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

After hearing Xiang Xiaoxia's explanation, Xia Xun could hardly believe his ears.

Among these adults mostly in their forties—including our investment tycoon Uncle Xia Xun—while some had seen much of the world, they all hailed from small towns. Matters like lesbian relationships were things they might read about in news or hear as rumors, but never imagined could happen to someone they knew.

Especially to their own precious daughter.

Xia Xun subconsciously rubbed his nose, glanced at Xiang Xiaoxia, then looked at his wife Yu Ling. After frowning in thought, he turned back to Xiang Xiaoxia:

"Let me ask—could there be some misunderstanding here? As her father, I understand Yuan Yuan's personality best. While she's very close with Youxi, it's just the kind of affection between girl best friends. Surely it hasn't escalated to…being together?"

"Yuan Yuan's dad, if I hadn't verified this thoroughly, how could I make such claims? Xiaoya has access to their private social media accounts—we saw their posts. How could that be fake?"

Xiang Xiaoxia showed Xia Xun the screenshots Xiaoya had sent her, adding, "When the girls stayed at our place for a week recently, they went out together without even inviting our Ah Fang. Now they always go out as a pair."

Lin Guochuan chimed in, "Our Youxi personally told me today—she said she's realized Yuan Yuan is who she truly loves most, and doesn't want their relationship ruined because of Ah Fang…"

"But…none of this is definitive proof! Maybe the kids are just deceiving us adults?"

Mei Lijun said with a pained expression, "Don't be fooled by how close all three still appear—often Youxi and Yuan Yuan are even closer together."

Mei Lijun had been the most devastated upon learning about Youxi and Yuan Yuan, realizing something crucial. He'd been despondent all evening.

"If…if Yuan Yuan and Youxi continue down this path, given our Ah Fang's personality…does that mean we'll never have grandchildren?"

Mei Lijun's words cast a shadow over all three families.

Though no one voiced it aloud, everyone knew the truth:

With Mei Fang's current wealth and status, women would flock to him. If Yuan Yuan and Youxi lost interest, countless would vie to become "Mrs. Mei." At his age, full of youthful vigor, even deepest affections unanswered might eventually succumb to temptation. Who's to say he wouldn't father children elsewhere?

But Yuan Yuan and Youxi were different.

If they truly loved each other—having loved for over a decade already—they could certainly continue forever.

Yet they were the only daughters of the Xia and Lin families!

What joy would these parents have in their old age without grandchildren?

"If the children choose this path, I won't interfere, but…"

Though normally meek, Lin Guochuan would move mountains for his daughter's happiness—hence his earlier interrogation of Mei Fang about two-timing.

Their family circumstances were special. Burdened by guilt over Youxi's childhood, Lin Guochuan always prioritized her wishes, never angered by her occasional disrespect.

But…but…

Only regarding this matter did Lin Guochuan reveal a father's selfish desire.

"They're still young, inexperienced in matters of the heart. I fear this might just be a passing phase that ultimately wastes their prime years…"

"Y-yeah…girls being together is just too strange."

"Strange?"

Yu Ling held a different view. "I actually think it's quite normal nowadays…Society's changed. Given how sweet Yuan Yuan and Youxi have always been, isn't it nice that—"

"Wife, don't say such things! If this continues long-term, how could you accept it?"

"Dear…don't be so conservative. Yuan Yuan will resent you for it. Besides, it's not like they'll stop interacting with Ah Fang—their trio seems as close as ever."

"Well…"

"Actually, I think it's good for all three to try being together. Only then can they determine the best pairing—they know each other thoroughly, so no one would be taken advantage of. Even if Yuan Yuan and Youxi end up together, I'd bless them…Speaking of which, Brother Guochuan, when you apologized earlier, did that mean Youxi initiated this?"

Lin Guochuan nodded. "Yes, Youxi told me directly—she confessed to Yuan Yuan first, who accepted…Only afterward did she break up with Ah Fang."

This realization filled Lin Guochuan with profound guilt over his earlier interrogation of Mei Fang.

I…I'm truly despicable…

To think he'd accused Mei Fang of two-timing, when it was his own daughter who'd done so. Worse still, after suffering this injustice, Mei Fang hadn't cut ties with Youxi. To preserve harmony between families, he continued treating Lin Guochuan with the same respect—more like a son-in-law than not.

And he was a billionaire CEO!

What have I done…

After Lin Guochuan's melancholic confession, Yu Ling thoughtfully smoothed her hair. "So…aside from informing everyone about Yuan Yuan and Youxi being together, what else needs discussing tonight?"

Xiang Xiaoxia exchanged glances with the others. When no one responded, Yu Ling continued, "Should we plan a post-holiday trip? Tiger Mountain Resort seems lovely—great for fishing, tea-picking, strawberry harvesting, farmhouse experiences…"

"Oh, the fishing there is excellent! Our bureau went there for a team-building—" Mei Lijun abruptly stopped, sensing his wife's murderous glare.

"Besides announcing this, I wanted everyone's perspectives," Xiang Xiaoxia explained her dilemma. "I've spoken with my son about their three-way relationship. Perhaps I've pressured him too much."

"Having watched Yuan Yuan and Youxi grow up, I know how exceptional they are. They both call me 'Mom'—whether as daughters or daughters-in-law, I've always cherished them."

"So I told Ah Fang he can't keep alternating girlfriends yearly—wasting the girls' youth and emotional investment…I urged him to choose someone soon."

"And? What did Mei Fang say?"

Xia Xun sipped tea, feigning nonchalance.

"He gave the same old line—that Yuan Yuan and Youxi are equally important, and he refuses to choose."

Xia Xun's fists clenched. "Refusing to choose means wanting both. If not for Mei Fang's attitude, we'd have resolved this long ago."

He stretched lazily. "Though our Yuan Yuan's too naive—if she were slightly more assertive, Mei Fang would've favored her long ago."

Xia Xun's casual tone unintentionally revealed a sense of superiority—particularly grating to fellow father Lin Guochuan.

"Old Xia, that's unfair. You make it sound Ah Fang only likes our Youxi because Yuan Yuan allowed it."

"My apologies, Brother Guochuan—that wasn't my intent…But these two shared an exceptionally close bond since childhood. They even ran away together once—no ordinary childhood sweethearts would do that…"

Mid-sentence, Yu Ling pinched him hard—a rare display from this model couple, recalling darker times when Yu Ling had contemplated suicide from stress. Rarely mentioned at home, Xia Xun's casual reference angered her:

"You think that's something to boast about? Remember how you had to slap yourself begging forgiveness before my mother?"

"Lower your voice, wife…not here…"

"Oh, now you feel shame?"

The face-conscious Xia Xun pleaded for discretion, though everyone pretended not to hear—the entire Bai Mei County knew this story anyway.

(For the record, this gossip didn't originate from Xia Yuan, Mei Fang, or even Xia Yuan's motorcycle-riding grandmother—though the free-spirited old woman certainly embellished the tale during mahjong sessions, creating increasingly dramatic versions.)

After enduring this, Lin Guochuan responded, "Running away was just children playing house—what did they understand then? But our Ah Fang once risked injury protecting Youxi!"

"You're hardly one to talk!"

As Liang Meijuan hesitated to speak, blunt Xiang Xiaoxia interjected, "If you hadn't indulged your brother-in-law's misbehavior, none of those later troubles would've happened!"

"……"

Lin Guochuan had no rebuttal—not that he ever argued much anyway.

With Xia Xun and Lin Guochuan both silenced, Mei Lijun suddenly felt like the alpha male present, adopting his bureaucratic demeanor:

"Frankly, both girls genuinely liked our Ah Fang from very young—like when we were moving away—"

"What's there to compare? Must you keep talking?" Xiang Xiaoxia snapped.

"Ah. Right."

Properly chastised, Mei Lijun shut up.

Now each family had their own concerns:

Xiang Xiaoxia's dilemma was clearest—she wanted one daughter-in-law and one adoptive daughter, while Mei Fang clearly wanted two wives. Yet as his mother, she couldn't voice this directly.

Instead, she'd gained two daughters and zero daughters-in-law—meaning no grandchildren.

During Mei Fang's relationships with each girl, Xiang Xiaoxia had picked out baby names and outfits. If he remained single forever, those plans were wasted.

And if he fathered children recklessly elsewhere? Hard to accept—what woman could compare to Yuan Yuan and Youxi, whom she'd known since childhood?

Despite being a domineering homemaker, Xiang Xiaoxia got along exceptionally well with both girls—a rare compatibility.

Mei Lijun, having been scolded, was upset. Privately, he felt they shouldn't interfere—having been largely absent parents, suddenly guiding them now felt hypocritical.

Xia Xun struggled to accept his daughter's unconventional romance. He'd long envisioned walking her down the aisle to Mei Fang—even mentally rehearsed transferring his business empire with a manly shoulder pat, before shedding a single stoic tear.

But a lesbian wedding? Hard to make it grand and respectable. While he didn't care about gossip, he feared Yuan Yuan suffering from it.

Lin Guochuan agonized over Youxi being the two-timer—a parenting failure (though no one cared). Moreover, having failed her childhood, he desperately wanted grandchildren to redeem himself.

Yu Ling was frustrated her Tiger Mountain proposal got derailed. She couldn't understand why adults needed to meddle—everyone knew how mature their children were.

The quiet Liang Meijuan finally found an opening after everyone's venting:

"As fellow parents, I…I understand everyone's concerns…The main worry is about grandchildren, right?"

"So…even if Yuan Yuan and Youxi stay together, they could still have children, no? They've never said they don't want kids…"

"I mean…Ah Fang could help out too…couldn't he…?"

Having lost her chance at motherhood due to miscarriage, no one understood this longing better than Liang Meijuan.