If You Could Hear My Heart

“This matter can’t be dragged on for too long.”

“Hmm,” Zhou Ran responded.

Xu Chaomu has been back for many days already, and many things, if dragged on for too long, would only be detrimental.

“Aran, I’ve had all the messages you sent forwarded to Xu Chaomu,” Shen Cexian said.

“If she’s even a little bit smart, she should leave Achi.”

“Regardless of whether she’s smart or not, I won’t let her stay in the Shen Family, nor will I let that unclear child be born with the surname Shen,” Shen Cexian’s stance was also very firm.

Zhou Ran looked out the window and did not speak further, her eyes full of calm.

It was a long time before she spoke faintly: “She shouldn’t have come back after five years.”

Shen Cexian also quietly looked out the window, Zhou Ran’s hand continuously supporting his arm, they… hadn’t stood together like this for many years.

The sky was bright blue, the summer breeze was clear and bright.

They just stood there, for quite a while, standing together quietly, neither speaking.

They had both been stubborn for half a lifetime; they had not expected such a day would come…

But… it was all too late.

Just then, Shen Cexian’s phone rang, and he took it out to answer.

“Hmm, bring them directly to my hospital room.”

“Okay.”

After ten or so seconds, the call was ended.

Zhou Ran hesitantly looked at him: “Is Xu Chaomu here?”

“Hmm, she’s already downstairs in the hospital.”

“I’ll help you to the sofa.”

Zhou Ran closed the window, drew the curtains together, turned on the air conditioner, and then helped Shen Cexian to sit on the sofa.

Shen Cexian sat down while she went to pour some tea.

Shen Cexian’s gaze never left Zhou Ran and stayed fixed on her face.

Even though her eyes didn’t show any particular emotion and her face lacked any complex expression, she was a scenery in herself.

In fact, all these years, there was something he never said to her.

He wanted to say, Aran, I like you.

However, he might not have much time left, so better left unsaid.

Some secrets are best taken to the grave, never to be known by anyone.

That way, is also quite good.

…

Xu Chaomu was brought to the hospital downstairs by that man, she looked around and followed the man’s pace.

The man had made just one phone call, and she heard him call the person on the phone “Director Shen.”

As such, Xu Chaomu was even more certain that the person she was going to meet was Shen Cexian.

Why did Shen Cexian send her those messages, what did he want to tell her? And why did he bring her here?

All she knew was that Shen Cexian didn’t like her, this was a fact.

Not just Shen Cexian, but also Zhou Ran, neither of them liked her much.

In fact, for so many years, she never really understood what exactly was the relationship between Zhou Ran, Shen Cexian, and her mother Xu Mengxi.

She remembered when Zhou Ran first brought her to the Shen Family, they once had an argument that mentioned Xu Mengxi.

Clearly, they knew each other.

So, what caused Zhou Ran to poison her mother?

Thinking back on the past, her heart began to race, and she clenched her teeth.

She didn’t want to recall these things, many times she tried hard to forget. Just like when she went to see a psychologist in Paris, it was to bury all these unpleasant memories in her heart.

Now, they were being dug up again, and to say her heart didn’t ache would be a lie.

“This way,” the man led Xu Chaomu to the elevator entrance.

Xu Chaomu followed him step by step, even though it was the hot summer season, her hands were cold at this moment.

The man pressed the elevator button, and the elevator quickly arrived at the sixth floor.

The few times Xu Chaomu met Shen Cexian, she found him to be very serious.

Unsmiling, cold as frost.

Maybe he smiled in front of others, but at least when he was with her, he wore no expression.

Deep down, she was afraid of Shen Cexian.

The sixth-floor corridor was almost silent, so much so that one could hear the air conditioning fan and their footsteps.

The man walked expressionlessly forward and stopped in front of a hospital room.

“Mr. Shen is inside, you go in alone,” the man said.

After leading her to the door, he turned and left the hospital room, retracing his steps.

Xu Chaomu watched his figure disappear down the corridor, then she stared at the door number for a long time.

Slowly lifting her hand as if to knock, her heart felt as though a little rabbit was incessantly hopping.

Shen Cexian had also talked to her in private before, and this time, it was likely not to be pleasant words.

She was mentally prepared, but facing it for real, she still felt uneasy.

But what was meant to come would eventually come.

Her fist gently knocked on the door, the wooden door emitting a “thud.”

After the second knock, those inside had heard.

The door was opened by Zhou Ran.

Xu Chaomu was surprised to see Zhou Ran. She did not expect Zhou Ran to be here.

In her memory, Zhou Ran and Shen Cexian were like fire and water.

Zhou Ran was the same as ever, dressed in a blue cheongsam, elegant and composed, unaffected by honor or disgrace, as if she were the same as when Xu Chaomu first saw her thirteen years ago.

At that time, when she was thrown to the ground by Shen Chi, Zhou Ran would gently brush the dirt off her and softly say, “Chaomu, are you okay? Come on, get up, your clothes are dirty.”

Is it that the prettier the rose, the sharper its thorns?

Xu Chaomu raised her eyelids, quietly looking at Zhou Ran.

Zhou Ran also stared at her for a moment, with no particular expression. After that, she said faintly, “Come in.”

Xu Chaomu felt that Zhou Ran was very good at concealing her emotions. One could never read them on her face, and it was even less worth attempting to guess her thoughts.

Entering the hospital room, Xu Chaomu immediately saw Shen Cexian sitting on the sofa.

This was the first time after five years that she had seen Shen Cexian.

Ravaged by illness, Shen Cexian had aged a lot, his face pale, but his deep eyes were still sharp as a blade.

When his gaze swept over her, she shivered slightly.

Xu Chaomu dared not look directly into Shen Cexian’s eyes, and lowered her gaze.

Soon, Zhou Ran had closed the door of the hospital room and walked over to the sofa.

Not knowing how to start, Xu Chaomu called out as she had done before, “Uncle, Auntie.”

“Sit,” Zhou Ran pointed to a place next to her.

Xu Chaomu sat down, and Zhou Ran placed the already poured tea in front of her.

“Thank you,” Xu Chaomu nodded her acknowledgment.

Between them, probably only pleasantries remained.

“I called you here for no other reason, just to say a few things that were on my mind,” Zhou Ran was the first to speak.