If You Could Hear My Heart

It was a foggy winter morning, with a white blur covering everything.

She was hurrying with her books to the library to study and review, as the final exams were approaching.

But unintentionally, she bumped into someone.

Yes, that person was Shen Cexian.

Their meeting was nothing more than a clichéd beginning…

Only, what followed did not stick to the expected script.

Books scattered all over the ground, and as he apologized he bent down to help her pick them up, one by one.

That moment when she was close to him was just like now.

His brows and eyes deep, his dark eyes profound, and his handsome lips slightly curved.

The mist clung to his long, black eyelashes, and with each blink, it seemed as if the tiny droplets would fall.

After so many years, the images in her mind were almost blurred, but she still remembered his eyes.

But, in a lifetime, you meet so many people; some arrive early and some late.

All things in the unseen world are but fate’s predestined arrangements.

Just as Shen Cexian met Xu Mengxi first.

The years are so long, and memories so fragile…

She helped him stand, worried he might fall, supporting his arm the whole time.

Shen Cexian was a bit surprised by her action; she so rarely ever did such a thing.

She escorted him to the window, gazing out at the view.

The hospital’s scenery was incredibly beautiful, especially in summer, with lush greenery and a riot of flowers.

They had planted many Ziwei flowers in the hospital—pink ones, purple ones, white ones… That from afar looked like a vast sea of blooms.

Shen Cexian’s room was on the sixth floor, perfectly situated to take in the view. Gazing out, the sunshine looked like fine golden dust sprinkled over everything.

She opened the window, and a gentle breeze from the summer afternoon wafted in.

“Live well,” Zhou Ran said softly, her face devoid of emotion.

Shen Cexian turned to look at her profile.

Calm, serene, unruffled.

“Aran, I thought after the divorce, you would remarry,” sighed Shen Cexian.

After all, she so despised him.

In order to get rid of her father and her, he had cohabited with Liu Rumei, even having two children, just to push her to initiate the divorce.

He did all this so she would hate him. But after the divorce, whose heart was truly lost…

“I like living alone,” Zhou Ran said lightly.

“I’m sorry.”

Zhou Ran was stunned; he… was apologizing to her.

After half a lifetime of pride, he was unexpectedly saying “I’m sorry” to her.

The sunshine flitted before her eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel it all unreal.

She didn’t respond; she was never one to talk much, especially when she didn’t know how to respond to his “I’m sorry.”

Shen Cexian changed the subject, looking out the window: “I’ve sent someone to pick up Chaomu.”

At the mention of Xu Chaomu’s name, Zhou Ran’s eyes dimmed again.

Xu Chaomu had come back after five years, and she had already seen her once.

Xu Chaomu had changed, not quite the same as she was five years ago.

Xu Chaomu was much quieter than Zhou Ran had expected; she thought that after five years, upon seeing her again, she would hysterically curse at her or lose all composure and beat her up.

But nothing of the sort happened, nothing at all.

In fact, during those thirteen years, she hadn’t spent much time with Xu Chaomu.

With indifference, Zhou Ran spoke, “Do you still blame me for what happened to Mengxi?”

“So many years have passed, let’s forget about it,” Shen Cexian sighed.

“That’s probably the thing I regret the most in my life,” Zhou Ran said expressionlessly.

Yes, regret.

She hesitated, as if she wanted to say more, but in the end, she didn’t say anything else, just quietly looking out the window.

Some things, perhaps, are better left unsaid.

“Aran, I don’t believe you would harm Mengxi,” Shen Cexian said, also looking out the window.

“You don’t need to believe me,” Zhou Ran replied, her tone getting harder.

Shen Cexian sighed; saying more would only lead to another argument.

Just like that time five years ago at the seaside villa, when they had fought fiercely, the last time they had argued.

He didn’t want to spoil such a good moment.

“Aran… could you tell me now what you wanted that photo for?”

That photo only had him, Zhou Ran, and Xu Mengxi.

The youthful faces from back then, now all aged.

“It’s nothing,” Zhou Ran still refused to reveal.

Shen Cexian did not dare to press her; today, his invitation to her was not meant to reignite old fights.

If there were words she refused to say, then so be it.

“Let’s talk about Chaomu then, she should be arriving soon,” Shen Cexian said.

“Is everything ready for you?”

“Mm,” Shen Cexian responded.

The two fell silent again as if they didn’t have much in common to talk about.

After a long silence, Zhou Ran was the one to break it: “I never thought that Achi had secretly gone and registered their marriage without anyone knowing.”

“I also didn’t expect Achi to love her that much,” Shen Cexian said calmly.

“I won’t let Achi marry her,” Zhou Ran stated composedly, “She’s not suitable for him.”

“I know,” Shen Cexian nodded, “She’s not worthy of Achi, she’s not his best choice.”

“Yes, I’ve heard she’s pregnant with someone else’s child. Actually, even if the child were not from another man, I still wouldn’t want her marrying Achi.”

“Who do you think is the most suitable?”

“Manman, perhaps. Although she’s somewhat calculating, being calculating is better than not. Besides, the Shen Family owes the Bai Family a favor, and this is not a debt Achi can settle just by saying so.”

“Manman’s been abroad for five years now, she probably doesn’t have Achi in her heart anymore.”

“C City isn’t short of girls better than Xu Chaomu,” Zhou Ran stated blandly, “You understand what I mean.”

Shen Cexian gave a slight nod; he understood.

“I regret bringing her into the Shen family…”

Shen Cexian curled his lips into a wry smile: “I know, you did it back then just to provoke me, to make me watch as Mengxi’s daughter with another man grew up.”

“Weren’t you provoked?”

“Honestly, not really.”

Shen Cexian spoke the truth; at first, he was quite surprised to see Xu Chaomu, but there wasn’t that kind of provocation.

After all, that was the tenth year after Mengxi left.

“Well, consider it as me having shot myself in the foot with a rock.”

“For someone as clever as you, to do such a foolish thing,” Shen Cexian laughed a little.

“I hoped there would be a girl who could take care of Achi, tend to his daily needs, and share his burdens. Achi works too hard, and I don’t want him to spend all his time trying to appease an immature girl.”

“I understand.”

On this matter, their opinions coincidentally aligned.

Many times, they had disagreed. After so many years of arguing, he never thought they would stand together and have a peaceful conversation.