The Dominant CEO Xiao's Relentless Love for His Wife

It was nearing midnight. The lights outside the window flickered as a gentle drizzle fell. The cold rain of midwinter carried a bone-chilling dampness. Lu Zhiyao had just returned from outside and took a hot shower, the warmth seeping into her body. As she settled onto her bed, her phone buzzed. She glanced at it—a message from her sister-in-law, Shen Zhuyun. "Sister, thank you for helping me out last time. I don't have much to repay you with, but I want to give you a heads-up." Following this message was a photo. In it, a voluptuous woman sat on Xiao Han's lap, their eyes locked in a gaze full of desire. Lu Zhiyao let out a cold snort. "A reminder? More like an annoyance." She swiftly dialed Xiao Han's number. Moments later, his voice came through, tinged with amusement. "Baby, what's up?" "Where are you?" Lu Zhiyao's tone was icy. "Drinking at the club." "Check your messages." Lu Zhiyao hung up, screenshotting Shen Zhuyun's message and sending it to Xiao Han. Half a minute later, Xiao Han replied, "Then I guess I'll have to trouble you to come over. But, be gentle." Lu Zhiyao had no choice but to change her clothes, grab her car keys, and head out. The midnight bar was in full swing, alive with noise and indulgence. Dressed in a black coat, Lu Zhiyao carried the cold winter wind through the chaotic revelry as she strode towards Xiao Han. Before anyone could react, Lu Zhiyao pulled the woman off Xiao Han's lap and slapped him across the face. The slap was crisp and loud. Everyone in the private room was stunned. Xiao Ershao had just been slapped. "Will you come out yourself, or should I beat you until you're carried out?" Lu Zhiyao's voice was as cold as the midnight wind, enough to draw blood as it cut across one's face. "Baby, does your hand hurt?" Xiao Han immediately knelt before Lu Zhiyao, cradling the hand that had just struck him. His groveling manner, mixed with affection, was almost too much to bear. "Second Young Master..." someone gasped. "Sister-in-law, Second Young Master really didn't do anything, just had a few drinks," spoke up Zhuo Yan, Xiao Han's childhood friend, with a sheepish smile. "Really, I swear on my honor!" Zhuo Yan raised his hand in an oath. "Your honor isn't worth much!" Lu Zhiyao didn't even glance at Zhuo Yan, brushing off Xiao Han's hands and turning to leave. Like a child who had done something wrong, Xiao Han scrambled after her, as if afraid she would abandon him if he was too slow. The private room fell silent for half a minute before someone asked, "Is Xiao Ershao really that afraid of his wife?" But no one answered. The answer was right there, plain as day. Lu Zhiyao climbed into her car, waiting for Xiao Han, who followed shortly. From the back seat, she took a bag and handed it to him as he got in. "Apply some ice, or it'll swell." Xiao Han took the ice pack and tossed it onto the back seat. "No need. I'll keep the mark to show Sister-in-law tomorrow when we visit the old house. She wanted this effect by sending you that message in the middle of the night. How could I let her down?" "Tell me, do you have something on her? Otherwise, she wouldn't be this meddlesome." Xiao Han touched his face, wincing a little. "Baby, didn't I say to be gentle? Why did you hit so hard? Come, rub it for me..." Xiao Han took Lu Zhiyao's hand, guiding it to his face. "How do you expect me to rub it? Are you crazy?" "Then blow on it for me!" Xiao Han moved his face closer, only a couple of centimeters away from her lips. Lu Zhiyao hesitated, then blew gently on the red mark. The warmth of her breath tickled his face, the proximity allowing him to catch the scent of her shampoo and body wash—it was a little sweet. "Still, you should apply the ice, or..." Before Lu Zhiyao could finish, Xiao Han cut her off, "If you really feel bad, then give me a kiss... on the cheek..." Lu Zhiyao pushed him away. "Can we talk seriously for a moment? Can we change the script?" "Why change?" Xiao Han had been a bit hopeful, but that hope dissipated instantly. He quickly added, "The henpecked Second Young Master and his domineering wife—isn't this dynamic well-developed and thrilling?" Xiao Han looked genuinely enthusiastic, and Lu Zhiyao quietly wondered if she should take him to see a psychiatrist at some point. Maybe he'd forgotten what he used to be like. "Fine, you're the boss. Whatever you say." Lu Zhiyao started the car and drove Xiao Han home. They lived in an upscale community in Ning City, a two-story penthouse of over two hundred square meters, allowing each of them to go about their daily routines without interfering with the other. They were married, but only in the legal sense. Four years ago, Xiao Han had hired Lu Zhiyao, then still a university student, as his wife to avoid an arranged marriage orchestrated by his father. So, Lu Zhiyao wasn’t just a wife on paper—she was a contracted employee, complete with a salary, year-end bonuses, health insurance, and paid leave. To the outside world, their marriage seemed low-key yet affectionate. Before their wedding, Xiao Han had been a regular at nightclubs, a true playboy. But after marrying Lu Zhiyao, the rumors and scandals had mostly stopped. This time, though, getting caught with a woman on his lap at his own club was truly infuriating. Lu Zhiyao changed into her slippers as she entered their home, heading straight for the first-floor bedroom. Xiao Han lived on the second floor, though he rarely stayed here, often opting for his villa on the outskirts of the city. They only came back to this place once every ten days or so. "Baby, aren't you going to ask me?" Lu Zhiyao had just reached for the bedroom door when Xiao Han's voice made her turn back. "Ask you what?" "About that big-breasted beauty." Lu Zhiyao looked at Xiao Han for a moment before replying, "Slim waist, big breasts, probably enhanced. What's it like to touch implants?" Xiao Han let out a dry laugh, his face darkening, and turned to head upstairs. After a few steps, he paused. "Tomorrow night, come with me to visit the old man. Looks like there's going to be a new addition to the family." Lu Zhiyao recalled seeing Xiao Han's father, Xiao Zhenghua, with a young woman at the hospital when she had accompanied her mother there a few days ago. Xiao Zhenghua, the chairman of Huifeng Group and Xiao Han's father, had been with the woman for a prenatal checkup. She had only caught a glimpse of her back then and hadn’t approached them. It seemed that Xiao Zhenghua intended to make that woman his official partner. Xiao Zhenghua, chairman of Huifeng Group, had fathered three children. Xiao Han had an older brother, Xiao Ze, from his father's first wife, and a younger sister from his own mother. Xiao Zhenghua had married several times, and even at nearly sixty, he hadn’t stopped his philandering ways. For ordinary people, life was a mess. For the rich, it was a pot of melodrama. The next morning, before dawn, Lu Zhiyao left the house. She was on her way to pick up her brother, Lu Chenguang, from prison. Standing outside the gates of Sanchuan Prison, Lu Zhiyao held a black umbrella, her expression solemn. The winter rain fell in a constant drizzle. Her hand holding the umbrella had gone numb from the cold, but her eyes remained fixed on the small door of the prison. Nearby, an Audi was parked. She had driven it here before sunrise but chose not to wait inside, standing instead in the cold, seemingly needing the discomfort to calm her anxious heart. Her phone suddenly rang. Lu Zhiyao pulled it from her coat pocket and glanced at the screen—Xiao Han. "What is it?" "Why did you leave so early? Bring me some breakfast on your way back." Xiao Han's voice was lazy, still not fully awake. "I have something to do this morning. I can't come back. Order delivery." "Delivery? Baby, you know I like that one place that doesn’t deliver. You'll still have to make a trip." Lu Zhiyao exhaled, a puff of mist escaping into the cold air. "Is it really important?" Xiao Han’s voice grew sharper. "Yes." Lu Zhiyao nodded. "So, you’re willing to let me starve to death at home? Even if you're busy, it won't take long to drop off breakfast, right? Baby, you're the best to me, aren't you?" "I'm outside a prison," Lu Zhiyao replied. "A prison? Oh, right—is it today? You're willing to leave your husband starving to go see your sweetheart." Lu Zhiyao sighed. "I’ll ask someone to deliver breakfast to you." "Ah, baby, you’re the best. Alright, go meet your brother… but remember, don’t treat him better than you treat me, or I’ll get jealous." The line cut off with a couple of playful chuckles. Lu Zhiyao shook her head. What had gotten into this thirty-year-old man now? Jealousy? There would never be room for that word between them. Back then, she had agreed to become Xiao Han’s legal wife because she had no other choice. Money—if you didn’t have it, it would crush you. They had signed a five-year contract. If, after five years, both were still willing to renew, they could negotiate new terms. If either wanted out, the contract would simply end. The only thing Lu Zhiyao hadn’t anticipated was Lu Chenguang being released early. Lu Chenguang, her legal brother, had been sentenced to nine years in prison for severely injuring someone. He had served seven years, three months, and five days. His good behavior and two acts of meritorious service had earned him an early release. Today, she had come to take him home. Lu Zhiyao glanced at her watch. It was precisely eight-thirty. Still early, but she had stood alone in the cold rain for over an hour, counting every minute and second. Suddenly, the prison gate opened, and Lu Zhiyao's gaze snapped up, her body leaning slightly forward, though she didn’t move a step closer. A moment later, a man stepped out of the gate. Seven years, three months, and five days later, she finally saw him again.