Standing Next To You-Chapter 250: Love Triangle

A/n: This Chapter has been fixed and edited. Thank you for waiting.

******

"Here, I got this for you." Bei Sangyun brought out a pack of cookies and placed it on Fei Chuan’s desk.

Fei Chuan paused his work on the laptop and reached for the cookies. Bei Sangyun often brought him treats from overseas bakeries, knowing he had a sweet tooth.

He tore open the package and inhaled deeply.

The rich aroma of decadent chocolate filled the air, heightening his anticipation and awakening his senses. His eyes brightened. "Where did you get these?"

"From Country Z. My grandma lives there now. She loves this bakery and sent us some to try. Go ahead, taste them."

Fei Chuan hesitated. Grandma? Could it be Grandma Bei?

"Your grandma...." Fei Chuan muttered. "How is your grandma?"

This was the first time Bei Sangyun had mentioned her to him.

Fei Chuan still remembered the formidable old woman with a strong presence. Grandma Bei left such a strong impression on him.

A smile spread across Bei Sangyun’s face. "My grandma is doing well. You’ve met her before, right? She’s as spirited as ever. She just got discharged from the hospital three days ago. While out, she stumbled upon this bakery and fell in love with their pastries. Knowing you love cookies, she sent some over."

Fei Chuan was taken aback. He hadn’t realized Bei Sangyun had spoken about him with Grandma Bei. Did Grandma Bei know her granddaughter was interested in him and pursuing him?

Suddenly, Fei Chuan felt nervous, wondering what Grandma Bei thought of him.

Of all the villagers, Grandma Bei was the only one who seemed to harbor a dislike for him. When he’d visited Bei Sangyun’s house after hearing rumors that she left the village entirely, he’d met Grandma Bei.

She’d been aloof, explaining that she’d sent her granddaughter away, not because of him, but for Bei Sangyun’s future. Despite her words, her demeanor had been cold and unwelcoming.

Back then, Fei Chuan had thought Grandma Bei disliked him because he was the reason Bei Sangyun had been expelled from school.

"So these are from Grandma Bei." The weight of the cookies in his hand seemed to increase. "What should I give her in return?"

Having received a gift, he should send something back.

Bei Sangyun laughed, "You don’t have to give Grandma anything in return. She’ll be happy just knowing that you enjoyed the cookies."

"Grandma Pei said it’s important to reciprocate when you receive a gift. And I want to give something back to Grandma Bei."

Fei Chuan pondered, considering the best gift he could offer.

Observing his seriousness and deliberation, Bei Sangyun could only smile.

"Fine, suit yourself. Grandma will appreciate anything."

Fei Chuan thought long and hard, entertaining numerous options. But he was unable to decide on the perfect gift and decided to seek Grandma Pei’s advice later.

"Anyway, let’s enjoy the cookies first. Don’t let them go to waste," Bei Sangyun reminded him.

Fei Chuan took one and took the first bite, then before he got to savor the taste, he placed the remaining portion of the cookie in Bei Sangyun’s mouth.

It was better to appreciate it together.

Bei Sangyun was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Fei Chuan to feed her directly, but she accepted it without hesitation.

Her heart raced with joy, sweetness spreading through her chest. Fei Chuan had taken the initiative to feed her. She hadn’t needed to ask. This simple act brought her more happiness than the taste of the cookie itself.

As they chewed, their eyes met. The outer layer of the cookie crackled gently, revealing a soft, chewy center that melted in their mouths.

The chocolate flavor, with hints of sweetness and bitterness, exploded in perfect harmony. Each morsel carried the essence of premium cocoa, leaving a rich aftertaste that enveloped their taste buds in bliss.

Both of them widened their eyes as they savored the cookie, nodding their heads in perfect unison. Their synchronized gestures elicited laughter between them.

Bei Sangyun’s laughter filled the air, her teeth adorned with chocolate chips and crumbs clinging to the corners of her lips. Fei Chuan couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement at the sight.

With a gentle curve to his eyes, he reached out and swiftly wiped the cookie crumbs from the corner of her mouth. "You’re a messy eater. Are you a child?"

Bei Sangyun’s laughter paused as Fei Chuan’s fingers lightly brushed against her lips. Time seemed to slow down, her breath catching in her throat. She met Fei Chuan’s smiling eyes, feeling her stomach flutter and her heart race.

Fei Chuan noticed her dazed expression and realized the intimacy of his action. He had acted on instinct and made a gesture only couples do. His smile faltered, and an awkward tension hung in the air.

Quickly withdrawing his hand, he stumbled over his words, his ears turning red. "I-I noticed you had some crumbs on your mouth and chocolate on your teeth."

Bei Sangyun blinked, processing the situation. "...Oh."

Fei Chuan felt the weight of awkwardness settle upon him. "...You can go to the restroom to check."

Still in a daze, Bei Sangyun nodded slowly. "....Okay." She rose from her seat and left the room, lost in her thoughts.

Fei Chuan let out a sigh of relief, his heart pounding wildly.

What was he doing?

.....

Bei Sangyun gargled and checked her teeth in the mirror.

The chocolate that had been stuck in her front teeth was now gone. She then touched the corner of her mouth where Fei Chuan’s fingers had brushed against, and once again, she drifted into a daze.

It had been a subtle touch, light as a feather. Yet, the curve at the corner of his eyes, the subtle smile on his youthful face, paired with his low laugh, had left a profound impact on Bei Sangyun, causing her to linger in that impactful image for a while.

As she stared into the mirror, the reflection of her younger self looked back at her, cheeks flushed and eyes dazed. She resembled an innocent maiden in love.

Bei Sangyun held her warm cheeks. Was this how she appeared whenever she was with Fei Chuan?

Ah... She truly did like him. There was no doubt about it.

It took some time for Bei Sangyun to calm her racing heart.

When she returned to the classroom, she found Jang Shin standing in front of their classroom door.

Sensing her presence, Jang Shin turned around, his face lighting up when he saw her.

"Lin Sangyun, can we have a moment to talk?"

"What do you want to talk about?" Bei Sangyun replied, not really interested.

"It’s... it’s personal, so it’s better if we find a private place to talk," Jang Shin explained.

Bei Sangyun stared at him for a moment, contemplating whether to agree or not.

In her past life, Jang Shin hadn’t left much of an impression on Bei Sangyun. Aside from being her partner at the homecoming dance, she didn’t have much of an opinion about him.

In fact, she didn’t even remember his name until he revealed it. Zhong Cheng had made a much greater impression on her than Jang Shin.

However, Jang Shin had never done anything bad to her in the past. Upon recalling their interactions, Bei Sangyun realized that Jang Shin had treated her quite well, even defending her against Lin Sunji on the night of the homecoming dance.

"Alright. But let’s make it quick. Someone might get grumpy if I’m gone too long," she remarked, recalling her role as a repellent to Fei Chuan’s admirers.

Jang Shin heard her response, and his heart skipped a beat. This ’someone’ was none other than Fei Chuan, right.?

He clenched his fist as he nodded in acknowledgment.

Inside the room, those near the door witnessed their interaction and immediately began to spread the news throughout the class.

"Jang Shin asked the tyrant to talk privately! And she went!"

"Oh my goodness! Is Jang Shin going to ask her out?"

"What do you mean? The tyrant and Fei Chuan are already together. Why would Jang Shin interfere?"

"Dude, they’re not official yet. Jang Shin still has a chance."

"How do you know they aren’t official? I just saw them feeding each other."

"If they were together, wouldn’t they have announced it to the whole school? I think Jang Shin still has a chance."

"How do you know Jang Shin likes her? Maybe it’s something else?"

"I saw Jang Shin asking her to dance at the homecoming dance. And before that, didn’t Jang Shin ask the tyrant to be his partner first? Those are clearly hints!"

"I bet Jang Shin has a crush on her. Whenever we practiced in the gym, I noticed Jang Shin looking her way. The school grass likes our tyrant."

"Is this a love triangle then?"

Zhong Cheng overheard the discussion and was stunned. He hadn’t expected Jang Shin to have a crush on Boss.

But how could that be? Jang Shin had never made a move before. Was he acting now because Boss and Fei Chuan were getting along?

"Hey, student," Zhong Cheng called out, turning to Lin Sunji beside him.

Lin Sunji, who had moved her seat beside him under Zhong Cheng’s request, pretended to not hear him.

Much to Lin Sunji’s dismay, she was ordered by Bei Sangyun to place her seat beside Zhong Cheng since she was under his supervision.

Deliberately ignoring him, Lin Sunji pretended to be engrossed in her schoolwork.

"I know you can hear me. Are you disrespecting your teacher right now? Should I tell Boss?" Zhong Cheng’s voice held a hint of warning.

Lin Sunji glanced up from her writing, her glare intense. "I’m just trying to study peacefully. Why are you always so hateful?"

"Are you calling your teacher hateful? Then do you find Boss hateful as well? Nah, that can’t be. I better report you to Boss," Zhong Cheng retorted, a smirk playing on his lips.

Lin Sunji gritted her teeth, swallowing down her anger. "What do you want?"

Zhong Cheng smiled, knowing he had gotten under her skin and Lin Sunji could not do anything about it.

"Tell me, does Jang Shin have a crush on Boss? You partnered with him at the homecoming dance and spent a lot of time practicing together. You must have some insights, right?"

Lin Sunji remained silent, her expression unreadable.

So all those threats were merely for the sake of gossip? Lin Sunji couldn’t help but wonder what her life had come to.

****

Additional Scene:

Grandma Bei strolled leisurely through the town, relishing the peaceful atmosphere and the absence of judgment from her past. The serene streets held a comforting anonymity for her.

As she passed by the bakery, she recognized the familiar sign.

"Guard Huang, isn’t this the store where you bought the cookies from?" she inquired.

"Yes, indeed. It’s this bakery," replied Guard Huang, who accompanied her.

"I always enjoyed their cookies here. Ah, right! My granddaughter mentioned recently that the boy she’s taken a liking to enjoys cookies. Perhaps I should send some to help her," Grandma Bei mused aloud.

Guard Huang nodded in agreement, "That’s a good idea. They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach."

"Indeed. I hope that boy from the Chuan family will come to appreciate how wonderful my granddaughter truly is," Grandma Bei remarked.

She couldn’t help but have some impression of Fei Chuan. That fair, young boy was undeniably handsome and intelligent.

The last meeting where the young child apologized sincerely to her and liked to apologize to Bei Sangyun still left an impression on her mind.

That kid was small and frail, and despite just getting out of being sick, he first went to their house to apologize to her granddaughter. But Bei Sangyun had already left the village then.

She held no grudge against the child. It was the malicious gossip of adults that had driven her granddaughter away.