Mei Fang emerged from the house rubbing his sore knees, where Xia Yuan had been waiting anxiously to check on him.

In truth, while Mei Fang was being disciplined inside, Xia Yuan, Lin Youxi, and his younger sister Mei Ya had all been eavesdropping outside. Only Youxi had entered in the end—a strategy the two girls had agreed upon beforehand.

Seeing Mei Fang’s discomfort, Xia Yuan immediately knelt to massage his legs. “You were kneeling for so long… Are you okay?”

“That’s nothing… As long as things between us aren’t ruined.”

Guilt had been gnawing at Xia Yuan the most. As she rubbed his knees, her voice trembled. “This is all my fault… If I hadn’t been so clingy, if we hadn’t gotten caught by Auntie Xiang… I—”

Words failed her. Mei Fang could only pull her into a hug. “Later, I’ll take you to talk with Mom properly. Since we’re publicly together now, we should make it clear to her.”

“Mm… But I think I should talk to Auntie Xiang alone.” Xia Yuan sniffled. “I don’t want her to think I rely on you for everything. I want to be independent too… like Youxi.”

“Alright… I’ll wait for your good news then?”

Though Xiang Xiaoxia now knew about Mei Fang and Yuan Yuan’s relationship, her heart ached more for Lin Youxi—the girl who “loved but couldn’t have.” This complicated the delicate balance with their parents.

Mei Fang had always known: his mother had a soft spot for the sensible Youxi from a single-parent family. While Yuan Yuan was sweet too, their bond wasn’t as deep.

If this incident lowered Yuan Yuan in his mother’s esteem, future acceptance of their throuple would become exponentially harder.

Dinner that night was a somber affair. Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi retired early; Mei Fang barely touched his food. Only Mei Ya, pitying her brother, made him dumplings.

As he ate, she swung her legs on the chair and whispered conspiratorially:

“Big bro, don’t worry. Mom loves Youxi-jie and Yuan Yuan-jie equally. She won’t like Yuan Yuan-jie less because of today.”

Mei Fang nearly choked. “What nonsense? I’m only dating Yuan Yuan right now.”

“You can fool Mom and Dad, but I’m on your side!”

Propping her chin, Mei Ya grinned, revealing a gap where her baby tooth had fallen out. “I grew up watching you three. Of course I know everything.”

“You ‘grew up watching’ us—?”

Laughing, he flicked her forehead. “What else has Mom said?”

“She thought you were dating Youxi-jie because of the blanket incident. She’s been feeling guilty, worrying how to break it to Yuan Yuan-jie. Dad too! I even helped brainstorm!”

“So that’s how it is…”

Mei Fang exhaled in relief.

Though Yuan Yuan insisted on speaking to his mother alone, he still worried. All evening, he waited for her message.

Instead, it was Youxi who knocked on his door.

Before he could ask about Yuan Yuan’s progress, Youxi locked the door and embraced him—not with their usual passion, but with the simple, earnest hugs of their early high school days.

She lingered in his arms before guiding him to sit on the bed.

“Can I sit in your lap?”

“Since when do you ask?” He wrapped his arms around her. “I never properly thanked you for today.”

“No need. Everything I told Auntie was true—except the part about you sleeping.”

Youxi nestled against his chest. “But… my words at dinner weren’t entirely acting either.”

Curling up in his lap, she pressed her cheek to his.

“What do you mean?”

“Ah Fang… you were Yuan Yuan’s friend first. She introduced us. Yet now I’m sharing you… I really have wronged her.”

“Hey, that was kindergarten! Why remember that now? Besides, we agreed on the throuple—”

Youxi pulled his hands around her as they tumbled onto the bed. Lying atop him, she met his gaze with infinite tenderness.

“I know. But still…”

Her fingers traced his jaw.

“When I told Auntie ‘I wish you happiness’… Even though it was a lie, it hurt.”

“I could never say those words honestly.”

“I could never sincerely wish for you to be happy… without me.”

“I can’t help but selfishly think of Ah Fang as mine too.”

Lin Youxi mumbled into his chest, her voice barely above a whisper. “After saying those words… my heart really hurt. You need to comfort me properly.”

Is Youxi actually feeling down?

She was so composed in front of Mom earlier… Yet here she is, vulnerable like this afterward…

Mei Fang understood her emotional state and pulled her closer. “There, there… don’t be sad anymore.”

“You don’t have to just wish happiness for me and Yuan Yuan. If we’re wishing for happiness, it should be for all three of us together.”

“Is sweet talk the only way you know how to comfort me?”

Lin Youxi shifted slightly, her movements deliberately exaggerated as she changed position. “After this New Year… I’ll be turning eighteen.” She traced circles on his chest. “Ah Fang should prepare a special birthday gift for me.”

“B-but I’m not eighteen yet!”

“I never said it had to be that kind of gift.” Lin Youxi’s breath tickled his ear as she whispered, “Ah Fang, you’re so lewd.”

This girl will be the death of me.

“Hmph, if I weren’t still in high school and couldn’t do certain things…” Mei Fang, who had been single in his past life, tried to sound experienced. “Just wait until—”

Of course, Youxi saw right through her childhood friend’s bluster. Without waiting for him to finish, she closed the distance between them.

Their “training” had leveled up—Mei Fang now knew how to actively please Youxi during their intimate moments. Though still limited to over-the-clothes touches, this was already significant progress from their previous interactions.

After some time, Mei Fang finally caught his breath.

“This… should be enough for now, right? Not that I don’t want to continue, but if we get caught like with Yuan Yuan…”

“Yuan Yuan is… having a heart-to-heart with Auntie Xiang right now.” Lin Youxi’s smile was knowing. “I knew they wouldn’t finish quickly—that’s why I came to keep you company.”

“You really know how to time things…” Mei Fang pretended to grumble. “Calling me a ‘distraction’ makes me sound like a tool. And every time we start, you always—”

Before he could finish his complaint, Lin Youxi silenced him the same way she had earlier that day.

---

The next morning, Mei Fang slept in and came downstairs late to find everyone already preparing lunch.

He wanted to ask about Yuan Yuan’s conversation with his mother, but seeing them happily setting the table together, he could guess the outcome.

Spotting Mei Fang on the stairs, Xia Yuan waved enthusiastically. “Ah Fang! Hurry down, lunch is ready.”

“Oh, okay…”

As he passed her, Xia Yuan tugged his sleeve and whispered, “Everything’s settled from yesterday.”

“I figured… Did Mom give you a hard time?”

“Not at all! Auntie Xiang even encouraged me to take good care of you.”

She added with a smile, “She made all your favorite dishes for lunch today—her way of apologizing for misunderstanding you.”

“Uh… I wouldn’t dare stay mad anyway.”

Given he was hiding things from his family, Mei Fang couldn’t exactly hold a grudge.

The meal was lively and warm. Xia Yuan showed no trace of yesterday’s awkwardness, and Mei Fang sensed no lingering guilt from his mother.

Well, no point dwelling on it. Family shouldn’t keep score.

As Xiang Xiaoxia served dishes to Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi, she gently reminded Mei Ya, who was glued to her phone, “No phones at the table, Xiao Ya.”

“Okay, okay… Just let me finish this episode.”

Mei Lijun curiously peered at her screen. “What app are you using to watch this, sweetie?”

“C-Site! You don’t know it?” Mei Ya tilted her head. “It’s a website Youxi-jie started. It’s super popular now—they just got a huge investment from Tencent, like, hundreds of millions.”

Mei Fang couldn’t help but laugh. “Not hundreds of millions. Just 15 million.”

His casual mention of the sum and the platform’s origins stunned his parents.

“Youxi… started a website?!”