If You Could Hear My Heart

“Not bad, suitable for an interview, but it might be a bit big on you,” Nie Chenglang said.

Xu Chaomu waved over a sales assistant: “Hello, could you please get me one size smaller?”

“Sure.”

The sales assistant immediately went to get a smaller size white shirt for Xu Chaomu.

“Chenglang, it’s been a while since you accompanied me shopping, you still remember my size,” Xu Chaomu said, smiling.

“For a while, I went shopping with you too many times, it’s hard to forget,” Nie Chenglang replied with a half-joking smile.

“Actually, I’ve gained weight now.” Xu Chaomu giggled and held up the clothes, “I’m going to try this on.”

“Alright.”

As Xu Chaomu went in to try on the clothes, Nie Chenglang stared at the documents in his hand for a while.

Turns out, the job application was for the design department at Shen Group.

She and Shen Chi, after all, couldn’t seem to cut ties or sort out their entangled feelings.

Even after five whole years with her, he couldn’t forget Shen Chi.

Even though Shen Chi was the son of the man who killed her mother, she couldn’t forget.

This mark was too deep, and Nie Chenglang chose to step back; he thought he couldn’t remove this brand from her heart.

Five years wasn’t enough…

The Xu Chaomu on the resume smiled beautifully and confidently.

As he looked at it, a smile also graced his lips.

Soon, Xu Chaomu came out of the fitting room, changed into the new clothes.

She stood in front of the mirror, checked herself out, and thought it looked quite good.

The sales assistant, utilizing her selling skills, said, “Miss, you look very pretty in this shirt, it really complements your temperament.”

“Then, what kind of temperament do you think I have?” Xu Chaomu held back a laugh.

“You’re elegant and confident, composed and generous. It’s apparent in your behavior and demeanor.”

Xu Chaomu laughed, knowing well enough not to take the sales assistant’s words seriously.

The person who understood her most in this world was still Shen Chi.

Only Shen Chi would call her “little hooligan,” “little bastard.”

Yes, she was undoubtedly a “little hooligan,” a “little bastard.”

What “elegant and confident,” “composed and generous” – those qualities were far from her, and even if she possessed them, they were just pretense.

“I think it’s alright,” Xu Chaomu said, looking at herself in the mirror again.

Her belly was covered, showing no signs of protrusion.

When she came out, Nie Chenglang stared at her for quite a long time.

At first, his gaze was fixed on her face. After not seeing her for many days and finding she hadn’t lost weight, he felt relieved.

Gradually, his eyes fell on her belly.

There were slight signs of a bump on her abdomen, but it wasn’t obvious.

Nie Chenglang’s brow furrowed slightly. Did she really intend to give birth to this child of unknown paternity? Would Shen Chi accept this child?

Shen Chi was a man of high principles, who couldn’t bear even a speck of dust in his eyes. Could he, then, accept this child?

Concern flickered across Nie Chenglang’s face; he feared Xu Chaomu would suffer at the Shen family.

No matter how good the relationship between a husband and wife, there would be arguments. What if, in the future, they fought, and Shen Chi brought up the child? What would Xu Chaomu do?

Just like the five years he and Xu Chaomu had spent in Paris; although their relationship was good, they had their quarrels.

There was a time when Xu Chaomu became addicted to playing games, staying up all night, skipping classes. When he found out, he reprimanded her severely.

Xu Chaomu was defiant, and they had a fight.

Afterward, there was a cold war that lasted many days, and it was he who finally sought her out.

That girl Xu Chaomu sometimes had a stubborn temper.

No matter if friends or spouses, even the best of relationships encounter rough patches, and he truly feared that Xu Chaomu would end up at a disadvantage in the future.

As for Shen Chi, he was certainly not short of women; even if he were to divorce, he would still be a business elite, still have a bunch of young and pretty girls flocking to him.

Choosing another to marry wouldn’t be difficult for him.

But it was different for Xu Chaomu. If in the future Shen Chi felt uneasy about Xu Chaomu’s child and fought with her, she would always be the one at a disadvantage.

And if Xu Chaomu were to divorce, she would only be looked down upon.

Nie Chenglang felt a pang in his heart; he felt sorry for Xu Chaomu.

With Shen Chi’s temperament, he really couldn’t fathom their future.

But now, Xu Chaomu was still set on Shen Chi, likely not to listen to anyone else.

“Miss, the shirt really fits you well. Maybe, let your boyfriend take a look,” the sales assistant said with a smile.

In their eyes, a man who accompanied a woman shopping was probably either a boyfriend or a husband.

Xu Chaomu felt slightly awkward, and she shook her head softly, saying, “He’s just a friend.”

The sales assistant apologized with an “Oh.”

Nie Chenglang had heard it all; he stepped forward, right beside Xu Chaomu.

“This one is fine, but we could also try other styles,” Nie Chenglang said patiently.

“No need, changing clothes is quite bothersome,” Xu Chaomu smiled, “Let’s just take this one.”

She looked at herself in the mirror for a good while, finding no fault.

The interview time was approaching anyway, and it was better to go there earlier.

“Alright then, do you want to look at other styles?” Nie Chenglang asked.

In reality, it was rare for him to accompany her out, and he was somewhat reluctant to let go.

In the future, he didn’t know if they would have another chance like this, so he treasured it.

In the past twenty-odd years, the one thing he regretted most was bringing her back to C City.

During those five years, Xu Chaomu seldom spoke of Shen Chi; he thought she had long buried Shen Chi deep in her heart…

“Not necessary, Chenglang, maybe next time I go shopping, I’ll ask you out,” Xu Chaomu said with a smile.

It was just a casual remark; if she dared to ask him out next time, Shen Chi would break her legs.

Nie Chenglang didn’t take it too seriously. In the future… there would probably be very few opportunities, if any, to even want to see her.

But he still wanted to sit down with her and have a good talk, no matter the topic. Just sitting together and chatting would be nice.

Just like in Paris, when they would often sit in cafés or on campus, talking.

Sometimes, they could talk for an entire day.

He missed that feeling; back then, there was hardly a topic they wouldn’t discuss.

He thought five years would be enough for her to forget someone, but instead, she had hidden Shen Chi in the deepest recesses of her heart.

“Alright,” Nie Chenglang replied with a smile.

He knew Chaomu’s words were just a polite formality. In the future, Shen Chi would be by her side.

He, on the other hand, was merely an inconsequential passerby.

“Let’s take this one,” Xu Chaomu told the sales assistant.

“All right then, please come here to pay,” she responded.

After speaking, the sales assistant went to issue Xu Chaomu’s invoice.

Xu Chaomu intended to pay for the clothing herself, but Nie Chenglang got ahead of her, snatching the invoice first.

“Chenglang, let me do it!” Xu Chaomu still felt uneasy.

It was her own clothes; she didn’t feel right letting Nie Chenglang pay.

“Consider it a gift, don’t disdain it,” Nie Chenglang said with a smile.

After speaking, he promptly went to the cashier to settle the bill.

Xu Chaomu stood in place, staring at his retreating figure through the rows of clothes.