Standing Next To You-Chapter 470: Rekindled Connection

"Me too," Bei Sangyun replied. "Thank you for inviting me."

They lingered at the doorway, their eyes held each other captive. Both were holding back and hesitating. Though they had already exchanged their goodbyes, neither moved.

Bei Sangyun felt a heaviness in her chest—a weight of words left unsaid. Yet she knew today wasn’t the time to voice them.

The sound of a car pulling up broke the spell. Driver Chen stepped out, hurrying to open the passenger door for her.

As he glanced in their direction, his expression flickered with surprise upon seeing Fei Chuan. He quickly masked it, his demeanor returning to one of composed professionalism.

Bei Sangyun turned to Fei Chuan, her gaze lingering for a moment. Then, with a brief goodbye, she stepped into the car.

Driver Chen closed the passenger door, only to find Fei Chuan approaching him.

"Please drive safely, Driver Chen," Fei Chuan said with a polite nod.

Driver Chen glanced briefly at the passenger door, then back at him. Unsure whether to talk to him, he simply returned the nod. "Thank you. Take care as well, Young Master Fei."

With that, the car pulled away from the hotel, leaving Fei Chuan standing alone in the parking lot.

The gentle smile he often wore had vanished, replaced by a somber expression. His eyes darkened, and his clenched fist betrayed his restrained emotions. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Moments later, another car rolled up and parked in front of him. Cheng Li, his assistant, stepped out and approached.

"Young Master," Cheng Li greeted softly.

Fei Chuan didn’t respond immediately. After a beat, he waved his hand dismissively. "I’m going to smoke for a bit."

Understanding his cue, Cheng Li retrieved a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket and handed them over. "I’ll circle around. Just call me if you need me, Young Master."

Fei Chuan gave a curt nod and walked away, heading toward a dimly lit area of the lot.

Cheng Li watched him go, concern flickering across his face. His boss wasn’t a habitual smoker—he only ever indulged in a puff or two when he needed to sort through his thoughts. Whatever had transpired tonight had clearly left Fei Chuan troubled enough to seek that brief break.

Deciding not to pry further, Cheng Li returned to the driver’s seat and started the engine, ready to wait until his employer called.

...

Bei Sangyun had been on cloud nine recently. After her dinner with Fei Chuan, she had texted him upon arriving home—thanks to Maid Ye Zhai’s persistent encouragement—and was delighted to receive a reply later that night.

Fei Chuan had thanked her again and wished her a good night.

It was the signal Bei Sangyun had been waiting for. She eagerly bid him good night as well and woke up early the next morning to send him a cheerful good morning message. To her surprise, Fei Chuan replied almost instantly.

[Good morning. I received a package from William—it’s quite a lot. Would it be okay to share some with you? I’ll send it to your address.]

Thrilled, Bei Sangyun quickly accepted his offer. Later that afternoon, she received a jar of premium coffee beans, highly regarded in several countries for their exceptional quality.

Following Maid Ye Zhai’s advice, Bei Sangyun sent Fei Chuan a thoughtful return gift: a selection of aromatic teas known for their benefits in easing insomnia.

Meanwhile, she quietly reached out to the pharmaceutical company from her past life, sponsoring their current project to expedite the production of the medicine she had promised Fei Chuan.

That dinner had been a spark, igniting the start of their rekindled connection. Their brief exchanges of morning and evening greetings became the stepping stones toward a renewed relationship. They began exchanging gifts—neither excessive nor overly intimate, but just right.

Bei Sangyun felt a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. Becoming good friends first was undoubtedly the right approach. It was a steady path to growing closer to Fei Chuan again and rebuilding his trust.

She just hoped they could maintain this harmonious status quo until the monk found a solution.

The next day, as Bei Sangyun browsed for another gift to send to Fei Chuan—this time in response to the aromatic candles he had sent her—a visitor arrived.

Or rather, two.

When Bei Sangyun came downstairs, she was greeted by the sight of Lin Sanju looking utterly helpless and Lin Sunji radiating annoyance.

"I’m sorry for barging into your place without prior notice," Lin Sanju said awkwardly.

"Why are you apologizing?" Lin Sunji interjected with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "We’re her cousins. It’s perfectly normal to visit family. What’s not normal is her not reaching out to us even after returning to the country after four years."

Lin Sanju sighed in defeat, glancing apologetically at Bei Sangyun. "...And I’m sorry for bringing her along. She insisted."

Bei Sangyun looked at the two of them in amusement. It seemed that during her absence, the twins had grown closer, now behaving more like siblings.

"It’s fine," she said with a small smile. "So, what brings you here?"

"It’s about the family," Lin Sanju replied, his tone serious. "It’s not something I could discuss over the phone, so I came here in person." He gestured toward Lin Sunji. "Then she found out and insisted on tagging along."

Bei Sangyun nodded. "Follow me to the office."

As Lin Sunji began to follow them, Bei Sangyun stopped her with a raised hand. "You stay here."

Lin Sunji arched an eyebrow. "Do you seriously think I’d spy on you? We’re on the same team. Who would I even report this to?"

Bei Sangyun mirrored her expression, her eyebrow lifting in return. "I still don’t trust you."

Lin Sunji bit her lip in frustration. "Ugh, fine. But only on one condition. Call Zhong Cheng here."

Bei Sangyun’s eyebrow climbed even higher. "Why do you want me to call him?"

Lin Sunji fussed with her hair, avoiding her cousin’s gaze. "...He’s not answering my calls."

Bei Sangyun: "...."

She glanced at Lin Sanju, a silent question in her eyes.

Lin Sanju shrugged, looking entirely disinterested in whatever might be going on between Zhong Cheng and his sister.

"Hey!" Lin Sunji snapped, glaring at the two of them. "Don’t communicate with your eyes! I have eyes too, you know. I see you!"