Chapter 337: Chapter 214: A Cozy Bear-filled Afternoon

The afternoon sun streamed through the small observation opening of the shelter, casting a long and bright ray of light. The fine dust floating in the air was clearly visible within the beam.

The fire in the fireplace had waned, leaving only glowing embers that steadily emitted heat, warming the entire shelter like spring.

The little polar bear, having eaten and drunk its fill, was sprawled out on Lin Yu’an’s sleeping bag, sleeping soundly.

Its round little belly rose and fell with each even breath, and the white fur around its mouth was still stained with grease, making it look like a messy yet adorable little angel.

Occasionally, its little paws would subconsciously kick in its sleep, and it would let out a satisfied whimper or two from its throat.

Lin Yu’an leaned against the wall, quietly watching the scene, as a wave of exhaustion from a sleepless night crashed over him.

Ever since discovering this little fellow last night, Lin Yu’an’s nerves had been on high alert. Whether facing the potential threat from the mother bear or concentrating fully during the rescue, it had greatly drained his energy and stamina.

Now, with the crisis temporarily resolved and the little creature’s condition stabilized, his body was signaling a touch of fatigue.

His eyelids grew heavier, and his head began to nod.

"I need to get some sleep," he told himself.

In this wilderness, maintaining adequate energy and a clear mind is the primary law of survival. He couldn’t let the arrival of this little one disrupt his basic survival rhythm.

Carefully, he stood up, trying not to make any noise. He dragged out the spare wolf skin from the storage area and laid it out at a tactful distance from the fireplace, ensuring he would enjoy the warmth but not be directly scorched by the flames. He took off his heavy coat and lay down to make up for the lost sleep.

Just an hour after lying down, a subtle, furry sensation approached from beside him.

He opened his eyes to meet a pair of curious, obsidian-like eyes.

So, the little bear was awake.

At some point, it had crawled out of the sleeping bag and was cautiously sneaking closer to him, seemingly very curious about this huge reclining creature.

First, it sniffed the edge of the wolf skin with its little nose and then tentatively extended its pink little tongue for a taste.

Upon confirming no danger, it used its two small front legs, clumsily trying to climb up onto the "bed."

Lin Yu’an remained still, silently observing to see what this little fellow intended to do.

The little bear worked hard and finally managed to climb onto the wolf skin. But rather than lying down immediately, it circled in place beside Lin Yu’an like a little dog, seemingly searching for the most comfortable spot.

Eventually, it chose to curl up next to Lin Yu’an’s arm, snug against his body.

Lin Yu’an could clearly feel a warm, furry sensation along his side, which was the little bear’s back, pressing closely against him. Unsatisfied, it kept nudging its head, determinedly trying to burrow into his embrace.

His heartstrings were touched once more; hesitating a moment, he eventually went along with this little one’s wish. He gently turned to his side and reached out an arm, softly drawing it over. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Once the little bear’s entire body was nestled in his arms and its little head was resting contentedly on his chest, it let out a deeply satisfied sigh, as if finally finding that sought-after safe and warm haven.

It even extended a tiny paw to gently place a soft pad over Lin Yu’an’s arm, like claiming ownership.

Lin Yu’an could clearly hear the little one’s stable breathing and steady heartbeat forming a wondrous resonance with his own heartbeat in the chest cavity.

An unprecedented feeling of being wholly trusted and relied upon enveloped him. This feeling provided him with more fulfillment and stability than overcoming any beast or completing any challenge.

At the same time, he thought of the whiskey and honey far away in Alaska; they must have grown considerably again, right?

Lin Yu’an ceased resisting the overwhelming sleepiness, closed his eyes, his nose adorned with the unique scent of grease and milk emanating from the little bear, and the sound of its even breath in his ears.

He fell into a deep sleep, cradling a cub that should have been one of the Arctic’s top predators.

This was a profoundly sound sleep.

After some time, Lin Yu’an was awakened by a warm, damp sensation.

He opened his eyes to find the little bear lying on his chest, persistently licking his chin with its small, yet still rough, pink tongue — the sensation tickling him, akin to gentle sandpaper polishing.

Seeing him wake, the little bear paused its actions, tilted its head, and regarded him, emitting "mm-mm" sounds from its throat, as if urging something.

Glancing at the sky, Lin Yu’an realized it was already afternoon.

Having hugged this little fellow for several hours, his spirits and energy had recovered tremendously.

"Alright, alright, little cutie, I know you’re hungry." He chuckled while rubbing the little bear’s head.

He once more cast his gaze at the bear cub, which was now whining hungrily at his feet.

He didn’t immediately deal with the wolf’s offal and grease as he did in the morning but paused, lost in thought briefly; wolf oil and wolf liver weren’t truly sustainable options.