If You Could Hear My Heart

The rain had been pouring down all day and finally stopped in the evening, but the sky was still shrouded in mist.

Since there was no evening self-study today, Xu Chaomu went to get tutored by Lou Yanli.

Lou Yanli welcomed Xu Chaomu happily; he would help her answer any questions she didn’t understand.

To express her gratitude, Xu Chaomu invited Lou Yanli out to dinner.

The food in the cafeteria was not good, but Lou Yanli didn’t mind at all. Whatever she ordered, he would finish, without the airs and haughty style of a young master.

Xu Chaomu was indeed tight on cash, as Shen Chi hadn’t given her living expenses for a long time, and the little money left in the bank card he tossed her at the mall last time had run out.

She didn’t want to borrow from someone else, so that’s why she ran off to Weiyang last night with Yu Weiwei to earn some money.

In her eyes, it was about earning her own money, but in Shen Chi’s eyes, it became gold-digging.

However, she also understood one thing: money is indeed very hard to earn.

In the future, once Shen Chi marries Bai Man and she really has to leave the Shen Family, what should she do…

This thought, she could only keep it at the bottom of her heart.

After dinner, Lou Yanli had intended to keep Xu Chaomu company for a little longer, but since it was getting late, Xu Chaomu urged him to go home.

“You should head home, if you go back late, your father and mother will worry.

I’ll just go back to the classroom and do some homework, I will study hard.”

“That’s fine, do more practice problems, and if you don’t understand anything, come ask me tomorrow—you don’t have to be polite with me.”

“It’s not that I’m being polite with you, but… can you ask your aunt to make some more delicious food to bring over tomorrow? I’ve been craving it since last time,” Xu Chaomu blinked her eyes.

Lou Yanli’s mother’s cooking was indeed very good.

Plus, Xu Chaomu had eaten in the cafeteria for several meals, which were truly unpalatable.

“You didn’t say anything and I thought you didn’t like it. I’ll bring some for you tomorrow, my mom will be happy to hear someone praising her cooking.”

“Please thank your aunt for me.”

Having said that, Xu Chaomu walked Lou Yanli to the school gate to see him

It was only after watching Lou Yanli ride away on his bicycle that she started walking backwards towards the dormitory building.

The cold wind blew in gusts against her, a bit chilly, but her heart felt even colder.

On the vast road, she walked alone.

She had no mom, no dad, no home…

She longed to eat the dishes her mother made too, especially her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, with their tangy sweetness. She remembered that her mother used to dote on her the most, always claiming she didn’t like sweet and sour pork ribs and would leave them all for her to eat.

Back then, she was young and believed her mother’s words.

Eight years later, the memory brought tears to Xu Chaomu’s eyes…

She walked backwards step by step, the wind brushing against her face.

Walking along, she realized she would soon run out of money and planned to find another part-time job that evening.

She would no longer use the Shen Family’s money, not from today onwards.

Owing someone always lacked a sense of confidence and dignity.

She dared not go back to Weiyang, even though she had met Ji Shengxuan there, who also knew Shen Chi and Li Beiting. If she went back, she might get caught again.

After much thinking, realizing she wasn’t skilled at much, she could only go to restaurants to wait tables and pour tea.

The salary at restaurants certainly couldn’t compare to that of a club, but at least it was without risks.

She walked along, asking at shops outside the school, but respectable businesses were afraid to hire her because she was still underaged.

Xu Chaomu was close to crying out of desperation. If she couldn’t find another part-time job, she would soon have no money.

After much pleading, finally one restaurant agreed to keep her, but they would only pay her five yuan for washing dishes for an hour.

Xu Chaomu clenched her teeth and agreed; five yuan was better than no money at all.

An hour for five yuan, that’s twenty for four hours—enough to ensure meals are covered.

At the Shen Family, Xu Chaomu had never touched dishwater, never washed dishes before. But here, she had to wash them with great effort.

Initially struggling to adapt, she broke two bowls, which meant she essentially worked an hour for nothing.

But as time went on, she became more skilled. Gritting her teeth, she endured.

Yet, after just an hour of washing, her back and wrists ached terribly.

She had never done such heavy work. Although the Shen Family disdained her, they never made her do these kinds of chores.

She persevered, as there was nothing else she could do besides washing dishes.

Five yuan is still five yuan, at least it was money she had earned herself. When night fell, Shen Chi went to the school to look for Xu Chaomu, but she was nowhere to be found.

At this hour, the sky was as black as ink, but Xu Chaomu’s figure was nowhere to be seen. Shen Chi was almost ready to flip the entire school over in his search.

Unable to find Xu Chaomu, and with several school officials sweating with anxiety, none dared to irritate Shen Chi. They all tried their best to locate her.

“Vice Principal, we asked in the dorm building, and everyone said they haven’t seen Xu Chaomu. She hasn’t come back tonight,” reported a security guard, drenched in sweat.

The Vice Principal quickly waved his hands: “Keep looking, check everywhere around the school!”

Shen Chi’s face grew darker as he thought about the previous night’s incidents; thinking about it sent chills down his spine.

She really was a constant source of trouble for him.

“Vice Principal, she’s not on campus. We’ve searched the library, classrooms, and sports field—no sign of Xu Chaomu.”

“Keep looking!”

All security staff were mobilized, and about half an hour later, someone came with an update: “We have news, some restaurants outside the school mentioned a girl named Xu Chaomu had been looking for part-time work.” “Where is she then?” Shen Chi asked, his voice low and cool with a hint of frost.

“At Hongjin Hotel… washing dishes.”

“Bang—” a loud crash resounded as Shen Chi kicked over a table, shattering the cups and thermos on it!

Marching out, Shen Chi’s eyes grew colder and icier with each step.

Washing dishes… Hmph, at the Shen Family, she would complain about fetching him a coat, but now she’s washing dishes willingly for strangers!

He didn’t go far before entering the hotel.

“Sir, how many are with you? Would you like something to eat?” a waiter approached him.

“Get lost!” Shen Chi’s eyes flared red with towering anger.

The waiter stepped back, frightened, and didn’t dare to stop Shen Chi.

Shen Chi strode straight inside, exuding an intimidating presence.

Indeed, as soon as he entered the kitchen, he saw Xu Chaomu kneeling on the ground, washing dishes.

She was bent over, washing earnestly and meticulously. Her fair little hands held a plate, poured detergent, then rinsed with clean water.

One, two, three…

She didn’t realize Shen Chi had arrived.

Enraged, Shen Chi grabbed Xu Chaomu by the collar and yanked her up from the ground without a word!

“Clang—”

Taken by surprise, the plate slipped from Xu Chaomu’s hands to the ground, shattering. Panicked, she stamped her foot, “My plate, the plate is broken…

there goes my money…”

“Xu Chaomu, how fucking broke are you?!”

Shen Chi’s face was thunderous as he tightened his grip on her collar, pulling her close.