Standing Next To You-Chapter 273: Help me

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

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Li Mei would like to make one for her son in the future.

Lin Sanju: "...."

Although the rice cakes weren’t bad, pastries were not his forte. He just ate half of them so that he could show to his friend that he enjoyed them.

How were these rice cakes made? He hoped it was difficult to make so his mother would take a long time learning it.

Lin Sunji arrived at the third branch holding a box of rice cakes. The maid escorted her to the living room and respectfully informed her that Bei Sangyun was currently occupied in the study room.

She could leave the message with her and depart if she wished. However, Lin Sunji insisted on waiting. The purpose of her visit was to demonstrate the fourth branch’s goodwill towards Bei Sangyun. If she departed without meeting her, the intention might not be conveyed effectively.

Lin Sunji chose to wait and settled on the couch. But after ten minutes passed, Lin Sunji found it difficult to remain seated.

Why wasn’t Bei Sangyun here? What sort of matter was making her busy for such a long time?

Lin Sunji felt both bored and irritated, but she maintained her composure while trying to contain her impatience.

Twenty more minutes passed, and Lin Sunji stood up in frustration.

Was Bei Sangyun purposefully making her wait for so long? What magnanimity? What mercy? Zhong Cheng’s words about Bei Sangyun were all lies. Bei Sangyun was cunning and harboring deep grudges!

As she moved to open the door, it suddenly swung open, narrowly missing her face. Fortunately, Lin Sunji managed to dodge it. The near-accident startled and angered her.

Why hadn’t the person behind the door knocked? Did they think they owned this mansion?

Lin Sunji prepared to rebuke the rude individual behind the door, only to realize that the person she assumed to be a rude maid was actually Bei Sangyun!

Bei Sangyun spotted Lin Sunji standing behind the door and blinked. "Are you leaving?"

Lin Sunji bit her lip and reluctantly returned to the room. Bei Sangyun hadn’t even apologized for the delay. Lin Sunji suspected she had done it intentionally. How infuriating.

Despite her anger, Lin Sunji suppressed it. She took a deep breath to quell the rage in her heart and gestured toward the box of rice cakes. "My brother wanted to send this to you."

Bei Sangyun glanced at the rice cakes, surprised that Lin Sunji had waited so long just to deliver them. She recognized it as a gesture from the fourth branch to earn favor, so Bei Sangyun accepted it graciously.

She passed the rice cakes to Maid Yena to distribute among themselves. Bei Sangyun knew these pastries would be wasted on her.

Lin Sunji sighed in relief seeing Bei Sangyun accept them. She had thoughts she wanted to voice out. Just as Lin Sunji was about to speak, a ringtone interrupted her.

Bei Sangyun retrieved her phone.

Only a handful of people knew her business number and most contacts were important clients she handled personally.

Bei Sangyun recognized the number. It was from the client she was talking with earlier. The meeting had concluded, and their deal was sealed. Why was this client calling her now?

Bei Sangyun signaled for Lin Sunji to wait and stepped aside to answer the call swiftly.

The client had simply forgotten to invite her to a party and called to inform her. They wished to introduce her to their circle, hinting at potential future collaborations.

While it seemed like a good opportunity to expand her network and acquire more clients, especially for emerging businesses like hers, Bei Sangyun had other plans in mind. She respectfully declined the invitation.

Lin Sunji perked her ears up and leaned towards that corner. Who was on the other side of the phone?

She listened intently, hoping to glean some useful information from it that she could potentially leverage against Bei Sangyun.

However, as she eavesdropped on Bei Sangyun’s conversation, her expression shifted. She looked at Bei Sangyun’s back in surprise before her expression turned solemn and complex.

After a few minutes, Bei Sangyun ended the call and turned to Lin Sunji.

"Sorry for the delay. Do you still have something to say?"

Bei Sangyun didn’t expect much from Lin Sunji since she had delivered the rice cakes, assuming her task was complete.

Lin Sunji, who had plenty to say earlier, fell silent. She regarded Bei Sangyun with a complex expression, then averted her gaze as if embarrassed.

"...Nothing," Lin Sunji replied quietly.

Bei Sangyun didn’t dwell on Lin Sunji’s silence. She nodded, "Please convey my thanks to Lin Sanju. Also, let him know that if he wishes to speak with me personally, he should approach me at school."

Lin Feng was now back in the mansion. Knowing him, he would easily pick up some hints and link the connection of the two branches. If Lin Feng started to sniff on them, that would be troublesome.

Lin Sunji clenched her fist and nodded.

Bei Sangyun was about to leave when Lin Sunji suddenly spoke behind her.

"...Someday...I’ll surpass you."

Bei Sangyun paused in her steps, looking back at Lin Sunji in confusion. What was she talking about now?

Taking a deep breath, Lin Sunji continued, "...A fisherman can build a company and establish his headquarters in the capital. I can do it too. Without relying on the Lin family’s name, our family’s money, or connections, and specially not relying on you, I’ll create my own company, under my own name." Her voice was filled with determination and confidence.

The recent conversation had been a wake-up call for Lin Sunji.

Bei Sangyun’s professionalism and confidence during her phone call with the client had made Lin Sunji realize just how far Bei Sangyun had come. In the past, Lin Sunji had been superior to her in every aspect—skills, talent, and ability—but now, Bei Sangyun had surpassed her by a significant margin.

Lin Sunji saw the harsh reality and resented it.

But one day, she vowed, she would be like Bei Sangyun, and even surpass her.

Bei Sangyun tilted her head, unsure of what Lin Sunji meant. But seeing Lin Sunji’s determined expression, without the usual hostility, she decided to play along.

"Good. You should prove it to me then. Don’t make it empty words."

...

When Lin Sunji stepped out of the third branch’s mansion, she immediately dialed Zhong Cheng’s number.

Zhong Cheng picked up. "What’s the matter?"

"Zhong Cheng, is the story about that fisherman real?"

"What? Are you doubting me? Of course, it’s true. I can even tell you who they are."

"Forget about that. Zhong Cheng, can I be that fisherman? No, I should surpass that fisherman."

Zhong Cheng was unsure of what Lin Sunji was getting at and vaguely answered, "...If you have the perseverance and the guts, of course, you can do better than him." Lin Sunji was young and had a better foundation and support than that fisherman. Of course, she could do better.

"Then, will you help me? Help me become better than that fisherman."

Zhong Cheng: "...."

He checked the registered number on the phone.

[Student A- Bitch]

He then pulled the curtain in his room aside. The sun was not rising in the west, nor was it setting in the east.

Zhong Cheng put the phone back to his ear, asking, "...Come again?"