Beautiful Wife: The Cold Boss is My Husband - Chapter 10

In his line of sight, a long-haired man in a khaki trench coat rounded the flower bed and headed toward the parked Cayenne. Yan Chengming recognized the car. He had personally chosen it for Zhuo Xiao’s birthday.

Zhuo Xiao? Why was he here?

Before Yan Chengming could make sense of the situation, Zhuo Xiao, who had been turning to open the car door, suddenly glanced sideways, his cold gaze sweeping over.

Yan Chengming: “…!”

He hastily ducked down. His 1.9-meter frame, muscular from years of regular workouts, squeezed into the relatively cramped space, his pectoral muscles pressing uncomfortably against the steering wheel.

Yan Chengming didn’t even know why he was acting so guilty, but the confined space made it hard to breathe. The brief glimpse he’d caught of Zhuo Xiao’s expression was utterly unlike his usual self.

He had never imagined Zhuo Xiao could wear such an icy look.

As Zhuo Xiao opened the car door, his mind wandered to planning that evening’s menu, debating whether to prepare sweet and sour mandarin fish and egg drop soup, when a probing gaze brushed against his skin.

The familiar sensation of being watched made his hand tremble slightly. Instantly alert, he turned toward the source of the ill-intentioned stare.

Across the way, a calico cat napped by the flower bed, the overly intense winter sunlight spilling over its fluffy fur as if coating it in a holy glow.

Other than that, there was nothing.

Zhuo Xiao’s brow furrowed deeper, a dull ache throbbing at his temples. He raised a hand to massage them, wondering if he should go back upstairs and ask Su Man for some medication for neurasthenia.

Just as he was collecting his thoughts, his phone rang from inside his coat.

Pausing, Zhuo Xiao pulled out the phone. Seeing the name on the screen, his expression softened immediately. Answering the call, he curved his lips slightly and asked, “Hubby, what’s up?”

There was a brief silence on the other end, accompanied by the faint rustle of fabric.

After a moment, Yan Chengming’s voice came through, low and restrained: “Zhuo Xiao, where are you?”

He hadn’t called him “wifey.”

Though Yan Chengming was somewhat impulsive by nature, he was generally good-tempered. Whenever he used full names, it signaled he wasn’t in the best mood.

Zhuo Xiao was taken aback and instinctively scanned his surroundings. Everything remained sunny and peaceful. A flicker of unease rose in his heart, but he steadied himself and replied, “I’m at the studio. What’s wrong, hubby?”

Just then, the neighboring cat seemed to wake up, letting out a loud “meow” as it stretched its jaws wide in a yawn.

Zhuo Xiao: “…”

Yan Chengming’s heart sank at the sound of the cat, his voice turning slightly strained. “Why do I hear a cat?”

Footsteps sounded from the other end of the line. Seizing the chance, Yan Chengming lifted his head slightly and saw Zhuo Xiao approach the cat, staring at it intently before saying, “It’s a stray that wandered into the studio. I’ll feed it and then let it out.”

Yan Chengming’s eyes and nose stung with emotion. He couldn’t understand why Zhuo Xiao would say he was at the studio when he was clearly outside.

As he hesitated, unsure how to respond, his wandering gaze landed on the entrance of the mental health clinic.

Yan Chengming: “…!”

He took a deep breath and suddenly understood.

Zhuo Xiao must be feeling down, not wanting to worry him, and had come here secretly to see a doctor!

This also explains why, despite exhausting all means and buying everything Zhuo Xiao might like, he couldn’t make him happy. There must be an underlying issue he wasn’t aware of—he needed to ask the psychologist properly!

Lost in thought, he remained silent until Zhuo Xiao couldn’t hold back and asked, “Are you not busy today? How do you have time to call me?”

“Ah… I have a social engagement today. I just stepped out, so don’t make dinner for me.” Startled by the question, Yan Chengming paused briefly before improvising a half-truth.

Zhuo Xiao was surprised. Yan Chengming never used to inform him in advance about drinking gatherings. Lately, he’d clearly been more attentive. Was it because of that fever? Zhuo Xiao thought he might consider feigning illness more often in the future.

“Alright, remember to drink less. It’s not good for your stomach,” Zhuo Xiao reminded him.

Yan Chengming shook his head and vowed, “I won’t drink. I promise I’ll come home sober today.”

…

After hanging up, Yan Chengming let out a determined cry, rushed out of the car, and hurried straight to the psychological therapy center.

When Su Man saw him, his agitated state startled her, but she quickly composed herself and asked, “You must be President Yan? What seems to be troubling you lately?”

As she spoke, she studied Yan Chengming closely.

It was only then that Yan Chengming remembered his real purpose for being there. Clearing his throat, he poured out all his recent experiences.

After listening, Su Man’s lips twitched. As Zhuo Xiao’s psychologist, she knew exactly what was going on.

Hesitating for a moment, she said, “You mentioned you’ve been starting a business recently, so I believe the ‘hallucinations’ you’re experiencing might be due to excessive work stress. Also, since you’ve drastically reduced your alcohol intake after habitual drinking, withdrawal symptoms are perfectly normal.”

Yan Chengming was taken aback. “Hmm… I don’t feel particularly stressed.”

“Our bodies are very sensitive. Sometimes, even if we’re not consciously aware, our physical reactions come first,” Su Man explained, then suggested, “Your condition doesn’t call for psychiatric medication. You could try some calming traditional Chinese herbs for conditioning.”

The diagnosis concluded, but the perfectly healthy Yan Chengming didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he hesitated and said, “There’s something I’d like to ask you.”

Su Man paused. “What is it?”

“Do you have a patient named Zhuo Xiao here?” Yan Chengming mustered his courage. “He’s my wife. I really want to know why he’s seeking treatment here. What psychological issues does he have?”

“…” Su Man fell silent for a moment. “For the patient’s privacy, I can’t disclose that. You should ask him directly.”

Yan Chengming clicked his tongue in frustration. “He’s not the type to speak openly.”

Having just heard Yan Chengming’s account, Su Man knew exactly how deeply he’d been deceived. After a conflicted pause, she said, “All I can say is, you should go home more often, spend more time with him, and pay more attention to him.”

Her implication was clear: if Yan Chengming paid closer attention to Zhuo Xiao, he would notice something amiss.

Yan Chengming pondered this for a moment and immediately understood.

It must be that he hadn’t been spending enough time with Zhuo Xiao, making him feel lonely. Yet, Zhuo Xiao feared burdening his work and kept silent, leading to psychological issues. What Zhuo Xiao truly wanted wasn’t something money could buy. It was his companionship and care.

He cast a grateful look at Su Man: “Doctor, you’re right. I’ve deeply realized my mistake. I’ll definitely turn over a new leaf, go home more often, and spend more time with my wife.”

Su Man: “…”

Why does it feel like he didn’t quite get it?

…

In the private room of the nightclub, several young masters were thoroughly drunk.

Gan Tianyang, with his arm slung over Yan Chengming’s shoulder, let out a drunken hiccup and raised a liquor bottle as if to pour into Yan Chengming’s glass. “Bro, seriously, trust me. This is from my personal collection—exceptionally good. You’ve got to try it!”

Yan Chengming’s eyelid twitched as he picked up his glass. “I really can’t drink.”

“What, are you driving? No problem, get a designated driver or borrow my chauffeur. Worst case, crash at Wang Lang’s place like we used to. Easy.” Gan Tianyang persisted in his persuasion.

Yan Chengming shook his head, covering the top of his glass with his hand. “I promised my wife I’d stay sober and come home tonight. Really, no drinking.”

The image of Zhuo Xiao flashed through Gan Tianyang’s mind, and suddenly he understood Yan Chengming’s stance. Patting Yan Chengming’s arm, he said, “Bro, I really envy you. Having such a wonderful wife. Not like me, just went through another breakup.”

He started sobbing, whimpered for a bit, then straightened up and thumped his chest. “Bro, don’t worry! It’s just a collaboration, right? I’ll definitely talk my dad into it! Count on me! Leave it to your bro!”

Once he made this bold declaration, the other young masters who had been fooling around also began chiming in.

“What’s our relationship with Brother Yan? If he asks for a favor, we’ll make it happen. We’re all brothers here!”

“Yeah, yeah! We’re all about loyalty!”

Amid the chatter, their attitudes were all earnest, each raising a hand as if taking an oath under the national flag like elementary school kids.

“By the way, where’s Wang Lang?” Yan Chengming asked, watching them down a few more drinks as something suddenly occurred to him.

Just then, Wang Lang pushed the door open. He had just finished a call with his girlfriend. Perhaps due to a specific preference, all the girlfriends Wang Lang had ever found were somehow connected to the entertainment industry either minor celebrities or internet-famous models, and all of them were the “big sister” type.

Seeing him enter, Yan Chengming patted the spot beside him.

Wang Lang sat down. “What’s up, bro? They trying to get you to drink again?” He glanced over at Gan Tianyang.

Gan Tianyang raised both hands in exaggerated innocence. “No way, I didn’t succeed.”

“I’m looking for a celebrity to shoot a promotional video for my new product. Know anyone? The budget isn’t too high since the company’s just starting out, but the more famous the celebrity, the better,” Yan Chengming said, looking at Wang Lang.

Wang Lang thought for a moment. “That’s a tough combination—high profile but low cost… Hey, what about someone we know? Call in a favor. Wasn’t there a college classmate—what was his name? Lin something? He even had a crush on you back then.”

He pulled out his phone and started searching for photos, easily finding one on the trending list.

Pointing at the young man on his screen, he said, “This one, Lin Xiao. He’s the second male lead in a hit drama right now, even more popular than the lead. Hiring him would be a good deal. Remember him?”

Yan Chengming recalled the clip he’d seen on social media and nodded. “I know him.”

“Then it’s settled. Let me see if I can get in touch with him.” With that, Wang Lang left the private room to make a call.

Half an hour later, Wang Lang entered the room again, holding his phone with the call interface displayed. “Brother Yan, I got in touch. Lin Xiao said he wants to speak with you personally.”

Yan Chengming took the phone. The voice on the other end was clear, tinged with suppressed excitement: “Brother Chengming? My agent just told me, and I couldn’t believe it at first. I never expected it to really be you.”

Yan Chengming felt slightly uncomfortable but held back for the sake of business. He had only explained part of the conditions he could offer when Lin Xiao interrupted: “Um… Brother Chengming, I think it would be more appropriate to discuss this in person. I happen to be in City A as well.”

Yan Chengming paused for a moment before replying, “Sure.”

…

Wang Lang leaned against the car door, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, watching Yan Chengming emerge from the restaurant. He stubbed out the cigarette and asked, “How did it go, Brother Yan?”

Yan Chengming’s expression was a mix of satisfaction and unease. “The discussion went quite smoothly. He even said he’d shoot it for free.”

Wang Lang chuckled. “That’s great, saves us some money.”

“But I can’t shake the feeling that his attitude is a bit odd. I don’t want to owe him anything.” Yan Chengming recalled the scene in the restaurant. Lin Xiao’s dewy eyes fixed on him, paired with a face that looked like it belonged to a high school student, which made him deeply uncomfortable.

Wang Lang paused for a moment. “That’s easy to fix. Once the promotional video is done, give him a gift. Remember that bracelet you snatched from Hao Tianlei at the auction? You’ve been unsure what to do with it. This is the perfect chance to return a favor.”

Yan Chengming hissed softly. “You’re right.”