Only After I Was Reborn Did I Realize That I Had Childhood Sweethearts
Chapter 141: The Mysterious Threads of FateMei Fang never expected to see Liu Xiaoyu again in this lifetime.
When he chose to attend Jiangcheng NOHS and looked out at Baimei County from the mountaintop of Wuzu Temple, humming the school anthem of Baimei No.1 High School, he believed that he had completely cut off his three years of experience in that school from his previous life.
Liu Xiaoyu was Mei Fang’s deskmate for a long time in Baimei No.1 High School in his previous life. The two of them had somewhat similar interests.
For example, certain genres of anime, certain types of games, certain types of novels, and the songs of Jay Chou and Xu Song.
In short, they always found similarities in certain places and always had topics to talk about.
They became familiar with each other because they did many things together, including helping Mei Fang establish a game development club. Liu Xiaoyu helped him a lot at that time.
Although their relationship was very good, it always remained just a friendship.
Mei Fang, who was a gamer and a stubborn youth at the time, had almost never thought in the direction of romantic relationships and always regarded her as his good buddy.
The catalyst that changed Mei Fang’s perspective in his previous life was the Top Ten Singers competition in their sophomore year, in which Liu Xiaoyu was one of the contestants.
At first, Mei Fang simply encouraged her as a good friend. But when she stepped onto the stage, wearing a gorgeous dress and exquisite makeup, showcasing her outstanding singing skills——Mei Fang experienced a complex mix of emotions.
He realized that they were not originally from the same world.
This complex emotion not only inspired Mei Fang’s desire to become better and shine on stage but also created distance between them.
She was popular among the boys due to her cheerful and lively personality, her wealthy family background, and her consistently high grades in the class. These were qualities that Mei Fang lacked in his previous life.
His pitiful self-esteem didn’t even allow him to congratulate her like everyone else on that occasion. He only briefly mentioned her wonderful performance the next day.
She said a soft thank you, with a smile just like before.
But Mei Fang’s attitude had already undergone a tremendous change.
Later, as the seating arrangements changed, neither of them continued to maintain this friendship, and Mei Fang deliberately distanced himself from this relationship, so their relationship gradually faded away.
Liu Xiaoyu could befriend anyone as a deskmate, and with her wide range of interests, she could find something to talk about with anyone.
Clearly, Mei Fang was not special to her.
What about her in Mei Fang’s heart? Now, after experiencing the vicissitudes of life, whenever Mei Fang occasionally looked back, it’s hard to say that within his stubbornness back then, there wasn’t a hint of unrequited love hidden inside.
But high school students have plenty of secret crushes, and there were many boys who simultaneously harbored secret crushes on “every good-looking girl in the class.”
Who had done this to whom, everyone knows in their hearts.
What did this kind of secret crush amount to in the end…
Most of the time, it resulted in a bittersweet unrequited love. That was why Mei Fang didn’t quite understand the mindset of being a licking dog[1]. What was the point of pursuing someone if it was not a mutual feeling? It was better to be alone than to settle for just anyone.
In his previous life, after Mei Fang entered college, he had no further interaction with Liu Xiaoyu. She became a memory of his high school days. In Mei Fang’s heart, she wasn’t even as memorable as Zhang Ming. After all, Mei Fang graduated but still missed playing games with Zhang Ming.
In short, regardless of what happened to their friendship later on, it had become a thing of the past.
Now, Mei Fang has two more precious people in his life. Yuan Yuan and Youxi, their existence is what he had longed for in his past, a love that grows over time and is reciprocated.
With this self-awareness, Mei Fang, who had already made up his mind, instinctively avoided Liu Xiaoyu after the momentary shock of seeing her again.
But as for the panic he felt when she called out to him, it stemmed from another reason.
First of all, after Mei Fang’s rebirth, he did certain things that caused changes in the original timeline. Most of these changes were expected and made sense.
For example, Mei Ya, his younger sister, was born because Mei Fang made the family a bit wealthy, ensuring their well-being. Mei Fang’s father worked hard to provide a better future for the family and has now reached the rank of deputy director.
Mei Fang changed the fate of Xia Yuan’s family. They gave up running the hotel business and invested in a different one, which had now become prosperous. Lin Youxi, due to Xia Yuan’s survival from their tragic fate and the companionship of Mei Fang’s family, found redemption and didn’t turn into a cold and distant top student.
Peng Xue, thanks to Xia Yuan’s redemption, although she still got into a fight with Huang Lian, managed to avoid the fate of dropping out of school to work elsewhere. Guo Yun, because she wasn’t assigned to the same class as Huang Lian and with Mei Fang’s support, didn’t face excessive exclusion and had a satisfying middle school life.
These were the fates that Mei Fang had participated in and influenced. These changes were within understandable bounds.
But Mei Fang had never done anything that had anything to do with Liu Xiaoyu so far.
So, what exactly caused her to transfer from Baimei No.1 High School, where she took the entrance exam in Mei Fang’s previous life, to Jiangcheng NOHS? Even though the Mei You Yuan trio got accepted to Jiangcheng NOHS, it didn’t mean that anyone could just decide to take the exam and get in.
Although Liu Xiaoyu in Mei Fang’s previous life had decent grades, with her class ranking at top 14, she had no chance of making it to the top spots, unless something happened to suddenly motivate her to strive harder.
Should he really believe that this elusive butterfly effect was also because of him?
Originally, Mei Fang didn’t think in a more outrageous direction.
However, her last sentence, calling out to Mei Fang and asking if they had met somewhere before, suddenly sparked a strange thought in Mei Fang’s mind——
Could Liu Xiaoyu be a reborn person like me?!
After the initial panic, Mei Fang quickly regained his composure.
“Really? I don’t remember you at all. Did something recent happen? In Jiangcheng or in Baimei County?”
Liu Xiaoyu furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. “It should have been in Baimei County. I remember it was when we were quite young…”
“That, um…” Xia Yuan quickly raised her hand and said, “It’s not good for us to just stand here. Let’s go to the cafeteria, eat, and talk at the same time, okay?”
“That sounds good… Let’s go.”
Mei Fang patted Xia Yuan’s shoulder. “Okay, let’s go to the cafeteria together!”
At this moment, Xia Yuan felt heavy-hearted.
The way Ah Fang looked at Liu Xiaoyu was really strange.
He had never looked at me like that before, from childhood to now…
The first-floor cafeteria at Jiangcheng NOHS mostly served affordable meals for students. The dishes offered were fixed combinations, and each meal only cost 6 yuan.
The prices were the same in the small county, and the students could afford it.
Mei Fang and Xia Yuan, these two big spenders, opted for the 12 yuan option from the neighboring stall, where the dishes were more abundant, with an extra fragrant braised chicken leg included
Lin Youxi didn’t have a big appetite, so she opted for the 6 yuan meal. She was used to it and could always share dishes with Mei Fang.
However, Mei Fang didn’t expect Liu Xiaoyu to also choose the 6 yuan meal.
“Are you on a diet? Eating so little…”
“Ah? Uh, yeah… I naturally have a small appetite.” Liu Xiaoyu smiled.
Mei Fang tried to find any hints in Liu Xiaoyu through casual conversation.
He included a series of trendy phrases for the younger generation in the topics, such as “face masks,” “Messi winning the world cup,” and “YYDS,”[2] but Liu Xiaoyu didn’t react to any of them.
On the other hand, Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi felt pressured by Mei Fang’s obvious abnormal behavior, so everyone didn’t enjoy their meal.
Based on her responses, it’s unlikely that Liu Xiaoyu is a reborn person. Even if she is, there’s no need for her to specifically seek me out.
Besides, she doesn’t necessarily know whether I am a reborn person.
However, her change of fate is truly unusual…
Who is she tied to by those threads of fate?
Mei Fang, filled with confusion, arrived at his classroom for the first evening self-study session.
After finishing the evening self-study, he met Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi.
The three of them seemed silent on the way, which made Mei Fang feel uncomfortable.
After reaching the playground, he began to inquire about the reasons from the two girls.
“Are you tired today? You both seem a bit down.”
“N-No, it’s nothing! It’s the first day, so we’re a bit nervous.”
Xia Yuan patted Mei Fang’s shoulder and then said to Lin Youxi, “I’ll take Ah Fang away first. You wait here, okay?”
Lin You Xi made an OK gesture and pointed at her wristwatch, reminding Xia Yuan to be punctual.
Xia Yuan accompanied Mei Fang for a short walk, chatting about random topics. Then she turned around, opened her arms towards Mei Fang, and started asking for Ah Fang’s super energy.
Mei Fang skillfully embraced Xia Yuan and fully enveloped her in his arms, making it impossible for anyone nearby to see Xia Yuan’s face, even those jogging in the adjacent lane.
“Just keep walking like this, treating it as a stroll while hugging me. Ah Fang, you’ll be my eyes.”
“OK, OK.”
Mei Fang accompanied Xia Yuan as they slowly walked around the inner track of the playground.
After a while of tender moments in Mei Fang’s embrace, Xia Yuan’s mood slightly improved.
“Ah Fang, do you like Liu Xiaoyu? If you do, I, your childhood sweetheart, can… never mind, let me rephrase that.”
Xia Yuan couldn’t generously say something like “help you pursue her” because she did not have the habit of deceiving Mei Fang.
I’ve agreed to be myself in front of Ah Fang…
So why I’m acting so hesitant now?!
Noticing the hint of choking in her voice, Mei Fang instantly understood that his abnormal behavior towards Liu Xiaoyu had hurt Xia Yuan’s delicate heart. He also felt a sense of guilt.
So he gently bumped his forehead against Xia Yuan’s, their noses touching, and said in a gentle rebuke:
“Silly, how could I fall for someone I just met? Is your childhood sweetheart that shallow?”
“Then… how long does it take for you to start liking other girls?” Xia Yuan raised her head to look at Mei Fang.
Mei Fang pondered for a moment. “At the very least… it would have to be someone I’ve known longer and spent more time with than you and Youxi!”
These words finally put Xia Yuan’s heart at ease. She held onto Mei Fang tighter in her embrace.
The two of them continued walking while hugging each other. Xia Yuan continued expressing her doubts to Mei Fang.
“But I feel like you were acting really different today, especially the way you looked at her. It was clearly different. We’ve known each other for about ten years, and you’ve never looked at me like that…”
“How did I look at you? Sideways, diagonally, from above? We’ve known each other for such a long time, and you can be sure that I’ve used every possible angle to look at you. You’re just jealous, that’s why you’re saying these things.”
“But it was really special… It’s a girl’s intuition.”
Xia Yuan held onto Mei Fang’s collar. “If you have any troubles, you should talk to me and Youxi. Keeping it to yourself makes me think you’re thinking about other girls.”
“Why would I need to think about other girls when I have my cute childhood sweetheart?”
Mei Fang lifted Xia Yuan in his arms and spun around a few times.
“Stop playing, stop playing, I’m getting dizzy.”
Xia Yuan pinched Mei Fang’s face to make him stop. “Knowing that I’m cute is enough.”
Mei Fang and Xia Yuan were enjoying themselves when suddenly a coughing sound came from nearby, startling the two of them.
It turned out to be Lin Youxi. She tapped the face of her wristwatch and said expressionlessly, “You’re one minute late. Next time, I’ll come first and make up for it.”
“Y-Yes, sorry…”
Xia Yuan mumbled an apology to Lin Youxi and waved goodbye to Mei Fang with her little hand.
“…”
Mei Fang hadn’t figured out what to say to Lin Youxi yet, but she directly turned her back to him.
Lin Youxi didn’t initiate physical contact as Xia Yuan did, but she always gave Mei Fang a glance to convey her thoughts. Mei Fang gently hugged her from behind, and she leaned into his embrace.
And that was it.
“Don’t you…have any questions for me?” Mei Fang asked.
Lin Youxi shook her head. “Yuan Yuan has probably asked all the questions I have. Since she’s satisfied with your answers, that’s enough.”
“Well, you’re being cunning. You let Yuan Yuan go first, let her spend the 10-minute time asking questions, and then you just don’t ask anything…”
Lin Youxi ignored him. She leaned against Mei Fang’s back for a while until both of them got tired. Then Lin Youxi suggested they sit down and continue leaning.
Lin Youxi had Mei Fang sit cross-legged while she sat into his arms and leaned her back.
Many other couples nearby were in a similar position, looking up at the moon. But Lin Youxi simply closed her eyes, as if she was truly taking a nap.
Mei Fang held Lin Youxi while Xia Yuan suddenly appeared beside them. Mei Fang was about to say something, but Xia Yuan quickly waved her hand, indicating that she wouldn’t disturb them.
Waiting alone in the playground was too lonely for her.
She also sat down, cross-legged, leaning against Mei Fang’s back. As long as she touched Mei Fang, she felt at ease.
Of course, she gradually began to take advantage of the situation, even wanting to hold one of Mei Fang’s hands in her embrace.
The couple nearby was shocked to their core.
With his intimacy with Xia Yuan, Mei Fang gradually regained his energy and his mind also became more relaxed and clearer.
He finally remembered some clues he had noticed when he was with Liu Xiaoyu earlier:
Based on Liu Xiaoyu’s current clothing and eating habits, she was definitely not at the level of a wealthy girl he had known in his past life.
Mei Fang vaguely remembered that Liu Xiaoyu’s family was even richer than Xia Yuan’s family, so he didn’t understand how she had fallen into her current state.
This also coincided with what was mentioned before, that Liu Xiaoyu’s family had faced some changes, and she had worked hard to improve her situation.
So, if he could find out how Liu Xiaoyu’s family had declined, perhaps he could unravel the mystery of her changing fate.
Therefore, after their intimate moment ended, Mei Fang began to make up a lousy story to explain the unusual events of the day to Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi.
“Actually, I did know Liu Xiaoyu before… Well, mainly her father, but that was back in elementary school.”
“Her father used to bring Liu Xiaoyu to our house for dinner. I remember their family was very wealthy at the time, her father was a real estate tycoon. I don’t know why they fell from grace…”
Xia Yuan exclaimed, “Really?!”
Lin Youxi quickly seized on the loophole and asked, “Her father is a real estate tycoon, and Uncle Mei works at the land bureau… Isn’t a bit inappropriate for your families to eat together?”
“I-I don’t know either.”
Mei Fang scratched his head, “But Dad should be clean and not corrupt, he wouldn’t do such things, otherwise, how could he still be so thrifty…”
Mei Fang continued with his story, “But there’s still some worry. What if her father was arrested, which led to the decline of their family’s fortunes? Then my dad…”
Xia Yuan was finally relieved:
No wonder Ah Fang was so concerned when he saw Liu Xiaoyu… He must be worried that Uncle Mei is involved in some cases and might get arrested?
“Well, no matter what, we can arrange another meal with her and try to talk about this topic. We don’t know if she’s willing to talk or if we’re being too abrupt.”
Mei Fang shook his head, “Let’s be as tactful as possible. Yuan Yuan, you’re quite adept at the art of words.”
Xia Yuan lowered her head and silently prayed, “I hope it has nothing to do with Uncle Mei. He is a good person, I don’t want him to be arrested. Xiaoya is pitiful without a father.”
“You better pray for me too. If Liu Xiaoyu’s father is really in trouble, I might have to advise Dad to turn himself in as soon as possible.”
“Don’t curse Uncle Mei like that! What kind of son are you…”
After spending some time together, Xia Yuan, Lin You Xi, and Liu Xiaoyu became more familiar with each other. Finally, during a casual lunch conversation, Liu Xiaoyu casually mentioned her family’s past experiences.
After all, it had been a long time, and Liu Xiaoyu was quite open about it, far from being as reserved as everyone feared.
“Well, our family was quite wealthy when I was in elementary school.”
“But then my father took over a well-known hotel, which you should have heard of… After our family acquired the hotel, they started road construction on that street.”
“Our acquired hotel quickly went bankrupt, and after my father sold off our other properties, he still ended up with a large debt…”
Liu Xiaoyu rubbed her eyes, “So I thought, if I study hard and go to a good university, I can start working early and help repay the debt.”
Liu Xiaoyu remembered something, “Oh, I just remembered! The name of that hotel was ‘Baimei Renjia’.”
Xia Yuan was about to shout out, but Mei Fang and Lin Youxi managed to stop her.
“What’s wrong? Is something wrong with Yuan Yuan?”
“N-Nothing! She’s probably about to sneeze, let’s hold her down.”
Mei Fang had a sorrowful expression.
“Indeed, it’s an unfortunate experience…”
“My deepest sympathy,” Lin Youxi also said.
At this moment, the Mei You Yuan trio had dark expressions on their faces. Even the reborn Mei Fang didn’t know how to properly comfort her right now.
Translator's Notes:
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