If You Could Hear My Heart
Chapter 1296: Can’t Get Out of Bed for Three Days

Chapter 1296: Chapter 1296: Can’t Get Out of Bed for Three Days

Xu Chaomu threw out several questions in quick succession, her curiosity truly piqued.

This was the first time she’d heard about Lou Yanli having a girlfriend, and she wanted to see if she was also a top student.

"We met at an international design expo, it’s been half a year," Lou Yanli said with a smile, "You don’t know her."

"Then show me a picture? Just a quick look," Xu Chaomu was still curious.

Unable to refuse her, Lou Yanli picked a photo from his phone and handed it over to Xu Chaomu.

Upon seeing the photo, Xu Chaomu didn’t recognize the girl, but found her quite pretty, with fair skin, long hair, and bright eyes. Her lips curved into a charming smile.

"Even prettier than me," Xu Chaomu complimented.

"That’s not a fair comparison," Lou Yanli chuckled.

Xu Chaomu handed the phone back to him, then continued to prod him with other questions.

Only then did she learn that the girl had just graduated from university and had been working abroad all along. Her acquaintance with Lou Yanli was rather ordinary; they met, hit it off, and got together.

Just like many ordinary love stories, Lou Yanli and the girl’s love was also plain, yet still beautiful.

"What’s her name?" Xu Chaomu asked, propping her chin.

"Tong Shuyi," Lou Yanli replied with a gentle smile.

When he mentioned the girl’s name, his face was filled with a faint happiness and a smile.

A man’s love is often deep and unspoken, but it’s always carefully tucked away in his heart.

"Fair lady," Xu Chaomu laughed, "a gentleman’s good match."

Lou Yanli smiled, his lips curving.

"Then go ahead and ask her. If she can help me, I’d be really grateful. If not... well, I won’t push it," Xu Chaomu said, resting her cheek on her palm.

"I’m just teasing you; no need to ask, she’ll definitely agree. She’s not unreasonable. Besides, I trust you completely; you’d never cheat," Lou Yanli jested.

"What if I fall for you, considering you’re so outstanding?"

"Let me think. If you dare fall for me, would you get your legs broken or your hands chopped off..."

Xu Chaomu was indignant: "Am I really that afraid of Shen Chi? I’m the one in charge at home."

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Am I your friend, or is Shen Chi your friend?!" Xu Chaomu felt aggrieved, was she really so insignificant?

"Mr. Shen is a business partner of my company; guess if I would occasionally betray you," Lou Yanli teased.

"That’s dangerous, I won’t trust friends anymore!" Xu Chaomu huffed.

"It doesn’t matter what I tell my girlfriend, but if you really invite me to help you, you must clarify it with Mr. Shen first. Otherwise, if Mr. Shen gets displeased and breaks off collaboration with my company, I’ll be the one crying."

"At home, I’m in charge! His opposition won’t matter!" Xu Chaomu slammed the table.

Lou Yanli gave her a disbelieving look, could this little lamb, Xu Chaomu, really handle Shen Chi?

She probably forgot about the time when Shen Chi picked her up by the collar and threw her into his car.

"Alright, alright, you’re in charge. Then I’ll wait for your good news," Lou Yanli said smiling.

"Then give me some advice, I’m inexperienced. Though I’ve read a lot of books and cases and even called some seniors for advice, I’m still clueless," Xu Chaomu asked sincerely.

"What’s the reward?" Lou Yanli raised an eyebrow.

"Since when did you start being naughty?"

"Naughty? Really? I’m still the same naive and pure person."

Xu Chaomu rolled her eyes at him: "Shameless."

Lou Yanli laughed, he asked the restaurant’s waiter for paper and pen, and made a plan for Xu Chaomu.

Though they bantered, when it came to getting things done, both Lou Yanli and Xu Chaomu were no slackers.

Lou Yanli analyzed the conditions and drawbacks of starting a studio for Xu Chaomu, and listed several good domestic mentors for her to visit in person when she had the time.

"Actually, whether it succeeds or not doesn’t matter. Consider this money as Shen Chi giving you something to play with." Lou Yanli said while writing.

"Get serious! Get serious! I want you to work hard, not play around!" Xu Chaomu seriously scolded him.

Lou Yanli laughed; surely, Xu Chaomu had changed from her school days.

Now, Xu Chaomu even knew how to take things seriously, unlike those days when she couldn’t even sit through a class.

"Alright, alright." Lou Yanli continued analyzing for her.

The two of them chatted in the restaurant for quite a while, and by the time they finished eating, it was already late and the streets were emptying.

Lou Yanli insisted on taking Xu Chaomu home, but she refused and called Xiaogao instead.

Lou Yanli smiled and said, "You say you’re not afraid of Shen Chi; I could take you home, he’s not going to eat you."

"I’m just worried you might be too tired," Xu Chaomu said with a laugh.

Actually... well, she wasn’t worried about Shen Chi getting suspicious; she was afraid that Shen Chi would use it as an excuse to keep her bedridden! Even though he was currently abroad, his capacity for bearing grudges should not be underestimated.

The two said goodbye at the restaurant entrance, and Xiaogao soon took Xu Chaomu back.

However... on the car ride, Xu Chaomu saw several missed calls, all from Shen Chi.

Uh... She had been so engrossed in talking with Lou Yanli about work that she didn’t hear her phone.

"Why didn’t you answer my calls?" Shen Chi, lying on his bed, said with his eyes closed.

"My phone was on silent, I didn’t hear it."

"Really?"

"Uh... yes."

"Not very convincing, is it or isn’t it!"

"Uh... I was just discussing the studio with Lou Yanli for a bit, we hit it off well in our discussion, so... I didn’t hear...," Xu Chaomu said, feeling weak in the knees as soon as she heard Shen Chi’s tone, she confessed everything.

"Oh."

Silence, Shen Chi didn’t speak again.

Uh... Xu Chaomu held her phone, sweating, what a petty man.

She had no choice but to act coquettishly, "Honey, I really was just discussing work with Lou Yanli, nothing else. We were at James’s restaurant, if you don’t believe me, go ask their owner—who is your friend James! I’ve finished eating now, Xiaogao has come to pick me up, do you want me to let Xiaogao talk to you?"

Shen Chi fell silent, and Xu Chaomu spilled everything.

Shen Chi then laughed, curling his lips: "Did I even ask anything? Why are you confessing everything?"

"If I weren’t honest... you would break my legs," Xu Chaomu muttered.

"That I wouldn’t, at most... I’d make you unable to leave the bed for three days," Shen Chi said softly, laughing on the other end of the phone.

"What about you? Which young model are you dating?"

"Do you want to video call?" Shen Chi asked with a smirk.

"Bring it on, who’s afraid? Let’s see if you’re embracing left and right," Xu Chaomu said, holding her phone and smiling as she looked out the window.

Outside the window, the lights were blurred, and through a layer of transparent glass, everything in the city seemed more distant, like another world.