Standing Next To You-Chapter 416: Partner in life

Bei Sangyun felt more anxious than ever because of the bizarre dream.

Fortunately, the blizzard had finally stopped. However, the signal hadn’t returned. According to the staff downstairs, the cell tower was currently being repaired, and service might be restored by the afternoon.

Bei Sangyun had no patience to wait until then. She and her companions left the hotel and braved the treacherous roads.

Due to the heavy blizzard over the past two days, the roads were buried under so much snow that driving became difficult. A journey that normally took three hours had now stretched to six. By the time they arrived at the airport, it was already afternoon.

Thankfully, the flights had resumed. While waiting for her plane, Bei Sangyun excused herself and stepped aside to check her phone.

Fei Chuan still hadn’t seen her messages, and Grandma Pei had called her once.

Bei Sangyun decided to call Maid Ye Zhai.

Her heart raced with nervousness as she waited for Maid Ye Zhai to answer. Over the past two days, her mind had been running through various scenarios of what might have happened back home. The first thought that crossed her mind was the Fei and Lin families causing trouble.

However, her rational side questioned this. If it were those two families, Butler Xin and the others she had left behind to handle them would have informed her. But she hadn’t heard from any of them.

So her suspicions turned to Fei Chuan’s affairs. Perhaps the people on his side, of whom she knew nothing, were causing trouble?

But how serious could it be that he hadn’t returned any of her calls or messages?

Finally, her scattered thoughts halted when Maid Ye Zhai answered the call.

"...Young Miss." With the clear connection, Bei Sangyun could finally hear Maid Ye Zhai’s voice clearly, detecting a slight hesitation in her tone.

"I couldn’t call back because of the blizzard. Anyway, how are things at home? The call suddenly cut off, and I didn’t catch what you were saying."

"...Y-Young Miss... I was told not to tell you so you wouldn’t worry, but I think you should know..." Maid Ye Zhai began to speak evasively, something she usually never did.

Bei Sangyun’s heart tightened. As expected, something must have happened.

"Who told you not to tell me? What happened?"

"...It’s the others... But I think you’ll understand when you see the situation. Young Master Fei..." Maid Ye Zhai paused as if carefully choosing her words. "...Young Master Fei is currently ill. He didn’t want to worry you, so he made everyone promise not to inform you."

Bei Sangyun’s heart skipped a beat, her face turning pale. "...How sick is he?"

"He... he has been unconscious for three days now."

Bei Sangyun nearly dropped the phone, her limbs weakening. Her lips trembled. "...The doctor... what did the doctor say? No, I need to speak to the doctor personally. Where is he?"

"Doctor Zhang is currently attending to Young Master Fei."

"Give the phone to him." Bei Sangyun took a deep breath and commanded sternly. She didn’t even realize her hand was shaking.

"...One moment."

Maid Ye Zhai seemed to be speaking to someone in the background. Bei Sangyun recognized Grandma Pei’s voice. After a brief conversation, Grandma Pei finally agreed.

Her voice came through in the background, "...I’m truly sorry, Sangyun. I wanted to tell you, but... I understand that the Young Master didn’t want to ruin your time with your grandmother, whom you haven’t seen in so long. I am truly sorry..."

Bei Sangyun bit her lips, trying not to snap at Grandma Pei.

Three days...

Fei Chuan had been unconscious for three days. It meant he fell ill just as she left, or perhaps he was already unwell at that time. Yet during those three days when he was suffering and needed her by his side, she was thousands of miles away, in another country, unaware of everything.

The thought of being oblivious to the suffering of the person she cared about made Bei Sangyun want to punch herself.

If only she had known that Fei Chuan was ill, she would never have left. Or if she had learned about it the moment she arrived in Country Y, she would have returned to Country C in a heartbeat.

And Grandma Bei would have certainly supported her decision.

Bei Sangyun closed her eyes, trying to calm the raging anxiety in her heart.

There was some noise in the background, and then the phone was passed to someone else.

Doctor Jang greeted her, but Bei Sangyun wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. She immediately asked about Fei Chuan’s condition.

"...He is not stable right now. Usually, the first three days are the worst, and afterward, his condition would begin to stabilize until the severe fever and coughing of blood subside—"

"H-he’s coughing blood?" Bei Sangyun asked in shock, her voice cracking.

How severe must his condition be for him to cough up blood? How had she not known about this after three days?

"...Yes. It’s supposed to stop after three days, but there’s no sign of improvement. I’m afraid this relapse might be the longest one he’s ever had."

Bei Sangyun staggered. Just hearing the words ’coughing up blood’ and learning that it showed no sign of stopping sent a chill through her.

Behind her, the airline announced that her flight was about to take off.

"...g-go..." she muttered.

Doctor Jang: "Pardon?"

"...I-I need to go... I’ll be there. Tell me everything—his history, his condition... everything about his illness—once I arrive." Bei Sangyun commanded, panic rising inside her.

At that moment, the airline announced that it was time to board her flight.

Bei Sangyun ended the call. She wasn’t even sure how she made her way back to Grandma Bei’s side.

Grandma Bei and the others seemed to be saying something, but their words were muffled, as if she were submerged deep underwater.

She had no memory of how the flight went or how she traveled from Country Y to Country C.

She only came back to her senses when the familiar villa came into view. Her hand was squeezed, and Grandma Bei spoke next to her, "The driver said this is the place."

Bei Sangyun glanced down at her hand. Grandma Bei had been holding it the entire time, but she hadn’t noticed. Both her hands were cold, and her senses felt dull.

Grandma Bei cupped her cheeks. "My dear, it will be alright. Come, let’s go meet them. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together."

Bei Sangyun slowly came back to herself. She placed her hands over Grandma Bei’s, her eyes red. "...He’s been sick, Grandma. For three days... I... I didn’t know anything..."

"It’s alright. Now that you know, you can be by his side. I’ll be with you too, and we’ll take care of him together."

Bei Sangyun nodded, taking a deep breath. She had to be strong for Fei Chuan.

She stepped out of the car. Since she had rushed here without stopping or resting, the others hadn’t expected her to arrive so soon.

Grandma Pei and the others came downstairs to meet her, but Bei Sangyun had no time for greetings.

She simply said to Maid Ye Zhai, "Please take care of Grandma Bei for me. She hasn’t rested or eaten yet."

"Leave it to me, Young Miss."

Bei Sangyun turned to Grandma Bei, holding her hand. "...This isn’t what I planned. I’m truly sorry, Grandma. When Fei Chuan recovers, we’ll celebrate your arrival with a big party—bigger than the festival in River Village."

"Don’t worry about me. Go, check on him. I’ll come to you later." Grandma Bei, not wanting to burden her anxious granddaughter, willingly followed Maid Ye Zhai.

Grandma Pei felt guilty towards Bei Sangyun, but she still led her to Fei Chuan’s room. "...You should have eaten and rested first."

"I can’t eat or rest, Grandma. All I want right now is to see him."

Grandma Pei lowered her head in shame, her eyes red. "...I’m truly sorry for hiding this from you. I only learned that his illness had relapsed when Driver Wang brought him back unconscious from the airport. He even hid his condition from me so he wouldn’t burden you. He was willing to go this far, so I felt I had no choice but to respect his wishes."

Bei Sangyun’s heart trembled.

So Fei Chuan had been sick even then?

What a foolish man. Instead of hiding it and pushing her away, he should have stopped her from leaving and asked her to take care of him.

They were each other’s partners in life; they were meant to share their burdens and sorrows.

Bei Sangyun grasped the doorknob to Fei Chuan’s room.

"Grandma, please don’t hide things like this from me again, even if he begs you to. Fei Chuan is as important to me as my own life. When he’s sick, I feel sick too."

She gave Grandma Pei a heartbreaking smile, "If he’s suffering in that bed right now, I should be suffering alongside him. That’s the role I chose in this life. So let me play my role, please?"