Chapter 9 Emergency Notice
She walked into the living room and her eyes involuntarily began to scan this "home" where she had lived for almost two months.
Her eyes first fell on the large off-white fabric sofa in the living room. She had always found it exceptionally comfortable, with just the right amount of support and support. Now, as if possessed, she squatted down, lifted a corner of the drooping sofa cover, and peered into the unassuming corner at the base—where the brand label usually lay.
A small, gilded metal plaque caught my eye. On it were the minimalist English letters: B&B Italia. Next to it were the smaller words: Made in Italy.
Made in Italy? B&B Italia? She vaguely remembered seeing this brand in a design magazine. It was a top international furniture design brand, and even a single sofa could fetch a stratospheric price! She had previously thought the furniture in Zhao Chen's rental was tasteful and the landlord was willing to spend money. But now, thinking about it, it was more than just a willingness to spend money!
She stood up, her gaze returning to the clean-lined white round table. The surface was mirror-smooth, the material warm and smooth. She reached out and touched it; it felt cool and delicate, like jade. Could it be marble? She squatted down to examine the connection between the legs—there was also a nondescript metal plaque: Cassina. Another top Italian furniture brand!
Yu Ling felt her cognition was being refreshed like crazy. Like a possessed person, she began to "treasure hunt" in the house.
The white enameled cast iron pot she uses every day on the kitchen island has an elegant crown logo engraved on the inside of the lid—Le Creuset! It's a top French cookware brand! She had previously thought it was especially fragrant and good at retaining moisture in stews, but it turned out she wasn't mistaken!
The plain-looking white bone china tableware in the cupboard had an extremely delicate and elegant blue crown printed on the bottom of the bowl—Bernardaud! France's national treasure porcelain brand! She had previously thought that this bowl of rice was particularly appetizing...
She opened the refrigerator, revealing neatly stacked organic vegetables, imported fruit, premium Wagyu beef, and bottles of mineral water with foreign labels (Voss? Evian?). She'd previously thought Zhao Chen was simply particular about quality of life, but now, wasn't this quality too "exquisite"?
Her eyes swept over the frosted glass vase holding fresh tulips on the entryway cabinet. Its shape was sleek and simple, devoid of any logo, yet its texture and design felt anything but supermarket goods. Then there was the linen-shaded floor-standing reading lamp, the abstract lines on the wall that she had always thought were decorative art... the soft, smooth touch of the original wood floor beneath her feet...
The more she looked, the more astonished she became, and the more her suspicions grew! Everything in this home, from the toiletries to the pots and pans, from the sofa and coffee table to the slippers, even the water she drank every day, seemed to exude an air of "understated luxury"! Zhao Chen incorporated these items into his daily life in a remarkably natural and down-to-earth way, brushing them off with excuses like "left by the landlord," "gifts from friends," and "clearance bargains," allowing this "ordinary employee" wife to unknowingly enjoy a top-tier material life!
This wasn't some cozy little rental apartment at all! It was a luxurious fortress, built with top-tier brands and cloaked in an "ordinary" facade.
And the master of that fortress...
Yu Ling turned abruptly, her gaze fixed on the open kitchen. Zhao Chen, with his back to her, was wearing his dark blue apron with a small whale pattern, humming a tuneless song. His movements were expertly and gracefully... using a chef's knife that gleamed with a cold, undeniably expensive gleam, he was slicing a juicy cucumber. The cutting board before him was a single piece of thick, dark wood, its grain beautiful as a work of art (Yu Ling later learned it was a top-quality, handcrafted cutting board made of a single block of black walnut, the price of which could buy half her wardrobe). Next to him was a bottle of olive oil, printed with Italian words and a manor house logo that she couldn't understand...
"Lingling? What are you daydreaming about?" Zhao Chen seemed to notice her gaze and turned around, still holding the sharp knife in his hand. He had a gentle and harmless smile on his face, and his clear amber eyes looked particularly innocent in the morning light. "Are you hungry? What would you like for breakfast? An omelette sandwich? Or should I make you a soft-boiled egg?"
His tone was natural and intimate, like an ordinary, homely husband asking his wife about her breakfast preferences. The sunlight fell on him, gilding his tall figure with a soft, golden edge. Wearing a cartoon apron and clutching a top-notch kitchen knife, he stood in a priceless kitchen, asking her if she wanted fried eggs or soft-boiled eggs...
This picture is full of extremely absurd contrasts!
Yu Ling's heart was pounding wildly in her chest. The huge mystery she had been forcibly suppressing now erupted like a volcano awakening! She couldn't hold it in any longer! She had to get to the bottom of it!
She took a deep breath and tried to sound calm, but the slightly trembling ending of her voice still revealed the turmoil in her heart. She pointed in the direction of the bathroom and got straight to the point:
"Zhao Chen, those things in the bathroom cabinet... La Mer, La Prairie... And that sofa in the living room, B&B Italia? And that pot in the kitchen, Le Creuset? Are these... really left by the landlord? Or... given by a friend?"
Zhao Chen paused in his cucumber-slicing motion. He put down his knife, turned around, and faced her directly. Sunlight streamed through the large French windows, falling on his gentle face. His amber eyes clearly reflected the undisguised shock, suspicion, and inquiry on Yu Ling's face.
He didn't answer immediately, but just looked at her quietly, his eyes calm and unwavering, as if he had long expected this day to come. The silence of a few seconds seemed particularly long in the air filled with the aroma of food.
In this suffocating silence, Yu Ling's cell phone suddenly rang! The sharp ringtone broke the solidified atmosphere.
Yu Ling was startled and subconsciously pulled out her phone. It was an urgent group chat for the company's project team, with @AllMembers notified!
Director Chen Ming: Urgent notice to everyone! In half an hour, the "Xinghai Project" project team will be holding an expanded meeting in the 17th-floor conference room! All members of the Marketing Department, as well as key personnel from the Product and Technology Departments, must attend on time! No one is allowed to be absent! This is a matter of great importance!
Followed by a bold red exclamation mark.
Yu Ling's heart sank! Something went wrong with the project?! An emergency meeting at this hour was definitely not a good thing! She couldn't bother to investigate the source of Zhao Chen's luxury goods; her professional instincts instantly switched her to combat mode!
"There's an emergency at the company! I have to go there right away!" She said to Zhao Chen quickly, turned around and rushed to the bedroom to change clothes.
"Wait!" Zhao Chen's voice came from behind, with a hint of imperceptible urgency.
Yu Ling paused and looked back in confusion.
Zhao Chen quickly walked to the entrance cabinet, opened the drawer—the one where the Maserati key was casually strewn—and pulled out another car key. It had a shield-shaped, winged logo (Bentley). Without even glancing at it, he thrust the key into Yu Ling's hand, his tone unprecedentedly serious and unquestionable.
"Drive my car. There's a traffic jam at this hour, and the subway won't make it in time either." He spoke very quickly, his eyes fixed on Yu Ling sharply. "Here are the keys. The car is parked downstairs in the designated parking space No. 18 in Area B. It's a black sedan. Be careful on the road! Call me anytime if anything happens!"
Yu Ling looked at the heavy, uniquely shaped Bentley key in her hand, then at Zhao Chen's serious face, which showed no room for rejection. Her mind was in turmoil! Bentley?! She was asked to drive a Bentley to work?! This was a shock a hundred times greater than the shock of those luxury goods!
"I...I can't drive..." Yu Ling subconsciously wanted to refuse, her voice changing. Driving a multi-million dollar luxury car? She wouldn't even dare touch it!
"Automatic transmission, drive like a normal car!" Zhao Chen interrupted her, his tone firm and resolute, with an oppressive feeling like a superior giving orders, completely different from the gentle and harmless "ordinary employee" he usually was. "Don't dawdle! Go quickly! Being late for one minute may affect the overall situation!" He directly opened the door and gently pushed Yu Ling, who was still in a daze, out.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Yu Ling stood in the silent hallway, clutching the Bentley key, a symbol of immense wealth and immense mystery. The cold metal pierced her palm, causing pain. Downstairs, the understated, sleek black Bentley Mulsanne sat quietly in parking space number 18 in Area B.
The company's unknown emergency meeting was like a dark cloud hanging over the sky.
The Bentley key in my hand was like a red-hot iron.
And inside the tightly closed door behind her, she seemed to have finally caught a glimpse of the thrilling corner of the iceberg hidden beneath the gentle appearance of the man wearing a small whale apron.
Yu Ling took a deep breath, the cold air in the hallway filling her lungs. She glanced at the glaring meeting notification on her phone screen, then looked down at the heavy key in her palm.
There is no time to hesitate!
She gritted her teeth and rushed to the elevator as if she was going to a battlefield! The sound of high heels hitting the ground echoed in the empty corridor, rapid and decisive.
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