If You Could Hear My Heart

Around nine o’clock, Xu Chaomu packed up her things, “Butler Ling, I’m going upstairs to sleep.”

“Alright, I’ll make you a cup of milk. Drinking one before sleep is good for your sleep.”

Xu Chaomu nodded, gathered her knitting yarn, and walked upstairs.

She guessed that Shen Chi wouldn’t come back tonight. These past few days, she hadn’t spoken much to him and didn’t know if his jealousy had subsided.

After taking a bath, Xu Chaomu drank the milk and then leaned on the bed to read a book about design for a while.

She had received a call from Shen Group during the day, asking her to start work in the design department next Monday.

She was quite happy about it—going to work was better than staying at home. Moreover, she loved doing design work, which was one of her hobbies.

After reading for a while and her eyelids began to fight each other, she turned off the light and drowsily fell asleep in her pajamas.

She didn’t know how long she had slept when a kiss, cold and tinged with the smell of smoke, woke her from her sleep.

“Mmm…” Xu Chaomu made a sound and weakly tried to push him away.

In the darkness, the man was persistent, one hand firmly holding her shoulders still.

His cool hand met her warm skin, which instantly woke her up, and she began to resist, pushing against him.

“Don’t move…” His voice was deep and husky.

His hot breath enveloped her ear.

He must have just come back from outside, as his shirt was cool to the touch. She didn’t smell alcohol on him, only a faint tobacco scent.

Without turning on the light and guided by the slivers of moonlight on the curtain, he kissed her lips…

She resisted, pushing against him. Besides that one time at the Paris hotel, she hadn’t been touched by anyone.

In the end, she wasn’t comfortable.

But Shen Chi didn’t allow it. His domineering hand pressed down on her shoulder, giving her no chance to resist.

Moreover, whenever Xu Chaomu tried to speak, Shen Chi would kiss her deeply, preventing her from talking.

In the dark, besides the scent of tobacco on his body, there was the faint smell of herbs and woods, unchanged throughout all these years.

Xu Chaomu grabbed his clothes, and in a daze, she somewhat remembered that night in Paris.

That night, this man was just as domineering, never giving her the chance to take the initiative.

That night, she remembered he took her many times…

Remembering this, her cheeks burned even more fiercely, scalding hot.

It wasn’t until she was gasping for breath that he let her go…

“Shen… Shen Chi…” Xu Chaomu called his name in a daze.

She had intended to ask him to get up, but instead, she blushed and the words vanished the moment they reached her lips.

Hearing her voice and feeling her allure, he became even more unrestrained.

Xu Chaomu grabbed his wrist—

“Don’t… I… I’m still carrying the baby…” she said with a pleading tone.

Sure enough, Shen Chi’s movements ceased, and all further actions abruptly stopped.

He didn’t say a word, removed his hands from her body, and got out of the bed.

Suddenly, the intertwining breaths in the room were gone, leaving only silence.

Xu Chaomu straightened out her pajamas and reached out to turn on the bedside wall lamp.

With the light on, she squinted her eyes to look.

The orange glow of the lamp drew a straight line down the man’s back, his figure appearing slightly forlorn.

He didn’t look back, preparing to walk toward the door.

“Shen Chi…” she bit her lip, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

“Sleep well,” Shen Chi didn’t say much, leaving just four words in a hoarse and gentle voice.

Xu Chaomu twisted and interlocked her hands. She wasn’t a little girl ignorant of everything; she knew how tough it must be for a man to stop at a time like that.

But she… had no other choice.

Just as Shen Chi’s hand touched the doorknob, Xu Chaomu flung off the duvet, got out of bed barefoot, and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

Her cheek pressed against his back, his body stiffened instantly.

“Let go.” Shen Chi gritted his teeth.

“Then… then… maybe I… I could help you…” Xu Chaomu’s face turned beet red, and she quickly lowered her head.

She had mustered all her courage; she was worried about his discomfort.

Shen Chi was also taken aback, not expecting Xu Chaomu to say such a thing.

He kept a stern face and pried her fingers loose, “You go to sleep.”

After that, Shen Chi pushed her away, opened the door, and left Xu Chaomu’s room.

Standing next to a mirror, Xu Chaomu glanced unintentionally after Shen Chi left and realized her face was already flushed red.

It seemed… a little embarrassing.

She touched her burning cheek, quickly turned off the light, and dove back under the covers.

Back in bed, her heart was still pounding rapidly, “thump thump,” an unfamiliar sensation.

Disturbed by Shen Chi, how could Xu Chaomu sleep now? She clutched the corner of the quilt, tossing and turning restlessly.

A heart that had long been dormant was now fully ignited, like grass sprouting rapidly under the caress of spring wind.

That night, Xu Chaomu didn’t sleep peacefully, waking up in the morning with dark circles under her eyes.

When she went downstairs, the instigator was eating breakfast elegantly and leisurely.

He had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows and was skillfully cutting a piece of bread with a knife and fork.

As Xu Chaomu came downstairs, she awkwardly glanced at him. He, on the other hand, seemed carefree, keeping his head down as he ate.

“Good morning,” Xu Chaomu greeted, sitting opposite him.

“Morning.”

Xu Chaomu picked a few of her favorite items and also lowered her head to eat.

Shen Chi slid the sliced bread towards her, “Try this.”

“Oh,” Xu Chaomu accepted.

When she looked up, she met Shen Chi’s gaze.

For a moment, she quickly looked down again.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?” Shen Chi commented indifferently, noticing the heavy dark circles under Xu Chaomu’s eyes.

Xu Chaomu inwardly grumbled, ‘You have the nerve to ask.’

Ignoring him, she pouted and continued her meal.

“What’s wrong?” he asked again.

“Let’s talk about something,” Xu Chaomu put down her fork, looking at him discontentedly.

“Hmm?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t come to my room at night anymore.”

“Oh,” Shen Chi understood, but then added, “You don’t like it on the bed.”

“What? I’m a light sleeper. If you come at night, it will disturb me,” Xu Chaomu replied irritably, taken aback by his “don’t like it on the bed” remark.

“Is that so?” Shen Chi replied with disdain, “I seem to recall some people sleep just like a pet pig once they’re down.”

“You’re the pet pig, your whole family are pet pigs,” Xu Chaomu huffed.

Disturbed by him last night and not sleeping well, and now he’s acting like nothing happened.

Calling her a pet pig…

“That includes you in my family,” he commented coolly.

“…” Xu Chaomu was at a loss for words, her mouth twitching—right, that seemed… true.

Seeing her crestfallen expression, the corners of Shen Chi’s mouth curled up with a meaningful smile.

“After breakfast, take a walk outside, it’s good for the baby,” Shen Chi said.