Standing Next To You-Chapter 260: Suspicions

The door of the study room opened, and a young man came out. The butler who had been waiting outside the study room immediately approached him.

"Did the head master scold you?" the butler inquired.

Lin Fei stared at his butler strangely. "You want the old man to scold me?" he retorted.

The butler remained silent. He had numerous comments about Lin Fei’s question, but he would rather keep them to himself.

Lin Fei chuckled and patted his shoulder. "It’s early in the morning for Grandfather to ruin his mood. Anyway, did you bring what I asked you about?"

The butler nodded and handed an old model of a disposable phone to him. As his young master instructed, there was indeed an old phone hidden in the bushes in the garden.

He did not know what kind of code his young master sent, but every time Lin Fei left the mansion for quite some time and returned, there would always be a disposable phone waiting for him.

Sometimes it would be found in the laundry, the kitchen, the garage, or the garden. The butler had no idea how his young master knew the locations, but he was always on point.

Lin Fei took the phone, went to the draft messages, and read each content. Every report in the draft message earned a surprised look from him.

"Uncle Ginxian accepted? Woah, incredible Sangyun. You’ve grown a lot. I wonder what deal she made to make Uncle Ginxian leave her alone."

"...Sunji did that? Tsk, tsk, stupid girl. She must have fallen into Sangyun’s trap."

"...Xiaoni is no better. She took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. Foolish girl."

"The Simon brother and sister deserved what they got. If I were her, I would have let them stay in the mountain for three more days. She’s still soft."

"Grandpa is really cruel. What kind of compensation is that?"

The butler listened to Lin Fei’s comments and also became intrigued by the reports.

Lin Fei’s steps suddenly paused, and a smirk appeared on his face. "Oh...Sanju brought Sangyun to the fourth branch? What did Sangyun discuss with them that she stayed inside the room for an hour? Interesting."

The butler caught the implication in Lin Fei’s words. The fourth branch and the third branch were at odds, constantly fighting tit for tat. It was indeed surprising that the third young miss visited them and nothing happened.

Could it be....

"Could it be they made a deal?" the butler voiced his ridiculous thoughts.

Lin Fei threw the phone back to him. "Who knows. It will be really interesting if the third and fourth branch are indeed working together."

The butler blinked. The third and fourth branch working together...it would be a miracle.

"Throw the phone for me, will you? I have to confirm some things."

Lin Fei winked at the butler and headed in the direction of the fifth branch.

*****

The cafeteria buzzed with its usual liveliness. At one table, a quiet group sat together, in stark contrast to the laughter and chatter that filled the air around them.

Wang Jia glanced around, observing Lin Sunji’s disgruntled expression as she ate alongside Zhong Cheng. On the other side of the table, Bei Sangyun sat quietly, engrossed in her own world, nibbling on a cookie.

The fact that the two Lin family members, who seemed to share a mutual dislike, were seated together at the same table was a curious sight. This wasn’t just a one-time occurrence; it had been happening for several days now.

Wang Jia turned her attention back to Lin Sunji, attempting to persuade her once more. "Sunji, about the restaurant I mentioned earlier—" She began, but Lin Sunji interrupted, clearly annoyed.

"I’ve already told you I won’t go. If you want to go so badly, then go alone," Lin Sunji retorted.

Wang Jia’s expression flickered with frustration momentarily. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go alone; rather, her allowance had been cut off after her parents discovered she had been squandering money on a bet. While she could use her student points card to eat in the cafeteria, dining outside required cash. And Lin Sunji was her source of cash.

But how could she dine out when her cash cow was spending lunchtime in the school cafeteria?

Wang Jia quickly regained her composure and persisted with her argument. "How can I go alone and leave you here?" She gestured towards Zhong Cheng, seated beside Lin Sunji like a watchful guardian. "Especially with him around. He’s been criticizing you constantly. Doesn’t it make you angry?"

Lin Sunji’s expression darkened. ’Angry’ was too mild a word to describe the emotions stirring within her these past few days.

Knowing Lin Sunji well, Wang Jia attempted to provoke her further. "I saw him bossing you around like you’re his subordinate. What right does he have to treat a Lin like that? You should report him to your family and show him who he should really fear."

Lin Sunji remained silent. If only she could report that detestable man to her family; she would have done so long ago.

Seeing that Lin Sunji didn’t respond, Wang Jia considered another approach. "...Is it because of the tyrant? Are you worried about potential conflicts between your family and the tyrant’s branch? Don’t worry about it. I can explain the situation to Auntie Li. I’m sure she’ll understand."

Wang Jia believed she was acting in Lin Sunji’s best interests, but Lin Sunji’s sudden anger caught her off guard. "Will you stop? Mind your own business," Lin Sunji snapped, her tone sharper than usual.

Wang Jia was taken aback. Lin Sunji had never spoken to her so harshly before. "...I’m just concerned about you."

"Don’t be a hypocrite. I know you’re only looking for a free meal. Go beg somewhere else," Lin Sunji retorted, clearly annoyed.

Zhong Cheng’s constant harassment had made Lin Sunji’s school life miserable, and she felt powerless to stop it, especially with Bei Sangyun’s influence looming in the background.

Lin Sunji was trapped in a situation where she had to endure until things improved in the fourth branch.

She wanted to maintain her dignity as a Lin heir and hide her true circumstances. Thankfully, aside from Wang Jia, no one seemed to suspect anything amiss. Most students assumed Zhong Cheng was simply trying to gain favor with Lin Sunji because of his association with Bei Sangyun. freёweɓnovel.com

But Lin Sunji feared that if Wang Jia kept persisting, their conversation might be overheard, revealing her predicament.

Wang Jia’s eyes widened at Lin Sunji’s harsh words. She had never seen Lin Sunji speak this way to anyone other than the tyrant. How could she treat her like this?

Tears welled up in Wang Jia’s eyes. "What do you mean, beg? Do I look like a beggar to you? I can’t believe you’d think that of me. I’m only worried about you!"

Wang Jia’s emotional outburst attracted the attention of nearby students, causing Lin Sunji to panic inwardly. If Wang Jia caused a scene, it would likely end up on the school forum, and those students who were good at playing detective might discern Lin Sunji’s true situation.

In an attempt to defuse the situation, Lin Sunji pulled Wang Jia back to her seat. "Stop it. Don’t make a scene here. Why are you shouting?"