Standing Next To You-Chapter 490: Get out of the room

Lin Zhe’s trembling hand pointed at the bed, his disbelief evident in the way his lips quivered. His carefully orchestrated plan had crumbled into pieces before his eyes.

"No... they’re there..." he muttered, his voice shaking with desperation. "They have to be there!"

He staggered toward the bed in a daze, his mind refusing to accept the reality. His men had assured him—there were two people, Lin Sanju and Bei Sangyun. They had made sure of it.

There was no way Lin Sanju who couldn’t move would be able to disappear in just a short notice. He must be hiding here.

But just as Lin Zhe reached for the blanket, Fei Chuan stepped in, his hand blocking the intrusion. His cold, grave voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"What are you doing?"

Lin Zhe’s eyes snapped to Fei Chuan, his hope flaring. Yes, there was no way the two paralyzed people could have escaped through the window. His contacts had been stationed outside the door, watching. Fei Chuan must have entered from the window—there was no other explanation.

With renewed determination, Lin Zhe squared his shoulders, his voice laced with accusation. "The person with you has no permission to be in this room. She must reveal her identity."

Fei Chuan’s expression darkened further, his voice steady yet dangerous. "I wasn’t aware that the Lin family extended their hospitality by prying into the private affairs of their guests. Or is that your personal policy, Lin Zhe?"

The tension in the room grew thick. Old Master Lin, sensing something was wrong, stepped forward, his authoritative voice cutting through.

"Lin Zhe, enough!" he scolded, his tone stern and commanding. He turned to Fei Chuan, "Mr. Fei, I deeply apologize for this inappropriate behavior. Please, the room is yours. Enjoy your stay with your companion."

But Lin Zhe wasn’t ready to give up.

Seizing the opportunity, he shoved Fei Chuan’s hand aside and yanked the blanket off the bed in one swift motion. His eyes revealed his mania. The two must still be here!

However, as the person underneath the blanket was revealed, his gaze paused.

Gasps erupted in the room as the guests and Old Master Lin stared at the figure revealed beneath.

A woman lay there in a bathrobe, her body modestly covered by Fei Chuan’s suit. Her sharp, clear gaze stared back at them, calm and unapologetic, her expression unyielding in the face of the scandalous scene.

The room froze in stunned silence.

Old Master Lin, standing closest to the bed, felt his breath hitch. His eyes widened in recognition, his voice breaking as he uttered her name in shock.

"Lin Sangyun!"

Lin... Sangyun?

Those at the front clearly heard Old Master Lin’s shocked exclamation.

They recognized the lady immediately. How could they not? She was the one whom Lin Sanju treated with special care—personally escorting her to the fourth branch’s table during the banquet.

There had even been rumors swirling around that she was Lin Sanju’s love interest. Naturally, they remembered her.

But now... it turned out she was a Lin?

The crowd glanced between Fei Chuan and Bei Sangyun, their minds buzzing with various scenarios.

No wonder Lin Sanju had treated her so specially—it was because she was Fei Chuan’s woman!

Fei Chuan immediately covered Bei Sangyun’s body with a blanket, shielding her from their prying eyes. His dark, cold gaze fixed on the stunned Lin Zhe.

"You’re really testing my patience, Mr. Lin Zhe," he said, his tone sharp as ice. "Leave the room immediately. And I am not asking nicely."

He then turned to the equally stunned Old Master Lin. "Or should I leave instead?"

Old Master Lin quickly regained his composure. Years of experience allowed him to recover faster than anyone else in the room. But he also realized his mistake—blurting out Bei Sangyun’s name had now sparked a whirlwind of speculation among the guests.

"Please don’t, Mr. Fei," Old Master Lin said with urgency. "You are our family’s benefactor. We will leave the room at once."

His stern gaze shifted to Lin Zhe. "Apologize. Now. And leave."

Without further delay, Old Master Lin tasked the head butler with escorting the guests out of the room.

Lin Zhe, however, stood frozen in disbelief. His eyes darted back to the bed, then around the room.

No... Lin Sanju must still be here. Hiding somewhere.

Lin Zhe’s heart burned with unwillingness.

"...The bathroom..." he muttered, moving toward it. Just as he reached for the door, two butlers stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Young Master," one of them said firmly, "the headmaster instructed you to follow him. Please leave the room."

"No. I have to check," Lin Zhe insisted, trying to push past them, but the butlers held their ground.

"Lin Zhe!" Old Master Lin’s voice thundered, his patience wearing thin. "What is the meaning of this madness? Do I have to drag you out myself?"

Lin Zhe froze, glancing back at the onlookers who remained in the room. They stared at him with suspicion, while his grandfather’s expression burned with disappointment. Fei Chuan’s cold gaze was like a dagger aimed straight at his pride.

"Brother," Lin Fei suddenly stepped forward, his voice laced with mockery. "Is there a reason why you insist on staying in this room? Could it be... you put something here that you’re dying to show us?"

His smirk deepened. "What is it? Care to share?"

Lin Fei’s words sent a ripple of realization through the room. Murmurs spread as the implications sank in.

Old Master Lin looked at Lin Zhe, his was stunned seeing him here, but his words caused him to be even more surprised.

He glanced at Lin Zhe in disbelief, not wanting to believe that his eldest grandson stooped so low and schemed something so disgraceful on his own kin.

Lin Zhe snapped out of his daze, calming himself with great effort. He shot Lin Fei a venomous glare.

"I’m just concerned," Lin Zhe said stiffly. "This room is part of our family’s historical site after all."

Lin Fei raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Oh, you mean the story of the First Wife you mentioned earlier?"

Old Master Lin’s frown deepened. "The First Wife?"

Lin Zhe chuckled nervously, his expression a mixture of anger and unease. The tale of the First Wife was a blemish deliberately excluded from the family’s official records. No headmaster had ever dared to include such a disgraceful story of infidelity in the family’s history.

Yet, he had shared it—thinking it would amplify the scandal surrounding Lin Sanju and Bei Sangyun.

But his plan had failed.

If his grandfather discovered that he had revealed this long-buried stain—one all the headmasters had sought to hide—to outsiders, Lin Zhe knew he would face more than just a criticism.

"Indeed, I have overstepped my bounds," Lin Zhe admitted, forcing a strained smile. He turned to Fei Chuan, bowing slightly. "I apologize, Mr. Fei."

Without waiting for a response, Lin Zhe left the room, his eyes darkening with suppressed frustration.

Old Master Lin watched him go, his frown deepening at the insincerity of the apology. He turned to Fei Chuan and bowed slightly. "I must apologize again on behalf of my grandson."

The old man gave the bed one final, complicated glance before leaving, his thoughts hidden behind a stoic expression.

Everyone started to leave until Lin Fei and Lin Sunji remained in the room with Fei Chuan and Bei Sangyun.

Lin Fei hesitated, glancing between Fei Chuan, who stood guard by the bed like a knight, and the figure beneath the blanket.

He opened his mouth as if to say something but thought better of it. With a sigh, he turned and followed the rest of the crowd out of the room. freēwēbnovel.com

Now, Lin Sunji was alone with Fei Chuan and Bei Sangyun.

"...Are they okay? Where is my brother?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fei Chuan glanced at her before lifting the blanket slightly and helping Bei Sangyun sit up. "Your brother is under the bed," he said calmly.

Lin Sunji blinked in disbelief and glanced toward the floor. Her brother... was hiding under the bed? All this time?

"Call someone you trust to take him out of here," Fei Chuan instructed, his tone firm. Then, turning his gaze back to Bei Sangyun, his voice turned softer, "I’ll stay here with her for now."

Lin Sunji nodded, still processing everything. She gave one last look at Bei Sangyun, her face a mix of worry and curiosity, before leaving the room to carry out Fei Chuan’s instructions.

On the bed, Bei Sangyun stared at Fei Chuan, her thoughts racing.

With Fei Chuan’s intervention, they had successfully saved Lin Sanju from disgrace. But the cost of that salvation was heavy—it was Fei Chuan himself who would now face the potential scandal.

When Fei Chuan had asked for her cooperation earlier, she hadn’t expected him to take this path. But given the circumstances, it was the only way. And yet, he had willingly chosen to shoulder the burden, to take the blame and the consequences, sparing both Lin Sanju and her.

Her gaze dropped, her emotions in turmoil. Fei Chuan was such a loyal friend to Lin Sanju. And because of him, she had also been saved—from a horrifying, incestuous scandal.

"...T-thank... y-you," Bei Sangyun whispered, her voice trembling.

Fei Chuan smiled softly at Bei Sangyun. "You helped me last time. Now we’re even." He glanced at his watch, adding, "The drug’s effects might take a little longer to wear off. If you’re hungry, I can get us something to eat."

Bei Sangyun’s heart lifted at the thought of staying with him, but remembering the distance she had to maintain, made her hesitate.

Fei Chuan noticed her hesitation, and the sparkle in his eyes dimmed.

"We can leave this room if you’d prefer," he said quietly. "Anyway, get some rest for now. I’ll just step outside to check if anyone is spying here."

With that, Fei Chuan turned and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. His eyes, which had briefly softened for her, turned cold again.

His men were already waiting in the hallway.

"Did you get it?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.

"Yes, sir," one of the men replied, holding out two syringes. "The man had both antidotes in his possession. We’ve captured him and the others involved—they’re in the van now. What should we do with them, sir?"

Fei Chuan’s jaw tightened as a cold fury flickered in his eyes. "Break every one of their fingers," he ordered flatly. The thought of those men daring to lay a hand on Bei Sangyun made his chest burn with rage.

He took one of the syringes from the man’s hand. "Give the other one to Lin Sanju later, but only when his people come to take him from the room."

Fei Chuan studied the syringe in his hand for a moment before slipping it into his pocket. His expression hardened further. "Tell them we only found one antidote."

The man nodded. "Understood, sir."

Meanwhile, back in the room, under the bed...

Lin Sanju shivered against the cold, hard floor. How much longer did he have to stay here? When would someone finally come to get him out?