Standing Next To You-Chapter 415: Bizarre Dream

Perhaps it was the warmth and sincerity of Grandma Bei, something she hadn’t felt in so long, that moved her. Her strong facade crumbled.

Her mouth trembled, and she lowered her head as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"...I’m sorry for worrying you, Grandma."

"It’s okay, my dear," Grandma Bei said, patting her back. The gentle touch brought out the vulnerable side she had kept hidden.

Bei Sangyun bit her lip and slowly began to voice the worries in her heart. "...I haven’t received any calls or messages from Fei Chuan. I’m worried something might have happened to him. I can’t reach anyone back home, and being so far away, not knowing anything, feels like standing on the edge of a cliff, and that I am about to fall into nothingness. The worst part is, there’s nothing I can do but wait."

Bei Sangyun lowered her head, feeling a mix of shame and guilt. "I wanted to enjoy this time with you and have fun, but instead, I made you worry. I’m truly sorry, Grandma."

Grandma Bei was more familiar with this granddaughter who would talk to her about such things, seeking her comfort in both good and bad times. To her, Bei Sangyun was still that little girl she had always known.

She hugged Bei Sangyun and comforted her. "There’s nothing for you to feel sorry about. Seeing you again has been the happiest time for me. We can enjoy the rest of our time back home. Tomorrow morning, as soon as the blizzard passes, we’ll return to Country C."

Bei Sangyun teared up, feeling both grateful and guilty. She hugged Grandma Bei tightly, just like she had as a little girl. "...Thank you, Grandma. Let’s visit this place again with more people next time."

"Yes, the more, the merrier," Grandma Bei replied gently.

Bei Sangyun quickly wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes.

Growing up while enduring and struggling alone, the thought of sharing her worries or asking for help had never crossed her mind. To her, it was natural to bear everything and solve it on her own.

That’s how she had endured and borne her illness all alone in her previous life. The people around her never imagined that the cold, calculating ’she-devil’ who terrorized so many people in the business world and high society was secretly battling an illness that worsened with each passing day.

That’s why everyone was taken by surprise when she died young, without any warning. Even Fei Chuan, who always bickered with her at every event, had no idea what she was going through.

No one, except Maid Ye Zhai and Butler Xin, knew of her sickness. When she could no longer attend business meetings or even walk, she shut herself away in the mansion she had bought, which was several times larger than the Lin estate, and died there, alone.

It was her pride and unfortunate experiences that taught her never to show weakness or vulnerability. Besides, there was no one she could lean on or reveal her weaknesses to; everyone around her was an enemy, waiting to pounce.

But... she had forgotten that life was different now.

She was no longer alone. She had people on her side. It wasn’t just Grandma Bei, but also Fei Chuan, Maid Ye Zhai, Grandma Pei, Butler Xin, and perhaps others as well.

With so many people supporting her... was it okay now to show vulnerability?

Receiving Grandma Bei’s gentle pats and warmth seemed to be telling her that it was alright.

It was okay to be weak. It was okay to cry and be anxious. And it was okay not to endure everything alone.

Amidst their silent embrace, Grandma Bei suddenly commented with a teasing smile, "...I’m finally going to meet the boy who has my granddaughter wrapped around his finger."

Bei Sangyun’s thoughts paused. She looked up at her grandmother with bright eyes. "He’s really amazing, Grandma. And handsome too."

"Look at you, not even denying it. Do you show this much affection even in front of him?"

"Yes," Bei Sangyun admitted without shame. "I just followed your advice. You told me to show my sincerity and affection to win him over." Her smile grew wider, "And I did."

Grandma Bei chuckled. "That’s my granddaughter. Then make sure you marry him."

"Of course, Grandma."

Grandma Bei could see the conviction in her granddaughter’s eyes. She believed in Bei Sangyun’s judgment and her eyes for people.

Her granddaughter had her reasons for loving that boy, and Grandma Bei wouldn’t stand in her way or make things difficult.

She had seen how happy her granddaughter was because of Fei Chuan. He was the reason Bei Sangyun could smile and laugh like other girls her age.

Besides, having known the boy since he was young, Grandma Bei was relieved that it wasn’t some stranger who had captivated her granddaughter.

Fortunately, it was Fei Chuan.

And in her opinion, that boy wasn’t bad at all.

....

Unfortunately, despite Bei Sangyun and Grandma Bei’s plan to leave early in the morning, the blizzard they thought would pass grew even stronger.

Being in a remote city, it was difficult to clear the cell tower or get help from other services. Visibility was low, and it was not advisable for anyone to drive on the roads.

As the blizzard persisted longer than expected, the hotel owner offered all guests a discount for their second night. With no other choice, they had to stay another day and night.

Bei Sangyun anxiously checked her phone, but there was still no signal. If she could leave right now despite the blizzard, she would have. But even if she braved the weather and drove, every flight was canceled. She had no choice but to spend another day in anguish, worrying about the situation back home.

She could only pray silently, hoping the heavens would keep Fei Chuan and the others safe.

Noticing her anxiety, Grandma Bei gently held her hand. "...It will pass. The person downstairs said the town mayor came by earlier and mentioned that the blizzard will only last until tonight. Tomorrow, the flights will resume."

Bei Sangyun nodded, but she still felt a tightness in her throat, her heart sinking as time dragged on.

She couldn’t help but regret not bringing Fei Chuan with her. If he were here, she wouldn’t be this worried. No matter how threatening the problems they faced, as long as he was safe beside her, she was confident they could overcome anything together.

Waiting for the day to pass felt like an eternity. It reminded her of the time she had spent in that gloomy grave, where the only signs of time passing were the changing seasons and the man’s aging face with each visit.

But now, it was even harder, because this time, that person’s current state was unknown.

"It will be okay," Grandma Bei reassured her, patting her hand gently. "Sleep now and rest. You need to be strong to face whatever is waiting for you back home."

Fortunately, Grandma Bei was by her side. The sinking feeling in Bei Sangyun’s heart, as if it were plummeting into an endless ocean, began to lift.

"Yes, Grandma," Bei Sangyun whispered, trying to sleep that night in her grandmother’s comforting embrace.

But the brief two hours of sleep she managed to catch brought her a strange and unsettling dream.

.....

The entire world was covered by a blood-red sky. Above it, two mighty dragons fought fiercely—a fiery red one, hot as flames, and a lusterous blue one, cold as ice. They bit at each other’s necks and tails, locked in a ferocious battle.

For what felt like an eternity, the fiery red dragon began to weaken, its strength draining from its limbs. It stopped moving and plummeted into a deep abyss. The blue dragon emerged victorious, screeching as it soared through the blood-red sky, as if celebrating its triumph.

However, to Bei Sangyun, its cry sounded more like a wail of sorrow, as though it had lost its heart along with the red dragon.

Suddenly, the bloody sky collapsed, the world turned upside down, the abyss became the sky, and the fallen red sky transformed into a bloody ocean. From the depths of the abyss, a small flame ignited, growing and expanding until the entire chasm was ablaze.

Amidst the raging flames, the fiery red dragon that had once fallen rose again, like a phoenix reborn. It spread its mighty wings and flew, each powerful beat of its wings sending fire in every direction.

The blue dragon heard the screech of the reborn red dragon and turned its head. Its beautiful, icy blue eyes reflected the intense flames surrounding the red dragon—fiery, overwhelming, and captivating.

That was the last image in the blue dragon’s mind before it was bitten by the neck of the resurrected dragon.

The blue dragon’s icy blue eyes slowly lost their luster, but even in its final moments, they still reflected the beauty before them—the fiery, reborn red dragon.

The blue dragon lay limp and lifeless in the red dragon’s mouth.

...

Bei Sangyun opened her eyes abruptly and sat up in bed. Despite the cold weather, her entire body was drenched in sweat. Her heart raced, and her mind rang with warning bells, as if a bad premonition was looming.

What was that dream about?

She wasn’t the type to watch fantasy movies or read novels in that genre, so where had such a vivid dream come from?

To dream something so bizarre at this moment—could it be blamed on the restlessness she’d felt since yesterday?

But... the dream felt like more than just a figment of her imagination. It seemed like a warning.

....A warning about what?

In the past, Bei Sangyun wouldn’t have believed in superstitions or miracles. But after living her entire life, and then spending several years in that grave as a lost soul, she knew that incomprehensible things did exist.

She was someone who had gone back in time; that fact alone was proof enough.

So perhaps the dream did mean something.