The drinks were drained, and the phone rang.
Xiao Mo glanced at the screen and grinned. "We really shouldn't talk about people behind their backs. Speak of the devil-here's Liang."
He answered and leaned back in his chair. "Xiaoliang, Dahuang and I were just bad-mouthing you."
There was no telling what was said on the other end.
The smile slowly faded from Xiao Mo's face, then slowly returned, finally settling into a very complicated expression.
He hung up but stayed where he was.
Nuomi even put her chopsticks down. "What did Xiaoliang say?"
Xiao Mo didn't answer right away. He glanced at Huang Xueli first.
"Xiaoliang wants us... to go to Singapore."
Huang Xueli froze. "Singapore? What for? How long have you actually been back at work, and you're flying off again?"
Xiao Mo turned his gaze to Nuomi, then back again.
Huang Xueli understood at once.
"Something else you can't tell me, right?"
Xiao Mo could barely keep his smile under control. "It really is hard to say. This is... private business between us as husband and wife."
Huang Xueli slapped his chopsticks onto the table. "Fine, private business between husband and wife, but Xiaoliang gets to know, right? Fine. You just want me gone, don't you?"
He picked up the remaining half glass of liquor in front of him, tipped his head back and drained it, thumped the glass onto the table, pushed his chair back, and got up to leave.
"Are you mad?" Xiao Mo called after him with a laugh.
"Not mad. I'm getting lost." Huang Xueli's face was dark.
Grinning, Nuomi called after him, "Stay put if you've got the guts. Quit putting on an act. Push me too far and I'll start telling some hard truths."
Huang Xueli reached the door and half turned.