Standing Next To You
Chapter 590: Match making

Chapter 590: Match making

But aside from those moments of nagging and unexpected outbursts, Fei Chuan was actually a good boss. Though for some reason, Xu Tian found it hard not to answer back—politely, of course.

"If you trained me more consistently and put more effort into teaching, I could definitely do this under thirty minutes. You know, a student reflects their teacher. I’m confident in my abilities, but your teaching methods are what’s lacking. Why don’t you start there—and show me how to properly be ’charismatic’?" Xu Tian replied with a stoic expression.

"And if I had eaten on time and paused the task you gave me, you’d still barge in and nag me for not finishing on time. So be transparent—do you want me to eat first or finish the task first?"

Surprisingly, his responses didn’t worsen things. If anything, they knocked some sense into Fei Chuan.

Fei Chuan just narrowed his gaze, shot him a death glare, and walked away.

Every time that happened, Xu Tian wondered if Fei Chuan only came to his office to vent. But he shook his head—how would he know? They didn’t talk about anything other than work and training.

On the other hand, Fei Chuan was having an internal struggle.

Bei Sangyun constantly reminded him to treat Xu Tian well and be good to him. He kept that in mind, but whenever he faced Xu Tian, all he could recall were Bei Sangyun’s compliments about him—and bitterness would rise. So instead of building a good relationship, the words that left his mouth were always sharp.

He wasn’t good at making friends to begin with. Maybe he was destined to make enemies.

"I don’t think Xu Tian and I will ever be close. Isn’t it enough that we’re civil and respect each other?" Fei Chuan asked Bei Sangyun, eyes pitiful.

Bei Sangyun smiled and played with his fringe. "You’re his teacher. He’s your student. It’s good to build a relationship—so Xu Tian will stay loyal to us."

Fei Chuan rested his head on her shoulder. "Alright."

Since building a relationship the normal way wasn’t working, it was time for Plan B—letting Xu Tian and Lin Sunji meet. Only then could Xu Tian’s loyalty be firmly tied to Phoenix Holdings.

The next day, after dropping Bei Sangyun home, Fei Chuan called Zhong Cheng, telling him he had a VIP lounge ticket for a bar and wanted to treat him.

The clueless Zhong Cheng happily agreed to come.

....

"This is rare for us—to be alone like this. I really needed this break from work. Without Xu Tian, my workload has increased like crazy," Zhong Cheng said as he fastened his seatbelt, ready to head to the bar.

Fei Chuan started the engine. "I’m not staying with you at the bar. I don’t want Bei Sangyun to misunderstand." He handed over a VIP ticket he’d acquired. "Since you’re going, I assume you don’t have a girlfriend."

"I don’t do girlfriends, brother."

Fei Chuan raised a brow. "Boyfriends, then?"

Zhong Cheng looked horrified. "...I don’t do that either. I’m straight—sorry."

Fei Chuan frowned. "What are you sorry for?"

Zhong Cheng coughed awkwardly. "Nothing. I thought you were... Anyway, there’s no way I could surpass Boss’s beauty and charisma."

Fei Chuan finally understood what he meant and shot him a sharp glare.

Zhong Cheng raised both hands in surrender. "Just kidding."

Fei Chuan sighed, deciding to get straight to the point. "Do you like someone, then?"

Zhong Cheng shook his head. "Nope. I have high standards."

"How about Lin Sunji?"

Zhong Cheng’s eyes widened in surprise. He looked at Fei Chuan, stunned. "...Are you seriously asking if I like Lin Sunji?"

"Yes. I heard she might like you."

"Did she say that?"

"No."

Zhong Cheng chuckled. "Then you misunderstood. She doesn’t like me like that."

Fei Chuan glanced at him as the car pulled up under a three-story building—a high-end club in the capital.

"Then if she gets engaged to someone else, would you be okay with that?"

Zhong Cheng paused. For a moment, the usual silliness on his face faded. He grew serious.

Then, after a long silence, he nodded. A soft smile returned—this time tinged with something unspoken. "Of course. We don’t match anyway."

Fei Chuan watched him closely. "It’s not about whether you match. It’s whether you have feelings for her or not."

"Boss," Zhong Cheng said calmly, "sometimes feelings aren’t enough. You have to consider a lot of things. And feelings... they don’t always last. You feel something for a moment, and it can vanish the next. What matters more is whether you decide to stay—with or without those feelings."

Zhong Cheng smiled, but there was a trace of melancholy in his eyes. "And I... chose to stay by Boss’s side. I’ll find a partner who’s okay with that kind of life. If I meet her, I’ll treasure her. But it’s definitely not Lin Sunji."

"Won’t you regret that?" Fei Chuan looked at him carefully. "From what I see, you do like her."

Zhong Cheng pointed to the club entrance nearby. "If I did, I wouldn’t be heading into a club right now."

"I respect your decision," Fei Chuan said with a nod. It was clear Zhong Cheng had made up his mind.

Zhong Cheng stepped out of the car. Just before closing the door, he leaned down and grinned at Fei Chuan. "What you and Boss have—that’s rare. You two are like a story’s main characters. A match made in heaven. The kind of love that conquers all. Me? I’m just an extra. And extras live normal lives. So don’t worry about me. Just do what you need to do."

He raised the VIP ticket with a grin. "Thanks for the treat. Have a safe trip back!"

He shut the door, gave a quick wave, and walked away.

Fei Chuan watched him go. For a moment, Zhong Cheng seemed... mysterious. But the impression vanished the second Zhong Cheng slipped and fell flat on the concrete.

Fei Chuan: "...."

Nevermind.