Beautiful Wife: The Cold Boss is My Husband - Chapter 28

“Mr. Zhuo, over here.” After receiving Zhuo Xiao’s call, Assistant Liu went out to meet him and led Zhuo Xiao and Chen Xi to the restroom.

By now, Yan Chengming had cried himself to exhaustion. He was crouched beside the sink in the restaurant restroom, his head buried between his knees as if asleep, looking very much like an abandoned large dog.

As he slept, he let out soft whimpers, likely caught in an unpleasant dream.

Zhuo Xiao paused for a moment, first exchanging a brief nod with Gu Yu from across the room, then quickly stepped forward. He placed a hand on Yan Chengming’s head, gently brushing his hair, and called softly, “Honey?”

At first, Yan Chengming showed no intention of lifting his head, mumbling incoherently. It wasn’t until Zhuo Xiao touched his feverish ear that he finally looked up, his eyelids barely cracked open.

“Ah, how did you get hurt like this?” Zhuo Xiao’s heart ached at the sight of the wounds on Yan Chengming’s forehead.

But in that moment of eye contact, aside from the heartache, Zhuo Xiao also felt a flicker of tension. Yan Chengming had already grown suspicious of him—installing cameras and investigating his affairs. How much did he know? Zhuo Xiao feared that, under the influence of alcohol, Yan Chengming might blurt out accusations. How should he respond? Zhuo Xiao wasn’t prepared.

A fine sweat broke out on the tip of his nose, but to his surprise, as soon as Yan Chengming met his gaze, he wrapped his arms around Zhuo Xiao’s legs and burst into even louder sobs.

Zhuo Xiao: “…”

He tried to shift his leg, but Yan Chengming’s grip was surprisingly strong, and he couldn’t break free.

Rubbing his temples, Zhuo Xiao lifted his gaze and swept a cold glance over the other three people in the restroom. “Did you bully him? How did this happen?” he demanded, pointing at Yan Chengming’s injuries.

Gu Yu adjusted his glasses but remained silent.

Assistant Liu quickly waved his hands in denial. “We wouldn’t dare! Mr. Yan was already injured when he arrived. We don’t know how it happened.”

Zhuo Xiao withdrew his gaze, frowning as he gently touched the wound on Yan Chengming’s forehead. His voice softened. “Honey, does it hurt? How did this happen?”

“It hurts! Waaah!” Yan Chengming grimaced and cried even harder, clinging to Zhuo Xiao’s legs.

Zhuo Xiao sighed, pressed his temples again, and gave Chen Xi a meaningful look. Chen Xi immediately stepped forward to help pull Yan Chengming up.

Just as they were about to leave, Gu Yu suddenly spoke up. “Wait.”

When Gu Yu first saw Zhuo Xiao, he had been somewhat wary. According to Yan Chengming’s descriptions, his beloved Zhuo Xiao was a gentle, obedient, and delicate person—not someone who walked in wearing silver-rimmed glasses, exuding an icy and unapproachable aura.

It wasn’t until he heard Zhuo Xiao’s tender tone when speaking to Yan Chengming and saw how he didn’t hesitate to crouch down in the restroom without a hint of disdain that Gu Yu’s frown eased slightly—but only slightly.

He found Zhuo Xiao a bit strange.

Zhuo Xiao turned around and saw the clear curiosity in Gu Yu’s eyes. His tone remained calm. “I’m taking him to the hospital. What, are you not comfortable leaving him with me?”

Gu Yu hesitated for a moment before finally suppressing his doubts. “No.”

–

“Uncle, someone is following us,” Chen Xi said, glancing in the rearview mirror.

Zhuo Xiao sat in the back seat, with Yan Chengming’s head wrapped in gauze resting on his lap as he slept soundly. He lowered his gaze, gently tracing the deep contours of Yan Chengming’s brows and eyes with his fingers, his entire being exuding a weary resignation after exhaustion.

Earlier at the hospital, Yan Chengming had given him quite a hard time. While Chen Xi went to handle the paperwork, Yan Chengming kept pestering him, insisting he had something to say. But when Zhuo Xiao actually asked, he fell silent. After repeating this several times, Zhuo Xiao’s blood pressure had nearly spiked.

When it came time for the doctor to treat the wound, Yan Chengming kept fidgeting, muttering things like, “I don’t want a shot.”

The problem was, no one was giving him a shot.

Zhuo Xiao had no choice but to hold him down firmly, silently repeating to himself, “You chose this husband yourself. Don’t get angry, don’t get angry.” Then, forcing a smile onto his tense face, he softly coaxed Yan Chengming, “There’s no shot, okay? Just stay still, alright?”

Hearing Chen Xi’s words, Zhuo Xiao’s expression turned cold as he said icily, “Can’t you shake him off?”

He knew someone had been following him these past few days. At first, he thought it was Zhuo Anxiong, but later he realized it was someone from the main family.

It seemed some members of the main family had grown tired of living peacefully and were itching for trouble.

Chen Xi swallowed nervously. It was his first time doing something like this, and his palms were sweating. After a moment of hesitation, he suddenly accelerated.

The car jolted abruptly, causing Yan Chengming to sway. His injured forehead bumped against Zhuo Xiao’s abdomen, making him hiss in pain.

Zhuo Xiao’s previously cold expression instantly softened. He gently stroked Yan Chengming’s cheek with his fingers, soothing him, “It’s okay, go back to sleep.”

Light snow drifted in the sky, white flakes scattering onto the road like flour. Two cars chased each other down the long stretch of road, the one in front suddenly accelerating while the one behind clung stubbornly to its tail. The thin layer of snow on the road melted into droplets under the heat of the speeding tires.

Finally, at a bend, Chen Xi made an unexpected sharp turn, accelerating to maximum speed and shooting forward like a rocket. After a few more unpredictable maneuvers, he finally managed to shake off the car behind them.

In the rush, they hadn’t followed the original route and instead ended up heading in the opposite direction, farther from home.

Just as Chen Xi was about to turn around, he saw Zhuo Xiao rubbing his temples and saying, “Forget it, find a hotel nearby.”

It was too late, and after a long, exhausting day, both his body and mind were utterly drained, desperate for rest. So, under the guidance of the navigation system, Chen Xi drove to the nearest hotel and booked two premium suites.

After helping Zhuo Xiao carry Yan Chengming inside, Chen Xi waved his hand tentatively and said, “Uncle, I’ll head out now to arrange for someone to track down that shameless car.”

Zhuo Xiao nodded.

By the time he finished blow-drying his hair and stepped out of the bathroom, it was already one in the morning. The moment his foot touched the carpet, his phone rang.

Glancing at Yan Chengming asleep on the bed and worried the ringing would disturb him, he answered almost instantly.

Chen Xi’s voice came through, sounding dejected, “Uncle, I’m sorry. He got away.”

Zhuo Xiao frowned, pausing for a moment before replying, “It’s fine, it happens.” Then he hung up.

He let out a deep sigh, massaging his tired temples.

Suddenly, Yan Chengming stirred in bed. Lifting his groggy head, his eyes red and swollen, his voice hoarse, he reached out a hand and mumbled, “Water…”

Seeing this, Zhuo Xiao immediately poured a glass of water and sat down beside him. Supporting his back, she brought the cup to his lips, gently touching his dry mouth as she whispered, “Honey, here’s the water you wanted.”

Perhaps having slept for half a day, Yan Chengming’s mind finally cleared a little. After taking a few sips of water, he blinked his tear-filled eyes, recalling the scene he had witnessed before getting drunk. Unable to hold back, two more tears rolled down his cheeks as he pulled Zhuo Xiao into his arms.

“Ah,” Zhuo Xiao exclaimed softly, spilling a bit of water onto the bedsheet.

Hastily setting the cup aside, Zhuo Xiao was suddenly pulled into Yan Chengming’s warm yet alcohol-scented embrace. Feeling a bit dazed and not yet fully processing the situation, she heard Yan Chengming sob into her ear, “Darling, how could you lie to me?”

Zhuo Xiao’s heart leaped into her throat. The questioning she had been waiting for all day had finally arrived. She swallowed hard, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to respond.

Should she make up an excuse? Or tell the truth? She wasn’t sure if Yan Chengming’s habit of forgetting things after drinking would still apply.

While she hesitated, Yan Chengming spoke again, “Even if you cheated on me, you shouldn’t have lied about it!”

Zhuo Xiao’s tense expression suddenly froze. After a long moment, the look on her face slowly faded, replaced by a hint of helplessness. “Why are you still thinking about the cheating thing? Didn’t I already explain it?”

But Yan Chengming seemed not to hear her words, continuing to ramble, “If you cheated on me, you should have told me. If you had been honest, I would have forgiven you. Why did you lie? I really don’t know what to do with you. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“My heart hurts so much. You can only lie to me once. I can only forgive you once. Any more than that, and it’s over.”

Zhuo Xiao’s gaze slowly shifted to Yan Chengming’s profile. She reached up to wipe away his tears, her voice as light as a feather, tinged with an inexplicable sadness. “So, you would forgive me even if I cheated on you? But I’ve already lied to you many times. What should we do now?”

Yan Chengming continued to cry, his words incoherent. “Don’t be like her. She lied to me, left me all alone here. And now you’re lying to me too. People who aren’t sincere always leave.”

“Her? Who is she? Honey, go on,” Zhuo Xiao asked, her sensitivity catching the word. She recalled something Wang Lang had told her a long, long time ago.

“You! Oh no! It’s over, it’s over, it’s over! Brother Yan hates being lied to the most. If he finds out I set him up with a fake, he’ll definitely kill me. But he seems really interested in you. What should I do? What should I do?”

At the time, Zhuo Xiao sat in the cramped dressing room, watching Wang Lang, who was panicking like a monkey in the jungle, with a cold expression. “Why?” she asked.

Wang Lang choked for a moment. How would he know? He could only say, “Why do you care so much? Brother Yan just hates being lied to, that’s all.”

Zhuo Xiao pressed further, “What happens if someone lies to him?”

“It’s serious! Basically, if you lie to him once, he’ll cut you off and kick you out of his circle of friends for good! If he finds out you lied to him, there’s basically no chance for you two, and he’ll despise you.” Wang Lang said despairingly.

Zhuo Xiao pondered for a moment, then curled her lips into a smile that held no warmth, making her look dangerous. “Then we just won’t let him find out.”

Later, Zhuo Xiao also tried to investigate why Yan Chengming was so averse to deception. But for some reason, it was as if the information had been erased, leaving a blank slate. Coupled with the fact that his main influence wasn’t in City A, he couldn’t find anything.

Now, however, was a perfect opportunity to coax the truth out of Yan Chengming.

But upon hearing his question, Yan Chengming didn’t respond, as if he had shut down after venting all his emotions.

Zhuo Xiao had no choice but to give up. His body slowly leaned closer to Yan Chengming. Originally, it was Yan Chengming holding him, but as the strength gradually intensified, the initiative began to shift.

Yan Chengming was pressed down onto the bed, his gaze drifting and unfocused. He watched as Zhuo Xiao, in his field of vision, slowly untied his bathrobe, revealing large patches of skin. With a heavy nasal tone, he asked, “Wife, what are you doing?”

Zhuo Xiao chuckled softly, his fingers lightly hooking the bathrobe, which slipped off his shoulders, exposing the striking tattoo covering much of his back.

He wrapped his arms around Yan Chengming’s shoulders, rubbing against his waist. His long black hair cascaded down as he lowered his eyes and whispered, “What do you think I’m doing?”

“If I get pregnant, you won’t abandon me, right? You’re kind and responsible, you’ll definitely take care of me and the baby, even if I lied to you.”

If only he had really cheated—Yan Chengming could have forgiven him. But what he did was far worse than cheating. Almost nothing about him was real, far beyond what Yan Chengming could bear. He didn’t dare gamble; he needed more leverage.

Even if he ultimately lost the gamble, he would still have a piece of Yan Chengming’s life. He would raise the baby well, let them inherit the Zhuo family… No, he wouldn’t lose.

Zhuo Xiao’s gaze grew peculiar. He took Yan Chengming’s hand, veins bulging, and his breathing grew heavier. “Touch me, it’ll be faster… Hah, I’m so tired today. Let’s sleep early, okay?”

…

The next day, Yan Chengming woke up with a splitting headache on the hotel bed. He shifted slightly, and Zhuo Xiao in his arms let out a soft groan.

Noticing Zhuo Xiao’s presence and the various ambiguous marks on his body, Yan Chengming felt none of the usual happiness. Instead, his expression froze.

It took him a long while before he got out of bed to freshen up. Just after his shower, he glanced at Zhuo Xiao sitting on the bed and immediately averted his eyes.

Sensing his coldness, Zhuo Xiao paused for a moment, his expression and tone turning grave. “Husband, there’s something I need to tell you.”