At this moment, a tall girl in a white lab coat walked past Mei Fang and Lin Youxi, holding a [redacted item]. Their gazes were both drawn to her.

“What a tall girl…”

“Yeah, so tall… but she looks really young.”

Lin Youxi stared at the item in the girl’s hand, then pinched Mei Fang’s shoulder. “I’m hungry. I want to eat that too.”

“Okay, let’s go buy—” Mei Fang set Lin Youxi down.

“I can’t walk anymore… Can you go buy it for me?” Lin Youxi whined, clinging to Mei Fang. “I really can’t move.”

“Mmm…”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine now.”

Lin Youxi pushed Mei Fang’s back. “The [redacted item] stall is right there. You can turn around and see me—where could I even run? Besides…” She dangled the paper crane necklace at her chest. “Don’t you still have GPS?”

Seeing Lin Youxi’s relaxed expression, Mei Fang stopped overthinking.

“Then… wait for me, okay?”

“Hurry back.”

“Mm.”

Mei Fang rushed to the stall, then cautiously glanced back. Lin Youxi was still watching him, waving casually.

Reassured, he turned to order one [redacted item].

[…]

After paying, Mei Fang took the [redacted item] and looked back—but the bench was empty.

The riverside was now swarming with people.

Mei Fang shoved through the crowd to the bench.

All he found was the jade bracelet and paper crane necklace placed on the backrest.

[…]

Without hesitation, Mei Fang stuffed the bracelet and necklace into his pocket and sprinted along the embankment.

“Lin Youxi—!”

“Lin Youxi!!”

He screamed her name until his voice cracked, gasping for breath. Frantic, he messaged their friends at White Plum Time Studio for help. Everyone mobilized to contact Lin Youxi.

Mei Fang fought through the crowd, searching and shouting until he realized—he’d gone the wrong way. He spun around but slipped, crashing to his knees.

That sudden movement sent a searing pain through his chest. His mind blanked; his heart felt torn apart. Clutching his chest, drenched in sweat, his vision blurred. He couldn’t even open his mouth.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

“Not… now…”

Bystanders crowded around him:

“Hey, man… you okay…?”

Mei Fang struggled to stand, but when he looked up—the faceless little girl was there again.

This time, she walked straight toward him, hands behind her back, then crouched to stare at him—

The jade bracelet tumbled from his pocket.

And shattered.

——————————

Lin Youxi stumbled along the opposite end of the embankment.

She wasn’t running fast—just a light jog.

But Mei Fang never appeared behind her.

This time… it’s really time.

She walked further, reaching a deserted stretch of the riverbank.

She waited for the last passerby to leave.

Then, she stepped onto the bridge pier.

Ah Fang…

You made a huge mistake.

You can’t love me without loving yourself.

I’m not the person you think I am.

This love is too heavy for me.

So, really…

This is my last “sorry.”

Memories flooded her: meeting Mei Fang, their passionate love, their happiest moments.

But mostly, the torment of her episodes—how she’d hurt him.

You know, Ah Fang…

Last night, I dreamed too.

I dreamed I was cured.

We had a wedding.

We had a beautiful daughter named Mei Zhixi. We called her Little Xixi.

I hoped she’d always smile… not like her mom—

Like her mom—

Then I woke up.

Shouts snapped her back.

Huh?

How strange…

What am I waiting for?

Waiting for you… Ah Fang?

For you to stop me like always, hold me tight, protect me?

And then?

Let me keep hurting you and everyone else?

No more.

I’m done.

I won’t repeat this cycle.

If this continues, Ah Fang will die before I do…

She took a deep breath. New memories flashed—this time, with Yuan Yuan.

Skating together, watching horror movies, shopping, birthdays, crafts… making paper cranes.

Wait, that boy…

Did Yuan Yuan and I make paper cranes for him?

Fragmented, déjà vu-like memories overwhelmed her. The sweetness left her dazed—but the flashes vanished as quickly as they came.

Her body tilted forward—

Then, a white light froze time.

A woman with pink-streaked hair materialized before her. Her face was blurred, floating. She placed a hand on Lin Youxi’s shoulder, leaned close, and whispered:

“Be brave to love, Youxi.”

“I’ll heal your scars and always protect you.”

“So… don’t fail him again—”

“Yuan… Yuan Yuan?!”

Time resumed—

“Lin Youxi!!”

Someone yanked her back by the legs, pulling her off the pier.

Dazed, Lin Youxi was flipped onto her back—face-to-face with Liu Xiaoyu and Yue Xinyi, both panting.

Before she could speak, Liu Xiaoyu slapped her hard. A red mark bloomed on Lin Youxi’s pale cheek.

“Lin Youxi! Do you know… how long I’ve wanted to slap you?!” Liu Xiaoyu trembled with rage.

“Do you know… how much he’s sacrificed for you?!”

“How dare you… throw your life away?!”

She grabbed Lin Youxi’s collar, snarling:

“Your life isn’t just yours—it’s Ah Fang’s too!”

“Having a mental illness doesn’t give you the right to wallow! To despise yourself! Do you really have that right?!”

“We’re all mentally ill here!”

“If you want to die, die with Mei Fang!”

“Leaving him behind—who do you think would take him? Who could handle him?!”

Liu Xiaoyu had never lost her temper like this. Yue Xinyi, who’d been ready for the apocalypse, mumbled:

“Okay, okay… she’s safe now… Stop scolding her. Call Mei Fang—”

The slap jolted Lin Youxi awake—but the warmth lingered.

The dark emotions that had plagued her for years vanished.

She felt… free.

That wasn’t an illusion.

It couldn’t be…

Trembling, Lin Youxi hugged Liu Xiaoyu tightly.

“Thank you… really, thank you, Xiaoyu… Wuwu—”

She burst into tears. Liu Xiaoyu’s anger melted away.

Meanwhile, Yue Xinyi frowned at her phone.

“Strange… Mei Fang isn’t picking up.”

“Maybe he’s still looking for Youxi? Try again later—”

Suddenly, the crowd stirred. Whispers spread:

“Hey, someone died over there?”

“Yeah, a young guy. Collapsed while running. Looked like he was in agony—terrifying.”

“Tsk tsk, overworked folks shouldn’t exercise…”

Lin Youxi’s legs gave out. Liu Xiaoyu caught her as Yue Xinyi kept calling.

“It’s ringing! Finally—Mei Fang? We found Youxi—”

But a muffled voice answered:

“Hello, are you Mei Fang’s family—?”

An ambulance siren wailed past.

Lin Youxi kicked off her shoes, running barefoot—just as Mei Fang had searched for her—chasing the ambulance…

——————————————————

Where… is this?

Mei Fang stood in white light. A girl with pink streaks walked toward him, hands behind her back.

“You… are?”

“You’d better recognize me! Hmph… promised we’d never part, and now you forget?”

She bopped his head, then pouted.

Mei Fang’s mind cleared.

“You’re… Yuan Yuan?”

His face fell.

“So… I’m dead.”

“Seeing a ghost doesn’t mean you’re dead! I just wanted to talk.”

Xia Yuan stepped forward, pulling him into a smothering hug.

“And recharge you with my super Yuan Yuan energy—”

“Ghk—!”

Mei Fang flailed like a drowning man.

“Stay strong, Ah Fang.”

“So many people are rooting for you and Youxi…”

“You’re the amazing, invincible Ah Fang! A little cardiac arrest is nothing!”

She pulled back, hugging him tightly.

“Besides, when the three of us are together… we’re unstoppable.”

Her body dissolved into light, merging with him.

Then—gasp!—Mei Fang jolted awake in a hospital bed. Lin Youxi clutched his hand.

Overjoyed, she moved to hug him—

“Ow ow ow ow… Don’t touch me. Everything hurts.”

The doctor entered, and Lin Youxi babbled:

“Dr. Xiang! My husband says he’s in pain—should we check?”

“Pain? Normal. I broke a few ribs during CPR. Standard procedure.”

Dr. Xiang adjusted his coat. “Lucky I was nearby for… ahem, volunteer work. Half a minute later, and he’d be dead—or a vegetable.”

“Actually, we saw you eating [redacted item] earlier—”

“What? I was volunteering. Don’t slander me.”

Dr. Xiang scolded them half-heartedly before leaving.

Alone, Mei Fang and Lin Youxi exchanged smiles—then sighed.

“Sorry, Ah Fang, I—”

“Wasn’t that the last ‘sorry’? Why start again…?”

“Ah… right. No more.”

Lin Youxi paused, then kissed his hand.

“Ah Fang… I saw Yuan Yuan this afternoon.”

“Funny… so did I.”

They smiled. Lin Youxi pressed his hand to her cheek.

“Seems she’s not just in our memories… She’s watching over us too.”

Her gaze softened—the same way she’d looked at him when they first fell in love.

“I’ve decided, Ah Fang… I won’t drag us to ruin anymore.”

She whispered, “No matter what, I’ll fight to live—with you.”

“Mm… good.”

Mei Fang’s eyes warmed. “I’ve waited so long to hear that.”

“You win. You waited me out.”

Lin Youxi lay beside him, both staring at the ceiling.

“The world’s so big… there must be a place for us.”

“And in that place… we’ll build a home.”

“We’ll have a child named Mei Zhixi. Nickname: Little Xixi…”

Mei Fang mused, “I think ‘Xi Bao’ sounds cuter.”

“No! That sounds like an insult!”

“Fine, your call.”

They leaned in, kissing softly.

Lin Youxi licked her lips. “Ah Fang… your mouth’s sweet…”

“Mm… yours too.”

“Let me taste again.”

“Okay.”

This kiss deepened—

“Wait…”

Lin Youxi pulled back. “It’s [redacted item] flavor!”

“Huh?”

——————————

Six months later, White Plum Time added a three-heroine route. Word-of-mouth and updates boosted its popularity.

When gaming media Game Peach published an article about the two developers’ “heartwarming mutual salvation,” it went viral.

This bittersweet love story propelled White Plum Time to sell a million copies—an indie breakout hit.

Later, Mei Fang and Lin Youxi married in White Plum County. Within a year, they had a daughter: Mei Zhixi, nicknamed Little Xixi.

Though shy, she was sweet and beloved.

After that hospitalization—

Mei Fang’s heart condition and Lin Youxi’s bipolar disorder never recurred.

They lived happily ever after.

Thus concludes Lin Youxi’s IF route! Hooray!