Hubby, mwah~

"I'm not close to him."

Xu Shi wasn't particularly willing.

He figured Xie Yanci would probably refuse. After all, Xie Yanci didn't love him.

The only principle that particular big-shot CEO followed was staying out of each other's business.

"All right."

Xiao Chi sighed and leaned back against the sofa, tilting his head up, uncertain about his and Xu Shi's future.

Xu Shi wasn't a big enough name for the company to assign him a manager, and Xiao Chi was only a rookie assistant who had just entered the industry, with no resources at all.

All the two of them could usually do was look at handsome men and gossip.

"Holy shit, Director Zhang posted an apology." Xiao Chi held the iPad out in front of Xu Shi.

"Let me see." Xu Shi hurriedly sat up on the sofa.

For no apparent reason, his heart began beating faster and faster.

He hated this director who had tried to sexually exploit him. Only Director Zhang being blacklisted would really have given him some satisfaction.

Yet, for Wen Yu's sake, he had specifically gone to Xie Yanci to plead for leniency and let this director off. Did that count as stabbing himself in the back?

Xu Shi didn't know.

He just felt a little unhappy.

The Weibo post was too long for Xu Shi to bother reading. "Got a short version?"

"Director Zhang apologized for what happened before and decided to leave the industry," Xiao Chi said. "His condition for leaving is that Shallow Summer gets released without a hitch. He said it was his life's work."

"..."

Xu Shi listened quietly, already too stunned to say a word.

Xie Yanci really did cover all the bases.

He had originally thought Xie Yanci would rehabilitate Director Zhang's image so Shallow Summer could air smoothly. He hadn't expected him to make the man leave the industry outright.

In the end, Xie Yanci had still taken him into consideration.

After seeing Xiao Chi off, Xu Shi lay on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling, his mind in turmoil.

Xie Yanci probably had the best temperament of anyone he had ever met.

He was a little cold, but he showed his wife enough respect. Treating each other with the courtesy of guests was actually pretty nice.

It was just a shame he would eventually fall for someone else.

Xu Shi hardly dared imagine how much someone as good as Xie Yanci would spoil his beloved once he fell in love.

He was jealous, actually.

He was jealous that Wen Yu could have everyone's affection. Even he now wanted to help Wen Yu for no apparent reason.

"..."

Only after a very, very long time did Xu Shi sigh.

Forget it.

What was one person's love worth? In the future, he'd book ten handsome male models at once!

He didn't care about one measly Xie Yanci.

That man could fall for whoever he wanted. He couldn't care less.

Xu Shi lay on the sofa, picked an arthouse film at random to watch, and called Xie Yanci.

After a long while, the other end finally picked up. "Hello?"

"Husband~" Xu Shi's sweet voice came through. "Thanks for helping me. Mwah~"

He rewarded Xie Yanci with a kiss.

It was especially loud, and Xie Yanci happened to have his phone on speaker.

The ever-aloof, ascetic President Xie was holding a fountain pen, and his refined, handsome face froze on the spot.

Secretary Zhou raised an eyebrow and tactfully turned away, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.

Xie Yanci cleared his throat and put down his fountain pen. Picking up his phone as though nothing had happened, he said, "Mm."

A single, simple syllable escaped his thin lips, as cool and aloof as ever.

[What a poser.]

[I kissed you, and you won't even kiss me back!]

[Are you the only sweet, soft one who deserves kisses? Don't I deserve one?]

Xie Yanci cleared his throat, his gaze wavering slightly. It was indeed his first time hearing such a demand, and even the tips of his ears beneath his fringe flushed faintly red.

Getting him to "kiss" back would be difficult.

Xu Shi didn't care about such things. Complaining inwardly was one thing, but when he actually spoke to Xie Yanci, he put on an entirely different face.

He ventured cautiously, "We agreed we'd only sleep together once a month. Surely you weren't planning to sleep with me for free last time?"

At that, Xie Yanci raised an eyebrow.

Did he need his help with something again?

Understanding dawned on Xie Yanci. "You didn't like that Sapphire Crown?"

He had specifically bought it at auction as an apology, and Xu Shi had accepted it.

But Xu Shi refused to acknowledge that. He was always brazen even when he was in the wrong. "I never said I wanted it. You forced it on me."

Xie Yanci raised an eyebrow.

So that was allowed?

He turned his head and gave a helpless chuckle.

Just then, Secretary Zhou pushed the door open again and said quietly, "President Xie, the meeting is about to start."

Xie Yanci lowered his eyes to check his watch and slowly rose. "Just tell me. What exactly do you need?"

Xu Shi loved how straightforward he was.

He chuckled a few times before asking ingratiatingly, "Husband, could you get me a script for the male lead in a big-budget production?"

"..."

"..."

There was no response from the other end for a long time.

Xu Shi didn't care and kept going. "Please, Husband~"

"Husband, I know you're the nicest person ever~"

"Could you really bear to watch your wife keep getting trampled on and bullied?"

"Could you bear to see such an adorable little kitty cry?"

Xie Yanci abruptly stopped walking.

The group of elite executives in suits following behind him all looked at their usually aloof, distinguished president in confusion.

Under the bright corridor lights, Xie Yanci lowered his eyes, a hint of a smile touching his features.

Xu Shi really was... cute.

Every word out of his mouth was unexpected.

Hearing his wife wheedle like this now and then really did put him in a good mood.

With a glance, he signaled for the bodyguard to open the conference room door and walked in unhurriedly.

Seated at the head of the table, Xie Yanci lowered his eyes and lightly tapped the tabletop with his slightly curled fingers, pondering for a few seconds.

"I don't get involved in anything in the entertainment industry," he said coolly. "The meeting is about to start. I'm hanging up."

Without so much as another word of explanation, he ended the call.

"Hey!"

Xu Shi hadn't even had time to curse at him.

Fuck!

Who the hell said Xie Yanci had a good temper?

He was practically an avoidant personality and a master of the silent treatment rolled into one.

"Too much! Too much! Too much!"

He had never met an alpha more irritating than Xie Yanci!

He could clearly have used that lousy excuse to turn him down from the start. What was the point of making him swallow his pride and wheedle for so long?

He was never going to be on good terms with Xie Yanci again.

"I want a divorce!"

The meeting didn't end until seven that evening.

A group of people left the conference room, clustered around the distinguished, aloof man in their midst.

The president's private elevator was particularly spacious. Listening to Secretary Zhou's report beside him, Xie Yanci occasionally gave a simple response with a nod or a shake of his head.

He lowered his eyes and looked at the wedding ring on his left hand.

Suddenly, he asked, "Is Song Zhixing coming back to the country soon?"

The most famous Chinese director in France, he had won Best Director at both Cannes and the Berlin International Film Festival.

He was Xie Yanci's childhood friend.

"Yes," Secretary Zhou quickly replied. "Director Song messaged you last time saying he'd be back next week and wanted to treat you to a meal."

"You're that happy?" Xie Yanci slowly raised his eyes.

"No, not at all."

Secretary Zhou didn't dare say anything more and quickly lowered his head.

As long as President Xie wasn't fighting with his wife, he would go home to sleep.

As long as President Xie went home to sleep, he would definitely leave work early.

He would always be on Xu Shi's side.

"I heard Director Song is planning to return to shoot a film this time," Secretary Zhou said cautiously.

"President Xie, would you like to get in touch with Director Song?"