If You Could Hear My Heart

However, she was magnanimous and had no interest in quibbling with Li Beiting.

Old Cheng pulled the car to a stop, and Li Beiting also got out of the vehicle.

Today, Li Beiting was dressed quite formally in a meticulous black suit. His face bore a rare expression of stern solemnity, as he looked at Xu Chaomu with a keen and piercing gaze.

“Mr. Li, what brings you here?” Old Cheng asked pleasantly.

“I’m here to take Chaomu to school,” Li Beiting said, glancing at Xu Chaomu in the passenger seat with a sharp eye.

Xu Chaomu felt a chill run down her spine.

It was an eerie feeling, as if she had seen a ghost.

“This… there’s no need to trouble Mr. Li. I usually take Chaomu to school, and I happen to be free,” Old Cheng said, effectively declining the offer.

“Let me take her today,” said Li Beiting with a rather domineering tone.

Sticking her head out of the window, Xu Chaomu retorted, “I don’t need you to take me. If you enjoy giving people rides so much, why don’t you become a free taxi driver? That would be a real deed of virtue.’

Li Beiting didn’t bother to argue with her. He opened the door of his Maybach, took her by the arm, and led her toward his car.

“Old Cheng, I’ll take the girl with me. I’ll make sure she gets there. You can rest easy,” Li Beiting said without looking back.

He closed the door, started the car, and pressed the gas pedal – all in one fluid motion.

“Kidnapping a good woman in broad daylight, Li Beiting, have you no respect for the law?” Xu Chaomu complained indignantly.

“Why don’t you tell me, what kind of good woman are you supposed to be?” “…” The corner of Xu Chaomu’s mouth twitched; that wasn’t the point.

Li Beiting accelerated forcefully, and with the Maserati’s excellent performance, they quickly covered a good distance.

When they reached a rather secluded area, Li Beiting abruptly hit the brakes and stopped the car.

Xu Chaomu was caught off guard, almost hitting the car window. Dammit, Li Beiting was just like Shen Chi.

“Li Beiting, are you trying to rob me of my wealth and take my life?” Xu Chaomu glared at him.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush with you. You need to listen carefully right now; I have a few words to say to you!” said Li Beiting seriously, no longer the approachable Li Beiting he usually was.

Xu Chaomu was so scared that she obediently shut up.

“Shen Chi and Bai Man are getting engaged next month, and I think you should be aware of it. Shen Chi and Bai Man have had a relationship for over a decade. They were childhood sweethearts long before you came to the Shen Family,” he said.

“How would I not know,” Xu Chaomu muttered.

“Shut up!” Li Beiting snapped at her, then continued, “Your affection for Shen Chi is no secret, but you shouldn’t think about creating trouble to disrupt their relationship.”

“Li Beiting, do you even consider me a friend?” Xu Chaomu became angry.

Zhou Ran might have said those words to her, but how could Li Beiting!

“I consider you a friend, just as I consider Bai Man a friend. I’ve known Bai Man longer than I’ve known you! So, the words I’m saying today are for your own good, as well as Bai Man’s,” said Li Beiting solemnly.

“Oh. ”

Xu Chaomu bowed her head, saying nothing.

“Shen Chi is definitely going to marry Bai Man, and if you truly loved him, you shouldn’t ruin him. Wouldn’t you be happy if he’s happy?

“I’m not a three-year-old. I understand,” Xu Chaomu said irritably.

“It’s good that you’re not three years old,” Li Beiting continued, “Actually, you should know, Shen Chi is the highly regarded fourth young master of the Shen’s, and Bai Man is a young Miss from a distinguished family. Their match is perfect, as you well know.”

“I know!” Xu Chaomu said impatiently.

“I understand you don’t like hearing this, but you must listen,” Li Beiting persisted, “Shen Chi has always treated you as a little sister, and he’s been good to you over the years. Don’t be ungrateful and spoil his happiness.”

“Do I look like someone who would be so ungrateful?”

Xu Chaomu didn’t want to listen anymore. She reached for the door handle, trying to open it and get out.

But Li Beiting had locked the door, and no matter how hard she tried, it was pointless.

“Wait until I’m finished,” Li Beiting said, looking at her, “During this time, don’t throw tantrums with him. The Shen Group has a lot of issues, and he’s extremely busy every day. He doesn’t have time for you.”

“He already shipped me off to boarding school, Li Beiting, what else do you want from me?” she screamed hysterically.

Xu Chaomu didn’t understand why everyone blamed her.

Yes, she didn’t even have the right to like someone.

To be liked by her was an insult.

That was what Zhou Ran thought, what Li Beiting thought, and what Shen Chi… also thought.

Suddenly, she remembered being dragged back from the amusement park by

Shen Chi the night before when he had said, “Don’t make me dislike you.”

Yet, just last night, she had made him dislike her, had talked back to him, had upset him.

A favored pet cat had to learn to be submissive, not to bite.

But she couldn’t learn; she wasn’t born to be liked by people, but to live a good life for herself.

Her eyes grew a bit moist.

“He sent you off to board at the school?” Li Beiting was clearly unaware of this development.

“Yes, that’s the case for today. What about it, do you think he should have sent me away from C City instead?”

“Since he’s sent you away, just stay properly at school and visit the Shen Family less. When Shen Chi and Bai Man move out, you can come back,” said Li Beiting.

“What’s the point of me going back to the Shen Family…” Xu Chaomu’s eyes clouded with a thin layer of confusion. Everyone was driving her away.

Why bother going back…

Li Beiting fell silent, likely because he too felt that the things he said to Xu Chaomu today were a bit hurtful.

After all, Xu Chaomu was just an eighteen-year-old girl.

But he had to say these things.

If this stubborn girl insisted on marrying Shen Chi, wouldn’t it ruin him?

As Shen Chi had just taken over the Shen Group, and as his brother, he must ensure that Shen Chi consolidated his position. Some things Shen Chi couldn’t bring himself to say, and so Li Beiting had to find an opportunity to speak up.

“Open the car door, I’ll walk back to the school myself.” Xu Chaomu said obstinately, and no one could persuade her otherwise.

She didn’t need their well-intentioned advice. She wasn’t clueless.

“Let me take you there,” Li Beiting’s tone softened.

He turned to glance at Xu Chaomu. Her delicate and naive face slightly furrowed; she seemed to be gnashing her teeth, with forbearance and a trace of resignation in her eyes.

With a sigh, Li Beiting seemed to relent and started driving in the direction of the school.

Old Cheng had already arrived at the school ahead of time and had moved Xu Chaomu’s luggage to her dormitory, where he then waited for her.

When Xu Chaomu got out of Li Beiting’s car, her expression was unreadable, like the calm surface of a summer lake, undisturbed, without a single ripple.

It was rare for Old Cheng to see Xu Chaomu so quiet. After all, she was the girl who could make a teacher cry and who could leave the four young masters at a loss.

But now, she just walked ahead, head lowered.

All alone.

The sun slowly elongated her shadow, stretching it further and further…

When Yu Weiwei learned that Xu Chaomu had come to board at the school, she was shocked: “Chaomu, why have you come to board at the school? Didn’t you always say the school wasn’t good?”