Standing Next To You-Chapter 411: Leaving the Lin mansion

Lin Ginxian watched from the second-floor window as Bei Sangyun got into the car, accompanied by her personal maid and driver.

She never once looked back at the house behind her. The car sped away, leaving no trace of her shadow.

The room was heavy with silence.

Butler Dan glanced at his master, who was still staring out the window. Hesitantly, he broke the silence. "Master, it seems the Young Miss will not be coming back for a long time."

Lin Ginxian gave no response.

Thinking his master might not be convinced, Butler Dan continued, "Earlier, the Young Miss’s maid and driver bid farewell to the other workers in our branch. They didn’t say where they were going or when they would return, but they took their belongings with them."

What Butler Dan didn’t mention was his suspicion that the Young Miss wouldn’t be coming back. The maid and driver, who rarely interacted with the other workers, had earlier thanked those they should and said their goodbyes to the few people they had been close to.

It felt like they were saying their final farewells.

"...And her? Did she take anything with her?" Lin Ginxian finally spoke, his voice quiet, as he continued to face the window.

Butler Dan recalled what he had seen, still puzzled. "The Young Miss was only carrying a small box. I believe it was jewelry."

Butler Dan couldn’t understand what the Young Miss was thinking. If she was leaving, shouldn’t she at least take her belongings? If not all, then at least the valuable ones. After all the years she spent in the Lin mansion, surely there was more than one item of value.

"Just the one?" Even Lin Ginxian seemed perplexed.

"Yes, Master. I didn’t see her take anything else."

Lin Ginxian nodded. "I see... You may leave now."

The door closed, leaving Lin Ginxian alone in the room.

He remained standing by the window. The setting sun cast a long shadow behind him, making the room feel gloomy and desolate.

.....

"Where is she?" Lin Fei demanded as he arrived at the third branch, but it was too late.

His spy from the third branch had sent him a message, but he was too distracted by the party to notice it in time. By the time he finally read it, several hours had passed.

"I’m sorry, Young Master. She has already left," his butler reported.

"Already? Damn it. I thought she wasn’t going to come today."

Unlike the other family members who had arrived early in the morning to spend the entire day at the Lin mansion preparing for the family dinner, Lin Fei had avoided the event, opting to have fun in a distant city instead.

He assumed Bei Sangyun wouldn’t show up, so he hadn’t planned on joining. But she had come unexpectedly, though she didn’t stay for the family dinner.

"Young Master, since you’re already here, you should join the family dinner. I’ll prepare a hangover soup to help sober you up."

"No need. I have no appetite for dinner. Have you found her address?"

"Not yet, Young Master. The Third Miss is very meticulous. She didn’t leave any trace behind. It might take our people some time to locate her residence."

The young butler had been tasked with finding out where Bei Sangyun was currently staying, but it proved difficult. Every lead they followed ended in a dead end, leaving them without answers.

"Why can’t you find it? It’s just a house within the country. Are the people you hired even doing their jobs?" Lin Fei’s tone grew snappy, clearly frustrated with his butler’s fruitless search.

"I’ll hire more people and expand the search. Perhaps we could try visiting the school again?" The butler suggested, attempting to pacify his boss.

But Lin Fei snapped again, "This is review season. Most students are studying in their own place. She and that boy won’t be at school. If I could visit them at school, I wouldn’t have asked you to find their address. This is obvious—how could you suggest such a thing? Are you even thinking?"

The young butler lowered his head at Lin Fei’s harsh scolding, feeling a bit wronged. He was just trying to be helpful but ended up being reprimanded instead.

The Young Master had been in a bad temper lately.

Lin Fei noticed his butler’s silence. He knew the man was just trying to be helpful, yet he had snapped at him. Annoyed, Lin Fei cursed inwardly.

Why was his temper so short these days? Why did everything seem so irritating?

He unbuttoned his shirt. "I need a shower."

Under the shower, Lin Fei tried to calm his nerves. Lately, he had been quick to anger. His patience was wearing thin, and even the smallest things set him off. He wasn’t like this before. He used to laugh at his subordinates’ mistakes and even crack jokes in tough situations. But now, his temper was out of control.

He couldn’t believe he had spoken so harshly to his butler, who was only trying to help. What was wrong with him?

Was he too pressured by his environment? Or perhaps he was irritable because he hadn’t seen his favorite cousin, and their relationship was growing distant? After all, in this house, Bei Sangyun was the only person he truly considered his own.

And now, seeing her slip out of his grasp little by little must have been what irked him, turning him into the impatient man he had become.

Maybe he just needed to vent this pent-up frustration.

Lin Fei turned off the shower and dried himself. He picked up his phone.

There was one way he knew to blow off steam. It was very effective these past weeks. After just one night, his mind and body would feel light again, as if he were a brand-new person. He missed that feeling.

He called the number, and a woman’s voice answered on the other end.

"You called. Miss me?"

"Yeah. I’ll be at the hotel tonight. Be ready."

"Sure."

Lin Fei quickly changed and went downstairs. His butler noticed him looking refreshed and was relieved, thinking his young master had changed his mind. But when he saw Lin Fei heading for the car, he was stunned and hurried after him.

"Where are you going, Young Master?"

"I have an appointment tonight. I can manage on my own. Treat yourself tonight." Lin Fei closed the door.

"What about the family dinner? You have to attend the family dinner!" The butler ran after the car, but no matter how much he shouted, the car still drove away.

The young butler screamed inwardly in frustration.

The young master he was serving was getting worse by the day. Agh.

....

It was already dark when Bei Sangyun returned to the villa. She had informed Fei Chuan on the way that she would be bringing her maid and driver with her.

When their group arrived, Grandma Pei and the others stood at the entrance to welcome them.

"Come on, we’ve cooked plenty of dishes. Tonight will be a feast!" Grandma Pei invited everyone to the dining table.

The long table was filled with delicious food. With so many people in the dining room, it truly felt like a celebration.

Maid Ye Zhai and Driver Chen instantly clicked with Maid Yan and Driver Wang. They were especially kind to Grandma Pei.

As colleagues in the same field, they found plenty to talk about and relate to.

The villa was filled with their laughter and lively conversation. Even the typically stoic Maid Ye Zhai couldn’t help but smile throughout the evening.

The lively atmosphere affected Bei Sangyun. When was the last time she had seen the dining table this delightful?

Bei Sangyun watched as her favorite people, smiling, interacted with one another.

This scene would be perfect if her grandma were here.

Thinking of her, Bei Sangyun couldn’t help but tear up, missing her dearly.

A hand suddenly held hers under the table.

Fei Chuan, who was sitting beside her, leaned closer and whispered, "Are you alright?"

Bei Sangyun glanced at him. Seeing his concerned face up close, she couldn’t help but smile, her eyes softening.

"...Yeah. I just wish Grandma were here. Everyone I love is in this room except her. How I wish we could have days like this with her every day."

Fei Chuan gently squeezed her hand. "How about we bring Grandma here tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Bei Sangyun was surprised. She had indeed planned to bring Grandma Bei here, but not as soon as tomorrow.

"Why not? You left the Lin family today without even informing your father or the head of the Lin family that you wouldn’t be coming back. And remember, after you asked me if I was willing to leave the Fei mansion, I agreed right away. Although these decisions might seem reckless, they are things we’ve wanted for a long time. So why wait? Let’s just do it. You taught me that."

Bei Sangyun was moved by Fei Chuan’s words.

He was right. There was no need to delay.

Her eyes lit up. "Alright. Let’s bring her tomorrow. We should tell the others."

Bei Sangyun happily shared the news, and Grandma Pei and the others agreed with her decision.

They, too, were excited to meet Grandma Bei. Over dinner, they discussed what to prepare for the welcoming party for Grandma Bei.

Bei Sangyun actively participated in the discussion, her eyes twinkling as she listened and shared her ideas for the party.

Fei Chuan watched her with a smile, but his expression shifted as he felt a burning sensation at the back of his throat.

He quickly let go of Bei Sangyun’s hand and covered his mouth.

Though subtle, his movement caught Bei Sangyun’s attention.

She turned to him, noticing his discomfort. "Are you okay? Do you need to spit it out?" she asked, offering her hand.

She thought he might have eaten something bad and wanted to spit it out.

All eyes at the dining table turned to Fei Chuan.

Feeling the pressure of their stares, Fei Chuan shook his head and gestured toward the bathroom. As soon as Bei Sangyun nodded, he quickly left.

Bei Sangyun watched his retreating figure, a bit concerned.

Did he really eat something bad?

"Does Mrs. Bei have a favorite color or preferred style? I’ll be preparing her room tomorrow," Maid Yan asked, resuming their earlier discussion.

Bei Sangyun’s attention immediately shifted. She responded enthusiastically, "Grandma loves retro style..."

The lively discussion resumed, and the brief incident with Fei Chuan went unnoticed by the others.

In the bathroom, Fei Chuan spat into the sink. Seeing the red blood, he frowned.

The bitter, rusty taste confirmed that he had just coughed up blood—a symptom of his illness relapsing.

Fei Chuan looked at his reflection in the mirror. His pale face and blood-smeared lips mirrored the worry in his eyes.

"...Don’t get sick now. Not now."

He didn’t want to ruin Bei Sangyun’s happiness because of his illness.