[How to Cultivate a Model Husband According to the Twenty-Four Filial Pieties] [Marriage Happiness Management] [Thirty-Three Tricks to Make Your Wife Never Want to Leave] [A Husband’s Self-Cultivation]
Chen Jing: “…………”
Even more shocking was that there were several romance novels like [Domineering Cherished Little Wife].
…So, his rapidly improving emotional intelligence came from these books?
Just as she was shocked and sighing, a sound of the door closing came from outside.
Chen Jing’s heart skipped a beat as she immediately stuffed the books back in place, quickly straightening the bedsheets. Then, she took out her phone and sat at the bedhead, looking serious.
“Honey~” Xu Cheng’an laughed as he opened the door, “Guess who I just saw?”
“Who did you see?” Chen Jing casually put down her phone and looked at him.
Xu Cheng’an’s smile deepened, but his expression suddenly froze when he caught sight of something.
Chen Jing followed his gaze and saw the words [Domineering Cherished Little Wife] on the book cover.
Her eye twitched, and she instinctively kicked the book back underneath. Regretting the obvious movement, she realized it was noticeable.
As expected, Xu Cheng’an froze for a moment before speaking.
“How did you find them?” he asked, surprised that his hidden books were discovered.
“I accidentally saw them,” Chen Jing said, quickly comforting him, “Don’t worry, I’ll put them back right away; I didn’t look closely.”
“Really?” Xu Cheng’an’s expression softened slightly, but he looked suspiciously at the bottom of the bed. “Did you… open and read them?”
“No,” she replied, watching his expression and feeling there might be something hidden in the books.
“That’s good,” he visibly relaxed, returning to his previous smile, walking over to crouch in front of her, looking up, “Do you know who I just saw?”
Unexpectedly, she turned back suddenly. Xu Cheng’an hastily released his fingers that were tightly gripping the bedsheets in frustration, forcing his expression to remain unchanged, and revealed a smile: “What’s wrong?”
This smile was too forced. Chen Jing’s heart stirred, and she simply walked back, worriedly touching his forehead: “Cheng’an, are you feeling unwell?”
“I…” Xu Cheng’an’s lips gradually turned pale. He instinctively wanted to refute, but Chen Jing cut him off: “Don’t want me to leave?”
Her gaze was clear, as if she had already seen through everything. Xu Cheng’an didn’t dare to meet her eyes, lowering his gaze, silent and not looking up.
He didn’t know what to say.
He had been acting for so long, fully immersing himself in the role of a husband. He had read so many books, studied so many similar cases, just to make himself appear normal.
He could accept his wife having her own personal space, could accept not seeing her during the day when she was at work, could accept her having many friends.
But until just now, when he discovered she had seen the books under the bed, he suddenly couldn’t hold it together anymore.
The demon in his heart was restless. The voice that had disappeared for a while reappeared, causing him such a headache that his eye sockets turned red.
He suddenly slapped himself.
The crisp “slap” startled Chen Jing. Seeing he was about to slap himself again, she quickly grabbed his wrist: “Cheng’an!”
“It’s nothing.” Xu Cheng’an held her hand, and as he raised his head, large tears fell, his voice choked but still trying to be strong: “Ran Jie, I’m fine.”
“You’re like this and still saying you’re fine?” Chen Jing frowned, her voice slightly raised. Seeing him cry even more intensely, she softened: “Okay, okay, Ran Jie knows you’re fine.”
Xu Cheng’an leaned on her, listening to her soft comforting words, his heart complex.
The more he thought, the more his nose felt sour and uncontrollable. He moved his lips, wanting to say he was fine, but his throat felt blocked, unable to say a word.
“Cheng’an, it’s okay.” Chen Jing gently patted his back, softly guiding, “We’re husband and wife. We can discuss anything. Don’t worry, no matter what, I won’t blame you, okay?”
Xu Cheng’an looked dazed, “Really won’t blame me?”
Seeing her nod, he was silent for a long time, his eye sockets red again, before slowly speaking: “These past few months, I’ve been pretending.
Once the words bottled up inside were spoken, he couldn’t help but break down, crying breathlessly, “I… I didn’t want to always make you feel annoyed, feel that I’m useless, but I can’t help it. I really can’t control it.”
“I know, I know everything.” Chen Jing was panicked by his crying. Although she had long felt something was off, seeing him like this suddenly made her feelings complex.
She pulled out some tissue to wipe his tears, heartachingly assuring him: “I don’t feel annoyed, really.”
Xu Cheng’an grabbed her wrist, sobbing: “Then tell me honestly, do you like me?”
Chen Jing was slightly stunned, then nodded.
Xu Cheng’an felt her expression was too calm: “I don’t want a nod. I want you to tell me verbally.”
Chen Jing hugged him tightly: “I like you.”
[Male lead’s happiness value increased by 30%, current happiness value 75%]
“I like you too.” Xu Cheng’an took a deep breath, tightly hugging her back, with a crying voice: “Ran Jie, can we be like before?”
“Okay.” After Chen Jing agreed, she also breathed a sigh of relief.
These days after marriage were indeed peaceful, but deep down, she had been on edge, always worried he was pretending too much and might develop depression. She wanted to say something but was afraid he couldn’t handle it.
Now, it was finally out in the open.
Xu Cheng’an felt slightly at peace, obediently leaning on her, breathing her faint fragrance, gently closing his eyes.
After the confrontation, Xu Cheng’an indeed returned to his previous state. But during casual conversations, Chen Jing discovered that when he lost emotional control and felt sad, he would secretly prick himself with needles.
Chen Jing was shocked, grabbing his hand to look, finding no abnormalities. She then used a magnifying glass, and a chill suddenly rose from her feet, making her heart tremble.
On his honey-colored skin were dense needle marks, on both sides. This was just from three months. Chen Jing used the magnifying glass to check his entire body, finding several rows on his thighs. Xu Cheng’an just smiled nonchalantly: “It doesn’t hurt at all.”
Chen Jing was furious, directly throwing the magnifying glass at his forehead, angrily saying: “If I find you doing this to yourself again, we’re getting a divorce immediately!”
Xu Cheng’an was still laughing when hit.
Hearing this, tears immediately welled up, and he quickly promised: “I won’t do it. I’ll never do it again.”
“You know it hurts!” Chen Jing heartlessly slapped away his hand, asking sternly: “Admit you’re wrong?”
Xu Cheng’an rushed to kiss her without care, his tears smearing her face, repeatedly admitting: “I was wrong, I really know I was wrong.”
Chen Jing sighed, turned her head to kiss him for a while, and waited for him to calm down before softly saying: “Cheng’an, I was wrong before, I demanded too much and wasn’t patient enough. I’ll pay attention to that in the future, but no matter what happens, you must not harm yourself.”
She kissed the corner of his mouth, her gaze gentle and doting: “I’ll be heartbroken.”
Xu Cheng’an sniffled, turning red to his ears under her gaze, his heart sweet beyond measure, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curving up as he gently nodded.
Chen Jing looked at him and also revealed a smile.
In the years that followed, Chen Jing kept her word. In everything related to him, she was gentle and never impatient again.
