After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 105

Lin Duxi’s words were vague, and An Yu’s mind couldn’t immediately grasp which box she was referring to. It wasn’t until she noticed the faint glimmer of sorrow and moisture hidden in Lin Duxi’s eyes that a memory flashed abruptly in her mind, revealing a rough image from the depths of her recollection.

“That box,” An Yu murmured, her gaze fixed tightly on the snow outside the window.

The one she had left behind when she moved out. At the time, she had thought it contained some incomplete sketches from high school and hadn’t bothered to take it with her. But…

“But, I left it at…” Before An Yu could finish her sentence, a pair of soft, pale fingers covered her lips. She turned her eyes back to Lin Duxi, her pupils trembling.

Lin Duxi looked at her tenderly, the earlier sadness in her eyes now gone, replaced only by a deep, affectionate gaze fixed solely on An Yu.

She shook her head gently, her fair fingers brushing over An Yu’s lips before slowly trailing down to the nape of her neck, embracing her.

“Those are things from the past. They don’t matter anymore. What I’d rather know is whether An Yu will go to the hot springs with me tonight-you promised me, after all.”

Today, she had been stirred by the scenery, evoking unpleasant memories. She shouldn’t have dragged An Yu into that sorrow with her.

The hot springs had been something they’d planned to visit together long before. The reason they’d joined this program was not only for the breathtaking snowscapes of this city but also for its famous hot springs.

An Yu stared at her blankly. How could she not realize that Lin Duxi’s sudden change of subject was meant to comfort her? Her heart clenched slightly, the trembling in her eyes quickly replaced by the same depth of affection. Her lips parted faintly.

“Okay, we’ll go tonight.”

Having climbed the snowy mountains during the day, their muscles were sore and exhausted. A soak in the hot springs would be the perfect remedy.

The homestay chosen by the program was one of the most renowned in the area, each room equipped with a small private hot spring. However, its location was rather discreet. An Yu and Lin Duxi had been so exhausted the past two days that they’d collapsed into sleep as soon as they hit the bed. It was only today that they discovered it.

Lin Duxi stepped in first, the moment she touched the hot water, a soothing comfort washed over her. The fatigue from the climb seemed to melt away bit by bit. She leaned against the edge of the pool, her eyes half-lidded, drowsy and on the verge of sleep.

When An Yu arrived with some fruit, this was the scene that greeted her: Lin Duxi’s arms resting on the edge of the pool, her head tilted back slightly, eyes closed as she teetered on the edge of slumber. The steam from the hot water had enveloped her body in a faint pink hue, her fair, delicate collarbones on full display, her long hair cascading loosely, some strands drifting in the water, obscuring the view beneath.

The rising steam blurred her senses, the shimmering water making it hard to see clearly. The only thing An Yu could hear in the silent, humid air was the pounding of her own heartbeat.

Lin Duxi, nearly asleep from the soothing soak, hadn’t yet heard An Yu enter the water. She frowned slightly, about to force her eyes open, when she felt something cool brush against her lips.

She opened her eyes to see a piece of fruit and slender, pale fingers. Following the arm upward, her gaze met An Yu’s face-her hair tied up, her eyes soft as water as she looked at her.

A smile curled in Lin Duxi’s eyes as she parted her lips and took the fruit, murmuring, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

An Yu didn’t quite catch her words, but the look on her face was enough to convey the meaning.

“I went to cut some fruit,” she said, spearing another piece of watermelon and bringing it to Lin Duxi’s lips.

Lin Duxi took the watermelon and urged An Yu to join her.

An Yu smiled faintly, remembering how content Lin Duxi had looked earlier. She moved behind Lin Duxi and sat down, patting her lap. Understanding, Lin Duxi tilted her head and rested it against An Yu’s thighs.

An Yu’s fingers settled on her temples, massaging gently, rhythmically. Lin Duxi relaxed instantly, the exhaustion draining from her body. She lay there silently, eyes closed, savoring the kneading, occasionally letting out a soft, involuntary sigh.

“So, Teacher Lin, how does Xiao An’s technique fare?”

Lin Duxi, still with her eyes closed, was pulled back from the brink of unconsciousness by her voice. “Mmm, not bad.”

An Yu chuckled but didn’t say more, continuing the massage. She had nearly forgotten the skills she’d learned from a masseur at a spa long ago-now was the perfect time to put them to use.

Lin Duxi was so comfortable she was on the verge of sleep. The warm water and the perfect pressure of the massage had completely dissolved her fatigue. Her consciousness was so scattered she could barely focus, yet the last remnants of her awareness stubbornly clung on, forcing her back to clarity.

She reached up and grasped An Yu’s hand, still resting on her head. “Come in with me.”

An Yu obliged, setting the fruit beside Lin Duxi before stepping into the hot spring.

There was no denying the magic of hot springs. The moment An Yu sank into the water, she felt her entire body relax. Leaning against the edge, she dozed off just as Lin Duxi had earlier, her consciousness fading so completely that she didn’t even hear the soft ripples of someone approaching.

A pair of soft lips pressed against hers, and An Yu instinctively tilted her head to respond. But the kiss didn’t linger, instead trailing along her cheek, her ear, the back of her neck. A hand cupped the other side of her face, damp fingers caressing her earlobe, while long strands of hair brushed against her skin, tickling slightly.

An Yu kept her eyes closed, breathing in the faint, elusive fragrance. The air around her was scorching, making it hard to breathe. She felt like she was burning up in the steaming water, yet she still didn’t open her eyes-the hot spring was so soothing she thought she must be dreaming.

Until fingertips brushed against a scorching heat, and a soft, involuntary gasp slipped into her ears. An Yu jolted awake as if burned, her eyes flying open to meet a face so beautiful it stole her breath.

Lin Duxi looked at her, a slow smile spreading across her lips. Her glossy, red mouth trembled slightly as a lazy, husky voice drifted into An Yu’s ears.

“You’re awake. I thought you’d sleep a little longer.” She took An Yu’s wrist and lifted it from the water, her teeth gently nibbling at the fingers wrinkled from soaking.

Somehow, An Yu detected a hint of regret in her tone.

An Yu only then realized the position she and Lin Duxi were in-Lin Duxi had somehow already moved over, straddling her lap, and was now looking at her with an innocent expression.

It had to be said that Lin Duxi could never hide her breathtaking beauty, no matter the situation. The steamy warmth of the room softened her sharp edges, and without makeup, she already looked less severe. At this moment, with all those annoying strands of hair tucked behind her ears, her eyes glistening with moisture, even An Yu was nearly dazzled, forgetting what she had just done.

“No.” An Yu ignored her request, shaking her head firmly. “The water’s dirty.”

The smile on Lin Duxi’s lips instantly faded, a shadow seeming to pass over her brow.

Her change in expression was so swift and so adorable that An Yu couldn’t help but laugh before relenting.

“But we can kiss.”

Lin Duxi lifted her gaze, the light immediately returning to her previously dulled eyes. She loosely wrapped her arms around An Yu’s neck, leaning in to kiss her.

In the end, neither of them quite remembered how they left the hot spring. Their minds were foggy from the steam, but they still managed to rinse off before going back to sleep.

Outside, the light snow that had been falling for two days still hadn’t stopped-if anything, it seemed to be growing heavier. The freshly cleared ground was once again blanketed in thick snow, making it uncertain whether they’d be able to go out tomorrow morning. The howling wind tore through the trees, sending snowflakes swirling and lashing the windows with icy cold.

Inside, the room was warm; outside, the cold was relentless. The glass panes fogged intermittently with condensation, disappearing and reappearing as faint, ambiguous sounds hid within the wind, vanishing with each gust.

Glittering snowflakes, carried by the gale, struck the windows but melted instantly upon contact with the warmth inside, turning into droplets that trickled down the glass.

The heavy snow had fallen all night, yet by morning, the sky had cleared-a rare occurrence.

The curtains had been left open, and a bright beam of sunlight streamed through the glass, landing on the figure sleeping soundly in bed.

Lin Duxi instinctively raised a hand to block the light. As her consciousness gradually returned, she reached for the person beside her, only to find the space cold and empty.

She turned her head-the blankets on that side were flattened, with no trace of An Yu left.

Sitting up, she glanced around, and the memories of the previous night flooded back. A tremor ran through Lin Duxi’s chest, jolting her fully awake.

Pushing aside the jumble of thoughts, she got out of bed. Revenge would have to wait until she found the culprit.

She opened the door, her gaze instinctively landing on the conspicuous floor-to-ceiling window-but after just one glance, she quickly averted her eyes, flustered.

Pouring herself a glass of water, Lin Duxi drank while her mind uncontrollably replayed the memories. She shook her head, but her eyes still drifted back to the spot nearby.

Well… at least it had been cleaned up well. On the surface, nothing seemed amiss, she thought.

Glass in hand, Lin Duxi walked to the window and immediately spotted An Yu in the distance.

The culprit was currently in the backyard, bundled in a thick down jacket, clumsily rolling a snowball-adorable. Beside her, a large snowball had already been formed.

Lin Duxi couldn’t help but smile.

As if sensing her gaze, An Yu turned and unexpectedly met Lin Duxi’s eyes. She grinned and waved enthusiastically-only for Lin Duxi to immediately turn away, leaving her with nothing but a retreating figure.

An Yu: “…” Her heart instantly filled with unease. She’d been unrestrained last night-Lin Duxi was definitely angry.

She had woken up to the snow and thought of making a snowman as a surprise for Lin Duxi, but before she could finish, Lin Duxi had already woken up.

Now, the snowman was clearly useless as a peace offering. As she rolled the snowball, An Yu pondered other ways to appease Lin Duxi.

Just then, she heard the crunch of snow behind her. Turning, she saw Lin Duxi walking over, fully dressed, a red scarf in hand.

Lin Duxi stopped beside An Yu, who stared at her in confusion. The exposed skin on An Yu’s face was flushed from the cold, and the chill radiating from her body was palpable even from a distance. Lin Duxi’s irritation flared.

She huffed and wrapped the scarf around An Yu’s neck. “Aren’t you cold?”

Even after drinking water, her voice was still slightly hoarse, making her words sound even more petulant.

An Yu shook her head, smiling at her. “Not anymore.”

Lin Duxi’s heart melted like honey, torn between anger and amusement. She took An Yu’s hands in hers, and the moment they touched, she was startled by how icy they were. A pang of guilt shot through her.

She tucked An Yu’s hands into her own pockets, holding them tightly to warm them up.

Only when An Yu’s hands had regained some warmth did Lin Duxi finally let go, joining her in rolling the unfinished snowball.

Soon, the two completed the snowman. An Yu picked up a few pebbles for its eyes and mouth, then found some twigs to stick in as ears.

She took off her own scarf to wrap around the snowman, but Lin Duxi undid hers instead, sharing it with An Yu.

Standing back to admire their creation, the two exchanged a smile before flopping backward into the snow together.

Hand in hand, they turned to look at each other, their gazes overflowing with unrestrained affection, as if nothing else in the world existed but the two of them.

“Let’s go. Time for a nap.”

“But I’m not sleepy.”

“Then stay here by yourself.”

“No-I’ll nap too.”