Chapter 1096 - 540:

"It’s almost five o’clock? We’ve been down there for three whole hours, no wonder I feel so hungry and my legs are weak."

As she spoke, her eyes twinkled as she stomped the pair of heels she had finally cleaned, switching to a playful tone:

"Brother Cheng, you cold-hearted capitalist, you’ve made me work like a laborer all afternoon. If you don’t treat me to a good meal tonight, I’m going to strike."

"Don’t worry, you’ll be well-fed."

Fang Cheng smiled and nodded toward the black SUV parked not far away, speaking as he walked:

"We’ve been busy all afternoon, climbing up and down, inhaling dust. Even a capitalist shouldn’t have employees working on an empty stomach."

Lin Chuqiao’s eyes lit up as she clutched the used wet wipes in her hand, her steps brisk:

"So, is the boss really treating us?"

"Of course."

After leaving the factory, Fang Cheng opened the passenger door of the Land Rover and made a gentlemanly gesture to invite her in.

"Choose whatever you’d like to eat. To reward our Illuminati housekeepers, there’s no budget limit tonight."

"That’s what you said, no take-backs!"

Lin Chuqiao sat in the passenger seat, fastening the seatbelt while tilting her head in serious thought:

"Then I won’t hold back. Eating boxed meals at the construction site every day has almost ruined my taste buds."

"Hmm... tonight, I want a nice meal, it has to have meat and wine..."

"No problem, young lady."

Fang Cheng laughed heartily, closed the passenger door, and smoothly got back into the driver’s seat.

Start the engine, shift gears, accelerate.

With the low rumble of the engine starting, the black Land Rover SUV smoothly set off, slowly driving away from the noisy construction site.

The windows rolled up, the thick soundproof glass completely isolating the sky-high dust and harsh noise outside.

It also locked in the lingering warmth that hadn’t yet dissipated in this private space.

At this moment, the sun was setting in the west.

The orange afterglow poured into the cabin through the windshield, giving their silhouettes a soft golden outline.

Soft music flowed in the cabin, a subtle fragrance floating in the air.

It was the perfume emanating from Lin Chuqiao, elegant with a hint of intoxicating sweetness.

Fang Cheng held the steering wheel with one hand, his posture casual and relaxed.

Lin Chuqiao lazily leaned against the leather seat, turned her head, gazing at the man focused on driving.

Occasionally, she would lift her hand to tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

Her slender fingers glided over her fair and slender neck, her movements exuding an indescribable allure and charm.

Having shed her work burdens, she too was visibly relaxed and full of joy.

Both of them tacitly remained silent, savoring the rare ease of these moments.

However, this leisure did not last long.

"Ring ring ring—"

The abrupt sound of a phone ringing suddenly broke the tranquility.

Fang Cheng took the phone out from his bag and glanced at the screen.

When he saw the string of numbers flashing on it, his previously relaxed expression instantly became tense, his eyes focusing slightly.

It’s Monkey.

For safety’s sake, when Monkey and Big Hammer carried out the monitoring task, they used an anonymously registered black card, and only Fang Cheng knew this number.

Fang Cheng pressed the answer button, then casually lowered the car’s audio volume.

Seeing this, Lin Chuqiao immediately shed her relaxed demeanor and sat up straight.

The tender affection in her eyes swiftly transformed into alertness, her ears twitching as she held her breath with concentration.

"Chairman, it’s Monkey."

A low voice came from the other end of the phone, with only slight static in the background, indicating he was in a quiet indoor setting:

"There’s a sudden situation on Old Factory Street. Big Hammer and I have been watching the entrances of the tubular building. We just noticed an unfamiliar face enter the building."

Fang Cheng slightly furrowed his brow and asked in a deep voice:

"Who is the person?"

"It’s a man in his thirties, with a square face and ordinary looks, thick eyebrows and big eyes, about 1.8 meters tall, very robust body."

Monkey’s voice was calm and objective, as if reciting a reconnaissance report:

"Although he’s wearing an ordinary gray jacket, it’s clear he’s trained, his steps agile, his gaze very sharp."

"I’ve been watching the surveillance every day; the faces of this building’s residents are etched in my mind. I can say with 100% certainty that this person is definitely not a local resident nor a delivery or courier staff."

"Is he still in the building?"

Fang Cheng looked at the road ahead, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

"He just left shortly ago. He went in for less than five minutes and came out quickly."

Monkey paused, his tone slightly annoyed:

"Because the situation was unclear and I didn’t want to alert anyone, I didn’t let Big Hammer follow him rashly, just took note of his features."

"Why are you reporting this now?"

Fang Cheng’s tone carried a hint of severity, his eyes becoming sharper.

Lin Chuqiao, sensing the man’s sudden change in presence, reached out and gently placed her hand on his, her gaze filled with concern.

"Reporting to the Chairman, I’ve been dialing your number ten minutes ago."

Monkey promptly explained, without any evasion:

"I tried calling seven times, but it kept saying unreachable until now when the signal restored."

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng paused for a moment, then quickly realized.

During that time, he and Lin Chuqiao were deeply exploring the underground air-raid shelter.

The thick layers of rock and concrete blocked all signals, and communication returned to normal after exiting the shelter.

"That was my fault."