In Love with the Werewolf Count

Chapter 3

The first to emerge from the conference room at the Taipei headquarters of the Jixian Consortium was a remarkably handsome man, the current president of the consortium, William.

A throng of senior executives followed in his wake. "Alright, you may return to your duties."

"President, Mr. Zhang wishes to see you," the secretary reported, stepping forward.

Mr. Zhang? He did not recall knowing anyone by that surname. "Which Mr. Zhang?"

"Mr. Jonathan, the head of the Rejuvenation Biological Research and Conservation Center," the secretary replied, glancing at her notebook.

The Rejuvenation Biological Research and Conservation Center? William mused as he stepped into the elevator. The secretary followed closely behind.

Just as he was about to refuse, a thought struck him—wasn't that the organization he had sponsored?

He had decided to donate to the Rejuvenation Biological Research and Conservation Center both by chance and as a gesture of social responsibility.

He had not anticipated Mr. Jonathan would come seeking him. "Where are they?"

"Mr. Zhang and his assistant are waiting in the lobby."

"Please have them come up." William settled behind his desk.

"Yes, I'll be right back," the secretary said, bowing as she exited the office.

The Rejuvenation Biological Research and Conservation Center, located in the mountainous region of Shen Keng, had Jonathan come to find him, which surely meant there was a need. William reviewed the stack of documents on his desk, his mind beginning to form a clearer picture.

"Knock, knock." The sound of knocking echoed.

"Come in."

The returning secretary ushered in a man and a woman. "President, I’ve brought Mr. Zhang."

He nodded. "Please bring three cups of coffee."

"Understood."

William closed the documents in his hands. "Please, have a seat." This was his first meeting with Jonathan.

"Thank you," Jonathan, who appeared to be in his forties with a scholarly yet slightly gloomy demeanor, said. "President Wu, thank you for your generous donation. Our center currently houses nearly two hundred wild animals. Here are the expenditure details and comprehensive information about our center."

"I will review them when I have the time," he said, setting the documents on the desk. "Professor Zhang, please state the purpose of your visit."

"President Wu, my visit today is rather presumptuous, as our center is facing financial difficulties. We hope you might consider continuing your support to ensure the conservation work for the wild animals can proceed." Jonathan spoke earnestly.

The door knocked once more, and the secretary entered with three cups of richly aromatic coffee. "Here are the coffees."

"Thank you."

William took a sip of his coffee. "Then let us continue with the same amount as last year, shall we?" Supporting the Rejuvenation Biological Research and Conservation Center was not only a charitable act but also provided tax deductions and enhanced corporate image; he had no intention of discontinuing it.

Jonathan was momentarily stunned, then expressed his gratitude with relief, "President Wu, thank you so much! Our center will continue to devote ourselves to animal rehabilitation."

He pressed an intercom button, instructing the secretary to notify the accounting department to prepare a check. "My secretary will guide you to the accounting department shortly."

"Thank you," Jonathan extended an invitation, "We would be honored to have you visit our center."

Ivy drove her car into the garage of the Yi residence. As she opened the car door, a cheerful voice greeted her.

"Wow—the illustrious Earl himself has graced us with his presence. We're truly honored!" Yi's third brother, Jing Chen, teased with a smile.

"Third brother," Ivy replied, slightly embarrassed. How did he know about this?

Since her first performance at the Heartbroken Hotel, the nickname "Earl" had inexplicably followed her around.

Jason's green eyes sparkled with intensity. "I've heard that your popularity has soared recently. Have you considered pursuing a career in entertainment? I could help set up an agency for you."

His words were mostly in jest, but Ivy undoubtedly had the potential to become a star.

"Thanks, but I'm not interested." If she had wanted to be a celebrity, she wouldn't have waited until now. "Where's Qingtian? Doesn't he have something to discuss with me?"

He tilted his head. "He's inside."

Ivy and Jason walked into the main hall, and she saw Orion, Guan Yuxia, and an unfamiliar woman. "Qingtian, third sister-in-law," she paused, then asked, "And who might this be?"

"This is Yuxia's good friend, Lily," Jason introduced briefly.

Lily greeted politely, "Hello."

"You..." Lily stared intently at Ivy.

She had the weakest resistance to handsome men, but... was Ivy really a woman?

No matter how she looked, Ivy appeared as a handsome man. How could she possibly be... Jason, with a playful smile, spoke up first. "Ivy, Yun Ni admires you a lot! Since you don’t have a girlfriend, how about considering a relationship with Yun Ni?"

"Consider... a relationship?" Ivy rolled her eyes, responding with irritation, "I may not look like a woman, but I'm not a lesbian. Third brother, why do you keep playing these games?"

In the Yi family, everyone knew her background thoroughly, probably even the number of hairs on her backside. Therefore, she spoke very bluntly.

Jason feigned innocence. "Right, you don’t look like a woman, so I almost thought you were a man."

"I was born this way, blame my mother," she nearly spat blood from his comment.

Ivy's parents had long passed away.

Jason chuckled awkwardly. "How could I! After all, the dead are to be respected."

"Are you really a woman?" Lily's eyes widened like saucers.

She was more shocked than if the world had ended.

Ivy admitted without reservation, "I am."

Orion, who had been silent, smiled gently.

The most popular server at the Heartbroken Hotel—Ivy—was actually a woman! Lily was stunned, repeating in disbelief, "Are you really a woman?"

Ivy raised an eyebrow, amused. "You don’t expect me to prove it, do you?" She was used to such shocked reactions when people learned she was a woman.

"No need, of course not," Lily hurriedly shook her head.

Yet, what was wrong with this world? Simon was a man with a face so beautiful it made even women jealous, while Ivy was a woman so stunning she took one's breath away.

If this news got out, it would surely break many hearts.

Ivy’s gaze turned to Orion with a hint of confusion. "Qingtian, why did you call me back?"

He was the oracle of the werewolf clan with prophetic abilities.

Orion’s expression turned serious as he said, "I sense that you will be in danger soon. It’s better to stay here for a while for your own safety."

What danger could she be in? Most people thought she was a man, and perverts wouldn’t target her. Furthermore, her skills were sufficient to protect herself.

She was nonchalant, "No need for that. I’m not a delicate woman, and I can handle myself just fine. Don’t worry."

Delicate woman? Orion’s heart stirred, a vague image flashing in his mind. "Be cautious, women." His intuition was usually very accurate.

Women? Ivy couldn’t help but laugh. "What’s there to be cautious about? I won’t fall for any schemes, and very few women could beat me. I’m as safe as can be."

Although Ivy was correct, fate often had its own plans. "Still, it’s better to be careful."

"I understand." She nodded in agreement.

Though she agreed, she did not take it seriously until his words came to pass.

Aside from performing on Fridays and Saturdays and practicing with the band on Mondays and Wednesdays, Ivy continued to work as a server at the Heartbroken Hotel.

That day, after her practice, as she was about to drive into the underground parking garage of her residence on the second floor of the hotel, a woman suddenly dashed out.

She slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting her.