If You Could Hear My Heart

Xu Chaomu just had to be contrary, her little fists pounding on his chest, even more densely than the raindrops.

“Don’t hold me; I have hands and feet of my own, let me down quickly. If someone sees us later, your reputation as Shen Chi, the young master, will be ruined. Having a sister who doesn’t apply herself to her studies and isn’t good at them, you’ll be disgraced.”

All these years, he had refused to take her to school precisely because he was afraid of her showing off in front of others.

Yes, she did really want him to take her to school before, so she could tell others, “Look, this is my fourth brother, handsome right?”

That small vanity of hers would have been satisfied; in her eyes, he really was outstanding.

But now, it was different.

She was almost desperate to sever any connection with him.

She did not want to be seen as the mistress who destroyed his happiness with Bai Man, did not want to be called shameless; she had her self-respect.

Moreover, she was becoming ever more aware that he was like the stars, shiny and dazzling, while she was just dust.

She had never been someone who lacked confidence, but this inferiority complex wrapped around her heart like waterweed, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Perhaps, people always grow up slowly. It’s just that she had been somewhat slow to realize it.

Shen Chi was getting irritated. He held her tighter to stop her from moving. He opened his suit further, allowing her to lean against his chest, where not a single drop of rain had touched her.

As for himself, he was thoroughly soaked in just a moment’s time.

His low, lackluster voice came from above her head, “You’re not only neglectful of your duties and bad at your studies, but you also have impure thoughts, love to throw tantrums, can’t wash clothes, can’t cook, and occasionally flirt with young boys. But what can be done about it, who calls you Xu Chaomu?”

Embracing her without any hesitation, he strode toward the school building.

Xu Chaomu was held tightly in his arms, unable to move. When she was close to his chest, she could smell that familiar pleasant scent of his.

Her eyes became a bit moist.

No matter how good this man was, he was not hers.

She stopped talking and stopped struggling, only gripping his shirt with her small hand.

She really hadn’t been touched by even a drop of rain, until just before reaching the school building, when a few beads of water trickled down Shen Chi’s chin onto her face.

When she looked up, she saw his whole figure drenched, yet he said nothing. His face appeared taut, his gaze still impenetrably deep.

“Let me down, we’ve arrived, I’ll walk up myself.”

Her class was on the third floor, and it happened to be the break between classes; she didn’t want to become the center of attention.

Although, she had longed for it so much before.

And if it had been the past, seeing Shen Chi treat her so well, she would have definitely wiped the rain from his face, feeling sorry yet shamelessly saying, “Fourth Brother, you treat me so well, what should I do if I want to offer myself to you?”

But now, she didn’t want to say or do anything.

“I will carry you up,” Shen Chi said in his emotionless tone, preparing to ascend the stairs.

“I don’t want you to carry me! Put me down! Why are you so annoying, can’t you keep your distance?!”

Xu Chaomu yelled at him hysterically, pushing against him with force.

She was truly angry, and even she was stunned after speaking those words.

Shen Chi was taken aback too, his steps halting suddenly.

Xu Chaomu rarely ever spoke to him like that; there was a lot of impatience in her tone.

In his moment of distraction, she pushed him away, without looking back, and dashed up the stairs to the third floor.

Soon, her figure disappeared from his sight.

This time, she ran faster than ever, not daring to return to the classroom, instead hiding in the restroom.

Tears “pattered” down freely like the rain from the skies, unstoppable.

Shen Chi, standing at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor, lingered for a long while before he withdrew his gaze, his eyes filled with desolation…

Outside, rain curtains hung low, with the torrential rain pouring down incessantly. All he could hear was this downpour.

The steam rose behind him, misty like smoke, making his silhouette appear even more rigid and frosty.

Drops of water followed his hair, down his face; the rain of the season was cool, but he didn’t feel its chill.

When the class bell rang, Xu Chaomu finally emerged from the restroom, having washed her face, with no trace of tears visible.

She pretended as if nothing had happened and went to the classroom.

Glancing at the teaching building downstairs, the black Maybach was still sitting in the rain; she quickly withdrew her gaze.

Yu Weiwei was absent from school, and she knew that with Li Beiting taking care of her, there would be no problems.

However, because she was late, as soon as the homeroom teacher entered the classroom, she was pointed out.

“Xu Chaomu, why are you late again? Do you still take your studies seriously?” the old woman rebuked sharply.

Going by the way Xu Chaomu used to be, she certainly wouldn’t have taken this laying down, but this time she obediently stood up, bowed her head, and spoke quietly, “I understand, I’ll go out to stand as punishment.”

She took a Chinese book and prepared to leave, and the homeroom teacher’s tone was hostile, “I don’t know how you were assigned to my class, dragging our class’s average down. It would have been better if you hadn’t come at all, but when you do, you don’t study properly and bring down the average score.” Xu Chaomu said nothing, lately, she had actually been studying hard.

But when your grades are poor, no matter what you say is wrong.

So, it was better to stay silent.

She took her Chinese book and stood in the hallway outside the classroom, head down and silent.

The homeroom teacher stopped talking, snorted coldly, and began teaching.

But before starting, she reiterated the discipline loudly again, “Let me say this once more, the midterms are coming up, everyone must be diligent, and anyone who is late will stand outside like Xu Chaomu!”

No one dared to talk back, meekly bowing their heads and listening to the lesson.

Xu Chaomu looked at the words in the Chinese book, and absentmindedly turned a page, landing on a verse.

“Where do the fluttering snow and flowers go? Ice and snow wearying, a tree sparse and cold before dawn. Love for the bright moon brings with it a wan pallor.

After shedding too many tangled threads comes the yearning for the spring mountain, but resuming the broken dream in the laundered skirt is difficult. So much west wind resentment, unabated by the arch of brows.”

Xu Chaomu, not a scholarly student, naturally did not understand it, but as she read carefully, she felt it was beautiful.

Especially in this moment, with the torrential rain, the rain curtain hanging low, and mist swirling. As the breeze blew, she also longed to recite, “So much west wind resentment, unabated by the arch of brows.”

She then closed the Chinese book, stood on the balcony, propping her chin in her hand, and quietly watched the rain.

Rain strands brushed her face, tender and soft, like the green willows by the riverside, their branches and leaves caressing the cheek, giving the same gentle sensation.

She had not stood for long when a figure approached.

“Chaomu, late again?”

It was Lou Yanli.

He stood beside Xu Chaomu, with a warm smile, and without waiting for her to respond, he joined her side, watching the heavy rain together..