If You Could Hear My Heart Chapter 1525: 1525: I Probably Won't Live Much Longer

Chapter 1525: Chapter 1525: I Probably Won’t Live Much Longer

Miao Xiu continued: “Precisely because Xu ngxi is a clever woman, she had already thought everything through when she encountered Madam Zhou at the hospital. She had lived in the countryside with her daughter for ten years, always feeling guilty toward her. Furthermore, Shen Tai was often discriminated against as a child because she was an illegitimate daughter. Luckily, Shen Tai had a good temperant in her childhood and didn’t mind these prejudices, so her heart was spared from dark shadows.”

Shen Chi knew that, as an illegitimate child, while Xu Chaomu might not care much on the surface, there was always an invisible burden weighing on her mind.

“Xu ngxi thought for many days. Her family had been well-off in the past. She didn’t want her daughter to suffer because of her, and she couldn’t bring herself to destroy Bai Xuan’s family. If she had wanted to, she would have agreed to elope with Bai Xuan back then. She loved Bai Xuan too much—didn’t want to drag him down, nor ruin Bai Xuan’s career.”

Shen Chi spoke up: “So, she decided to orchestrate an elaborate act herself, entrusting Chaomu with my mother?”

“Not entirely,” Miao Xiu replied. “Xu ngxi knew she had only a few years left to live. If so misfortune befell her, Shen Tai would still end up being sent to an orphanage. Rather than letting that happen, she chose to take a gamble. And her gamble depended entirely on her emotional connection with Madam Zhou.”

Zhou Ran’s eyes softened slightly. As Miao Xiu spoke, scenes from the past replayed vividly in her mind.

When she had t Xu ngxi at the hospital, all she could feel was pity for her. To bear so much at such a young age was indeed tragic.

Xu ngxi had never revealed who Xu Chaomu’s father was—only ntioned that she had had the child with a man from the countryside, and Zhou Ran hadn’t dared to pry further.

At the ti, Zhou Ran had no idea what was going through Xu ngxi’s mind. Xu ngxi asked to et again in a few days, and Zhou Ran agreed, though she harbored a bit of resentnt toward her in her heart.

But after all, they were sisters, and she couldn’t bear to turn her back on her.

At that mont, the office was quiet, with only Miao Xiu speaking.

Miao Xiu’s face remained solemn, without a trace of humor.

Shen Chi was the sa, an overwhelming lancholy rising internally.

No wonder Zhou Ran had once told him that Xu ngxi was a clever woman…

As the dust-covered past gradually erged before his eyes, the iceberg began to surface.

Beneath the water lay a world he had never imagined!

He had once suspected Zhou Ran of covering for the perpetrator—perhaps the culprit was soone she knew.

But he hadn’t anticipated the scene that unraveled—a totally different truth.

Miao Xiu paused for a mont and continued, “After returning from the hospital, Xu ngxi had actually discerned the lingering resentnt in Madam Zhou’s heart. That resentnt stemd from Shen Dong’s continued feelings for Xu ngxi. Madam Zhou feared that one day Shen Dong would bring Xu ngxi back… Am I correct, Madam Zhou?”

Zhou Ran’s gaze was calm, her heart restored to the stability of days gone by.

“You’re not wrong—everything you said is true,” Zhou Ran admitted without hesitation.

Back then, when she had encountered Xu ngxi again, she’d been shocked. After all, Shen Cexian and Bai Xuan had searched for her for years without finding her.

Yet alongside her shock, there ca a shade of worry and fear—fear that Xu ngxi’s reappearance would convince Shen Cexian to bring her back ho unconditionally.

She didn’t trust Shen Cexian; she knew Shen Cexian didn’t love her.

And so, after leaving the hospital that day, when Xu ngxi proposed that they talk, she agreed.

Once back ho, she never ntioned a single word to Shen Cexian regarding Xu ngxi.

Miao Xiu explained, “Later on, Xu ngxi kept calculating her options. Eventually, she resolved to entrust Xu Chaomu—Shen Tai—to Madam Zhou, believing that letting Shen Tai follow Madam Zhou ho would undoubtedly be the best choice. The Shen Family had wealth and power; even if Shen Tai was treated like a servant, it would still be far better than staying with her. What’s more, Xu ngxi bet on Madam Zhou’s compassion.”

Ti proved her gamble right. Although Zhou Ran didn’t particularly favor Xu Chaomu afterward, she didn’t treat her as a servant either.

Which ant Xu ngxi won her bet. In the years that followed, Xu Chaomu lived well in the Shen Family…

Miao Xiu imagined that when Xu ngxi passed away, she must have been at ease—and even joyful—because her most cherished daughter had found happiness.

The step she took back then was the right one.

“On that evening of the gas explosion, Madam Zhou arrived at Xu ngxi’s house. Concerned about being seen, Madam Zhou wore a scarf to conceal herself. That evening, Xu ngxi intentionally sent Shen Tai to the Mo Family next door to play,” Miao Xiu recounted.

These details, Shen Chi already knew.

Zhou Ran remained silent but acknowledged that Miao Xiu was correct; events had indeed unfolded just as described.

“Once inside the house, Xu ngxi’s illness had worsened considerably. Lying on the bed, she t Madam Zhou, realizing that she wouldn’t survive for much longer,” Miao Xiu said. “Madam Zhou couldn’t bear to see her suffer and offered words of comfort.”

Zhou Ran listened to Miao Xiu’s gentle, steady voice as her thoughts drifted back—to that faraway winter.

That winter had been rather cold. That evening, as the sun set, she had finally made her way from the city center to where Xu ngxi lived.

The place was far more impoverished and isolated than she’d imagined.

She had walked quite a distance before spotting Xu ngxi’s house—a low, shabby structure.

At that mont, her heart sank with sorrow.

Xu ngxi had once lived so comfortably during their university years, free from hardship, only for everything to crumble once her family went bankrupt.

She hadn’t expected that over a decade later, Xu ngxi would be reduced to such circumstances.

Zhou Ran felt a deep pang of sadness but still stepped inside.

She rembered how, upon entering, she had imdiately heard Xu ngxi coughing uncontrollably, spitting out fresh blood.

Frightened, Zhou Ran had propped her up, feeding her dicine.

“Aran, do you rember when we were in school? My health wasn’t great even back then. Who would have thought that over a decade later, we’d et again?” Xu ngxi said weakly.

Zhou Ran sighed, “Stop talking now—let help you lie down.”

Seeing Xu ngxi in such a wretched state, Zhou Ran felt an ache in her heart.

Back then, Xu ngxi had been pursued by countless boys at school—beautiful and composed, she had been the “Fairy” in many of their eyes.

But now, her figure was gaunt, her complexion pale and lifeless.

After reminiscing for a while, Xu ngxi suddenly grabbed Zhou Ran’s arm and called out, “Aran, Aran…”

Alard, Zhou Ran replied quickly, “I’m here, I’m here. What do you need to tell ?”

“I don’t have long to live. This illness is incurable. Can you promise sothing?”

Zhou Ran had seen the diagnosis herself and, feeling helpless, replied, “Tell —though I can’t be sure I’ll succeed, I’ll do my best if I can help.”

“I don’t have any other desires anymore. I stopped wanting things long ago, but I can’t let go of my daughter… She’s only ten years old… She’s so adorable…” Saying this, Xu ngxi glanced at the photo on the wall.

Zhou Ran followed her gaze—the little girl in the photo was thin but had a radiant, joyful smile.

In every picture, the girl’s smile was bright and full of life.

“Her na is Chaomu… Xu Chaomu…” Xu ngxi said with a soft smile as she ntioned her daughter.