Standing Next To You
Chapter 589: Creating good relationship

Chapter 589: Creating good relationship

Fei Chuan hadn’t completely asked Bei Sangyun about that past life, nor had they thoroughly discussed its details. The vivid memories in his dreams were mostly about the times he spent by her grave—filled with regret and remorse.

All he knew was that Bei Sangyun had died early in that life, and he had spent the rest of his days in agony, most of it by her grave.

This was the first time he had seen a glimpse of her life in that life.

[...adopted into the Lin family at 9....

[Ran away at 18....

[Grandma’s death....

[Fighting for inheritance...]

[Old Lu’s death...]

[Became the head of the family...]

[Revenge...]

[Changed surname to Bei...]

[Met Fei Chuan again...]

[Illness....]

It was all scribbled down—brief words summarizing the life she had endured. Though written in a dismissive tone, as if brushing past a lifetime of hardship, Fei Chuan could imagine it all vividly. The little girl who faced everything alone, growing up in loneliness and abuse, forced to harden herself just to survive.

Not once did the list mention anything good that had happened to her. Even becoming the head of the family had served only one purpose—revenge.

Bei Sangyun’s life, in that life, had never been a happy one. Even his presence hadn’t eased her loneliness or pain. If anything, it had only pushed her further into it.

Fei Chuan restrained the surge of emotion in his chest and continued reading.

Some notes detailed major events in her company, while others mentioned milestones in the progress of his own.

Some of them were familiar—things that had happened. But others were different. It was clear that Bei Sangyun had changed a great deal: the Lin family, the fates of several people... and even him.

[Xu Tian’s engagement with Lin Sunji...]

Fei Chuan paused.

"Was this Xu Tian... the Xu Tian we know?" he asked aloud, unable to help himself.

Bei Sangyun nodded. "Yes. He did get engaged to Lin Sunji in the past. As part of a condition I gave him."

Condition?

Fei Chuan processed her words, then his eyes lit up. "When you were pursuing Xu Tian back then, was it not because you liked him as a man, but because you wanted him in your workforce?"

Bei Sangyun nodded, giving him a skeptical look. "Yeah. What else?"

Fei Chuan felt as if a thorn lodged in his heart had finally been removed. He let out an internal sigh of relief. Of course—it was his skills! Bei Sangyun had only been after Xu Tian’s talent and abilities. That was all.

"Oh. It’s nothing. I’m just glad you got him to work for you. Does he still want to get engaged to Lin Sunji?"

Bei Sangyun shook her head. "I don’t think the two have even met yet. So I’m not sure if Xu Tian will like Lin Sunji the way he did in the past. Honestly, I don’t even know how they met back then."

The relief in Fei Chuan’s heart faltered. So Xu Tian was still a walking pie. Though he wasn’t exactly a threat, Fei Chuan still didn’t want any single man around Bei Sangyun. Except Zhong Cheng. Zhong Cheng didn’t qualify as a man—or a competitor.

"Why don’t you let them meet? You could arrange a dinner and invite everyone."

"I was thinking about that. Lin Sunji is my cousin, and this time’s Lin Sunji is actually not bad. I also want Xu Tian to be part of the family, so he won’t be able to escape Phoenix Holdings. But... I was also thinking about Zhong Cheng..."

Fei Chuan was stunned. "What does Zhong Cheng have to do with this?"

"Lin Sunji seems to like him."

Fei Chuan: "..."

He couldn’t really imagine it. Well, Zhong Cheng wasn’t bad, actually—but Lin Sunji, the spoiled princess, liking a man like Zhong Cheng, who flattered people with that weird smile... it was just hard to picture.

"Well, why don’t we ask Zhong Cheng?"

"Should we?" Bei Sangyun asked him back, clearly considering the idea herself.

"Of course. Among the three of them, who’s the closest to you?"

"Definitely Zhong Cheng. That guy sticks around and is loyal to the bone."

Fei Chuan: "..."

He already knew that, but hearing it straight from Bei Sangyun somehow made him dislike Zhong Cheng a bit.

"I’ll handle it, love. Leave it to me," Fei Chuan volunteered.

Bei Sangyun trusted him with it.

Fei Chuan was about to turn to the last page when Bei Sangyun suddenly remembered something and stopped him.

"Why don’t you... continue reading the rest later? I’m getting hungry. Grandma said she’s making my favorite dish for dinner tonight."

Fei Chuan folded the paper. "Alright."

Bei Sangyun took the paper back and tucked it close inside her coat. Fei Chuan started the engine and began to drive.

Bei Sangyun held her coat tightly. She had forgotten that she had written about the events after her death—the things she only knew because Fei Chuan had told her.

[Fei Chuan’s engagement with Melanie.]

He... hadn’t read that yet, had he?

....

Ever since learning that Xu Tian had been engaged to Lin Sunji in the past, Fei Chuan’s hostility toward him eased considerably. As a result, he began to teach Xu Tian more sincerely and patiently this time around.

Xu Tian was grateful. He noticed the shift in Fei Chuan’s attitude, and his admiration for him only solidified. However, there were still moments when Fei Chuan’s behavior irritated him—or maybe he was doing it on purpose.

"You can’t even do this in under thirty minutes? What if a bunch of king-tier hackers breached Phoenix Holdings’ security system? If you can’t dismantle their virus in thirty minutes, everything in the server could be corrupted—or worse, compromised. And if you can’t even manage that, then what part of you is supposed to be charismatic?" Fei Chuan nagged from behind him.

Xu Tian, seated at the computer: "..." What does breaking down a virus have anything to do with being charismatic?

When he ate lunch later than everyone else, Fei Chuan would barge into his office and glare at him. "Are you a child? Do you need someone to remind you to eat on time?"

Xu Tian: "..." What kind of boss barges into his employee’s office and nags them for working overtime? Isn’t dedicating more time to the company supposed to be a good thing?