Only After I Was Reborn Did I Realize That I Had Childhood Sweethearts Chapter 454: IF Side Story – Bound by Fate: (Fang & Youxi) (

Lin Youxi sent out an invitation to the project team mbers for a team-building karaoke and dinner gathering. This kind of normie behavior naturally triggered a refusal from the distant Yun Guo Yun.

Guo Yun said that staying alone in Yangcheng was actually pretty good for her. As for Peng Xue, she agreed quite cheerfully, saying that it had been a long ti since they’d t and that getting together for a bit of singing sounded nice.

On Liu Xiaoyu’s side, of course she didn’t refuse either. And in order to make it livelier with more people, her friend and forr classmate Yue Xinyi was also pulled in to join the KTV gathering.

Speaking of which, they were all fellow townsfolk from Baii County. Being strangers in a strange land, eting up together was a rare and aningful thing.

That was the thought behind it all…

Lin Youxi booked a KTV room online at ChunK, and then excitedly skipped over to find i Fang, who was working on his laptop. “Ah Fang, Ah Fang! The place I booked is really close to Xiaoyu’s house. Say, before we go sing, should we drop by Xiaoyu’s place and sit for a while?”

“Why bother soone else like that…”

“Didn’t we already agree before that we’d go visit her place? We’ve kept saying we would but never did, it’s kinda embarrassing, isn’t it? Hmm? Please?”

Lin Youxi clung to i Fang and pestered him with all her might, acting all cutesy. i Fang was tornted into submission. “Go ask Xiaoyu and see if it’s convenient for her—”

“Xiaoyu?”

“Uh… slipped out naturally.”

i Fang scratched his head and said: “Calling her Liu Xiaoyu still feels kind of awkward.”

“Awkward now, but how did you call her in high school?”

“In high school I just called her Liu Xiaoyu.”

“Why didn’t it feel awkward in high school?”

“Back then… back in high school—” i Fang thought for a bit, then saw Lin Youxi staring fixedly at him. He imdiately frowned and pinched her waist.

“You almost got to gloss over that one. I thought it was awkward back then too!”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying, pinching again! I’ll show you what I’m made of!”

Lin Youxi, annoyed, sat on i Fang and played bouncy horse on him.

Under i Fang’s persistent reminders to take her ds, Lin Youxi’s manic phase symptoms gradually began to improve. Her energy levels returned to normal, and her personality also trended toward stability.

The current Lin Youxi was no longer a hyperactive action-taker. Even at night, she had beco more settled, with fewer intense needs, allowing i Fang so breathing room at long last. He had finally managed to endure through it.

However, compared to the energetic and lively manic phase, the moody and unpredictable depressive phase was the one that i Fang found truly difficult to handle.

Even so, being able to cherish the present mont and enjoy every second with her was also a very important part of things for him.

Lin Youxi asked Liu Xiaoyu if they could stop by her place before heading to the karaoke. Liu Xiaoyu was briefly stunned but quickly agreed. After agreeing, she fell into a sudden bout of inexplicable anxiety.

Co—co over to my place?

I… I haven’t even tidied up the house yet!

Seriously… why is it so ssy in here—

Liu Xiaoyu hurriedly cleaned up for a bit, then returned to the sofa and patted her cheeks.

Calm down, Liu Xiaoyu. They’re not coming today!

And it’s just friends visiting, there’s nothing to be afraid of!

Thinking this, Liu Xiaoyu sent a ssage to Yue Xinyi.

【Oh】

Yue Xinyi’s reply was blunt and to the point.

Then three seconds later, Liu Xiaoyu called her via voice chat:

“Xin—Yi—!”

“Okay okay, I get it! You’re not even hosting your boyfriend, why are you so worked up? Honestly…”

“……”

“Hm?”

Yue Xinyi sensed sothing was off in Liu Xiaoyu’s reaction and imdiately grew curious. “Before I used to joke around, but don’t tell you really still have feelings for i Fang?”

“What do you an, still have feelings! Watch your words, will you?”

Liu Xiaoyu huffed and said: “You know very well—I haven’t really made any friends over these years…”

“You an guy friends, right? Isn’t that because you always keep your distance from guys? Whenever there’s a dinner or karaoke invite, you almost never accept—”

“I’ve tried to make efforts too…”

“Tried, huh? And stayed single for twenty-eight years? I can’t even be bothered to argue with you.”

“Phew…”

“If you ask , just act normal and be natural. Don’t take things too seriously.”

Yue Xinyi said: “The more seriously you take it, the more it shows you care about what he thinks…”

Liu Xiaoyu thought for a bit, then asked Yue Xinyi:

“So… I don’t need to clean the place?”

“Just keep it like you usually do!”

“Like I usually do, huh… How about… how about you co over first and take a look—”

At that, Yue Xinyi suddenly snapped: “Liu Xiaoyu! Listen up—I’m not your maid! I’m not a woman you can summon on a whim!”

On the day of the gathering—

“…You definitely hired a professional cleaner, didn’t you?”

Yue Xinyi ran her finger along the surface of the coffee table—there wasn’t even a speck of dust.

“It’s just… a normal cleaning.”

Liu Xiaoyu scratched her head. “I’m a girl. Doing a proper cleaning once a week is totally normal, right? Ah—don’t ss up my sofa!”

“You little brat! I’ll just stand then, okay?”

“I didn’t an it like that…”

Yue Xinyi suddenly raised her head and looked at Liu Xiaoyu:

“Have you… been eting with i Fang and Lin Youxi a lot lately?”

“Yeah, about once a week at least…”

“Online?”

“Since we have to discuss work, basically every day—but mostly in the group chat, I don’t private ssage him.”

“……”

Yue Xinyi frowned and sighed. “Xiaoyu, I really don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what?”

“I used to just tease you, but now I’m starting to think sothing’s off. If you really liked him that much, if you truly couldn’t forget him—how could you go ten years without reaching out? Contacting a classmate, asking around for his info, that’s not hard.”

Liu Xiaoyu clutched the hem of her shirt and stayed silent for a mont, then raised her head: “Do I really… look like I still think about him?”

“Yes. Extrely.”

“Is that so…”

Liu Xiaoyu shook her head a little and sat on the sofa, resting her chin on her hand, deep in thought.

“I don’t even know what this feeling is… At first I was really surprised to see him at that exhibition. Later, watching everything that happened with him and Youxi, I couldn’t help but be drawn in. Even their ga—sothing they made to commorate childhood sweethearts—”

“Don’t go into what’s happening now. Talk about back then. Why didn’t you go see him?”

“There were… a lot of reasons… I can’t explain them all at once… And at that ti, I didn’t even realize that I was… um…”

“So twisted, I love it.”

Yue Xinyi crouched down and observed Liu Xiaoyu’s slightly conflicted expression. “Don’t be fooled by how much I love sweet romance stories. This kind of twisted love triangle drama—I love it even more.”

“Yue Xinyi! You really are… such a drama goblin!”

As Liu Xiaoyu and Yue Xinyi were bickering, the apartnt doorbell rang.

i Fang had brought Lin Youxi over for the visit.

“Welco, welco—make yourselves at ho.”

“Wow, Xiaoyu, you live alone in such a big place?”

Lin Youxi was amazed as soon as she stepped in and saw the furnishings. “As expected of a famous writer. Your lifestyle is amazing.”

“Mm… my family helped arrange it. My dad said he could only feel at ease with hustling alone in Pengcheng if I lived in a place like this.”

“Are you rooming with Xinyi?”

Yue Xinyi shook her head. “Do I look like I can afford a high-end place like this? My company’s far from here and I’m always traveling for work, no way I live here.”

Lin Youxi sat on the soft sofa and swayed. “You’re such a delicate girl—living here alone, is it really safe?”

Just as Liu Xiaoyu was about to respond, i Fang imdiately interjected with concern:

“What’s unsafe about it? Before you t , didn’t you also live alone in a neighborhood?”

“Ah, but I’m an orphan, it’s not like—”

“Whoa, is that the stench of love in the air?”

Yue Xinyi pinched her nose and said: “Too strong. Can you two not flirt in front of us?”

“Hahahaha! Okay, okay, we’ll stop!”

Lin Youxi nudged i Fang and apologized, then gestured toward the inner room. “Can I take a look at the bedroom?”

“Sure, feel free to explore…”

Lin Youxi went to check out Liu Xiaoyu’s bedroom, with Yue Xinyi following along. anwhile, i Fang stood outside in the hallway and didn’t enter.

Liu Xiaoyu’s bedroom had a large bed with lots of stuffed plushies on top. The walls were painted pink, very much a girl’s dream room.

“This bed looks so soft, just like sothing a princess would sleep on…”

Lin Youxi bounced the mattress a bit, and Liu Xiaoyu gently said:

“If you like it, feel free to lie down and try it…”

“Really? Ah Fang, Ah Fang! Co over—hey, why are you standing out there like a shy little boy? Co take a look.”

“Ah, ah, ah—”

Seeing Lin Youxi call i Fang into the room, Liu Xiaoyu imdiately got flustered.

“Calling in here… Isn’t it inappropriate for to just walk into a girl’s bedroom?”

Liu Xiaoyu quickly waved her hands: “N-no, it’s fine…”

“Exactly. What’s the big deal? You lie on my bed all the ti.”

Yue Xinyi pretended to cover her ears: “Whoa, is this really sothing my six-year-old self is allowed to hear?”

“How can this be the sa thing!”

“Our bed at ho is all wobbly when we lie down. I want to buy a new one—co help check it out, yeah? Can Ah Fang give it a try, Xiaoyu?”

“I… y-you two go ahead…”

Liu Xiaoyu’s voice was full of hesitation, but inside she was already surging with emotion.

She stared straight at i Fang as he, at Lin Youxi’s urging, sat down on the bed.

Then, from the side, Yue Xinyi could clearly see steam practically rising from the top of Liu Xiaoyu’s head.

Ah, this must be the legendary Steam Princess!

“It… it is pretty soft…”

i Fang tried it briefly, then stood up. “If you like it, I’ll buy it for you.”

“But the place we live in now is so small… A bed this big wouldn’t fit. Better think it over again…”

“Then a smaller model should work, right? Xiaoyu, what brand is this bed? Can you tell us about it? Youxi really seems to like it.”

“It’s… um—”

Finally, Liu Xiaoyu took i Fang and the others to tour her personal writing study.

Lin Youxi’s eyes were imdiately drawn to a piano inside the room.

“Wow… Xiaoyu, you love playing piano that much? You even brought one over.”

“This one ca with the apartnt. The thing is, this apartnt belongs to one of my dad’s friends who moved abroad. Since no one’s living here in China, he lent it to …”

“I see.”

Lin Youxi gently stroked the edge of the piano, closed her eyes, and fell into deep thought.

“What is it?”

“This is the second ti I’ve seen a genuine piano.”

Lin Youxi smiled and said: “The first ti was at Yuanyuan’s house.”

“Ah Fang, you know what? When YuanYuan was little, she loved playing the piano the most. I rember the song she liked playing the most was called… what was it again… wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait—”

Lin Youxi tried humming the lody of the piano piece, and both i Fang and Liu Xiaoyu practically spoke in unison:

“‘Spring Song.’“

“Right, that one by ndelssohn.”

Seeing this, Lin Youxi smiled as well and said, “It’s not surprising that Xiaoyu knows it, but how co you know it too, hmm?”

Liu Xiaoyu quickly helped to explain: “Th-this is a world-famous piece. If you pay a little attention, it’s totally normal to know it—”

“It was back in high school. Xiaoyu told about it.”

Although this was a trap set by Lin Youxi, i Fang walked right into it without any defenses.

“Huh?”

Facing Liu Xiaoyu’s astonishnt, i Fang appeared completely calm.

“She used to play it in the music room during music class.”

Hearing this, Liu Xiaoyu was also moved. “You actually rember that…”

“Well, you were the first person around who could play the piano, so it really left an impression.”

“Mhm mhm! Playing the piano is a very impressive skill!”

Having achieved her goal, Lin Youxi didn’t continue to press the matter and instead suddenly remarked sentintally, “I rember Xiaoyu used to really like music. At the Fusion Convention last ti, you said the sa thing… Ah Fang even told you were once one of the Top Ten Singers at No. 1 High School.”

“That was ten years ago…” Liu Xiaoyu smiled shyly. “Nothing worth bragging about.”

“Anyway, you must sing really well!”

Lin Youxi smiled and said: “Later when we’re at the KTV, you have to sing a few songs—I want to witness the greatness of the Top Ten Singer!”

…

i Fang, Lin Youxi, Liu Xiaoyu, and Yue Xinyi arrived at the lobby of ChunKTV and t up with Peng Xue there.

“Hello! Long ti no see.”

Though she had that lively little-sister vibe when she was working as a waitress, today Peng Xue was dressed more maturely and charmingly. So much so that Liu Xiaoyu was a little startled upon seeing her—there were just too many pretty girls around i Fang.

“Hi, hi. You must be Xiaoxue, right… we’ve chatted in the group before.”

“Nice to et you! I heard you’re an old classmate of i Fang’s… What a coincidence, so am I!”

“You too?”

Peng Xue smiled at Liu Xiaoyu. “I’m i Fang’s middle school classmate. Dropped out later on.”

“I see…”

Liu Xiaoyu wanted to say sothing encouraging but didn’t know how. At that mont, Peng Xue also went over to chat warmly with i Fang and Lin Youxi.

“Congratulations! You two are finally together.”

“Hehe… thanks.”

Lin Youxi linked her arm with i Fang’s and proudly announced to Peng Xue: “Well, now Ah Fang is my man, can’t introduce him to you anymore.”

“Alright, I wasn’t interested anyway.”

Peng Xue laughed and gave i Fang a pat on the shoulder. “I’ve never had much of a sense of security since I was little. n are just unreliable to . I think I’ll just rely on myself for the rest of my life.”

“What a coincidence, too.”

Yue Xinyi smiled and greeted Peng Xue. “I’m not interested in n either. I feel like we’ll have a lot to talk about.”

“Ah.”

Peng Xue glanced at Yue Xinyi and scratched her head. “Who brought a little girl to the KTV? We’re going to be drinking later. Is she even allowed to drink at that age?”

“Whoa… If you’re complinting on looking young, thank you. But if you’re mocking for being short, then we’ve got a problem!”

“Hahahaha, you’re so cute when you get worked up! Little radish head!”

“Whoa damn, I take back what I just said—we are mortal enemies now!”

Naturally sociable Yue Xinyi and won-magnet Peng Xue quickly hit it off.

Everyone chatted and laughed as they entered the private room. Lin Youxi imdiately called the waiter and ordered a dozen beers, then cheerfully said to everyone: “Tonight, eat and drink as much as you want—Ah Fang and I are treating!”

“Yay, yay!”

“Then we won’t hold back!”

Everyone gathered around the song selection panel to start queuing up songs. As the host, Lin Youxi went first out of courtesy.

“I want to sing this one first!”

As a cheerful intro began to play, Lin Youxi chose a bubbly song completely different from her usual style.

“What the—starting off with sothing this retro?”

Yue Xinyi clapped along with the beat. Lin Youxi, anwhile, bounced around with cheerful steps, standing in front of the screen, and solemnly announced to i Fang:

“Up next, please enjoy a song-and-dance performance brought to you by Lin Youxi, lead of White Plum Ti —《Curled Eyelashes》!”

“Ah… you’re actually doing a full performance?”

“Why not—I an, do you think I can’t dance at all?”

For so reason, Lin Youxi suddenly threw a super cutesy wink at i Fang, leaving him visibly embarrassed.

“Nice! Nice! Look at this hopeless man, he’s blushing already, hahahaha!”

Peng Xue laughed heartily and gave i Fang a hard slap on the shoulder, making him all the more flustered. Liu Xiaoyu, off to the side, also clapped softly in surprise.

So this is… what it’s like to be madly in love?

Lin Youxi held the mic in one hand and danced with lively, though sowhat clumsy, steps. It was obvious she hadn’t danced this routine in years. Only the opening pose still looked a bit like it used to; the rest was mostly chaotic hopping.

“Ohhh, so hype!”

Under Lin Youxi’s lead, everyone drank, snacked, and sang. The atmosphere gradually heated up. Peng Xue and Yue Xinyi also took turns going up to sing, and even Liu Xiaoyu sang a few duets and solos. Only i Fang sat silently eating and listening, watching his girlfriend having a blast.

As the booze flowed, the energy got more and more intense.

“Hey hey… Ah Fang hasn’t sung anything… Co sing one with us?”

“You should drink less… You can’t just drink like this.”

“It’s such a fun night… a little drinking’s fine! Sooner or later I’ll go crazy anyway…”

Lin Youxi clung to i Fang asking for kisses—it was hard to tell whether she was genuinely tipsy or just pretending.

But when it ca to Lin Youxi’s requests, i Fang never refused. After a subtle kiss, Lin Youxi looked up and t Liu Xiaoyu’s sowhat complicated gaze. Feeling guilty, Liu Xiaoyu quickly picked up her glass to hide her expression. Lin Youxi just gave a faint smile, then went back to the song machine to queue more songs, before returning to i Fang asking for cuddles.

The songs Lin Youxi chose were all Jay Chou hits from ten years ago. Toward the later half, they were mostly lancholic love songs like Sunny Day, Retreat, Ocean, Coral Sea, Promised Happiness.

Because they were all old songs, i Fang could sing along too. When they got to the high-pitched parts of Coral Sea, Lin Youxi suddenly broke down in i Fang’s arms, sobbing. But everyone just assud she was being the KTV drama queen and didn’t take her emotions too seriously.

Only Liu Xiaoyu looked at Lin Youxi, and her heart began to drift into a whirlpool of thoughts.

When Liu Xiaoyu finished singing the song she had selected, the next song began playing. Hearing the intro, Liu Xiaoyu suddenly froze and instinctively passed over the mic.

“This song… who picked it… who’s singing?”

“Not .”

Peng Xue waved her hand.

“Not either, I don’t know how to sing it.”

Yue Xinyi also shook her head.

“Youxi, maybe? Must’ve been Youxi…”

i Fang gently shook his head, stroking the slumbering Lin Youxi in his arms, and said, “Youxi probably can’t sing anymore. If you’re not going to sing it… we can just skip it.”

…

Liu Xiaoyu set down the mic, pouted, and mumbled sothing.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Liu Xiaoyu did sothing quite unlike her usual self—she picked up the mic, got up from her seat, and stood before everyone.

“Then… I’ll sing this one.”

“Ooooh, alright! Feels like Xiaoyu is finally getting serious!”

Yue Xinyi clapped beside her, and Peng Xue also listened with piqued curiosity.

i Fang, while still holding Lin Youxi in his arms, looked up and watched Liu Xiaoyu’s performance.

Gradually—

As Liu Xiaoyu got deeper into the song, her singing grew more emotional. i Fang also seed to notice sothing. So deeply buried mories were suddenly stirred up.

Under Liu Xiaoyu’s intense gaze, i Fang slowly turned his eyes away—only to et Lin Youxi’s sharp gaze right from within his arms.

[A hug I dare not long for]

[A delicate line that must not cross]

[No one knows better than ]

[One-sided love must be given up]

[I dare not ask for your embrace]

[Afraid you’ll hear my heartbeat]

[The scenery behind you]

[Is a place I never should have stayed]

Whether it was the Top Ten Singer story, the piano piece from earlier, or this song Intersecting Lines, or those distant dreams about video gas—

All of it appeared as plot points in Yesterday’s Love Song. Even after multiple layers of adaptation and design, Lin Youxi, who knew i Fang like no one else, recognized them right from the text.

Without a doubt, this Yesterday’s Love Song was a novel Liu Xiaoyu created by weaving her own experiences into fiction.

Which ans—

“She never forgot you.”

Lin Youxi whispered intimately beside i Fang’s ear, deliberately saying it loud enough for Liu Xiaoyu to hear.

But i Fang gave no response to Lin Youxi’s words. Instead, he held her tightly in his arms and, for once, initiated so affectionate cuddling of his own—using it as a way to push back against Lin Youxi’s probing.

And at that mont, Liu Xiaoyu was still singing, full of emotion and focus. This was the only song i Fang ever sang at the graduation party after college entrance exams, and also the one Liu Xiaoyu perford when she earned her Top Ten Singer title.

Yue Xinyi, heart aching for her bestie, finally couldn’t bear it anymore and shouted:

“Alright you two… stop showing off your love here! Too much already!”

“Exactly, exactly!”

A totally drunk Peng Xue chid in.

Only Liu Xiaoyu remained lost in her mories, completing the song she never got to finish before.

But clearly—she would have no more chances to finish it again.

After the KTV gathering dispersed, everyone said their goodbyes and went ho. i Fang helped Lin Youxi out of the car and into the residential complex. As they walked toward their building—

The full moon on the 15th day of the lunar calendar hung in the sky like a silver jade plate. Under its serene glow, Lin Youxi leaned happily against i Fang, howling with joy.

Then, she looked up at him:

“Ah Fang.”

“Mm?”

“Do you like this kind of life?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“Being with … don’t you feel like, ‘that’s all there is’? I’m not so goddess or top student. Just an orphan with ntal illness.”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t trade what I like for a thousand pieces of gold.”

“Isn’t ‘duoduo’ also just like that? Not much fun beyond a point?”

“Nope. Every day’s fun with you.”

“Haha.”

Lin Youxi lifted her head to gaze drunkenly at the moon.

“Actually… loving soone, sleeping with soone, isn’t it just like that? The dopamine rush from mutual attraction only lasts seven months. Right now, you’re just being stubborn and pretending.”

i Fang quipped back teasingly: “Well it’s not just my stubborn mouth—you’ll see what else I’ve got in store later.”

“Hahahaha!”

Lin Youxi suddenly burst out laughing, her reply blurred with hazy drunken slurs:

“I really… really love you, Ah Fang.”

“I love you too.”

i Fang helped Lin Youxi sit down on a bench to rest, and the two of them quietly gazed at the luminous moonlit sky together.

Tonight, the moonlight is truly beautiful.

Episode of chaos over! Returning to the main story tomorrow!