Go find the Squirrel Orc Clan; this is Lan's clan.

Several heavy snowfalls blanketed the forest, turning the sky and earth white. During the long snow season, there were only a few sunny days.

On rare sunny days, Jiang Yunlan would take the beastmen to the semi-circular platform for some fresh air. With enough food in the clan, she and the beastmen didn't attempt to venture into the forest to explore the surroundings, instead spending their days busy in the cave.

The beastmen concocted two quilts and even knitted a scarf to give to Lan.

They didn't have the concept of knitting a "scarf"; what they initially wanted to make was the "quilt" that Lan had mentioned. However, not yet having fully grasped the art of knitting, they misunderstood the width of the quilt, knitting the narrow, thin quilt longer and longer, eventually turning it into a scarf to give to Lan. It was originally meant to be a quilt for Lan.

The beastmen, having failed once, put all their effort into weaving the fleece blankets. One blanket was for Lan, and the other was for the two cubs.

They had only made these two quilts when the last heavy snowfall of the snow season quietly ended.

The snow and ice in the forest melted, and all things came back to life.

Jiang Yunlan awoke from her dream and heard 022 recording the sounds of the seasons, suddenly realizing that spring had arrived. She got up and looked towards the cave entrance, seeing bright light shining through the semi-circular platform.

Drawn by the bright light, she got up and went outside. It was the transition between winter and spring, and she saw flowers blooming above the snowflakes, bursting from the earth.

The interplay of pristine white snow and vibrant green life brought a single word to Jiang Yunlan's mind.

Springtime is here and the scenery is beautiful.

She was once again struck by the vigorous vitality of the plants, and in a daze, she thought she could see a mountain full of green forests about to appear.

Feng Hong was clearing the ice and snow that had frozen onto the wooden frame from the ice crystal when she looked up and saw Lan standing there in a daze. She asked in confusion, "Lan?"

Jiang Yunlan blinked and came to her senses, then smiled and replied to Feng Hong, "I'm here."

She was simply happy because of spring. No orcs had died this snow season, and the three elderly deer orcs had also survived and seen spring.

Spring has arrived, and she is finally able to begin preparing the orcs' packs for leaving the forest.

During the three months of snowfall, Jiang Yunlan barely learned half of the orc language, and could basically understand what the orcs wanted to express without them having to use gestures.

The beastmen were in much better shape than she was. After three months of language learning, they were able to communicate with Lan in Chinese.

Nowadays, the orcs are more accustomed to communicating in Chinese than in Orcish. Chinese pronunciation is clearer and easier to distinguish than Orcish, and they prefer a language that won't be misunderstood by their people.

Despite the difficult language barrier, Jiang Yunlan learned many things from the beastmen. For example, the "crisis" they encountered in the forest was caused by a beast that could wield "wind." Also, the two leopard-like beastmen had escaped from the rocky area to the upper left of the cave's location.

She also heard news related to the original owner of this body.

The two leopard beastmen had seen the corpse of a squirrel beastman, similar to her race, in the forest. Not far from the corpse, there were stone markers left by rock squirrel beastmen.

Lan didn't understand the orc language, so she couldn't possibly be a member of the Rock Squirrel Orc clan. That was what the orcs initially thought. But seeing Lan remain silent and lower her eyes because of the news about the Rock Squirrel Orcs, the orcs belatedly realized that Lan knew the Rock Squirrel Orc clan.

"Is that the Lan clan?" Maple Syrup asked.

“That’s the clan of the squirrel-beastmen who saved me,” Jiang Yunlan said.

The beastmen didn't understand why Lan was sad; those weren't Lan's clan. Yet Lan would grieve for beastmen who weren't of her own kind—squirrel beastmen, sheep beastmen, leopard beastmen…

Their deaths would bring a smile to Lan's face that would break the hearts of the beastmen.

Lan was a very soft-hearted orc. The other orcs vaguely sensed this.

...

Yanlin squatted beside Lan, watching Lan pick up different round logs and gesture with them, his beast-like paws resting obediently on his knees. When Lan handed him a log, he would carve out the width and length Lan wanted.

However, as he watched the snow at his feet gradually melt, Yan Lin found it difficult to concentrate on the matter at hand. He couldn't help but think of the leopard-beastman cub, the vanished road sign, his missing tribesmen, and his deceased chieftain, his mother.

He suddenly realized that he did want to leave the forest with Lan and the clan, but he couldn't abandon his people. He couldn't forget the promise he made to his people the day he joined the hunting party as a warrior.

“I will bring back the prey, and I will protect the clan.”

He wanted to find his kin and bring them to see Lan. He was a leopard beastman, but also a member of Lan's tribe.

"Rock Forest".

He heard a tiny squirrel-like orc cub calling to him.

"Do you remember where we saw the squirrel-beastman's corpse? I want to know what the area looks like, and what the stone landmarks look like." Jiang Yunlan glanced around to make sure Feng Hong and the others weren't looking this way before she secretly asked Yan Lin in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, 022, sitting opposite her, stared at her with her round eyes, as if she had guessed her plan.

Jiang Yunlan looked at it innocently, then turned her attention back to Yan Lin.

“It was a small, strange mushroom forest. Black birds stood on the mushrooms, crying out at the dead orcs,” Yanlin said hesitantly, recalling the past.

He thought for a while before coming up with a suitable description. Fortunately, he remembered the word "mushroom" that Lan had taught him, otherwise he wouldn't have known how to tell Lan about that strange place.

Jiang Yunlan remained silent; the description gave her a very unsettling feeling. That dark and eerie sensation instantly shot through her heart. She couldn't help but wonder if some monster might leap out of that place.

It seems I need to make more preparations. She pursed her lips, mentally preparing herself for potential danger.

The orcs had told her during the snow season that beasts capable of wielding wind were very likely to reappear after the snow season ended. Giant beasts like to roam newly traversed areas and are very likely to appear in the same place in the same season, which is why the orcs wanted to leave the forest.

The more Jiang Yunlan understood the dangers of leaving in the spring, the less she dared to let the beastmen stay. She was small, and with a little care, she could use the forest to avoid many wild animals. If she couldn't avoid them, she could use the dense woods to escape their pursuit.

Originally a squirrel beastman, she inherited the squirrel beastman's ability to climb trees. She can easily leap from one tree to another.

She had considered leaving with the beastmen, but as long as she saw this body, as long as she realized the kindness she had received from the original owner, she couldn't leave. Her second life was given to her by the original owner, and if she were to die while fulfilling the original owner's wishes, she would have already gained some time for free.

"Is Lan planning to go find the squirrel beastmen?" Yanlin suddenly asked.

Jiang Yunlan hadn't expected the usually oblivious orc to realize something was wrong so quickly this time. Without blinking, she silently exhaled and denied it with a smile: "No."

Yanlin was captivated by her confident tone and believed her without any doubt, saying to her, "Lan, let the rocks leave with you. I want to stay in the forest."

She was stunned by what she heard.

"Is Yanlin trying to find his clan?" Jiang Yunlan asked. She knew that Yanlin, Yanshi, and their clan had been separated because of the wind beast.

Yanlin nodded: "Lan, leave the road signs. I'll come back once I find my people."

“Okay,” she replied to Yanlin with a smile, her tone light and cheerful. “I will stay in the forest for the time being. After you find your people, go see Maple Sugar and the others. I will come back to find you when I’m done with my work.”

Yanlin: ?

He sensed something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Why wasn't Lan looking for the squirrel-orc clan? Why was she staying?

He stared at Lan with a puzzled look, his hand suddenly stopping as he picked up the log. He stopped planing the wood.

stare--

Jiang Yunlan blinked and said frankly, "I've decided to go find the Squirrel Beastman Clan. Rock Forest, I can't tell Maple Sugar and the others. They're leaving the forest."

He didn't understand why Lan didn't take Maple Syrup and the others with him to find the Squirrel Beastman Clan, but Lan must have thought of something to make that decision.

“I’m with Lan. Lan is very weak; she’ll die if she goes to find it by herself,” he said.

Yanlin changed his mind. He would first take Lan to the Squirrel Beastman Clan, and then take her to the Leopard Beastman Clan. Lan was clever; she would surely find the lost landmark.

The two orcs, one large and one small, secretly discussed their plan and then began making the wheels. Feng Hong and his companion were working on the main body of the wooden cart, progressing faster than the two orcs who were simultaneously talking and making the wheels.

After two days of hard work, Jiang Yunlan and the beastmen finished their first wooden cart.

Clearly, one wooden cart couldn't carry four orcs and their numerous belongings. She had no choice but to build a new wooden cart with the orcs.

"Lan, something's been a bit strange these past few days." Mo Rong looked at the busy Lan and whispered to the beastmen, including Hei Tu and Feng Hong.

Feng Hong looked up blankly, puzzled, and asked, "Really?"

“Yes. Lan is very… anxious. Lan is busy with some things and hasn’t told us about them.” Ah Bai said softly, his mood dropping.

Cotton put down the wooden board in her hand, looked at the figure of the squirrel beastman cub, and said in a gentle tone, "Lan doesn't smile much anymore."

Upon hearing these words, Kurotsuchi's eyes widened, a multitude of guesses surfacing in his mind. What was Lan worried about—food, or the giant beast?

The orcs scratched their heads, unable to figure it out.

How could they cheer Lan up? The orcs, their faces contorted in frustration, finished piecing together the second wooden cart, unable to come up with a good solution.

During the flowering season, there's plenty of food; they can gather enough along the way while searching for new habitats. Lan's worries probably aren't about food. However, they can't defeat giant beasts, and there's really nothing they can do about that; there's no way to comfort Lan.

Feng Hong and the other orcs racked their brains, trying to figure out what they could do to cheer Lan up.

Then they remembered Lan's smile as she held the snowflakes. Lan was happy to see snowflakes. But the snow season was over, and the snowflakes had all melted.

What should I give to Lan Hao...?

"That flower."

"White flowers."

Feng Hong and Mo Rong uttered the same sentence almost simultaneously. They thought of the same flower, but their thoughts were different.

Several orc heads huddled together, chattering away.

"It's time to go back." Jiang Yunlan called out to the few orcs gathered together. They nodded vigorously and followed her back, but then went out again the moment they returned to the cave.

Jiang Yunlan looked bewildered as she walked to the semi-circular platform and watched them walk along the path toward the mountaintop.

She didn't understand why, but since the gathering team of beastmen were out together, she figured there wouldn't be any danger. So she turned and went back to the cave to pack her belongings. The wooden cart was ready, and it was time for her to prepare her own luggage.

Jiang Yunlan stuffed weapons, clothes, food, and herbs into her newly made vine backpack, then began selecting other items to take: ropes for climbing trees and mountains, and a ceramic jug for holding water. She placed anything she could use next to the backpack first.

"Lan".

Hearing the beastmen's calls, Jiang Yunlan, who was in a daze, reacted for two seconds, then turned her head back blankly, her eyes showing obvious exhaustion. She saw that the beastmen were holding a large bunch of maple clematis.

Her voice disappeared, and her mind went blank.

Pure white flowers slipped from the hands of the beastmen and fell onto the squirrel-beastman cub sitting on the ground.

She watched the maple-leaf clematis fall like snowflakes, and it took her a while to find her voice. She smiled and asked the beastmen gently, her exhaustion and unseen anxiety fading considerably.

"Why did you bring all these flowers?"

They are clearly not the type to send flowers.

Feng Hong thought about it carefully and said, "When I saw Lan, I was reminded of it."

The small, wildly growing flower, high up, is just like Lan, so I wanted to give it to her.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Helpful fact: Clematis macrantha is a Class II protected plant in China and cannot be picked. However, the flower in the Beast World is not the Clematis macrantha from Earth, so it can be picked.