Chapter 46
Chapter 46
This is... a giant panda?!
The next day, Lin Qianyu woke up before dawn.
She reached out and pulled the nearest Huahua into her arms, gave it a kiss, and groggily got up to wash up.
None of the animals at home had gone out hunting — Lin Qianyu had indeed woken up quite early.
Mainly because today was the end of Wilderness, the return trip, and there was a lot to film.
As usual, the morning was for filming everyone saying goodbye to the rainforest, interactions between the guests, memories of the fun things that happened there, and finally, a group photo in front of the plane as a closing shot.
There wasn’t a set script, but the director gave a general guideline for the process.
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be enough footage for the finale, and they wouldn’t even know how to give you more screen time during editing.
Lin Qianyu cupped some warm water in her hands and splashed her face. It wasn’t as bracing as cold water, so it didn’t fully wake her up.
Water dripped through her fingers as she closed her eyes. Droplets trembled lightly on her eyelashes, and she couldn’t help yawning again.
The medicine the doctor gave her seemed to have a sedative effect — she’d slept most of yesterday, yet waking up early today still left her unbearably drowsy.
The leopard came in behind her, glanced up at the faucet, then brushed against her waist with its side. “Rrgh…”
“There’s a lot going on today. Gotta get up early to work,” Lin Qianyu rinsed the cleanser off her face, pulled a facial towel to wipe the water away. Her eyes, misted from the water, sparkled with a cheerful smile. “Gotta earn money to buy you guys tasty treats.”
The leopard lifted its chin slightly and sat down on the spot, tail curling around to the front.
Lin Qianyu folded the damp towel in half, looked at its posture, then seemed to think of something. She smiled, dipped her fingers in some water from the faucet, curled her finger, and playfully moved it toward the leopard as if to flick it.
The leopard noticed the water on her hand but didn’t dodge, staring at her intently.
That playful impulse in Lin Qianyu faded immediately under its gaze, and she laughed, “Haha, not dodging?”
As she spoke, she instinctively reached out to pat its furry head, only realizing her hand was wet and quickly pulled it back.
But the leopard lifted its head and licked her hand.
“Good kitty.” Lin Qianyu dried her hand, then cupped the big furry head and gave it a good rub.
The fluffed-up fur blocked its view. The leopard narrowed its eyes and, unable to groom itself, simply gave up.
After playing with the leopard for a while, Lin Qianyu opened the door and stepped out.
The other furry ones in the house were already awake. The black bear lay on the bed completely still, its round black eyes unblinking, looking a bit dazed.
Lin Qianyu gave the bear's tail a rub. “What’s wrong, little bear? Still not awake?”
“Wuu!” The black bear only snapped back to reality after hearing the familiar voice.
As a black bear, it couldn’t quite understand how it had woken up in an unfamiliar place.
If not for the familiar companions around it, the black bear might’ve already started tearing the place apart.
“This is a hospital. You were put under anesthesia, that’s why you kept sleeping,” Lin Qianyu sat by the bed and smoothed the bear’s fur. She asked, “Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”
When the bear was unconscious before, they could only rely on the doctor’s diagnosis to know how it was doing.
Now that it was awake, any issues could be asked directly.If there's any discomfort, we can call the doctor for targeted treatment.
The black bear blinked innocently — such a big fluffy ball showing a confused expression in front of you made it almost impossible not to want to give it a good rub.
After a moment, the black bear shook its head and patted its belly. “Awo!”
“Hungry?” Lin Qianyu nodded. Good, hunger is a good sign. “I’ll go get you something to eat.”
The wildlife vet had estimated when the black bear would wake up, so Pei Feng had already prepared a freezer full of meat in advance.
The meat was fresh, and the freezer was set to a constant temperature, so it wasn’t too cold when taken out.
Running back and forth to prepare food would be a hassle, so Lin Qianyu simply prepared breakfast for all the furry ones at once.
She cut up several large basins full, plus a whole separate basin of large meaty bones.
But there were no internal organs.
What she prepared wasn’t whole prey — just big chunks of meat.
Lin Qianyu pushed the food in. “Come, time to eat.”
“Wuu!” The little bear had gone hungry all day. Although bears can hibernate for long periods, this was a forced sleep, which was different from natural hibernation.
It walked over, rubbed against Lin Qianyu, then buried its head into the meat to eat.
The leopard wasn’t particularly hungry. Faced with a full basin of meat, it had little interest — instead, it picked up a bone thicker than its forearm and started gnawing on it.
The red-tailed crested eagle was still in its nest and hadn’t come down. The little bird stayed quiet, likely still asleep.
Lin Qianyu quietly placed a small bowl of meat beside it.
Turning around, she saw the prairie wolf about to lick its wound. She quickly stopped it: “Little wolf, don’t move!”
All the wounds had been medicated. To help the prairie wolf recover faster, Lin Qianyu had been strictly following the medication schedule without missing a single application.
She had just applied medicine before bed last night, and since she woke up early today, the medicine on the wound hadn’t been fully absorbed yet.
“It’s itchy, isn’t it?” Lin Qianyu placed her hand between the prairie wolf’s mouth and the wound. Wounds naturally itch as they heal — if even the prairie wolf couldn’t resist licking, it must be feeling pretty bad.
The prairie wolf didn’t respond, just silently rested its head on her wrist.
“It’ll be fine in a few days. Just hang in there a bit longer,” Lin Qianyu comforted it while using a cotton swab dipped in iodine to gently dab around the wound, occasionally blowing on it.
The iodine brought a slight coolness. It couldn’t completely relieve the discomfort, but it helped ease the healing itch.
The method worked, but the ointment around the edges still got wiped off.
Lin Qianyu grabbed a new swab and said, “Let’s go outside for a bit later, take your mind off it.”
The prairie wolf let out a soft whimper. “Wuu…”
The big tiger by the bed stood up and shook its fur. Lin Qianyu smiled at it, “Big Orange is awake.”
As she spoke, she noticed something seemed to be squashed under the spot where the tiger had been lying.
“What’s that?”
The big tiger lowered its head, picked up the piece of clothing, and placed it on the bed.Lin Qianyu didn’t react at first, but after thinking for a moment, she remembered — this was the jacket she casually threw on last night when she went down to check on Xie Yifei, worried it might be cold.
Later it wasn’t that chilly, and standing around actually felt a bit stuffy, so she took the jacket off and folded it.
Apparently, she’d forgotten it on the armrest when she came back.
“You brought it back for me?” Lin Qianyu curled her fingers to scratch the tiger’s neck, then rubbed its furry collar. “Thank you, Big Orange.”
She had gone straight to bed upon returning and had completely forgotten about the jacket.
She casually patted off the fur sticking to it. The black jacket was made of a material that attracted fur, and who knew how long the big tiger had been lying on it — the whole thing was now covered in tiger hair.
As her fingertips brushed over a row of hard creases, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you sleep on it? Wasn’t it uncomfortable?”
“Roar…”
Steal!
“Hm?” For the first time, Lin Qianyu wasn’t quite sure what Big Orange meant.
But the word “steal” came through clearly and unmistakably.
Seeing her confusion, the big tiger repeated it again, with the same meaning.
“Who would steal a jacket?” Lin Qianyu laughed in spite of herself. Even outside, let alone on the island, no thief would bother with a jacket that wasn’t worth anything.
If it were a high-end luxury brand, maybe some thieves would get tempted.
But this jacket clearly wasn’t.
Getting no more answers, the big tiger lowered its head and went back to eating.
There was a knock at the door. “Sister Lin, Brother Pei asked me to bring you breakfast.”
“Coming.” Lin Qianyu opened the door.
Bo Shushu smiled and said, “Morning, Sister Lin. Here’s your breakfast. It’s pretty light. If it doesn’t suit your taste, message me and I’ll get you something else.”
“Thanks.” Lin Qianyu took the lunchbox and said, “No need to go to the trouble, I’ll just eat a bit of whatever.”
“It’s no trouble. All our meals are buffet style anyway, just pick what you like from the restaurant. I wasn’t sure what you preferred, so I picked based on the doctor’s instructions.”
As she spoke, Bo Shushu couldn’t help glancing inside. She had loved the leopard ever since watching the livestream — aloof, proud, stubborn, yet clingy. It was rare for all those traits to combine so well in one furry creature.
And since leopards symbolized wealth, Bo Shushu just adored it more the longer she looked. The distance now was much closer than the last time she’d seen it.
Maybe her gaze was too intense, because the leopard — always alert while eating — raised its head and coldly licked the blood from the corner of its mouth.
Its eyes locked directly with Bo Shushu’s. She instantly took half a step back and rubbed her nose. “Ahem. Well… I’ll get going then, Sister Lin. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me. Really, it’s no trouble.”
So many people wanted a chance to help Lin Qianyu and get a moment of screen time.
She was lucky to get the opportunity because of the prairie wolf and had the chance to discuss its diet with Lin Qianyu.
Bo Shushu’s enthusiasm made Lin Qianyu a bit unsure how to respond, but she nodded and said, “Alright, got it.”
“Oh right, Sister Lin, will you be livestreaming today?” They couldn’t leave the office area freely, and if Lin Qianyu wasn’t streaming, she’d have no motivation to slack off at work.
“I will.” Lin Qianyu recalled the director’s notice and said, “Around 8, everyone will go live together.”"Alright." Bo Shushu, pleased by the good news, cheerfully headed back, tapping on her phone as she walked to grab a front-row seat in the livestream room.
Breakfast was extremely hearty.
Bo Shushu had brought three or four stacked lunch boxes. Though it didn’t look like much stacked up, once laid out one by one, even the bedside table was barely enough to hold them all.
Inside were preserved egg and lean pork congee, buns, shumai, steamed dumplings, Western-style steak and sandwiches, and even an Americano coffee.
Each item came in generous portions — Lin Qianyu felt like this could last her the whole day.
The sandwich had a layer of plastic seal, so it could be saved for later without opening. She decided to leave that for lunch.
For breakfast, she only finished the preserved egg and lean pork congee.
The prairie wolf, sitting nearby, caught the scent of the congee. It paused, and its usually calm expression rippled with subtle changes — a surge of surprise and bewilderment, even the hint of a frown.
“What’s with that expression?” Lin Qianyu pinched its cheek. “It’s really good. If you don’t believe me, have a bite.”
The prairie wolf’s reaction to the congee was exactly the same as the black bear and leopard’s response to sea urchin.
“Hmph.” Lin Qianyu gave a soft humph, picked up her phone, and snapped a photo of the prairie wolf, including the bowl of preserved egg congee, and posted it to her livestream profile.
The original host had a Weibo account, but it was owned by the company. Since Lin Qianyu’s contract had ended and she didn’t renew it, the rights to the account were naturally taken back.
Anyway, the account wasn’t meant to be managed by the artist themselves.
Suddenly remembering this, Lin Qianyu registered a new Weibo account.
Building up a Weibo account is slow — this is why companies insist on controlling even the social media. Later on, if needed, they can transfer accounts with an existing fan base to another artist.
After setting up the account, she wasn’t sure what to post right away, so she simply edited the bio and left everything else blank.
…
When Lin Qianyu finished breakfast and went outside, she found Guo Yanpeng and Yin Youlin were also there.
Last night before bed, she had heard the sound of a helicopter — it was likely theirs.
They hadn’t fully recovered from their injuries, but since the last episode would follow a more emotional storyline, as long as they didn’t go looking for trouble, it wasn’t likely they’d get hurt.
The only absent guest was An Lanqing.
Since she’d already been detained, there was no way she could come back and stir up drama. And due to Guo Yanpeng’s situation, even though he still had feelings for her, the family behind him wasn’t about to let it slide.
They’d used a lot of pull behind the scenes in An Lanqing’s case — otherwise, she wouldn’t have been taken into custody so quickly.
Hang Sisi was chatting with Yin Youlin, while Guo Yanpeng sat quietly off to the side. After all he’d gone through on the show, it seemed the edges of Guo Yanpeng’s personality had been worn down. When he saw Lin Qianyu coming down, he didn’t say a word.
If this had been the first episode, he’d definitely be jumping up to curse her out.
Since he wasn’t picking a fight, Lin Qianyu didn’t bother to look at him either.
Of course… it might also be because of the group of furry creatures gathered around her. The intimidation factor was high enough that Guo Yanpeng didn’t dare speak.
Lin Qianyu stopped at a distance from them.
She needed to leave space between the other guests and the furry ones.
Her animals were very well-behaved — they wouldn’t bite anyone. But… that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t try to bite them.【No wonder she's my Sister Lin — what an epic entrance.】
【So cool it’s unreal! That moment walking step by step from the door toward the camera — who else gets it, family?!】
【Someone cue the music!】
【“Through storm and cloud I charge ahead, admired by all around…”】
The guests' individual livestreams hadn’t started yet, but the program’s official stream had been running continuously.
Seeing the few remaining guests awkwardly seated together — only Hang Sisi and Yin Youlin managed to chat a bit — Guo Yanpeng sat off to the side in awkward silence.
But once Lin Qianyu appeared, the stream's popularity skyrocketed.
Since the weather outside was hot, Su Yuxing had prepared cold drinks. The staff moved out several large boxes, and he opened one foam cooler, pushing the whole thing toward Lin Qianyu first before grabbing a few individual items to distribute to the other guests. “Hang on just a bit more, everyone. Once Mr. Feng arrives, filming can begin.”
Lin Qianyu rummaged through the foam box. It was all cream-based or plain ice — no chocolate, and the flavors were very simple.
It was likely the director had prepared these specially for the animals.
Lin Qianyu unwrapped a cream popsicle and handed it to the black bear. “Here you go, little bear — try this.”
Cold and sweet — it was exactly to the black bear’s taste. It bit off more than half in one go, crunching loudly with a ka-cha ka-cha.
Lin Qianyu opened a few more and handed them to the other fluffballs. When she turned her head and saw how fast the black bear was eating, she quickly reminded it, “Don’t eat the stick inside — make sure to throw it out.”
The little bear holding the popsicle in its mouth looked up. “Woo!”
Then went right back to crunching.
The cream-frozen ice wasn’t too hard either — biting into it gave a soft, grainy texture.
Lin Qianyu chose a traditional-style popsicle for herself — none of the fancy flavors, just something simple and refreshing.
But she couldn’t eat as fast as the little bear. Taking a big bite made her brain freeze, so she nibbled slowly.
There was no rush — they were just waiting anyway.
The black bear ate several in a row, trying all the different types in the box.
The red-tailed steppe eagle only pecked once. Compared to eating, it preferred lying on unopened popsicles.
The tiger and leopard both tasted theirs but left the rest — which all ended up in the black bear’s stomach.
Lin Qianyu was halfway through her own popsicle when she looked down at the prairie wolf on her lap and asked, “Want another one, little wolf?”
“Woo…”
“Alright, guess you’re not into sweets either.”
The prairie wolf flicked its tail, rested its chin on the armrest, and let out a soft whine.
When Feng Jingye arrived, Lin Qianyu’s box of popsicles was nearly empty. She handed one over to him. “Here, have one.”
He didn’t refuse, tore off the wrapper, and took a bite. “Thanks.”
The black bear, with half a popsicle still in its mouth, glanced at him. Just as it furrowed its brows, the popsicle waved in front of its face.
Then came Lin Qianyu’s grinning face as she leaned in. “Last one — whoever finishes first gets it.”“Roar!”
The black bear chomped down the remaining half of the popsicle in one bite, successfully winning the last ice cream.
“Everyone sit for now — I’ll have the photographer take a group photo.”
Behind them were two helicopters. Even though they wouldn’t be leaving in those, they looked great in photos — absolutely photogenic.
The actual transport aircraft was too large and made people look small in photos, plus you couldn’t get the whole picture. Helicopters worked best for shooting.
“Wait a second, I’ll take them away first.” Lin Qianyu hadn’t realized the first step after gathering would be a group photo — it was different from the written schedule given yesterday. She thought they’d be announcing rankings first, so she hadn’t called the fluffballs away.
“No need, no need,” the director quickly waved his hand, signaling Lin Qianyu to sit back down, afraid she’d call the animals away. “They’ve already appeared on stream — of course they should be in the final group shot too.”
Lin Qianyu had even brought her phone, planning to take some extra pictures with the fluffballs later. Since the director didn’t mind, she was fine taking the photo together.
If conditions allowed, Su Yuxing honestly would’ve wanted Lin Qianyu to sit center, with the other guests on the sides and the wild animals gathered in the middle.
But the guests didn’t dare get too close to the wild animals.
Su Yuxing felt a twinge of regret. He raised his hand to signal the photographer to get ready to shoot, while he himself walked around from Yin Youlin’s side and stood behind Feng Jingye.
The guests were all seated in front. Standing behind Feng Jingye meant being closest to the tiger — but also safest.
Sensing someone approach, the tiger turned its head for a glance but didn’t react much. It simply turned its head back as if nothing had happened.
“Alright — everyone look at the camera.”
“It’s the end, cheer up and smile!”
With a click, the image froze.
The photographer immediately added, “Don’t move yet, let’s take a few more… everyone loosen up a little, interact with the people next to you or something.”
Too many shots of the same static pose would get dull — even stiff photos could look lively with a bit of motion.
But due to earlier conflicts, the guests found it hard to interact. They looked like they’d split into rival camps with a clear divide.
Only Hang Sisi and Yin Youlin exchanged a cooperative glance. Having once been teammates, they could at least provide the show some content.
Though the gesture was subtle, the cameraman was quite satisfied.
After clicking the shutter again, he noticed something slightly different from the previous shot — it was something about Feng Jingye and the tiger. He scrolled back and forth repeatedly to compare.
【Is it just me, or did Big Orange move closer to the island master?】
【I saw it too...】
【Wait, it lifted its paw.】
The photographer finally realized something was off. When he looked up, the tiger’s raised paw was already swooping straight toward Feng Jingye.
Feng Jingye didn’t even turn his head — just slightly shifted his body, easily dodging the tiger’s very real swipe.
The photographer sucked in a sharp breath, thinking the tiger might follow up with another attack.
But Lin Qianyu seemed to sense something and turned her head — just as the tiger swiftly retracted its paw, lowered its head like nothing had happened, and rested it on Lin Qianyu’s shoulder, staring expressionlessly at Feng Jingye just inches away.
Photographer: “……”He didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly, but his finger kept pressing the shutter without pause — click click click, rapid-fire shots one after another. He didn’t even bother checking what he was capturing — just kept shooting.
The director was right behind Feng Jingye, and just now, the tiger’s paw had swiped right past him, almost brushing against him.
Luckily, he had a steady mindset — otherwise, if he’d so much as let out a scream, the tiger might’ve kicked him straight out of the frame.
After the photos were taken—
Su Yuxing stepped back to the front. “Next is the moment everyone’s been waiting for — those who survived to the end. The top three guests will receive a contract provided by the production team, along with a cash prize.”
“Unfortunately, only Lin Qianyu and Hang Sisi made it to the end. After an online vote, the final rankings are as follows.”
“The winner of this season of Wilderness Survival is — Lin Qianyu! Let’s all give her a round of applause.”
Even though everyone already knew who the winner was, Su Yuxing still kept the ceremony grand, even pausing dramatically before announcing the name.
Hang Sisi led the applause, Yin Youlin clapped with the arm draped over his neck, and even Guo Yanpeng gave a couple of claps.
【Wow! I can’t believe Lin Qianyu is first place — totally unexpected.】
【So surprising! I never even dreamed this — Lin Qianyu’s actually that amazing?】
【Hahahaha — y’all need to stop! Sitting there with level 10+ Lin-jie nameplates in her livestream, pretending to be new fans!】
Su Yuxing cleared his throat lightly. Faced with the barrage of “hahaha” on the bullet screen, his expression didn’t change, and he continued with his host demeanor: “Second place goes to — Hang Sisi! Will both winners please come forward to receive your awards.”
Lin Qianyu slipped her arm out of the black bear’s hug, set down the grassland wolf on her lap, moved the red-tailed hawk from her shoulder onto the leopard beside her, and gently tapped the tiger’s big head on her other shoulder. The tiger nuzzled her hand and stood up by itself.
Only after finishing all this did she stand up and start walking forward.
She had just taken one step when the big tiger suddenly turned its head and opened its mouth to bite Feng Jingye — the motion was sharp and fluid, all in one go.
Halfway to the stage, Lin Qianyu turned around abruptly — Big Orange was sitting obediently behind her chair, licking its paw.
“?”
Did she overthink it?
【Hahaha, a cat’s speed is 2–4 times faster than a human’s. A tiger is way bigger than a cat. Even if it’s not 100 times faster, it should still be 40–50 times — it’s totally reasonable Lin-jie couldn’t catch it.】
【Okay then, you’re clearly a math genius — if you don’t win the next Nobel Prize for Mathematics, I’m not watching.】
The remaining walk was just a few steps.
The production team hadn’t set up a stage, just drew a designated area on the ground.
Once Lin Qianyu stepped into the area, she turned around — and Big Orange didn’t get a chance to take a bite.
The tiger’s tail smacked against the ground behind it with a muffled thud on the grass. It glanced at the person right under its nose whom it couldn’t attack, then huffed through its nose.
Su Yuxing motioned everyone to stand properly. The staff next to him brought over large plastic boards half as tall as a person. In bold, gold lettering, they displayed the cash prizes — one for six million, one for three million.
“This season’s winners will have their cash prizes doubled.” Su Yuxing was especially happy. The sponsor had offered to increase the prize on their own — his variety show was truly in a league of its own in the entertainment industry now.
He knew perfectly well whose face earned that favor, and as he looked at Lin Qianyu, even his cheeks crinkled with smiles.
The large display boards looked good on camera, but the actual prize cards were stuck on the back.
Hang Sisi was also genuinely happy. Though she didn’t get the contract, she hadn’t expected much from it in the first place — landing second place was already a pleasant surprise.Lin Qianyu and Hang Sisi took a photo together holding the prize boards, then each took their prize card and returned to their seats.
As for the contracts, they would be signed privately after the terms were revised.
Su Yuxing said, “Thank you all for your hard work during this time. I believe every guest’s effort has been seen and appreciated by the fans.”
“With that, this season of Wilderness Survival has come to an end. But our journey is only temporarily paused. The next season of Wilderness will be themed around the grasslands, where we’ll explore a natural landscape different from the rainforest. See you next season!”
After recording the closing remarks, Su Yuxing smiled and said, “Alright, for the rest of the time, everyone can keep your livestream devices on and walk around nearby. If you’ve got any fun stories from the rainforest, feel free to share them with the fans in the stream. Departure from the island is at 2 p.m., so make sure you get back in time.”
With those instructions given, he hurried over to the photographer to check the footage just recorded.
Guo Yanpeng, with his leg injury, had trouble moving around. He didn’t have anything he was particularly attached to here, so he simply took his livestream equipment and limped back to the nearby villa.
Hang Sisi whispered something to Yin Youlin, then turned to ask Lin Qianyu, “Qianyu-jie, Yin-ge and I are planning to go back and check out the base camp — do you want to come?”
Lin Qianyu toyed with the bank card in her hand. “No need. I’m taking the little wolf to run around on the grass for a bit. You two go ahead.”
“Okay.”
Feng Jingye had only come as a guest appearance. Now that the recording was done, he still needed to return to continue investigating the poachers and Xie Yifei.
He stood up and said, “I’ll head upstairs first. If I find anything new, I’ll come find you.”
“Mm.” The guests had all left. Lin Qianyu picked up the young hawk. “Let’s go too. How about we take the little deer and the chicks for a walk?”
The show might be over, but she wasn’t leaving the island.
To her, today was simply another ordinary day — with six million added to her account.
“Roar—” “Hunting?” Lin Qianyu ruffled the tiger’s head. “Still hungry? Didn’t we already have breakfast?”
There was still plenty of meat left in the freezer. If Big Orange was still hungry, going back and finishing that would definitely be enough. But if the big tiger wanted water buffalo innards, then it really would have to go hunt for them itself.
No matter how well-funded the rescue center was, there was no way they could provide wild buffalo organs.
“Aw!”
“Alright then, go hunt.” Lin Qianyu kissed the sun-warmed tiger. “See you in a bit.”
Big Orange licked her cheek, then turned and walked toward the main gate.
Lin Qianyu picked up the red-tailed hawk. “Let’s head out too.”
“Chirp—!”
After stepping out of the yard, Lin Qianyu suddenly sensed something was off.
She froze and looked back. “Why is the hunting headed into the house?”
Thinking of Feng Jingye inside, she raised an eyebrow.
The next moment, a tiger’s roar echoed from within: “Roar—!”
Lin Qianyu: “……”
【Emm... how does this not count as hunting?】
【Exactly! Anything can be prey — right, Island Master?】【Help, if that’s the case, even if you put buffalo organs in a trap, Big Orange might not go. But if you put the Island Master there, Big Orange would risk getting caught just to take a bite.】
...
For a walk, naturally one should choose a place with flat terrain, fewer dangerous creatures around, and low overall risk.
In the vast rainforest, aside from the platform in front of Lin Qianyu’s cave, only the grassland where the prairie wolf hunted last time met these standards.
Lin Qianyu picked berries from a nearby shrub, pulling off a small bunch — pale yellow with a hint of pink at the top, the small fruits looked like flowers. “There are cloudberries here? I don’t think I noticed them last time.”
She tossed a small handful into her mouth and winced from the sourness.
Fresh cloudberries are soft, juicy, and pretty, but the only downside — they’re very sour.
There was a faint floral sweetness, but it was so light it couldn’t suppress the sourness at all.
“Hiss...” Lin Qianyu nearly teared up from the sourness, but she still didn’t forget to give her livestream audience a little science talk. “Cloudberries are rich in vitamin C, and studies suggest that ellagitannins may have anti-cancer properties. Eating more is good for your health.”
Saying that, she popped another one into her mouth.
She didn’t dare eat a whole handful again. Though cloudberries aren’t big, you couldn’t even fill your mouth with a dozen, but they might make your teeth ache from the sourness.
Seeing the leopard approach, Lin Qianyu quickly handed it one as well.
Having gotten used to being hand-fed, they no longer rejected food from Lin Qianyu. Whether it tasted good or not, they would at least swallow the first bite.
The cloudberry was so small the leopard barely noticed it in its mouth — it just licked its lips and swallowed.
— Didn’t taste anything.
Noticing the commotion around food, the black bear shaking wild fruits from a tree wandered over curiously. “Mmm?”
Lin Qianyu opened her palm, showing a handful of cloudberries.
The bear cub froze, eyes widening, then recoiled in shock several steps. “Awo!”
She hadn’t even fed it yet and already scared one off. “Haha, looks like the little bear’s eaten these before.”
【So it is that sour — even a bear that loves wild fruits doesn’t want it.】
【No wonder the berries are so dense. I thought they were well-hidden, turns out they’re just not tasty.】
“Honestly, they’re not bad. It’s a very fresh kind of sour,” Lin Qianyu tried to explain. Compared to the sourness of apples or strawberries, cloudberries had a crisp, fruity tang and were very juicy.
At first, they were shockingly sour, but once you got used to them, it wasn’t so bad.
The little bear knew these weren’t tasty, but watching Lin Qianyu pop one after another into her mouth without showing any disgust made it start to doubt.
Tilting its head, it seemed to be thinking hard about whether these were actually good.
Seeing its fixed stare, Lin Qianyu held out her hand again. “Want one? They’re tasty.”
The bear sniffed, couldn’t resist, and grabbed one from her palm. As soon as it chewed, it froze — then flopped onto the ground with a thud. “Awo!”
Soured out of its mind, the little bear looked like it was about to roll around in misery.
Lin Qianyu gave its soft belly a rub. “Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. No more of those. How about a piece of candy?”
She’d finished all the candy the production crew had prepared. It was kind of fitting — on the final day of the first episode, she’d run out of candy completely.The candy being handed out now was provided by the rescue center.
Maybe they knew the black bear liked sweets, so the rescue center had specially left a portion with her.
The black bear, now munching on a big piece of fruit candy, was immediately appeased, clinging to Lin Qianyu to stop her from eating that weird sour stuff.
“Alright, I won’t pick anymore.” Lin Qianyu finished the remaining cloudberries in her hand and was led away from the patch by the black bear to forage wild fruits together.
On the relatively flat grassland, the little chevrotain was happily eating away.
The deer feed from the rescue center included fresh wet food, but it couldn’t compare to freshly foraged greens. It still felt a bit different from eating in the wild.
Besides, the little chevrotain was energetic and lively. After being cooped up indoors for so long, it was stifled and now happily grazed while walking.
It ate very smartly — not pulling out the grass by the roots, only nibbling the tender top parts and ignoring the tougher stalks below.
As a result, wherever it grazed, the grass was visibly shorter than the surrounding area.
Looking from a higher point, it actually looked like a little path had been eaten into the grass.
The young bird was also darting around everywhere — one had already burrowed halfway into a rabbit hole.
By the time Lin Qianyu noticed, only a pair of skinny little legs were kicking out of the ground.
It hadn’t made a sound.
Lin Qianyu hurried over and pulled the young bird out.
Its view shifted, and Diandian was still a little dazed, blinking as if it didn’t understand what had just happened.
“You don’t catch rabbits like that.” Lin Qianyu could already guess the little thing was trying to practice hunting, but no red-tailed hawk ever caught rabbits by diving headfirst into their holes.
It was still a fledgling and already couldn’t fit — once it grew a bit more, it’d be completely stuck.
Diandian shook its feathers, sending up a puff of dust. “Chirp!”
“You need to learn to fly first, then dive down from the air...” Lin Qianyu paused and looked at the red-tailed hawk on her shoulder who was listening intently. “Little Hawk, your turn.”
【Pffft hahaha, I was wondering why this felt so weird.】
【Its real mom is right there and it’s Lin-jie doing the teaching — I’m laughing myself sick.】
【What’s the issue? Letting the grandma babysit — totally normal!】
【Lin Qianyu: Oh, so now I’m a super-senior relative, huh.】
...
Catching rabbits is easy for a red-tailed hawk — they wouldn’t be thrown off by sudden changes in direction.
They can fluidly adapt their pursuit strategies.
Once a wild rabbit is targeted by a red-tailed hawk in the wild, it has no chance of escape.
Hearing Lin Qianyu’s command, the red-tailed hawk didn’t hesitate. It spread its wings and soared up, circling the sky in search of a rabbit.
Usually, red-tailed hawks wouldn’t hunt rabbits in such an overt way — they’d pick a nearby tree to hide in, wait for a rabbit to stray far enough from its burrow, and then silently swoop in to strike.
If a red-tailed hawk was openly circling in the air, no rabbit would dare poke its head out.But right now, Little Hawk didn’t bother to conceal itself at all. As soon as it noticed a rabbit in the distance running toward its burrow, it gave a flap of its wings and shot straight at it.
Lin Qianyu picked up the other two fledglings and placed them on her lap, using her fingers to gently press under their chins so all three little birds tilted their heads up in unison to watch the sky.
Eventually, their gazes began to follow the red-tailed hawk naturally. When it turned mid-air, the three fuzzy little heads followed in sync, sweeping from left to right.
Noticing the three round little heads, Lin Qianyu couldn’t resist poking each one with her finger.
Each chubby little back of the head now had a small dent where she’d poked.
All in unison — it was unbearably cute.
“Chirp!” The red-tailed hawk dropped a light brown rabbit in front of Lin Qianyu, then turned and landed steadily on her shoulder.
Eat!
Lin Qianyu smiled with her eyes, twirling the hawk’s tail feathers between her fingers. “I didn’t mean for you to catch wild rabbits for me to eat. I wanted you to hunt so they could see.”
The fledglings had clearly been watching closely, but they still couldn’t fly and just ran all over the place.
Hunting rabbits mid-flight was unrealistic for them. After a few steps, they’d still try to dive into any hole they saw.
Lin Qianyu rubbed her forehead. “Well… at least they’ve seen the proper way a red-tailed hawk hunts.”
“Hey, where’s Little Wolf?” Lin Qianyu held down the rabbit trying to escape and looked around — no sign of the steppe wolf.
Just a moment ago it had been chasing rabbits nearby. Where had it run off to in the blink of an eye?
“Little Wolf?” Lin Qianyu got up to look around. Just as she called out, the steppe wolf came running toward her with a giant leaf dragging behind it. It barked as it ran, but with the leaf in its mouth, the sound was barely audible.
“Where’d you find such a huge leaf…” Her voice trailed off as she noticed what was being dragged along at the end of the leaf.
The steppe wolf dropped the leaf and tugged at the edge, rolling the rabbits in the center forward a bit.
There were no fewer than ten rabbits.
【What the hell!!! That’s got to be three rabbit generations all at once.】
【The rabbit in Lin-jie’s arms: Wake up, Third Granduncle, wake up!】
【Impressive — to catch this many rabbits in such a short time. Even injured, Little Wolf is still a powerhouse.】
Wild rabbits reproduce extremely fast.
Once in heat, a rabbit can get pregnant again right after giving birth. Once the first litter grows up, they too can start breeding immediately.
That’s why they’re considered a plague in places like the U.S.
It’s not like you can catch them all.
But in Lin Qianyu’s memory, the steppe wolf had only been out of sight for maybe twenty minutes at most.
And rabbits are smart — when one is caught, the others will stay hidden in their burrows.
To still manage to catch this many under those circumstances...
Lin Qianyu couldn’t help but proudly pat Little Wolf’s head. “Isn’t my Little Wolf amazing? Rabbit slayer!”
“Awooo!”“Do you know what ‘rabbit slayer’ means?” Lin Qianyu smiled, her eyes curved, nuzzling Little Wolf’s cheek and stroking its subtly puffed-out chest. “Tonight’s full-rabbit feast is on you.”
The steppe wolf lifted its head and howled: “Awooo—!”
Lin Qianyu paused — this was the first time she’d heard the steppe wolf howl like that since she met it.
It was obvious: Little Wolf was really happy now.
Watching the visibly changed little one, Lin Qianyu’s gaze was full of relief. This was really nice.
Just as she was thinking that, Lin Qianyu received a message from Feng Jingye.
Feng Jingye was direct: 【Watch Xie Yifei’s livestream.】
Xie Yifei, half-paralyzed and lying in bed — why was he livestreaming?
Lin Qianyu was puzzled. She took out her phone and clicked in. On the screen, Xie Yifei was lying on a hospital bed, the bed inclined so that his whole face could appear on camera.
The stream had just started, and the viewer count was slowly climbing.
Some die-hard fans had rushed in to cheer him on.
There were also looks-based fans who took one glance at Xie Yifei — unkempt, grimy-looking, drooling from his crooked mouth — and left in disgust.
Most viewers weren’t fans — they were just there to watch the drama.
When Lin Qianyu entered, she noticed that Xie Yifei’s stream had been featured on the platform’s front page. Anyone who opened the app would see him first.
Even in that short time, tears had already welled up in Xie Yifei’s eyes.
“Sor-ry,” he said one word at a time, speaking with a lisp, working hard to enunciate clearly.
As soon as he finished the third word, the chat exploded: 【Don’t apologize! You’re already like this, there’s no need to apologize for anything!】
【As long as you get better, that’s enough. Wishing you a full recovery.】
Many of the users had fan badges for his channel, and not low-level ones.
They’d probably continued sending gifts and maintaining their badges even when he wasn’t streaming.
Lin Qianyu was speechless.
But thankfully, the fan-led tone control didn’t last long. Plenty of viewers who also didn’t understand started speaking up with righteous indignation.
From Xie Yifei’s point of view, he couldn’t see the comments. He just kept speaking on his own: “I apologize for the wrongs I’ve committed in the past, including but not limited to poaching reindeer, lions… and collaborating with poachers to traffic ivory, tiger pelts, and other products. All the income I gained illegally, including livestream earnings over the years, I have donated in full to the World Wildlife Conservation Association.”
The chat: 【？？？？】
Because of his mouth, Xie Yifei spoke slowly — but that slowness made every word especially clear.
The fans arguing with others in the chat gradually fell silent.
Eventually, barely anyone was commenting at all.
Xie Yifei continued, “I once tried to steal a red-tailed hawk’s egg to raise it myself. I now recognize how wrong that was and promise never to repeat it.”
“And in the ‘King of the Wild’ event held on my previous platform, I used fake votes and got someone to alter the backend data, violating principles of fairness. Later, I led fans to cyberbully my opponent, which caused them to become depressed and quit the industry. I have deeply reflected on my mistakes.”
“And also toward…”Xie Yifei spent the entire stream apologizing, but for all these past events, he had always acted from behind the scenes as the instigator. Now, he laid out all the disgusting things he had done in plain view.
This left many former fans of Xie Yifei—those who had even cyberbullied others for his sake—completely silent.
After a long pause, one lone comment finally crept across the screen: 【Ah…?】
That single character opened the floodgates. The barrage of comments poured in right after.
【What the hell! You’re disgusting! I knew that male streamer you screwed over—he was such a promising rookie, had real talent, came from a poor family, and was counting on that first-place prize to save his life. You used such despicable tactics to steal it from him, and now you think just admitting your mistake makes it okay???】
【Fuck you! You're a wilderness survival influencer colluding with poachers! Why don’t you just drop dead?! I feel sick knowing I ever spent money on a scumbag like you!】
【So all that so-called harmony with animals was just a show? Just to find a better chance to harm those innocent little creatures? You're truly vicious!】
The comments were filled with condemnation and abuse toward Xie Yifei.
He had always been skilled in using manipulative and underhanded methods.
And the fans had once believed Xie Yifei was a bright, honest, nature-loving content creator who radiated positive energy.
Who would have imagined that behind the scenes, he was this kind of person?
Even worse, he used the trust of his fans as a cover to commit crimes.
The fans who once liked Xie Yifei were all reeling, minds buzzing as if someone had taken a bat to their heads — it left them stunned and unable to recover.
No one stepped up to defend him. The atmosphere in the stream had completely flipped — if anyone dared say a word in support of Xie Yifei, they would get blasted by angry viewers.
And the fans weren’t stupid either. Some things could be explained away, but suppressing junior creators on the same platform, harming wildlife, and dancing on the edge of criminal behavior? Who would still stand up for Xie Yifei after that?
【Is he dying or something? Found a conscience and decided to confess everything before death?】
【He should’ve died a long time ago. Being alive is just a waste of resources.】
【He did so many evil things, it’s only right he ended up like this. Retribution comes for everyone!】
…
Xie Yifei closed his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing. The man nearby stepped forward and projected the current live chat feed onto a screen on the opposite side.
As if afraid Xie Yifei wouldn’t see it, he even increased the font size and bolded the text.
He clearly wanted to make sure Xie Yifei saw every single insult clearly.
At the end, Xie Yifei spoke softly: “I’m sorry. I’ll turn myself in when I return. I’ll use the rest of my life to repay for everything I’ve done.”
With that, the livestream went black.
“Is that enough? I’ve said everything you asked for, without hiding a single thing. Can you let me go now?” Xie Yifei’s saliva was out of control, dripping more as he moved his mouth to speak. It soaked down to his neck, but he didn’t even dare wipe it away.
He could only stare blankly at the man opposite him.
The assistant shook his head. “The Boss only said you had to confess everything on camera. He never said he’d let you go after.”
After a pause, seeing Xie Yifei’s expression suddenly shift, the assistant added indifferently, “And the Boss said to apologize sincerely and with genuine remorse. I didn’t see any sincerity from you. It didn’t feel serious at all.”
Even in apology, Xie Yifei was putting on airs, sticking to polished, official-sounding statements. Now, even the assistant found him disgusting.
It wasn’t something superficial — it was revulsion aimed at how rotten his heart was, and the stench of decay that seemed to seep out from his very bones.It was a stench deeply embedded in Xie Yifei himself.
Just looking at him stirred a wave of nausea from deep inside.
Xie Yifei’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. He had already accepted his fate—willingly said everything in front of the camera he valued most, knowing full well what the consequences would be. And yet, he still said it.
But why wouldn't they let him go!
He had already lost everything!
He lost the Xie family’s backing, his identity and status, and even spoke all of this inside the very livestream room he had painstakingly built over the years!
Seeing those former fans now tearing off their badges and attacking him verbally, his heart throbbed in agony.
“Don’t go too far,” Xie Yifei growled through clenched teeth, his face twisted in a snarl—but with drool dribbling down, it made him look filthy and ridiculous.
“You didn’t think you went too far when you hunted elephants? Or when you hunted reindeer? Or when you sabotaged others from the shadows, putting lives at risk?” The assistant had seen all kinds of people, but Xie Yifei’s level of narcissism and self-centeredness was a first.
From those sterile, official-sounding apologies, it was clear he hadn’t repented at all.
There was even a chance he was planning to escape after this and later claim he’d only confessed under duress, insisting none of it had really been his doing.
If there were no evidence, and given how quickly information changes online, Xie Yifei might actually get away with it.
But…
That would only happen if Xie Yifei left this island.
The assistant crossed his arms and looked down at him from above. “Just wait. We’ll take the next step once Boss gives the word.”
“No!” Xie Yifei hadn’t slept since yesterday. Part of the reason for his rising panic and irritability was anxiety over what might happen. The other part was that every time he started to drift off from exhaustion, someone would immediately wake him—sometimes with a stick, sometimes with a blinding spotlight.
This was pure torture!
“What you’re doing is illegal!” Xie Yifei had been enduring both physical and mental torment since yesterday, and he was on the verge of collapse.
He knew too well—if the man before him left, what awaited him would be pure hell. Of course he didn’t want the assistant to go.
Xie Yifei grew more frantic as he spoke, and by the end he was outright screaming, “I’ll sue you! I already said I’ll turn myself in! What more do you want from me?!”
Tears streamed down his face in a pitiful mess. Behind his forced roars and howls was clear, trembling fear.
He was terrified of what that Boss was capable of.
Xie Yifei would rather spend the rest of his life in prison than stay another day on this island.
“Heh.” The assistant gave a cold laugh. “You think you’re dreaming or something?”
Xie Yifei froze, staring at him with teary, disbelieving eyes.
“If you go back, twenty years max. Good behavior, and they’ll even reduce your sentence. That up-and-coming streamer you drove into depression didn’t meet the threshold for sentencing. Netizens will just scold you a bit. That streamer’s family member died because they couldn’t get the surgery without the prize money—yet the law won’t pin that death on you.”
“Life imprisonment might actually be the best you could hope for.”
The assistant calmly rolled up his sleeves. “Just wait. With our Boss involved, no one’s going to let you go to jail.”
“No! No!” Xie Yifei seemed to realize something, and his face contorted in fear. “I want to go to prison—send me to prison!”
“I was already about to turn myself in! It was you who made the Xie family hold me back! I wanted to turn myself in a long time ago!”When Xie Yifei realized that Feng Jingye had intervened, he already knew this matter wouldn't be brushed aside easily. At that moment, he decided to turn himself in, but the Xie family's housekeeper noticed something was off and snatched his phone away.
Otherwise, he’d already be in prison by now!
“Give him a sedative,” the assistant waved his hand casually as he turned to leave. “If he keeps making noise, remove the parts in his mouth. The livestream’s already over—no use keeping them.”
“Understood, Special Assistant Zhang.”
Xie Yifei immediately shut up, holding his breath, not daring to exhale even once.
His chest heaved violently, tears streaming uncontrollably. Only after the assistant’s figure disappeared through the doorway did his twisted mouth finally begin to make raspy gasping sounds.
Staring down the dark corridor, Xie Yifei felt as if he were seeing the pitch-black future ahead of him—utter despair.
The livestream viewers’ barrage of insults toward Xie Yifei didn’t stop just because he vanished from the screen.
If anything, they scolded him even harder for running off right after his confession.
Lin Qianyu gave those comments a like, then posted the recorded livestream to her own Weibo account and the stream update section.
Basically, anywhere people might see it—she made sure it spread as far as possible.
The trending topics had already exploded.
Since Xie Yifei confessed on his own stream, many guessed it was because he was close to death and had a sudden burst of conscience—or maybe he’d been caught and had no choice but to spill everything to save himself.
Either way, it didn’t stop people from going after him relentlessly.
As the scandal grew, many went to the Weibo page of the streamer who had been bullied into depression by Xie Yifei to offer support.
Soon after, several other streamers and celebrities came forward to expose Xie Yifei’s past actions—how he’d used his popularity and connections to bully newcomers.
Some veteran artists without backing had also been humiliated by Xie Yifei, but were too afraid to speak out because of the Xie family.
Now, everyone was speaking up.
Every platform that allowed comments was filled with people condemning Xie Yifei.
At this point, if he showed his face, he’d be drowned in spit alone.
His identity as a streamer had just been a front to facilitate illegal poaching. Now that mask was torn off, and genuine wildlife protectors were offering bounties on Weibo.
Even though that kind of thing isn’t allowed and was quickly taken down by the authorities, people kept reposting it tirelessly.
Lin Qianyu scrolled through her phone for a while, only stopping when the low battery warning signaled imminent shutdown. She turned off the screen for now.
When she looked up, the red-tailed hawk was staring intently at the phone too.
The heaviness brought on by Xie Yifei’s actions melted a little the moment she saw its fluffy feathers.
Lin Qianyu curved her lips slightly, fingers gently brushing its plumage. “Do you know what I’m looking at? You’re staring so seriously.”
“Chirp!”
You!
“Looking at me?”
The red-tailed hawk fluffed up its feathers, replying with bold confidence.Lin Qianyu let out a light laugh. “I thought you were watching the comment feed.”
【Wuwuwu I was just disgusted by Xie Yifei, came here to cleanse my eyes with something fluffy.】
【Who can relate, family? I used to watch Xie Yifei’s videos, and now I regret it so much I want to gouge out my own eyes.】
【I don’t get it, I really don’t. How can someone be so self-righteous after hurting others?】
【Just thinking about how he might only get twenty years after being reported makes me sick. He might even get special care because of poor health, maybe even apply for medical parole. Aaaaah! Why do things like him get to live!】
...
Lin Qianyu pressed her lips together. “Don’t worry. Evil will meet its retribution—its time just hasn’t come yet.”
The live rabbit that the red-tailed hawk had caught earlier tried to make a run for it but got blocked by the chicks.
Though there were only three of them, they were the young of a natural predator—and already bigger than the rabbit.
Three chicks cornering a single rabbit was an easy win.
Seeing this, Lin Qianyu didn’t intervene. She was more interested in checking whether the little chevrotain had had enough grass. Instead, she saw the leopard crouching low, adopting a hunting posture, eyes fixed on a shrub nearby.
There was likely some animal hidden there. It wasn’t strange for the leopard to want to catch it.
But—!
—The little chevrotain was completely copying the leopard’s pose, crouched low to the ground, clearly preparing to charge together.
Lin Qianyu: “……”
You’re a herbivore! Where’s all this hunting enthusiasm coming from?!
Though reckless, the little chevrotain was in good company—the leopard was reliable.
Since the leopard hadn’t stopped it from crouching alongside, that meant the target ahead wasn’t dangerous enough to be a concern. The chances of the chevrotain getting hurt were very low.
In that case, let them play. They were idle anyway.
By noon, Lin Qianyu tore open the sandwich wrapper and took a bite.
It was an egg and ham sandwich with fresh lettuce and a thin layer of ketchup. The ketchup flavor wasn’t strong—overall, it was savory.
The crust had been cut off, leaving only the soft part of the bread.
It was warm when delivered that morning, but still tasty at room temperature.
Since the variety show ended, Lin Qianyu’s backpack had been better stocked with snacks.
She opened a carton of milk and sipped while eating.
The black bear munched on rabbit meat and wild fruits, enjoying a well-balanced meal.
The steppe wolf, obsessed with catching rabbits, kept hunting until they stopped showing up, then went off to find others elsewhere.
Lin Qianyu tore off two leaves to do her part as support—helping clean and prep the steppe wolf’s freshly caught prey.
“Chirp! Chirp!” Dian Dian Da Da ran over from not far away, lowered its head to peck at a rabbit, trying to lift it, but the one it chose was too big. After failing for a while, it switched to a smaller one—still couldn’t lift it, so it just started dragging it instead.“Craving rabbit?” Lin Qianyu asked suspiciously while eating her sandwich. “Where are you planning to take that?”
Dian Dian was dragging it with difficulty, and Lin Qianyu followed curiously.
Tuan Tuan and Qiu Qiu were surrounding the rabbit the young hawk had caught earlier. After playing chase for so long, the rabbit had no strength left.
Dian Dian struggled to drag the dead rabbit over and dropped it in front of the others.
Lin Qianyu: “?”
Bullet comments: 【???】
Seeing the rabbit unmoving, Dian Dian enthusiastically nudged it toward the others’ mouths with its beak.
Fans who realized what Dian Dian was trying to do: 【……】
【Pffft hahaha! This chick is oddly sweet.】
【You want them to eat up so they’ll have the energy to keep playing, huh? Such a kind and thoughtful little bird. It’d be even better if what you brought over wasn’t their second uncle.】
...
No one knew how the three chicks and the little brown rabbit communicated, but after a burst of chirping, the rabbit directly kicked away the rabbit Dian Dian had dragged over, clearly disgusted.
Qiu Qiu dove back into the bushes to pick more wild fruits.
The little brown rabbit started munching away, totally unbothered by the predators around, smacking its three-lobed mouth contentedly.
It probably now considered the chicks its friends.
Seeing that everything was peaceful, Lin Qianyu left them to play on their own.
The leopard came back carrying a zebra, walked past the rabbit without even glancing at it, and came over to nuzzle her.
The little brown rabbit, who had been completely unafraid around the chicks, instantly tensed up as the leopard passed by.
If the leopard had so much as noticed it and turned its head to take a bite, the rabbit wouldn’t even have time to react.
Fortunately, the leopard was focused on its existing prey and didn’t pay it any attention.
“A zebra, huh.” Lin Qianyu hugged the leopard and gave it a good petting, checking for injuries. The zebra was pretty large, so she said, “Nice, we’ve got another dish for dinner tonight.”
“Yow!”
The little chevrotain came strutting back proudly, like a triumphant rooster returning from battle.
Lin Qianyu thought something had happened, but upon looking closely, saw the chevrotain also dragging a small zebra, one even bigger than itself, calling out every few steps to draw her attention.
“You caught that?” Now Lin Qianyu was genuinely stunned.
【What the—?! It graduated already?!】
【Hua Hua is that amazing?! Even taught a herbivore how to hunt zebras?!】
【How much is the apprenticeship fee? Name your price, I’ll pay right now.】
Lin Qianyu noticed the wound on the zebra’s neck—there was no way a chevrotain could’ve made that.
Herbivore teeth weren’t nearly that sharp.“It was probably Hua Hua who hunted, and the little chevrotain went out to pick one too. Then Hua Hua helped by finishing it off,” Lin Qianyu pointed at the marks on the zebra’s neck. “Look, it’s clearly visible here.”
It felt like the neck had been bitten through.
With those teeth that could barely nibble tender grass, the little chevrotain definitely couldn’t bite through a zebra’s neck.
Still, after this event, the chevrotain was in a great mood, prancing around happily.
【Don’t break the kid’s heart—cut the zebra up and feed it to him.】
【Hahaha damn! The living devil strikes again, huh.】
The little chevrotain might be enthusiastic about hunting.
But eating meat? Not a chance.
Lin Qianyu took the zebra back and placed it with the rabbits. She had come with the idea of resting and relaxing with her fluffballs, but in just a short while, dinner for the whole group had come together.
The leopard lay down beside her, still breathing a little heavily.
Lin Qianyu leaned back against the leopard like a large U-shaped lumbar pillow wrapped around her waist.
One hand gently smoothed the leopard’s fur. “Tired? Let’s sleep in the cave tonight.”
The room in the medical ward had better living conditions than the cave, but the big orange one couldn’t fit on the bed.
And yesterday, the black bear was tranquilized and hadn’t woken up, so she slept alone on the bed.
The black bear usually loved sticking close to her. If they went back there, it might end up collapsing the bed.
They’d be more comfortable outside anyway.
“Little wolf, we’ve got enough food at home. Come take a break,” Lin Qianyu waved to the steppe wolf guarding the rabbit den. But the wolf, who was obsessed with hunting, hesitated.
She added directly, “Come here so I can check your wound.”
Not “rest,” but “wound check.”
Upon hearing that, the steppe wolf didn’t hesitate and ran toward her.
“Slow down, slow down, no rush,” Lin Qianyu had already opened her arms.
She caught the wolf in a hug the moment it leapt at her, running her hand down its back.
The steppe wolf charged in with momentum, but consciously slowed as it neared her. It made a pouncing motion, then stood with its paws resting on her shoulders.
“Awooo!”
“Mhm, good boy.” Lin Qianyu patted the young wolf. “Even if it doesn’t hurt, you can’t run too long, okay?”
Mood plays a big role in wound healing, and the steppe wolf had been getting more and more chances to run freely outside, so it was clearly in high spirits.
The wound had already scabbed over.
As long as it didn’t start tearing at it again like before, running wouldn’t be a problem.
Lin Qianyu said, “You’re healing well. I’ll make extra milk for you tonight. You’ll need to bulk up.”
The former overlord of the grasslands would, sooner or later, return to his prime.“I wonder when Big Orange will be back. I bet he’ll bring back a water buffalo.” Although he’d gone off to look for Feng Jingye, he hadn’t returned yet—he must’ve gone hunting again along the way.
By then, the already excessive amount of meat at home would only increase.
“I’m gonna go pick some wild berries.” Lin Qianyu opened the watermelon—there were three boxes total. Each box had a bottom layer with dry ice packs, so even in this sweltering heat, the watermelon was still refreshingly cold.
The little bear had always loved watermelon and was the most sensitive to its scent. He rolled over and looked at Lin Qianyu with eager eyes. “Awoo!”
“Mhm, watermelon.” Lin Qianyu divided the watermelon among the little animals—one piece each.
They’d just been running and hunting in the intense heat. Lin Qianyu was hot just sitting still; with their thick fur, they were surely even hotter.
She had brought the watermelon specifically to help them cool down.
And had made sure to bring extra.
Lin Qianyu took a small piece for herself, while the black bear held a large chunk and started eating from the red flesh.
“You all eat first. We’ll have barbecue tonight. I’m going to pick some cloudberries.” Lin Qianyu took a bite of watermelon, thinking of the fresh cloudberries she could gather.
Though they were sour, they’d be perfect to balance the greasiness of grilled meat.
As she stood, she patted the leopard’s head. “I’ll leave the cubs to you.”
The place where she’d picked cloudberries earlier had some branches covering it. She didn’t know if there were more in a wider area.
Eating her watermelon, Lin Qianyu searched along the edge of the shrubbery, hoping to find other berries besides cloudberries.
With the little black snake on her wrist, she casually pushed aside branches.
And really did find some small yellow fruits.
“Yellow pineberries.” Lin Qianyu paused—these had tiny thorns on the branches, and getting pricked was rather annoying.
She crouched down and carefully picked the ripe fruits.
The hand holding the watermelon rested off to the side.
After picking only a few berries, she suddenly felt a bite taken out of the watermelon in her hand.
Lin Qianyu chuckled, assuming the little bear had finished his watermelon and come to find her. “Why’d you come over here? Done with the ones in the box already? They taste best while they’re still cool—once the ice packs melt, it’s gonna—”
Her voice trailed off as she met the eyes of the little animal that had stolen a bite of her watermelon—eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.
It had a body shape similar to a bear, but was black and white, plump and round, giving off a sense of richness. Its head was round, its tail short, looking soft and adorable—and it had those iconic dark eye patches.
This was… a giant panda?!