Standing Next To You-Chapter 576: A New Destiny

A/n: This Chapter is fixed. Thank you for waiting.

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Last Night at Hotel Sun

It was late into the night. The party had ended, and the guests had left one by one.

Lin Sanju was on the phone, trying to call Bei Sangyun. He had left her at the table earlier to give Fei Chuan a chance to approach her. Now, he couldn’t see Fei Chuan anywhere in the hall—nor Bei Sangyun. Could they have gone somewhere?

The call went unanswered.

Lin Sanju waited for an hour. In the now-empty venue, he was the only guest left. The staff had begun cleaning the area, moving around him one by one.

Noticing he was still waiting, the manager approached him and offered, "Sir, would you like to rest in one of the private rooms?"

Lin Sanju politely declined. "It’s alright. I’m just looking for my cousin."

"Would you like us to help you?" the manager asked, ready to call additional staff.

Lin Sanju smiled. "That’s kind of you, but it’s fine. I’ll just wait for her. If I need help, I’ll let you know."

The manager nodded. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Sir, perhaps you’d like to look around the hotel? The Sky Garden is open to important guests like yourself. The night is beautiful—strolling around might do you good."

Lin Sanju glanced at his phone before nodding. "Alright. I’ve always wanted to see Hotel Sun’s famous Sky Garden."

The manager personally guided him to the VVIP elevator.

Lin Sanju arrived at the topmost floor of Hotel Sun.

The Sky Garden looked more like a miniature forest than a garden. He was stunned to see rows of trees on both sides, each standing about two meters high. Their branches were covered with LED lights. Overhead, the ceiling was adorned with hanging flowers, and vibrant blossoms colored the area in every direction. It felt like he had stepped into a different realm—a paradise.

The air was cool, and a gentle floral fragrance made the atmosphere even more pleasant. Lin Sanju began to stroll, taking in the beauty around him.

How long had it been since he experienced something like this? Ever since becoming the heir and taking on the immense responsibility of leading the family and the company, his life had been a whirlwind. His only rest was during sleep.

And now, for the first time in a long while, he could simply breathe and enjoy the moment. Because it was so late, there were no other visitors. Only VIP guests with significant influence or wealth could access this garden after hours.

He walked in silence, savoring the peace.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of rushing water. It had to be the fountain.

Following the sound, he soon arrived at the grand Sky Garden fountain. It was unlike any he had seen before—covering a wide area, with water jets shooting high into the air and creating patterns like fireworks, illuminated by shifting lights. The fountain created a visual barrier, dividing the garden in two.

Lin Sanju stepped closer, unknowingly crossing into the fountain’s perimeter. He stopped at a spot he thought was safely out of reach from the water jets. As he stood there, he heard soft murmurs coming from the other side of the fountain.

"...end up alone... grow old alone... die alone..."Followed by a quiet sob.

In the stillness of the garden, even the sound of water seemed to echo. And the woman’s voice—barely a whisper—was surprisingly clear.

At first, Lin Sanju jumped, startled. But then he calmed himself, realizing it was just a person... someone else, also alone.

He didn’t want to disturb someone’s private moment, so he turned around, intending to leave the woman alone. But just as he did, the woman—who had been quietly crying moments ago—suddenly yelled out.

"So what? It’s not like I can’t live without him! Yeah, he’s the perfect man, and maybe I won’t find someone else as handsome, kind, and princely as him. My devotion to him has made it hard for me to fall in love again. But that’s not the end of the world, right? Just because I’ll be single for the rest of my life doesn’t mean my life is doomed!"

Her voice grew louder, echoing in the quiet garden.

"If marriage is off the table, then I’ll become a scion! I’ll show the world how a beautiful woman like me can live independently, happily, and still slay at life! Many women will look up to me!"

Lin Sanju: "..."

That was... quite a big dream.

Still, it was better than crying and drowning in self-pity.

"But I... I really liked him," she said, her voice cracking again. "How am I supposed to move on? Why is it so hard... to let go?"

Lin Sanju: "..."

He stood in silence, speechless at how quickly her mood had shifted. Shaking his head, he decided it was time to leave for real—until the fountain suddenly stopped. All the water jets came down, and the curtain of water that had been separating them vanished.

The woman, still wiping her tears, froze when she noticed a man standing on the other side.

Their eyes met.

Melanie: "..."

Lin Sanju, who had just been about to walk away: "..."

Awkward.

He could’ve left quietly earlier, since she hadn’t known he was there. But now that they’d seen each other, walking away without saying anything felt rude—especially when the other party was clearly crying.

He instinctively reached for his breast pocket, only to realize he didn’t have a handkerchief. Then he remembered—he’d intentionally left it behind to avoid exactly these kinds of awkward situations.

"Uh... I didn’t bring a handkerchief, so I can’t offer you one. But... I think there’s tissue in the restroom. If you need some, I... I can get it for you?"Lin Sanju winced at his own words. He really wasn’t good at handling moments like this.

Melanie quickly wiped away her tears. "...It’s okay. No need."

Relief washed over him. He noticed her accent then, and from her golden hair and pale skin, it was obvious she was a foreigner.

"Then..." He gave a small nod of farewell. "Hope you have a good night."

Just as he turned slightly, the fountain’s mechanism stirred again. A new water show was about to begin—but neither of them noticed the lights shifting at the center.

Melanie, just as awkward, bowed politely. The young heir who had brought her here said there wouldn’t be visitors at this hour, so she’d let all her emotions spill out... only to have a stranger witness everything.

How embarrassing.

She hoped the man would leave quickly, forget this night ever happened, and never speak of it again.

As they exchanged a final polite bow, the water jets suddenly erupted—this time shooting toward both sides.

Cold water poured down on them at once, drenching them completely.

Lin Sanju: "..."

Melanie: "..."

The fountain show, in all its glory, continued on—completely oblivious to the two soaked and speechless bystanders caught in its display.

When the water fountain display ended, both of them instinctively took a step back—graceful and composed, as if they hadn’t just been drenched seconds ago.

Melanie wrung out her golden hair, and water dripped down in streams. Lin Sanju squeezed the hem of his soaked coat, equally drenched.

Melanie let out an awkward laugh. "I got emotional and thought a quick shower would calm me down. Ha... ha..."

"...Same," Lin Sanju replied with a small nod. "The fountain looked good..."

He glanced at her briefly. Her white dress, now soaked, clung to her form. Her shoulders and collarbone were visible through the thin fabric. Without a word, he removed his jacket and began walking around the fountain toward her.

When he reached her side, he kept his eyes averted out of courtesy. "It might not keep you completely warm, but it should help until you get to your floor."

Melanie accepted the jacket. She avoided meeting his gaze as well, embarrassed by everything that had happened. At first, she hadn’t wanted to accept it. She didn’t want any reason to see him again—or be reminded of this humiliating night. But she knew she needed it.

"Thank you," she murmured. "Tell me your room number and I’ll ask the staff to return this to you."

"I’m not staying here," Lin Sanju said. "Just a guest at tonight’s event. You don’t have to return it."

He gave a polite bow and turned to leave, not waiting for her response.

Melanie stood still, holding the jacket, stunned. Usually, the men who approached her always made sure to give their names, try to make connections—especially since she was the precious younger sister of the heir to the James family.

But this man... this unknown stranger... hadn’t asked her name, hadn’t given his, and hadn’t even looked at her properly.

He helped her—purely out of kindness.

Still in a daze, Melanie slipped on the jacket. Despite it being damp, she could faintly smell the subtle scent of perfume lingering on it.

Moments later, the manager arrived, carrying a towel.

"Ma’am, I heard there was an accident. We deeply apologize. Are you alright?" He gently draped the towel over her shoulders.

"You heard?" Melanie asked, surprised.

"Yes, the gentleman I escorted earlier came to inform me. I’m truly sorry, Ma’am. I didn’t realize the heir had reserved the entire garden for your private use tonight."

"...It’s fine." She paused. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she asked, "That man you led here—do you know his name?"

.....

Lin Sanju accepted the manager’s offer and booked a private room.

After changing into a fresh suit, he stood in front of the mirror adjusting his tie. As he fixed it, the image of the woman’s golden hair flashed through his mind. Even though he hadn’t looked at her directly, he’d caught a glimpse of her side profile.

She looked... really pretty.

Lin Sanju coughed and shook his head. Why am I still thinking about that?

The manager was probably assisting her by now. That was all that mattered. They wouldn’t be meeting again anyway.

Just then, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

It was Assistant Cheng.

He had come to inform him that Bei Sangyun and Fei Chuan were together now, and that Lin Sanju could leave first.

"I’ll make sure she gets home safely. Don’t worry," Assistant Cheng reassured him.

Lin Sanju trusted Fei Chuan and his team. He nodded and soon left Hotel Sun.

Ten minutes after he had departed, the manager arrived at the room carrying a tray with a cup of hot coffee and a small package. But when he entered, the room was already empty.

He glanced at the tray—and then at the clean suit jacket neatly folded in a bag. A note was taped to it, written in a graceful, slightly hurried hand.

The manager sighed in pity."Too bad. He’s already gone."