Only After I Was Reborn Did I Realize That I Had Childhood Sweethearts Chapter 431: Life Has No Hypotheticals

After dinner, the group returned to the private room Lin Youxi had booked.

Of the six, only Xiang Bingbing wasn’t from Baii County. Yue Xinyi naturally suggested playing Baii mahjong, but Xia Yuan objected:

“There are six of us—how would that work? Plus, Xiaoyu, Bingbing and I don’t know how. Let’s go to the arcade instead.”

“Arcade at your age? YuanYuan, your face is too recognizable—you almost got spotted while bathing. Public places are risky.”

“Then… what does everyone else think?”

Currently eager to learn more about i Fang, Xiang Bingbing raised her hand. “I’m interested in mahjong! I want to learn!”

Liu Xiaoyu nodded. “I’m fine with either. I know a little Baii mahjong… play with family during New Year’s.”

“Wow… Xiaoyu, you’re way more experienced than I thought?”

i Fang indeed avoided public spaces now. “Staying in the private room sounds good. No need to go out.”

With most votes against her, Xia Yuan relented. “Fine… mahjong first then…”

Yue Xinyi proposed: “With six people, we can rotate every two rounds. Works?”

“I’ll sit out.”

i Fang explained, “I need to teach YuanYuan. She’s never played and sucks at math—probably clueless.”

“Okay, I’m new, but why add the math insult? Jerk!”

Xia Yuan punched i Fang but still pulled him close.

“First round, I’ll watch too—teach Bingbing.”

Yue Xinyi sat beside Xiang Bingbing, teasing i Fang:

“i Fang, you’ve been glued to YuanYuan since dinner. Not worried about Youxi? Maybe she wants coaching too.”

“Youxi… you’ll understand once you play with her.”

“To win, you need 33332 combinations—sequences or triplets count. Baii mahjong uses wildcards—they substitute any tile but can’t win from others…”

i Fang patiently instructed Xia Yuan, who arranged tiles under his guidance.

After one round, beginners Xiang Bingbing and Xia Yuan lost repeatedly, while Liu Xiaoyu and Lin Youxi dominated, amassing piles of chips.

Though just for fun, Liu Xiaoyu and Lin Youxi were evenly matched in Baii mahjong.

“Damn… Xiaoyu, you call this ‘a little’? I’m getting wrecked—Ah Fang’s no help.”

“I told you not to pon [claim a discard]! You gave Xiaoyu good tiles from Youxi’s discards.”

“But pon helps see winning combinations…”

“I was tracking for you—”

“I can’t always rely on you! Bingbing’s losing less than .”

“Bingbing listens to Xinyi—”

As Xia Yuan’s competitive streak erged, Lin Youxi raised the stakes:

“YuanYuan, let’s bet big—if I bankrupt your chips in two rounds, Ah Fang’s mine tonight. Otherwise, he’s yours.”

“Two rounds? Hmph… I’m bad but not that bad. Bring it!”

The tension excited Yue Xinyi, who urged Xiang Bingbing to swap seats.

“Bingbing, let play! I’ll drain YuanYuan dry!”

“Oh? Challenging ? If I have chips left, you must attend all gatherings I call for a year!”

“Deal! You’re my boss anyway. Bingbing, ti for Baii Mahjong Queen Yue Xinyi to shine!”

“But I wanna play too… or I’ll be bored.”

Xiang Bingbing pouted. Xia Yuan whispered to i Fang:

“Ah Fang, take Bingbing exploring. They underestimate —I know how to win now. Don’t let them bla you if I lose.”

“Using then discarding ? I’m not your tool—don’t equate spoiling you with being at your beck and call.”

i Fang tapped Xia Yuan’s head, genuinely annoyed by her single-mindedness.

Realizing her mistake, Xia Yuan stroked his cheek apologetically.

“Sorry… I just… really want to prove myself. You don’t want humiliated, right? Hmm?”

Perhaps excessive closeness in their circle had eroded Xia Yuan’s boundaries. She nuzzled and kissed i Fang.

“Co… little Ah Fang, don’t be mad. Mommy kisses~ Hugs~ Another kiss~ Better now?”

Her cooing and cuddling lted i Fang’s resistance, soon reciprocating—to their friends’ astonishnt.

Especially Xiang Bingbing and Liu Xiaoyu, who blushed intensely. Xiang Bingbing even gulped.

Lin Youxi enjoyed the display—had decorum allowed, she’d have joined.

For their trio, such public affection reinforced boundaries.

Once started, Xia Yuan and i Fang couldn’t stop without progressing further. Yue Xinyi’s coughing finally broke the spell.

Flustered, Xia Yuan covered her face.

“Sorry… we… usually… got carried away.”

“TMI! Unbelievable.”

i Fang rapped Xia Yuan’s head like a wooden fish, irking her:

“Ah Fang enjoys kisses but scolds after? Hypocrite!”

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it.”

Standing, i Fang glanced at Lin Youxi, then Xiang Bingbing—a silent request for permission.

Their tacit understanding was flawless. This glance showcased Lin Youxi’s supre status—while i Fang had been intimate with Xia Yuan, one look from Lin Youxi affird her dominance.

“Ah Fang, take Bingbing exploring. The buffet’s open—grab snacks and drinks.”

“Wait… we just ate—”

Before Yue Xinyi finished, Xiang Bingbing cheered, “I’m hungry again! Let’s go, Ah Fang! Adventure ti!”

Thus, i Fang and Xiang Bingbing explored the club.

Alone, Xiang Bingbing was less animated.

Did Youxi set a trap? i Fang wondered, though his wives weren’t the testing type…

“Ah Fang, is this the buffet? Can we enter?”

“Yep! Let’s go.”

The upscale buffet offered rare delicacies. Xiang Bingbing piled her plate high as i Fang explained unfamiliar dishes.

“What do you like? I’ll get so for you.”

“I’m full—just watching you is enough.”

“That’s awkward… eat with !”

“One takoyaki then.”

As Xiang Bingbing devoured her food, i Fang felt nostalgic.

“Feels like high school again.”

Xiang Bingbing wiped her mouth, surprised. “I… remind you of that?”

“Yeah, at Jiangcheng No.1 High, watching you enjoy cafeteria food was heartwarming.”

“Really… Maybe I should be a mukbang strear. Seems profitable lately.”

“Don’t chase money—do what you love. That’s the real you.”

i Fang smiled. “As my friend, you needn’t worry.”

Xiang Bingbing sighed. “But… I don’t want to always rely on you. I want independence.”

“YuanYuan says that too. You’re both outstanding yet insecure.”

“I get her—relying too much changes relationships.”

Xiang Bingbing poked her food. “As your lover, she can’t just be a dependent plaything… hence her drive to contribute.”

“……”

Noticing i Fang’s stunned expression, she frowned. “What’s that look?”

“I just… didn’t expect such insight from you.”

“Take this!”

Xiang Bingbing playfully raised a fist, making i Fang plead: “Don’t! One punch would kill !”

“Wouldn’t really hit you.”

She resud eating gloomily.

“…What’s wrong?”

“Thinking about… your kiss with YuanYuan.”

“Ah, that—”

“Ah Fang… is kissing really that great?”

“Uh… hard to explain… You’ll know when you date soone you like.”

“Doubt I ever will.”

Xiang Bingbing shook her head. “No one likes .”

“Nonsense! You’re adorable—who wouldn’t?”

“I’m too tall… and…”

Her voice cracked. This giant lolita’s tears stunned i Fang. He handed tissues, avoiding physical comfort.

“Actually… would you… have liked if I weren’t this tall?”

The direct question risked rejection, but Xiang Bingbing had to know.

“You’re wonderful regardless of height…”

“But you still couldn’t like , right?”

i Fang rubbed his nose. “I already have YuanYuan and Youxi—two is already scandalous.”

“Then… if I were also your childhood friend, could I… I an—”

“Bingbing.”

i Fang offered a takoyaki with a smile. “Life has no hypotheticals.”

“Instead, imagine soone better than who’d love only you. Isn’t that nicer?”

“Y-yeah! You’re right!”

Xiang Bingbing nodded vigorously. “Sorry… I’m being weird today. Bla YuanYuan’s PDA—got emotional…”

“It’s fine. I understand.”

i Fang whispered, “You’ll find soone to cherish you.”

“No rush! Single life’s good! I’ll drown sorrows in food!”

Unlike crybaby Xia Yuan, Xiang Bingbing recovered quickly.

After eating, she insisted on fetching fruit alone, sending i Fang ahead with drinks.

En route, a group of girls noticed him.

Recognized? i Fang pretended not to notice.

But one girl approached:

“Excuse … are you C-site’s founder? You look just like him!”

“Just resemblance…”

“Your voice too! It’s you!”

The girl grabbed his arm, demanding photos. Her friends joined, trapping i Fang.

“Co on! Rare wild site owner sighting! We need proof!”

“Site owner~ Do the ‘X Ni Tai i’ dance! Haha!”

“Seriously, I’m calling security—”

“Go ahead! No one’s coming to save—”

Suddenly, a female voice interrupted:

“Could you… stop bothering my boyfriend?”

Liu Xiaoyu—supposedly playing mahjong—erged, pulling i Fang away. The girls hesitated.

“Not Youxi or YuanYuan…”

“Maybe really a lookalike?”

Seizing the confusion, Liu Xiaoyu dragged i Fang down the hallway.

“Phew… escaped.”

Releasing his arm, Liu Xiaoyu apologized:

“Sorry… it was urgent… I’ll explain to Youxi and YuanYuan.”

“No, thank you! Why aren’t you playing?”

“YuanYuan lost everything—needs cheering. I ca to find you… then saw… Here, let carry so drinks.”

“No need—”

“Let .”

Unlike her past ekness, Liu Xiaoyu insisted firmly. They split the load.

“Sorry for today’s trouble. Next ti, I’ll pick sowhere more private.”

“Not at all! This was fun.”

i Fang smiled. “Bingbing went ahead? Let’s return.”

They entered the elevator—just the two of them.

Liu Xiaoyu’s calm facade hid inner panic:

Why did I say that?!

If Youxi finds out first, I’m dead!

As she fretted, i Fang brought up the past:

“Rember when we first t? You said I looked familiar?”

“Y-yes…”

“Ever recall where?”

“Too long ago… forgot.”

Liu Xiaoyu smiled. “I don’t dwell on the past—I focus on the present.”

“Admirable attitude.”

“But even so, if you could reincarnate, you’d have regrets, right? Like your family buying YuanYuan’s hotel—”

“Well… knowing it’d fail, I’d try saving them… but any buyer would suffer… My family could withstand it… so I’m conflicted…”

“You’re… incredibly kind.”

Though surprised, i Fang laughed. “Typical of you—you and YuanYuan are alike.”

“Not really… I’m not that good.”

Liu Xiaoyu rubbed her eyes, then t his gaze:

“Honestly, we’re nothing alike.”

“YuanYuan’s frank and pure.”

“I’m hypocritical, living for others’ expectations… unsure who I really am…”

i Fang thought of the past life’s radiant Liu Xiaoyu—the perfect socialite everyone loved.

That flawless version did feel distant…

“What were you saying?”

Liu Xiaoyu tilted her head curiously.

“Nothing… just hypotheticals.”

“Life has no hypotheticals.”

Liu Xiaoyu’s echo of his earlier words startled i Fang.

Indeed, no hypotheticals.

But in another world…

May I courageously confess to the boy I like—

Liu Xiaoyu silently cheered for an alternate self.

Author’s Note:

“Edited for everyone’s review. This introduces future IF chapters: Ice Chapter (Bingbing) and Rain Chapter (Xiaoyu). Bingbing’s early ‘cute glutton’ trait got diluted—Ice Chapter may not happen, but Rain Chapter will. These await after the main story’s conclusion.”