Standing Next To You-Chapter 587: Fading Memories

It had been a week since Xu Tian started working under Assistant Cheng. Each day, the tasks had become increasingly difficult.

Xu Tian sipped his coffee, suspecting that Assistant Cheng had received orders from Fei Chuan to make things hard for him. But no matter how impossible the assignments seemed, Xu Tian completed them. Even though he was exhausted and felt the workload was unfair, he never complained. He didn’t want to disappoint his superiors.

Phoenix Holdings had treated him well. He knew this training was meant to benefit him — at least, that’s what he was told. Though, as of now, he couldn’t see how it was helping him compared to his previous role at Phoenix Holdings. Still, he endured it.

Finishing his coffee, he felt a bit more energized and entered Assistant Cheng’s office, ready to face whatever was thrown his way.

But Assistant Cheng didn’t hand him a task today. Instead, he smiled. "You’ve been working hard. The hazing is over. It’s time to get into proper business."

Xu Tian: "..."

That was hazing. But what came next? More difficult, unfair demands?

"Go to the chairman’s office," Assistant Cheng said. "He’s waiting for you."

Xu Tian was taken aback. The man who’d cast him off on the first day now wanted to meet him? He had his doubts, but followed Assistant Cheng’s instruction.

When he arrived, Fei Chuan was sitting in front of his computer, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, typing rapidly on his laptop. The sound of the keys clacking in rhythm was like music to Xu Tian’s ears — the kind of sound only a fellow computer geek would appreciate.

He didn’t interrupt and waited silently by the door.

Soon, Fei Chuan stopped typing and glanced at him over the monitor.

"Why are you still standing there? Come in. Sit on the couch."

Xu Tian greeted him politely and sat on the couch farthest from Fei Chuan.

Fei Chuan removed his glasses. "Tell me about your last assignment."

Xu Tian began without hesitation.

"It was regarding the failed project in Country J. I was tasked with investigating why the three companies originally partnered with our client suddenly withdrew, causing the project to halt and resulting in hundreds of millions in losses.

"There were three key findings. One—" Xu Tian briefly glanced at the file open beside Fei Chuan — his own report. Clearly, the man had read it, but still wanted to hear it from him.

"—was the sudden cancellation of the arranged marriage involving the client’s daughter. Company A had agreed to the joint project and invested millions under the assumption their son and the client’s daughter would marry, solidifying their alliance. When the engagement was broken off, they pulled out.

"Two, Company B decided to invest in another project they believed had higher potential. When they learned that Company A was backing out due to the broken engagement, they also withdrew their investment and redirected their resources.

"Third — and this is my personal opinion — the client had secretly been collaborating with another group on a separate, more promising project. When Companies A and B discovered this, they lost trust in the client entirely. That sealed their decision to withdraw."

Fei Chuan looked straight at Xu Tian. "And you managed to uncover all that in just four days?"

"With enough research and the right contacts, it’s possible," Xu Tian replied calmly.

"That may be true," Fei Chuan said, his gaze suddenly sharp, "but the marriage deal between Company A and the client is highly confidential — so confidential that even the client’s daughter doesn’t know about it. So wow did you find out? Don’t tell me you just made a few calls. That news hasn’t been leaked anywhere."

Xu Tian met his gaze without flinching. He knew this kind of interrogation was inevitable. But what choice did he have? Without using that, he would never have completed the job on time.

"I used my skills," Xu Tian replied.

"And what exactly does that mean?" Fei Chuan asked.

Xu Tian didn’t back down, even under Fei Chuan’s intense stare. "That’s confidential. It’s my privacy."

"You’re using your skills for company work. How is that confidential or your privacy? Your skills are now the company’s asset. I have the right to know."

"You’re not wrong," Xu Tian said, his tone unwavering. "But my loyalty lies with Phoenix Holdings, not with you. As far as I know, I’m here to be trained — not to be used like a gofer and interrogated after doing a good job."

Fei Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Finally showing your true colors?"

"Maybe I am. Or maybe someone’s trying too hard to get under my skin," Xu Tian said coolly, his expression as calm as ever.

Fei Chuan let out a short laugh. This man had guts... and clearly some skill.

He had a hunch about what Xu Tian had done, but he still wanted confirmation.

"Then I guess I’ll piss you off some more," he said. "I’ve sent a file to your email. Read it and send me your analysis within three hours."

Xu Tian’s brow twitched slightly. Three hours? What now — another cross-border investigation?

Even with his skills, completing such work with limited resources and no assistance in just three hours seemed nearly impossible.

Still, he didn’t complain. He returned to his office and sat at his desk. Opening his computer, he found the email and clicked the attached file.

But as soon as he did, his screen turned black — followed by a cascade of green code flashing across it.

Xu Tian: "..."

His computer had just been hacked.

....

Fei Chuan drove quietly while Bei Sangyun sat in the passenger seat. He had picked her up from work and booked a restaurant for them to have lunch together. This time, there was no Zhong Cheng—and more importantly, no Xu Tian.

That man is probably still buried in codes, Fei Chuan thought with a smug little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Bei Sangyun noticed it and glanced sideways at him. That look—she was all too familiar with it in their past life. Curious, she asked:

"You seem to be in a good mood. Who did you bully today?"

Fei Chuan was momentarily stunned. "Bully?" His heart skipped a beat. Did Xu Tian finally snap and complain to her?

"That familiar little smirk you’re trying to hide," Bei Sangyun said, amused. "I know it too well. Whenever you argued with me and managed to get the last word, you’d smirk like that while humming. I really hated it back then."

Fei Chuan: "??" Did I really bully her like that in the past life? What was I, a kid teasing his crush?

"He was so cringey," Fei Chuan muttered under his breath.

"And that’s you," she teased back.

"Why would I tease you like that?"

"I don’t know. Ask yourself in your dreams," Bei Sangyun said, half laughing. "Why did you keep coming to me just to rile me up, then walk away after watching me grit my teeth? You were clearly after revenge—but your revenge was kind of... childish."

Fei Chuan fell silent, taken aback. He thought about the revenge he sought in this life, all cruel and calculated. "At least... he didn’t hurt you like I did," he said softly.

Bei Sangyun reached out and held his hand. "That’s because I didn’t make you feel betrayed like I did in this life. Hey, you didn’t hurt me. I was hurt because of my own choices. Let’s move forward together, Fei Chuan, okay?"

Her voice, gentle and full of warmth, made Fei Chuan feel even more undeserving. He looked at her and nodded. "Yes. I’ll be the best I’ve ever been—for you."

Bei Sangyun smiled, eyes soft with affection.

"What else did I do back then? What kind of revenge?" Fei Chuan asked, genuinely curious. Unlike Bei Sangyun, who remembered the past clearly, his own memories were vague—just hazy dreams. Only the scenes at the grave remained vivid.

Bei Sangyun tried to recall. "There was this banquet—" But the memory that had once been so clear suddenly turned hazy, like an old photograph submerged in water, the ink bleeding away.

"—the banquet at... whose party was it again? The Li’s? Or was it in another country?" she said, brows furrowed.

She pressed further, trying to remember the event where they danced. It had been unforgettable. Fei Chuan had challenged her to a dance, teasing her. The orchestra, the lighting, the crowd... all had left a strong impression.

She remembered the way he smirked and said something that stung. She remembered taking his hand, the feel of his palm, his arm around her waist.

"You said something..." she murmured. "You were making fun of me..."

But even as she tried to grasp the details, they began to dissolve. The orchestra faded. The lights dimmed. The crowd blurred. Even Fei Chuan’s smirking face seemed to evaporate from her memory like smoke.

"You said I was... I..." Bei Sangyun’s voice faltered. She frowned, sweat beading on her forehead. Why couldn’t she remember?

"Bei Sangyun?" Fei Chuan called, noticing something was wrong. She looked pale and was sweating.

Without hesitation, he pulled over to the side of the road and parked safely.

He turned to Bei Sangyun and gently felt her forehead. She wasn’t warm, but she definitely looked unwell. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

"What’s wrong? Are you in pain?"

Bei Sangyun shook her head. "I’m not... I’m just... trying to remember, but I couldn’t."

Fei Chuan took her hand and began to massage it gently. "It’s okay, love. You don’t need to force yourself to remember. How are you feeling now? Do you want to go to the hospital?"

Bei Sangyun shook her head again. "No, I’m not sick. Maybe... just a little hungry," she said, chuckling softly.

Fei Chuan studied her face carefully, still worried. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Let’s go," she said with a reassuring smile.

Fei Chuan gave her hand a firm but gentle squeeze.

The car came alive again and rolled smoothly back onto the road.