Only After I Was Reborn Did I Realize That I Had Childhood Sweethearts Chapter 291: What Do You Think I Bought Such a Big Sofa For?

i Fang was quite satisfied with Chen Rui’s performance during the interview, though he found Chen Rui’s eagerness and enthusiasm a bit overwhelming.

Of course, the current Chen Rui wasn’t yet the overlord of the otaku empire, and i Fang had no idea what the real “Uncle” was like in his past life—whether his personality had shifted over ti remained a mystery.

Compared to i Fang’s mild approach, Lin Youxi’s questioning was far more ticulous and rigorous.

She asked Chen Rui so fundantal technical questions, but his responses left her feeling that this man was unfathomably skilled. As a result, she abandoned i Fang’s initial instructions and instead posed so high-difficulty technical challenges. Yet, Chen Rui answered them effortlessly, without a mont’s hesitation.

i Fang and Lin Youxi had worked together for over a decade. Despite their youth, they were among the earliest pioneers in Unity and Golang, earning considerable respect in dostic programming circles.

In i Fang’s mory, few programrs could rival Lin Youxi in technical skill—at least, no one in their current company surpassed her. Yet, Chen Rui’s theoretical knowledge seed on par with hers, and his practical skills might even exceed them.

i Yue, however, focused on a different angle. Steering clear of technical and managerial topics, she was more interested in the reason behind “Uncle’s” departure from his previous company.

“I won’t repeat the questions the boss and young miss already asked. It’s clear you excel in both technology and managent. But if that’s the case, why did you part ways with your forr partners at Hound Mobile?”

This was sothing i Fang had been curious about as well. In his past life, “Uncle” hadn’t been forced out—he had actively discovered Bilibili and staked everything on it. Now that i Fang had foresight, he wanted to understand the real reason.

“First, it was a difference in managent philosophy. As a tech-oriented leader, I often clashed with non-technical partners over ideas that lacked feasibility.”

“Beyond that, I’m deeply passionate about otaku culture and see it as my life’s work. Even before Mr. Xun introduced us, I’d been following your progress. I want to elevate this niche, self-contained community into sothing mainstream in our country…”

i Fang nodded along, but he noticed Chen Rui’s eyes darting around nervously as he spoke, as if he were hiding sothing.

…Is he lying?

Just as i Fang pondered how to press further, Lin Youxi cut in:

“That can’t be the only reason.”

She shook her head. “Based on what we’ve learned, your departure from Hound Mobile had another cause.”

“Well… you’re right, but it’s a bit embarrassing to admit—”

“There’s no need for sha. If you’re this reserved, you’ll struggle to fit into our company culture. Don’t be afraid to share.”

Under i Fang’s encouragent, Chen Rui rubbed his face and confessed:

“Alright… the truth is, I was caught watching ani at work—with the volu on. And of all things, it was during a particularly… compromising scene. After that, female colleagues would deliberately avoid . I couldn’t bear the sha, so I left.”

“…”

“…”

i Fang, Lin Youxi, and i Yue exchanged glances, barely suppressing their laughter. This was not the reason i Fang had expected.

“Well, at our company, you won’t be that unwelco.”

“Sister Yue, we can assign him a private office later.”

Chen Rui brightened. “An office isn’t necessary, but… can I keep watching ani at work after joining C-Site?”

“Of course. Consider it part of the job.”

Though Chen Rui had frad it as a joke, i Fang couldn’t help but think—this version of “Uncle” is surprisingly pure…

Chen Rui was a junior associate of Xia Xun, who was Xia Yuan’s father. Calling him “Brother Rui” felt awkward, especially since Linxi Tech had a tradition of using nicknas. Thus, Chen Rui officially beca C-Site’s “Uncle,” temporarily serving as a business consultant with promises of future executive roles to match his stature.

Right now, i Fang was too swamped to micromanage the company. Handing over too much power risked losing control of C-Site’s direction. Fortunately, “Uncle” showed no signs of ambition—in fact, he fully endorsed i Fang’s recent strategic decisions.

With Sister Yueyue overseeing operations and Uncle Xia Xun providing external backing, integrating “Uncle” Chen Rui into the company structure proved surprisingly smooth.

With the professional manager dilemma resolved, i Fang could finally loosen his grip on Linxi Tech’s day-to-day affairs, freeing him to focus on awaiting Coconut Studio’s next breakthrough. In his past life, “Uncle’s” B-site had beco a graveyard for mobile gas—its in-house developnt was lackluster, and aside from the explosive success of Fate/Grand Order, nearly every published title flopped, leaving the platform overly reliant on external capital.

But the current i Fang feared no such fate. His rebirth-granted expertise and industry experience positioned him to compensate for “Uncle’s” past shortcomings in gaming.

After concluding discussions with Chen Rui that evening, i Fang and Lin Youxi lingered at the office—she insisted on finalizing the code standardization guidelines, and he stayed to assist.

Since C-Site’s corporatization and comrcialization, Lin Youxi rarely wrote code herself anymore. As CTO, her role now centered on shaping the company’s technical strategy: building shared software platforms, designing coding protocols, and similar high-level initiatives.

These efforts streamlined workflows, boosted efficiency, and—most crucially—liberated her from endless operational firefighting.

By the ti they wrapped up, dusk had long since fallen. i Fang sprawled across the office sofa with a satisfied stretch just as Xia Yuan’s call arrived.

“A-Fang… are you and Youxi coming back for dinner?”

“Yeah, of course. We’re done here—heading back now.”

“Great! Can you make it in 30 minutes? I finished composing my new song and want to play it for you.”

“Really? That’s—”

Before he could finish, Lin Youxi suddenly straddled him, leaning toward the phone:

“Sorry Yuanyuan, we’ll need another half-hour. It’s been a long afternoon—I need to recharge first.”

“But… couldn’t you rest better at ho?”

“The office ambiance hits different. Talk later.”

She ended the call, then tightened her embrace, pressing i Fang into the sofa.

“Hey… what was that about? Sounded weird.”

“Not weird at all,” she murmured, nuzzling his neck. “I just wanted more alone ti with you.”

With a practiced motion, she pinned him down, bracing her hands against his chest with a sly smile. “Honestly… did you really think I bought this huge sofa for professional reasons?”

“Pfft—you’re sothing else.”

He cradled her waist, rolling them sideways until she lay nestled against him.

“We’re only resting, okay? Don’t keep Yuan waiting too long.”

“Mm. I know.”

Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered:

“Though… I do love seeing Yuan get jealous. She’s adorable when pouty.”

“…Okay, fair point.”

Lin Youxi soon dozed off atop him, but i Fang remained vigilant—texting Xia Yuan reassurances with one hand while carefully minimizing movent to avoid disturbing Youxi’s sleep.

Such were the tribulations of a three-way relationship: far from the carefree fantasy outsiders imagined. (Kids, don’t try this at ho.)

That night, Youxi’s “sneaky advance” earned her a punishnt—Xia Yuan banned her from sharing i Fang’s bed.

…At least until 3 AM, when she slithered back under the covers anyway.