Chapter 5, Keep You in My Heart

Gao Chi allowed himself to gradually retrieve fragmented memories, piecing them together into a complete past, savoring and chewing on them. A profound sadness surged in the depths of his dark eyes, akin to a softly sung elegy, quietly narrating the cruelty of reality and the helplessness it brings

Jin Nuo was taken aback: "How do you know?"

The deep and melancholic sound of the bell rang out, pulling Gao Chi's wandering thoughts back to reality. He extinguished the cigarette butt, raised his hand to rub his brow, and the faint scent of smoke at his fingertips dispelled the accumulated gloom in his heart. Upon seeing the caller ID, he hesitated for a moment before answering the call

Jin Nuo raised his gaze and looked at her: "A sprained wrist?" He appeared completely fine that day, not at all like someone who was injured.

Receiving the sharp gaze from Gao Chi, devoid of warmth, she gently closed the door and quietly left

As she watched his tall and slender figure gradually fade into the distance, Jian Nuo's heart, as hard as ice, melted in an instant. Although he did not utter a single word of explanation, she was certain that he was waiting for her. That was the first time he had waited for her, on a certain night after she inexplicably became his girlfriend.

Jin Nuo stared at his freely moving wrist and asked, somewhat belatedly, "Is your hand alright?"

"You wouldn't know." Bu Wenrou weakly rolled her eyes, just as she was about to say that the students at school were very concerned about what kind of follow-up developments would occur after they had substantial contact in the library, when she was forcefully pulled up by Jian Nuo, "Let's go, take me to his dormitory."

Pushing open the intricately carved wooden door, he walked directly to the floor-to-ceiling window, standing silently before the glass facade, his gaze deep and obscure like the sea. From this vantage point, he looked at the distant, flickering neon lights, experiencing a sense of being on a cloud, gazing down at the world below.

Even if Gao Chi leaves without saying goodbye, Jian Nuo's heart will always be directed towards him

The call lasted for about ten minutes and finally ended just before Gao Chi's last bit of patience was exhausted

It is a matter concerning Shu Rou. She returned to her home country some time ago, and it was just a few days before you left for the library. Her father has passed away. After a pause, as if considering her words carefully, she said: "You know she has always lived with Aunt Geng, and her father has remained indifferent to the mother-daughter relationship all along..."

Are there things she doesn't know? Jian Nuo retorted, "You don't know who knows."

Sweet memories flit by like fleeting shadows, fading into silence without leaving a trace. What follows is the realization of how desolately I stood in the center of the playground after he went abroad, and the ensuing four years of long and lonely waiting.

The fear that lay dormant in her heart surged forth, and she tightly furrowed her delicate brows, unconsciously murmuring a name, and began to weep softly in her dreams

Shu Rou called me today, saying that her brother might sue her. She does not mind losing her property, but she does not want to go to jail. Chi, can you consider this as helping me? The woman softened her voice, pleading for Shan Shu Rou.

Such warm reproaches stirred a thread of sweetness in Jian Nuo's heart. Gao Chi is a person who is reserved in his emotions; caring words and sweet words seem to be spoken very rarely, yet this does not affect her heart's inclination towards him. Jian Nuo has never regretted giving him her whole heart.

The acquaintance was filled with drama, and the subsequent developments strayed even further from the expected path. No one could have anticipated that the cold and aloof Gao Chi would develop feelings for the carefree young girl. As Luo Yiheng put it: "Perhaps your love was inadvertently fostered by everyone; it started without intention, yet turned out to be unexpectedly profound."

... ...

I did not. The woman whispered in defense, You must believe me

It's only been half a month, but why do I feel like it's been a long time...

At the beginning of their romantic relationship, his care was always mixed with a sense of awkwardness and dominance, yet for some reason, the more he acted this way, the more Jing Nuo found it difficult to extricate herself.

Having turned off his phone, Gao Chi sat silently in the dimly lit office, his gaze deep and unfathomable

Five years have passed, yet Jian Nuo still remembers the expression on Gao Chi's face at that time, with deep disdain flickering in his dark eyes, and his words were even more humiliating to her

Thank you, Chi. The woman smiled playfully, knowing that his words were an agreement. Cleverly, she chose not to elaborate further and timely shifted the topic, asking him: "When will you be back?"

Many things are devoid of fairness. After a moment of contemplation, Gao Chi finally agreed, saying: "Let me think about it."

She believed in love at first sight, and even more so in falling in love at a glance in a fleeting moment. That night of that year, when she and Bu Wenrou were delayed in returning to school due to their playful antics at the school gate, the unexpected appearance of Gao Chi surprised and delighted her. She watched as he calmly negotiated with the gatekeeper, and then, with a serene expression, he walked out and led her inside. When they reached the dormitory entrance, he finally spoke: "Get a good night's sleep, I'll be waiting for you on the playground tomorrow morning." After saying this, he didn't even glance at her and turned to leave.

It was merely a dislocation. As if he was too lazy to engage in idle chatter with her, Gao Chi was sparing with his words. In fact, when he fell, his left hand instinctively tried to brace against the ground, but in a moment of panic, he applied his strength incorrectly and suddenly bore the weight of two people, resulting in his arm dislocating

As she clumsily got up and tried to help him, Gao Chi calmly avoided her outstretched hand, standing up unhurriedly under the gaze of the crowd, not even brushing off the dust from his clothes, and walked straight towards the door. As they passed each other, Jian Nuo clearly heard him coldly mock, "Foolishness is not worth lamenting!"

No," Gao Chi replied briefly, asking her: "Is there something urgent to call at this late hour?"

"How can I help?" Gao Chi frowned, guessing that the matter was related to her: "Don't tell me you were involved in this."

"He might have a fracture." Bu Wenrou rarely becomes serious, as if pondering: "Because he hasn't come to class for two days."

"Do you want me to break a bone?" A hint of displeasure surfaced on Junyan's face, and his voice involuntarily rose a little.

He may not necessarily be there. "Bu Wenrou suddenly became shy, saying, 'Besides, I don't even know his dormitory..."

Lowering his eyes and blocking the myriad lights of the city from his view, Gao Chi strolled back to his desk, wearily leaning against the wide-backed chair. He casually took out a cigarette and lit it, as the smoke swirled around him, his sharply defined profile was clearly reflected in the translucent glass window.

Bu Wenrou said: "Jian Nuo is too stubborn; apart from Gao Chi, no one can enter her heart"

This case is somewhat troublesome. Thinking of the lawyer Jian Nuo, who is the brother of Shan Shurou, Gao Chi felt even more of a headache

He unfastened his seatbelt and slumped over the steering wheel, as if all his strength had been drained away. After a long while, having calmed his emotions, he stepped out of the car and took the elevator back to his private office

When Jian Nuo was gently led by Bu Wen to Gao Chi's dormitory, she symbolically knocked twice on the door and vaguely heard a voice from inside saying, "Come in," so she hurriedly pushed the door open and walked in

... ...

At this moment, in the bedroom, besides Gao Chi, there are two other boys. One has a slightly round face and a very sturdy build; he is Ye Youli. The other has gentle and handsome features, with eyes filled with laughter; he is Luo Yiheng

It was these four characters that made Jian Nuo completely remember him, the legendary Gao Chi, who was profound and inscrutable, rarely displaying his emotions, and was pursuing dual degrees in International Finance and Economic Law at the university

"Chi, please help her," the woman pleaded.

The result is a self-fulfilling prophecy

Gao Chi instinctively frowned upon hearing this: "Xiao Nuo's smile is so warm that it is impossible to ignore. It is very difficult to be immune to her." His brows gradually relaxed, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corners of his lips

As the night remained immersed in the bustle and clamor, Gao Chi's car finally appeared in the underground parking lot of the Century Building

I have only been back in the country for less than half a month

For a long time after Gao Chi left, Jian Nuo suffered from insomnia, often tossing and turning in bed unable to sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, she would see him frowning and reproaching her: "Jian Nuo, I find that apart from getting into trouble, I can't identify a second virtue in you. Can you please calm down a bit and spare me some worry?"

Jin Nuo's curiosity was not heavy; all the news about Gao Chi was told to her later by Wen Rou.

"Are you still awake? Am I disturbing your rest?" A gentle female voice came from the other end of the phone

Shu Rou also knew that this matter had gone too far, but it was too late for regrets. Moreover, why should her brother easily obtain everything? They are both children, and such an outcome is inherently unfair, something that no one can accept. The woman, seeing that Gao Chi was showing signs of relenting, seized the opportunity and said, "What Shu Rou has lost is not just her property, but also twenty years of paternal love"

I was present at the court hearing. Gao Chi did not conceal anything and asked expressionlessly: "If there are no unforeseen circumstances, her brother will become the primary beneficiary of the inheritance"

After a moment of hesitation, as if having made a significant decision, the person on the other end said: "Well, there is a small matter."

It seems that everyone at school is eagerly awaiting how you will win over Gao Chi. Bu Wenrou, munching on an apple, spoke in a vague manner about the gossip, and upon seeing Jian Nuo's indifferent expression, added: I heard that Gao Chi went to the school infirmary that day; I wonder if he injured his wrist.

"Then why haven't you come to class for two days?" Jian Nuo asked, puzzled

Jin Nuo politely nodded slightly as a greeting, then turned to look at Gao Chi. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, a laptop casually placed on his lap, his long fingers swiftly tapping on the keyboard. He glanced at her, his thick brows barely furrowing, before refocusing on the screen and asking her: "Is there something?"

Jian Nuo dared not continue to reminisce, not wanting to indulge herself in falling into sadness time and again, helplessly entangled with books. She nestled on the sofa, her eyelids drooping wearily. In a state between sleep and wakefulness, she had a strange dream, in which there was nothing but vast expanses of gray. That feeling of utter silence seemed to control even her breathing.

It is rare for her to have moments when she finds it difficult to speak. Gao Chi chuckled, "Go ahead and say it."

There is no best." Gao Chi said coldly, exuding an imposing presence without anger

Before she could finish her sentence, Gao Chi interrupted her, "Is it about the will in her hand?"

Is it just a dislocation? Jian Nuo realized this and felt an urge to strangle Bu Wenrou.

Unexpectedly causing someone to dislocate a joint, Jian Nuo felt a bit guilty and sincerely apologized, "I’m sorry, it really wasn’t intentional that day. I apologize." After saying this, she turned and exited the dormitory. Just as the door was about to close, she poked her little head back in and patiently corrected, "It’s not 'Jian Dan', it’s 'Jian Nuo'. 'Jian' as in simple, 'Nuo' as in a promise worth a thousand gold coins."

Jian Nuo no longer remembers when she truly began to care, nor did she expect that the boy who once mocked her as "foolish and unworthy" would one day gently say to her: "Xiao Nuo, come to my side." When she realized that certain feelings had unknowingly taken root and accumulated, she had already fallen too deeply, rendering her powerless to extricate herself. Consequently, when they inexplicably parted ways later on, she simply could not bear it.

"How do you know? Have you met Shu Rou?" the woman asked in surprise

"This is not within your jurisdiction." Gao Chi's expression was very indifferent, his remaining patience worn thin by her. He maintained a stern face, his demeanor as deep and cold as rock, and spoke softly to issue the dismissal, "Is everything alright, Simple Classmate?" The incident of her tripping and falling on him had spread vividly throughout the school, and Gao Chi had already learned her name. As for why he deliberately called her Simple, Jian Nuo would only find out much later. Gao Chi remarked that her innocent appearance gave people the impression of a simple-minded person. "Is everything alright, Simple Classmate?" The incident of her tripping and falling on him had spread vividly throughout the school, and Gao Chi had already learned her name. As for why he deliberately called her Simple, Jian Nuo would only find out much later. Gao Chi remarked that her innocent appearance gave people the impression of a simple-minded person

How important Gao Chi is in Jian Nuo's heart, perhaps only she knows, and maybe, Gao Chi knows as well