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Tao Qiu confirmed it a few seconds later: it was a fox's cry.

He originally intended to lull the children to sleep first and then go out to check on the situation, but the children were also very curious after waking up and weren't sleepy, so Tao Qiu took them with him.

The cubs were bird-shaped, but Tao Qiu still draped small blankets over them, and he himself put on thick clothes.

Pushing open the bamboo door, the wind wasn't strong tonight, but the temperature was low, and the four of them shivered as soon as they stepped outside.

Looking in the direction from which the sound came, we saw that it was Fox Mountain.

The fox's cry contained sorrow and pain; it had no specific meaning, it was simply a wail.

This commotion couldn't have been made by just one or two foxes, and the only thing worth so many foxes weeping for is probably...?

Tao Qiu slightly opened her eyes, her emotions a complex mix of feelings.

The Third Cub tugged at Tao Qiu's sleeve with their pointed beaks, and after he looked over, they asked, "Chirp chirp? Chirp chirp?"

--Why are they crying? What happened?

Tao Qiu crouched down and said to the three bewildered cubs, "The old patriarch of the Fox Clan has died. He was as close and important to the Fox Clan as I am to you, which is why they are crying so sadly."

The children had never even seen Red Fox, let alone felt anything for the old fox. But when they heard their father say that the foxes were crying for their old chieftain because they loved him as much as they loved him, they could understand why the foxes were crying so bitterly, putting themselves in the foxes' shoes.

The family of four remained silent for a long time, all gazing heavily in the direction of Fox Mountain.

Even though he already knew the old fox wouldn't live much longer, and had seen him looking haggard before, Tao Qiu still felt that this day had come unexpectedly.

Before winter, he met Lou Yu for the last time. Lou Yu told him about the test results, and the base expressed its willingness to accept Red Fox in place of Old Fox to have materials taken.

After he returned, he made a special trip to the mountain to inform them, and the old fox even smiled and thanked him.

Little did they know that would be the last time they saw each other.

The nights in late winter and early spring were still quite cold. After standing there for a while, Tao Qiu took the children back home.

The warmth in the bed had mostly dissipated, so Tao Qiu cuddled her children and covered them with the blankets to warm up again.

The wailing outside continued; none of them felt sleepy for a while.

The Eldest Cub, resting its head on Tao Qiu's arm, stared at him for a while before suddenly asking, "Chirp, chirp chirp?"

--Dad, will you die in front of us?

The boy didn't understand the intricacies of the conversation and spoke very bluntly. Tao Qiu paused for a moment before saying, "If we're talking about age, I'd walk ahead of you."

After their older brother asked the question, the Second Cub and Third Cub also pricked up their ears to listen. Just now, Tao Qiu used them as an analogy to the relationship between the Fox Clan and the old clan leader, which inevitably made them associate the old clan leader's death with Tao Qiu.

Tao Qiu's reply was like a knife stuck in their hearts.

Second Cub transformed into human form, threw himself into Tao Qiu's arms, and hugged his neck, acting both spoiled and affectionate, "I don't want Daddy to die, I want to stay with Daddy forever."

Tao Qiu hugged her, sat up, and also pulled the Third Cub Eldest Cub into her arms.

"Dad understands. You all miss Dad, and Dad misses you too."

He spoke softly, "But birth, aging, sickness, and death are like the cycle of the four seasons; this is the law of nature, and no one can escape it."

Seeing her children's eyes redden and their expressions as if they were about to cry, Tao Qiu quickly added, "Even if Daddy will pass away before you, you are still young now, and Daddy is still very young. There are still many, many springs to go before Daddy dies, more than I can count on my fingers. So don't be sad about things that haven't happened yet. Look, our little darlings are about to shed tears."

As Tao Qiu spoke, she reached out to wipe away the tears of her three children. The Third Cub rubbed against Tao Qiu's hand, choking back sobs as they earnestly murmured, "Chirp, chirp."

--I want to die with my dad; we'll never be apart, even in death.

The Eldest Cub Second Cub also responded enthusiastically.

Eldest Cub: "Chirp, chirp."

--How long Dad lives, that's how long we'll live.

Second Cub: "Lying down with Daddy, together, in a grave mound, with long hair!"

For children, death is terrifying, but they don't really understand where the terror lies.

Therefore, in their view, death can be as devastating as the collapse of the sky, worthy of tears, or as simple as a gentle breeze, allowing for a natural discussion about whether one prefers grass or flowers to grow on a grave.

Tao Qiu didn't consider the various possible changes in the future for his children, such as whether they might separate along the way, or whether they might have their own spouses and children and be unable or unwilling to accompany him anymore.

As he just said, there's no need to worry about things that haven't happened yet. Such anxiety only makes you feel bad in the present moment and has no other purpose.

He smiled and replied to his children, "Okay, when Dad is about to die, we'll pick a good burial plot, and then we'll lie down in a row like we're sleeping, and we'll ask someone to cover it with soil and plant flowers on it."

The Second Cub asked, "Can I let them plant what I like, and maybe it will bring good fortune?"

Tao Qiu said, "Sure, it's our own grave. We can plant whatever we want."

The Third Cub: "Chirp, chirp."

--The place you lie on should be soft for a comfortable sleep.

Eldest Cub: "Chirp, chirp."

--Dad will still lie in the middle, and we'll surround him.

The kids? They've started planning how to build their graves, even discussing what toys to bring, what food to eat, and what clothes to wear. It doesn't sound like they're going to die; it sounds like they're on a spring outing.

Tao Qiu chuckled, letting them make a scene.

As night deepened and the foxes' cries outside gradually subsided, drowsiness returned, and the cubs nestled into Tao Qiu's arms, falling asleep without realizing it.

After some time, the sunny days became more frequent, the sunshine grew warmer, the snowman at the door melted away completely, tender shoots sprouted on the grass, and the mutated monsters that had been hiding all winter also emerged from their lairs to forage for food and replenish their energy.

The Red Fox was the first to come and exchange crops, using pheasants and eggs.

The new crop hasn't been planted yet, so Tao Qiu can only trade him what she has left over from winter.

Tao Qiu expressed his condolences for the passing of the old fox. The Red Fox had probably already grieved, and even if the matter were brought up again, his expression remained relatively calm.

"Mmm..."

--The old clan chief, fearing he would suffer the same fate as the Green Python's mother, realized he was nearing his end and asked me and White Fox to kill him beforehand. We couldn't bear to hurt him, so he said that if we didn't kill him, he would jump off a cliff, and we wouldn't even be able to find his remains. White Fox and I had no choice but to do as he said.

Having killed their own father, one can only imagine the despair the Red Fox and White Fox felt.

The reason the Red Fox told him such detailed information was probably because she needed someone to confide in.

The expectations of his kin forced him to become a strong, steady, and reliable patriarch; he could not show his vulnerable side in front of them.

Tao Qiu wasn't Fox Clan, and she was somewhat familiar with him, considering him a half-friend, so it was appropriate to confide in him.

The Red Fox practically wanted to have "comfort me" etched on its face, so Tao Qiu couldn't pretend to be blind and instead gave him a heartfelt chatter.

The old patriarch was thinking of you until the very end. He was an elder worthy of your lifelong love and respect. You and the White Fox obeyed his orders precisely because you loved him. He will not hate you, but will be gratified by your understanding. You can mourn for him as much as you like, but please do not blame yourselves. Blaming yourselves will only betray his good intentions.

These words clearly touched Red Fox's heart; his eyes welled up with tears, and he said to Tao Qiu, "Mmm..."

--Snow Bird, you're so good at talking, you're such a good bird.

This time, Tao Qiu wasn't mischievous and replied seriously, "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

--I hope this cheers you up. You need to pull yourself together quickly; the entire Fox Clan needs your protection.

The Red Fox nodded, its eyes reddening even more.

If he lived in a human society, he probably would have spent money to request "Brothers, Give Me a Hug" for Tao Qiu and played it on repeat ten times.

Finally, the Red Fox was appeased, and the crops were obtained. When it returned, the fox was completely satisfied.

Watching the Red Fox's visibly more relaxed figure, Tao Qiu stroked his chin, wondering if he should have chosen psychology as his major in his past life?

In the warm spring, mutated monsters, whether for survival or reproduction, begin to spare no effort in seizing resources.

Thus, the human base once again became a coveted prize, forcing the start of the annual defense battle.

A flock of black crows, heading towards the human base, came from the other side of the mountain. As they passed through Tao Qiu's territory, they seemed to take a liking to the valley.

But before they could get close, Tao Qiu transformed into his largest size, flew into the air, and killed several of the leading mutated crows.

Seeing that he could even kill the largest crows, the other crows realized his extraordinary strength and fluttered about in all directions, losing their formation. Only after they had fled his territory in a panic did they regroup.

Tao Qiu returned to the mountaintop, looking in the direction they had headed, his eyes darkening.

In the following days, there were at least three waves of mutated monsters heading towards the human base from Tao Qiu's territory alone, not to mention those coming from other directions.

Tao Qiu often stood on the low hill closest to the base, quietly gazing into the distance, silently praying for Lou Yu's safety.

The three chicks stood at the entrance of the burrow, pecking at pears. Watching their father's slightly forlorn figure, they huddled together, chirping softly.

Eldest Cub: "Chirp, chirp."

--That's the direction of the human base. Is Dad thinking about that human again?