Chapter 342: IF支线 – Destiny Decided Between Fang and Xi • Part 3
” bipolar disorder… also known as manic-depressive illness?”
Lin You Xi gently nodded, “Do you know about this condition?”
“I took a minor in psychology during college, so I have some knowledge… ” Mei Fang continued, “Patients alternate between manic and depressive states…”
As he explained his understanding, he thought about all the misfortunes that Lin You Xi had endured over the years. His intense dissatisfaction with her built up throughout the day quickly dissipated due to sympathy, leaving him feeling heavy-hearted. He apologized to Lin You Xi:
“I’m sorry… I didn’t know you were going through all this.”
“What do you have to apologize for? I never told you.”
The weary-faced Lin You Xi smiled at Mei Fang, “Actually, I’ve been reflecting lately whether I put too much pressure on you. You’re already busy enough at work, and I pushed you even further.”
“Don’t say that. Only by doing such games can I feel alive, and—”
Seeing Lin You Xi’s eyes fluttering and her unsteady state, Mei Fang remembered she was still running a fever and gently urged, “Why don’t you rest first? You look exhausted.”
“Not only am I tired, but I’m also hungry…”
Lin You Xi checked her phone, “I can’t even remember if I ordered takeout… Oh, I forgot to place the order.”
“Stop eating takeout, let me make something light and healthy for you.”
Lin You Xi was curious, “You’re so busy with work, yet you cook yourself?”
“On weekends, I prepare meals. Eating takeout frequently isn’t good for your health.”
Mei Fang urged Lin You Xi to lie down, “Go rest, I’ll make something for you. Is there anything in the fridge?”
“There’s probably nothing… Oh, there are frozen dumplings. I’m pretty good at boiling them.”
“What’s so great about boiling dumplings!”
Lin You Xi was urged by Mei Fang to bed. Mei Fang placed a glass of hot water on the bedside table and instructed her to take her medicine before checking the fridge.
The garlic in the fridge had sprouted…
Though the house appeared neat on the outside, it was quite messy inside.
Sigh.
Mei Fang sighed silently.
The slight noises from the kitchen made Lin You Xi lying in bed feel inexplicably reassured. She soon felt drowsy.
She dreamt deeply, a very distant dream.
She dreamed of returning to when she was very young. She saw the gentle girl with ponytails patiently wiping her nose, and she recalled pushing the boy who wet the bed out of jealousy.
This push sent both the ponytail girl and the bedwetting boy far away, beyond her reach. When she realized and tried to catch up, they seemed to be drifting further and further away—
!
Lin You Xi suddenly opened her eyes, startling Mei Fang who was placing the porridge, “Oh… Are you always this scary when you wake up?”
Mei Fang was about to speak when he noticed a tear sliding down Lin You Xi’s cheek, causing him to hesitate. He quickly fetched some tissues for her.
“Did you have a nightmare…”
Lin You Xi wiped her tears and nodded, “I dreamed of Yuan Yuan.”
“You really like her…”
Mei Fang sat on a small stool next to the bed, “Come on, get up and drink some porridge. I made some millet porridge; it’s easy on the stomach. It’s better to eat liquid food when you have a fever.”
Lin You Xi struggled but couldn’t get up.
“It hurts.”
“Do you need help getting up?”
“Yes.”
This was Mei Fang’s first time having physical contact with a girl, his hands unsure where to place. He pondered how to assist her without crossing a line.
Seeing him fumbling, Lin You Xi found it amusing and grabbed his arm to get up, causing Mei Fang to instinctively support her back and help her sit up.
“Here… Eat.”
Mei Fang spooned porridge towards Lin You Xi, but she showed no intention of reaching for it, instead staring at him.
Lin You Xi was composed, but this close proximity made Mei Fang uncomfortable. Their gazes met and he quickly looked away.
“Hey, hey… Do you want me to feed you?”
“I don’t want to move.”
Lin You Xi stared at Mei Fang, seemingly enjoying his embarrassed expression.
“That’s not appropriate…”
“Then I’ll just go back to sleep.”
Lin You Xi was about to lie down again when Mei Fang protested:
“Hold on! Hold on!”
Mei Fang sat beside Lin You Xi’s bed, feeding her the millet porridge one spoonful at a time. He blew on each spoonful before offering it to her. Lin You Xi leaned in and took a bite, looking unexpectedly adorable.
“How is it?”
Lin You Xi shook her head, “It’s not as good as the congee from Wumizhou.”
“… But you’re eating it with such gusto?”
Lin You Xi softly replied, “The last time someone fed me was probably when I was in elementary school. My dad fed me…”
“You’re making me cry with that statement.”
“I don’t believe it. Show me you’re crying.”
Lin You Xi stared at Mei Fang, “If you don’t, I’ll punch you until you cry.”
“Do you have the strength to hit me after carrying the bowl?”
“You’ll see if you let me try.”
Lin You Xi swung at Mei Fang, who dodged, spilling porridge on himself.
“It’s hot!”
“Are you okay…”
Lin You Xi dabbed at Mei Fang with tissues. Mei Fang placed the bowl aside. Lin You Xi held his hand, looking at the red marks on his arm, her voice softening:
“Everyone who gets close to me ends up unhappy.”
Lin You Xi softly said, “Maybe it would be best if you stopped contacting me after I deleted you.”
“This character sounds rather immature, but I never imagined our high school’s top student was such an interesting girl. If we had met back then…”
Lin You Xi smiled at Mei Fang, “So… You don’t believe me?”
“I know you’re using examples from your life, but I think it’s not like that. Those unfortunate events weren’t your fault. They just happened around you. You’re not the one to blame or feel guilty; you’re the one who should be pitied.”
Mei Fang softly said, “I don’t believe that.”
“Being with a mentally ill person like me is painful.”
“I know about the mechanisms and symptoms of bipolar disorder, so you don’t need to use that to persuade me.”
Mei Fang earnestly said, “You managed to reignite my passion for indie games, and now you want to extinguish it again. Who do you think you are? This game is more than just your dream now, you know.”
In response to Mei Fang’s words, Lin You Xi suddenly couldn’t help laughing, “Rarely do I see you assertive. That’s impressive.”
“Something feels off about that…”
Lin You Xi continued, “Then I’ll leave when you can’t handle it anymore. Even though I have bipolar disorder, I’ve never had suicidal thoughts and won’t use violence against you. So, you can rest assured about your safety.”
“I doubt I’d lose to you, ha…”
Mei Fang talked with Lin You Xi for a long time, chatting until it was past ten o’clock. His stomach began growling.
“Phew… I forgot to eat dinner while looking for you.”
“I can boil frozen dumplings for you.”
“You should rest. I’ll take a taxi home.”
Mei Fang stood up to leave, and Lin You Xi watched his back, “Isn’t your home far from here?”
“Around an hour. I have to work tomorrow.”
“Then why not stay overnight?”
Lin You Xi propped herself up on the bed, “You can save time and help me with game development.”
“You’re really…”
“Even though I’m sick, you should rest tonight. I’ll go, you should rest early.”
Lin You Xi shook her head, “I slept too much during the day. I can’t sleep now.”
“But I’m sleepy… I’m so tired today.”
“I have another blanket. You can sleep on the floor. It’s two hours round trip, but you can sleep longer.”
“…”
Lin You Xi persistently persuaded Mei Fang to stay overnight, but he kept declining. Eventually, Lin You Xi became displeased and asked:
“Do you think I’m crazy?”
“How could I! I never said I disliked you.”
“Then why won’t you stay overnight with me?”
“Because it might cause bad rumors…”
“We’re both single. What’s the problem?”
Lin You Xi stared at Mei Fang, “Or is there someone else?”
“What other person? Stop talking nonsense—”
Mei Fang regretted his words when he saw Lin You Xi smiling.
What does “someone else” mean?
“Fine, fine… If you’re not afraid of me, I’ll stay overnight.”
But Mei Fang warned Lin You Xi,
“We won’t work on the game tonight. Let’s both rest.”
“Okay.”
Late at night.
Lin You Xi lay in bed while Mei Fang slept on the floor. They still chatted about game development until Lin You Xi fell silent.
Mei Fang hadn’t expected his first experience sharing a room with a girl to be like this.
Lin You Xi had a tumultuous and unfortunate past, while Mei Fang was just an ordinary person who might never heal her emotional wounds.
Yet, hearing her story, he felt an uncontrollable urge to cherish her.
I must be infatuated with her…
Mei Fang thought.
He had never wanted to share all his energy with anyone before.
But if his presence could bring warmth and light to Lin You Xi’s world, he would do it without hesitation.
Am I in love?
Mei Fang found his actions somewhat unbelievable.
As he lay awake, pondering, Lin You Xi suddenly muttered in her sleep.
“Afang… Don’t leave… Please, don’t leave…”
A-fang?
Who is she calling?
Surely not me, ha.
But seeing such a strong woman at home being so vulnerable was a stark contrast, adding to his fascination and deeper understanding of Lin You Xi.
The next morning, Mei Fang and Lin You Xi washed up early and went to work together. After sweating all night from her fever, Lin You Xi looked much better today. There were no signs of her mental illness. Sitting on the bus, chatting and laughing, they seemed like a newly-in-love couple.
“The commute from here to the office is only three stops, just twelve minutes by bus. This place is so convenient. I envy you for renting such a nice place.”
“Penguin has an 8000 yuan housing subsidy. It’s free money.”
“Oh wow! Your company is so generous! I want to switch jobs too.”
“You don’t need to work. I’ll pay you. I’ll take care of you. I work fast in the company, so I can develop my own game.”
While talking to Mei Fang, Lin You Xi plucked a strand of hair from his shoulder and said,
“Should we consider moving in together?”
“Of course, I need to work. Earning money isn’t easy. We need to hire art freelancers, which costs a lot.”
“But this commute makes you tired,” Lin You Xi pondered, “You waste two hours commuting every day. It’s ridiculous.”
“There’s no choice. The cost of living nearby is too high… If we save money, why not buy my time?”
Lin You Xi said to Mei Fang, “Move in with me. Save two hours commuting. I’ll give you a discount on rent.”
“What kind of discount? How cheap is the rent?” Mei Fang said seriously, “I’m really broke.”
“You decide. No pressure.”
Lin You Xi smiled at Mei Fang, “However, my program has a safeguard mechanism. As the lead planner, you and I will share those two saved hours from commuting. What do you think?”
Lin You Xi clearly needed care and reminders to take her medication. As a fellow townsman and friend, Mei Fang hoped to take care of this unfortunate girl.
But moving in directly seems inappropriate… She hasn’t said what our relationship is.
Ah.
Right.
Shouldn’t the guy bring it up first?
Poor Mei Fang! A lifelong bachelor!
But the chance to ask about their relationship has passed—
“If you don’t object, I’ll take it as agreement.”
“Mmm… I’ll sort things out at home when I have time.”
“Let’s clean up tonight. I’ll come with you and help you pack.”
“My home is in the suburbs. It’s inconvenient to go back.”
“We can stay the night. It’s not like we haven’t done it before.”
“Just sleeping in the same room. Don’t confuse the concept!”
“What do you want then? Sleep in my bed?”
Lin You Xi stared at Mei Fang, making him feel awkward on the bus.
“Your ears are red… You’re so cute!”
Lin You Xi pinched Mei Fang’s earlobe, and he had no strength to resist.
“You look like that ‘Afang’ brother from the video.”
“You mean the elementary school kid with great acting skills? I’m so old-fashioned and reserved. I don’t resemble that Afang.”
Lin You Xi smiled without speaking, “Names are similar, and ‘Afang’ sounds familiar, nostalgic…”
“My family wouldn’t call me that nickname.”
Mei Fang complained, recalling that Lin You Xi had called out the same name in her dream last night.
Is she referring to someone with a similar name from her past?
But she said she’s single…
Just as Mei Fang was pondering, Lin You Xi suddenly placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at him.
Her bright, captivating eyes made it hard for Mei Fang to look away.
Lin You Xi slightly opened her mouth, trying to practice her new nickname for Mei Fang—
“Afang?”
“Afang.”
“Afang!”
“Afang…”
“Why are you calling me nonstop?”
Lin You Xi’s cheerful laughter rang out on the bus, and pink cherry blossoms fluttered outside the window.
A gentle breeze caused the petals to scatter, dancing in the sky, adding a touch of warmth to the cold city.
Next IF chapter will be written much later!
End of Chapter
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