There, inside her locker, was a pink envelope with a clear and printed message:
[Dear Cousin, I heard you did something interesting. Too bad I wasn’t there. Have you missed me? I missed you but I can’t play with you yet. Write back to me.]
Bei Sangyun crumpled the card in her hand, her expression colder than before. "Too bad I can’t play with you either."
She had almost forgotten Lin Fei’s existence. He only appeared when something interesting occurred in the family.
However, since he hadn’t come in person and had sent a message instead, he must be occupied with other matters.
It seemed that tensions were rising between the first and second branches as well.
Bei Sangyun tossed the crumpled card into the trash bin, landing on top of the unread envelopes.
She wasn’t too concerned about their movements at the moment. After all, regardless of how much influence they spread through the Lin’s overseas companies, everything would ultimately fell into her hands.
Bei Sangyun shifted her focus, trying to set aside her thoughts about the Lin family.
Her current priority was to confirm her hunch regarding Fei Chuan.
Other matters could wait for now.
*****
Fei Chuan returned to his seat with a scowling expression.
These people had come to seek him out just to offer their apologies. It was clear that someone had pushed them to do so.
If they had been genuinely remorseful, perhaps he could have been less angry. However, their casual apologies made light of the suffering he had endured.
They seemed to think that mere words could make everything right again, but Fei Chuan was not one to forgive easily.
He had long since decided to settle the score with them. Although he couldn’t exact his revenge now, given his limited mobility, he was determined to do so in his own way in the future.
Fei Chuan was someone who held grudges and debts close to heart, and he relished the idea of eventually repaying them in kind. He might have preferred it if these people had not bothered to apologize, as it would have made his future retaliation all the more satisfying.
Had Bei Sangyun put them up to this? He didn’t like it one bit.
Just then, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Excuse me," Lin Sanju spoke gently as she approached his seat, wearing a sweet smile. "Can I invite you for lunch later?"
Fei Chuan frowned, his memory of her hazy. She was someone from the Lin family, a cousin of Bei Sangyun, he vaguely recalled.
"No," Fei Chuan replied curtly.
Lin Sanju’s smile wavered. "I’m sorry?" she asked, not quite believing her ears. She couldn’t have been rejected, could she?
Fei Chuan sighed, his irritation growing. His day had started on the right foot, but now he was stuck in a string of unlucky encounters.
Without a doubt, Bei Sangyun’s smiling face which greeted him early in the morning was the source of his bad luck.
"I said no," he repeated, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Lin Sanju stood there in shock.
She had heard it correctly this time, and so had their classmates, who were discreetly observing the scene.
Lin Sanju, the class’s third most popular student, had just approached the second most popular student, and he had not only rejected her once but twice!
The incident was sure to be juicy gossip for their peers.
Lin Sunji struggled to conceal her shock and stammered, "I-it’s just lunch. As classmates, we should hang out and get to know each other better." She quickly regained her composure, flashing a pretty smile. "Don’t you think so?"
Her classmates admired Lin Sunji’s patience and kindness. If they were on her shoes, they knew they wouldn’t have invited this ’loser’, let alone after suffering two rejections.
Fei Chuan continued to frown at her and replied, "I don’t think so."
Lin Sunji: "...."
Everyone: "..."
It was the third rejection! And this time there was no hiding the awkwardness in the air.
Lin Sunji clenched her fists in frustration. She wouldn’t be going through all this trouble if she hadn’t received orders from her grandfather.
Earlier that day, the butler of Old Master Lin had come to their part of the mansion and delivered their punishments.
Her father had lost a significant project he was leading due to Lin Sunji’s actions. This had dealt a blow to her father’s career, and while he hadn’t berated her directly, she could sense his deep disappointment. Luckily, her mother had managed to smooth things over.
Lin Sunji, too, had received her own punishment. She wouldn’t receive half a year’s allowance, and she’d lose her privileges for that duration. Moreover, she had to offer a personal apology to the innocent party involved.
Her grandfather’s message was clear: since she had wronged this person, the Lin family would repay him by doing a favor under the Lin name.
This was a stolen deal. Many people wanted to gain the Lin family’s favor. But they don’t have the means to do so.
This favor was something she intended to discuss with Fei Chuan during their proposed lunch. She had expected that once she reached this point in the conversation, Fei Chuan would readily accept the offer without requiring her to apologize formally. After all, the favor was significant compensation for what he had endured.
However, this rejection caught her off guard. She’d hoped for an easy resolution, and now she wasn’t sure how to proceed. If only her grandfather’s butler hadn’t mentioned confirming her apology, she wouldn’t even have considered engaging with this ’loser’ in the first place.
Lin Sanju clenched her teeth while trying to maintain a smile, saying, "It won’t take a lot of time. I also have something to discuss with you-"
Before she could continue, Fei Chuan interrupted, "This is the last time I will repeat it, no."
Lin Sanju: "...."
Her friendly facade crumbled, and her frustration was palpable. This man was unbelievably arrogant!
How dare he reject a member of the Lin family so bluntly?
Just as the awkward silence settled, a cold voice spoke from behind Lin Sanju, making her jump. It was Bei Sangyun.
"What are you doing standing before my seat, Lin Sanju?" Bei Sangyun’s icy tone sent shivers down Lin Sanju’s spine.
Bei Sangyun took in the situation, observing Lin Sanju’s displeasure and Fei Chuan’s frowning expression. She quickly pieced things together.
"Are you here to apologize to him?" Bei Sangyun asked aloud, and the shock on Lin Sanju’s face confirmed her suspicion.
Bei Sangyun couldn’t help but smirk at Lin Sanju’s discomfort. She whispered to her cousin, "Do your best to get his forgiveness, or you’ll regret it in the future. Believe me. Been there."
Lin Sanju stepped away in haste, her glare aimed at Bei Sangyun, before returning to her seat as if she were being chased.
Fei Chuan narrowed his eyes, puzzled by their conversation. What were they discussing? Apologizing to him?
As Bei Sangyun took her seat, she flashed a bright smile at Fei Chuan and said, "I’m the best at chasing away flies. I’m useful, right?"
Fei Chuan: "...."
****
A/n: The most famous person in class rank#1 - the tyrant, Bei Sangyun
rank#2- the target, Fei Chuan
rank#3- the model student, Lin Sanju