Standing Next To You-Chapter 494: Rumours

Bei Sangyun was able to move by morning. But even though she could now do things on her own, Fei Chuan remained attentive, assisting her in every possible way. This caring, almost spoiling behavior reminded her of the past—those cherished memories from four years ago. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Bei Sangyun silently accepted his gestures, feeling a warmth blossom in her chest. How she had missed this closeness, this quiet intimacy with him.

However, all good things must come to an end.

Bei Sangyun knew she had to part ways with him soon. They had spent the entire night and day together in close proximity, and she worried that lingering any longer might lead to unwanted consequences.

"Thank you so much for saving me," Bei Sangyun said earnestly. "The situation could have been far worse if you hadn’t arrived. Lin Sanju and I owe you greatly. If there’s anything I can do to repay you, please let me know."

Fei Chuan chuckled lightly. "Why are you making it sound like I did it for a reward? We’re friends, and friends look out for each other. Lin Sanju is my friend too, so I’m just glad I could help."

"Still," Bei Sangyun insisted, "you’ve helped us so much, and you’ve been implicated because of us. Troubles might come to you—"

"If you’re that worried," Fei Chuan interrupted with a playful smile, "how about you repay me with dinner instead? And if you think one dinner isn’t enough, we can make it two or three. Just so you know, I have expensive tastes."

Bei Sangyun blinked, speechless at his casual teasing.

Fei Chuan chuckled again, leaning in slightly to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I’m kidding," he said softly. "But if you’re still uncomfortable with me, it’s fine if you just have dinner with me once. It’ll be my treat."

His face was so close that she could feel his warmth and see the deep, sincere look in his eyes. Her heart raced. She didn’t look away and found herself staring at his handsome face, committing it to memory—knowing she might not see it again for a long time.

Fei Chuan was indeed brave. He could do things she couldn’t.

Before she could second-guess herself, Bei Sangyun suddenly stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She wrapped her arms around him in a quick, fleeting hug.

Just for one second.

She wanted to tell him, in that brief moment of touch, how grateful she was. How he made her feel safe and warm, like she was home. How proud she was of him. How, because of him, she didn’t feel so alone.

"Thank you so much, Fei Chuan," she whispered. "And I’m sorry for what I did back then."

Then, stepping back, she smiled at a stunned Fei Chuan. "I’ll invite you to dinner soon."

.....

Fei Chuan stared out of the car window, watching the scenery flash past. His eyes were deep, seemingly lost in thought. His phone vibrated continuously with notifications, as did Cheng Li’s.

Cheng Li, seated in the passenger seat, answered the calls one by one with practiced patience.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose my master’s private affairs. If you have any concerns unrelated to that, I’ll gladly assist."

"No, sir. My master is not that kind of person. I’m unsure who spread the rumors, but I suggest you refrain from believing anything unless it comes directly from those involved."

"No, madam. My master is single and not involved with any women. But I believe this matter is irrelevant to the business deal, correct?"

"Sir, please understand that this concerns my master’s private life. It will not affect our business deals. Everything will proceed as planned."

"Yes, thank you for understanding."

Cheng Li ended the most recent call, only for another one to come through immediately. With a sigh, he continued answering calls until, finally fed up, he shut his phone off.

For a moment, there was peace.

He glanced at the silent figure by the window and couldn’t help but feel exasperated. His heart cried in frustration—while he was busy cleaning up the mess, the very person responsible for it all sat in the back seat, calm and detached, as if none of it concerned him.

Fei Chuan’s phone rang this time, but he ignored it without so much as a glance.

Cheng Li could guess who was calling.

"Master," Cheng Li began carefully, his tone strained, "this scandal won’t be easy to clean up. There are too many witnesses and far too many mouths to silence. I’ve barely managed to pacify our clients and business partners, but these rumors need to be addressed."

Fei Chuan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the window.

Cheng Li frowned, his concern growing. His master was at the peak of his career and fame. Any blemish on his reputation would undoubtedly be exploited by those who envied him. It would be a tragedy if his wings were clipped before he reached even greater heights.

Even if it involved Bei Sangyun, this couldn’t be allowed to spiral further out of control.

"I can arrange a team to negotiate with the witnesses. We can shift the attention to Lin Zhe’s banishment. That way, everyone will focus on him instead of the scandal involving you and Bei Sangyun," Cheng Li proposed, already formulating a plan to deal with the rumors.

Fei Chuan turned his gaze from the window to Cheng Li. His eyes were cold and commanding. "Don’t do anything unless I order you to."

Cheng Li knew that his boss was stubborn but couldn’t suppress his concern. Despite Fei Chuan’s intimidating demeanor, he still dared to resist, "But... people will talk."

"Let them talk," Fei Chuan said, leaning back against the car seat. A faint smirk played on his lips. "Wouldn’t it be simpler if people knew she and I were together the moment they saw us?"

"But—"

"Just do as I say. If anyone asks, let them speculate," Fei Chuan cut him off, his gaze distant. Then, as if speaking to himself, he added, "She’ll do everything in her power to clean this up." A sharper smirk followed. "Not that I’ll let her."

Cheng Li nodded reluctantly. He knew how relentless his master could be when it came to Bei Sangyun.

Still, his thoughts turned to the James family—particularly that person. They wouldn’t stay quiet if they caught wind of this. Perhaps Sir William could help deflect the situation temporarily. Cheng Li could only pin his hopes on him.

"Then we need to prepare," Cheng Li reminded. "You already delayed the meeting scheduled for this morning. The clients are expecting you to host another one tonight, and they’ll likely bring up the rumors."

In order to stay with Bei Sangyun, his boss had canceled everything the previous evening and morning. Now, Cheng Li had to rearrange and compress the schedule to avoid further disruptions.

"I’ll take care of it. Do you have someone tailing Lin Zhe?" Fei Chuan asked.

"Yes. What should we do about him?"

"Give him time. Let’s see what he’s planning. When the moment is right, I’ll handle him myself."

"Understood," Cheng Li replied.

The car eventually arrived at the airport. Fei Chuan boarded his first-class suit and gazed out at the endless sky, lost in thought.