Standing Next To You
Chapter 88: I Let You In

Chapter 88: I Let You In

Fei Chuan frowned.

She had said she would leave, so why was she still there?

She hadn’t even tended to her bloody palm. How long had it been since she got that wound? Why wasn’t she treating it? What if it became infected?

And it wasn’t her palm, she also had other injuries too. When she was going to treat it?

Fei Chuan slapped his own forehead.

"So what if her wound gets worse? It’s her fault for not taking care of it! It’s none of my business!"

Fei Chuan harrumphed and returned to the elevator. He decided to dine out, taking his time. By the time he returned, he expected she would be gone.

An hour later, Fei Chuan returned to his floor with a takeout meal. The nearest restaurant in the area was full, so he had to get takeout.

He peeked down the hallway to see if she was still there.

Contrary to his expectations, Bei Sangyun was still seated in front of his door, her head buried in her knees.

Fei Chuan sighed.

Approaching her, he stopped and noticed that Bei Sangyun still had her head buried in her knees.

Was she sleeping?

"Hey."

There was no response.

Fei Chuan crouched down.

In this position, Bei Sangyun didn’t look like a tyrant with a nasty personality. She appeared more like a lost and vulnerable girl. She seemed more humane sitting like this.

Fei Chuan glanced at her palm, which was awkwardly bandaged with a handkerchief. He couldn’t help but frown; that kind of bandaging would only lead to infection.

"Bei Sangyun," he called out.

Bei Sangyun stirred from her sleep. She hadn’t expected to doze off while waiting. She always had trouble sleeping, so she rarely got enough sleep. But, strangely, the moment she had closed her eyes, she’d fallen asleep.

"...You’re here." Her voice sounded hoarse as she looked up groggily at Fei Chuan.

Fei Chuan stood up, his irritation evident. "You’re blocking my door."

Bei Sangyun didn’t mind his tone. She extended her bloody palm toward Fei Chuan. "Did I do it right?"

"...No. You’ve poorly bandaged it. Did you even follow what I told you?"

"I didn’t have any alcohol with me, so I had to make do."

Fei Chuan sighed in exasperation.

Don’t care... don’t show any concern; she might take advantage of it...

Fei Chuan nodded expressionlessly. "Just go to the hospital to get it treated. That’s much better." He began to open his door.

Bei Sangyun lowered her hand and noticed the bag he was carrying. "You haven’t eaten yet? Me neither. How about we eat together? You still have some of Grandma Pei’s pastries, right?"

Fei Chuan finally opened the door. "I’ll eat by myself. Goodbye."

Bang!

The door closed in front of Bei Sangyun’s face.

Bei Sangyun’s smile stiffened. She had waited for a long time, but she couldn’t even invite that man or join him for dinner. Sigh. What a pity. She had almost been able to get Grandma Pei’s pastries.

Bei Sangyun gazed at his door, her expression somewhat lost.

Should she wait longer? Or should she let it go for today?

Nah. Let’s not bother him anymore. He would see it as bullying. She took a step to leave when the door opened again.

Fei Chuan handed a medical kit to Bei Sangyun. "There’s alcohol and bandages in there."

Bei Sangyun was stunned.

Her dumbfounded expression looked foolish to Fei Chuan. It seemed as though Bei Sangyun didn’t even know how to use the medical kit.

"It’s important to learn emergency measures like treating wounds, not just academic stuff," he couldn’t help but lecture her.

"...Fei Chuan."

"What is it?"

"Can you help me bandage my wound?"

Fei Chuan glanced at her. Bei Sangyun looked at him with solemn eyes. Her gaze that were only fixated towards her goal was now focused on him, making his heart quicken.

For a moment, Fei Chuan found it difficult to say no.

His rational mind told him to decline and close the door, but there was a nagging voice inside his head urging him to let her in.

Seconds passed, and the silence grew heavy.

Bei Sangyun managed an awkward smile and lowered her eyes to conceal the disappointment she hadn’t expected to feel. "I must have asked for too much. Sorry for bothering you this late." She turned around to leave.

"...Come in."

Bei Sangyun paused, then turned around, looking surprised.

Fei Chuan ran his hand through his hair, an irritated expression on his face. He had a feeling he might regret this decision.

"You showed up here with a bloody wound and waited for me. Clearly, you had intentions in coming here. I don’t know what you’re planning, but Grandma Pei thought of you as my friend, so I should help you. But I’ll only do this once. I won’t do it again." He needed a reason to justify his decision.

Bei Sangyun’s eyes brightened. "Can I have some of Grandma Pei’s pastries too?"

Fei Chuan: "...."

Was that all she had been thinking about this whole time?

****

Seventeenth year after Bei Sangyun’s death.

Spring had just begun, with trees and plants sprouting new leaves, and the flowers in Haven’s Cemetery garden were in full bloom, painting vibrant hues in the gloomy graveyard.

A man in his late forties sat beside a meticulously tended grave. As usual, he had brought flowers more beautiful than those in the garden.

Today, perhaps affected by the vibrancy of spring, he seemed at peace, admiring the beauty of nature.

His thoughts today were not about the regretful past or sorrowful memories, but rather, he contemplated what their life could have been in a more positive light.

"I saw one of my employees today hurt her finger. It was just a small wound from a paper, but her colleague, another employee of mine, acted as if it was the end of the world. Those two are clearly dating, right? Only lovers would overreact to such a minor injury."

The wind blew, and the man took it as an answer.

"That made me realize I had never seen you vulnerable before. Except for when we were in the village, you never revealed any fragility. You always appeared so confident and proud. Even when the world around you was crumbling, and you were stuck between hard mountains, no one would have guessed that you were going through tough times. Because you never sought help."

The man gently plucked a petal from the flower. "It would have been better if you had. Perhaps I would have pitied you, and who knows, I might have offered my assistance. I could have helped you bandage your wounds even if you were the cause of my own. If only I had known that you were hurting, just like any fragile human, I might not have hated you so much..."

A gust of wind carried away the petal he had plucked.

The man gazed up at the clear sky. "I imagined a scene. When I opened the door, I saw you. You were hurt. And you came to me because I am the best at bandaging wounds."

The man closed his eyes and the scene materialized in his mind. "...And I let you in."