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

The moment Mei Fang stepped into the classroom, all eyes locked onto him like homing missiles.

On his way to his seat, classmates kept grabbing his sleeves:

"Boss Mei! Is it true? You and Xia Yuan—"

"Why?You two were perfect—"

"Back off!"

Xiang Bingbing bulldozed through the crowd like a human plow, depositing Mei Fang at his desk before looming over him.

"Explain! How could you and Yuan Yuan break up?!"

"They… weren't they just laughing together upstairs?"

"But theystopped holding hands! It's real!"

The class erupted in gasps.

Bingbing's face crumpled. "Why?You were…you." She suddenly gasped. "Wait—that question you asked me last time! Was that atest?"

"Uh… y-yeah…"

Almost forgot that cover story.

Bingbing then did the unthinkable—shehunchedto whisper: "D-did I… accidentally cause this?"

"Not at all."

"Oh." She straightened, visibly disappointed. "But surely Iinfluencedit? Like, my wisdom opened your eyes?"

Seeing her desperate for culpability, Mei Fang caved. "…Maybe alittle."

"I knew it!" Bingbing clutched her head. "Yuan Yuan must've seen us getting too close—she thinks I stole you! I need to apologize—"

"Relax." Mei Fang stifled a laugh. "We just felt…offas lovers."

"Off?"

"Ten years as family-like childhood friends… then suddenly dating? It gotweird."

Bingbing leaned in, fascinated. "So… are soulmate bondsstrongerthan romance?"

"For us? Yeah."

Their official narrative—"We were closer as childhood friends"—neatly sidestepped Youxi's role while preserving the trio's deeper truth.

Yet across campus, heartbroken students mourned the "golden couple's" demise. In Youxi's class, former classmates of Yuan huddled like grief counselors:

"I thought their love story would last forever… Only a year?" one girl lamented in Youxi's classroom.

"Too familiaras a breakup reason? I'd kill for a boyfriend like Ah Fang pampering me daily!"

"Please—you just want to climb him like a tree!"

"Okay fine! Have youseenhis collarbones? Divine."

The group's chatter halted when they noticed Fang Yan—their most devoted shipper—silently fuming.

"Something'soff," Fang Yan suddenly declared. "They were perfect together. Only one variable changed—"

"Uh oh. You meanClass Prez?"

As local students allied with Shang Ce's clique, they'd always resented Youxi's authority. But fandom transcended petty rivalries—until now.

"Yuan Yuan tolerated her before, but lovers needspace," Fang Yan theorized. "Imagine your boyfriend's 'just a friend' still clinging to him—"

"Youxi's always been like that though—"

"Not buying it." Fang Yan cracked her knuckles. "I'll expose Lin Youxi's homewrecking ways. My C-site connections will cancel her!"

"Or… y'know…don'tpoke the bear that reports us to teachers?"

"Worth it."

Meanwhile, Xia Yuan's restraint finally snapped after school. Dragging Mei Fang to their secret pavilion, she leaped into his arms.

"Emergency Ah Fang recharge!I'mdyingwithout cuddles!"

"Someone's regressing to toddlerhood," Mei Fang chuckled, effortlessly catching her.

Youxi trailed behind, poking Yuan's cheek. "Ifthisis your reaction to afakebreakup, what happens when Ah Fang and I go public?"

"No jealousy! We're atrio." Yuan booped Youxi's nose. "Sorry for hogging him lately—"

"Don't be." Youxi's smile didn't reach her eyes.

Mei Fang noticed—again. While Yuan basked in affection, Youxi had grown distant, withdrawing even from their usual intimacy.

That guilt's eating her alive.

Tonight, he'd ensure the scale balanced.