Standing Next To You-Chapter 486: Scandal

The crowd followed eagerly, their chatter brimming with excitement. It was a rare occasion—only once every twenty years—that the Lin family opened their private museum to the public.

At the back of the group, Chuan Xingyu clung to Lin Fei’s right arm. "Are we going to follow too?" she asked softly.

Lin Fei narrowed his eyes as he glanced toward the front. "Yeah," he replied curtly.

He was well aware of the tradition. Every newly appointed heir had the honor of leading this part of the coronation—a symbolic gesture of introducing the family’s legacy to the world. It was a deeply rooted custom, not for practicality but for reinforcing the heir’s understanding of the family’s history and values.

Yet this privilege had been usurped by Lin Zhe.

Lin Fei wasn’t entirely surprised. However, what struck him as unusual was Lin Sanju’s absence at such a critical moment. Could a phone call really have been so important that it overshadowed this key event?

Lin Zhe’s behavior also seemed odd. Unlike his typically cautious nature, Lin Zhe was now risking being seen as someone who overstepped boundaries—snatching his cousin’s role at such a sensitive time. And yet, he went ahead anyway.

"Something big is about to happen," Lin Fei muttered under his breath, his unease growing.

In a corner of the hall, Lin Sunji, who had just finished her phone call, noticed the crowd leaving. Alarmed, she hurried to catch up with her parents.

"Mom, Dad, brother is missing," she whispered urgently.

"I know," Li Mei replied in a low voice. "The people your father sent haven’t returned yet. They’re still looking for him."

The family spoke in hushed tones, careful not to let anyone overhear. If word got out that Lin Sanju was missing, it could spark rumors—especially given the recent speculation about him being with a woman.

"And so is Bei Sangyun," Lin Sunji added, her voice tense. "She said she was going to change but hasn’t returned. Fei Chuan is helping us look for her. This can’t be a coincidence."

Lin Sunji couldn’t help but worry as she told her parents what she had overheard at the entrance earlier. She had been too preoccupied at the time and had forgotten to mention it to Bei Sangyun or her brother. Now that both were missing, her mind raced with fear, imagining the worst.

Li Mei and Lin Ruo froze, their expressions shifting to panic. As if struck by the same realization, their eyes widened in unison.

"...No way," Li Mei murmured, her voice trembling. She quickly tugged her daughter and husband aside, letting the crowd pass them unnoticed. "Send our men to find them immediately. Don’t let anyone know about this."

Lin Ruo was already dialing on his phone, his voice anxious as he gave instructions.

Li Mei followed suit, making her own calls. Meanwhile, Lin Sunji kept her eyes on the moving crowd ahead. "Was Lin Zhe the one leading the group?"

"Yes," Li Mei replied, her tone edged with frustration. "He stepped in because we didn’t have time to wait for your brother. We had no other choice."

Lin Sunji’s anxiety deepened. "Mom, Dad, find them quickly. I need to keep an eye on Lin Zhe." She pulled out her phone and texted Fei Chuan, notifying him of Lin Zhe’s whereabouts.

Her parents nodded, continuing their calls as the crowd thinned.

At the tail end of the procession, Lin Fei walked with Chuan Xingyu clinging to his arm. He glanced toward the fourth branch, noticing their anxious, solemn expressions. His suspicions solidified—Lin Sanju must be missing, and Lin Zhe had something to do with it.

As he passed by, he caught a fragment of Li Mei’s quiet muttering: "...We can’t implicate Bei Sangyun."

His steps faltered.

Chuan Xingyu looked up at him curiously. "What’s the matter?"

Lin Fei’s gaze darkened, his expression unreadable. "...We should hurry to the front," he said, his tone heavy with implication.

...

Bei Sangyun felt someone moving her.

She had fallen unconscious and couldn’t tell how much time had passed. Now awake, she realized she couldn’t move her body. Her limbs were numb, and even her eyelids felt as heavy as lead. She tried to move her thumb, but even the smallest twitch required tremendous effort.

She was lying on a soft bed, and faint voices drifted above her.

"They’re on the way."

"Everything’s settled. Make sure no traces are left. Let’s go."

After that, silence.

She strained to open her eyes or move her fingertips, but the effort yielded nothing. Desperate, she shifted her focus to her tongue. She could barely move it, but the tiniest flicker gave her hope. Summoning all her strength, she bit down on it.

The slight sting jolted her senses. She bit harder until she could taste the metallic taste of blood. Sweat beaded on her back as she forced her body to respond. Finally, after relentless effort, the numbness began to ease, and her eyelids fluttered open.

The first thing Bei Sangyun saw was Lin Sanju’s face.

His eyes were closed as if he were sleeping, but the faint frown on his brow and the sheen of sweat on his forehead conveyed his struggle. He must have been fighting against the drug too—awake but paralyzed.

Bei Sangyun’s gaze roamed the room. The vintage yet luxurious decor suggested they were still in the Lin mansion.

She glanced at her clothes. She was still wearing the bathrobe, though it was disheveled. While Lin Sanju was in his shirt, similarly rumpled. Whoever had placed them here hadn’t had the time to fully undress them.

But being arranged side by side on the bed with disheveled clothes already gave people the impression that they had been intimate.

Her stomach twisted as the realization hit her.

What next? Would someone burst in and "discover" this incriminating scene?

Bei Sangyun scoffed inwardly. What a childish trick.

She could think of only one person capable of such a crude scheme.

Lin Zhe must have wracked his brain to ruin Lin Sanju at the last moment. He must have agonized over which woman he could involve to completely destroy Lin Sanju’s reputation and strip him of his title as heir.

And of course, the answer was her.

A scandal of incest—with none other than his cousin, who had banned herself from the Lin family. Not only would the guests be shocked, but even Old Master Lin would be furious.

What a clever move.

Bei Sangyun’s eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. She remembered the tradition of the chosen heir opening the Lin family’s museum hall. She had once been an heir herself and knew the significance of this moment. ƒreewebɳovel.com

At any time, people would come in and saw this spectacle. Bei Sangyun’s eyes darkened.

She had to move.