Yan Qing hammered in a nail and set up the lighting. Then she grabbed a broom and a mask, and began cleaning the cave. She gathered all the leaves, droppings, and fur, and piled them a short distance from the entrance—forming a neat circle.
She remembered reading that animals can identify territories by the scent of droppings. So she placed the black bear’s droppings near the entrance but not too close.
Even after cleaning, the cave still smelled bad. She sprayed an air freshener throughout the interior.
Finally, the smell was gone. She lit a fire and began setting up her tent.
After so many nights camping, her tent setup was fast. In just over ten minutes, it was done.
Tonight, she felt like rewarding herself. She cooked a serving of snail noodles, opened some vacuum-packed duck from the night market, and popped open a bottle of beer. Life… was blissfully comfortable!
Before going to sleep, she brought the two black bear cubs into the tent.
She slept soundly through the night.
Yesterday’s night had been incredibly restful, thanks to the security of staying right by the bear cave. If it weren’t for the cubs’ occasional whimpers waking her, she might have slept another two hours.
Feeling slightly hungry, she poured a small bowl of milk. The two cubs drank heartily until it was gone. She poured another bowl, which they finished quickly.
Seeing their bellies full, Yan Qing decided not to give them more—she’d heard that young animals don’t really know when they’re full.
She added more wood to the fire to prepare a makeshift breakfast.
Once everything was packed, she slung her canvas bag across her shoulder and carefully placed the two bear cubs inside.
Yan Qing resumed her journey toward her destination, heading east according to her wristwatch compass.
“Wait… what’s this?”
Peach trees! Several of them! They were already bearing green, fuzzy fruits. Wonderful! She made a mental note to return after summer.
Two hours later, she reached a bamboo grove and started a fire nearby.
Through the dense foliage, she could faintly hear the sound of flowing water. The midday sun was hot and merciless. Even drinking water constantly didn’t relieve the heat.
Seeing a small stream, she ran over and scooped up a handful of clear water, washing her face thoroughly. She removed her jacket, which was covered in twigs and leaves, and cleaned it. The sun was strong enough to dry everything quickly.
She washed the two black bear cubs with soap, dried them with a towel, and placed them in their little nest.
The flowing stream seemed to bring a cool breeze. The rustling bamboo leaves whispered soothingly in the wind.
While drinking water, she noticed that the leaves behind a large tree looked different from the rest. Approaching, she realized it was a lush bamboo grove.
The tall trees surrounded the small stream, while the bamboo enclosed the area around the trees.
A cool, refreshing breeze blew through, carrying a faint scent of bamboo leaves. To Yan Qing, this place was more precious than gold. Bamboo could be used for all sorts of products, including woven chairs.
This was an unexpected reward. Originally, she had planned to find shelter first and then search for forest resources. But now, she had already discovered a bamboo grove.
Most of the bamboo was sturdy and thick—exactly the type she had seen online. She wondered if there were bamboo shoots now, or perhaps bamboo fungus.
After a brief survey, she saw that the grove was vast, stretching beyond sight. Tiny shoots dotted the forest floor, along with decaying bamboo husks.
Based on her observations, it was likely that spring shoots would appear here. She made a note to check for autumn shoots and winter bamboo later.
After tidying her things, she continued along her original path.