If You Could Hear My Heart

Xu Chaomu’s heart was about to leap out of her throat. That day, when Bai Man had spoken to her, she had never anticipated that Bai Man would record their conversation!

Rage blazed within her heart.

Her shoulders shook with anger.

Had Shen Chi been acting like he was on the wrong medication these past few days because of this?

“Did you say these things?” Shen Chi stared at her intently.

She lifted her head, and in his eyes, she saw distrust. According to her former character, she would never allow anyone to slander her.

But now, what should she say?

That these words were spoken in anger, that actually she didn’t feel that way, that actually she liked him?

Explaining further would be meaningless. Being liked by her was something he was disdainful of.

“Shen Chi, are you going deaf? This is my voice, can’t you even recognize that?” Xu Chaomu said disdainfully.

“Xu Chaomu, I truly underestimated you. Your thoughts have never been pure.

Tell me, did you start harboring this idea since you were ten?”

“For such a smart person as yourself, Shen Chi, it took you eight years to figure it out? You should know, no one wants to live a poor and tough life. If I could cling to you, it would mean a lifetime of carefree living. Being an adopted child of the Shen Family, I, of course, felt insecure, always at risk of being cast out by the Shen Family. Only by sticking to you, and preferably getting you to marry me, would I have security for life.”

Xu Chaomu hadn’t expected that she could say these things without any preparation, they just came out.

It didn’t matter anymore. He was about to marry Bai Man, and she could never marry him in this lifetime. Let the misunderstanding stand, it was nothing.

It wouldn’t hurt to let herself win just this once, to give him, the high and mighty Shen Chi, a taste of being deceived. That felt rather good.

Indeed, Shen Chi’s eyes turned bloodshot. He stood up and grabbed her by the throat with a swift movement.

“I’ve cherished you for eight years, doted on you for eight years. Is this how you repay me?!”

Xu Chaomu was choked to the point where she could hardly breathe. She clawed at his hand, trying to pry it from her neck.

“Ugh, ugh…” Muffled syllables came from her throat.

She couldn’t speak, she was in discomfort, she wondered if he was going to strangle her to death…

“Xu Chaomu, what makes you any different from the women who crawl into my bed! ”

He tightened his grip on her neck. His face was cold and grim, his body exuded a chill.

Xu Chaomu tried to pull his hands away, but it was futile. Gradually, her breathing became more difficult. Her hands stopped struggling and slowly…

fell still.

He wanted to crush her, as simple as crushing an ant.

Her breathing grew more and more labored; she wanted fresh air, but his grip did not loosen in the slightest.

As Shen Chi forcefully strangled her, furious, he was completely unaware that Xu Chaomu was on the verge of suffocation.

Only when he noticed the little one was unresponsive, no longer putting up a fight, did he suddenly panic, immediately releasing his hold. “Xu Chaomu! Don’t pretend to be dead! Xu Chaomu! Mumu!” He really panicked now, shaking her shoulders, patting her cheeks.

Shen Chi’s face turned as white as paper.

“Mumu, Mumu!”

Xu Chaomu had her breath lodged in her throat, and it took her quite a while to cough lightly and open her eyes.

Uncomfortable, she felt nothing but discomfort.

“Cough, cough, cough, cough…” Holding her neck, she coughed heavily, almost vomiting bile.

Seeing that she had recovered somewhat, Shen Chi also felt as if he’d just walked through a near-death experience.

He let his hands fall weakly to his sides. Just a moment ago, why had he even been anxious about her? He should have strangled her, shouldn’t he?

“So uncomfortable… so very uncomfortable… water…” Xu Chaomu’s tears came out as she held her neck, in real discomfort.

Shen Chi felt a sudden twinge in his chest, yet he silently went to the table and brought her a bottle of mineral water.

If it had been any other woman, she might have died several times over.

After a few sips of water, Xu Chaomu felt not quite so uncomfortable, but her throat still burned.

“Young Master Shen, rest assured, since you’ve seen through my little scheme, I have no face to stay by your side anymore. I’ll leave,” she said, with every word adding pain to her throat.

“Leave? Don’t even think about it!” Shen Chi was very annoyed.

For some reason, the mention of her leaving made him irrationally irritable.

Xu Chaomu kept quiet. Whatever she said would be wrong.

“Oh, I want to sleep now…”

She was no longer going to argue with him. He was usually so clever, but now he was even more childish than she was.

She lay down on the table, resting her head on her arms, hardly able to keep her eyes open.

So sleepy…

Truly, so very sleepy…

As Xu Chaomu’s eyes closed, her claws retracted, and lying on the table, she disregarded whether the surface was cold or not and fell asleep.

Shen Chi always said she slept like a pig, and it wasn’t a lie.

Once she slept, she would forget everything. Finding a comfortable position, she buried her head in her arms, smacked her lips twice, and soon fell asleep.

“Don’t talk to me… so sleepy…” she mumbled in a daze.

Shen Chi stood by, not sure what to do. She was just fine, dropping off to sleep, while he hadn’t even finished his questions!

The fist he had clenched gradually loosened. He wasn’t about to shake her awake by the collar to continue his interrogation.

Waves surged in his heart, like a raging tide, pounding against his chest.

When everything had quieted down around him, he bent down, scooped Xu Chaomu up, and carried her to the big bed.

Sitting by the bed, his heart gradually steadied. Thinking back on what had just happened, he almost choked her to death. Where had that impulse come

from…

With a wry smile, he realized he had spoiled her to the point of recklessness. Now, he was merely reaping what he had sown.

Xu Chaomu turned over, first kicking the blanket off, then probably feeling cold, started reaching for it again.

As she pulled at it, she accidentally kicked Shen Chi, but still deep in sleep, she was unaware and kicked him a few more times before she managed to pull the blanket back.

The kicks weren’t strong, but Shen Chi frowned nonetheless.

It was hard to say whether she did it intentionally or not.

Turning his head, he saw Xu Chaomu’s innocent face, a single tear resting on her long lashes, as if she had been crying.

Shen Chi’s spine stiffened, and he sat ramrod straight.

He extended his hand intending to wipe away the tear, but his fingers paused mid-air and were then retracted.

He had no reason to be kind to her.

At that moment, Xu Chaomu clutched the blanket tightly around herself, as if cold or frightened. Her body shook, and her face was pale.

“Mom… don’t leave… I’ll make you something nice to eat… don’t go… don’t leave Mumu alone…”

She called out softly, as if trapped in a nightmare again.

“Mom… don’t leave me… I’m scared…”

She began to cry, calling out and crying, like a ten-year-old child.

Helpless, tender, confused..