The original nest was no longer big enough for both cubs, so Yan Qing made them a new one in the corner of the bedroom using some old clothes.
For breakfast, she had bone broth noodles again. The cubs ate the same noodles but without salt.
Today, Yan Qing planned to explore the entire valley, looking for other possible exits. Walking through the last cave completed her circle around the valley.
Indeed, only the cave she had entered through connected to the outside; all other ways would require climbing over the cliffs.
After fumigating each cave with her smoke method to remove any hidden dangers, night fell. That was enough for today; tomorrow would bring new tasks.
The next morning, she was awakened as usual by Bear One and Bear Two’s whimpers. After breakfast, she placed the cubs in a large box and set out.
In a clearing near the cave, Yan Qing took out all the coal, mortar, and other supplies stored in her space. Today, she planned to search for dead trees and get familiar with the surrounding terrain.
Carrying her flashlight, she passed through the long cave and emerged at the vine-obscured entrance. She planned to find a large stone or make a folding door to block the entrance.
Her focus today was the forest to the left.
It was still early morning, and the forest was very quiet, broken only by the sounds of birds.
With a trekking pole in her left hand and a large machete in her right, she forged a narrow path through the tangled undergrowth. She broke off small branches and tied them up to store in her space. Large dead trees were cut with her chainsaw and stored whole.
The silent forest was occasionally broken by the sharp whine of her chainsaw, sending birds fluttering in alarm. Shadows flitted through the bushes—perhaps wild rabbits or pheasants.
Then a small tree taller than a person caught her eye. Tiny fruits dotted its branches.
It was a Sichuan pepper tree.
Yan Qing loved fresh Sichuan pepper. Even though she had stored plenty of dried pepper, fresh pepper had a unique flavor. Wearing gloves, she carefully snapped the branches, filling a basket with two full loads to store in her space. She noticed several more trees scattered nearby—it seemed they had grown naturally.
She selected two trees about 1.5 meters tall, keeping the soil around their roots, intending to transplant them to the valley so she wouldn’t need to pick peppers outside anymore.
Exhausted from gathering, she walked a little further and rested under a large tree. She ate some packed food from the hotel with a steamed bun and drank water. After about half an hour, she continued on her way.
As she bent down to gather small branches, she spotted a fat rabbit. She quietly approached, but the rabbit was too alert; it bolted at the first movement.
Yan Qing chased it through the forest and soon arrived at a bamboo grove.
The wind rustled through the leaves, creating a calm, tranquil atmosphere. Walking among the bamboo, she felt a sense of peace, almost as if she had merged with nature itself.
This bamboo grove was smaller than the one she had previously discovered, covering only a few dozen acres.
She planned to cut a few bamboo stalks for making bamboo crafts, taking care not to fell entire sections, since these were renewable resources.