Standing Next To You-Chapter 498: Helping Lin Fei

The table fell silent once again. The server finally excused himself, making the room even more awkward.

Bei Sangyun held her cup, feeling aanxious inside. Had she somehow offended him again?

Opposite her, Fei Chuan put down his cup and broke the silence. "Right. I heard the Lin family is in trouble. If you don’t mind me asking, are you going to involve yourself in this matter?"

Bei Sangyun was relieved that Fei Chuan was still willing to talk. The anxiety in her heart began to settle.

"When I first arrived at the Lin mansion, the only person who came to me and taught me how to survive in that place was Lin Fei. Although our relationship soured afterward, he still helped me last time. Lin Sanju and I are grateful to him. So, I’m going to help," Bei Sangyun answered. Besides, Lin Fei’s involvement in drugs didn’t seem as voluntary as she had thought.

Maybe there was more to the story. She had to find out.

Fei Chuan nodded. "If that’s the case, then I’ll help as well."

Bei Sangyun was about to protest, but Fei Chuan spoke first. "I know you’re going to say you don’t want to burden me and that it’s not necessary. But I have plenty of connections in the field, and it would be a waste not to use them. Let me help."

Fei Chuan smiled. "I’ll be really upset this time if you refuse me again."

Their eyes met. Fei Chuan’s pleading gaze softened Bei Sangyun’s heart.

She sighed in defeat. "Alright. It will indeed be much easier with your help. Thank you."

Fei Chuan’s eyes finally lit up. The awkward and tense mood began to shift into a harmonious one.

.....

Inside the Capital’s police station, in one of the high-security interrogation rooms, Lin Fei was being held in custody.

The detective who had been interrogating him received a call from outside. He stood up, "Someone wants to talk to you. This isn’t something we usually allow, but we’ll be watching from outside." He pointed at the cameras around the room.

The detective stepped out, and shortly after, Bei Sangyun entered the room.

Lin Fei, who had been silent all this time, looked up and froze when he saw her.

"...Sangyun."

Bei Sangyun nodded and sat down across from him.

"We only have five minutes, so answer my questions directly. Lin Sanju, Fei Chuan, and I will do our best to get you out of here."

Lin Fei calmed down and nodded. He knew getting in here was not easy.

"Are you using drugs intentionally?" Bei Sangyun began her questions.

"I’m only using the medication that my doctor prescribed to me. I bought it from their clinic. I didn’t know it wasn’t what I thought I was taking."

Bei Sangyun’s gaze turned solemn. So that’s how it had started.

"How long have you been seeing this doctor?"

Lin Fei hesitated for a moment. He took a deep breath before answering, "...Four years ago."

Bei Sangyun paused, gazing at Lin Fei while concealing the surprise in her heart.

Lin Fei avoided her eyes. "But the doctor only started prescribing me the medication two years ago when my condition worsened."

"...Depression, is it?"

Lin Fei chuckled bitterly. "Yeah. Who would’ve thought that I, the most easygoing in this family, would be diagnosed with depression? But that’s how it is. In this family, you either end up crazy or as a villain."

Bei Sangyun lowered her gaze. She couldn’t disagree with that, as someone who ended up both.

But she never expected that Lin Fei, the most happy-go-lucky person she knew, actually struggled with depression—and that it had worsened to the point where he was seeing a doctor. This was the first time she’d heard about it. Even in her previous life, she hadn’t known Lin Fei had suffered from this sickness.

No wonder he had ended up that way.

Bei Sangyun took a deep breath and pressed on.

"Do you have any idea who might be behind this?"

"Perhaps Lin Zhe," Lin Fei replied with a faint smile. "He’s desperate enough to resort to these kinds of tricks."

"You know what I’m asking," Bei Sangyun said firmly. "Is there anyone close to you who might’ve manipulated you? Someone who could have swapped your medication bottle, perhaps?"

Lin Fei’s smile faded at her question. He fell silent.

Bei Sangyun waited patiently. Lin Fei snapped his head up again. "Chuan Xingyu. She’s the only person aside from my personal butler who could’ve done that."

Bei Sangyun took note of the name. She asked a few more questions in hopes of uncovering leads, but Lin Fei remained mostly clueless.

"You might experience withdrawal symptoms later. I’ll have a doctor ready to assist you. Please bear with this place for a few more days," Bei Sangyun said as she stood up. The five minutes were up.

"Bei Sangyun," Lin Fei called out, his voice stopping her in her tracks. She paused and turned to face him.

Lin Fei looked at her sincerely. "I am truly sorry for what I put you through back then. Believe it or not, my only intention was to help you survive. But the truth is, you didn’t need my help. You grew on your own—stronger and more charming than I could have imagined."

His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I only realized too late that I was no different from your father. My so-called ’help’ was what hurt you the most. I understand if you can’t forgive me. I just wanted to apologize—and to thank you for still helping me despite everything."

A moment of silence hung between them. Bei Sangyun met Lin Fei’s sincere gaze. For a fleeting second, she saw the older Lin Fei—the broken, drunken man who visited her grave. That was the first and last time he ever visited.

’Let’s not meet again—not in the afterlife, nor in any life... Let’s only meet when neither of us is broken anymore.’

Was this what he meant by ’not broken’?

The Lin Fei she knew back then would never apologize or utter these words. The current him now was still holding on—barely—clutching the fragile pieces of himself that were about to shatter.

The door opened, and the detective poked his head in. "Five minutes are up. Please leave."

Bei Sangyun ignored him and turned back to Lin Fei.

"...Apology accepted."

Right. Like Lin Fei, she could also hold on and put the past behind her. Though she had been broken once, she could pick up the pieces and piece herself back together—little by little.

If not for herself, then for the people she loved. For Fei Chuan.