If You Could Hear My Heart

Liu Rumei and Bai Man were still chatting and laughing as if they had known each other for years. Shen Yanrou also chipped in occasionally, and soon, the dining table was bustling with lively atmosphere again.

Shen Cexian and Shen Chi barely spoke, while Xu Chaomu kept her head down, silent.

She listened for a while but couldn’t make heads or tails of the conversation. She also didn’t know what exactly Shen Chi and Bai Man planned to do, but they were a couple; what else could they be up to!

Xu Chaomu chose to keep her mouth shut obediently. Hadn’t Shen Chi always complained that she was thoughtless? Well, she could be considerate for once.

Throughout the meal, Xu Chaomu didn’t utter a word, just kept her head down and focused on her rice.

She didn’t ask, and Shen Chi didn’t say anything; she decided to pretend she hadn’t heard anything.

After dinner, she went to her room to do her homework in silence. Her little wooden puppet was, at some point, standing on the table, cocking its little head at her.

Xu Chaomu grabbed it, tempted to throw it to the floor, but then she thought it would probably break if she did.

With a pout, she still couldn’t bring herself to throw it away.

Soon after, she heard Bai Man’s voice: “Shen Chi, let’s go pack our luggage!”

Xu Chaomu was still very sensitive to Bai Man’s voice, and of course, even more sensitive to Shen Chi’s.

“No need, the butler is here.”

Xu Chaomu thought that sounded quite reasonable; she had expected Shen Chi to happily go pack luggage with Bai Man. But Shen Chi hadn’t finished talking.

“Don’t tire yourself out, go rest early.”

Could this man really be so gentle? Xu Chaomu had thought he was naturally unsmiling, naturally cold to everyone. It turned out, he could show such unlimited tenderness only towards the person he liked!

Xu Chaomu decisively put on her headphones to do some listening drills, but her mind kept grumbling: showing off your love will lead to an early grave!

Probably not cut out for studying by nature, Xu Chaomu had only listened to a short segment of the listening exercise before she started to doze off again.

Whoever invented these listening exercises, they were practically a somnolent symphony!

Groggily waking up, she saw it was already midnight. Her workbook was wrinkled, so she put it aside. Forget it, she would copy the answers at school tomorrow!

Suddenly, she remembered Shen Chi’s words. He said if she managed to rank in the top ten of her class in the midterm exam, there would be a reward.

Her heart stirred again…

After hesitating for a long time, she decided to stay up late and study.

She sneaked downstairs in search of coffee, which could help keep her awake and stave off sleepiness.

However, she didn’t find any coffee, but instead overheard Shen Shihan’s voice.

“Make sure you understand the flight the day after tomorrow. Don’t disappoint me,” Shen Shihan spoke on the phone, his voice cool and indifferent.

Xu Chaomu found it strange; what was he doing standing in the open-air garden in the middle of the night? Moreover, Shen Shihan’s voice sounded cold and chilly, not like the big brother she usually knew.

“Have you contacted the people in A City?”

“Yes, as long you understand,” said Shen Shihan as he hung up the phone.

Xu Chaomu secretly peered into the garden. It was too dim to see clearly, but she could make out a blurry outline that was indeed her elder brother, Shen Shihan.

Why was he sitting alone on a bench in the garden late at night, the heavy fog making it cold?

Xu Chaomu watched for a while, but he didn’t move. Just sitting there, his eyes seemed to be looking into the distance. He resembled an eternal sculpture set within the darkness.

Xu Chaomu sneaked back to the kitchen. Sigh, where could the coffee be…

After searching for a long time and not finding it, Xu Chaomu had to give up. It seemed even fate didn’t believe she could make the top ten.

Early the next morning, when she got up, Shen Chi and Bai Man were already awake, sitting side by side at the table, having breakfast.

In the past, it was always her sitting with Shen Chi. So, Bai Man was bound to marry Shen Chi eventually, and she had to get used to it ahead of time.

It was as Zhou Ran had asked her, “Once Achi is married and leaves the Shen

Family, will you still choose to stay?”

Her answer was clear, too. If Shen Chi didn’t want her anymore, she would leave.

Although, it seemed that day wasn’t far off now.

“I got up early this morning to make this cake, try it and see. I think it tastes quite good,” Bai Man said, placing a piece of cake on Shen Chi’s plate with a fork.

Bai Man was sitting very close to Shen Chi — from Xu Chaomu’s angle, they were practically cheek to cheek!

Bai Man looked blissful, while Shen Chi… well, Shen Chi was his usual self, but Xu Chaomu was certain that he must be inwardly beaming with joy.

But, did they have to be so affectionate? Several servants were standing right there!

“Miss Xu, good morning.” As she walked downstairs, as usual, several butlers greeted her.

“Morning!” Xu Chaomu greeted back.

Shen Chi heard her voice, put down his knife and fork, turned to glance at Xu

Chaomu, “You’ve come at the right time, come have breakfast!” Have breakfast? She didn’t want to be the third wheel!

“Chaomu’s come down too, morning!” Bai Man smiled at Xu Chaomu.

“Morning.” Xu Chaomu was coolly indifferent, slinging her bag over her shoulder and ready to walk out without giving Shen Chi and Bai Man another glance.

“Where are you going?” Shen Chi’s chilly voice rose from behind. It was still emotionless as ever.

“To school, where else could I be going? Otherwise, if I see something I shouldn’t, what’s the way out? I don’t want to get a sty.” Xu Chaomu said with disdain.

Shen Chi’s eyebrows frowned; her words seemed tinged with acidity.

Bai Man was also displeased to hear this, but she kept on smiling, not believing that an eighteen-year-old girl could make too much of a fuss.

Shen Chi rapped on the table, his attitude as domineering as ever, “You better come here obediently. I’m counting to three, one…”

Damn! Damn! Damn!

Xu Chaomu was close to hating this man to death. So overbearing — even controlling whether she ate breakfast or not! How could there be such a person! And yet, she was utterly helpless!

Who’s afraid of who, just to show off their love for others to see?

Fine then, she would just watch with eyes wide open!

She sat down at the dining table huffily, gracefully picked up the knife and fork, and smiled at Shen Chi and Bai Man.

She pointed at the piece of cake on Shen Chi’s plate, “Fourth Brother… this cake looks really tasty, give it to me, okay?”

“Hmm.” Shen Chi responded, passing his plate to Xu Chaomu and also picked some other breakfast items for her.

Bai Man was so irritated her teeth itched, this was the cake she had gotten up early in the morning to personally make for Shen Chi! It had taken a long time to make, and he just gave it to Xu Chaomu without a second thought!

“Thanks, Fourth Brother,” Xu Chaomu said with a smile, her grin revealing two faint dimples.

She started to cut the cake with the knife, meanwhile, glancing sideways at Bai Man. Oh, Bai Man seemed angry.

Indeed, Bai Man, hugging Shen Chi’s arm, cooed, “Shen Chi… I made the cake especially for you this morning, won’t you even try it? Look, I even got a little oil burn on my hand. You’re so good to Chaomu.”

Shen Chi looked down at her; her gentle eyes were filled with hope and sadness.

He glanced at Xu Chaomu again — this girl was just lowering her head to eat the cake as if nothing was her concern.

Yet Xu Chaomu understood Bai Man’s words; it was no more than annoyance that the cake was being eaten by her, wasn’t it?