Only After I Was Reborn Did I Realize That I Had Childhood Sweethearts Chapter 363: IF Route Side Story Bound by Fate (Fang & Youxi

(TL: Trust , I don’t know where Part 4 is either..)

What am I doing…

I’m truly despicable.

Really.

i Fang, oh i Fang, you’re such a shaless man.

She invited you to live together because she trusted you as a fellow hotown friend, and here you are getting delusional!

She’s a girl who lacks love and companionship. Bipolar disorder might distort her emotional needs, but you shouldn’t misinterpret things so easily.

We’re just friends.

Yes, just friends…

Lying sleepless in bed, i Fang spent the night relentlessly denying every intimate mont he’d shared with Lin Youxi over the past few months.

To an ordinary guy like him, Lin Youxi remained an untouchable goddess—even if she was a fallen one.

I should stop overthinking.

Isn’t it enough just to stay by her side like this?

But then again, it’s not right for to keep living here indefinitely…

Once this ga is done, I’ll move out…

i Fang barely slept a wink that night. By morning, he felt the paradoxical vigor of soone on the brink of collapse. Yet he waited until their usual departure ti before getting up, only to find Lin Youxi’s door still tightly shut.

Not daring to disturb her, he sent a ssage:

“Take your ti resting today. Rember to take your ds.”

Then he tiptoed through his morning routine.

After washing up, there was still no movent from Lin Youxi’s room. i Fang prepared a box of pan-fried dumplings for her brunch, placed her dication beside it with a note, and sent another ssage—still no reply.

…She must still be asleep.

With that assumption, he left quietly, gently closing the door behind him.

Working on zero sleep wasn’t new to i Fang, but the bizarre adrenaline rush always made him oddly productive.

“Xiao Cao, that proposal I asked for yesterday—”

“Already done! Sent the doc. Please review.”

Xiao Cao hovered eagerly as i Fang skimd the file before nodding.

“These event templates are mostly reskins, but double-check the spreadsheet structure with programming. A table with hundreds of rows for gift packs is begging for errors.”

“Got it… By the way, Boss Fang, maybe ease up a bit? Your dark circles are brutal despite fewer late nights lately.”

“Just insomnia. What’re you implying?”

“Rumor says you’re cohabiting with your girlfriend now. True?”

“We’re not dating.”

“But not denying the cohabitation, huh? So it’s imminent?”

“Shut it.”

Xiao Cao slunk back to his desk, sighing dramatically.

“Even the eternally single, terminally straight Boss Fang is abandoning the bachelor alliance. What hope do I have?”

“Don’t worry, Xiao Cao. You’re young—plenty of lonely years ahead!”

“HAHAHA!”

“Seconded!”

“Laugh all you want! When I finally get a girlfriend, we’ll see who’s—”

“Wait, isn’t 520 coming up? Ti to scout trash bins for discarded roses again?”

“Oh damn, good reminder. Gotta prep.”

“PFFFT—”

Amid the laughter, i Fang realized: 5/20—yet another manufactured romantic holiday.

…Whatever. Not like it concerns .

Yet Lin Youxi’s face surfaced in his mind.

Ugh, this lovesick brain…

Checking his ssages, there was still no reply from her.

…Is she still upset about yesterday?

Can’t bla her… She trusted as a friend, and I hugged her.

But…

It was just a hug! Unless—

Argh!

What is she thinking?

After agonizing, he drafted another ssage:

[About yesterday—my bad. Let’s forget it happened… Or if you can’t, that’s okay too. If you feel I crossed a line, I’ll start apartnt hunting this week. But please, considering I cook/clean for you, don’t sue . I couldn’t handle that qwq]

He sent the rambling text bracing for her reaction—only to see:

[ssage delivered but rejected by recipient.]

Oh no oh no—

Frantically calling her, he got only a busy signal.

[The number you dialed is currently unavailable.]

…An episode? Is this depression hitting after mania?

Ard with ntal health knowledge, i Fang suspected the crash—likely exacerbated by last night’s emotional trigger.

Though crushed by yet another block, he understood her condition. Without hesitation, he requested leave.

“Boss Yu, family ergency. Need to bail early.”

His manager nodded sagely. “Roommate trouble?”

“…Yeah.”

“Go, go! Roommate matters take priority!”

“Stop looking at like that…”

After notifying his team—

[@All: Off-site today. Ping for urgent issues. Otherwise, ask Xiao Cao.]

Employee A: [Can Xiao Cao handle it?]

Xiao Cao: [If Boss Fang can do it, so can I!]

Employee B: [Boss Fang has a gf. Do you?]

Xiao Cao: [Laughing through the pain.jpg]

i Fang raced ho by taxi.

Depressive episodes brought severe lows and irrational pessimism—and today, he hadn’t even ensured Lin Youxi took her ds.

Unlocking the door, he found the apartnt silent and empty, Lin Youxi’s bedroom door ajar.

“Youxi? Are you ho?”

No response. The dumplings and pills sat untouched on the table.

Her shoes… Her shoes—

She hadn’t even swapped into outdoor footwear. Her slippers remained indoors.

Did she leave barefoot?

Barefoot, in pajamas…

Panic mounting, i Fang searched the building—questioning guards, reviewing CCTV, interrogating elderly mahjong players—but no one recalled seeing a girl matching her description.

Outside the complex lay a riverside walkway. The water was shallow, unbarricaded—

But if soone truly wanted to…

Gritting his teeth, i Fang combed the path, his calls growing increasingly desperate.

“Lin Youxi—where are you?”

“LIN YOUXI!”

At 3 PM, the trail was sparsely populated. He lowered his voice when passersby neared, but after fruitless laps, he abandoned decorum entirely.

“LIIIN—YOUU—XII—”

God… I haven’t slept all night.

Gasping for air, his heart throbbed with alarming intensity.

If I keep this up, I’ll collapse before finding her.

Not here, not ho—where else?

How far could bare feet take her?

Why has no one seen her?!

Frantic, i Fang trudged ho under the setting sun, the glow of household lights and chimney smoke mocking his solitude.

A lump ford in his throat.

If only I hadn’t hugged her.

She’d still be okay.

This wouldn’t be happening.

With her unstable mood today, I shouldn’t have gone to work.

I should’ve stayed.

If she’s really gone… If sothing happened… How could I face her parents—no, her parents’ spirits in the afterlife?

I… I don’t know…

Returning to the empty apartnt, i Fang—still unable to reach Lin Youxi—grabbed a drink from the fridge.

The mont he opened it, his legs buckled. Clutching the door, he crumpled to his knees as overwhelming helplessness wracked his body. Silent sobs shook his fra.

No one witnessed the devastation on his face.

As he wiped his eyes and reached for his phone to call the police, a thud ca from Lin Youxi’s room.

…?

Alert, i Fang rushed in.

The bed was empty.

Her bunny slippers sat neatly by the footboard.

Still no Lin Youxi.

Turning to leave, his gaze snagged on the wardrobe.

…

Gulping, he gripped the handle and slowly pulled—

—as sunset rays spilled through the window, illuminating the figure curled inside.

Clad in rumpled sleepwear, hair disheveled, Lin Youxi hugged her knees, her dazed but clear eyes lifting to et his.

i Fang struggled to swallow, his voice cracking as he forced a smile.

“What… are you doing in there?”

“Playing hide-and-seek…?”

Lin Youxi shook her head listlessly.

“You can hit or yell at . No need to pretend.”

“I’m a disgusting ss when episodes hit.”

“Sotis… I’m worse than this.”

“Everyone’s better off if I’m dead.”

“A burden either way.”

“Don’t you think?”

“No! I’ve never—”

Exhausted, i Fang reached into the wardrobe. “Co eat. You’ve had nothing all day.”

“And your ds… Skipping them makes it harder.”

“Leave alone.”

“I’m a ntally ill freak. Not worth your effort.”

She remained motionless. “Forget finishing the ga together. I’ll just destroy you first.”

“I don’t want to see you like this.”

“It’s fine… I’ll take care of you… Really…”

Coaxing her out, i Fang’s stomach churned violently, but he kept his tone gentle.

“I’m a masochist anyway. I like being tornted by you… But you can’t starve yourself…”

“Please. Just this once… Co out and eat…”

His legs gave way, sending him kneeling—but he collapsed forward into Lin Youxi’s arms.

No ulterior motives this ti.

Just holding her.

Clutching her, even as she shoved at him.

“Listen to … Just eat sothing, okay? Please.“

Every ounce of strength went into that embrace.

“What’s so great about ? I’ve blocked you twice. Why chase ?”

Lin Youxi’s voice turned eerily coy.

“Do you want that badly?”

“Want to fuck ?”

“Hmm?”

“Go ahead. Do it until you’re satisfied—then leave .”

“Well?“

Instead of answering, she felt tremors against her shoulder—and the dampness of tears.

Ah…

After a long silence, Lin Youxi finally relented.

“i Fang, you idiot.”

“You’ll regret falling for soone like …”

Leaning close, she whispered:

“Ah Fang, I’m hungry.”

“Let out.”

Those words unlocked his grip. Wiping his face, he rasped:

“Okay… I’ll make food. Or order takeout if you prefer.”

“The dumplings from this morning. Those were mine.”

“Got it. I’ll reheat—”

As he stood, Lin Youxi yanked him back down.

Before he could react, she pressed her lips to his—clumsily but earnestly.

Very earnestly.

Arms winding around him, pouring gratitude into the kiss.

Or perhaps…

Sothing more?

Equally inexperienced, i Fang let her lead until, breathless, he caught her wandering hands.

Ten minutes later, they finally parted.

Hah…

Cradling his face, Lin Youxi smiled—soft and warm.

“Ah Fang.”

“Yeah?”

“You taste the best.”

“I want another bite.”

“…Spare .”