1. A computer-implemented method for forwarding packets, the method comprising: receiving, by an intermediate node, a first packet which has a name and a first nonce, wherein the first packet indicates a set of member interests, wherein a member interest has a name, wherein a name is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier that includes contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level; in response to not obtaining a matching entry in a pending interest table based on the name for the first packet, creating a new entry in the pending interest table, wherein an entry includes a second nonce, a reference count, and a set of arrival nonces and corresponding arrival interfaces; setting the new entry's second nonce to a new nonce; setting the new entry's reference count to a number of member interests indicated in the first packet; and forwarding the first packet, wherein the first nonce is replaced with the new nonce, thereby facilitating efficient communication of the set of member interests indicated in the first packet.