Standing Next To You-Chapter 452: I heard you two broke up

Bei Sangyun paused, taking a moment to match the man before her with her memories of ’Jang Shin.’

An acquaintance.

She couldn’t avoid him, so she nodded, covering up all her previous fragile appearance. "Oh, it’s you."

"There’s a rumor you’re back. It turned out to be true. But are you leaving already? The event just started."

"Are you going inside? I thought it was only for Class 3-1A," she replied, deliberately not answering his question. Jang Shin was not part of Class 3-1A, but in Class 3-1B instead.

"The host, Qian Hua, is a friend of mine. He invited a few of us from Class B. Besides, we’re both from the star sections, so some of us are already inside. I just ran a bit late because of a business meeting." Jang Shin hurriedly explained.

He smiled at her with bright eyes, "It’s been so long since we have seen each other. I dearly hope we can catch up." His words were gentle, but the underlying invitation was clear—he wanted her to stay.

But Bei Sangyun pretended she did not hear the anticipation in his voice. "Maybe some other time, I just dropped by quickly."

Jang Shin looked disappointed for a moment. Then as if he had made a decision, he became solemn and determined again. "Then let me walk with you. If you don’t mind."

Bei Sangyun looked at him in surprise. "But you just arrived. What’s the point of leaving with me?"

"I know most of the people at the party. I just met some of them a week ago. But you on the other hand, I have a lot to catch up with you. It’s fate that we meet outside."

Bei Sangyun blinked. Were they close before? Why Jang Shin wanted to catch up when they were never friends? At most, they were just acquaintances.

She might not find this situation suspicious if they had been partners at the Homecoming ball like in her previous life, but their interactions in this life had been minimal.

So, she politely declined. "Thank you for the offer, but I’m busy. My driver is waiting for me."

Jang Shin wasn’t surprised by her rejection, he still smiled. "I see. How about another time? This might be the first and last chance we get to see each other since I don’t know how long you’ll be staying in the country. I hope you can spare me a moment."

Bei Sangyun pressed her fingers against her temples. Did this man like her? She was about to decline again, more firmly this time, when Zhong Cheng suddenly appeared.

"Oh, it’s you, Jang Shin!"

Zhong Cheng clapped a hand on Jang Shin’s shoulder, attempting to steer him away. "We’ve been waiting for you! Let’s go inside. Everyone’s excited to see you again."

Bei Sangyun glanced at Zhong Cheng, who met her gaze and subtly signaled for her to leave.

She raised her brow. He arrived in a timely manner, saving her some time and effort. She was relieved and grateful for the excuse to depart. She headed toward her car.

Jang Shin saw her leaving and instinctively called out, "Wait—!"

"Come on, everyone’s waiting!" Zhong Cheng insisted, dragging him along.

Jang Shin watched helplessly as Bei Sangyun walked to her car and drove off. Once her vehicle disappeared from the parking lot, he shook off Zhong Cheng’s hand from his shoulder.

"What’s the meaning of this, Mr. Zhong?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice. He and Zhong Cheng weren’t close, and the other man’s status didn’t grant him the right to be so familiar.

Zhong Cheng scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward. He didn’t want to offend Jang Shin, but if it came down to a choice between him and the two bosses, the decision was easy—he’d much rather deal with Jang Shin than risk getting on the wrong side of the two tyrant.

"Ah, you see—"

"It seems you’re doing well, Mr. Jang," another voice interjected from behind.

When Jang Shin saw the newcomer, realization flickered in his eyes, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, this is unexpected. I didn’t think you were interested in events like these, Mr. Fei." His gaze sharpened. "Or did you come just because Bei Sangyun might show up?"

Fei Chuan smiled, but the coldness behind it was unmistakable. "I wonder how you arrived at that conclusion. Is this how you greet old acquaintances? Your manners are... lacking."

Jang Shin adjusted the jacket that Zhong Cheng had wrinkled earlier. "At least I don’t sneak around and interfere with other people’s conversations." His sharp eyes flicked over Fei Chuan. "I heard you two broke up."

"So, you came here running? Unfortunately for you, there are no leftovers."

"It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you two have broken up, and now I have a chance."

He walked past Fei Chuan, heading toward the hall, but Fei Chuan’s voice stopped him.

"Do you really think you have a chance? I wonder."

Jang Shin glanced back, a smirk forming. "At least I have a better shot than someone who was given a chance and wasted it."

Their gazes locked, two stubborn wills clashing intensely, making Zhong Cheng feel increasingly uneasy.

Finally, Jang Shin turned and left, leaving Fei Chuan and Zhong Cheng alone.

Zhong Cheng stole a glance at Fei Chuan, who had called him over earlier.

He had received a message from his boss asking whether Fei Chuan was at the reunion. After confirming, the call abruptly ended.

Zhong Cheng sensed that there was a huge chance his boss would show up, so he began scanning the venue.

Then, unexpectedly, Fei Chuan left the hall. While searching for his boss, Zhong Cheng received a call from Fei Chuan, who mentioned seeing Jang Shin in the parking lot and prompted him to invite him inside.

Zhong Cheng picked up on the tension quickly. Fei Chuan and Jang Shin weren’t close; they even had a minor dispute in the past. Concerned, he thought of his boss and hurried to the parking lot, only to find Jang Shin and Bei Sangyun together.

After what had just happened, Zhong Cheng was certain that Fei Chuan still had feelings for his boss. After all, why else would he have interrupted their conversation?

But why was Fei Chuan orchestrating this rather than confronting the situation himself? Were his boss and Fei Chuan playing some sort of game? Hide-and-seek, perhaps?

Zhong Cheng shook his head, at a loss for words.

He glanced over at Fei Chuan, who stood silently, his gaze fixed on the spot where his boss had vanished.

What was really going on between these two?