After reliving old memories at their former junior high, Lin Youxi bid farewell to Mei Fang and Xia Yuan as dinnertime approached.

“Now it’s time for YuanYuan’s solo happiness. Opportunities like this don’t come often—make sure to cherish it properly.”

“W-what opportunity?! My parents are both home…”

Xia Yuan mumbled, “Besides, doing… that with A-Fang would be illegal now. We’re not adults yet—we can’t do those things.”

“I hope you really remember that,” Lin Youxi smiled faintly, “given how you broke our ‘no sneaking ahead’ promise by stealing A-Fang’s first kiss.”

“Th-that time was my fault! I’m really sorry!”

Xia Yuan’s face burned crimson. “This time I absolutely won’t do anything to betray Youxi’s trust. Absolutely!”

“Just teasing. If you really want to try something, go ahead.”

Lin Youxi patted her best friend’s shoulder. “Actually… I’ve attempted many times already. But A-Fang always manages to restrain himself. Maybe I’m just not attractive enough?”

“How could that be! I just think now isn’t the right time. We should wait until after high school graduation for that kind of…”

After parting ways with Lin Youxi, Mei Fang rode back to the Xia residence with Xia Yuan. Along the way, Xia Yuan seemed particularly intrigued by Lin Youxi’s mention of “many attempts.” Mei Fang honestly recounted all the times Lin Youxi had initiated intimacy but he’d restrained himself, leaving Xia Yuan utterly shocked—

“After talking about the past today, I realized Youxi only started following my lead a few years ago. She’s changed so much now!”

“Or maybe this is her true self. Before, she just lacked the courage or had family issues holding her back.”

After parking the scooter in the residential complex, Xia Yuan wrapped her arms around Mei Fang’s neck. “Actually, I sometimes worry—if I cling to you too much, will you find it annoying?”

“Annoying? Not at all…”

Mei Fang hugged her close. “I actually really like this feeling. Being… needed by you both.”

“Then you have to say it out loud!”

Xia Yuan gently pinched his nose. “That way I’ll know you enjoy being clung to by me and Youxi.”

“To think you’d worry I don’t like it… Youxi has much better intuition than you!”

Carrying Xia Yuan piggyback, Mei Fang playfully jogged through the complex—until they encountered an utterly mortifying scene. At a intersection, they nearly collided with Xia Yuan’s mother, Yu Ling, and a neighbor aunt returning from grocery shopping.

They might have pretended not to know each other and moved on, but Teacher Yu cheerfully called out, “YuanYuan, A-Fang, playing around in the complex?”

“Ah… yeah…”

Mei Fang set Xia Yuan down as both nodded sheepishly, greeting the adults.

“Is this your celebrity daughter?”

“Yes! Just call her YuanYuan. This is A-Fang, her friend.”

“Boyfriend, you mean! Hahaha!”

“Teacher Yu, you’re okay with your daughter dating so young?”

“A-Fang and our YuanYuan grew up together—they’ve been inseparable since kindergarten.”

“Oh, so it’s an arranged childhood marriage then?”

“Well… something like that, hehe…” Teacher Yu seemed delighted by the description. After all, she’d practically helped raise Mei Fang during his six years in her elementary class.

“How enviable! Never having to worry about finding your daughter a match…”

Standing awkwardly beside the chatting adults, Xia Yuan and Mei Fang finally excused themselves and fled.

Having spent the entire day at the Xia household, Mei Fang noticed his own family—aside from his sister Mei Ya—hadn’t contacted him. Even Mei Ya’s message was just flattery paired with photos of extravagant model airplanes, her shameless hinting immediately rejected by her now-millionaire brother’s “no frivolous spending” policy.

After showering at Xia Yuan’s place, Mei Fang joined the Xia women for TV before discussing work matters with Xia Xun, gleaning valuable insights. By 10 PM, lights-out approached. Lying in bed checking his phone, Mei Fang first saw Xia Yuan’s message—a bathroom selfie.

[Can’t come keep you company tonight, so this will have to do!]

The photo showed YuanYuan wrapped only in a bathrobe, its tight cinching highlighting nature’s generous craftsmanship. The sight nearly made the young entrepreneur bolt upright in bed.

After saving the image to a private album, Mei Fang fired off a reply:

[Idiot! How am I supposed to sleep after this?!]

The message had barely been sent when his bedroom door creaked open.

By the dim streetlight glow, Mei Fang barely glimpsed Xia Yuan’s silhouette before she dove under his covers.

……

The bed shook violently as Xia Yuan wriggled her way up to Mei Fang, emerging with tousled hair after much effort. Turning on the light revealed her flushed face.

“There… now can you sleep?”

“You’ve gotten bold—daring to do this in your own home…”

“If Youxi can do it, so can YuanYuan.”

Just as Xia Yuan prepared to boast, knocking interrupted them.

“A-Fang… are you asleep?”

Xia Yuan’s mother’s voice.

Panicking, Xia Yuan clammed up as Mei Fang stuffed her under the thick winter blankets—luckily bulky enough to conceal her. Mei Fang considered pretending to sleep, but with the light still on, he reluctantly answered:

“Teacher Yu, what is it?”

“Can I come in? I’d like to talk.”

“I’m already in bed… is that alright?”

“Just a few words.”

Yu Ling entered quietly, sitting on a stool beside the bed while studying Mei Fang intently.

“Teacher Yu… what did you want to discuss?”

“Still calling me Teacher Yu feels so distant, doesn’t it?”

“Well… YuanYuan and I are only dating—”

Yu Ling shook her head with a smile. “‘Teacher Yu’ is for everyone else. You’re special—just call me Auntie Ling like my other relatives do.”

“Okay… Auntie Ling.”

Mei Fang sensed her visit wasn’t just about titles, but hesitated to pry further, waiting for her to continue.

“A-Fang, you know how naive and stubborn YuanYuan is. She’s always been easily taken advantage of, so when she decided to pursue singing, we were really worried she might lose herself in that industry.”

“Fortunately, you’ve been helping her with everything. She discusses every decision with you, just like you’ve always done for her all these years. I believe your feelings for her are genuine, and I’m happy to entrust YuanYuan to you…”

“You’ve always been far more mature and steady than YuanYuan since childhood, knowing exactly when to advance and when to retreat. You’re an exceptional boy—the best student I’ve ever taught…”

Hidden under the blankets, Xia Yuan initially felt annoyed hearing her mother list her flaws, but couldn’t help feeling a little proud when the praise turned to Mei Fang.

“However… I hope you’ll learn to rely on YuanYuan more too. She’s always been the type who needs to feel needed. Knowing you since childhood, I understand you tend to shoulder difficulties alone.”

“But now that you’re together, even just confiding in her would make her happy… And she would definitely try her best to help, or at least comfort you.”

Yu Ling grasped Mei Fang’s hand earnestly. “This sense of being needed is crucial for YuanYuan. For your relationship to last, remember it’s about mutual support, not one-sided giving. Otherwise… she might leave you someday.”

“Not because she stopped loving you, but because she’d feel she’s holding you back, unworthy of staying by your side.”

Though Mei Fang had vaguely recognized these dynamics before, he’d never considered Xia Yuan might actually leave over them—until hearing it from his future mother-in-law.

He began reevaluating Xia Yuan’s role in their trio.

Before their junior high conflict, Xia Yuan had undoubtedly been the center around whom he and Lin Youxi revolved. But now the core had shifted to him—a change requiring deliberate effort.

While he’d assigned Lin Youxi to manage their website and Xia Yuan to handle music to help them find purpose, he now questioned:

Was Xia Yuan’s musical contribution truly essential to their empire?

Unlike the indispensable C-site, removing her musical endeavors would only moderately impact game development. Even she acknowledged relying heavily on his songwriting guidance.

Beyond business, in daily life, Lin Youxi could fulfill nearly all roles Xia Yuan did, while possessing many skills Xia Yuan lacked—placing her at a distinct disadvantage.

Have I… failed to maintain true balance?

Xia Yuan had hinted at this earlier today, but he’d dismissed it as her seeking attention…

Yu Ling’s promised “quick chat” extended thirty minutes through her teacherly “dragging on” skills.

Buried deeper under stifling blankets, Xia Yuan could barely hear and resorted to lightly pinching Mei Fang to hurry.

When Mei Fang finally bid Yu Ling goodnight and turned off the lights, Xia Yuan emerged gasping from the covers.

“What took so long? What were you talking about?”

“About you, of course.”

“M-me?! What’s there to say…”

“Just the usual—entrusting you to my care, telling me to treat you well and never let you down.”

Mei Fang caressed her cheek. “Your family truly cherishes you.”

“Of course… Both Dad and Mom.”

Perhaps it was precisely this profound love that made them unable to bear leaving her alone in that world.

Though that timeline was long erased, the memory still made Mei Fang pull Xia Yuan into a fierce embrace.

“You… you really love hugging me, huh?”

“Not so rough… be gentler…”

Blushing, Xia Yuan softly stroked Mei Fang’s back before whispering:

“Need… help?”

“Mhm…”

Nuzzling against her like a child, Mei Fang realized:

How could I not rely on her?

If Lin Youxi offered intellectual companionship, Xia Yuan provided the comforting harbor of home—both irreplaceable.

I must show her how much I need her.

Their tender night passed peacefully.

The next morning, as Mei Fang breakfasted with the Xias, Lin Youxi texted about accompanying her parents for check-ups. When he considered joining, she preemptively declined.

Her message instructed him to host a video conference finalizing livestream branding instead. With Xia Yuan busy with family traditions, a suddenly purposeless Mei Fang could only return home to work—until encountering Liu Xiaoyu en route.

He initially called out cheerfully, but noticed her distracted, downcast demeanor moments before she nearly walked into a pole. His shout startled her back to reality.

“Mei… Mei Fang?”

Rubbing her almost-bumped forehead, she stared at his scooter. “You… bought an electric bike?”

“Is that so surprising?”

“N-no, that’s not…”

As she flustered, Mei Fang changed topics. “Where are you headed?”

“Home.”

“But you live on Jiantao Road? That’s quite far.”

After quick group chat approval from Xia Yuan and Lin Youxi, he offered: “Need a ride?”

“No… I’ll take the bus or walk.”

“It’s on my way! Come on.”

He scooted forward patting the seat. “Don’t be shy!”

“Really, I couldn’t…”

Her intense reluctance—as if accepting would commit some transgression—led to frantic refusal. Then her feet slipped on icy pavement, twisting her ankle painfully.

Well… now she has no choice.