Published at 8th of January 2020 2:31 pm

Chapter 69: Pay Your Tax for Bragging

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Translator: Sumi Wang

Edited by White Whale

Su Mo just finished revising the contract and Xing Biao asked him to have dinner together – maybe more like a late dinner as it was past ten o ‘clock.

They just started eating when Bai Hua knocked on the door. “You are having a meal, Brother Biao? I finished the proposals. I made four and the client will definitely love them.”

Su Mo smiled at him and continued eating. Xing Biao put aside his chopsticks and began to look through the proposals. Bai Hua glanced at the table. Scallions and sesame oil were floating in a bowl of delicious wonton. He couldn’t help touching his stomach and thought, ‘It smelled so delicious! How nice it would be to have a bowl of hot wonton on such a cold day like today!’

“Aye, the wonton looked delicious. Lawyer Su, can I also have a bowl? I’m hungry.”

“Help yourself and get a set of tableware from the kitchen. Don’t expect my wife to fetch it for you. He is hungry and don’t have the time.” Xing Biao replied.

‘A total slave to your wife!’ Bai Hua despised Xing Biao in his heart, but still took a bowl and a pair of chopsticks, and sat down to eat wonton. Xing Biao sat next to Su Mo and showed him the proposals. Su Mo looked through them carefully and thought, ‘Security plans could never be too comprehensive and we should not miss out one single blind angle.’

Bai Hua enjoyed himself eating wonton, one after another. He added, “My contingency plan is also perfect. I divided the staff into three groups and the third group is outside the exhibition venue. If someone steals something and head outside, the group would definitely catch him at the scene – he couldn’t run away anyhow. Ah, the wonton is delicious. Are you going to make wonton again tomorrow? I’ll come back to eat again tomorrow.”

“Hey! Don’t eat too much. He’s not full yet.” Noticing that more than half of the wontons were eaten by Bai Hua, Xing Biao grabbed the bowl of wonton and picked the wonton into Su Mo’s bowl with a spoon. Su Mo’s bowl was full and Bai Hua could only drink the soup left.

“Brother, I despise you. We’ve been good brothers for so many years, yet you don’t even feed me full now.”

“Oh just forget about it. It’s so generous of me to allow you to eat here.”

Bai Hua ignored him and said to Su Mo, “Lawyer Su, can I come over every night to join as your dinner companion? You only need to cook a bit more food.”

“As long as we cook, we’ll invite you over. Are you both full?” said Xing Biao.

Su Mo nodded and Bai Hua said, “Yeah, I’m full.”

Xing Biao drank the last bit of soup and stood up, ready to clear the table. He thought, ‘It’s late and time for us to go to sleep.’

Su Mo rolled up his sleeves and stopped him. “You two can discuss the proposal and I’ll wash the dishes.”

Ow, what’s the matter with Su Mo – proactively asking to wash the dishes and do the housework?

Men always care a lot about their dignity. After a meal, a man could earn his face by just sitting there smoking, with their legs crossed and letting his wife do the housework. That was very manly.

So, Xing Biao sat back and smoked, with his leg crossed, watching Su Mo cleaning up the table. He even raised his hand and patted Su Mo on his buttock when he passed through and said, “Look at my good wife – so diligent.” He did it 70% taking advantage of Su Mo, 20% expressing his love and the rest 10% making display of affection in front of Bai Hua.

Su Mo turned around and wanted to kick him. ‘Showing off in an ostentatious manner? I was just being considerate and took the initiative to do the dishes, thinking that you two may want to discuss the business proposal. Yet you are showing off and acting so flirtatious? I really want to kick you out of here. But looking back, Bai Hua is still here. Fine, I will let it go. Let him earn some face in front of his brother. Let him show off for a little while.’ Without saying anything, he went to the kitchen with the dishes.

Therefore, Bai Hua looked at Xing Biao in an absolutely adoring way – he always thought that Xing Biao was a wife slave and did not expect him to be so authoritative.

‘Lawyer Su usually seeks revenge for the smallest grievance. It’s unbelievable that he would allow Brother Biao patting his buttock and then even throw a leer? And went to the kitchen without saying anything? It seems as if Lawyer Su is originally a stubborn horse that gives a backward kick while it’s unwilling to do something but Xing Biao tamed the horse successfully. Sure enough it’s the magic of marriage – Brother Biao must have tamed Su Mo between the sheets somehow. Well, a wife should be the one who cooks, washing the dishes, takes care of the children and care for his husband on his daily needs – that’s the right thing to do. How come it’s a man who takes care of his wife, right?’

He exclaimed, “Brother Biao, you are really awesome to tame your wife to be so obedient as such.”

Xing Biao snorted arrogantly, with his arms stretched out on the back of the sofa. “If a man can’t even have his wife’s obedience – can he still be called a true man?”

He flicked the cigarette ash, and continued to brag himself. “When I get home, he will cook dinner and make sure prepare the bath tub for me when he finishes washing the dishes. When I watch TV, he’ll do the laundry; and when I’m ready to go to bed, he’ll warm up the bed for me in advance. He usually gets up early to prepare breakfast before I get up. I……”

“The tax laws have been modified.” said Su Mo, walking out of the kitchen with a poker face. His words interrupted Xing Biao’s bragging and drew both of their attention.

Originally Bai Hua gave Xing Biao a thumbs-up while listening, and kept tut-tutting. He thought, ‘Brother IS indeed the big brother, who could tame his wife to be so obedient as such.’ He was eager to hear more of it, but as soon as hearing about the tax law changes, he got distracted. Businessmen must keep track of such changes.

So he asked, “How? Tax increase? VAT increase?”

“The tax law was modified yesterday and one item was added: pay your tax for bragging.”

Bai Hua got the point immediately and laughed out loud. ‘Brother Biao is bragging? Pay your tax for bragging! Got revenged by Su Mo now? You deserved it. I should have known that you are a true slave to your wife – bragging about your authoritativeness in the family and all about how Lawyer Su serves you? The cat is out of the bag now. However, I have to say that, Lawyer Su, telling jokes in a poker face is even funnier.’

Xing Biao grinned embarrassingly and thought, ‘Guess I could only brag when Su Mo is not at home, otherwise he will spill the beans out.’

Bai Hua couldn’t help himself laughing and hammering on the sofa.

As for Lawyer Su, he didn’t even move his eyebrows and pressed his lips together, poker-faced. “Where’s the first-aid kit?”

Xing Biao jumped up and ran to Su Mo, looking rather nervous as if it was the end of the world. “What happened? What’s wrong?” He checked Su Mo’s arms and touched his face – all was well.

“I put the kitchen knife in the sink and got hurt while doing the dishes.” Su Mo showed him his index finger and there was a cut of less than one centimeter below the fingernail, with a little bit of blood.

“You are so careless. Does it hurt?” Xing Biao put the finger into his mouth.

Su Mo pushed him away at once with a disgusted look. “Have you read too many romantic novels written by Qiong Yao? How could you do such a thing? I had a small cut on the finger, what if it’s on the nose, or on the buttocks? You could even kiss the cut then? Even if you are fine with it, I couldn’t bear it. I will definitely get goose bumps. And how many germs are there in your mouth? How stupid of you to put my finger in your mouth – what if I get a stomachache?”

Xing Biao was speechless and came to know that he had definitely married a wife who would never have a romantic bone in his body.

“Go get me the Band-Aid.”

Xing Biao happily fetched them for Su Mo and first disinfected his finger and then pasted a band-aid. “In fact, even if you have a cut on your ass, I will still kiss it.”

“Go and finish washing the dishes.” Su Mo shivered and thought, ‘I’m going to die from his disgusting sweet-talk.’

” I’m on it. You have to keep your finger dry. Be careful not to get infected.”

‘Brother Biao, when we were street gangs and got stabbed, we just wrapped the wound casually and went drinking. Is there any need to make a fuss about such a tiny cut? As expected, those married people are brainless.’ Bai Hua thought to himself as the big, shiny, one-kilowatt light bulb – the couple was flirting and it was indeed not proper for him to stay here.

“You two can continue to show your love for each other. I’m leaving. Brother Biao, shall I make an appointment with the jewelry company to sign the contract tomorrow?”

“Okay, go ahead. Darling, can you come over when we sign the contract? I would be more at ease with you by my side.”

Su Mo nodded. He also feared that the lawyer from the jewelry company would modify something on the contract and Xing Biao the fool would jump into the trap and then their family property would all be gone.

“I’m leaving.” Bai Hua said.

Xing Biao did not reply. He held Su Mo’s finger and blew it, thinking that he can alleviate the pain this way.

‘How much on earth would such a tiny cut hurt?’ Bai Hua thought. His self-esteem was hurt badly – he had never been ignored by Xing Biao to such an extent, and again, “I’m leaving.”

“I didn’t ask you to stay. Just hurry and go. We’re going to bed.”

Bai Hua’s heart got hurt once again and thought, ‘He who gets married with his wife no longer cares about his brothers. I despise you, Brother Biao!’

“I’m jealous and I’m going to find someone to make public display of our affections as well.” Bai Hua took out his phone as he walked away.

“Nine Fingers go to the bar with your buddy. … Yeah, go drinking right at our place. … All right, I’ll wait for you.”

“Don’t drink too much. There is work to do tomorrow.” Xing Biao reminded. Bai Hua waved his hand and went out.

“Let’s not stay up and go to sleep.”

Su Mo was also tired from a long day. He stood up and was about go to the study to fetch a book, and the light was out within a few steps.

‘Shit! The power is cut off!’ Xing Biao heard a noise from the tea table and shouted, “Stand there and don’t move!” It must be Su Mo bumping into the tea table as the power was suddenly off and he is not used to the dark environment. He would never want to see Su Mo hurt.

Touching along the sofa, Xing Biao reached Su Mo and hugged him by the waist, “How is your BoLengGai? Are you hurt?”

‘BoLengGai?’ Su Mo thought, ‘That must be the dialect of the northeast part. He was so worried that he naturally spoke the dialect. It must mean the knee.’ So he replied, “It’s okay. Did the fuse blow out? You get the flashlight and I’ll change the fuse.”

“Forget about it. I’m right here and you are not to worry about that. I’ll help you to the bed to rest. It doesn’t matter that the power is cut out. We’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

Xing Biao hugged Su Mo and they walked together to the bedroom. It was completely dark and nothing was visible. In the darkness, they held each other’s hands and there was a bit of romantic atmosphere, but neither of them thought of it.

“Where’s the cell phone? Call Bai Hua and ask if he’s stuck in the elevator. If that’s the case, it’s really dangerous.” Said Su Mo.

“I put it on the bedside table. Leave him alone for now. Don’t get hurt yourself.”

Finally they were by the bed. As soon as Su Mo sat on the bed, Xing Biao grabbed the phone to call Bai Hua.

“I didn’t take the elevator. The power was cut off as soon as I got out, so I took the stairs. It’s troublesome to take the stairs without electricity. I’m just on the fourth floor.”

“Well, as I said, your kidney is weak. Eat some lamb kidneys to build up yours. We are on the eighth floor and you haven’t reached the first floor in five minutes?”

“Shit. Let’s compete and see who can make love seven times a night?”

Su Mo frowned and thought of the case he was dealing with. ‘The accuser said that he also walked downstairs then. And after getting downstairs, he walked for a while before taking a taxi. There was no electricity and the elevator didn’t operate. If he indeed walked down stairs from eighth floor, it should take some time no matter how fast he walked.’

Xing Biao laughed and said, “Tomorrow I’ll treat you some lamb kidneys and stewed tiger’s genitals. You’ll definitely get a nosebleed from too much nourishment.” He hung up and said to Su Mo, “Darling, Bai Hua said that the power was cut off in this whole area. I guess the electricity could only get restored in the morning. Let’s go to sleep.”

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