Carrying a reindeer, with a small hare on his back.

Chen Wen just needs to hum a little tune.

The lynx carried Chen Wen's bag, while the Golden Eagle stood atop the bag carried by the lynx, looking particularly harmonious.

This trip was truly fulfilling and overachieved the mission!

Looking at the two animals, Chen Wen couldn't be more satisfied.

Moreover, this time gave him some experience.

In the future, when looking for specific animals, he must first check if there are any conflicts between these two animals.

If there are, they must be resolved in advance.

One cannot wait for conflicts to escalate before fixing them.

Though it's not too late then, the cost is far greater than resolving it at the first sight.

The trio returned to the shelter.

Seeing the reindeer Chen Wen carried, Hua Yun nodded slightly.

But seeing the harmonious Golden Eagle and lynx.

Hua Yun was so surprised she took a half step back.

"Are these two fully reconciled?"

Hua Yun said in surprise, reaching out to rub the lynx's head.

The lynx was very close to Hua Yun, leaning directly against her.

The Golden Eagle, on the other hand, lifted the bag to one side and stood to rest on the eyrie Chen Wen built for it.

Chen Wen nodded and said, "This matter, well, it's like a kid without a mother, it's a long story."

Hua Yun chuckled, "Time is the one thing we don't lack. By the way, since you're back and brought so much food, we won't hunt anymore. This amount is enough for us to eat for more than a month if we ration it."

"Pretty much."

Chen Wen nodded slightly.

He actually felt that stockpiling a bit more would be more secure.

But, they could also hunt while traveling later, so there wasn't much need to worry about food shortages.

Hua Yun continued, "So we won't hunt anymore. Before the river freezes over and the heavy snow falls, let's tan these animal hides."

Tanning leather!

Chen Wen's eyes lit up, as he was looking forward to learning this craft from Hua Yun.

...

The next day came.

Last night, Chen Wen and Hua Yun worked on the reindeer, taking up an entire night.

Forcing them to make do with jerky for dinner.

The following morning, after a simple breakfast, Chen Wen started preparing for a sumptuous lunch.

He strung up two cleaned snowshoe hares, planning to roast them for a meal.

Chen Wen directly removed a leg from the reindeer.

He chopped the reindeer leg into chunks, broke the leg bone, and put it in a pot to boil.

In the span of a morning, the reindeer leg would definitely cook to tenderness.

By noon, they'd surely have hot reindeer meat and venison soup to eat.

After finishing these tasks, Chen Wen looked at the swirling snow, filled with emotion.

If the Yukon River were a beautiful girl.

Then, in a blink, the Yukon girl changed her outfit.

From a woolen coat of green and yellow to snowy white winter clothes.

Making this southern boy particularly envious.

"Snow is great!"

The lynx sighed, "For us lynxes, when it snows, many of our predators are reduced."

"During this time, we can safely go out hunting, and by the time the snow is thickest, look for a mate."

Chen Wen couldn't help but grin at these words.

The lynx, despite sounding like a little girl, is quite an open-minded young lady.

Previously, she even mentioned to Chen Wen to find her a mate, preferably an entirely black one.

Chen Wen said at the time that it was harder than climbing to the sky.

He'd only seen one pure black atypical Canadian lynx.

The chances of finding another were extremely slim.

As for the Golden Eagle, it didn't like snow at all.

It hates snow.

With snow, prey either hibernate or gather in groups.

A lone aged eagle would find it hard to fill its belly in such times.

"I still remember last winter, when I finally found a reindeer that had been gnawed by a pack of wolves, intending to have a feast, but was chased away by a fierce female eagle."

The Golden Eagle sighed at the memory, "Honestly, that female eagle was quite beautiful. If she hadn't chased me away, I would've tried to pursue her."

Chen Wen patted the Golden Eagle sympathetically.

However, the Golden Eagle said, "Since meeting you, I've lost interest in those stupid and rough female eagles. You humans know so many animals; is there a pretty and smart female eagle like me? Help me find one!"

Chen Wen rolled his eyes, retracting his hand in disdain.

This Golden Eagle was something else indeed.

Why does it seem both of these critters are in heat at the same time?

It's winter, after all!

Though it's not very appropriate to say, Chen Wen wanted to ask the Golden Eagle one thing.

Buddy, in this kind of weather, can you even get it on?

Logically, animals have their mating seasons in spring.

How's that saying go?

Spring is coming, and with it, all things revive; it's once again the mating season for animals, with the forest air thick with the scent of hormones...

But in the Yukon, animals either mate in autumn or deep winter.

Is it because there's nothing else to do in winter, so it's just that?

Forget it, let's not think about it anymore. If I keep thinking, it'll become unfit for broadcast.

Chen Wen shook his head, noticing Hua Yun returning with a kettle.

Hua Yun, in order to teach Chen Wen how to tan leather, had gone to fetch water by the riverside early in the morning.

"It's freezing."

Upon reaching the campfire, Hua Yun shook off the cold, "At this rate, it won't be long before the ice can support people walking."

Chen Wen nodded.

They had stayed in the river valley for a long time, and the sled and provisions were ready.

It truly was time to hit the road and catch up with their journey.

"Come on, these next two days we'll tan the leather. I saw on the map that in about twenty days we'll reach a small town that still has a decent population. We can barter the tanned leather for some supplies."

Hua Yun said, handing the kettle to Chen Wen, "Got the stuff ready?"

"Everything's here, grizzly bear skull, reindeer skull, beaver fat... and these hides."

Chen Wen checked the tools Hua Yun asked him to prepare and asked, "What are all these for?"

"Tanning."

Hua Yun set up the camera in front of her and began her explanation.

"Tanning is using a variety of things to subject hides to a series of physical and chemical changes, eventually turning raw hide into leather..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wen already felt a headache.

"Hold on, hold on, I'm a liberal arts student; I can't follow this stuff."

Hua Yun smirked, "Even if you're a college student, you should listen. It's the simplest summary of tanning; after hearing it, you'll more or less understand."

Chen Wen clicked his tongue, and with some helplessness said, "Well, Miss Hua, you go ahead."

"Listen up, that's the concept of tanning. Next, let's proceed directly to practical work."

Seeing that Chen Wen genuinely couldn't follow, Hua Yun opted for the most direct and intuitive method.

Explaining as she worked.

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