Chapter 51 - Desperate times call for desperate measures

“My throat is starting to get sore from singing, your turn.” Lu Shimiao passed the mic to Su Tao as she gulped down an entire bottle of beer.

Holding onto the mic, Su Tao picked up a pleasant fragrance that was left on it. It should have been touched by Lu Shimiao's lip gloss, which left this fragrance. There were actually two mics available, but Su Tao stuck with Lu Shimiao’s mic after some pondering.

Su Tao picked 《The Ordinary Road》 which was sung by Pu Shu. His voice was leaning towards the resonant side, having another taste, compared to the hoarse and magnetic singing style by the artist himself. “I was once frustrated, desperate and lost my way, until I saw that being ordinary was my only solution. I have once destroyed everything that I held dear to leave forever…”

Sitting on the sofa, Lu Shimiao held onto a beer bottle and only placed it down after Su Tao finished singing. “This song is someone cultured. I never thought that you would have it deep in your bones.”

“Don’t I look like a cultured young man?” Su Tao replied with a smile.

Lu Shimiao nodded her head. “I always felt that you’re a lecher from the first day we met.”

“The first day?” Su Tao asked, “Is it because I accidentally glanced at your tag that was pinned on your chest?”

Lu Shimiao shook her head. “That is the second time we met. The first time we met, it was in a corridor, and you even became touchy.”

Su Tao was left stunned by her words. So Lu Shimiao did not pretend not to see him on their first encounter, she only felt that he did it on purpose when he accidentally brushed against her chest.

With a bitter smile, Su Tao replied, “That was a misunderstanding. Furthermore, it was you that bumped into me in the first place. It was purely accidental that my hand brushed against you, and it wasn’t intentional.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Lu Shimiao sighed, “Don’t bother explaining. Explaining just means that you’re trying to hide something. Men aren’t good things, and they only have impure thoughts upon seeing women.”

Su Tao awkwardly smiled and sighed, “Forget it, I’ve gotten used to your accusations. Do so if you want to treat me like a lecher, I give up. But since you’re willing to spend time with me alone, doesn’t that mean that, at the very least, I’m not one of those loathsome lechers?”

Lu Shimiao sighed as she replied with complicated feelings, “Yeah, the reason why a lecher like you isn’t despicable is because you’re a true lowlife and not a hypocrite, unlike someone else.”

Su Tao could roughly guess what Lu Shimiao was troubled about, so he tried to advise, “Have you never thought of resisting?”

Taking a glance at Su Tao, Lu Shimiao sourly smiled. “How do I resist? To make my life worse? A year ago, a woman came to the hospital and demanded that I divorce my husband. It was a huge commotion that everyone knows about, making me feel ashamed. Do you want me to announce that my father-in-law has been harassing me?”

“This is complicated. It’s unimaginable that your husband would mess around when he has such a beautiful wife.” Su Tao knitted his brows.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Shimiao replied, “My father-in-law is also related to my husband distancing from me. He would often find the opportunity to call me to his office and did some petty tricks. There was one time that my husband witnessed it and misunderstood me… not to mention the gossip going around in the hospital!”

Su Tao widened his eyes and sighed, “Your husband is pretty pitiful.”

Smiling at herself mockingly, Lu Shimiao asked, “He’s pitiful? Then am I having it better?”

Su Tao handed a bottle over to Lu Shimiao and bitterly smiled. “We must have dignity. Indeed, it’s not easy for others in your shoes to make a decision, but it will make things worse and those with ill intentions will become bolder.”

Raising her brows, Lu Shimiao said, “You come up with an idea for me on how to get out of this situation, then.”

Stretching his hand out, Su Tao smiled. “I have an idea, take your phone out, first.”

Lu Shimiao was stunned before she reached for her bag and passed it to Su Tao.

Su Tao scrambled around before finding her phone. But when he tried to open it, he realised that it was locked with a passcode. He smiled. “Unlock it!”

Facepalming her forehead, Lu Shimiao smiled. “You unlock it yourself. 0613, my birthday.”

Unlocking her phone, Su Tao quickly called Qiao Dehao’s phone. Astonishment flashed in Lu Shimiao’s eyes and she wanted to snatch her phone back from Su Tao, but he blocked her.

Su Tao placed a finger on his lips to signal Lu Shimiao to keep quiet.

When Qiao Dehao picked up the phone, his tone was cheerful as he laughed, “Miaomiao, why have you called me? Qiao Bo has given you the necklace, right?”

Pinching his throat, Su Tao spoke in a stern voice, “You’re Shimiao’s Father-in-Law, right?”

“Yes I am, who are you? Why do you have her phone?” Qiao Dehao was surprised before he knitted his brows.

Su Tao snorted, “I’m a friend of hers, and I have heard of your misconduct. I felt disgusted, and so I called you to warn you not to harass her anymore.”

Immediately, Qiao Dehao felt the blood rushing to his head as he roared, “Who are you? Do you believe that I won’t make you die for daring to speak to me in such a manner?!”

Raising his voice, Su Tao threatened, “Me? I’m her new boyfriend. Don’t try to threaten me or I’ll cause trouble in the City Health Bureau and let the discipline committee investigate you. Let them see what lowlife garbage the Secretary Qiao of the Jianghuai Hospital is like.”

“Hand the phone to her. I want to speak to her.” Qiao Dehao raged. He had never been humiliated in this manner in his life.

But how could Su Tao give him this opportunity? He ridiculed, “So that you can continue to harass her? An old lecher like you is truly shameless to try and cuckold your own son. Furthermore, be careful of your steps. Don’t blame me for not reminding you when you get beaten outside.”

Finishing his words, Su Tao quickly hung up the phone.

Midway through Su Tao’s talk, Lu Shimiao couldn’t hold back her laughter and had to cover her mouth. Seeing that Su Tao passed her phone over, she finally burst into laughter.

A brief moment later, Lu Shimiao pointed at Su Tao. “You’re too low! I can’t imagine how enraged and uneasy Qiao Dehao must be right now.”

“A low method is required to deal with a lowlife.” Su Tao shrugged. “I’ve not caused any trouble for you, right?”

Lu Shimiao wiped the tears on the corner of her eyes from laughter and replied, “What is done is done, what else can I do? I believe he must be terrified now. There has been news recently that President Di will soon be promoted to be Chief of the City Health Bureau, and there’s a chance that Qiao Dehao gets promoted to be the President. He definitely won’t dare to cause any scandals right now.”

“Are we still singing?” Su Tao said after seeing that Lu Shimiao’s mood had gotten better.

Heavily nodding her head, Lu Shimiao replied, “Definitely, it’s time to monopolise the mic again.”

Although she looked to be relieved, Su Tao could see that she was still hesitant.

As the proverb goes, marriage was akin to reincarnation to a woman. Some could undergo transformation upon their marriage and live a luxurious life, and there were also some that were troubled in terrible family circumstances after their marriage.

Marriage was a city that not only tied the man up. It also tied the woman up.

But it was precisely through her marriage that made Lu Shimiao even more charming.

Since Su Tao was more mature in his heart than his appearance suggested, he could understand the exhaustion and trouble that Lu Shimiao was feeling in her heart. Despite looking normal on the surface, she was lonely in her heart.

Lu Shimiao chose a foreign song and the lipstick on her lips glistened, emanating an elegant temptation with a charming smile hung on her face. Her long hair fluttered around her shoulders as it swayed along with her body.

She sang for another half an hour before she was stopped by Su Tao, since her voice already sounded hoarse. If she continued, then she might lose her voice tomorrow.

When they left the karaoke, Lu Shimiao still had no intentions to stop, so she pulled Su Tao. “Let’s go to the bar.”

Su Tao bitterly smiled. “Are you sure, it’s midnight now.”

“Why? Are you not willing to accompany me? Forget it. I’ll call Qiao Dehao now and get him to accompany me.” Lu Shimiao smirked.

Despite knowing that she said that on purpose, Su Tao still agreed with a sigh, “Let’s go, then.”

There was a pub street near the Meritin Plaza that was the most bustling at this moment. After choosing a popular bar, they entered and sat down with a waiter coming over with the menu. Lu Shimiao ordered a brandy, wanting to drink to her fill.

Women wearing revealing clothes were pole dancing on the stage, twerking and twisting their waists. The air was filled with the smell of alcohol and heavy metal music blasted in the bar, triggering the hormones in everyone’s body.

The waiter quickly came with a bottle of wine and filled her cup with it while she looked around. Seeing her actions, Su Tao smiled. “Looking for your husband?”

“Do you know how to read minds? Why can’t anything fool you?!” Lu Shimiao was taken by surprise as she smiled.

Su Tao sighed, “Women have a strong revenge mentality. After being hurt, the first thing that they would do is think of ways to take revenge.”

From the moment Lu Shimiao suggested to head to the bar, Su Tao had already guessed that it must be her husband that often frequented this pub.

Glaring at Su Tao, Lu Shimiao replied, “Pretending as if you know everything.”

“I’m not pretending. Is your husband the man sitting in that corner with a young woman in a crimson navel-revealing shirt?” Su Tao nudged his lips in a direction.

Due to the dim lights in the bar, he couldn’t see the appearance of that woman. However, he was sure that she was inferior to Lu Shimiao. If it weren’t for him sitting beside her, she would have been hit by guys by now with her beauty.

Looking at Su Tao in astonishment, Lu Shimiao sighed, “Wow, you’re making my hairs stand on end.”

Su Tao smiled as he gulped down the brandy in the bottle before saying, “Don’t be afraid. At this moment, I’m in the same faction as you. Why don’t we dance a while, since the DJ has changed the music? Otherwise, your husband won’t know that you’re in a pub with such a handsome stud!”