Standing Next To You-Chapter 548: Leaving, Searching

It was a perfect day for travel.

At one of the popular tourist spots in City G, several miles away from the bustling capital, a long glass bridge stretched between two towering mountains. Tourists flocked to this spot for both the thrill and the breathtaking scenery. Only those unafraid of heights dared to cross.

Melanie excitedly took in her surroundings. The bridge was crowded with couples—women clinging to their boyfriends’ arms, exclaiming about how scared they were as they inched their way across.

She glanced at Fei Chuan beside her. Tall and effortlessly handsome in casual clothing, he stood out among the crowd. Although Melanie had no real fear of heights—she had even parachuted from a helicopter before—she decided to play along. Pretending to be nervous, she inched closer to Fei Chuan.

"You can see everything from up here," she murmured, gripping the edge of his sleeve. "It’s so beautiful... but also a little scary."

Fei Chuan immediately noticed her subtle movement. "Then we should cross quickly," he said.

Melanie pouted and let go of his sleeve. Seeing that her attempt to act timid had failed, she straightened up and walked across the bridge with the ease of someone completely unbothered by heights.

"Ah, right," she said, glancing at him. "The village where you grew up is just two cities away from here, isn’t it?"

Fei Chuan looked out toward the horizon. "Yeah."

"River Village, right? I’ve heard about it. It’s surrounded by mountains, and there’s a river nearby. I heard you have to cross two mountains before reaching the nearest town. Sounds like an interesting place."

She was hoping he would take the hint and invite her to visit.

Fei Chuan, however, remained indifferent. "It’s just a rural town. There’s nothing interesting there."

"But that’s where you grew up. Is the villa you lived in still there? If you ever want to visit, we could pass by—"

Fei Chuan suddenly turned to her, his voice firm. "I will never return to that place."

Melanie blinked at his sharp tone.

"If you have somewhere else you want to go, we can visit there instead," he continued, glancing at his watch. "We have time for one more stop before heading back to the capital."

Melanie bit her lip. It was clear Fei Chuan wasn’t enjoying this trip as much as she was. But she quickly shook off her disappointment and put on a cheerful expression.

"Ah, right! I heard about a really good café near here. It’s at the top of a mountain, right by a cliff..."

With Melanie’s suggestion, they headed to the café she had read about.

She had chosen a table by the window, and just as the reviews described, the view was breathtaking. The café was perched on the edge of a cliff, offering a thrilling yet secluded atmosphere.

It was definitely worth the visit.

Melanie smiled. "Even though the path to get here was difficult, there are still so many tourists coming. That just proves this place is worth visiting. Look, we’re right in the direction of the sunset. We came at the perfect time."

She was thrilled. In less than thirty minutes, the sun would set, and they had the best seats to watch it unfold. It would be breathtaking—romantic, even.

Fei Chuan was also gazing at the horizon, seemingly waiting for the sun to set.

Soon, their drinks arrived.

Just as Fei Chuan’s drink was placed on the table, his phone rang.

Melanie glanced at him. It was rare for him to receive calls directly, as Assistant Chen usually handled them first. Any call that bypassed that process had to be urgent.

And, as she suspected, it was important.

The moment Fei Chuan heard the voice on the other end, he immediately stood up.

"I’ll be there." He ended the call, slipping his phone back into his pocket before turning to Melanie.

"Assistant Chen is on his way here. He’ll accompany you back to the villa. I have somewhere to be."

"Can’t it wait just a little longer?" Melanie asked hopefully. "Your drink... You haven’t even touched your coffee."

"Give it to Assistant Chen. I have to go."

And with that, he left—quickly, without hesitation.

Melanie wanted to call him back, but he had already disappeared.

She sat there, holding her drink, as the golden-orange glow of the sunset washed over her. Turning toward the window, she took in the breathtaking view—the one Fei Chuan hadn’t stayed long enough to see.

She smiled bitterly.

The sunset here was indeed beautiful.

But she no longer had the heart to appreciate it.

.....

The sky was already starting to darken when Fei Chuan arrived at the site. He walked around, checking each area as the daylight faded, and soon, the cicadas began their nightly chorus.

His flashlight was on, yet he continued searching.

A security guard making his rounds eventually spotted him.

"Sir, this place is only open to visitors until 10 p.m. I have to escort you out."

Fei Chuan approached the guard and pulled out a sketch. "Have you seen this around here?"

The guard took the drawing and studied it carefully before clicking his tongue. "This... This is a bit vague. Most graves here look similar. There are a lot that resemble this one. You’d need the owner’s name or at least the section where the tomb is located so I can help. But even then, you can’t do this tonight. You’ll have to come back tomorrow."

"It’s different," Fei Chuan insisted, directing his flashlight at the sketch. "Look here. This is an acacia tree. I noticed there are barely any acacia trees in this place, and none of them are beside a grave. Do you happen to know of one?"

The security guard saw the desperation in his eyes and frowned slightly. "May I ask why you’re looking for this grave?"

Fei Chuan paused, then let out a defeated smile. "I’ve dreamed about it several times. I want to know if it exists. Finding it—or not finding it—is very important to me."

The guard looked at him with pity. This man was young and handsome, yet he seemed to be already troubled in mind at such a young age. He sighed.

"I haven’t seen one like this, sorry. Besides, young man, only high-priced plots have the privilege of having a tree beside the grave. You might want to start your search there."

Fei Chuan took back the drawing. "I see. Thank you for that. I apologize for the trouble." freewebnσvel.cøm

Like yesterday—and the day before—Fei Chuan search had been in vain.