If You Could Hear My Heart

Xu Chaomu truly listened to Nie Chenglang’s words and obediently closed her eyes.

Tucked in the warm and cozy blankets, her body slowly warmed up.

The hot water bottle Nie Chenglang gave her was very warm; she held it with both hands, unwilling to let go.

“Have a good sleep, and if there’s anything troubling you, you’ll forget it all when you wake up.”

He gently stroked her soft hair, and despite not seeing her for half a year, she still had that small, pitiful appearance that made people want to care for her.

Especially when she hid under the covers, she was like a little kitten, curled up into a ball, drawing warmth from her own body.

Suddenly, Xu Chaomu opened her eyes again, raised her gaze to look at him, paused, and then said, “Chenglang… will you leave? I’m afraid when I wake up, you’ll be gone…”

Nie Chenglang looked into her watery eyes, feeling a pang of heartache: “Rest assured and sleep, I definitely won’t leave. I’ll be right here watching over you, and when you open your eyes, you’ll still see me.”

Xu Chaomu stretched out her hand, wanting to touch him, as she was truly afraid he would leave.

She could no longer bear the pain of being forsaken and abandoned; those people always said they would stay by her side, but in the end, they all left her far behind.

They had abandoned her, no longer wanting her.

Nie Chenglang grabbed her small hand, his eyebrows slightly furrowed: “Don’t be afraid, I won’t leave. I’ve left a message with the doctor, no matter what, you will be able to find me. If you’re not reassured, I’ll also write down the address of my school for you, okay?”

“Hey, I’m not that timid; what I’m afraid of is that without you, there won’t be anyone to pay for my medical and hospital expenses,” Xu Chaomu said with a laugh.

When she laughed, her rows of small white teeth were always so endearing.

Nie Chenglang also laughed: “Your medical expenses, hospital expenses, including your food and drinks, I’ve got it all covered.”

“Rich man Nie,” Xu Chaomu giggled, finally a little sparkle appeared in her big eyes.

“When you’re feeling a bit better, Rich man Nie will take you for a walk along the Seine River. At sunset, the reddening sun will cast a shimmering glow on the Seine – it’s so beautiful.”

“I can be quite clingy, you won’t find me annoying, will you?” Xu Chaomu blinked.

Her heart had settled a lot; having escaped the clutches of evil during the day, the blaze that seemed to fill the sky was still swirling in her mind. The fire she had set with her own hands had turned half the sky red.

She was still a bit scared now; if she hadn’t found a chance, or if those people had caught her again, what would she be doing right now…

Would she be dead?

Nie Chenglang tucked her small hand back under the covers and neatly arranged the bedding for her: “That suits me well because I like to be clung to.”

Xu Chaomu smiled: “Who likes to be clung to, it’s so annoying.”

At that moment, an image of someone flashed through her mind.

Indeed, who likes to be clung to? Every time she clung to him, he would impatiently tell her to go away.

As he wished, she had finally left. And she would never cling to him again for the rest of her life.

“I like it,” Nie Chenglang said softly.

“Really? Okay, then you’re not allowed to leave. Once I get better, I promise to cling to you so much you’ll want to hide,” Xu Chaomu said with a mischievous look, her eyes curving into crescents.

“Then take good care of your health, and fatten yourself up so you’ll have the energy to cling to me.”

“I have so many things I want to do, once I’m better, can you send me to school?”

“What do you want to study?”

“Study what? Let me think…”

“Hmm, first get some sleep; once you wake up, maybe you will have decided. Close your eyes, be good.”

“Oh, then I’m going to sleep, and you’re not allowed to leave, you definitely must not leave.”

“Okay, okay, don’t worry, if I leave, then I’m a dog, alright?”

Xu Chaomu nodded happily and then contentedly closed her eyes.

This half-year in Paris had been the most blessed moment of hers. No longer needing to worry about food and warmth, no longer fearing harm, and no more worrying about whether she would see tomorrow’s sun…

She slept very soundly. She was truly exhausted, and in just a few minutes, she fell into a deep sleep, sleeping so soundly.

Nie Chenglang stayed by her side, taking care of her the whole time.

He peeled an apple for her and bought her lots of food to eat. Having spent some time with her at the orphanage, he knew what she liked.

Returning, he wrote down a line on a slip of paper: If your heart is in the sunlight, there’s no need for sadness.

He pressed the slip of paper under a very pretty teacup, then placed the teacup on her bedside table.

He didn’t leave that night. She didn’t allow him to leave, so he wouldn’t.

Xu Chaomu slept deeply; Nie Chenglang sat beside the bed, looking at her with a heart full of tenderness.

Where had she been for this half-year? Why had she come to Paris alone?

There were many doubts, but Nie Chenglang found that she seemed unwilling to talk. He wouldn’t press her; there was plenty of time ahead, and he would wait for her to open up to him voluntarily.

The night grew deeper, and the moon rose in the sky.

The snow kept falling, though much lighter now. The world was a vast expanse of whiteness, and the bright moonlight on the snow made everything around so quiet.

The snowy night was serene, and even a person’s state of mind seemed to relax along with it.

When the wind blew, the treetops swayed, and clumps of snow fell from the branches.

Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked a few times, making the snowy night even more peaceful.

Nie Chenglang loved snowy nights; he stood by the window for a long time. His tall, dark coat accentuated his upright and handsome figure.

By midnight, he sat on the sofa and dozed off for a while.

The next day, early in the morning, the sun came out, and the sunlight streamed through the glass windows and the curtains into the room.

Xu Chaomu was the first to wake up; as she opened her eyes, she saw Nie Chenglang half-reclining on the sofa asleep. Feeling thirsty but not wanting to wake him, she tiptoed down from the bed to pour a cup of tea.

Just as she picked up the teacup, she suddenly noticed a paper slip pressed under it.

Out of curiosity, she picked it up and saw eight words: If your heart is in the sunlight, there’s no need for sadness.

The words and the sun outside the window warmed her heart instantly.

If your heart is in the sunlight, there’s no need for sadness. How wonderful.

She held the steaming cup of water and walked to the window, her eyes gazing outside.

Because of the temperature difference, the glass had a layer of blurry condensation. Some of the moisture gathered into droplets and slid down the smooth glass.

As Xu Chaomu held the teacup, she lifted her hand, suddenly feeling a strong urge to write on the window glass.

However, as she raised her hand, she didn’t know what to write.

In the past, she loved to write that person’s name, and every time she did, she would conceitedly add her own name to it afterward.

As if by doing this, they could be together forever; as if this meant that she and he would indeed be together forever.

The thoughts and actions of a young girl are always so naive. Naive to the point of not knowing the great height of the heaven and the vastness of the earth, unaware of the hardships and dangers…