Standing Next To You
Chapter 87: In Front of His Door

Chapter 87: In Front of His Door

Butler Xin kept staring at Bei Sangyun as he escorted her towards the car.

"What is it?" Bei Sangyun asked, annoyance evident in her tone.

"....You’re really not going to harm yourself, are you?"

"What kind of dumb question is that? I might be crazy, but I’m not a fool. That kind of man is not worth taking my own life for."

Butler Xin let out a sigh of relief. Although he knew it was just for show, like Lin Ginxian, he was also terrified by the earlier scene.

Bei Sangyun’s eyes were too emotionless, as if she were about to harm herself further. Even a smart man like him couldn’t distinguish what was genuine from what was an act. The tense atmosphere had even affected him.

"Do you really have to go to such lengths?" Butler Xin asked.

Bei Sangyun had torn her palm and her neck showed signs of bruising. Such self-harm was unnecessary.

"Do you think that man would let me go if there’s no bloodshed? You said it yourself, he’s in the worst mood. If I hadn’t done that, I’d be locked up in that place for who knows how long."

"That won’t happen. You have school and your French lessons. Despite what happened today, you still need to maintain your top rank."

Bei Sangyun just smirked and didn’t reply. Because it hadn’t happened yet didn’t mean it wouldn’t.

She almost lost the role of host to Lin Sunji back then due to her lack of fluency in French, and that man locked her up in the study room for an entire week.

Day and night, she was forced to study until her fluency improved. The only things that came in and out of that room were her meals and the tutors. That man even used a sick leave at school to confine her.

And that was only the beginning. As he got used to venting his anger on her, his methods became increasingly unbearable.

She was punished even when she was obedient, and now that he was seething with anger and even mentioned not letting her leave, that man might do something far worse.

The cost of her bloody palm was temporary freedom. For now, at least, Lin Ginxian wouldn’t take any drastic actions due to fear of triggering her unstable state of mind.

Bei Sangyun entered the car, and as the door began to close, Butler Xin stopped it from shutting completely.

"Master, I’ll make sure you won’t be grounded. Can you rest here instead?"

Bei Sangyun gave him a cold glance. "Do you really want me to become even crazier?"

"....Please treat your palm when you arrive at the hospital." Butler Xin had no choice but to let her go.

Rolling her eyes at him, Bei Sangyun shut the door.

Staying one more day in the Lin family mansion was akin to reliving her nightmare. It was bad enough she had to see their faces every day. Remaining there was tantamount to imprisoning herself in a mire of mud and dirt.

The car started and left the Lin mansion.

"Are we going to the hospital, Young miss?" the driver asked.

Bei Sangyun was about to nod but then paused. She was a mess, and Grandma Bei could tell at a single glance that something had happened. She couldn’t allow her grandmother to worry.

"...No. Don’t go to the hospital."

"Then where should I send you?"

Bei Sangyun gazed out of the window. "Anywhere."

The driver raised an eyebrow. "Anywhere?"

’Anywhere’ was a bit too vague. So he asked hesitantly, "Young Miss, is there any specific place in mind? Or a location where you’d like to find comfort and relaxation?"

...A place of comfort?

If such a sanctuary existed, she wouldn’t have gone insane in the past. If there was a place where she could temporarily escape from reality, she would have been able to last long and prevent meeting an early death.

Aside from the presence of Grandma Bei, she couldn’t think of any place that could truly provide comfort.

Suddenly, a man’s figure appeared in her mind. The fragrance of the flowers he brought with every visit wafted through the air. His calm voice, laced with either mocking or sorrow, felt like a warm touch soothing her soul. His very existence and companionship brought comfort to her lost soul.

If there was anything close to comfort, it was that man.

What was that man doing right now?

Bei Sangyun leaned on the window. "I have a specific place in mind."

*****

Bei Sangyun stood blankly in front of the door. Now that she had arrived here, what was she going to do?

Why had she even come to this place? That damn driver must have poisoned her mind.

Bei Sangyun sighed.

Fortunately, she had already booked the room next door. Even if Fei Chuan saw her and accused her of following him, she could explain that she had a legitimate reason to be here.

Bei Sangyun gazed at his door and couldn’t help but laugh at herself. She felt foolish for coming here.

Anyway, he wouldn’t know she had come to his place. She was about to leave when the door suddenly swung open.

Fei Chuan emerged from behind the door, carrying some trash. When he spotted Bei Sangyun, he stood there in stunned silence for a few seconds.

"...Bei Sangyun?"

Bei Sangyun: "...."

Fei Chuan’s initial thought was that Bei Sangyun had come with ill intentions. He knew she had a plan in mind for letting him stay here. Was she now executing that plan?

Fei Chuan narrowed his eyes. He was about to get angry and accuse her of not following their agreement to not bother him when he noticed the blood on Bei Sangyun’s shirt.

He paused and examined her closely. Bei Sangyun was still in her school uniform, looking somewhat disheveled, with her palm bloody.

Fei Chuan swallowed back his accusation.

"....I’m just passing by," Bei Sangyun recovered from her initial surprise. Meeting Fei Chuan immediately after he opened the door was awkward. She didn’t want to appear like she was stalking him.

Fei Chuan remained at the door, not saying a word, which made Bei Sangyun even more uncomfortable. "...Then, I’ll be on my way."

She was about to leave when Fei Chuan finally spoke up.

"...Wait." Fei Chuan immediately regretted it. Why had he called her? He should’ve just let her walk away. But the words had already left his mouth. "Do you know how to bandage your wound?"

Bei Sangyun glanced at her own palm, "It’s not deep. It’s going to heal on its own."

"At the very least, clean it and apply some alcohol."

Bei Sangyun nodded and muttered a quiet thank you. Suddenly, an idea dawned on her.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at Fei Chuan. However, she found that he was already walking away.

....

Fei Chuan bit his lips, restraining himself from saying anything more, and stepped out of the room with his trash. He felt that he’d already done enough by reminding her. Passing by her, he made his way to the elevator area.

Once he turned the corner, he would be out of her sight.

Fei Chuan arrived in front of the elevator and hesitated for a moment before sighing heavily. He began to walk back to the corner he had come from. Slowly, he exposed his head to peek at the hallway.

To his surprise, Bei Sangyun was still standing there. She leaned on his door while examining her bloody palm.

Fei Chuan frowned. What was she doing in front of his door?

Suddenly, Bei Sangyun lifted her head, and Fei Chuan immediately concealed himself around the corner.

His heart rate increased.

When he realized what he was doing, he cursed inwardly. He pushed the elevator button and this time, he went in.

He thought that maybe when he returned, she would have left.

....

However, upon his return, Bei Sangyun was still leaning on his door.

Fei Chuan: "...."

What did this person want?

Fei Chuan debated internally whether to approach her or find somewhere else to stay until she left.

Bei Sangyun’s actions were hard to predict, and he couldn’t fathom her intentions. But one thing was certain: her presence here was not a good sign.

Right. She would grow tired of waiting soon.

Fei Chuan waited for a few minutes, but Bei Sangyun remained standing.