If You Could Hear My Heart
Chapter 981 - Chapter 981 Chapter 981 Marry Her

Chapter 981: Chapter 981: Marry Her Chapter 981: Chapter 981: Marry Her Outside the window was an endless heavy rain, cold and somber, yet inside was warm and cozy, like the beginning of spring.

He had never thought that one day, he could have a meal alone with her.

Perhaps, having such a day was enough.

“Xiao Mo, have a seat. Let’s eat,” Xu Chaomu said as she handed him the bowl and chopsticks.

“Mhm.”

At this moment, Xu Chaomu was really in a good mood. She specifically opened a bottle of wine for Xiao Mo, but she poured herself a glass of plain water.

“Xiao Mo, thank you.” She lifted her teacup.

Xiao Mo curved his lips into a slight smile, said nothing, and just raised his glass.

He had agreed to her proposal almost without hesitation. Now he was thinking, why had he agreed to her?

But he didn’t give it much thought. An agreement was an agreement. There were not so many whys to it.

Xiao Mo looked at the cup in his hand and asked, “Why do you have alcohol here?”

“Chuqing gave it to me.”

“Hmm?”

“Oh, that’s the girl who just moved in across the hall,” Xu Chaomu explained. “She said her second uncle clearly can’t drink, yet he had so much wine hidden at home, so she gave it to me.”

“So you can drink it?” Xiao Mo’s face darkened, “That girl, young as she is, has quite the devious mind.”

Uh… Xu Chaomu thought Xiao Mo was a bit agitated.

“I don’t drink it. I’m just keeping it for her second uncle,” Xu Chaomu explained again.

“I’m taking these wines with me. You’re not to touch a drop.”

“I really don’t drink…”

“No!”

“…” Xu Chaomu was helpless.

Xiao Mo was afraid that she would be here alone and that one day, on a whim, she would open a bottle of wine and get drunk with no one to look after her!

They had lunch together. Xu Chaomu was talkative and shared many interesting stories with Xiao Mo, like her new neighbor, Xia Chuqing.

She said Xia Chuqing was a smart girl, quick-witted and academic too.

Most of the time, it was Xu Chaomu talking and Xiao Mo listening.

“Chaomu, there are only four days until New Year’s Eve. Have you decided? You’re not planning to go back to C City?” Xiao Mo asked.

“I won’t go back to C City for any future New Year’s Eves,” Xu Chaomu said as she took a bite of rice.

Xiao Mo nodded, silent for a long moment. “I see.”

Xu Chaomu had her fill during the meal, while Xiao Mo didn’t eat much, mostly drinking.

The rain continued outside. In the meantime, Xia Chuqing sent Xu Chaomu a text to check on her.

Xu Chaomu replied that she was fine.

Yet she was fine, but Xiao Mo seemed to have something on his mind; otherwise, why would he drink so much?

“Xiao Mo, are you going home for the New Year? Did someone give you time off?” Xu Chaomu asked.

“Not going back,” Xiao Mo said lightly. “My parents said that since I’m not bringing a girlfriend home this year, I might as well not come back.”

After saying that, Xiao Mo laughed first.

Xu Chaomu laughed too, “What’s their hurry? Look at me, I’m not bad, right? If you need someone to fill in, you could just take me home. You fill in the numbers, I’ll scam the New Year’s money.”

Xiao Mo laughed, remaining silent.

He had drunk a bit too much and was slightly tipsy. He looked at Xu Chaomu, his gaze lingering on her face for a long time without moving away.

After a while, he curved his lips into a smile.

“They went abroad for business and will stay overseas for the New Year, so I’m not going back home either,” Xiao Mo said.

It was the first time Xu Chaomu heard Xiao Mo talk about his family. From what he said, it seemed his family was well off.

“Then there goes my chance to scam New Year’s money,” Xu Chaomu said, resting her chin in her hand.

“You’ll have a chance next year. I’ll let you scam,” Xiao Mo said with a laugh.

“Next year, huh… next year…” Xu Chaomu murmured to herself.

Next year seemed so far away…

At noon, Xiao Mo had consumed quite a bit of alcohol. He couldn’t leave for a while, so he rested in another bedroom in Xu Chaomu’s apartment, while Xu Chaomu continued reading her joke book in her own room.

He rubbed his temples, his eyes closed, in silence.

He seemed to have really drunk a lot today, and he couldn’t help laughing at himself for being so foolish.

Xu Chaomu was foolish, Shen Chi was foolish, he himself was foolish.

Once touched by something called “love,” people automatically become very foolish, very foolish…

He lay in bed, listening to the rain outside the window.

He hadn’t fallen asleep, and in the afternoon, he didn’t know what time it was when his phone rang.

It turned out to be Shen Chi.

“Mr. Shen.”

“Where are you?”

“A friend’s place.”

“Any news?” Shen Chi asked in a deep voice, but his tone couldn’t hide his anxiety.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Shen, there’s still nothing.” Xiao Mo braced himself for Shen Chi’s rebuke.

But, the other end was just a silent silence.

Who knows how long it took before Shen Chi spoke, his voice detached, “I see.”

Those three words carried resignation, desolation, heartache…

Xiao Mo couldn’t see Shen Chi, but he knew that at this moment, Shen Chi must be as distressed as he was five years ago, almost driven mad with grief.

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Mo’s chest remained unsettled for a long time.

Could it really happen as Xu Chaomu said, that one day Shen Chi would fall in love with another woman, marry her, and spend a lifetime together?

Xiao Mo had no idea.

…

That afternoon, once sobered up, Xiao Mo walked out of the bedroom.

Hearing movement, Xu Chaomu also put down her book and opened her bedroom door.

“Xiao Mo, you’re sober?”

“Hmm.”

“That’s good, rest a little longer.”

“I should go now, take care of yourself, and call me if you need anything,” Xiao Mo said.

“Thank you,” Xu Chaomu expressed her genuine thanks.

She really hadn’t expected Xiao Mo to help her.

Xiao Mo smiled, “But don’t forget, Mr. Shen is not that easy to deceive.”

“And don’t you forget to take him out to see the ‘scenery’ more often,” Xu Chaomu retorted with a cold snort.

“Sure, I’ll take him to bars and clubs every day, just don’t be jealous.”

“Why would I be jealous?”

“Alright, I’m off. If the lunch isn’t enough, make a couple more dishes yourself,” Xiao Mo reminded her.

“Heading back to C City?”

“Hmm.”

Xu Chaomu nodded and didn’t hold him back any further.

Thankfully, C City wasn’t far from Jin City, just a little over two hours by car.

“It’s raining heavily today, you… be careful when driving,” Xu Chaomu said as she walked him to the door.

“I know,” Xiao Mo said, “no need to see me out, go back.”

Xiao Mo took his umbrella and walked down without looking back, all the way to the fifth floor.

From the window, Xu Chaomu watched as Xiao Mo’s figure gradually disappeared in the rain, slowly blurring until he was out of sight.

The heavy rain in Jin City lasted for three whole days and nights, and it wasn’t until the early morning of the day before New Year’s Eve that the rain stopped.

Once the rain stopped, the temperature dropped sharply.

Xu Chaomu didn’t want to go anywhere; she just wanted to curl up in bed with her cellphone, read a book, too lazy to even make food.

Fortunately, when she didn’t feel like cooking, Xia Chuqing from across the way would bring her something to eat.

Leaving C City, leaving Shen Chi, her world suddenly became much quieter.

Thinking of Shen Chi, thinking of Zhou Ran, thinking of Shen Cexian… all seemed so very distant from her.