The entire ride back to the hotel, Chen Guanlin remained silent.
Kong Li sat nervously beside him, stealing glances every few seconds.
Something was wrong with his boss.
Very wrong.
Chen Guanlin stared out the tinted window while rainwater slid across the glass.
Golden eyes.
That was all he could see.
The strange woman had disappeared from his mind for only a few minutes before returning stronger than before.
Yan.
Even her name sounded dangerous.
"You're distracted, President Chen," Kong Li finally muttered carefully.
Chen Guanlin ignored him.
That irritated the secretary even more.
Ever since working under the Chen family, Kong Li had seen countless women throw themselves at Chen Guanlin.
Models.
Actresses.
Daughters of wealthy families.
Even foreign princesses during business events.
Yet Chen Guanlin had never looked at any of them twice.
But today—
One wild woman from the mountains had shaken him completely.
Kong Li hesitated before speaking again.
"Should I investigate her?"
That finally caught Chen Guanlin's attention.
His dark eyes shifted slowly toward him.
"Yes."
Kong Li almost regretted offering.
"Find out everything."
Meanwhile, deep within the forest—
Yan sprinted through the trees at terrifying speed.
Her bare feet barely touched the ground as she leapt over fallen branches and rocks effortlessly.
The wind carried unfamiliar scents behind her.
Human.
Still lingering.
Her chest tightened strangely.
Annoying.
She disliked the feeling.
Yet the more she tried to ignore it—
The more she remembered him.
The scent of cedar wood and ocean salt.
The calm look in his brown eyes.
The confidence in his posture.
Most humans feared her.
Chen Guanlin had not.
Instead—
He looked at her like he wanted to devour her.
Yan's lips slowly curved upward.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Suddenly—
A small figure crashed directly into her.
"Yan!"
A little boy clung tightly to her waist while growling unhappily.
Yan's expression instantly softened.
"Little cub."
The child buried his face against her stomach and sniffed her suspiciously.
Then his golden eyes narrowed.
"Human smell."
Yan stiffened slightly.
Sharp instincts.
Just like his father.
The boy crossed his arms angrily.
"You left long."
Yan crouched in front of him and rubbed his messy dark hair.
"Needed hunt."
The little boy frowned harder.
"You smell weird."
Yan blinked once.
Weird?
Before she could answer, an elderly voice interrupted them.
"You encountered humans again."
Yan turned toward the entrance of the hidden den where old Jun Dishi stood watching her carefully.
Even after all these years, his sharp eyes still missed nothing.
Yan remained silent.
That alone was enough confirmation.
Jun Dishi sighed heavily.
"This is exactly what I feared."
Years ago, he had discovered Yan living like an animal in the forest.
And from the moment he realized how beautiful and abnormal she was—
He knew one day humans would destroy her peace.
Humans feared what they did not understand.
And hunted what fascinated them.
"Stay away from them," Jun Dishi warned seriously.
Yan frowned.
"Why?"
"Because humans are dangerous."
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"So am I."
Jun Dishi fell silent.
That was true.
Very true.
Late that night, inside the presidential suite of Alishan House Hotel—
Chen Guanlin stood shirtless near the window.
Rain hammered against the glass while city lights flickered below the mountains.
His meeting earlier had been a complete disaster.
Not because the negotiations failed—
But because he had not listened to a single word spoken.
All day, his thoughts returned to one person.
Yan.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
Kong Li hurried inside carrying a tablet and several files.
"President Chen, I investigated the surrounding villages and nearby towns."
Chen Guanlin finally turned around.
"Well?"
Kong Li swallowed nervously.
"There's no record of her."
Silence.
"No identification."
"No family registration."
"No employment history."
"No hospital records."
"Nothing."
Chen Guanlin's eyes darkened dangerously.
Impossible.
A woman like that could not simply appear from nowhere.
Unless—
She had never lived among humans at all.
Kong Li hesitated before continuing.
"There's something else…"
Chen Guanlin raised an eyebrow.
"The locals around the mountain speak about… strange things."
"What kind of strange things?"
Kong Li looked uncomfortable.
"They say there's a ghost living in the forest."
Chen Guanlin almost laughed.
"A ghost?"
"They call her the Golden Beast."
The room became silent.
Kong Li forced himself to continue.
"Hunters claim they've seen glowing golden eyes watching them at night."
"Some say wild animals obey her."
"Others claim she kills wolves with her bare hands."
Chen Guanlin remembered the fresh wolf skin hanging over Yan's shoulder.
Suddenly—
None of it sounded ridiculous anymore.
Instead of fear—
Excitement spread through him.
His lips slowly curved upward.
For the first time in years, something truly interested him.
"Prepare the car tomorrow morning."
Kong Li blinked.
"…Where are we going?"
Chen Guanlin picked up his coat calmly.
"Back to the forest."