Standing Next To You-Chapter 489: Caught

Outside, the argument grew increasingly heated.

Lin Fei, having interrupted Lin Zhe’s performance, continued to steer the conversation in an unexpected direction, pointing out details that seemed irrelevant yet cleverly disruptive.

Lin Zhe’s patience was wearing thin. His smirk was tinged with irritation as he addressed Lin Fei, "Incest, whether accepted by some societies or not, is something this family has condemned. The First Wife’s punishment was justified then, and the same judgment would fall on her today."

With those words, he grasped the doorknob again, his smirk widening. "Perhaps we’ll uncover more clues in the First Wife’s room."

Lin Fei’s eyes flicked to the door and then to Lin Sunji, whose alarmed expression gave her away.

His suspicions solidified. There had to be something in the room for Lin Zhe to be so desperate to bring people here—and for Lin Sunji to be so worried about it.

"Why not take a look at the First Madame’s room instead?" Lin Fei stepped forward, blocking Lin Zhe’s path.

But Lin Zhe wasn’t buying it. He pushed the door open wider, his smirk growing victorious. "We’ll get to that after this. Everyone can come inside—"

His words faltered, and his smirk quickly shifted into an exaggerated expression of feigned shock.

On the canopy bed inside the room, there were clearly figures occupying it.

Lin Fei, standing farther back, caught a glimpse of the scene before quickly stepping in. Blocking the doorway with his body, he turned to the guests with a polite but firm smile. "It seems this room is unavailable. Let’s proceed to another one."

Lin Zhe, however, wasn’t backing down.

He shoved Lin Fei aside and raised his voice. "There are people in here using the First Wife’s room without permission!" His tone was sharp and accusing. "We must see who dares to disrespect the Lin family by using this place as their own bedroom!"

The crowd, unable to see inside, gasped in shock at Lin Zhe’s words. Murmurs of disbelief and curiosity rippled through the guests.

Lin Fei narrowed his eyes at Lin Zhe, his body tensing as he prepared for what might come next.

The guests, overcome with curiosity and scandalized excitement, pressed toward the door, eager to uncover the "shameful" scene Lin Zhe had alluded to.

Lin Fei and Lin Sunji tried to block their way, but a man in a dark blue suit, leading a small group of determined onlookers, shoved past them, sending both of them crashing to the floor.

Lin Zhe stepped aside, a satisfied smirk on his face, allowing the crowd to spill into the room.

The old bedroom, though small compared to the grand chambers of the main mansion, was richly adorned with European royal decor from the 1700s—an antique canopy bed as its centerpiece. The room quickly became crowded, the air thick with murmurs and tension.

All eyes locked on the bed.

Two heads were clearly visible among the ornate folds of the canopy curtains.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as whispers of disbelief filled the room. Yet, no one dared step closer.

Lin Zhe’s smirk deepened. He had sent his men to bring the old man here. Any moment now, Lin Sanju would be judged and banished.

Unable to restrain his grin, Lin Zhe reveled in the thought. Just as he was lost in this satisfaction, Lin Fei glanced at him and caught his marveling expression. Lin Fei struggled to stand after being jostled aside by the mob.

"You haven’t changed, Lin Zhe," Lin Fei said, his voice low and sharp. "Still indulging in these dirty schemes. But this time, you’ve gone too far."

Lin Zhe shrugged nonchalantly, the smug grin on his face unwavering. "I don’t know what you mean," he said mockingly, his eyes glinting with malice. "But you, on the other hand, have changed. You’ve grown sickly, brother. I wonder what brought you so low." He chuckled coldly and turned his attention back to the spectacle before him.

Everything was falling into place. The drug would keep its victims paralyzed, ensuring they wouldn’t stir or react, even in the face of the growing commotion. Soon, the old master would arrive, and with this staged disgrace, Lin Zhe’s path to the heir title would be secured.

However, if the two remained ’unawake’ despite the noise, it could raise suspicions among the crowd. It was time to ’wake’ them up.

Lin Zhe gave a subtle nod to the man in the dark blue suit.

The man stepped forward, approaching the bed with deliberate steps. A syringe slipped from his sleeve and into his hand—the antidote. He would inject just enough to rouse the "adulterers," completing the spectacle Lin Zhe had orchestrated.

Lin Zhe’s voice rang out, feigning righteous fury. "You two, have you no shame?!"

The man reached the bed, his hand poised with the syringe as he leaned toward one of the figures.

But just as the needle neared the man’s neck, the figure abruptly turned, revealing his face.

The man in the dark blue suit froze in shock.

This wasn’t Lin Sanju!

Fei Chuan sat up slowly from the bed, his disheveled hair framing his strikingly sharp features. A few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the defined collarbone beneath. His dark, abyss-like eyes locked onto the man in the dark blue suit, sending a chill down his spine.

Instinctively, the man stepped back, hiding the syringe on his sleeve. His confidence faltering under Fei Chuan’s cold and piercing gaze.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the guests finally got a good look at the man on the bed.

Stunned murmurs rippled through the crowd.

It was Fei Chuan!

They weren’t expecting the ’shameless’ person to be him.

Fei Chuan rose to his full height, a commanding presence that made the small room feel even more cramped. He glanced back briefly, ensuring that Bei Sangyun remained properly covered under the blankets, before turning his attention to the gathering.

His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable edge to his tone. "What’s going on? Why is everyone barging in so rudely?"

Lin Zhe, who had been preparing to deliver a triumphant line, froze mid-thought, utterly thrown off balance. His eyes darted back to the bed, where another figure was clearly present.

That might be Bei Sangyun. But where was Lin Sanju?

Lin Sanju should have been the one facing them, the one to be interrogated, subjected to all kinds of shame and strange looks from the onlookers.

But where was he?

More importantly, why was Fei Chuan here?

Fei Chuan’s impatience was palpable as his gaze swept across the room, each word laced with quiet authority.

"I’ve just returned from a long flight to attend the banquet. I asked Sanju for a room to rest, trusting the Lin family to provide a secure and quiet place. Instead, I find myself surrounded by uninvited guests. Is this how you treat your guests? I was under the impression that this building could only be entered with the approval of the family head. Were all of you granted such approval?"

The accusation hung heavily in the air, silencing even the boldest among the crowd.

Lin Zhe’s smirk had vanished entirely, replaced with a pale, confused expression.

Just then, Old Master Lin arrived, followed by several butlers.

He stopped in his tracks, taking in the chaotic scene before him. His sharp eyes immediately picked up on Fei Chuan’s presence, his slightly rumpled appearance, and the figure still hidden under the canopy bed’s covers.

"What’s going on here?" the old man demanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Fei Chuan turned to him, his expression composed but cold. "I’m disappointed, Old Master Lin. This is how your family treats its guests? My rest has been disrupted, and a crowd has intruded into my room without explanation or invitation."

The weight of Fei Chuan’s words made Old Master Lin’s jaw tighten. He glanced at the gathered guests, then at Lin Zhe, who was still frozen in place.

The old man sighed, the realization of what had likely transpired sinking in. Addressing Fei Chuan, he said, "This must be a misunderstanding. We had no intention of disturbing your rest. Lin Zhe has been giving the guests a tour of this building, as it is rarely opened to the public. He must have been misinformed and thought this room was unoccupied."

Old Master Lin’s sharp eyes landed on Lin Zhe, his displeasure evident. "Lin Zhe," he said sternly, "-apologize immediately and lead the guests away."

Lin Zhe’s face turned an ashen shade as the realization of his plan’s failure began to sink in. Yet, his eyes kept flickering to the bed, still grappling with the puzzle of Lin Sanju’s disappearance.