FLME Ch91

Chapter 091 – Childhood Friends IF Route: (1)

The summer months in Nancheng were filled with the constant hum of cicadas.

Yu Wen sat at his desk, biting into a popsicle while working on his assignments.

Once summer break ended, he would be entering his final year of high school. The workload would be intense, so he had started reviewing practice exams in advance.

His parents weren’t home—his mother was teaching a dance class, his father was busy running his small restaurant, and his older sister was out as well. After finishing his homework, Yu Wen went downstairs to look for food. The living room was empty, filled only with the unique solitude of June’s midsummer heat.

As he pulled a second popsicle from the fridge and stood by the window, he saw the neighbor’s kid returning from his extracurricular class.

“Xie Heyu!”

Yu Wen dashed out of the living room, sprinting barefoot in his indoor slippers. He caught up to Xie Heyu just before he stepped inside his house.

Yu Wen’s eyes sparkled as if he had found his savior. In his rush, he had forgotten to change shoes, and his toes curled restlessly as he clung onto Xie Heyu’s backpack strap. He asked expectantly, “You’re done with class? Can I come over and play games with you?”

Xie Heyu’s uncle was a businessman—though Yu Wen wasn’t exactly sure what kind of business. It seemed like a little bit of everything. Most importantly, the man often brought home newly developed high-tech products from his company—VR controllers, holographic headsets, and all sorts of cutting-edge gadgets.

Things you rarely saw on the market—the dream for any teenager.

Xie Heyu was two years younger than Yu Wen. Back when he was a baby, Yu Wen had actually held him before—back when he was just a tiny bundle with chubby, bouncy cheeks. But in the past two years, Xie Heyu had shot up like bamboo, growing from the small child Yu Wen remembered into someone much taller.

Yu Wen glanced at the younger boy, who was now taller than him, pursed his lips, and defiantly stood on his tiptoes.

“…Okay.”

Xie Heyu studied him for a moment before nodding slightly. His youthful face remained expressionless.

“I have homework to do. You can play first.”

Yu Wen cheered, running back inside to grab some essentials for his gaming nest. He also took another popsicle from the fridge as a gift for Xie Heyu before grabbing his keys and heading out.

As Xie Heyu went upstairs to put away his backpack, Yu Wen—who was a frequent visitor—settled himself comfortably on the living room couch and pulled out a game controller from the TV cabinet.

“Want a drink?” Xie Heyu asked.

“Nope, I just had ice cream. Here, I brought you one.”

Xie Heyu didn’t eat it. He simply placed the popsicle back in the freezer before heading upstairs to do his homework.

The house fell silent again, with only the occasional sound of game effects breaking the stillness.

In Yu Wen’s memory, the Xie household was always this quiet—almost suffocatingly so.

Uncle Xie was busy with work and often gone for weeks at a time, leaving Xie Heyu alone. The boy didn’t talk much, and by nightfall, the entire house felt like a still, lifeless pool.

Yu Wen’s mother had asked him to spend time with Xie Heyu so the boy wouldn’t grow up too withdrawn. Yu Wen had followed through, growing up alongside Xie Heyu.

They were practically as close as siblings.

But if you asked Yu Wen what Xie Heyu was truly thinking?

He’d be just as clueless as everyone else.

After playing two rounds of his game, Yu Wen’s sense of humanitarian duty toward his neighbor’s well-being surpassed his gaming addiction.

With the air of a self-sacrificing martyr, he sighed, stood up, and stretched.

Alright, let me be the one to save you! Poor Xiao Xie!

“Xie Heyu, Xie Heyu, Xie Heyu—!”

Yu Wen called out his name over and over, his crisp voice echoing through the house, growing louder each time. He was so loud the sunflowers in the corner seemed to sway from the sound waves.

Click.

Xie Heyu’s bedroom door opened.

“What?”

Yu Wen bounded up the stairs, grinning as he reached him.

“Did you finish your homework?”

Xie Heyu tilted his head slightly.

Yu Wen pressed on, “Wanna go out? The weather’s great today!”

Xie Heyu glanced out the window.

The blazing summer sun glared down at them.

Yu Wen waved it off. “Ah, don’t mind the details! There’s a new milk tea shop near First High. Let’s go get ice cream. And I’ll show you around—you’ll be going to school there next semester, right?”

Even though Xie Heyu didn’t look like it, he had just graduated from middle school and would be starting high school in the fall—finally attending the same school as Yu Wen.

Xie Heyu’s gaze lingered on Yu Wen’s face.

Yu Wen quickly added, “…It’s not that I want to eat ice cream or anything.”

Xie Heyu raised an eyebrow.

“It’s just… a welcome treat to celebrate your admission to high school!”

Xie Heyu nodded meaningfully.

Yu Wen, embarrassed, snapped, “Are you coming or not?!”

“…Coming.”

—

The summer heat was stifling. Yu Wen, feeling lazy, made Xie Heyu ride the bike while he sat on the back, giving directions.

“Turn left at the next corner, then go straight—yeah, like that.”

Sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, casting dappled patterns on the asphalt.

Yu Wen held onto Xie Heyu’s shirt as the scenery blurred past, casually pointing out which restaurants were delicious, which were overpriced, and which ones were questionable in cleanliness.

“Are we commuting together next semester? Our classes end later than yours, you know. You’d have to wait for me.”

After their school acceptances were confirmed, Xie Heyu’s older brother had already spoken to Yu Wen’s parents, suggesting that the two boys commute together. Their parents had quickly agreed, but Yu Wen figured he should ask for Xie Heyu’s opinion.

His gaze landed on Xie Heyu’s back.

Teenage boys didn’t carry much fat, and the cotton T-shirt clung to his shoulder blades, outlining his lean, defined figure.

It looked… surprisingly nice.

Yu Wen reached out and poked him.

“…What about you?”

Xie Heyu hadn’t spoken for a while. Only after being poked did he finally respond, his voice flat and indifferent.

“I? Of course, I want to walk with you.”

Yu Wen looked at his own hand, which Xie Heyu had firmly placed around his waist. Before letting go, Xie Heyu even gave it a pat, as if warning him not to mess around again.

Yu Wen pouted.

“Going together is obviously the best, but I start class earlier than you and finish later. Making you wait for me all the time would be so boring.”

Of course, staying well-behaved was impossible for him. Yu Wen reached out and tickled Xie Heyu’s waist. The muscle there was firmer than he expected, so he tickled again, surprised.

“You have abs?”

The bike swerved sharply.

Xie Heyu turned his head slightly and warned, “Yu Wen.”

That was about as angry as he ever got.

Yu Wen pursed his lips, realizing he had gone a little too far. He obediently said, “Okay, I get it. I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”

Xie Heyu steadied the handlebars and continued pedaling.

After making two more turns, when Yu Wen had nearly forgotten about their conversation, Xie Heyu suddenly said, “I can wait. We’ll go together.”

Yu Wen: “……Oh.”

Why didn’t you just wait until next year to answer?

—

The milk tea shop near the school was a hotspot. Even during the holidays, local students would gather there. The moment Yu Wen walked in, he spotted a few familiar faces.

“Yu Wen—come sit with us!”

Yu Wen was the perfect “three-good” student—good personality, good grades, good popularity.

More importantly, he had a great memory. He remembered almost everyone he met, and few people could resist the feeling of being remembered. Naturally, everyone liked him.

He waved with a smile, pulling Xie Heyu along.

As soon as they sat down, someone asked, “Yu Wen, who’s this?”

Yu Wen replied, “Little brother from my neighbourhood.”

Xie Heyu nodded politely before getting up to order drinks.

The moment he walked away, the group of students lit up with excitement.

“Wait, is this the ‘genius little brother’ you mentioned before? The one who’s good at everything—music, chess, books, and painting?”

Catching the key phrase, Xie Heyu subtly perked up his ears.

“Yeah, yeah,” Yu Wen said. “He just came back from an extracurricular class before we went out.”

Xie Heyu had attended countless extracurricular classes. He was always busy with things that seemed obscure to Yu Wen.

A few years ago, when reincarnation and transmigration novels were all the rage, boys loved reading stories about mysterious mercenaries.

With Xie Heyu’s elusive nature, Yu Wen had even suspected his neighbor might secretly be one of those “soldiers-turned-agents” or something.

He had even discussed it with his classmates and posted online asking for advice.

Title: 【The little brother from my neighbourhood might be a retired soldier, what do I do?】

His classmates looked at Xie Heyu’s tall, outstanding figure with envy.

“Wait, isn’t he two years younger than you? He doesn’t look like it at all.”

Yu Wen was also frustrated by that fact.

He thought for a moment and said, “That’s because I look young.”

His classmates didn’t expose his lie and generously played along.

“Yeah, yeah, you both totally look like high school freshmen…”

Xie Heyu, who had been eavesdropping, lowered his eyelashes.

He hadn’t heard what he was hoping for.

For some reason, he felt an odd sense of disappointment.

—

When he returned with their drinks, Yu Wen was in the middle of saying, “Next semester, I won’t be walking with you guys anymore. I’ll be commuting with my Xiao Xie since we live next door. It’s more convenient.”

A classmate gasped in horror, utterly heartbroken.

“What?! You’re giving up an entire forest for one man?! Just because of your Xiao Xie, you’re abandoning us? Why not just go together?!”

Yu Wen said, “Xiao Xie is introverted. He wouldn’t fit in with you guys.”

His classmate protested, “I’m introverted too! Super introverted!”

Yu Wen: “I’ll buy you ice cream for a week.”

Classmate: “Two weeks.”

Yu Wen generously surrendered his ice cream privileges for two weeks, effectively dissolving his old commuting group.

His classmates left shortly after.

Yu Wen’s ice cream arrived, and he glanced at the two servings—both his favorite flavors.

Xie Heyu pushed one toward him and casually asked, “You’ve talked about me with your classmates?”

Yu Wen, chewing on his spoon, mumbled, “Yeah, didn’t I tell you before? I used to think you were a secret mercenary or something…”

Xie Heyu: “Idiot.”

Yu Wen’s head snapped up.

“…What did you just call me?”

Xie Heyu pressed his lips together and stayed silent.

Yu Wen stared at him for a moment, then decided to be merciful and let it slide.

With a smug hum, he muttered, “Who’s the idiot…? My grades were better than yours back then…”

—

After eating most of his ice cream, Yu Wen started feeling full.

He eyed Xie Heyu’s untouched serving and reached out to grab it.

“What are you doing?”

Xie Heyu swiftly pulled his ice cream away.

“This is mine.”

Yu Wen pouted, “Come on, don’t be stingy. I just want a bite of your flavor.”

Xie Heyu stated flatly, “A bite? If you like it, it won’t be mine anymore.”

“……”

Unable to argue, Yu Wen simply went for the steal.

Xie Heyu, despite his height, wasn’t very strong. Yu Wen always managed to wrestle things out of his hands with ease.

This time was no different—he grabbed the ice cream, scooped a huge bite, and mumbled, “Fine, I’ll just buy you another one later…”

Xie Heyu looked utterly defeated, as if crushed by Yu Wen’s sheer audacity.

Suppressing his grin, Yu Wen consoled him, “Alright, alright, I won’t steal from you anymore… I won’t always bully you, okay?”

Xie Heyu lazily glanced at him.

—

On the ride home, Xie Heyu was once again the one pedaling the bike.

The afternoon sun was even harsher now, making the air feel heavy.

The asphalt had been freshly watered, leaving damp patches on the ground. The air carried a faint, unidentifiable fragrance mixed with the scent of moisture.

Yu Wen, feeling drowsy, leaned his forehead against Xie Heyu’s back.

His voice, sluggish with sleepiness, murmured, “Next year, when I leave for college in another city… no one will steal your food anymore… Don’t be discouraged. When you reach my age, you’ll be this strong too…”

He drifted off, unsure if Xie Heyu responded.

But in the quiet hum of the moving bicycle, he thought he heard a soft “hmph.”

Low and cold—

A sound of quiet displeasure.