Standing Next To You-Chapter 462: Note

This wasn’t a place where they could afford to stir up conflict. A small mistake could tarnish Fei Chuan’s reputation and prestige.

She had to help him.

Bei Sangyun took a step forward but then paused, a sudden realization hitting her.

Right. Fei Chuan was no longer the vulnerable young man the Fei family could manipulate. He had grown, so much so that he had left them all behind in the dust.

Bei Sangyun nodded. "Alright. Just make sure he gets it." She handed the server a generous tip. "There’s more for you after, once you’ve done the job."

The server promised he would deliver the note, and Bei Sangyun’s uneasy heart finally relaxed a bit.

Although she couldn’t bridge the distance between them physically, she still wanted him to know that she was glad he’d approached her and was sorry she couldn’t dance with him just yet.

Bei Sangyun let out a sigh and began to rejoin the crowd, but then a hand grabbed her arm, squeezing it tightly.

"Bei Sangyun?"

She looked up and saw Richard. Her expression immediately twisted in annoyance.

’Why do I keep running into irritating people?’

******

"You’ve addressed me incorrectly. I don’t have a father," Fei Chuan replied coolly, twirling his wine glass.

He was already in a foul mood, and seeing these two—especially one of them calling him "son"—only worsened it.

He had come to the bar for a stronger drink to steady his nerves and quiet the turmoil in his mind. Ideally, he didn’t want to face anyone right now; he was still sorting through his own thoughts.

But they had followed him. Fei Ying Zhi had already started playing the "father and son" card to coax him into conversation. Fei Chuan had no patience left for them and no desire to maintain any pretense.

They had truly come at the worst possible time.

"Fei Chuan, remember the times when the Fei family cared for you. Can’t you just help us this once? You’re friends with the James family. Just a word from you, and it would make all the difference," Fei Ying Zhi insisted.

After the scandals that rocked the Fei family four years ago, many of their supporters turned their backs on them. They no longer saw any value in maintaining ties with the family and jumped ship to ally with their enemies. freёnovelkiss.com

Their situation hadn’t improved in four years. They were slowly crumbling and being left behind.

Fei Chuan’s rising prominence and his connection to the James family had garnered attention far and wide. With such a valuable opportunity at hand, how could they resist to grab it? Especially when the other end of the rope led to a mine of gold?

That was why the Fei family had spent a fortune to secure an invitation and reconcile with Fei Chuan. However, the latter clearly wanted nothing to do with them.

Fei Ying Zhi couldn’t help but voice the real reason for their visit.

Fei Chuan chuckled, downing his drink before setting the empty glass on the counter.

"Do you think recommending someone to the James family is as easy as breathing? People pay a hefty price to get into their good graces. What exactly do you have to offer them?"

Fei Ying Zhi gritted his teeth. "We don’t have anything but you that might interest the James family. That’s why we’re here. The family spent a fortune to arrange this meeting."

"Then I’ll have to disappoint you. I won’t be of any help." Fei Chuan gestured to the bartender for another drink.

Fei Ying Zhi glared at him, frustrated by Fei Chuan’s resistance despite all they’d gone through to meet him here.

"You gave the Lin family three invitations without a second thought. Why can’t you do the same for us?"

Fei Chuan paused, then finally turned to face Fei Ying Zhi and Fei Hua Jiang, a smirk playing on his lips. "You’re right. I must have been out of my mind. I only did it to get someone’s attention, but it was pointless. I really did waste three invitations."

Fei Ying Zhi’s face contorted in anger. For even a single invitation, they’d paid a steep price. He took a deep breath. "Son, I know we hurt you before. But the ones who wronged you the most have been cast out of the family. You’re welcome to return. Your grandfather even promised that if you come back, we won’t hold you accountable for what happened back then. We’ll even allow you to compete for the heir position."

Fei Hua Jiang, the designated "heir" of the Fei family, didn’t flinch at Fei Ying Zhi’s words. It was as if he didn’t care that his position was being offered to someone else right in front of him.

He seemed like a puppet, dragged here against his will. His expression was vacant, his once-bright presence now dulled.

Fei Chuan let out a humorless laugh, finishing his drink before standing. "Tell the old man to stick to his decisions. Otherwise, he’ll lose another grandson for his fickleness." He shot a pointed look at the silent Fei Hua Jiang as he spoke.

"Fei Chuan! We’re not finished here!" Fei Ying Zhi made a move to go after him, but Fei Hua Jiang, who had been silent all this time, finally intervened, holding him back. "Let him go, Uncle. We can’t make a scene here."

Fei Ying Zhi shook off Fei Hua Jiang’s hand, clenching his teeth in frustration. "Damn it. We can’t even get close to the people here. And Fei Chuan, the one I thought we could rely on, turns his back on us without a second thought."

Fei Hua Jiang remained silent. The two had no choice but to attempt to engage with the elites present, even though it was clear that none of these high-profile individuals wanted to converse with them.

Meanwhile, Fei Chuan, who had just walked away from Fei Ying Zhi and Fei Hua Jiang, was intercepted by a server.

Fei Chuan, already in a foul mood, glared at the server who had blocked his way.

The server shuddered under his cold gaze and, trembling, handed him a folded note, forgetting the instructions to deliver it discreetly. "It’s from a lady," he stammered before quickly running away.

Fei Chuan didn’t have the chance to refuse as the server had already slipped the paper into his palm and disappeared.

He was no stranger to this—receiving slips of paper with a lady’s phone number or room number. Such things didn’t interest him, especially not now, when he couldn’t even muster his usual polite smile due to the presence of a certain someone here.

He was about to discard it when his hand froze. He looked back at the paper, then slowly unfolded it.

It had been four years, but he could still recognize her handwriting. Those bold, sharp, commanding strokes were unmistakable.

[I didn’t mean to turn you down earlier. I’m sorry. I really hope we can talk again.]

Fei Chuan quickly refolded the note and slipped it carefully into his pocket. He immediately ran after the server, grabbing his arm.

"The lady... the one who gave you this note—where is she?"

The server was a bit afraid of him. "She... she went to one of the lounge rooms with a gentleman."

Fei Chuan’s eyes darkened. "She did?"

The server froze, taken aback by the weight in his tone and the intensity of his expression. "...Yes, but I’m not sure... if the lady went willingly."

"What do you mean?" Fei Chuan’s voice was sharp.

"Uh..." The server hesitated, uncertain how to respond. He knew better than to make assumptions about guests, especially given their status.

Fei Chuan noted his reluctance and sighed. "Never mind. Just tell me which lounge room they went to."