If You Could Hear My Heart
Chapter 1399: A Woman’s Jealousy

Chapter 1399: Chapter 1399: A Woman’s Jealousy

Zhou Ran also kept her composure, speaking indifferently, "Achi, stop asking. It’s not worth asking about, it’s been seventeen years. Tell me, do you want to know the truth, or has Chaomu been unable to let go?"

"Chaomu has long since taken a step back. She has always been the one to concede for me and the kids. This time, it is I who want to get to the bottom of it," Shen Chi said.

"Since Chaomu herself no longer pursues it, why must you keep asking? There’s no such thing as the truth or falsehood, what you see is what it is."

Zhou Ran’s gaze was steady, a haze of colors flickering in her eyes.

Walking alongside Shen Chi on this quiet hospital path, everything seemed calm, yet her thoughts were dragged back to seventeen years ago.

"Because I don’t believe you’re the murderer," Shen Chi said with a firm look and determined tone.

He had discovered this matter quite some time ago, back when Xu Chaomu was still with the Shen Family.

He chose to keep it from Xu Chaomu to maintain friendly relations with her, but later things spiraled out of his control, and the so-called truth of the matter became known to Bai Man.

Over the years, he has been mired in self-blame, for his mother was the murderer who killed the other’s mother, and he was the son of her matricidal enemy.

But he has never been willing to acknowledge this fact, and on many occasions, he tried to test Zhou Ran, to observe and scrutinize her.

He found that the truth seemed elusive and perplexing.

No matter how Zhou Ran treated Xu Chaomu, he could not believe that Zhou Ran would commit arson and murder. In his eyes, Zhou Ran has always been synonymous with elegance and beauty.

"Your mother was never that kind," Zhou Ran said lightly, "Accept this fact."

"No, in my eyes, you’ve always been kind," Shen Chi still firmly believed this fact.

"Achi, you probably don’t understand me well enough."

"If it’s someone I want to understand, I can surely comprehend them thoroughly," Shen Chi said, his voice filled with conviction.

A hint of bitterness escaped the corners of Zhou Ran’s lips as she shook her head, "There’s no need to ask any more, are you not afraid of reopening Chaomu’s old wounds?"

"If the murderer isn’t you, why would I fear reopening that wound? Does her silence on the matter mean she has no regrets? Surely not," Shen Chi said.

He knew Xu Chaomu too well; the girl was too naïve to hide any tricks from him.

She says nothing about the incident seventeen years ago and does not pursue it, but that just shows her kindness, not that she has forgotten.

If a person forever harbors an unresolved knot in their heart, they will never truly be at ease in their life.

And if Zhou Ran is indeed not the murderer, there’s no harm in him pursuing the matter further.

"Then I have nothing more to say," Zhou Ran spoke blandly, her expression as calm as ever, "You’ve also found a witness, the person who was at Xu Mengxi’s house seventeen years ago was indeed me."

"Then why were you at her house?" Shen Chi asked gravely.

"I just happened to find her there, and you know, women’s jealousy can be terrifying. We chatted for a while at her house, got into an argument, and then I tampered with the gas cylinder," Zhou Ran said lightly, "Unbeknownst to anyone, unnoticed by all."

"I simply do not believe it!" Shen Chi frowned fiercely, raising his voice.

"Achi, I’m grateful for your faith in me."

Shen Chi turned to glance at Zhou Ran, finding her far too composed than he had expected.

"Do you know that Xu Mengxi was not well?" Shen Chi pressed.

"I don’t know."

"Lying." Shen Chi stared coldly into her eyes, catching a fleeting evasion within Zhou Ran’s gaze.

Xu Chaomu once showed him a diary, written by Mo Shuifu’s father. In it, he had read a line: Today, I continued taking Mengxi for her hospital follow-up. Coincidentally, she ran into an old acquaintance. They talked for a long time; it’s been a while since I’ve seen Mengxi so at ease.

Not only did this line catch Xu Chaomu’s attention, but it also caught his.

Xu Chaomu was unable to determine who this "old acquaintance" was. He hadn’t thought who it could be either, but ever since finding out that Bai Xuan was Xu Chaomu’s father and that Bai Xuan, Shen Cexian, Zhou Ran, Jiang Zhilan, and Xu Mengxi had significant entanglements in the past, he speculated that this "old acquaintance" must be one of them!

From Bai Xuan, he learned that after Xu Mengxi left Bai Xuan, he had never seen her again, merely hearing from others that Xu Mengxi had gotten married.

This rumor was obviously spread by Jiang Zhilan, with the intent of making Bai Xuan give up on Xu Mengxi once and for all.

It was also clear that Shen Cexian had no knowledge of Xu Mengxi’s existence.

The only one who knew of Xu Mengxi’s existence was Zhou Ran; Shen Chi guessed the so-called "old acquaintance" mentioned in the diary must refer to Zhou Ran.

But, the diary contained not too many words; Mo Shuifu’s father had never met Xu Mengxi’s "old acquaintance" before.

However, not long after Xu Mengxi’s hospital visit, that bombing incident occurred.

Avoiding Shen Chi’s gaze, Zhou Ran said calmly, "Achi, whatever you think it is, it is. There’s no need to absolve me."

"You’re clearly aware that I can continue the investigation," Shen Chi declared firmly.

Though so many years have passed and previously he was unable to investigate, with the emerging trail of clues, he was increasingly convinced that he could follow them further.

"I can’t stop what you want to do, but that’s all I can tell you," Zhou Ran said, "You don’t need to look into it."

Zhou Ran maintained the same attitude from beginning to end; she did not want Shen Chi to delve into the investigation.

"Since I am certain you’re not the culprit, I won’t let Xu Chaomu carry any regrets in her heart. I don’t want to see her living her life in such unease," Shen Chi said.

Zhou Ran said no more; she had no idea what Shen Chi might uncover in the future. Ideally, he would find nothing.

She strode forward, glanced at the children on the lawn, and said softly, "Some other day, I’ll make some dumplings, and we can have a meal together."

Shen Chi didn’t say anything; he followed her.

In the end, he had gleaned no useful information from Zhou Ran, but her demeanor only solidified his conviction that his mother was not the murderer.

The real murderer must be someone else...

However, very few had a good relationship with Zhou Ran; there was no need for her to conceal for that person in such a manner.

In her heart, the most significant figure had to be Shen Cexian, yet since graduating college, Cexian had not seen Xu Mengxi again.

Shen Chi couldn’t figure out whom Zhou Ran was protecting.

Just as he was racking his brain, suddenly, an idea surfaced—could it be possible that... Xu Mengxi had committed suicide?

But if it was suicide, why would his mother keep it a secret?

If Xu Mengxi had indeed met with Zhou Ran before the fire, what exactly did they discuss?

All these answers could easily be obtained if Zhou Ran were willing to talk, but unfortunately...