The Jiangcheng city had entered the plum rain season, and the rain had not ceased.
Fine raindrops, wrapped in the cold evening breeze, pattered against the misty glass windows of the "Phoenix Tree Small Restaurant", blurring the warm yellow light inside.
It was already nine o'clock at night, and the neon lights in the business district gradually dimmed. In this old alley, only this small restaurant remained lit. The owner had closed up shop, and in the kitchen, only the sound of water splashing in the sink could be heard.
Lu Chengyan leaned against the narrow passageway by the back door, a cigarette unlit between his fingers. The hood of his black hoodie was pulled down low, covering most of his face, revealing only a sharp jawline and tightly pursed thin lips.
His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his forearms were well-defined. Water droplets trickled down his forehead and splashed onto the cement ground, leaving a small wet mark. He had just finished washing the last stack of dishes, and the tips of his fingers still carried the faint scent of detergent.
His bony hands casually wiped the water off his apron and he raised his eyes to look at the skyscraper at the end of the alley - the headquarters of Shengxing Group.
The entire building was bathed in a glow, and the light in the top floor's president's office always stayed on the longest, like a lighthouse that did not belong to the human world. Lu Chengyan lowered his eyes, concealing the sharpness that flashed in them.
Three days ago, he had escaped from a chase, covered in wounds, and tumbled into this alley. He was taken in by the kind-hearted restaurant owner and worked as a dishwasher in exchange for a meal.
No one knew that this taciturn and efficient dishwasher would transform into a huge silver-gray wolf on a full moon night, howling in the mountains and forests.
He was in hiding. Hiding from those who coveted his bloodline and wanted to cut out his wolf heart to make medicine, and also from his own increasingly uncontrollable wild nature.
"Clang!" A faint sound of wheels rolling over the ground came from the alley entrance. A black Bentley glided silently into the alley's end, its headlights off, like a crouching black panther.
The driver respectfully opened the rear door, first extending a foot in high heels, the heel tapping on the wet stone pavement, making a crisp and cold sound.
Su Wan stepped out of the car, holding a black umbrella. Her white silk shirt was neatly tailored, and her high-waisted black wide-leg pants accentuated her smooth and upright neck and shoulders, exuding a cold and alluring aura.
Her long hair was loosely tied at the back of her head, revealing a smooth forehead and sharp, fierce eyebrows.
Her nose was high and her lips were pale, and she carried an air of aloofness that came from being in a high position for a long time. She had just finished a cross-border video conference and had not even had time for dinner.
Her assistant had recommended this small restaurant hidden in the old alley, saying that the food was authentic and the place was quiet and undisturbed.
The brim of her umbrella was pulled down low, covering most of her expression, leaving only a tense jawline, exuding a weary and unapproachable air.
The restaurant was already closed, and the roller shutter was half-drawn. Su Wan walked to the door, just about to raise her hand to knock, when her gaze inadvertently swept past the narrow alley by the back door.
In that moment, she froze. In the rain and mist, the man leaning against the wall slightly raised his head. The hood of his hoodie slipped down a little, revealing his complete features.
His brow bones were sharp, his eye sockets slightly deep, and his pupils were a very light amber color, like hidden ice in the dim light, with an untamed wildness.
His nose was straight and his lips were well-shaped, and his entire face was strikingly handsome, not the delicate and gentle beauty of the entertainment industry, but a fierce and powerful handsomeness that seemed ready to break free at any moment.
He had no scent of perfume, only the smell of rain, detergent, and a very faint, cold scent similar to pine needles and the wilderness. Despite wearing the most ordinary hoodie and faded jeans, he exuded a dangerous beauty like a lone wolf in the wild.
The moment their eyes met, Lu Chengyan's muscles tensed up suddenly. Instinct was warning him. This woman had a strong presence, her aura calm, restrained, and highly controlling, like a famous sword sheathed, seemingly gentle but actually sharp and exposed.
The way she looked at him was not in amazement or curiosity, but a top-down, emotionless scrutiny, precise and sharp. Su Wan also frowned slightly. She had seen too many handsome men.
The entertainers signed under the entertainment company of Shengxing Group were all exceptionally good-looking, and the business tycoons were no less dashing. But this man was different.
There was an indescribable wildness about him, as if beneath his skin and flesh was not blood and flesh but a wild beast's nature. His amber eyes were calm, not at all like those of an ordinary dishwasher. Like a wolf.
A lone wolf that had been injured and was now hiding in the city, eking out a living.
"Excuse me..."
Su Wan spoke first, her voice cold and low, carrying the unique composure of a CEO of a listed company,
"Are you still open?"
Lu Chengyan withdrew his gaze and lowered his head again, his voice hoarse and low, with no particular emotion.
"The boss is gone. We're not doing business anymore."
His tone was flat, even a little distant, showing no sign of the nervousness or flattery one would expect when facing someone of her status.
Su Wan's umbrella tip moved slightly. There were few things that Su Wan wanted but couldn't get. A meal, a person, were no exceptions. She walked closer slowly, raising her black umbrella slightly to reveal her cold and deep eyes, looking straight at him.
"I'm very hungry. Just make something simple. We can talk about the price."
The rain was still falling. Warm yellow light leaked from the window gap, falling between the two of them, creating a hazy glow. Lu Chengyan raised his eyes and looked at her again.
In his amber pupils, there was the woman's cold and beautiful face, and the endless night of the bustling city behind her. And he was a wolf that shouldn't have been here. But on this rainy night, he was caught by her.