If You Could Hear My Heart

Chapter 582: Chapter 582: Sacrifice of Appearance (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
 

In the sunlight, she guarded her child with even greater care. Yes, Shen Chi was right—she must protect this child at all times.

He was her first child, her own flesh and blood.

She stood behind Shen Chi, and it was the first time she had seen him be so close with a child.

In the past, he didn’t like children. No wonder, given his personality, she couldn’t even imagine him liking children.

But today, she saw it.

When he was with children, he was even more attentive than she was.

He could make the little girl burst into laughter with his “giggles” and “chuckles” from time to time, and his handsome and charming face beamed with happiness.

This man’s smile was, unexpectedly, so good-looking, so captivating that it was hard to look away.

Standing behind him, Xu Chaomu couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at him but as she watched, waves of sadness surged in her heart.

If he weren’t Zhou Ran’s son, if there weren’t such an insurmountable chasm between them, could they have been happy…

She didn’t know, because there were no ifs in life.

Just at that moment, the little girl’s mother came over.

She was pretty, slender, and when the sea breeze blew, her long hair fluttered, quite pleasing to the eye.

The little girl’s mother wore a flowery Bohemian maxi dress as she walked toward her daughter.

“Niuniu, come here, let Mommy hold you,” the young woman reached out her hands.

“No!” The little girl turned her head away, pouted, and then turned and hugged Shen Chi’s neck.

She clung tightly to Shen Chi, reluctant to go with her mother.

“Niuniu, come here, don’t bother brother anymore, we’re going to find Daddy.” The woman approached closer, reaching out to hold her.

The little girl wouldn’t allow it, mumbling, “No no no, just no. I only want brother, I don’t want Daddy.”

“Daddy will be sad if he hears that.”

“I don’t care if he’s sad, Mommy, you take brother home.”

Shen Chi had a look of helplessness on his face, never expecting the little girl to be so clingy to him.

“Brother already has a sister, be good, let Mommy hold you.”

The woman said as she went to hold the little girl, but the girl was quite strong; she clung to Shen Chi and wouldn’t let go, forcing her mother to seek Shen Chi’s assistance.

Shen Chi held up a seashell, looking very serious as he said, “Be good and go with Mommy. If you’re not obedient, brother won’t want your present.”

Seeing Shen Chi’s serious expression, the little girl was a bit stunned.

Only then did she let go and said earnestly to Shen Chi, “Brother, don’t throw it away, I’ll go with Mommy, but you have to come visit my home too.”

“Okay, when I have the time, I’ll come visit,” Shen Chi humored her.

“Don’t bring sister, you’re so handsome, Brother. My mommy will like you a lot. Whispering to you, my mommy likes handsome guys.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her mother’s face turned red first.

“Niuniu, stop talking nonsense,” the woman quickly led her daughter away.

The mother and daughter had walked far away, but Shen Chi’s gaze still lingered on them.

The corners of his mouth held a faint smile, as gentle and clear as a soft breeze or the bright moon.

Xu Chaomu walked forward, deliberately standing in front of him.

With his view blocked, Shen Chi finally withdrew his gaze and looked at Xu Chaomu.

“Niuniu’s mother is quite pretty,” Xu Chaomu said indifferently.

“Not as pretty as you,” Shen Chi looked at her.

“You don’t mean that,” Xu Chaomu muttered.

After she said those four words, she realized something was amiss—was she… jealous?

Saying nothing further, Shen Chi spread out his palm. He still had a seashell in his hand, which he now offered to Xu Chaomu, “Take it, it’s garnered by your husband’s good looks.”

Xu Chaomu took it, and the seashell was indeed large and beautiful, sparkling with a crystal clear luster under the sunlight.

She cradled the seashell in her palm and felt quite happy inside.

“That’s not called using good looks, that’s called sacrificing charm,” Xu Chaomu said lightly.

“Do you always belittle your own husband?” Shen Chi curled his lips and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“This isn’t belittling, it’s a compliment. At least, when there’s nowhere to turn, we won’t be without food,” she replied.

“Don’t worry, with me around, you’ll never go hungry. Of course, neither will your baby,” he replied.

He saw that although Xu Chaomu’s face didn’t bear much of a smile, it was much better compared to the night before yesterday.

But when he held her waist, she still nonchalantly shook off his hand.

He didn’t insist again, simply watching her in silence.

Mentioning the baby made Xu Chaomu stop talking; she squatted down silently, playing with the seashell in her hand.

“Mumu, you should have a daughter; she would definitely look like you,” Shen Chi said.

Xu Chaomu still didn’t respond, inwardly sneering. Was it up to her to decide whether to have a son or a daughter? According to scientific theory, this mostly depends on the male partner.

In other words, a certain someone had to bear the full responsibility.

Seeing that she didn’t respond, he thought she didn’t want to hear it. After all, just the day before yesterday, she almost didn’t want the child anymore.

What kind of despair must it have been? He did not know what cruel marks those past events had left on her.

He knew that she loved her mother, Xu Mengxi.

After all, she had depended on her mother for an entire decade.

“Mumu, I will cherish you and your child in the future,” Shen Chi promised.

Xu Chaomu squatted, responding mildly, “Mr. Shen, you didn’t say that before.”

When she was unhappy, she liked to call him Mr. Shen.

Shen Chi thought for a bit; she sure could hold a grudge.

Previously, during an argument, he had blurted out, “There’s no need to be tender towards you and your child,” but within minutes, he regretted it.

How could he not cherish them? He wished he could give them all of the world.

“Don’t be mad at me. Your husband is a bit slow,” Shen Chi quirked a smile, hopped down from the rock, and squatted beside her.

As he squatted beside her, she shifted slightly to the side.

Each time he moved closer, she moved away.

As she kept shifting and eventually was blocked by someone nearby, Xu Chaomu had to give up.

The person sitting beside Xu Chaomu looked at her with a mix of suspicion and disdain in their gaze.

Xu Chaomu casually picked up a twig and began writing in the sand.

Her first instinct was to write his name, perhaps an indelible habit.

She remembered the night before last when she saw the handwritten words “Mumu” on his room balcony window—a sight she had never dared to hope for, that one day he would mimic her and write her name.

This time, however, Xu Chaomu didn’t write his name, but rather aimlessly drew circles.

It was Shen Chi who took her restless hand and wrote eight characters on a smooth patch of sand: “I vow to you a lifetime, morning and evening.”

It was his promise to her, for a lifetime, never to change.

His writing was strong and assured, profound and imposing. Even written in the sand, its depth and force remained unchanged.