"Hello! I'm Su Fei, Charles and Agatha's mother. Thank you so much for earlier!" Su Fei strode right up to Romus, introducing herself while discreetly sizing him up.
Thick eyebrows, dark eyes, a straight nose, thin lips, and a strong jawline—*what a waste of such a sharp chin on a man!* Su Fei inwardly grumbled, though her own chin was now elegantly pointed. Standing around 180 cm tall with an upright posture, Romus cut a dashing figure in his hunter-green outfit.
"Hello, I'm Romus, a hunter. I accidentally wandered into the Yalixiya Forest today—my apologies." Romus responded politely, though he couldn't understand why Su Fei was scrutinizing him like a piece of merchandise. It made him uneasy.
"Oh, a hunter? You're amazing! Charles told me you even know magic! A true hidden master—poor forest animals, having someone as skilled as you after them!" Su Fei gushed, not realizing how her "praise" might sound to others.
She recalled an online quiz from her past life: *If you could be anything in your next life, what would you choose?* Her answer had been *a tree in a primeval forest*—safe from logging, long-lived, and able to witness the world's changes.
*This hunter might just be the perfect choice.* Handsome, capable, decent—someone who could protect her (not that she needed it with Charles around). Imagine living in a forest cabin, hunting together—like a secluded paradise!
After all she'd been through, Su Fei no longer believed in grand romance. Companionship was enough. *As long as he's human and we can grow old together, feelings can develop over time.*
She was already plotting how to win him over.
Romus caught her gaze and shivered. *What does she want?*
Thanks to his heroism, the king pardoned Romus for trespassing in the royal forest and even granted him permanent hunting rights. A small cabin was built for him at the forest's edge for rest between hunts.
That cabin soon became a frequent haunt for Su Fei and her family. Whenever Romus hunted, Su Fei tagged along eight times out of ten. With her Phoenix Bag preserving game and carrying supplies, their trips felt more like picnics than hunts—three meals a day, plus snacks. Romus had never imagined hunting could be so... domestic. Of course, night watch was still his duty, though now he stole glances at Su Fei's tent before dawn.
Poking the dying campfire, Romus allowed himself a rare smile—one Su Fei would've marveled at, given how stingy he was with expressions.
Over a month had passed since Su Fei started following him. At first, he'd tried ditching her, but her stubbornness wore him down. No matter how far he went or how thick the brambles, she'd catch up, scratched but undeterred. *Lucky she never ran into real predators—her half-baked magic wouldn't save her.*
Gradually, he grew accustomed to her presence, even chuckling at her jokes sometimes.
For ten years in Qilixiya, he'd been alone—task to task, forest to city. Loneliness was his norm. Then came Su Fei, barreling into his life with relentless warmth. He knew she was pursuing him. *But how can I reciprocate? My life isn't mine to give.*
Yet here he was, trapped in emotions he couldn't act on. The best he could do was stay distant, hoping she'd lose interest. *Better that than breaking promises I can't keep.*
His gaze softened as he watched her tent.
Su Fei was the first to make him feel *warmth*—something beyond the fleeting satisfaction of completed missions.
---
Inside her tent, Su Fei listened to crickets and crackling embers, wide awake.
*That blockhead! A whole month, and still no reaction! What kind of woman does he even like? Passing up someone as sweet, smart, and talented as me—he must have weird tastes! Ugh... but giving up now wastes all that effort. Finding a new target's such a hassle!* She flopped onto her back, staring at the tent ceiling. *Fine, one more try.*
Had she known Romus was thinking of her too, she might've stayed up all night giddy.
At dawn, Su Fei tiptoed out, determined to surprise him. She rebuilt the fire and began cooking congee, stirring quietly.
*If Liber were here, he'd be drooling.* She smirked. *Since when do vampires crave human food?*
Romus had woken the moment she left the tent. Watching her work, he marveled at how she conjured cookware from that tiny pouch. The rising aroma wrapped around him like a daydream. *If only I were just an ordinary hunter...*
When the congee was ready, Su Fei gently roused him. "Romus, breakfast. Eat first, then rest. We can hunt later."
"Mmm." He pretended to wake, accepting the bowl with hidden emotion. *If time could freeze here...*
Their hunt yielded no game, but Su Fei gathered berries and herbs—safe with Romus guiding her. She even collected more Dragon's Lament berries. *Mess with me, and you'll regret it!*
Yet Romus remained as impassive as ever, infuriating her. *All that effort for nothing!*
Fuming, she stripped every bush bare, leaving Romus dumbfounded.
---
Back at the shop, Liber nibbled pastries, sulking. "Where's Su Fei been? Ever since that forest trip, she's been acting strange—vanishing with the kids too. No one tells me anything fun!"
Just then, Su Fei's shout startled him: "Stop following me!"
*Who pissed off the boss this time?*
**Will Romus ever break his silence—or will Su Fei's pursuit end in heartbreak?**