Chapter 363: Chapter 220: Thirty-third Day!

He wasn’t completely immersed in this warmth because there was still an important "research task" to be completed.

He quietly waited for about half an hour until he could judge from Lin Yu’an’s breathing depth and frequency that he had entered the deepest stage of deep sleep.

He knew the time had come, and cautiously withdrew his arm from underneath Lin Yu’an’s head, then slowly crawled out of the sleeping bag.

Throughout the process, he held his breath, afraid of making any sound.

Silently, he approached the electronic scale, stepped onto it with his feet slightly apart, maintaining absolute stillness in his body.

The blue backlight of the scale’s screen lit up, the numbers rapidly flickering before finally settling. He silently noted down this total weight of the package.

Then he quietly walked back to the side of the sleeping bag. He bent down, inhaling deeply the milky scent from Lin Yu’an’s fuzzy fur.

Then he extended his hands, suspending them beneath Lin Yu’an’s body, feeling the warmth emanating from him, estimating his weight and center of gravity.

One hand supporting his chest and belly, the other under his hips, lifting the sleeping Lin Yu’an up entirely.

The little guy stirred uneasily in his arms, seemingly dreaming about something, muttering a vague sound, his little paws unconsciously swiping in the air, but ultimately not waking up.

Lin Yu’an held the heavy and warm "Little Fatty," stepped onto the electronic scale again, maintaining the same stillness. The numbers on the screen stabilized once more.

Using this new total weight, he subtracted his previously noted self-weight, and an exact number instantly calculated in his mind.

He gently placed Lin Yu’an back into the sleeping bag, in exactly the same position, tucking in the edges of the sleeping bag for him.

Then he immediately picked up the electronic recorder, and under the fireplace’s glow in the darkness, completed today’s data:

"Weight: 10.8 kilograms. (Using the subtraction method, measured while the cub was in a state of deep sleep to avoid stress reactions and ensure data accuracy.)"

Looking at the 10.8 kilograms figure, an irrepressible expression of joy appeared on his face.

Speaking softly into the GoPro camera, he said, "Wow, it’s gained almost 200 grams in just one day! This specialized milk powder is truly amazing."

Weight is the golden indicator of a cub’s health status; stable weight growth means Lin Yu’an’s body has fully adapted to the new food, growing at an ideal speed.

Finally, it’s about body length. He took out the roll of soft tape measure, gently pulling it open to avoid making a "whoosh" sound.

"Measuring body length is crucial for assessing skeletal development; in laboratories or zoos, the most standard method is measuring the straight body length when fully extended."

"For example, measuring from the front end of the sternum to the end of the pelvic ischium most accurately reflects trunk growth."

"But now..." he glanced at the soundly sleeping Lin Yu’an, whose body naturally curled into a C shape.

"Under circumstances where we can’t disturb him, forcibly stretching him may interrupt his deep sleep or cause stress. So, I can only use the curve length method suggested in the guide."

He aligned the zero mark of the tape measure with Lin Yu’an’s moist, black little nose. It’s a fixed, easily recognizable marker, ensuring consistent starting points for each measurement.

Then he let the tape measure follow the natural curvature of his spine, closely adhering to the midline of his back, over the highest point of the scapula, along the spinal contour, all the way up to the base of the tail covered in fur.

His movements were so gentle, it was almost just the tape measure’s weight laying on the top of the fur, and the measurement proceeded unusually smoothly.

He obtained an exact reading and swiftly picked up the electronic recorder, supplementing today’s data using the screen’s glow in the darkness:

"Body Length (curve measurement): 72.5 cm."

With this, all of today’s research data collection tasks were perfectly completed!

Lin Yu’an exhaled a deep breath, feeling as if he had accomplished a highly difficult bomb disposal task.

He climbed back into the warm sleeping bag, bringing Lin Yu’an into his arms once again. This time, he truly relaxed entirely, both mentally and physically.

Sleepiness, accompanied by the warmth from the fire and the rhythmic breathing, flooded his consciousness like a rising tide.

He was thoroughly immersed in slumber.

On the thirty-third day, Lin Yu’an was awakened by a gentle yet persistent nudge.

He opened his eyes, and the first thing that caught his attention was a pair of pure, black obsidian-like eyes, sniffing curiously at his cheek with a little nose.

Lin Yu’an woke up, using his furry little head to gently nudge against his arm, making a slight humming sound from his throat indicating "I’m hungry."

Lin Yu’an smiled, ruffled the little fellow’s head, and got up to open the shelter’s door. Instantly, the entire world’s light poured in without reservation.

It was an ultimate brightness; the sunlight had reflected over the vast snowy plains countless times, losing all warmth, the pure white light illuminating the entire shelter.

A bright beam of light projected straight inside through the doorway, with countless tiny ice crystals and dust floating and swirling within it, filling the space with a sense of divinity.

Lin Yu’an instinctively squinted his eyes to adjust to the sudden bright light. He stood at the door, deeply moved by the scene before him.