If You Could Hear My Heart

Shen Chi found himself at a loss when it came to her; as long as she remained silent, it irritated him greatly.

In his vexation, he unbuttoned his collar, and then he took out his wallet from his pants pocket and tossed a bank card at her.

“Take it, don’t make me worry anymore.”

He stuffed the bank card into her hand, but Xu Chaomu quickly put her hands behind her back as if the card were a hot potato.

She shook her head: “I don’t want it.”

“Is it not enough?”

“I told you, I don’t want your money.”

“It’s only right for you to use my money,” Shen Chi said, pulling her towards him and placing the card in her hand regardless.

With the bank card in hand, Xu Chaomu looked up at him. Under the moonlight, his tall figure was striking, his features handsome. As he looked down at her, his youthful, handsome face bore an unmistakable, domineering air.

She pursed her lips and said no more.

She would just hold onto it without actually using it.

“It’s getting late, you should go home. I need to get back to my dorm to sleep,” Xu Chaomu said.

After washing dishes all evening, she indeed felt sore and achy.

“Yes, be good and don’t wander off,” Shen Chi said, his hand involuntarily landing on her head. Only seeing her safe and sound could put his mind at ease.

“Oh,” Xu Chaomu responded reluctantly. “I’ll walk you to the dorm building.” “No need, I know the way,” she rebutted.

“I insist, no objections.”

Finishing his words, he assertively took her hand and led her down a small path towards the dormitory.

The moonlight was soft and the shadows whimsical. The path was deserted, occupied only by the two of them. The streetlights stretched their shadows longer and longer, one tall, one short, walking side by side.

With his long strides, he walked quickly, so Xu Chaomu, in turn, deliberately walked very slowly.

Left with no choice, he slowed down his pace to accommodate her.

Xu Chaomu tried to shake off his hand, but he refused to relent, instead

holding her small hand tightly in his palm.

His large hand was dry and warm, quickly comforting her chilly hand.

Xu Chaomu thought, if only this were a dream. Because in a dream, she could act without restraint.

The road was quiet and peaceful, occasionally a bird would startle from the treetops, flapping its wings and causing the branches to rustle with a “whirring” sound.

It was spring, with faint fragrances wafting along the roadside. One breath and the scent of spring was discernible.

A warm breeze caressed her face, and flower fragrances filled her sleeves.

Perhaps it was the overwhelming tranquility that made Xu Chaomu feel an unreal sense of calm.

In the past, whenever they were together, it was always Xu Chaomu who talked non-stop, annoying Shen Chi so much that he would tell her to shut up.

Now, it was Xu Chaomu who kept quiet.

It was Shen Chi who broke the silence with a light and indifferent voice,

“Chaomu, I’ve heard from the teachers at school that you often talk behind your brother’s back in class.”

A twitch formed at the corner of Xu Chaomu’s mouth. It seemed one really had to pay for their actions.

She did indeed speak ill of him a lot at school.

She grumbled, “I can’t beat you, and I can’t out-talk you. Criticizing you behind your back is hardly a crime.”

“You’re destroying your brother’s hard-earned reputation,” Shen Chi laughed, looking at her with a fondness in his eyes, “I can endure things like moving bricks, but I really can’t tolerate such malicious slander about arranged dates. Do you think your brother needs to go on blind dates?”

“Who knows, maybe one day no one will want you. If you had no money, no power, no influence, would anyone still like you?”

Although she said this, Xu Chaomu knew that even if he had nothing, she would still like him.

Very much, very much…

“Yeah, you wouldn’t like me anymore either,” Shen Chi said, his voice low and his gaze hazy.

“Of course, if you had no money, no power, no influence, why would I still like you?”

Xu Chaomu was candid, after all, he was about to marry Bai Man. Saying this at least made her feel a little better.

Shen Chi fell silent.

Xu Chaomu thought he must feel uncomfortable about it. He was so accustomed to being looked up to that such words from her would surely upset him.

Like Shen the Fourth Young Master, accustomed to being admired.

Seeing he wasn’t speaking, Xu Chaomu added, “Though I’ve said quite a few bad things about you behind your back, don’t seek revenge on personal grounds.”

Shen Chi sighed but didn’t speak a word; he just held her hand more tightly.

“We’ve reached the dorm building; you can go back now. The midterms are coming up, and if it’s not necessary, you don’t need to come see me,” Xu Chaomu said, struggling to pull her hand free.

Shen Chi looked up, realizing they had indeed arrived.

“Do you really not miss me?” Shen Chi frowned.

“Cold-hearted, domineering, what’s there to miss about you?”

“Then study hard and don’t let me see you too close to the little boys.”

“Go on, just go, keep your distance from me!” Xu Chaomu pouted, pushing him away.

What was it to him if she was close to Lou Yanli? Wasn’t he the one being intimate with Miss Bai himself?

This man was so annoying. She’d said in the morning she didn’t want to see him, asking him to keep away, and now here he was, getting close to her again.

Wasn’t he the one who cared most about face? Now, he stuck around like gum on a shoe, impossible to shake off.

At that moment, a light drizzle started to fall from the sky.

Thin threads of rain descended from the air, landing on their faces.

It was then that Shen Chi didn’t prolong the encounter. In truth, he didn’t understand why he was lowering himself so much.

Perhaps, after eight years of Xu Chaomu sticking to him, he had come to learn persistence too?

With a wry smile, he released her.

Like a little rabbit, Xu Chaomu bolted up the stairs without looking back.

“Thump, thump, thump, thump—I’

Her footsteps echoed unusually loud through the stairwell.

The rain fell harder, starting as a fine drizzle and soon pelting down like spilt beads on his face.

Not until her figure vanished from his sight did he turn to leave.

He clenched his fists, taking steps toward his car—one deliberate step at a time.

When Xu Chaomu reached the darkest corner of the dormitory, she secretly stood there, peering down from above.

Beneath the dim streetlights, the persistent rain continued to fall, dampening the lights, the plants, and Shen Chi’s clothes.

Within the circles of dim yellow light, she saw his figure, lonely and indistinct, his back bold yet every step slow and heavy.

The light elongated his shadow, and under it, he stood alone.

She couldn’t see his face clearly, but Xu Chaomu just watched his retreating figure growing smaller and smaller…

Gradually, he went around a building and out of sight.

She couldn’t bring herself to blink, only she knew how much she liked him.

But, from now on, she would have to bury that affection deep within her heart.

Perhaps over time, it would gather dust. Henceforth, it would never be revealed again.

The man had long gone, but Xu Chaomu couldn’t bear to leave. She stood on the balcony, letting the wind gently brush against her face.

Raindrops fell on her face, disordering her hair, gently stirring.

She remembered the line she had learned in the morning: How much resentment does the west wind have that it cannot scatter the curves of the eyebrows..