Only After I Was Reborn Did I Realize That I Had Childhood Sweethearts

Xia Yuan has always been a proactive person. Once she decides to do something, she immediately starts making arrangements. Lin Youxi was pulled into Xia Yuan’s room, while Mei Fang was left in the living room.

Although Mei Fang has a good relationship with Xia Yuan, he has never been to her room.

Perhaps there was a chance back in kindergarten, but Xia Yuan has now become aware of gender differences, and there are certain areas that Mei Fang, as a mere boy, cannot enter.

Of course, Xia Yuan is very casual when entering his room…

Mei Fang took a short nap on the sofa in Xia Yuan’s house, and then heard the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs.

Little sneakers, long white socks, pleated skirt, bowtie, pigtails… Lin Youxi transformed from a wild girl next door to a little princess next door after putting on Xia Yuan’s clothes.

And in order to match with Lin Youxi, Xia Yuan also put on pigtails. Although both of them don’t have long hair, they look very energetic.

“Mei Fang! Look! Isn’t our Lin Youxi pretty?”

“The contrast… is quite strong.”

In his previous life, Lin Youxi always had long flowing hair and a school uniform jacket in high school. Her smooth and elegant long hair left a deep impression.

Now, she appeared in front of Mei Fang like a child star idol, completely different from her previous cold and aloof self. It would be strange if Mei Fang wasn’t surprised.

“Is that all you have to say, just the contrast? You’re not giving Lin Youxi any face.”

Xia Yuan pushed Lin Youxi’s shoulder forward. “You should wear more pretty dresses in the future, don’t always wear shirts. You can borrow my clothes.”

“I still feel like it’s not quite suitable…”

Lin Youxi twisted her black little sneakers. “It just feels a bit strange.”

“It’s not strange at all! You’re just not used to it because it’s your first time.”

Xia Yuan continued to listen to Lin Youxi’s words affectionately. “Although I have many friends in class… I still like you the most! We didn’t have a chance to be in the same class in elementary school, but we can work hard in middle school!”

“My mom told me that Experimental Middle School divides classes based on grades. If we both study hard, we can be in the same class in middle school.”

“Yeah… okay.” Lin Youxi nodded. “I’ve been studying hard all along.”

“Alright, let’s put this matter aside for now and practice dancing together.”

“Um… okay.”

“You see, I told you that I’m not needed at all.”

Mei Fang realized that he couldn’t fit in anymore, so he thought of an excuse to leave, “Can I go back now? Maybe there’s something I need to do at home.”

As he spoke, he stood up, but before he could take two steps, Xia Yuan, who was approaching aggressively, grabbed his arm and stopped him from leaving.

“No! You have to help us evaluate the performance!” Xia Yuan frowned, “What could you possibly have to do at home, other than playing games?”

“I still have to learn programming. I have to watch online video lessons today.”

Mei Fang noticed that Lin Youxi had been looking at him the whole time, showing a great deal of interest.

Perhaps, instead of dancing, she wanted to learn coding with Mei Fang?

“You can learn online later. You will go back once my dad comes home.”

Xia Yuan’s tone suddenly became pitiful, “You haven’t come to my house for two weekends already, and now you want to leave after just a while. Do you not like playing with me anymore?”

As she spoke, she leaned towards Mei Fang, tiptoeing to reach his face. Mei Fang instinctively took two steps back.

Damn… don’t look at me like that!

She’s too cute!

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Mei Fang tapped Xia Yuan’s head, “I’m just afraid that as the only boy here, it might make you and Lin Youxi uncomfortable.”

“We might feel uncomfortable in front of other boys, but you’re different, Mei Fang.”

Xia Yuan said seriously, “The three of us have been childhood sweethearts. There’s nothing to feel uncomfortable about.”

“Childhood sweethearts…”

In the year 2005, kids weren’t like kids in the future, where they can find out everything by swiping on their phones. So, Lin Youxi had heard this term for the first time and asked, “What does that mean?”

“Childhood sweethearts refer to good friends who have grown up together since childhood. For example, you and I are green plums, and boys like Mei Fang are bamboo horse, It has the same meaning as our dialect word “fa xiao” (childhood friend).”^[1]

After Xia Yuan explained, she suddenly realized that despite being such good friends, they didn’t have any special nicknames.

She had a nickname, Yuan Yuan, but Lin Youxi had never called her that.

Mei Fang had called her that once, but he seemed to have forgotten afterwards!

“Speaking of which, we have such a good relationship, but we still use our names to address each other. It feels a bit unfamiliar!”

Xia Yuan smiled and said to Lin Youxi, “From now on, I’ll just call you Youxi directly! It’s more intimate this way. And you can call me——”

“Yuan Yuan.”

Lin Youxi quickly gave the answer Xia Yuan wanted. It seemed like she had wanted to do this for a long time, which made Xia Yuan very happy.

“What about Mei Fang?”

“Weren’t we supposed to only use nicknames when we’re alone?”

“It’s okay, Youxi. He’s not a stranger!”

Xia Yuan climbed onto the sofa and, in order to not dirty it with her shoes, she sat in a super cute duck pose and pleaded with Mei Fang, grabbing his arm. “Call me… call me with my nickname.”

“Yuan Yuan.”

Mei Fang responded quickly. Xia Yuan blushed slightly after being called that, but quickly recovered.

“Lastly, it’s about Mei Fang’s nickname!”

Xia Yuan thought for a moment. “Mei Fang, it seems like your family calls you by your full name.”

“Yeah, I was born into a family that doesn’t love me, and they named me casually.”

Lin Youxi took over the conversation. “I talked to Mei Fang about this before. Actually, using your name as a repetition word is quite good, just like Yuan Yuan. But he doesn’t like it… I think it goes well with your nickname.”

After being told this, Xia Yuan scratched the back of her head and smiled shyly.

“Hehe… that’s true, one is Yuan Yuan (circle)^[2], and the other is——”

“I don’t like being called that! Don’t do that!”

Mei Fang firmly refused once again. “You can give me a nickname, call me Da Fang, Er Mao, San Mao, or Si Gou, anything is fine, but not that repetition word.”

“Why do you dislike that name so much…?”

Xia Yuan thought for a moment while holding Mei Fang’s shoulder, and suddenly had an idea. “Then how about Xiao Fang! It sounds smooth. Lin… no, Youxi, what do you think?”

“Whatever Yuan Yuan thinks is good, then it’s good.” Lin Youxi remained as obedient as ever to Xia Yuan.

“Don’t you want to hear my opinion?” Mei Fang protested. “This name is too feminine, people will say I’m effeminate. You have a responsibility, don’t you?”

“Didn’t you say any name is fine except for that other one? Liar.”

“Liar is not a bad name!” Lin Youxi raised her hands in agreement. “I feel like that’s the best, Mei Fang is a liar.”

“That’s true! Hahaha! From now on, you’ll be called Liar. Liar, Liar, Liar——”

Xia Yuan happily shook Mei Fang’s shoulder, while Mei Fang looked despondent and allowed himself to be played with.

As they were fooling around, Xia Yuan pushed Mei Fang too hard and caused him to fall onto the sofa.

Xia Yuan also leaned over and supported herself on the sofa, her pigtails naturally hanging down as she quietly gazed at Mei Fang.

…

Mei Fang had never experienced such an up and down eye contact position, not even Xia Yuan.

However, seeing Xia Yuan’s embarrassed expression and her struggle to decide whether to get up or not, Mei Fang didn’t feel too much pressure.

Xia Yuan slowly climbed off Mei Fang, tidied her hair a bit, and then looked towards Lin Youxi, saying, “The nickname we came up with is even longer than his real name! It doesn’t seem appropriate, right Youxi?”^[3]

Lin Youxi had been staring blankly in their direction since earlier, but after being reminded by Xia Yuan, she nodded and said, “How about we keep it simple, like Ah Mei or Ah Fang?”

“Ah Fang sounds like a good name… What do you think?” Xia Yuan asked.

Mei Fang had no objections, “It’s fine.”

But it always felt like this name was like a funny little character from some advertisement, a video that was particularly popular for a while.

Ah Fang and Ah Mei were the most common names for boys and girls in the Guangdong and Guangxi regions. Thinking that their parents had given them such a cheap name, Mei Fang felt a bit annoyed.

“Then, it’s settled!”

Subconsciously licking her lips, Xia Yuan sat back on the sofa and looked at Mei Fang, who had also sat up. She hesitated and said, “From now on, we’ll call you ‘Ah Fang’!”

“Ah Fang…”

Lin Youxi tried calling it out, and Xia Yuan followed suit, getting close to Mei Fang and shouting in his ear.

“Ah Fang! Ah Fang! Ah Fang! Ah Fang!”

Mei Fang covered his ears and also leaned towards Xia Yuan, shouting loudly to express his protest, “I heard it! I heard it! I heard it! I heard it!”

“Hahaha!”

The girls’ cheerful laughter echoed throughout the living room.

Translator's Notes:

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