up from his sleep.

After a night of rest, Apple Bear seemed much better. He stood up without wobbling and even wanted to follow Ye Yunian to the bamboo forest, but Ye Yunian stopped him.

Ye Yunian went out alone, scoured the bamboo forest again, and brought back two bamboo rats and some bamboo stalks.

He gave both bamboo rats to Apple Bear, who tried to offer one to Ye Yunian, but Ye Yunian refused to take it no matter what.

After finishing the bamboo rats, Apple Bear turned to look at Ye Yunian and was surprised to see him munching on bamboo stalks.

Having lived with Ye Yunian for so long, Apple Bear knew all of his picky eating habits.

The once-finicky cub, had now started eating bamboo rats and was even nibbling on bamboo stalks—something he had previously hated.

A tightness spread through Apple Bear’s chest. It was an unfamiliar ache, even more painful than the wound that hadn’t yet healed.

Looking at the little bear beside him, Apple Bear let out a soft call.

Ye Yunian thought something was wrong and immediately rushed over, sniffing Apple Bear’s scent and checking his wound. Finding nothing amiss, he sighed in relief and looked up at Apple Bear in confusion.

Apple Bear merely looked back at him silently, his dark eyes filled with complex emotions.

Apple Bear couldn’t quite understand what he was feeling, but Ye Yunian could read it easily.

Apple Bear was worried about him.

Ye Yunian’s nose stung with emotion.

Why would you worry about me?

You’re the one who’s injured

“You’re the one who’s injured; you should be feeling sorry for yourself!
Why should you pity someone who hasn’t been hurt at all?
Ye Yunian realized that without Apple Bear’s care, he would never have been able to survive alone in the wild for this long.
Don’t worry about me.
I should be the one taking care of you.
Unable to hold back, Ye Yunian wrapped his arms around Apple Bear’s large head.
Don’t worry, Apple Bear; you’ll be alright. You’ll definitely be fine.

After quickly filling his stomach, Ye Yunian stood up first and called for Apple Bear to follow him.
Apple Bear wasn’t sure where Ye Yunian intended to take him, but his instincts warned him that their territory was no longer safe. For the sake of both the little bear and himself, they indeed needed to find a new territory.

Ye Yunian had little survival experience in the wild and was less familiar with the surrounding mountains and forests than Apple Bear. However, he had a good memory.
Every path Apple Bear had taken him through was etched in his mind, including the river where they had spent the entire spring.
That river was close to the base. If they made their way there, Ye Yunian was certain he could find the base.

The journey of traversing mountains and rivers with the injured Apple Bear would undoubtedly be arduous, but no matter how difficult it was, Ye Yunian was determined to take Apple Bear to the base.
His limited experience wasn’t enough for Apple Bear to fully recover, especially with the risk of unknown infections looming.
Only the base could ensure Apple Bear’s safety.

Apple Bear wasn’t aware of Ye Yunian’s destination, but trusting Ye Yunian, he slowly stood up and followed Ye Yunian’s lead.”