If You Could Hear My Heart

Xu Chaomu didn’t speak, her head bowed. The reflection on the floor showed her image, which she silently observed.

She never admitted she was at fault, yet no one came forward to speak a word for her. She didn’t steal the necklace, not at all.

“I don’t care whether you’ve done wrong or not, in the Shen Family, you don’t have the right to make such a fuss! Cough, cough…” Shen Cexian added, “Who gave you the audacity to smash vases? To injure the second Miss and Miss Bai?”

“They insulted me first, they were the ones at fault.” Xu Chaomu defended herself.

“Shut your mouth!” Shen Cexian was truly infuriated, his eyes wide open as he coughed continuously, “Let me tell you, the Shen Family has no obligation to adopt you. Since you’re in the Shen family, you’d better behave yourself.” “I understand,” Xu Chaomu didn’t argue further.

Yes, Shen Cexian was right; it was the family’s grace to adopt her, and their duty not to.

“I heard that you like your fourth brother?” Shen Cexian couldn’t help but ask.

At that moment, the study was very quiet, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Xu Chaomu bit her lip, her head bowed with furrowed brows.

Her little thoughts and secrets were exposed, and it felt like a stone blocked her heart, depriving her of all privacy.

Her clean room was rummaged through at will, locked boxes were opened for no reason, and diaries with passwords were pried open. No one cared about her feelings; all the blame was directed at her.

Just because she was an orphan adopted by the Shen family, that’s all.

She had no right to resist.

“No,” Xu Chaomu resolutely denied it.

Shen Chi had said that no matter whether it was in public or in private, she must always remember that he was her fourth brother. She’d better treat him as a real brother and not do anything too excessive.

“You’d better not have,” Shen Cexian said coldly, “You know your own status. If you wish to stand alongside Shen Chi, see if you’re worthy. Also, I must warn you, Bai Man is Shen Chi’s fiancée, they are bound to be together. You’d better rid yourself early of any inappropriate thoughts and stop any sneaky behavior behind the scenes!”

“Cough, cough, cough…” Shen Cexian coughed non-stop after saying a lot in one breath and then held his chest.

Another silence ensued, with only Shen Cexian’s coughing heard throughout the room. After a while, Xu Chaomu spoke slowly.

“I wish them happiness,” she said with her head down, her voice soft and faint, with a slight choke.

It was like a cloud in her heart that had lingered for a very long time, but with a gust of wind, it was supposed to disperse…

Into strands, into dust, never to return.

When Shen Chi received the call from Butler Ling and hurriedly pushed open the study door, he happened to hear Xu Chaomu’s words.

His heart skipped a beat, giving him a sensation of a momentary stop.

Xu Chaomu also heard the sound of the door opening and, just like Shen Cexian, her first instinct was to turn and look.

Dressed in a black suit, Shen Chi stood under the study’s warm pale yellow light; his sharply chiseled, icy facial features were even colder.

Meeting Shen Chi’s eyes, Xu Chaomu was quickly defeated and looked down.

“Why have you come back? Cough, cough…” Shen Cexian glanced at Shen Chi.

He had heard that Shen Chi had gone on a date with Bai Man and had taken the opportunity to speak to Xu Chaomu alone. However, it was only seven-thirty, and Shen Chi had already returned.

“Should I report to you before I come back?” Shen Chi responded unpleasantly.

“What kind of talk is that.” Shen Cexian was clearly not pleased, “Since you’ve returned, I won’t say much, just discipline this girl properly, don’t let her get out of line in the Shen estate!”

Shen Cexian stood up after speaking, ready to leave the study.

Shen Cexian knew that Xu Chaomu dared to disregard others only because she felt backed by Shen Chi.

“Whether she misbehaves or not, I’ll be the one to shoulder it, no need for your concern,” Shen Chi locked eyes with Shen Cexian, neither backing down.

“Be clear on your own status, you’re Bai Man’s fiancé! If you dare to let down Bai Man, I’ll kill you! Cough, cough, cough…”

“Then what about how you treated my mother?” Shen Chi stood his ground.

He grasped the stunned Xu Chaomu with a firm hand, pulling her by her small arm towards the exit of the study.

With decisive strides, he walked without hesitation. Step by step, he dragged Xu Chaomu down the stairs.

At first, he held her arm, but after a few steps, his grip moved down imperiously, taking hold of her small hand.

Xu Chaomu was so shocked that it took her a long time to realize… he had come back.

It was like a dream.

Not until Shen Chi pulled her into the living room did she come back to her senses.

The lights in the living room were bright; Xu Chaomu, in an instant from one setting to another, felt it all so unreal.

She stood by the table still dazed when Shen Chi’s familiar, deep voice brought her back to reality.

“You’re finding trouble for me all day long!”

He looked at her, his hand letting go.

While she looked thoroughly annoyed, warmth surged through Xu Chaomu’s heart.

She looked up defiantly, meeting his gaze: “I didn’t trouble you, it’s you who meddle too much!”

“Right, it’s my meddling.” For once, Shen Chi didn’t give her a hard time; his tone was mild yet comforting.

Xu Chaomu listlessly replayed Shen Cexian’s words in her mind.

He had said, “You know your own status. If you want to stand with Shen Chi, see if you’re worthy. Moreover, I must remind you, Bai Man is Shen Chi’s fiancée, they are bound to be together. You’d better rid yourself early of any inappropriate thoughts and stop any sneaky behavior behind the scenes.”

Bai Man is Shen Chi’s fiancée…

Bai Man is Shen Chi’s fiancée…

She knew, but couldn’t let go; it was like a needle in her heart, pricking her now and then.

“Not happy?” Shen Chi looked down at her.

It was rare for him to see such despondency on Xu Chaomu’s face, and because it was rare, it made him particularly uneasy.

He had no idea what his father had said to her.

She turned to go upstairs.

“Stop right there. You haven’t finished eating,” Shen Chi called after her, his voice stern.

“I don’t want to eat.”

Shen Chi glanced at the table where only a few bites were taken from a bowl of rice and none of the dishes were touched. Even her favorite dish, the shrimp egg dumpling soup, remained untouched.

“You must!”

Shen Chi pulled her to the table, forcing her to sit down.

Xu Chaomu looked resentfully at the man across from her. His features were cool with an ‘I dare you to resist’ expression written all over his face.

She had no choice but to sit at the table and pick up her chopsticks.

Only when he saw her eating obediently did he sit beside her. He glanced at her. Her eyebrows were marked with melancholy.

He had never seen Xu Chaomu like this before…

She listlessly stirred her rice with her chopsticks; in truth, she had no appetite at all.

Too much had happened that day, and she hadn’t caught her breath yet. But one thing had become clear: everything she had done today was wrong..