Standing Next To You-Chapter 382: Sweet Reliance

The car’s floor slightly vibrated beneath their feet. The night scene flashed past the car’s window. In the back seat, Bei Sangyun and Fei Chuan held hands. Since they met earlier, they hadn’t let go of each other’s hands.

After the phone call, Fei Chuan convinced Grandma Pei and the others to leave first with the Third Chief. Since Fei Chuan insisted on returning to the Fei mansion to get Bei Sangyun, the Third Chief had no choice but to send the car that was on standby back to the Fei residence with Fei Chuan .

Fortunately, before Fei Chuan barged into the Fei mansion, he found Bei Sangyun.

Bei Sangyun felt Fei Chuan’s ice-cold fingers and the unusual warmth coming out from him. She touched his forehead. It was hot. His fever had relapsed again. freewebnoveℓ.com

"...I’m fine," Fei Chuan said, noticing the worry in Bei Sangyun’s eyes. He took the hand on his forehead and squeezed it to reassure her. "After one night’s rest, my fever will be gone."

"Mhm. You have to get a lot of rest then," Bei Sangyun said, sitting up straighter and inching closer. "I’ll let you borrow my shoulder. There’s still a bit of time before we arrive at our destination, so take a nap."

Fei Chuan smiled lightly. "Ah, how tempting."

He leaned on her small shoulder and cuddled next to her. Bei Sangyun gently patted his head, her other hand still holding his.

Fei Chuan’s hair was no longer wet, but his hands were icy cold. The image of him drenched with cold water while trembling with fever made Bei Sangyun’s heart ache with both anger and distress.

To be honest, she knew that Fei Chuan’s situation in that household was not any better than hers. From the reports she gathered, she learned that he had suffered abuse from Fei Min over the last two years. But she thought nothing much of it at first.

After all, she had seen Fei Chuan also enduring the same abuse from the school bullies. But at that time, her feelings for Fei Chuan were not deep. She might have gotten angry because others were bullying him under her name, but she had never felt this burning pain as if she herself were being hit ten times over.

But after falling in love with Fei Chuan, she could not watch with the same indifference as before. Seeing him being badly treated like that made her blood boil and her reasoning snap. All she wanted to do was smash that bastard’s face into a pulp and drown everyone in that mansion in the frozen lake.

"Bei Sangyun."

A soft call snapped Bei Sangyun out of her dark thoughts. She responded softly.

"Yes."

"...Thank you."

Fei Chuan gazed up and rested his chin on her shoulder. His cheeks were flushed red from the fever. "...Thank you for getting angry for my sake."

With Fei Chuan leaning on her and speaking softly, Bei Sangyun was momentarily stunned.

Fei Chuan had always been tough and stubborn. No matter what situation he was in, he never sought help nor relied on anyone.

When they first made the deal about protecting him, it never felt like Fei Chuan was relying on her. That deal was purely a give-and-take arrangement—a strict business with no strings attached.

There was some progress when they started dating. Because Fei Chuan let Bei Sangyun do whatever she wanted and accepted everything she did for him, she felt they were finally on equal terms.

But now, she could sense that Fei Chuan was slowly learning to rely on her, placing his trust in her. He was finally revealing this vulnerable side of him and was willing for her to see it.

This feeling... was like the hand she had reached out a long time ago was finally accepted by him.

It was as if the door that had once been opened a small gap, just enough for her to peek through, was now fully opened, welcoming her in.

Bei Sangyun’s heart thumped crazily fast.

She was going insane. Even at this moment, with Fei Chuan sick and looking vulnerable, all she wanted to do was kiss him.

She swallowed and pushed that desire to the corner of her heart. "...Aren’t you angry? I just made a mess and made you leave the Fei mansion. I have intervened more than I should have."

Fei Chuan shook his head slowly. His soft hair tickled her neck. "No. I am not mad. I had planned to leave that place long ago. Actually, I planned to leave after graduation. The plan just got pushed forward."

This also coincided with the timeline of the past. In the previous timeline, Fei Chuan indeed left the Fei family right after graduation. He went abroad and returned as a different person.

"But I made you expose your secrets to them. The entire Fei family must know by now that you have their secrets." Fei Chuan must have been holding onto this as a weapon to use in the future. However, because of her interference, he had drawn this valuable weapon to save her.

Thinking back, Bei Sangyun felt guilty. If she had thought of a better plan, Fei Chuan might not have needed to expose himself and become a target of the Fei family.

Fei Chuan poked her sulking cheeks. "I am not mad. I have other ways to get back at them. It doesn’t matter if they know I have their dirty secrets or not."

Bei Sangyun knew that Fei Chuan was saying these things to make her feel better. He might have other ways and other plans even without this weapon, but she did not plan to inch away from the responsibility of the mess she made today.

"The Fei family will surely be on your tail. They will try to get you back. But don’t worry. I’ll protect you. Since this matter is partly my fault, I will be responsible for you for the rest of my life."

Fei Chuan chuckled softly at Bei Sangyun’s serious expression. "Is this one of your tactics to keep me tied to you?"

"Yes. As I said, I will marry you."

Normally, Fei Chuan would look away in embarrassment and change the subject when Bei Sangyun made such bold confessions. But this time, he held her solemn gaze.

It felt as if time had slowed down. The sound of the car engine faded into the background, and the vibrations beneath her feet disappeared. Everything behind Fei Chuan blurred into obscurity.

Bei Sangyun saw it clearly: how Fei Chuan’s brow curved gently, how his dark eyes sparkled, and how that charming smile blossomed on his flushed face.

"Okay," he muttered softly, his tone laced with sweet trust and warm affection.