Standing Next To You-Chapter 257: Lin Fei visits

"What do you mean, ’little servant’? This guy is ten years older than me." Lin Fei clarified.

"Really? He seems so innocent and naive though." The young lady glanced at the personal butler with a hint of flirtation in her eyes. "I like older men with innocent eyes. Is the space next to you free tonight?"

The personal butler remained composed, unfazed by the flirtatious advances. "..."

What ’older men’? He was only in his thirties. He was still pretty young.

Nonetheless, he wouldn’t compromise his professionalism and ethics, especially in the face of such overt flirtation.

Stepping back and lowering his head, he silently conveyed his rejection.

The young lady clicked her tongue in disappointment. Turning to Lin Fei, she remarked, "Your servant is quite stoic indeed. Anyway, I enjoyed swimming with you tonight. As for your request, I’ll look into it."

"Thank you. Let’s have fun next time."

As the young lady departed, Lin Fei turned teasingly to his butler. "Do you have any idea whom you just turned down?"

The personal butler met his gaze. Despite his extensive knowledge of high society, the young lady’s identity didn’t register in his memory. She was either unknown or perhaps not from the upper echelons of society like the Lin family.

Seeing that the butler didn’t recognize the young lady’ face, Lin Fei smiled knowingly. "Naturally, you wouldn’t be aware. She is a hidden daughter of the Chuan family. She’s kept a secret because she’s illegitimate, but she’s still a Chuan by blood. You’re familiar with the Fei family, aren’t you?"

"Yes. The two families were connected by marriage, but that bond shattered eleven years ago." The personal butler recited it as he remembered.

"Exactly. It was meant to be a formidable alliance between two influential clans. However, a tiger and a lion can’t peacefully coexist. The partnership was severed and never repaired."

The personal butler recalled the scandal involving the Chuan and Fei families during his studies of high society. This scandal left quite a huge impression on him. Especially, that young boy who caused quite a stir a long time ago.

"The rift remained, but they produced a remarkable individual---a ’monster’ called by the young masters of his generation." the personal butler added, following Lin Fei’s lead.

"Oh, you’ve heard of him too?" Lin Fei’s eyes sparkled with intrigue. "If my cousin hadn’t introduced him to me, I wouldn’t have known such an amazing kid exists here. Growing up elsewhere has its drawbacks; I’ve missed out on a lot."

The personal butler remained puzzled by his young master’s cryptic remarks.

Who introduced who? Didn’t you stalk them?

Steering the conversation back to the matter at hand, he interjected, "Young Master, when do you plan to return to the mansion? The headmaster mentioned your absence. If you delay further, your father might personally intervene."

"Are you trying to guilt-trip me now? I’m wounded," Lin Fei feigned hurt, rising from the pool. "Since you’re so eager for me to return home, I’ll make my way there tomorrow. Satisfied?"

The personal butler sighed inwardly. He talked about the fourth branch, but the young master seemed to have forgotten it all and was more interested in matters that weren’t concerning him.

*****

"Young Miss, I think you should switch to a lighter jacket," Maid Ye Zhai encouraged Bei Sangyun as the latter twirled in front of the mirror wearing a grey coat.

Fei Chuan’s coat was a winter one with a thick padded jacket. Now that the cold weather had subsided, it wouldn’t be suitable to wear such a heavy jacket.

But Bei Sangyun hugged the jacket around her, insisting, "It’s comfy. I can wear this all year round."

Maid Ye Zhai shook her head with a light smile, "If you say so." She took her bag and followed Bei Sangyun out. Since the young miss was happy with it, so be it.

The two were in a joyful mood as they went downstairs. However, all their joy suddenly evaporated when they saw a familiar person in the living room.

Butler Xin noticed the change in Bei Sangyun’s expression and became nervous. But with another person present, he couldn’t defend himself and could only say, "The second young master insisted on waiting—"

Lin Fei stood up from the couch, a goofy smile spreading across his handsome face. "Surprise, cousin. Don’t you miss me?"

Bei Sangyun didn’t greet him back and turned to Butler Xin with a questioning gaze. Butler Xin lowered his gaze.

The second young master had suddenly shown up out of nowhere and insisted on staying. Butler Xin hadn’t informed Bei Sangyun yet when the two came down from the stairs. He hadn’t had time to report this man’s presence.

And because the people here knows he worked for Lin Ginxian, Butler Xin couldn’t just shoo this man away without a good reason.

"Cousin, aren’t you going to greet me?" Lin Fei pouted. "I woke up earlier and put you first before grandfather. Aren’t you moved?"

Bei Sangyun continued to descend the stairs, her face devoid of a smile. She seemed expressionless, but only she knew how complicated her feelings were.

"...Why are you here?" The person she sent to watch this man’s movement did not report any anomaly. Had he returned discreetly?

Lin Fei smiled, "I sent you letters almost every day. But you didn’t reply to me once. I am hurt. But I am a devoted brother. So I came to see you first before anyone else."

Bei Sangyun glanced at him, not taking his words to heart. "You see me now. Is there anything else? I still have to go to school."

"You are as cold as ever, cousin. I thought you changed. I’m kinda glad you didn’t," a mysterious smile glittered in his eyes.

Bei Sangyun was familiar with that smile. He always showed this smile when he was planning something devious.

She narrowed her eyes. What had she done to manage to get his interest again?

With a sigh, she decided she didn’t want to play mind games with him so early in the morning.

"If that’s all, then I’ll leave first." Bei Sangyun didn’t bother about him anymore and got into the car.

Lin Fei watched her leave and waved with a smile. He seemed to have really visited the third branch just to greet her. His personal butler behind him glanced at his young master skeptically.

That’s all?

His young master, who didn’t wake up early, got up so early in the morning and excitedly dropped by the third mansion rather than the main one. And only to greet the third young miss?

The personal butler sighed and decided not to dwell on it any longer.

He was used to his young master’s eccentricities, especially around the third young miss.

"...Something has really changed. She is different from the last time I saw her," Lin Fei muttered.

"Different?" The personal butler asked. ’Didn’t you say you were glad that she was still the same?’

What was so different? The third young miss was still the same—calm, expressionless, and cold around his young master, ignoring him most of the time.

"Hmmm... It’s like seeing a dead body suddenly come to life? I thought she would be dead in the house, but you saw her when she was walking downstairs, right? She was smiling."

The personal butler: "..."

...So what?

The smile on Lin Fei’s face vanished. "It seems that the change is a lot bigger than I thought. Was it because of that boy? Ah, I really missed a lot of fun things."

Even though he said it in a light tone, the personal butler could see that his eyes weren’t shining. His young master... didn’t seem happy.

The personal butler sighed.

Well, the third young miss was his toy. To suddenly have his toy changed and fixed by others, of course, this eccentric young master wouldn’t be happy.