37: A terrifying ordeal in the locker room; power outage to protect his wife.

The wooden door that should have been locked swung open a crack at the sound. The lock had been picked from the outside.

Lin Xiaocao's heart sank instantly.

She had just taken off her sweat-soaked old work clothes, leaving only a thin undershirt and that damned Chest Binder that was wrapped so tightly she could barely breathe.

Just then, a burst of women's chatter and laughter came from outside, accompanied by the sound of messy footsteps heading in this direction.

"Hurry, hurry, this is the room, there's no one inside!"

"Oh dear, my lipstick is all smudged, I need to fix it quickly!"

It was over!

Lin Xiaocao's head buzzed, and her mind went blank. She frantically tried to grab the new blue work clothes hanging on the wall, but the female workers had already reached the door. A hand with bright red nail polish pushed open the ajar door.

At the critical moment, a black, mountain-like shadow crashed over with a loud thud.

"Bang!"

Wang Fugui's tall and sturdy body, in an indisputably overbearing posture, firmly blocked the wooden door that was about to swing wide open. He practically nailed himself to the door frame, and the impact against his back made him let out a muffled groan.

"Ouch! Who is it! Are you crazy!" The female worker outside was startled and began to scream and curse.

"Move out of the way! Why are you blocking the door!"

They began to push the door forcefully, the door panel slamming against Wang Fugui's back over and over with a dull thud.

Wang Fugui gritted his teeth, his legs rooted to the concrete floor, supporting the door with all his strength. He didn't dare look back, but he could clearly smell the familiar, panicked milky scent behind him. He knew she was inside, in the most dangerous situation.

Good lord, if she's seen like this, how will she ever live it down!

"Move! If you don't move, I'm calling the Security Department!" the woman outside continued to clamor.

Beads of sweat the size of beans seeped from Wang Fugui's forehead. He knew in his heart that he, this human wall, couldn't hold out for much longer.

Wang Fugui's mind was racing faster than ever at this moment.

He was breathing heavily, his gaze frantically searching the surroundings. There! On the wall at the end of the hallway was a gray iron box with a red lightning bolt symbol painted on it.

The Distribution Box!

A crazy idea exploded in his head.

Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Fugui gave up on holding the door. Amidst the startled cries of the women outside, he suddenly spun around, turning into an enraged bull as he charged toward the Distribution Box.

The people around only saw a massive figure kicking up a gust of wind.

He didn't bother with the fragile latch at all, but instead swung his fist, as large as a casserole dish, and smashed it down with all his might against the main power switch!

"Boom!!!"

A loud bang was accompanied by the crisp sound of the plastic casing shattering, sending out a few points of blinding electrical sparks.

The next second.

*Click.*

The entire noisy Grand Auditorium, along with the backstage and the hallways, had all their lights extinguished in an instant. The world suddenly plunged into a darkness where one couldn't even see their own hand in front of their face.

After a split second of dead silence, screams and cries like a landslide or a tsunami erupted from the crowd.

"Ah! The power's out!"

"What's going on!"

"Don't push me! My foot!"

The entire auditorium instantly turned into a chaotic mess, with people pushing and running in panic in the darkness.

But the instigator of all this chaos, Wang Fugui, gained an unprecedented sense of calm the moment the darkness fell. He closed his eyes, blocked out all the noisy sounds, and used only his nose to capture that faint but clear fragrance in the air.

Found her!

He snapped his eyes open, and while everyone else was still disoriented, he had already relied on his memory of the scent and his muscle instinct to charge into that small locker room with pinpoint accuracy.

Lin Xiaocao was shrinking into a corner, trembling all over from the sudden darkness and screams, not yet realizing what had happened.

Suddenly, a burning and familiar embrace lifted her entire body into the air.

Just as she was about to cry out, she was wrapped from head to toe in a large work jacket that carried a strong scent of sweat and man, making it airtight.

"Don't be afraid, it's me."

Wang Fugui's deep voice sounded in her ear, carrying an indisputable power of stability. With one hand supporting her backside and the other protecting her head, he pressed her small body tightly into his chest and turned to rush out of the locker room at top speed.

Wang Fugui carried the "package" in his arms, which was excessively light, yet he was as agile as something inhuman. He was familiar with every corner and every obstacle here. He avoided the crowds, hugged the walls, nimbly crossed the backstage, kicked open the slightly ajar back door, and dashed out.

The night breeze, mixed with the scent of green grass, rushed toward them.

He didn't stop, carrying her in one breath until they reached the depths of the overgrown grass on the factory's back mountain before he gently set her on the ground.

The surroundings finally quieted down, leaving only the sound of their heavy breathing and the faint commotion from the distant auditorium.

"It's... it's okay now." Wang Fugui propped himself up on his knees, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently.

Lin Xiaocao poked her head out from the oversized work jacket. The moonlight spilled onto her small, shaken face, making it appear pale and translucent. Looking at this man who hadn't hesitated to cause such a massive scene for her sake, her heart beat so fast it felt like it would explode.

She was just about to say something when, because of the intense running and jolting just now, she felt the restraint around her chest suddenly loosen.

A soft "snap" was exceptionally clear in the silent night.

That Chest Binder, which she had wrapped countless times and which had almost cut into her flesh, had completely snapped.

Wang Fugui had just caught his breath and subconsciously looked down at her.

Under the bright moonlight, the girl's thin undershirt could no longer hide those heart-stopping curves. That snowy-white, full arc was right before his eyes, trembling slightly with her hurried breathing.

Wang Fugui's brain stalled once again. He stared straight at it, feeling a surge of heat rush from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head, his blood boiling in an instant.