Standing Next To You-Chapter 520: Deserves a second chance

After that day, it was as if the sun had finally broken through the dark clouds, illuminating the beauty in life. Vivid colors returned to her once-dull world, accompanied by the sweet chirping of birds echoing in the air. Bei Sangyun once again appreciated the beauty of the world.

She had thought it would take a long time for Fei Chuan to soften his heart toward her. She was prepared to woo him, no matter how long it took or how much effort she had to put in.

But once again, Fei Chuan surprised her. He accepted her wholeheartedly, with an open and forgiving heart. This gave her more courage to open up to him about her rebirth. If it was Fei Chuan, she believed—no, she knew—he might just believe her.

Feeling elated, Bei Sangyun happily sent Fei Chuan a good morning message. Although she had been casually greeting him every morning since they had become "friends," today she decided to be bolder. Inspired by Maid Ye Zhai and her browsing on the internet, she typed out a different kind of greeting.

[Good morning, handsome.]

As soon as she sent it, the message was marked as "seen." However, a few minutes later, there was still no reply. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Bei Sangyun was still in a good mood even not receiving a reply. It was around ten minutes later when his reply arrived.

[Good morning as well.]

Bei Sangyun smiled, her heart fluttering. She was about to head to the shower when her phone pinged again with another message.

[Gorgeous.]

Bei Sangyun blinked, staring at the message for a long time. Then she replied.

She waited for five mintues...ten minutes...twenty minutes...but still no reply. Maybe that was it.

Still, Bei Sangyun was overjoyed. She reread the word ’Gorgeous’ a few times.

"Young Miss, breakfast is ready," Maid Ye Zhai said as she entered the room. Noticing Bei Sangyun frozen in place, staring at her phone, Maid Ye Zhai approached curiously. Catching a glimpse of the message, she softly exclaimed, "Oh."

A knowing smile spread across Maid Ye Zhai’s face. "Congratulations, Young Miss."

A grin broke across Bei Sangyun’s face, her eyes sparkling. "Yeah... I still can’t believe he accepted my confession. Does this mean we’re... dating now?"

"Indeed. A man wouldn’t call a woman ’gorgeous’ in a simple morning greeting," Maid Ye Zhai commented with a smirk.

Bei Sangyun couldn’t contain the happiness radiating from her eyes. She went to shower, humming a cheerful tune.

Her joy and happiness radiated through her entire being. The gloominess that once surrounded her had now been replaced by a sunny, vibrant vibe.

Grandma Bei couldn’t help but notice how all smiles Bei Sangyun was today. She asked curiously, "Why are you so happy today? Good news?"

Bei Sangyun nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. Fei Chuan... accepted my confession. We’re now dating."

Grandma Bei’s face lit up with happiness. She hugged Bei Sangyun warmly. "That’s wonderful! Congratulations, my dear."

Everyone in the Bei household knew how much Bei Sangyun had longed for Fei Chuan. For the past four years, she had never truly moved on.

"Invite him here again," Grandma Bei said with excitement. "I’ll cook for you two."

Bei Sangyun smiled but shook her head gently. "I will, Grandma. But not right now. Fei Chuan and I still have a lot to talk about, and I don’t want to overwhelm him."

"Alright, alright," Grandma Bei replied, nodding in understanding. She also didn’t want to scare off her future grandson-in-law.

After a moment of contemplation, Grandma Bei took Bei Sangyun’s hand. "By the way, did anyone contact you yesterday?"

Bei Sangyun looked confused. "Is someone supposed to visit my office?" she asked, thinking it might be someone from their village. Most of the people Grandma Bei was acquainted with were from there.

"Ah, no, no," Grandma Bei quickly shook her head. "It’s nothing."

Bei Sangyun’s brow furrowed slightly. "Are you sure, Grandma?" she asked again, but Grandma Bei simply waved it off with a gentle smile. "I just got the dates wrong."

Since Grandma Bei insisted it wasn’t important, Bei Sangyun decided to leave it at that. However, she handed over Butler Xin’s number to her. "If someone from the village needs help and you can’t refuse them, have them contact this number," she said reassuringly.

After that, Bei Sangyun didn’t think too much about it.

...

The "reminiscing" date was a success.

With the prior date being a success, Bei Sangyun carefully planned the upcoming dates by starting with rekindling their precious memories. Her aim was to stir up the good times they had shared while being mindful not to get too physically close to Fei Chuan. She opted for dates that limited physical contact but still felt intimate and meaningful.

She invited him to plays, reminding him of the time they had once performed together as partners. She suggested walks and visits to various restaurants they had frequented before. Each outing was filled with nostalgia and warmth.

For the past two days, Bei Sangyun had been inviting Fei Chuan on these thoughtful dates, and he hadn’t once complained. He accepted every invitation with a smile, his demeanor calm yet engaged. Bei Sangyun was over the moon, elated that things were moving in a positive direction.

But her smooth days hit an unexpected bump.

On the third afternoon, a visitor suddenly arrived.

It was Head Butler Cai from the Chen family.

Of all the people Bei Sangyun might have expected to see, the Chen family was the last on her list. This family was notoriously exclusive and rarely reached out without significant reason.

"I did not mean to disturb you, Miss Bei," Head Butler Cai began, her tone polite but direct. "But the Chen family has an important message for you. We hope you will cooperate."

Bei Sangyun could already guess what this visit might be about. Nonetheless, she nodded, indicating for her to continue.

"You might already be aware of the history between the Chen family and Master Fei Chuan, given your close relationship with him," Head Butler Cai said, her voice measured and precise. "The Chen family holds only good intentions toward Master Fei Chuan. However, past events have caused Master Fei Chuan to misunderstand my master’s true intentions. This misunderstanding has created bad blood between them. But in the end, they are family, and family should look out for one another."

Head Butler Cai’s expression remained stoic as she continued, "I understand that the wounds of the past cannot be healed overnight. But everyone deserves a chance to right their wrongs. Master Fei Chuan believes the Chen family abandoned him, and I understand why it may appear that way. However, I hope you can convey this message to him: The Chen family never abandoned you. My master has always had the intention of naming him as the next Head Master."

She bowed deeply, her posture respectful yet firm. "Please, Miss Bei, help us deliver this message to Master Fei Chuan."

Bei Sangyun was silent, feeling conflicted.

If the Chen family had approached her a month ago, she would have strongly rejected them, telling them they didn’t deserve a chance.

However, she had come to understand that even villains had their reasons and the capacity to change. That not everything was entirely black and white. Even someone as flawed and "villainous" as herself deserved a second chance. Just like the fourth branch, whom she had once deemed beyond hope, had completely transformed.

Perhaps the Chen family, who had abandoned Fei Chuan, had their own valid reasons. Maybe, like the fourth branch, they truly had a change of heart and genuinely wanted to make amends with Fei Chuan.

And Fei Chuan deserved all the good things in life—including a loving family who would support him and make him feel like he belonged.

Bei Sangyun remained silent for a long time, lost in thought.

Head Butler Cai also stayed quiet, patiently waiting for her response. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Bei Sangyun spoke.

"...I don’t have a say in this. But I’ll try to help. However, the decision is entirely up to Fei Chuan. I sincerely hope the Chen family’s intentions toward him are genuine. Because if they’re not—" Bei Sangyun’s gaze suddenly turned sharp, her voice unwavering. "I won’t show mercy. I will not be kind to those who hurt Fei Chuan."

Head Butler Cai met her piercing gaze. As someone who had served masters born to rule, she could tell the difference between an empty threat and a serious warning.

Her expression grew solemn. "I assure you, Miss Bei."

....

Additional Scene:

Fei Chuan had just stepped out of the shower.

He picked up his phone, glancing at the screen. Recently, he and Bei Sangyun had been exchanging morning greetings. Initially, it was he who sent the casual ’Good morning,’ but after the incident with George which caused him to not talk to Bei Sangyun, the latter had taken the initiative to message him first.

Fei Chuan was staring intently at his phone.

Now things were different. They weren’t just friends anymore. How was he supposed to say Good morning now? What was the new arrangement?

His thoughts were interrupted when his phone pinged. His eyes darted to the screen, and he saw Bei Sangyun’s message.

[Good morning, handsome.]

Fei Chuan’s heart skipped a beat. Handsome.

Many people called him ’handsome’ but reading this word that Bei Sangyun had sent, made him somehow feel...strange and.. embarrassed.

How was he supposed to reply to that?

He typed, [Good morning as well,] but immediately deleted it. Then he typed again, [Thanks, good morning too,] but shook his head. Too casual.

Fei Chuan’s eyes lingered on the word handsome. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, curling slightly before he began typing once more. After rereading his words multiple times, he finally sent the message. Then, he tossed his phone onto the bed and focused on changing his clothes, trying to distract himself.

As he adjusted his necktie, his phone pinged again. Without hesitation, he dove onto the bed and grabbed it.

[Eat some breakfast. I’ll cook your lunch today. Eat well. And be careful on your way to the office.]

Fei Chuan reread the message twice. He began typing a reply, but after a few moments, he deleted it. Then he typed again. And again. He spent almost twenty minutes trying to decide what to say when a knock interrupted him.

"Sir, you’ll be late for your appointment," Assistant Cheng called from the other side of the door. "Should I reschedule it?"

"No. I’m coming."

As he glanced down at his phone, his eyes went wide. He realized he had accidentally sent a message.

[Thank you.]

A curt, dismissive Thank you.

"...I wasn’t done yet," he muttered frustratingly. He had planned to start by thanking her and then continue the conversation.

But it was too late. The message was marked as "seen" a second ago.

A reply soon arrived.

[Take care.]

Fei Chuan stared at the screen.

With reluctance, he typed two short words. [You too.]

And just like that, their morning conversation ended.

Fei Chuan cast a dark look at Assistant Cheng, who was waiting by the door.

"You’re working overtime today," Fei Chuan declared coldly.

Assistant Cheng blinked, bewildered. "...What did I do?"