If You Could Hear My Heart

Gradually, she sat down in front of the tombstone, just as when she was a child sitting by her mother’s side.

Her mother would tell her stories, and she would listen quietly and obediently.

She wasn’t so naughty and mischievous before, she was truly sensible.

Xu Chaomu rested her head gently on the tombstone, heedless of the rain soaking her clothes and drenching her face, as she talked with her mother.

Her mother would definitely hear her.

“Mom, let me tell you, I’ve fallen for someone, will you scold me? Hehe, I know you won’t, you love me the most. You never had the heart to scold me, even when I took apart the scarf you knitted for so long, you didn’t scold me…”

“Mom, I really like him so much, but he doesn’t like me, he’s about to get married… I know I’m not worthy of him, he’s too outstanding, many women chase after him, pretty ones, rich ones, capable ones… all sorts,”

“His fiancée is also very beautiful, everyone says she is the number one beauty of C City, I think she’s so pretty too. When they stand together, they look so well-matched. Seeing him happy, I’m quite happy as well, really quite happy…”

Even though she was smiling as she spoke, her tears flowed even more fiercely.

Her shoulders twitched continuously; Xu Chaomu wiped away her tears.

How can she cry, such a lack of self-control.

“Mom, actually the feeling of liking someone is quite nice, every move he makes tugs at your heart. When he gets close to you, your heart races really fast. Mom, you don’t know how often I teased him, because he always has such a stern face, I wanted to see him smile more.”

“Sigh, he didn’t appreciate it. Although he’s pretty nice to me, he never liked me. It has always been me wishing for more, always me taking the initiative, Mom, am I being too forward?”

“But it’s all good now, he’s getting married, I won’t think about him anymore. Not thinking of him, he’s such a jerk.”

Xu Chaomu said a lot, talking more and more incoherently as she went on.

Physically and mentally exhausted.

She was so tired…

“Mom… his name is Shen Chi.”

“Shen Chi, Shen Chi…”

Xu Chaomu leaned against the tombstone, with her eyes closed.

Repeatedly murmuring his name, as though she had found an exceedingly rare treasure, she was filled with joy.

Not to think of him anymore, she must not think of him from now on.

To love deeply is to let go.

Raindrops fell on Xu Chaomu’s face, even though the night sky was pitch black and the fields silent and empty, Xu Chaomu was not the least bit afraid.

With her mother by her side, she never felt scared.

She kept talking, and, as she went on, finally became tired, her eyelids too heavy to lift.

She lay against the tombstone, drifting peacefully to sleep.

With the shelter of a large willow tree, the rain rarely hit her face. She curled up in a ball and slept soundly.

This kind of peacefulness, no one else could provide.

Just like eight years ago, when she would hide in her mother’s arms—it was the same feeling then.

The dark night was silent, and the rain poured down like a river.

When a bright flashlight beam hit Xu Chaomu’s face, she smacked her lips without a flicker of consciousness.

The man who approached was young, in his twenties, with his brows slightly furrowed and his sculpted face sharply defined.

He held an umbrella in his right hand and a flashlight in his left.

The beam of light highlighted the raindrops, making them even clearer and also shining upon Xu Chaomu’s beautiful but pale face.

“Why are you asleep here?” The man frowned deeply and slowly walked over.

Xu Chaomu’s lips moved a bit, but she didn’t wake up.

Probably because of the cold, she hugged her arms tightly and pulled her jacket up high, nearly cocooning herself, just like a little wild cat.

Seeing she didn’t respond, the man took a few more steps and bent down.

“Wake up, don’t sleep here, it’s cold.”

Still no response.

The man’s face showed a trace of helpless amusement.

He placed the flashlight on the ground and patted her shoulder, “Girl, wake up, it’s very cold here.”

“Hmm…” Xu Chaomu smacked her lips.

Groggily opening her eyes, she thought she was dreaming.

The man in black coat standing before her somewhat resembled Shen Chi; he looked quite good holding the umbrella.

Slender fingers, grasping the umbrella’s spine. Standing alone against the wind, calm and unflappable. The drizzle fell beside him; he was elegant and gentlemanly, a dashing fine man.

But her eyelids were too heavy, the light too dim, so she moved her lips slightly and smiled.

The man smiled as well, “Come on, get up. Where’s your home? I’ll take you there.”

Xu Chaomu squinted her eyes, “I’m a little fox fairy, my home is in the mountains.”

“Is that so? Little fox fairy.” The man laughed; the girl was quite amusing.

“Don’t I have a fairy’s aura? The kind that’s ethereal and elegant.” Xu Chaomu shamelessly smiled.

Giggling playfully, she sounded very childlike.

“More like a demon’s aura,” the man cast her a sidelong glance, yet chuckled.

Xu Chaomu glared at him, “Is it that good-looking men have nasty tongues?”

“Come, give me your hand; I’ll help you up.”

Without waiting for her reply, the man reached out his hand. It was a beautiful hand, with long fingers and a broad, warm palm.

Still squinting, Xu Chaomu looked at him, “Are you a bad guy?”

“What do you think?”

“It seems like it to me. So tell me, are you a fox fairy? Why would you appear here so late?”

“Watch less TV,” the man chuckled helplessly, “I was just passing by.”

“Oh.” Xu Chaomu patted her bottom and, holding onto his hand, stood up.

She didn’t know how long she had slept, but she felt much more at ease now.

“Why aren’t you scared of me?” The man brushed some dust off her clothes for her.

“To frighten people requires something fearsome; nothing about you seems scary.” Xu Chaomu complained discontentedly.

The man laughed, a laugh as refreshing as a clear breeze after rain.

He stuffed the flashlight into Xu Chaomu’s hand, “Here, take this, I’ll take you home.”

“I don’t have a home, I’m an orphan,” Xu Chaomu said somberly, looking down.

The man moved the umbrella slightly towards her and paused when he heard her words.

He tilted his head just enough to see a melancholic expression on her face that didn’t match her usual demeanor.

“How old are you?” he asked softly.

His voice was deep and powerful, with a sticky magnetism that was comfortable to listen to.

“Almost eighteen.”

“Then be my assistant; I happen to need a hand with chores,” he suggested.

“Certainly not, why should I do chores? Fighting would be more fitting,” Xu Chaomu pouted discontentedly.

“Girls shouldn’t be fighting, getting hurt would spoil your looks, and if you’re not pretty, no one will want you. Understand?” he said with a hint of authority in his tone.

“I was already unwanted,” Xu Chaomu said quietly, kicking a pebble with her foot.

“Look, haven’t I taken you in now? Let’s go, if we don’t get back, you’ll definitely catch a cold,” the man said, pulling her closer without further discussion.

Most of the umbrella was tilted towards Xu Chaomu, and the man’s shoulder was getting damp.

Noticing that Xu Chaomu’s small hands were ice-cold, the man took off his coat and draped it over her.