Ye Yunian’s eyes stung with emotion.

Quickly, he pressed himself against Apple Bear, offering support.

“We’re close now. Don’t worry, Apple Bear, I’ll get you back to the base.”

Ye Yunian’s low growls were filled with unhidden concern.

Apple Bear turned his head to look at Ye Yunian, softly responding with a grunt, acknowledging the young bear’s words.

Reaching the water’s edge, Ye Yunian stepped into the river first. Apple Bear hesitated, his eyes clouded with doubt.

Are they really heading into human territory? Why was the little bear being so stubborn?

Apple Bear tried to sniff the air, hoping to catch a scent, but the fever raging through his body had dulled his senses. He couldn’t detect anything.

Is it really safe over there? Apple Bear watched Ye Yunian with increasing unease.

Ye Yunian, noticing Apple Bear wasn’t moving, assumed he was too weak. Without hesitation, he turned back, pushing Apple Bear forward with his head.

While nudging him along, Ye Yunian softly encouraged Apple Bear with gentle grunts and murmurs, trying to reassure him.

There was nothing to worry about. Ye Yunian had become quite a strong swimmer, and even if Apple Bear was too weak to swim, Ye Yunian would support him from below.

Pushed into the river, Apple Bear was instantly enveloped by the cool water. It soothed the burning heat from his body, but his limbs remained weak, and he could do little to resist the current.

Ye Yunian, gauging the depth, dove beneath Apple Bear and positioned himself underneath, using his smaller body to support Apple Bear’s weight. He paddled furiously, guiding them across the river.

Apple Bear, seeing how hard Ye Yunian was working beneath him, weakly kicked his legs, trying to help reduce the burden on his friend.

The crossing point Ye Yunian had chosen wasn’t far—just a little over ten meters. Though carrying Apple Bear was strenuous, the water wasn’t too fast, and soon enough, they reached the other side.

As they emerged from the water, the cooling effect faded, and Apple Bear’s fever returned, a wave of heat engulfing him once more. He stood still for a moment, considering going back into the river to cool down again.

Ye Yunian, still dripping wet, noticed Apple Bear turning back toward the water. He hurriedly bit down on Apple Bear’s arm, stopping him in his tracks.

“No, you can’t go back in!” Ye Yunian growled softly, his voice full of urgency.

He knew that soaking in the river might feel good for Apple Bear right now, but the water was filled with bacteria. If the infection in Apple Bear’s wound worsened, it could become even more dangerous.

And besides, they were so close to the base now.

Letting go of Apple Bear’s arm, Ye Yunian gave a few encouraging growls. His fur was still damp, and droplets clung to his face, making him look as if he were crying.

Seeing the concern in Ye Yunian’s eyes, Apple Bear’s heart softened. Finally, he understood—the little bear was upset, worried.

Was it because of his injury?

Apple Bear didn’t want to make Ye Yunian sad, so he didn’t resist any further. He turned away from the water and allowed Ye Yunian to lead him onward.

Using Ye Yunian for support, Apple Bear trudged forward. The next stretch of the journey was slow and painstaking. Ye Yunian frequently stopped to lift his nose into the air, hoping to catch a familiar scent that might guide them to the base.

But even as the sun climbed high into the sky, no such scent reached him, and his anxiety grew.

Apple Bear had been walking all morning, had spent time in the cold water, and now seemed worse off than before. His body was limp, and he leaned heavily on Ye Yunian, his head resting weakly atop the younger bear’s.

With each step, Ye Yunian kept checking Apple Bear’s scent, and the closer he was, the more he could feel the heat radiating from Apple Bear’s feverish body. Even Apple Bear’s breath was scalding hot.

Why haven’t we reached the base yet?

This was definitely the right direction—the two researchers had come from this way.

Frustration welled up inside Ye Yunian, causing him to lose focus. He wasn’t paying attention to where he was stepping and almost slipped down a steep slope. Luckily, he managed to catch himself on a nearby rock.

Apple Bear, seeing Ye Yunian’s near fall, instinctively tried to reach out with his paw to steady him. But with the fever draining his strength, he barely had the energy to move, and he collapsed, hitting the ground hard.

The impact pressed against his wound, and pain rippled across Apple Bear’s face, his expression twisting in discomfort.

Ye Yunian, startled by his near fall, panicked when he saw Apple Bear lying on the ground. Scrambling over, he sniffed Apple Bear frantically, checking him over before carefully rolling him onto his back.

The wound, which had begun to scab over, had reopened from the fall, and fresh blood oozed from the injury.

In a flash of guilt, Ye Yunian raised his paw and smacked himself on the head.

This is all my fault!

He let out urgent calls, promising Apple Bear he’d fix this, before rushing up the slope to gather dandelions for their medicinal properties. He needed to stop the bleeding.

Fortunately, dandelions were abundant in the lower parts of the mountain. Ye Yunian quickly gathered a large pile and turned to head back. But then he froze in his tracks.

He blinked, unsure if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Ye Yunian shut his eyes and opened them again.

No, he wasn’t mistaken.

It was a road!

Who else would build a road in the nature reserve besides the base?

He had found the right path! Overwhelmed with relief, Ye Yunian grabbed the dandelions and raced back to Apple Bear.

Though the bleeding wasn’t severe, Ye Yunian carefully cleaned the wound again, applying the dandelions to help with healing. He nudged the rest toward Apple Bear’s mouth, watching as he ate them slowly.

With renewed determination, Ye Yunian urged Apple Bear to get up once more.

Just a little longer, Apple Bear. We’re almost there!

But Apple Bear, weakened by his injuries and the long journey, struggled even to stand. After everything they had been through, he simply couldn’t muster the strength.

Without hesitation, Ye Yunian positioned himself beneath Apple Bear, lifting his front legs onto his own back. Using his body as a support, he began carrying Apple Bear forward, one step at a time.

Though Apple Bear’s weight was immense, almost causing Ye Yunian to buckle, he pressed on, his pace slow but steady.

They followed the road, the setting sun casting long shadows behind them. As the warm hues of the evening sky stretched across the horizon, Ye Yunian finally spotted the familiar outline of the base ahead.

At 6:30 p.m., the staff at the Hetaoping Base had just finished a long day of work.

Two workers, chatting as they discussed dinner plans, suddenly shifted their conversation to the panda that had been reintroduced into the wild earlier that year.

One of the workers, who had been involved in Ye Yunian’s release, commented, “I wonder how Ye Yunian is doing now. We haven’t picked up his infrared signal for quite a while, have we?”

His colleague nodded. “The last time we recorded his signal was around early summer. He probably moved to higher elevations for the summer, which is why we haven’t picked anything up.”

They both agreed and continued walking toward the cafeteria for dinner, but today, due to road construction, they had to take a detour through the north gate.

As they neared the gate, one worker paused. “Wait, do you hear that? It sounds like someone knocking at the north gate.”

They stopped to listen carefully, and sure enough, there was a rhythmic knocking sound coming from the gate.

The two workers exchanged glances before hurrying toward the noise.

As they approached, one of their phones rang. Answering quickly, the worker on the other end reported, “Hey, we just picked up Ye Yunian’s infrared signal. He’s really close to the base…”

Both workers froze.

In front of them, hanging on the iron gate, was a giant panda. His expression was one of urgency as he knocked repeatedly on the metal gate with his paws, trying to find a way inside.

Seeing the workers approach, the panda paused his knocking and let out an excited “baa baa” sound.

“Is that… a panda calling?” the worker on the phone asked, confused.

The staff member at the gate took a moment to process what he was seeing before finally responding, “We found him.”

“Huh?” came the puzzled reply.

“It’s Ye Yunian.”

After seven months in the wild, Ye Yunian had returned to the base once again.