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

"Grandma?"

Xia Yuan clung to Mei Fang's neck, her current spoiled demeanor making her look utterly shameless:

"Grandma Youxi does sound kinda heartwarming, huh~?"

"……"

Lin Youxi let out a light scoff, shaking her head with the exasperation of an adult humoring a child, then turned to Mei Fang. "We bought this wooden tub for group soaks. Let's all use it together?"

"Uh, sure…"

Mei Fang sat down slowly with Xia Yuan in his arms. "Yuanyuan, scoot over a bit."

Xia Yuan tightened her grip around his neck, refusing to budge from his lap, rocking back and forth like a kid on a pretend horse.

"No! I'm soaking my feet on Daddy's lap!"

Lin Youxi sighed. "Yuanyuan, I know you love acting cute, but shouldn't there be limits?"

"Wuuu… Daddy, look! Grandma's being mean to me!"

Mei Fang patted Xia Yuan's back as she buried her face in his chest.

"Yuanyuan, are you seriously milking this? Hmm?"

Lin Youxi reached over and swatted Xia Yuan's butt, making her yelp. Mei Fang quickly intervened, pulling Lin Youxi back. "Alright, alright, that's enough… The water's getting cold."

"Tch."

Lin Youxi hauled the tub over with visible annoyance. Mei Fang knew he was blatantly favoring Xia Yuan, but those"Daddy"pleas in her saccharine voice were impossible to resist.

"Hey, Youxi—"

"Feet. Now."

She yanked off Mei Fang's socks, tested the water, then forced his feet into the mugwort-steeped basin. He jerked back from the heat, but she held them firmly in place.

"Too hot?"

"A little…"

"Good. Scalding water's best for your health, Baobao. Mommy knows what's good for you."

"Owww…"

Too guilty to protest after spoiling Xia Yuan, Mei Fang endured the torture.

Xia Yuan, still on his lap, wasn't spared either. Despite her whining, Lin Youxi shoved her feet into the tub.

"Waaah! So hot! Grandma's too strict!"

Flushed and pouting, Xia Yuan glared at Mei Fang. "I don't like Grandma Youxi."

"She means well… But, Mom, aren't you joining us?"

Lin Youxi smoothed her hair, then settled beside Mei Fang and dipped her feet in.

"This isn't hot at all."

Xia Yuan grumbled from Mei Fang's lap, "It was boiling earlier!"

"Want me to add more boiling water?"

"NOOO! We'll die!!"

They grabbed Lin Youxi to stop her, but she just glanced back coldly. "Hot? All I feel is chill—especially in my heart."

"Why's your heart cold?"

Xia Yuan tilted her head. Lin Youxi replied flatly, "After all my care, you didn't even save me a spot."

"Mom, your throne." Mei Fang scooted over.

Lin Youxi huffed. "As a child, you always sat in Mommy's lap for foot baths. Now you won't even return the favor?"

"Uh… Yuanyuan?"

Though both understood the subtext, Xia Yuan suddenly resisted being moved.

"Grandma's so shameless! Grown woman still begging for Daddy's lap!"

"Need another spanking?"

"Hmph! I'm not moving."

Xia Yuan clung to Mei Fang, smugly defiant.

"If you're fighting for this spot, quit the 'Mommy' act. Just call him Daddy too!"

"……"

A flicker of irritation crossed Lin Youxi's face. After a pause, she sat beside Mei Fang and soaked her feet.

So it's true…

After countless defeats since high school, Xia Yuan had finally pinpointed Lin Youxi's fatal flaw—

Her ice-queen persona.

Most assumed Youxi's aloofness was reserved for outsiders, that only Mei Fang saw her tenderness. But inversely, she'd grown accustomed to equality—even superiority—in their relationship. Whether in bed or daily life, shedominatedMei Fang.

But even Ah Fang wouldn't enjoy always being beneath someone, right?

This is where I, the supreme cutie, come in!

Lin Youxi couldneverdebase herself with shameless cuteness like Xia Yuan.

But me? I've got no pride left!

I'll play any role—daughter, mommy, whatever Ah Fang wants!

Can Youxi do that?

Hell no!

Ahahaha!

As Xia Yuan reveled in her epiphany, Mei Fang lifted her off his lap.

"Feet are done. Time to dry."

"Okay! Daddy does it!"

Xia Yuan waited eagerly, but Mei Fang dried his own feet first, then fetched towels for both girls. Sitting on a stool, he mused:

"Even though we're just playing house, it made me realize… maintaining family harmony won't be easy."

"True," Lin Youxi agreed. "Without clear hierarchy, resentment builds."

Xia Yuan pouted. "This was supposed to be a fun competition! Why so serious? Daddy, no foot rub?"

"I'll… I'll do it. But imagine if we had a kid acting like you during foot soaks. Who should I dry first? That's a minefield."

"Who would you choose? Daughter or wife?"

"I… don't know. Can't even decide between you two. I'm pathetic."

Xia Yuan softened. "It's not your fault! Prioritizing hurts either way…"

"No," Lin Youxi interjected gently. "The real question is: Why must Ah Fang serve us? He's someone's beloved son too. Why does growing up mean he's our servant?"

"O-oh… I just thought he'd enjoy it…"

"I do," Mei Fang admitted, scratching his head. "Getting to share my life with you two is happiness enough. A little labor's nothing."

"'Nothing'? With your workload? Auntie Xiang would ache seeing this."

"Wuu… Mom never pampers me like Youxi."

Moved nearly to tears, Mei Fang buried his face in Lin Youxi's lap. She stroked his hair, smiling at Xia Yuan.

"See? 'Mommy Energy' is his soul's salve."

Xia Yuan watched, then shook her head. Undoing her ponytail, she let her wavy hair cascade over one shoulder and beckoned Mei Fang with a clap.

"Come here, Ah Fang… Mommy Yuanyuan will hug you too. You've suffered, poor baby—"

As Mei Fang lifted his head, Lin Youxi shoved him back into her lap, smothering him.

"He's my baby this week. You didn't beatUndertale."

"So what? He can call me Mommy if he wants! Or…" Xia Yuan's eyes gleamed. "I could be the young, gorgeous stepmom. Bet Ah Fang'd love that."

Gulp.

Yuanyuan—

Since when are you this dangerous?!

Feeling Mei Fang's pulse spike, Lin Youxi released him.

"Fine. You win."

Mei Fang gasped for air. "Both of you, enough. Don't turn roleplay into a jealousy war. It's exhausting."

"Agreed," Lin Youxi nodded. "We've crossed lines."

"Okay… Imighthave overdone it."

Xia Yuan dried her own feet, then grinned at Lin Youxi.

"Sorry! You've hogged Ah Fang lately—let me gloat a little for finally outsmarting you!"

Lin Youxi chuckled. "The 'daughter' bit was unexpected… But calling this a 'win' is premature."

"Oh, Youxi…" Xia Yuan patted her shoulder like consoling a child. "You've beaten me so many times. Admitting one loss won't kill you."

"Then explain how I lost."

"Last week, you did concede… only for someone to lose tocarnal urgesagain."

"Mhm! Guilty as charged! But only because I love Ah Fang too much—his voice, his scent,everything—"

"Hey! Are you two trying to kill me?" Mei Fang lightly bonked their heads. "I do enjoy the rivalry… but seeing you fight over me hurts. You've been inseparable since childhood."

"Were we fighting, Yuanyuan?"

"Nope! Just spicy banter~" Xia Yuan kicked Mei Fang's shin. "Now dump the water!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

As Mei Fang left, the girls shared a look—then burst out laughing.

"We never competed this openly before the throuple."

"Back then, we just 'accidentally' stole moments. Turned blind eyes."

Lin Youxi's voice softened. "In middle school, I thought I'd end up attending your wedding with Ah Fang… and didn't know what'd come after."

"I always assumed I'd marry him," Xia Yuan admitted. "But leaving you alone… would've been too sad."

"Mmm. I am tragic." Lin Youxi hugged Xia Yuan's waist. "Still… past and present are worlds apart. I never imagined us bickering over him like this."

"Stupid Ah Fang, ruining our bond." Xia Yuan pinched Lin Youxi's cheek. "Let's not fight over him again. Not worth it."

"Agreed."

Lin Youxi smiled. "You were brilliant today."

"Nah, you're the genius… I just guessed you'd never play 'daughter.' Too regal for cutesy roles."

"Ah. So 'losing' means I'm too old to act young?"

"NOOO! Truce! Truce!!"

Late-Night Epilogue

Despite their pact to"just cuddle, no lewds,"willpower crumbled by bedtime. Until the relationship game's conclusion, Mei Fang now slept alone.

Sigh.

So much fun earlier… Why'd they leave me hanging?

Just recalling Xia Yuan's"Daddy"whispers made him shiver.

Do all men have this primalthingfor being called 'Dad'?

Especially by the woman they love—it's just…

His phone glow illuminated the room as the door creaked open.

"Yuanyuan? Youxi? We agreed no sneaking—"

"Do you… really not want to play?"

A rare sight greeted him: Lin Youxi—in twin-tailed lolita attire, cheeks faintly pink—tilted her head and whispered:

"Daddy?"