Standing Next To You-Chapter 584: First Encounter

[Nomoreoverwork_please]: And they hugged each other and kissed... Kyahhh!

[Moneymoneymoney]: You just made up the last part, didn’t you? There’s no way our stoic and intimidating madame would do that in front of everyone.

[WorkisLife]: I don’t believe the kissing part either. But my co-department said Madame did chase after the handsome guy. And they both confessed!

[Let’s_sleep]: I was there, and I’m telling you guys—even though I couldn’t hear the exact words, the way they looked at each other was so romantic. If my man looked at me like that, I’d start believing in love.

[Cafeteria_foodisexpensive]: If my man was that handsome, he wouldn’t even need to look at me like that. I’d just stare at him all day!

[I_love_this_company]: I know what happened, guys. It was him who said ’I love you’ first. And Boss ran after him just to say ’I love you’ back. I almost squealed! I’m a straight man, by the way.

[Can’t_takethisanymore]: Oh my goodness! I wish I had been there to witness everything. Kyahhh!

[Swiftie_atwork]: They’re going to be a power couple, right? Both are absolute top-tier in terms of looks.

[Please_support_Unis]: I’m starting a fan club right now. Everyone, join the fan page!

Immediately, people flocked to a new group chat titled PowerfulCouple@PhoenixClub. Zhong Cheng, who was also in the middle of secretly creating a fan page himself, paused when he saw the link.

How did they manage to make the fan club so fast?

It was work hours, but it seemed like things were a bit too relaxed. His employees had not only managed to make a fan club but also joined it in full force.

Zhong Cheng tsked, gave up on the fan club he was making, and joined the existing one. He began participating actively in the conversations.

It had already been three days since the event, but the excitement hadn’t died down. Especially with Fei Chuan escorting and picking up Bei Sangyun every day—opening the door for her, carrying her purse, and in his other hand, either flowers, sweets, or little gifts.

Soon, everyone in the company knew that their Big Boss was in a relationship—and that her man treated her like a princess. The whole office was buzzing with envy, but mostly, with happiness for Bei Sangyun.

And Zhong Cheng? He became one of the biggest instigators, constantly feeding the group chats with sneak photos and juicy gossip—making the chat even more lively.

This kind of activity was Zhong Cheng’s favorite pastime. It reminded him of his high school days, where he often chatted and argued with classmates in group chats. He had always been the number one supporter of the couple—back then and even now.

Zhong Cheng typed:

[I_love_this_company]: This is a good thing. Remember, as long as Boss is in love, our lives will be much easier. When the Boss is happy, so is the company. And when the company’s happy, so is our work—and our lives!

Zhong Cheng gave his advice with the wisdom of an experienced number one errand man of Bei Sangyun. As long as the couple was happy, all would be well.

The members agreed enthusiastically, and soon they began calling him "Respected Senior."

Zhong Cheng was thrilled. It made him even happier than when his employees called him "Mr. President."

As he passionately conversed with the members, Xu Tian entered his office, carrying a huge stack of files.

Zhong Cheng winced at the sight. As much as it pained him, duty called. He reluctantly put his phone aside.

Xu Tian placed the files on his desk. "I’ve reviewed them. Some are ready for signing."

Zhong Cheng nodded. "Thank you. Do you have a meeting with the other departments?"

"Yes, in ten minutes. Will you be dropping by?"

"No need. I trust your judgment in supervising them."

Xu Tian gave a nod and quietly excused himself.

Once alone, Zhong Cheng opened the first file—and was stunned. A post-it note was neatly stuck to the front page, written in clear, strong handwriting. Key points from the file were listed, and at the bottom, it read: Good for signing.

Zhong Cheng scanned the file. Thanks to the note, he quickly understood the main points and features. What’s more, the important parts had already been highlighted by Xu Tian, making everything easy to grasp.

As the note said, it really was good for signing.

He opened the next file—and it was the same. Another detailed note. More highlights. Clean, clear, efficient.

Zhong Cheng checked the third, the fourth... until he had gone through every folder on his desk.

He set down the last file, speechless.

He remembered what Xu Tian had said: "I have reviewed them. Some of them are good for signing." Xu Tian’s official job was only to supervise every department and deliver reports to him—so that Zhong Cheng could personally review and approve them. And doing that usually took a lot of time... and mental strength.

But with Xu Tian’s post-it notes, the pile of files that normally took him an entire day to read through had been cut down to just fifteen minutes.

His work....his life....had become much easier. And it was all thanks to Xu Tian.

Zhong Cheng’s eyes reddened, filled with emotion. He was amazed. Moved. From now on, Xu Tian would be his beloved brother.

Without hesitation, Zhong Cheng walked out of his office to find Xu Tian and treat him to a well-deserved lunch.

....

It was another bright day, and Bei Sangyun was humming softly as she worked. This time, she was focusing on the operations of her overseas company. She glanced at the clock—it was 12 p.m., just in time for lunch.

Soon, a message popped up on her phone:

[Fei Chuan: Hey beautiful. What do you want for lunch?]

Bei Sangyun smiled. She shut down her computer and replied:

[Bei Sangyun: I want something Italian, handsome.]

A moment later:

[Fei Chuan: Alright. I’m coming. gif]

The gif showed a man running at lightning speed with smoke trailing from his feet. Bei Sangyun chuckled.

[Bei Sangyun: I’ll be waiting. Take care.]

Ping.

[Fei Chuan: Thank you, love.]

Bei Sangyun giggled.

Love.

How sweet that word sounded.

Bei Sangyun started to retouch her makeup—applying lipstick and a touch of her favorite perfume. Her earrings and necklace sparkled delicately as she moved. Ever since she recieved the message, the smile etched on her lips had never disappeared.

Just as she was arranging her hair, Zhong Cheng entered her office.

"Boss, let’s eat together with Xu Tian. That guy is a treasure. We have to make sure he stays with our company for the long haul."

"Doing well again?" Bei Sangyun asked.

Zhong Cheng remembered what happened that morning, and his eyes teared up again. He recounted the entire story with dramatic flair. Bei Sangyun nodded thoughtfully.

"You’re just repaying him with food after all that effort?" she said. "If you really want him to stay, you need to do more than that."

Zhong Cheng was suddenly enlightened. Right—food was the easiest way, but his beloved brother Xu Tian deserved far more than that!

—

At 12:30 p.m., Fei Chuan arrived. As usual, he came to fetch Bei Sangyun from her office. This time, he brought her another thoughtful gift—a soft, ergonomically designed seat cushion, so she wouldn’t feel tired after sitting all day.

The employees he passed by greeted him warmly. He even overheard a few whispering excitedly, "That’s Madame’s boyfriend!"

Fei Chuan held back a grin.

Boyfriend.

Her boyfriend.

He really liked the sound of that.

He reached the presidential office, his smile growing wider with every step. He was eager to see her—his person.

Even though he just saw her this morning, he misses her so much. Despite being buried at work, his mind was constantly thinking of Bei Sangyun. There was not a single second that he did not think about her.

When the clock’s short hand landed on twelve, he immediately dismissed the meeting and messaged Bei Sangyun.

Finally, the hours passed, and he could see her again.

He opened the door, his expression filled with anticipation... but the moment he saw an unexpected extra person inside, his smile froze.

Bei Sangyun, Zhong Cheng, and Xu Tian all turned to look at him.

Zhong Cheng’s face lit up. "You’re here, brother-in-law! Perfect timing—I wanted you to meet someone. This is Xu Tian, our vice president. He’s incredibly capable and talented."

"He’s a reliable and valuable asset to the company," Bei Sangyun added with a smile. "Also, he’s a friend of Lin Sunji."

Xu Tian bowed politely. "My superiors are being too kind. I simply work hard because the company treats me better than I deserve." He then greeted Fei Chuan. "Nice to meet you, sir. I’ve heard a lot about you."

Fei Chuan’s smile faded. His expression turned stoic as he nodded. "Likewise."

Though he hadn’t heard about Xu Tian—he had dug around.

Bei Sangyun’s eyes curved into a soft smile. "We were discussing this earlier—if ever you’re short on manpower here in the country, Xu Tian can help. I recommend him. He’s very skilled, and if he learns under you, he’ll become even more formidable. Likewise, he can also be a great help to you. But remember—you’re only borrowing him. He still belongs to us."

Xu Tian bowed slightly. "I’ll be of service whenever you need me."

Earlier, Zhong Cheng had thought about what could benefit Xu Tian the most—something even top companies couldn’t easily offer. Then it came to him: knowledge and connections.

And their most powerful connection... was Fei Chuan. He had both the global influence and insight that Xu Tian could learn from. Zhong Cheng brought this up to Bei Sangyun, and she agreed it was a great idea.

Fei Chuan’s brow twitched. He glanced at Bei Sangyun, who looked genuinely pleased while introducing Xu Tian to him.

It was rare for her to speak so openly, let alone praise someone like that. Though he didn’t want to overthink it, a twinge of bitterness gnawed at him. After all, in the previous life, Bei Sangyun had chased Xu Tian—and liked him.

Surely... she didn’t feel that way anymore. Right?

Fei Chuan swallowed the bitter taste in his throat and masked the hostility in his gaze.

"Sure," he replied calmly.

Xu Tian met his eyes but quickly looked away. As a perceptive man, he sensed the tension behind Fei Chuan’s composed exterior. A subtle hostility lingered—unspoken, but not unnoticed.

It seemed he and this man wouldn’t become close friends—or develop the kind of relationship their superiors were hoping for.

Unbeknownst to them, they had just met the brother they never had in their past lives. A new thread of fate was beginning to weave between them—not of rivalry, but of eventual brotherhood.

This was the start of Fei Chuan having a brother—not by blood, but by bond.