On her way home from Dati Restaurant, Baili Weibu had to pass through a snow-covered forest every day, walking alone along the small river that was always only half-frozen. Among the tall spruces, occasional rustlings from unknown animals could be heard.

  In the early winter of the Bucegi Mountains (T/N: located in Romania), aside from the constant stream of visitors at the Sinaia Sanatorium, there was an overwhelming, vast silence everywhere.

  Today was December 23rd, the day before Christmas Eve. With a rge backpack on her back, Baili Weibu walked briskly into the depths of the forest, constantly gncing back with vigince as she went.

  Before Christmas Eve arrived, she had to see him!

  Roxana High School had started its winter break since st week. On the second day of the holiday, Baili Weibu went to work at the Dati Restaurant near the sanatorium. The restaurant owner, Rafael, was a kind man who looked like the KFC Colonel. He would always boast loudly to the customers, calling Baili Weibu his "Chinese angel sent by heaven"—smart, beautiful, and, most importantly, hardworking.

  Whenever others showered her with compliments, Baili Weibu would simply fsh a sweet smile and not say much in response.

  The family motto of the Baili family was just two words—"keep a low profile."

  Speaking of the Baili family, Baili Weibu had always had difficulty understanding her ancestors. She was of pure Chinese descent—her great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents were all Chinese. A century ago, the Baili family moved from China to Romania, settling in a secluded area on the outskirts of Sinaia, in the Bucegi Mountains. There, they built a three-story traditional Chinese house hidden in the dense forests of Eastern Europe. Over the span of a hundred years, they lived quietly and discreetly.

  Aside from the essentials—work, school, shopping—members of the Baili family rarely left the house. For a century, they had remained steadfast and determined, living in this forest called "Bi Luo," unknown to the outside world. (碧落; Bìluò, blue sky)

  The name of this forest was given by her great-grandfather.

  "Up to the blue sky, down to the yellow springs, both pces are vast and empty." — Baili Weibu knew the name of the forest came from a poem by Bai Juyi.

  It was indeed an odd pairing to give a forest in Eastern Europe such an ancient Chinese name.

  In the seventeen years since Baili Weibu was born, her family had only had guests three times. The most memorable visit was in the summer after her elementary school graduation. A Chinese woman, with hair flowing down past her waist, had come. She was beautiful, with a graceful figure, wearing a bck dress. She was chatting quietly with Baili Weibu's parents, their voices low, and Baili Weibu could not hear what they were saying.

  Baili Weibu frowned, watching this unfamiliar woman. From the woman's bright, flower-like smile, she sensed a hint of something unspoken, a thought that was almost revealed but held back.

  When the woman left, Baili Weibu hid behind the door, watching as her mother tightly grasped the woman's hand, reluctantly asking, "Is there really no other way? We've already lost Wei Qing. I'm afraid that in the future... Weibu will end up like her sister."

  She also saw her father, usually gentle and always smiling, furrowing his brow for the first time, his eyes filled with an urgent, expectant look as he gazed at the woman, as though hoping for a rescue.

  "I'm just here to visit an old friend," the woman smiled faintly and said softly. "Since you've named her Weibu, then let her choose every step of her future herself."

  Then, Baili Weibu clearly saw the woman turn back, catching her gaze with a mesmerizing, profound look. The woman's pale, rose-colored lips moved slightly, as if saying something silently to her.

  Was she speaking to herself? The woman had only moved her lips, but a clear voice seemed to echo in Baili Weibu's ears—"Show your true courage, Hunter."

  After the woman left, no outsiders came to their house for a long time. To be precise, it was impossible for anyone to come. Baili Weibu never invited her cssmates over to her house. There were some curious boys who secretly tried to follow this Chinese girl, but every time they did, they ended up lost. As soon as Baili Weibu stepped into "Bi Luo," those foolish boys would never be able to find her again. The towering trees seemed to come alive, moving to block their path.

  The Baili family did not allow outsiders to step foot inside.

  Because within their veins flowed the blood of the centaur tribe—born hunters, isoted from the world, existing only for their destiny.