If You Could Hear My Heart

Soon, a layer of black ash fell upon the balcony, the temperature of the entire space abruptly rose, and the smell of burnt paper wafted everywhere.

She sniffed, her gaze filled with determination. Once a decision was made, there would be no going back.

Before long, the thick divorce agreement had completely burned away, leaving only a pile of ashes on the ground.

She wouldn’t fall into this trap.

When the clock’s minute hand pointed to eight, Xu Chaomu finished blow-drying her hair and got into bed.

She casually flipped through a design book on the bedside table and began to read quietly.

The bracelet design draft from Paris remained unfinished, and she planned to complete the design before the baby was born, perhaps even making a finished product.

As she was quietly reading, her phone suddenly rang.

It was Zhou Ran.

The most impatient ones were still them.

“Aunt Zhou,” Xu Chaomu answered.

“Chaomu, did you sign the papers?” Zhou Ran got straight to the point.

“No,” Xu Chaomu replied calmly.

This answer clearly surprised Zhou Ran, who paused momentarily before responding.

“You… you’re not planning on signing?”

“Yes,” Xu Chaomu stated emphatically.

“Tomorrow, if you don’t hand over the divorce agreement to Achi’s father by daylight, Shen Group’s power will fall into Shen Shihan’s hands!”

“Then I’m selfish,” Xu Chaomu said, not bothering to explain.

“You are indeed very selfish and very scheming.”

“Say what you will, I’m not planning to sign the agreement.”

“Haven’t you ever considered Achi? As an orphan, what can you help him with in his career?”

“When his career is on the rise, he doesn’t need gilding the lily, and should he face difficulties, I can stand by him through thick and thin.”

“That sounds so nice.” Zhou Ran scoffed, “Stand by him through thick and thin? What will you do when he needs financial support? What about when he needs connections?”

Xu Chaomu fell silent.

“Have you thought it through? If he married a girl of equal social standing, he would face a lot less pressure,” Zhou Ran continued.

“But he wouldn’t be happy,” Xu Chaomu argued with reason.

“Don’t overestimate yourself. Without you, he can still live well. He just needs a period of adjustment!”

“But he hasn’t been doing well these past five years.”

“During those eight years, he always thought of you as a sister. With you gone, it’s natural he would feel low. If you hadn’t come back this year, Achi would certainly have gotten married.”

“Married? He would never marry someone else.”

“I don’t know where you get your confidence from.” Zhou Ran was too weary to speak, “Think it over, consider what I just said!”

“I understand,” Xu Chaomu replied, brushing it off.

Just based on what Shen Chi said tonight, even if she were to bear the infamy of “disastrous beauty”, she wouldn’t want to leave him.

“Will you bring it over tomorrow morning yourself, or should I send someone to collect it?” Zhou Ran asked indifferently.

“No need, the divorce agreement has been burned by me,” Xu Chaomu said calmly.

If it had been five years earlier, when she was powerless, she would not have defied Zhou Ran’s wishes.

Just like the several times she blocked her, insisting that she leave the Shen Family, leave Shen Chi.

She would tell her, “The Shen family raised you for eight years and treated you well, it’s time for you to go.”

Back then, Xu Chaomu took each of her words to heart.

But five years later, she was no longer the little girl adopted by Zhou Ran.

Hearing Xu Chaomu’s response, Zhou Ran was genuinely taken aback, not expecting Xu Chaomu to resist.

Five years had truly changed her a lot.

The one thing that hadn’t changed was her love for Shen Chi.

Zhou Ran thought, it was her biggest mistake to bring Xu Chaomu to the Shen family thirteen years ago. If she hadn’t, none of this would have happened today.

It all seemed to be fate.

“Xu Chaomu, both Achi’s father and I have given you a choice. If you refuse to sign, don’t come to regret it.”

“If I signed it, then I would regret it,” Xu Chaomu said lightly.

She was composed, very calm.

This was her own choice; even if the future wasn’t perfect, she would have no regrets.

“Stubborn and foolish,” Zhou Ran dropped these words and hung up.

There was suddenly no sound from the phone anymore; Xu Chaomu put it down, her gaze lingering on the white wall across from her for a long time.

Some say love is the least noteworthy thing, the most vulnerable to the test of time, yet she didn’t believe it.

She believed love could withstand any storm.

Besides, she had the baby to keep her company.

Just at the thought, an extra sense of happiness filled her.

This baby was the best gift from heaven. She never imagined that she would become pregnant with Shen Chi’s child by a twist of fate.

Even now, she still doubted how such a coincidence could occur.

She didn’t quite believe in such coincidences in the world, so if it wasn’t a fluke, then who could be behind her and Shen Chi’s union?

“Baby, do you miss daddy?” Xu Chaomu asked, caressing her belly.

Of course, the baby wouldn’t speak. Suddenly, Xu Chaomu wished time would pass faster; she couldn’t wait to hear the baby calling her “mommy.”

“Baby, although your dad can be a bit bad sometimes, most of the time he’s good,” Xu Chaomu said, “Let’s make a deal, you call him ‘Uncle’ for a few months, and then switch to calling him ‘daddy,’ okay?”

“If that’s a deal, then remember to side with mommy and not let your dad win you over, okay?”

“Time to sleep well.”

Xu Chaomu cooed to the baby in her stomach for a while; in just over six months, he would be born, and she was so happy.

A smile of happiness stayed on her face. After reading for a while, she also turned off the light and went to sleep.

That night, she slept soundly.

The next day, she received a notice for the third round of interviews at Shen Group, and it was the final hurdle.

If she passed, she would be able to commute with Shen Chi, a prospect that filled her with anticipation.

She was eager to see what he was like at work. Would he be… rather fierce?

Early in the morning, she went to the interview as per the time indicated in the text message.

This time, she had to bring a design work with her.

She specifically chose the best design draft she had for the final round, where it was three candidates competing for one spot.

After breakfast, she took a taxi to Shen’s. She felt good all the way there.

The wind was strong today, the weather not so hot, and the summer breeze was quite comfortable on her skin.

The taxi kept driving towards Shen Group, and just as they were about to arrive, suddenly, a red Audi recklessly cut across, aggressively blocking the taxi’s path!