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

After returning from Shennongjia, Mei Fang kept their love nest in Jiangcheng rented until the end of July. This July was packed with things to do—attending classmates' college celebration banquets, preparing for the move, and getting his driver's license.

Normally, obtaining a driver's license would take half a year of waiting, but given Boss Mei's special status, a private driving instructor was arranged for him.

Since Mei Fang had already gotten his license in his past life, he picked it up quickly. Through a special fast-track process, he had his license in less than two weeks.

The first thing the trio did after getting the license was to go car shopping.

After consulting the most renowned car expert in their circle—Xia Xun, Xia Yuan's father—Mei Fang settled on a Benz S550 coupe.

The high-end version of this luxury car cost 1.8 million yuan in 2014. Its standout feature was the spacious and lavish backseat, offering an incredibly comfortable experience.

The only drawback, according to Lin Youxi, was that the center armrest in the backseat interfered with her desired lounging experience. After negotiating with the dealership, they made a small modification—removing the leather armrest.

Logically, given Mei Fang's current status, hiring a full-time chauffeur and assistant would be perfectly reasonable. But clearly, they preferred spending time together as a trio.

In the last few days of July, the three packed up their belongings at home. Most of the items would be shipped directly to their new home in Pengcheng, as some of the more…embarrassingclothing certainly couldn't be sent back to their parents' places.

Mei Fang didn't quite understand Xia Yuan's insistence on mailing the photos.

"Everything else makes sense, but why not just take these photos with us to Pengcheng?"

"No way, I need to send them back for safekeeping."

Xia Yuan said earnestly, "Didn't I tell you before, Ah Fang? I want to open a 'memory museum' someday to preserve all the little moments of our past together. And also—"

Meanwhile, Lin Youxi fiddled with Xia Yuan's beloved full-length mirror and asked,

"Should we ship this mirror or take it to Pengcheng? It's a hassle to pack, so maybe just leave it here?"

"No, no! Absolutely not! This mirror is a crucial witness to the beautiful bond between the three of us. Wehaveto take it to Pengcheng!"

"But it might break during transit…"

Looking at Xia Yuan's treasured mirror, Mei Fang sighed and crossed his arms. "Let's pack it carefully. If it's really too fragile, we can put it in the car trunk."

"Ah Fang just got his license and is still in the probationary period. He can't drive on highways yet."

"I can't, but… someone's willing to be our free chauffeur…"

In early August, Mei Fang's father, Mei Lijun, arrived in Jiangcheng by train. Despite being a bureau chief, Mei Lijun personally came to drive his son and his girlfriends to Pengcheng.

After greeting the trio, Mei Lijun couldn't wait to have his son show off the new car.

"Is this the legendary S550? Good heavens… the emblem, the headlights… the leather seats… the steering wheel—"

Mei Fang patted his dad's back impatiently. "Alright, alright, don't let Yuan Yuan and Youxi laugh at you."

Lin Youxi and Xia Yuan already knew Mei Lijun was a car enthusiast. Seeing his fascination with the new ride, Lin Youxi couldn't help but suggest, "Uncle Mei, if you love this car so much, I can custom-order one for you once we're in Pengcheng."

"N-No need! My unit provides me with a car, and as a bureau chief, driving something this flashy would look inappropriate."

"Your son is the CEO of CStation, a rising star in the internet industry. There's nothing wrong with you driving an S550."

"Ah, really, it's fine…"

"Uncle Mei, just take it! You don't have to drive it to work—just take Auntie Xiang and Xiaoya out for weekend joyrides!"

Xia Yuan chimed in. "If Auntie Xiang objects, just say it's a gift from me."

"Ahh, how could I possibly accept…"

"Actually, since I'm Ah Fang's girlfriend now,Ishould be the one gifting Uncle Mei the car… No need for you to spend money, Yuan Yuan."

"Huh? I just thought Uncle Mei's current car is outdated and wanted to treat him to a new one. What's wrong with that?"

The sudden tension between Lin Youxi and Xia Yuan startled Mei Lijun, who quickly intervened:

"Girls, no need to argue over this. I appreciate the thought, but really, it's unnecessary. I'm happy just getting to drive Ah Fang's car occasionally."

Ah, what thoughtful girls… Where did my son find such blessings?

Mei Fang watched this scene with satisfaction.

Deliberately stirring up conflict—forcing Dad into a dilemma where he can only feel pressured by how wonderful both daughters-in-law are, further solidifying his support for our three-way relationship.

Yuan Yuan and Youxi are amazing!

The journey from Jiangcheng to Pengcheng spanned over 1,000 kilometers. Mei Lijun hummed tunes while driving, Mei Fang dozed in the passenger seat to conserve energy, but Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi in the backseat were anything but idle.

Contrary to Mei Fang's expectations, their little performance today wasn't rehearsed.

Xia Yuan had been nursing some resentment over Lin Youxi's recent "legitimate girlfriend" behavior.

[I feel like Youxi's been pushing her luck lately… It's one thing to emphasize you're Ah Fang's current girlfriend in front of others, but why do it in front of Uncle Mei too? It's so awkward for me.]

[I'm just trying to play the role of Ah Fang's official girlfriend well. In that situation, letting you take the lead would've made me seem inconsiderate to Uncle Mei.]

[Hmph… You say that, but whenIwas Ah Fang's official girlfriend, I never went around announcing it like you do.]

Lin Youxi thought for a moment before typing:

[Sorry, my mistake. I got too caught up in playing the girlfriend role and didn't consider your feelings. I got carried away.]

Though upset, Xia Yuan was inherently reasonable. Rumor had it that wealthy women like her were soft-hearted and couldn't stand seeing others feel wronged. Seeing Lin Youxi's apologetic demeanor, Xia Yuan also felt her words had been too harsh and apologized:

[I-I overreacted too! I know I was being unreasonable. I just care too much about how Ah Fang's family sees me… I hope you understand. Anyway, I'm sorry too.]

[An apology alone doesn't feel sincere enough. How about Ah Fang and I just break up in August?]

[Huh? Break up? Why?]

Xia Yuan was startled and turned to look at Lin Youxi, who was smiling beside her.

[The timeline isn't up yet! I was just venting… I'm not actually blaming you. Don't do this… It makes me feel awful too. We're best friends, yet here we are, squabbling over mere Ah Fang.]

[Exactly. That's why I think it's ridiculous and want to break up with Ah Fang. @Ah Fang, you're getting dumped.]

Mei Fang, still dozing in the front seat, was jolted awake when Lin Youxi tapped his head.

"What's up?"

"Check the chat log."

Lin Youxi whispered in Mei Fang's ear.

As Mei Fang scrolled through Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi's argument, his expression grew increasingly shocked.

[Why end it so early? Yuan Yuan isn't actually mad at you!]

[Y-Yeah!]

[Don't panic! Why the rush…?]

Lin Youxi continued typing:

[The reason I want to break up with Ah Fang is to rediscover the feeling of being in love.]

[The feeling of love? Aren't we already in love?]

[Don't you think we skipped from friendship to family too quickly? Aside from the bedroom, we've barely experienced romance.]

[Stop bringingthatup—]

[In short, I think we can rekindle that romantic spark in college. This is a good opportunity.]

I made myself sad writing Youxi's "if" route… I should've finished it properly, wuwu…

(TL: why did you make it so sad then! I had a hard time reading it too…)