Standing Next To You-Chapter 233: Fei Chuan’s fan

Bei Sangyun tilted her head with a smile, "Why did I never notice before that you’re this interesting? If the fourth branch had chosen you as an heir over Lin Sunji, you guys wouldn’t be in this predicament."

Lin Sanju has the brains and guts. He was someone Bei Sangyun would watch out for. However, this man never revealed this side to the Lin family. Only now, Bei Sangyun witnessed this aspect of him.

Really, what a wasted opportunity for the fourth branch.

"If the fourth branch chose to support me, do you think I would have been able to live peacefully? I might not have reached this age." Lin Sanju shook his head, "I need to be low key to survive."

Bei Sangyun laughed again.

Lin Sanju was right. The first and second branches were already at each other’s throats. How many times had Lin Zhe and Lin Feng gotten into accidents when they were young?

Lin Xiaoni and Lin Sunji were both naive and not perceived as threats by the first and second branches. But if Lin Sanju, a kid who excelled and had the ability and potential to become a capable heir, gained the support of his branch, the first and second branches would undoubtedly target him first. Lin Sanju would face many threats as he grew up.

So, he had actually made a wise choice.

Interesting.

Bei Sangyun finally showed a sincere smile, "It turns out I lack manpower. You will definitely be a good pawn to use."

Lin Sanju’s tight expression finally relaxed.

"But—" Bei Sangyun continued, making him on guard again.

"I have one last question. What makes you think I am capable of succeeding? Don’t tell me it’s just your intuition."

Bei Sangyun was most curious about it. Right now, she had not made significant movements for others to take notice of her. So, how was Lin Sanju confident in her abilities?

There was a silence for a short while before Lin Sanju answered.

"I...noticed that you know Fei Chuan."

His reply once again surprised Bei Sangyun.

Bei Sangyun: Fei Chuan? Why was he being mentioned here?

"On the first day that Fei Chuan arrived here, the first thing you did was suppress him. Many people have forgotten who Fei Chuan is, but I haven’t. I still see that kid who surpassed everyone at his age, making the adults gawk at his intelligence." Lin Sanju’s gaze was far, reminiscing about the past.

"You know he can threaten your position, so you opted for that method. At first, I thought you were making a big mistake. It is Fei Chuan, you know." There was a hint of admiration in his voice.

Bei Sangyun looked at him, stunned. Was he a fan of Fei Chuan’s?

Fei Chuan actually has a fan? Wow. That was a first.

"I thought you would be crushed by him. But, he didn’t make a move against you. He tolerated and endured it. At first, I thought it was because of his situation in the Fei family, but later on, I noticed how he treated you differently."

Bei Sangyun blinked. Fei Chuan treated her differently? How?

She was very curious about this and asked interestingly, "What makes you say so?"

In Bei Sangyun’s eyes, Fei Chuan treated her poorly and ignored her, much like he did with everyone else.

It was Lin Sanju’s turn to be surprised. He blinked at her blankly. "You did not know? I thought you knew he treated you differently; that’s why you are taking advantage of it."

"What? When did I take advantage of him? He treated me like everyone else! I have to work my ass off so that bad-tempered man accepts being in the same space with me." Bei Sangyun defended herself.

"I don’t think he would tolerate that much if it weren’t for you. The people who bullied him suffered without knowing he was the one causing it. But you, on the other hand, have never been schemed by him. Not only that, but he let you sit beside him, stick around him, and even agreed to be your partner. There must be something about you that he tolerates."

Lin Sanju’s face suddenly turned bitter, "I once tried to get on his good side, but I was ruthlessly snubbed. It was very hard to approach him and get his approval. But you managed to do it. In fact, I think he is considering you as his equal. Someone who makes him see them as equal is surely exceptional. And it seems he wasn’t wrong."

Bei Sangyun was speechless. So, she got noticed by Lin Sanju because of Fei Chuan?

What a novel way of attracting someone’s attention.

She did not know what to feel.

But Lin Sanju had a point. Fei Chuan was indeed exceptional. Especially after her conversation with that mysterious man who helped Fei Chuan buy the earrings at the auction, Bei Sangyun realized that Fei Chuan was far superior than the past her.

She got what she has now because of her experience in the industry and memories from the previous lifetime, but Fei Chuan did not have those advantages. However, he was already building his power somewhere she did not know. And it wasn’t meager either.

It was because of that discovery that Bei Sangyun became even more passionate about building up her power and working harder. She did not want to fall behind Fei Chuan.

Bei Sangyun suddenly stood up and approached Lin Sanju. She extended her hand for a handshake, "Your reasoning is acceptable. I am accepting your offer. However, you need to do what I tell you from now on. Are you confident that the fourth branch will support me and serve me as their Master?"

Lin Sanju took her hand, "The paper in your hand will make it possible. I will also work behind the scenes to make it work."

Bei Sangyun smiled, easing up the tense atmosphere between them, "I’ll be looking forward to working with you, then."

Lin Sanju finally sighed in relief.

He was really not confident Bei Sangyun would accept his offer. If Bei Sangyun had not accepted it, then Lin Sanju would have no choice but to leave the country and start somewhere overseas. If the fourth branch’s downfall could not be avoided, Lin Sanju could only save himself.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too late, and Bei Sangyun was willing to help the fourth branch for him. Since she accepted him and gave another chance to the fourth branch, he should work hard to not disappoint her.

*****

Additional Scene:

Twelve Years Ago

There was a significant competition for the Math Olympiad in their community that captured the young Lin Sanju’s interest.

Even before he could read, he delved into a basic math book, fascinated by numbers and problem-solving. His analytical skills and comprehension were advanced, and his memory surpassed that of most children his age.

After mastering the basics, he eagerly tackled more advanced books meant for middle school kids. His enthusiasm grew as he realized that many children older than him struggled with problems he effortlessly solved.

In the capital, a community brought together children from prominent families was made. That year, they organized a competition, a way for families to showcase their children’s talents to others.

At the age of seven, Lin Sanju eagerly joined the competition, unimpressed by the older kids who were participating at that time. Even Jang Shin, a child often boasted about by the Jang family, seemed mediocre in his eyes. He was confident he could outshine them all; his intuition told him so.

However, his confidence crumbled when he witnessed a six-year-old solving a challenging math problem within seconds. This petite child, smaller than Lin Sanju, proved to be much faster and superior. For the first time, the seven-year-old Lin Sanju, who believed no one could be as good as him, tasted defeat.

His interest in math died, and he started to explore another hobby. His second love became computers and technology. The fundamentals of computers were basic to him and seemed like fun. Lin Sanju fell in love with playing and exploring the computer, and no one his age seemed to understand it like he did.

When there was a competition for basic programming and computer skills, ranging from kids to high schoolers, Lin Sanju eagerly joined.

He was unstoppable, and many kids admired him. His competitors were all older kids, and he was the youngest in the competition. However, everything changed when he reached the finals. There, he encountered that exceptional kid again.

Lin Sanju was only starting when the fair little kid stood up from his chair without much emotion, and the judges showered him with praise.

Dumbfounded, Lin Sanju only realized that he had lost. He came in second again. He looked at the stage where the fair little kid was surrounded by adults, praising him. However, the kid did not seem fazed by their admiration. He looked rather bored and irritated.

At that time, Lin Sanju hated that kid, but mostly, he was envious of him. So he worked hard on his skills in both math and programming. The next year, he joined again, but that fair little kid, who had taken everyone’s admiration, was nowhere to be found.

Lin Sanju won first place for the first time, but he wasn’t that happy. He couldn’t beat that fair kid’s record; he was nowhere near his half.

He practiced and developed his skills, joining the competition again the next year. He won the competition thrice in a row. However, the first and second branches started to notice his abilities, and he got hurt during an accident. At that time, his intuition told him he wouldn’t survive if he drew their attention again.

Choosing to stay low-key, he refrained from participating in the competition. He lost the will to compete because it had become mundane, and he never managed to surpass that little kid’s record, even after winning thrice in a row.

He visited the competition every year, but he never once saw the fair little kid again.

Since then, that fair little kid, who appeared so grandly and disappeared mysteriously, lingered like a shadow in his mind. Someone he couldn’t surpass, someone he looked up to and wished to defeat. Eventually, that fair little kid became a person he admired and became a living legend in his heart.