If You Could Hear My Heart

The blade was cold; Zuma felt the chill of it grazing his fingers, almost causing his legs to buckle and collapse.

Shen Chi, seeing his reaction, felt his mood inexplicably lifted. He laughed and said, “Zuma, are you tired of shouting? Does anyone care?”

“You, you, you… Shen Chi, if you dare touch a hair on my head, I’ll, I’ll fight you to the death!” Zuma stuttered in terror.

He had heard that Shen Chi was ruthless and merciless when dealing with enemies.

He had not believed it before, because every time he met Shen Chi, Shen Chi behaved like a perfect gentleman.

He was nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Make a deal with a wolf, and you might as well wait to be devoured!

Shen Chi laughed again: “Zuma, I won’t touch your hair, your hair isn’t worth anything. But your head, on the other hand, is quite valuable. The knife isn’t sentient; what if… what do you reckon we should do?”

“Mr. Shen, let’s talk this over. Let’s not resort to knives and guns; we’re all civilized people here.”

“No, no, no, you’re civilized, I, Shen Chi, am a barbarian.”

Zuma instantly had the look of a man who’d just been screwed, while a few bodyguards snickered to themselves at the side.

“Mr. Shen… How about we add a little more? I have elders above and children below depending on me to feed a whole household. Look at this premium diamond mine—how many people are eyeing it? Your one billion… it’s just not justifiable…”

“Why do you have so much to say?”

Zuma was on the verge of tears.

Shen Chi took out a pen and pushed it into Zuma’s hand: “Sign it, and all will be well.”

“If I sign it, will you let me go right away?” Zuma’s shrewd eyes darted about.

“Depends on my mood,” Shen Chi said indifferently.

“Shen Chi, you’re shameless! I won’t sign! I’d rather die than sign!” Zuma said, trying to look righteous and indignant.

“Chop.”

With lips barely parting, a chilling word leaped out.

The blade pressed against Zuma’s finger, and with a twist of the knife, it sliced through Zuma’s fingertip.

The blood wouldn’t stop flowing, and soon the entire air was filled with the scent of blood.

Zuma’s legs gave in, and he knelt down, wailing like a slaughtered pig: “Let me go, let me go; I’ll sign, I’ll sign. Don’t chop off my fingers; I’ll sign, sign, sign.”

Only when Shen Chi waved his hand did the bodyguards put away the dagger.

Shen Chi’s driver snorted: “It’s just a scratch, and he’s screaming as if he’s been scalded.”

He remembered how Shen Chi didn’t utter a word when a bullet had grazed his arm and felt even more disdain for this mine owner who was afraid of death.

“If you really had chopped off my fingers, I would’ve fought you, and then nobody would’ve gotten their hands on this diamond mine! Nobody would benefit!”

Shen Chi sneered: “Are you sure?”

“Mr. Shen, don’t waste time on him. Don’t you need to rush back to C City? Let him sign quickly, so we don’t have to deal with more problems,” someone on the side said.

Shen Chi glanced at the pen on the table with such lethargy that he couldn’t be bothered to move.

The bodyguards released Zuma’s right hand, and he tried to struggle, but how could his strength match that of two men? Reluctantly, he gave up.

Awkwardly picking up the pen, Zuma bowed his head and signed his name on the contract.

He didn’t even look at it; he knew that the control of this contract wasn’t in his hands.

Looking at the contract was just a waste of time.

Tonight, complacency was to blame; he had focused all his manpower on stealing money, never considering that Shen Chi would kidnap him.

Just as he was feeling triumphant, a gun was pressed to his temple.

He had no choice but to comply and go with them, and not only did he end up with a bunch of useless fake money, but he also lost his diamond mine.

Shen Chi hadn’t been too ruthless; he had given Zuma a billion, yet Zuma was nearly blinded by tears.

Shen Chi looked over the contract, a smile curling his lips: “Zuma, if you had just signed earlier and cut the crap, wouldn’t all have been fine? You even bled for nothing; it pains me to see.”

“Shen Chi, you scoundrel, stop pretending to be a weeping cat. I will never work with you again!”

“Never say never. Who knows, we might collaborate joyfully in the future?”

“Quit talking, let me go! If you have the guts, let me go!” Zuma trembled with rage.

The blood on his finger finally coagulated, but even a slight movement still brought a sharp pain.

Under the hanging lanterns, he glared with wide eyes, his dark skin looking even more gloomy. Seeing him like this made Shen Chi want to laugh.

“Zuma, I, Shen Chi, am not someone you can threaten,” Shen Chi’s voice dropped, “Now, you will quietly accompany my men for a few days’ vacation; don’t even think of playing tricks.”

“Shen Chi, you’re truly despicable.”

“I know I am despicable, no need for you to keep telling me.”

Zuma once again had the look of utter defeat.

Shen Chi put away the contract and stood up.

In the moonlight, his figure was tall and straight, his back’s line rigid, his whole presence exuding immense authority.

“Watch him closely.”

“Yes, Mr. Shen.”

Shen Chi stepped forward, preparing to leave the small garden.

His driver caught up and opened the car door for him.

“Shen Chi, scum like you will be struck by lightning! You can’t conduct business like this!”

By then, Shen Chi was already seated in the car. He turned his head, looking out the window, his cold voice resonating: “Remember, all’s fair in war. In the business world, it’s either do or die.”

The car window slowly rose, and soon, no sound could be heard any longer.

The driver stepped on the gas and moved forward.

Outside, whether it was the sound of the wind or Zuma’s howls, none of it was audible anymore.

In the wind, only the hanging lanterns of the small garden kept spinning, their paint peeling off, revealing patches of rusty copper.

“Mr. Shen, are we heading back to the hotel?”

“No, let’s head back to the country.”

“Mr. Shen, it’s getting late, how about we leave tomorrow? Your wound also needs more rest and care.”

“I’m fine.”

His wound might be fine, but his heart had long since been torn open.

Xu Chaomu was out of contact, and he longed for her, to hear her voice.

He missed her terribly, desperately.

Without her, summer nights held no peace.

Now, with the diamond mine project secured, he could return and show her the marriage certificate, and tell her he loved her.

Lawful husband and wife, never to part throughout their lives.

But just at this moment, she had met with trouble.

Shen Chi had a vague guess who was behind it all and now, he only had to return to his country.

He would find her; nothing was allowed to happen to her!

In about an hour, the driver got them to the docks.

“Mr. Shen, I just called someone to bring your luggage here, and I’ve asked Xiaopu to go with you,” the driver said.

Xiaopu was a bodyguard; with him following Shen Chi, the driver felt more at ease.

“Hmm.”

“Then Mr. Shen, I’ll stay in South Africa to keep an eye on Zuma. If you need anything, call me immediately.”

“I’ll be vigilant,” Shen Chi nodded.

With that, he stepped towards the cruise ship.

The night breeze was cutting, the sea eerily calm. Waves lapped against the shore, the sound of the surges incessant.