Beautiful Wife: The Cold Boss is My Husband - Chapter 11

Lin Xiao flashed a radiant smile at the camera.

“Cut—that’s a wrap!”

“The final shot is done! Great work, everyone!”

The filming of Mingyu Company’s promotional video had concluded. The director, who had maintained a stern expression throughout, finally allowed a hint of a smile to surface. He seemed particularly pleased with Lin Xiao’s performance. As assistants swarmed around to adjust Lin Xiao’s attire, the director stepped forward to praise him, “Lin Xiao, your expressiveness is truly remarkable. Even many professionally trained actors can’t compare. You’re a natural-born actor.”

Lin Xiao responded with a modest smile, “You flatter me, Director. I still have so much to learn. I’m nowhere near as skilled as the veterans.”

Just then, someone in the distance shouted excitedly through a megaphone, “President Yan has bought coffee for everyone!”

—

Assistant Liu, along with several staff members, struggled to carry in the coffee. Bending over and sweating profusely, he reminded everyone, “Be careful! Don’t crowd together—if it spills, it’ll be a mess!”

After moving the coffee, he quickly arranged a small table to set it all out. Once everything was in place, the filming wrapped up, and he immediately asked a colleague to invite everyone to come and get their coffee.

As people began to gather in small groups, his eye twitched nervously. “Form a line, don’t push! There’s enough for everyone, one per person.”

Just as he stepped up to the table to start distributing the coffee, a forceful presence shoved him aside.

Assistant Liu: “…”

Yan Chengming’s tall figure loomed over him. Frowning, he handed Assistant Liu a small box and gestured with his eyes toward the center of the filming area. “Take this to him.”

There was no way he could hand it over personally in front of everyone—otherwise, the entertainment industry would be buzzing with gossip tomorrow.

Assistant Liu glanced at the coffee in front of him, acknowledged the request, and called over another colleague to handle the distribution.

Yan Chengming interrupted him, “No need. I’ll do it myself.”

Assistant Liu widened his eyes in surprise. “That’s not really appropriate, President Yan. How could we let you do manual work?”

Yan Chengming shook his head and gave him a look that said, “You don’t get it,” before explaining, “It makes me seem approachable.”

Besides the coffee, there was also a stack of uniquely designed, artistically styled paper slips on the table.

As staff rushed forward to claim their coffee, they hesitated upon seeing Yan Chengming standing there. Noticing their reluctance, Yan Chengming picked up a cup of coffee and waved them over. “It’s fine, come on.”

With his left hand, he deftly grabbed a cup of coffee, and with his right, he swiftly picked up a ticket and shoved both into the arms of the approaching staff member. For some reason, his tone carried a hint of pride and smugness as he said, “Make sure to visit when you have time~ Okay, next!”

Before the staff member could react, they were pushed aside. Glancing down at the paper slip in their hand, they realized it was a ticket. It read: “Break conventions and interpret art from a unique perspective. Painter Zhuo Xiao’s solo exhibition cordially invites you to appreciate art together.”

—

Lin Xiao was in the middle of removing his makeup when his manager suddenly appeared and handed him a box.

He looked up, his expression puzzled. “Sister Ran, what’s this?”

Sister Ran pushed the box toward him, her gaze tinged with ambiguity. “President Yan’s assistant brought this over. He said it’s a gift for you. What’s going on between you two? You insisted on filming his promotional video for free despite objections, and now he’s secretly sending you gifts?”

“Nothing much, we just met during school.” Lin Xiao’s eyes darted away nervously. Fortunately, his makeup wasn’t fully removed, so no one could tell he was blushing. He took the box, his hands suddenly unsure of where to rest.

Sister Ran urged him, “Open it, let us have a look too.”

Amid the crowd’s encouragement, Lin Xiao opened the box.

The emerald bracelet shimmered with a lively glow under the studio lights, its texture smooth and delicate like mutton-fat jade. It was clearly of exceptional value.

“Wow—this must be expensive! It looks so high-quality!”

“Even someone like me, who knows nothing about jade, can tell this isn’t cheap!”

…

Their exclamations were so loud that Lin Xiao’s initial joy was quickly replaced by panic. He glanced over at Yan Chengming, who was distributing coffee, and immediately closed the box.

Just then, his assistant returned with two cups of coffee, placing them in front of him along with an art exhibition ticket.

Lin Xiao picked up the ticket.

Sister Ran, who had witnessed everything, chuckled lightly, “So? Are you going?”

Lin Xiao asked, “Is President Yan going?”

The assistant chimed in eagerly, “I overheard while getting the coffee—President Yan is going too.”

“Then I’ll go. Sister, please don’t schedule any work for me that day.” Lin Xiao had been hesitating, but upon hearing that Yan Chengming would attend, he made up his mind instantly.

Sister Ran shook her head helplessly, “Alright, I’ll keep your schedule free. Just remember to wear that bracelet.”

Lin Xiao nodded, “Of course.”

–

Zhuo Xiao’s art exhibition was held in an art gallery. Since his collection wasn’t extensive, Yan Chengming had chosen a smaller gallery, but it was exquisitely arranged and highly professional.

The lighting inside was relatively soft, with floor and ceiling lights intertwining to create a dreamlike atmosphere. Spotlighting effects highlighted the displayed paintings, drawing attention and making Zhuo Xiao’s unique style even more striking.

There were no guided tours at the exhibition, and the overall ambiance was quiet, allowing visitors to move around freely and simply appreciate the art’s inherent charm.

In a corner, Yan Chengming, dressed casually and wearing a mask, held the hand of Zhuo Xiao, who was similarly dressed to avoid attention.

Yan Chengming had been holding Zhuo Xiao’s hand but felt it wasn’t intimate enough. The serene environment stirred a desire for closer contact. Taking it a step further, he slid his hand around Zhuo Xiao’s waist and pulled him into an embrace.

Zhuo Xiao wasn’t short, but he still stood a head shorter next to Yan Chengming, who was 1.9 meters tall.

Yan Chengming’s deep-set eyes crinkled with a smile that seemed to overflow. He leaned in close, his voice low and affectionate as he whispered in Zhuo Xiao’s ear, “Darling, do you like it? Look, they’re praising you.”

As he spoke, his warm breath seeped through the mask’s edge, brushing against Zhuo Xiao’s face.

Zhuo Xiao glanced up at him, amused, then let his gaze drift. “But they aren’t saying anything.”

“Look at their expressions.” Yan Chengming tightened his hold, pulling them even closer, and gestured with his eyes. “That bespectacled middle-aged man at six o’clock—his eyes are practically sparkling behind his glasses, just like when I first saw your paintings. He has good taste.”

His tone then shifted to frustration. “I originally wanted to display the largest piece too, but it was too big. The gallery advised against it.”

He was referring to the painting of the woman in the bathtub.

Zhuo Xiao: “…”

His gaze paused for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Yan Chengming’s strong waist in return.

Now facing each other, their noses almost touching, he nestled in Yan Chengming’s embrace, his tone soft and almost cooing, but the question he asked was dangerously pointed: “Husband, what do you think of that painting I did? Do you like it?”

Yan Chengming was taken aback for a moment before replying, “I think it’s great. The emotional impact is particularly strong—it looks incredibly impressive. I really like it.”

“Really?” Zhuo Xiao studied him for a few moments, finding nothing but sincerity in his eyes, not a trace of resistance. His anxious heart settled, and a smile curled beneath his mask. “I’m glad you like it.”

Satisfied with the answer, Zhuo Xiao was clearly in a better mood. His fingers, resting on Yan Chengming’s waist, rubbed gently through the fabric of his clothes. Then, he pulled down his mask, lifted his chin, and leaned in. “Husband, will you kiss me?”

Yan Chengming: “…!”

Caught off guard by this delightful request, Yan Chengming’s mind went blank. He glanced around nervously—though too hastily to really notice if anyone was watching—before eagerly cupping Zhuo Xiao’s face and leaning in like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

Just as their lips were about to meet, a hesitant voice sounded beside them.

“Chengming… Brother?”

Yan Chengming’s face darkened. He took a deep breath, immediately released Zhuo Xiao, and turned toward the source of the voice.

Lin Xiao stared at the two of them pressed closely together, his expression one of shock.

It took him a long moment to react. He pursed his lips, his gaze shifting back and forth over Zhuo Xiao’s face, his tone awkward. “Um… Brother Chengming, who is this?”

He had thought Yan Chengming was still the same blockhead from their school days—a man so clueless about romance that he wouldn’t even help carry a bag when they ate alone together, an iron wall impervious to love.

After all this time, he had finally remembered Lin Xiao—the only person he’d ever had a hint of ambiguity with back in school—and had even sent gifts to express his feelings. And as it happened, Lin Xiao still liked him.

But now…

His heart was uneasy, hoping that if Yan Chengming could introduce the other person in a dismissive way, it might still mean he had a chance.

To his surprise, Yan Chengming coughed, pulled Zhuo Xiao forward slightly, and spoke with a serious tone and expression, “This is my wife, Zhuo Xiao. He’s also the creator of all the paintings in this exhibition.”

Lin Xiao was stunned. “So, Brother Chengming is already married.”

Yan Chengming nodded. “Yes.”

Though he spoke with solemnity, inwardly he was panicking. Despite being completely innocent, he was terrified that Zhuo Xiao might misunderstand any connection between him and Lin Xiao. As soon as he finished speaking, he glanced sideways to gauge Zhuo Xiao’s reaction, but from this angle, he could only see Zhuo Xiao’s beautiful profile.

The moment Zhuo Xiao saw Lin Xiao, his expression turned icy—unfortunately, Yan Chengming didn’t notice.

He clearly recognized Lin Xiao. As soon as Yan Chengming finished the introduction, he quickly adjusted his expression, extended a hand in accordance with social etiquette, and said gently, “Hello, I’m Zhuo Xiao. It’s nice to meet you.”

The news of Yan Chengming’s marriage left Lin Xiao disappointed and heartbroken, but Zhuo Xiao seemed gentle and friendly. Hesitantly, he extended his hand as well. “Hello, I’m Lin Xiao. I was Brother Chengming’s university classmate.”

On his slender wrist, an expensive, vibrant green bracelet stood out conspicuously.

Zhuo Xiao: “…”

He took a deep breath, and the next second—

“What the hell?!”

Yan Chengming had been standing perfectly fine when a sudden, powerful force struck his waist. He let out a pained yelp, gritting his teeth, and immediately turned to look at the source of the impact.

The culprit, Zhuo Xiao, looked back at him with an innocent expression. “What’s wrong, honey?”

Lin Xiao was also startled by his reaction. “Chengming, what happened?”

Caught under the gaze of two wide-eyed, seemingly guileless individuals, Yan Chengming felt a moment of disorientation, as if he were a squawking chicken among a flock of graceful swans. He began to explain, “Just now, it felt like someone pinched me—”

Before he could finish, a ringing phone cut him off. Instantly forgetting about the pinch, Yan Chengming pulled out his phone and saw Gu Yu’s name on the screen. He answered promptly, “Yeah, that’s right. How did that happen? Don’t worry, I’ll go check it out.”

After hanging up, he glanced uneasily at Zhuo Xiao.

While he hesitated, Zhuo Xiao spoke up, “Honey, do you have something urgent? It’s fine, you can go. I can ask Xiao Chen to pick me up.”

Gu Yu’s matter sounded serious, and after a moment of indecision, Yan Chengming left.

The moment his figure disappeared, the expression on Zhuo Xiao’s face faded. The intimate, ambiguous atmosphere that had enveloped him and Yan Chengming just moments before vanished, replaced by a stark sense of irony.

He let out a self-mocking laugh and turned to Lin Xiao, his tone sharp. “This bracelet—he gave it to you, didn’t he? We need to talk.”

That evening, after finishing work, Yan Chengming returned home. The lights in the room were off, shrouding everything in darkness.

He called out tentatively, “Honey?”

No one answered.

Panic immediately set in. Yan Chengming dialed Zhuo Xiao’s number, pacing anxiously around the living room as the dial tone echoed in his ears.

But in the end, all he heard was the automated message: “The number you have dialed cannot be reached. Please try again later.”