The cattle’s head was naturally cracked open, and the brain marrow inside was taken out to tan the cowhide.

This entire hide is massive in area, and once tanned, it can be made into a comfortable mattress.

There’s even more than enough hide for a mattress, so the leftover bits can be made into a comfy reclining chair—in essence, a sofa.

Beef cheek and tongue are delicious with a distinct flavor; their texture is remarkably firm and chewy, rich in collagen and fat, making for a great occasional taste treat.

Li Younan didn’t plan to go out today. He spent some time completing these tasks and then brought a chair to the yard.

It was already early August, which seems like a hot season, but in reality, for the high-latitude and slightly elevated Chilco Lake shores, the essence of summer was clearly running out; in two or three weeks, the temperature would drop.

At least today was a sunny day.

The warm sunlight poured down, inducing a drowsy sensation as it hit the skin.

Li Younan lounged in the rocking chair, swaying lightly as he squinted, pondering over various matters in his mind.

This month barely had any warmth left; once August passed, temperatures would suddenly drop, falling below freezing at night, with daytime highs only around ten degrees.

Even in the still relatively warm August, the weather wasn’t necessarily great.

Before coming here, Li Younan had researched the historical climate of this region, finding that in August, it rains on average about 16 days.

So, this month, searching for food would become rather inconvenient.

Thankfully, he had successfully secured this wild cow beforehand, so worrying about food wasn’t necessary now.

He could always go to the lakeside to fish, just to change the taste; and the home stock of food—beef, tallow, ghee, milk residue, starch, and the berry-made sugar from days ago—was abundant enough for three months of hearty eating.

Moreover, before winter officially came, he could still go into the forest anytime to gather fresh mushrooms, root vegetables, and berries.

With food problems resolved, the next thing to consider was how to make his life more comfortable.

Thinking of this, Li Younan turned to look at his little house, starting to ponder over what else could be remodeled for greater comfort.

The basic direction was clear—everything for enduring the winter.

Besides being a disguised journey, its essence was still a competitive program. Initially, Li Younan had planned to stay a month to get Douyin’s bonus and then leave...but now being here...

Why not just aim for the championship?

As everyone knows, the real competitive time is in winter.

The biggest problem in winter is the cold.

And starting in September, the lakeside winds will noticeably intensify.

However, this point wasn’t much of a worry for Li Younan—with earthen walls tens of centimeters thick and a fireplace indoors, the house’s insulation was excellent, ensuring warmth as long as he stayed indoors.

Thinking of this, Li Younan suddenly realized what he should do next.

After a full morning of rest, he fried some beef liver for lunch.

In the afternoon, he took a nap before starting to work.

He cut some spruce and dragged it to the backyard, setting up a rain-sheltering wooden shed against the shelter’s rear wall.

The space of the shed wasn’t large, about two square meters, and its height wasn’t much, either.

Li Younan was very satisfied with this small modification. Next, he planned to fire a batch of bricks and construct a multi-opening stove under the shed. He’d then attempt to craft several large clay pots, so he could heat enough water for bathing all at once.

Compared to metal pots, clay pots heat up slower but also release heat slower; as long as he added sufficient firewood in one go and heated the water, even if he went out, he’d still have hot water ready upon return.

No sooner said than done. After two days of leisurely rest, Li Younan began his new work.

About a week later, Li Younan fired three large clay pots for long-term water heating and bricks; then, built a stove under that shed following his previous plan.

Of course, before this, he had already taken a bath once—boiling water took five or six pots just to barely manage.

Though the bath felt fantastic afterward, the preparation process was too cumbersome.

But with this dedicated water-heating setup, bathing became much easier.

...

As things settled for Li Younan, time passed swiftly.

There were continuous rainy days in August, more so than in previous years.

During rainy times, Li Younan comfortably tucked himself inside the shelter, not once using the waterproof clothing provided by the show’s team.

While nestled in the shelter, it initially felt easygoing and relaxed, but after a long time, it still felt somewhat monotonous.

That piece of communication line was temporarily unused, so Li Younan found other ways to pass the time—wood carving.

The biggest issue with wood carving was the lack of suitable tools.

Creating intricate pieces requires a significant amount of materials, and Li Younan currently had only one hunting knife suitable for detailed carving.