After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 25

“It’s all bandaged up now.” An Yu stood up and looked at Lin Duxi. Remembering the bloody wound from earlier, her voice softened. “The wound has already reopened once. It’s best not to move around too much-it’ll hurt and could leave a scar.”

Lin Duxi raised her head, her eyes shimmering like stars. “A-Yu.” She leaned forward and gently wrapped her arms around An Yu’s waist, nuzzling against her as if intoxicated by her scent.

An Yu stiffened at the sudden embrace. Instinctively, she wanted to push her away, but then she remembered that today, because of her, Lin Duxi had not only caught a cold but also gotten injured. Her raised hand slowly lowered.  Fine, let her hug me. After everything that’s happened today, anyone would be exhausted.

The tourists on the street had all flocked to see the bonfire, leaving this area nearly empty. Earlier, the two of them had slipped through the crowd like fish, and even the cameraman following them had lost track. Now, it was just the two of them.

The distant cheers of the crowd were faint, as if from another world, blending with the cicadas’ song and the dim glow of the fire into a tranquil backdrop. An Yu glanced at the revelry in the distance, then checked her watch and sighed.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t keep exploring with you, Teacher Lin. This festival really is interesting-so unique.”

Lin Duxi lifted her head, her clear eyes reflecting the starlight. She released An Yu and stood beside her, shoulder to shoulder, gazing at her with a soft smile. “I’ve already wandered so many places with A-Yu. I’m more than satisfied.”

It was as if even the smallest kindness from An Yu was something she could cradle like a treasure. Even if An Yu gave her nothing, she wouldn’t complain.

An Yu turned to look at her, a swirl of emotions in her eyes.  This line… Lin Duxi had said something similar to her before.

A different season, a different scenery, but the same tender gaze and lingering words.

In her memories, Lin Duxi had never once lost her temper with her.

We must have loved each other deeply back then,  An Yu thought.  So why did we break up?

She couldn’t remember clearly. Both of them had changed since then.

The two didn’t linger long at the festival. Worried the production team might panic and start searching for them, An Yu made sure they returned to the car after bandaging Lin Duxi’s wound. Fortunately, the crew had already arrived, averting a potential live broadcast mishap.

On the way back, they passed a supermarket. Remembering that they were responsible for dinner tonight, An Yu got out to buy ingredients. Lin Duxi stayed in the car due to her injury-An Yu didn’t want her risking a third mishap. The crew mentioned that the villa was stocked with some ingredients, but An Yu shook her head. “They might not have the specific ones I want.”

She turned to Lin Duxi. “Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“No.” Lin Duxi thought for a moment, then shook her head. “But I’ve never had A-Yu’s cooking before. I’m sure I’ll love anything you make.” Her eyes brimmed with warmth and indulgence, so palpable that An Yu momentarily froze.

“Alright.”

As An Yu put on a mask and entered the supermarket, Lin Duxi’s gaze lingered before shifting indifferently to the distant buildings. It was as if only An Yu could stir any real emotion in her.

She had always been a person of few desires-food was just sustenance, nothing more. It wasn’t until An Yu asked that she realized she truly had no preferences.

And An Yu… was the first person to ever ask her about them.

Lin Duxi couldn’t help but smile, a trace of hidden affection in her eyes.

[Baby, I was so worried when you suddenly disappeared! Do you know how scared I was?]

[Can the production team please keep better track of people? Losing them in such a crowded place is just ridiculous.]

[Someone tell me what these two were doing when they vanished from the camera. If I don’t get an answer, I’ll be upset all day.]

[Lin Duxi and An Yu disappearing together, then reappearing together… If no one explains, I’ll start making up my own theories.]

[Huh? Why is Lin Duxi turning toward the camera? She’s getting closer… Ahh, such a beauty! A visual assault!]

Lin Duxi leaned closer to the screen, ignoring the flood of  “AHHHs”  as she searched for other types of comments. Her usual aloofness melted away as she read them.

[When they walked out from the street earlier, I thought I’d stumbled into some drama scene. They look so good together!]

[This is my first time feeling the joy of shipping a CP. How can anyone resist two people with such perfect chemistry?]

[So compatible, so compatible, SO COMPATIBLE! I’m losing my mind over them!]

Lin Duxi had never paid much attention to viewer comments before. Her understanding of public perception had been limited to the small but dedicated fanbase in their CP forum. She hadn’t realized so many people were shipping them live. The corners of her lips curled up.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely. She hoped these comments would come true sooner rather than later.

[Aaaah, that voice is heavenly! My ears are pregnant-you have to take responsibility!]

Lin Duxi found their reactions amusing-cute, even. Like An Yu. Then she imagined An Yu saying those words to her in person.

Wet hair clinging to her cheeks, accentuating the flush at the corners of her eyes. An Yu looking at her, misty-eyed, the tips of her ears red from excitement. Her soft lips parting as a coquettish whisper escaped-

[You have to take responsibility, you know.]

Lin Duxi’s face burned.

When An Yu returned with bags in hand, this was the scene she walked into: the car window open, a cool breeze drifting in, and Lin Duxi sitting with her head turned toward the view outside, her expression calm but her cheeks tinged with an unusual pink.

An Yu’s heart lurched.  Was her fever from this morning flaring up again?  She quickly set the bags down and leaned over, cupping Lin Duxi’s face to check her temperature. The moment she touched her, Lin Duxi shuddered slightly-but when she turned back, the blush was gone.

“What’s wrong, A-Yu?” she asked with a smile, eyeing An Yu’s hands on her face with just the right amount of confusion.

An Yu paused. “Does your head still hurt?”

Lin Duxi blinked. “No, the fever broke a while ago.”

Still doubtful, An Yu pressed a hand to her forehead. It wasn’t hot.  Must have imagined it,  she thought, withdrawing her hand and pulling out a bag of candy from her pocket to hand to Lin Duxi.

Lin Duxi took it, glanced at the packaging, and froze. This was the same candy she’d had in her pocket the night she got drunk.

“You barely ate at lunch, and it’s been hours since then. Have some sugar to keep your energy up.”

[A token of love!]

[She remembers she didn’t eat much at lunch-so attentive! She loves her so much!]

[An Yu said they didn’t have the kind she wanted… Does that mean she specifically went looking for this candy for Lin Duxi?]

[Very likely! She’s so in love!]

[Is there some special meaning behind this candy? Their reactions seem… significant.]

An Yu remembered. And she’d gone out of her way to buy the same kind for her. The thought sent a scalding wave of emotion through Lin Duxi-everything she should and shouldn’t feel swirling inside her. She lifted her gaze to An Yu, her eyes luminous, tender as water.

Under that gaze, An Yu’s ears turned red again. “Let’s head back,” she said, sitting beside Lin Duxi and turning to the window to avoid her stare.

Lin Duxi looked down at the candy in her hand, unwrapped a piece, and let the sweetness spread through her. She exhaled softly.

Good thing she didn’t notice.  She’d just gotten a little too warm, that was all. She’d need to shower and change when they got back.  Maybe, just maybe… if she played up her injury a little, An Yu would help her change clothes herself.

How thrilling.

Because of Lin Duxi’s injury, An Yu strictly forbade her from cooking, insisting she rest in her room while she handled dinner alone.

Lin Duxi, of course, refused. She clung to An Yu’s sleeve, pleading in a soft voice until An Yu finally relented-allowing her to sit on a chair outside the kitchen and watch.

An Yu worked deftly, chopping vegetables with practiced ease, moving through each step of the recipe before covering the pot to simmer. The kitchen was warm, and as she reached for a tissue to wipe her brow-

A pale, slender hand entered her field of vision.

A moment later, something gently dabbed at her forehead.

Startled, An Yu turned to see Lin Duxi-who was supposed to be outside-standing right beside her, dabbing her sweat away with a tissue.

Lin Duxi’s fragrance enveloped her. That flawless face was so close An Yu could see the fine down on her skin. Her lips parted slightly, her breath brushing An Yu’s ear-maddeningly teasing.

The perpetrator herself seemed completely oblivious, intently wiping the sweat from An Yu’s forehead. She smiled, let go, and looked at An Yu.

“Alright, A-Yu, carry on,” she said gently before stepping out of the kitchen, the entire process smooth and effortless, as if she were nothing more than an emotionless sweat-wiping machine.

By the time An Yu snapped out of her daze and looked around, Lin Duxi was no longer in the kitchen. She had taken a seat at the dining table, smiling brightly in their direction. An Yu turned her head away, ignoring the faint, lingering fragrance in the air.

When Pei Lu and the others returned, An Yu was just finishing up the last dish. Pei Lu, already sulking over Lin Duxi slipping away from him earlier, was met with the sight of her sitting at the table, her gaze fixed on the kitchen where An Yu stood. His face flushed crimson as overwhelming fury surged through him.

An Yu-it was always this An Yu, always her ruining his plans.

If Lin Duxi weren’t exactly his type, he would’ve long since stopped humbling himself over and over again like this!

Lin Duxi turned toward the group at the sound and said, “Just wait a little while longer, and dinner will be ready.” An Yu also turned her head as she spoke, spatula in hand – the two of them looked just like a couple who’d been living together for years, moving in perfect sync.

【Have the two of them lived together before? Why does it look so heartwarming to me?】

【So sweet, hehe. The loving wives greeting guests.】

Pei Lu was almost sickened by the sight. His eyes burned red as he clenched his fists, barely restraining the urge to tear An Yu apart on the spot. But with the live broadcast rolling, he had no choice but to suppress his fury. With a cold snort, he headed upstairs. “I’m not hungry, so I won’t eat.”

Neither An Yu nor Lin Duxi spared him a glance. His departure, in fact, gave the others a chance to breathe-his high status and disdain for those beneath him had made the atmosphere suffocating.

As the timing was just right, the group brought out the freshly prepared dishes.

Lin Duxi had meant to help, but An Yu gently pulled her back to her seat. Watching An Yu chatting with the others, Lin Duxi lowered her gaze, her eyes dark with deep affection.

Even when refusing someone, Ah Yu is so gentle.  But this gentleness-she didn’t want to share it with anyone else.

A shadow fell over her. Lin Duxi looked up to see An Yu setting a plate of food in front of her.

“Try it and see if it suits your taste.”

Lin Duxi watched as she got up and instinctively took a seat across from her. With a slight curl of her lips, Lin picked up her chopsticks, plucked a piece of meat from the plate in front of her, and slowly brought it to her mouth. The next second, she froze in place, her smiling expression stiffening.

An Yu, though acting nonchalant on the surface, was inwardly uneasy. She didn’t understand why she wanted Lin Duxi’s praise so badly for something as simple as cooking.

Her peripheral gaze had been fixed on Lin Duxi’s movements the entire time. When she saw Lin place the meat in her mouth, her nervousness intensified. Then, she caught sight of Lin’s stunned expression, and her heart skipped a beat.

Oh no. Did I add too much salt?

“Is it too salty? Or… does it not suit your taste?” An Yu asked anxiously, quickly grabbing her chopsticks to take a bite of the same dish. It didn’t taste overly salty to her.

Lin Duxi snapped out of her daze and shook her head, maintaining a faint smile. “No, it’s just… this is the first time I’ve eaten something you’ve cooked. I’m a little surprised-in a good way. I really like it.”

The weight in An Yu’s heart finally lifted. “That’s good. I’m glad it suits your taste.”

Lin Duxi smiled but said nothing more, focusing on her meal.

Because An Yu had prepared the food, Lin ended up eating more than she had in the past few days, sampling every dish An Yu had made. Watching this, An Yu felt a warm, intoxicating happiness spread through her, like the lingering sweetness of fine wine, leaving her somewhat enchanted.

After dinner, the other members of their group took on the task of washing the dishes, leaving Lin Duxi and An Yu to step outside the villa for a breezy evening stroll.

An Yu loved the cool, quiet solitude of nighttime, the gentle wind making her feel utterly carefree.

Lin Duxi watched her relaxed expression, her gaze softening unconsciously. She moved closer to An Yu, savoring this moment of tranquil happiness.

“An Yu, you must be tired after cooking so much tonight. I wish I could’ve helped you,” Lin Duxi suddenly said.

An Yu shook her head. “It’s fine. Your hand is injured, and it’s partly my fault anyway. Besides, I actually enjoy cooking. When I was bored in the past, I’d follow recipe books and teach myself little by little. It’s kind of fun.” Unaware that she’d let slip more than she intended, she spotted a bench not far away and tugged Lin Duxi over to sit down.

Lin Duxi stared at her back, frowning with a complicated expression.

An Yu is lying. She didn’t learn her cooking skills on her own.

Back when An Yu’s parents were away on business, she had hinted-both subtly and not-so-subtly-to Lin Duxi that she was home alone and scared. So, Lin had gone to keep her company and cooked for her. An Yu, finding the food delicious, had begged Lin to teach her.

The memory saddened Lin. She lifted her head, meeting An Yu’s gaze-those eyes clear and bright, as if reflecting the purest light in the world. An Yu waved at her, gesturing for her to come sit. Lin Duxi composed herself and walked over.

I’ll figure it out eventually.

The second day of filming finally came to an end. When the director announced the wrap, the group waved goodbye to the viewers who had been watching the livestream all day before retreating to their respective rooms to rest.

Lin Duxi grabbed her clothes and headed to the shower. An Yu, sitting outside, felt restless, as if she’d forgotten something important but couldn’t recall what. Her heart pounded erratically, betraying her unease.

To distract herself, she picked up her phone and opened Weibo, planning to scroll through her feed. When she checked her burner account, she was surprised to find she’d gained a significant number of followers. Raising an eyebrow, she scanned the list and realized most of them were fans of her and Lin Duxi’s  ship  -their usernames and profile pictures filled with couple photos and pairing names.

Amidst the sea of  ship  content, one account stood out: its profile picture featured only An Yu, a still from a film she’d shot years ago.

This shipper even dug up my old work?

Just as she was about to click on the account’s profile, the sound of running water in the bathroom stopped, followed by the rustling of fabric. An Yu’s sharp ears caught the noise, and she instinctively set her phone down.

“An Yu, my hand is injured. I can’t fasten my bra.” Lin Duxi’s voice, muffled slightly by the thick glass door, carried a pitiful, pleading tone. “Can you help me?”

An Yu’s head snapped up.  That’s  what she’d forgotten. Her ears burned, her face flushing scarlet as she stumbled over her words. Finally, she lowered her head and muttered,

“You… don’t really need to wear one to sleep, right?” Thankfully, the frosted glass door obscured Lin Duxi’s view of her beet-red face.

“I suppose that’s true. Then I won’t bother.” Lin Duxi didn’t mind either way. Wearing a bra or not was just a means to unsettle An Yu. Leaning against the tiled wall, her cheeks slightly pink from the steam, she shivered as the cold surface touched her skin-but the smirk on her lips never faded.

I wonder what expression An Yu will have tomorrow.

An Yu immediately regretted her words. Even if Lin Duxi didn’t wear one tonight, she’d still need to tomorrow-and her hand wouldn’t heal overnight. Eventually, An Yu would have to help her anyway.

After a brief internal struggle, she relented. “Put on the rest of your clothes. I’ll help you with the bra.”

Lin Duxi let out a soft “Mm,” the sound sending an inexplicable shiver down An Yu’s spine.

An Yu approached the bathroom door. “Open the door once you’re dressed.”

The moment the words left her mouth, the door slid open with a  whoosh  .

An Yu froze, her eyes instinctively landing on the figure before her. Lin Duxi stood there in a sleep dress, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders, droplets of water sliding down her exposed skin. Without makeup, her features looked softer, more delicate-like a freshly bloomed flower after rain.

An Yu’s gaze flickered away, landing on the floor, then darting back to Lin Duxi before finally settling on her bandaged hands. “Did your hands get wet?”

If you’re so worried about my hands getting wet, why don’t you wash me yourself, idiot?  Lin Duxi thought.

“No, I was careful. Don’t worry, An Yu,” Lin Duxi replied. Then she turned around, gently pulling down the straps of her dress to reveal her bare back, the delicate contours of her shoulder blades on full display. “I’ll leave it to you,” she murmured.

An Yu reached out, carefully taking hold of the bra’s clasps. Her fingers trembled slightly as she focused on the task, but her mind grew increasingly muddled. The expanse of pale skin, glowing under the bathroom light, sent her thoughts spiraling.

She shut her eyes, biting her lip hard enough to draw a sharp sting of pain-enough to jolt her back to clarity. Seizing the moment, she hastily fastened the hooks.

Lin Duxi, still exposed to the cool air conditioning, shivered as the cold air licked at the lingering droplets on her skin. An Yu’s hands trembled in response, her knuckles accidentally brushing against Lin’s back-

A jolt of electricity shot through Lin Duxi, rooting her to the spot.

An Yu’s breath was so close-close enough that if Lin turned her head just slightly, their lips would meet. She could already imagine the softness of An Yu’s mouth, the muffled sounds she’d make, the intoxicating sweetness of it all.

I want to kiss her.

The temperature in the room seemed to rise, the air thickening with an unspoken tension. Unconsciously, the distance between them shrank-so close that if An Yu tilted her head just a fraction, her lips would graze Lin Duxi’s ear.

It would turn red so easily.

So fun.

Driven by impulse, An Yu leaned in. Lin Duxi felt the warmth of her breath ghosting over her skin, inching higher, closer-

Her heart leapt into her throat. Swallowing hard, she stiffened, anticipation thrumming through her veins.

“Done.” An Yu abruptly snapped out of it, pulling away. “Get dressed. I’ll grab my toiletries.” She hurried off, forcibly severing the intimate atmosphere between them.

Lin Duxi’s eyes darkened with frustration.

Damn it. Since when did she have so much self-control?

Night fell, the world hushed under the watchful gaze of the moon. Its silver light slipped through the gaps in the curtains, painting the floor and bed in quiet luminescence.

Beside her, An Yu had already fallen asleep, her breathing slow and even-each exhale a gentle knock against Lin Duxi’s heart, whispering temptations.

Last night, curled up in each other’s arms, had been too enticing. It was the most peaceful sleep Lin Duxi had had in days. Now, she understood what people meant by  once tasted, never forgotten.

Lin Duxi closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, quietly waiting for the person beside her to drift off. When she heard the all-too-familiar rhythm of the other’s breathing, she sighed softly, then mustered her courage to slowly sit up. Bathed in the faint moonlight that illuminated the room, she gently pulled back An Yu’s blanket and slipped inside.

Moving cautiously to avoid waking her, Lin Duxi wrapped an arm around An Yu’s waist, guiding An Yu’s hand to rest on her own body before burying herself in An Yu’s embrace.

Resting her head on An Yu’s pillow, surrounded by her scent, Lin Duxi nuzzled affectionately against her neck, ready to settle into a peaceful sleep-when suddenly, she sensed something. Lifting her gaze through the dim light, she clearly saw a pair of bright, lucid eyes staring back at her in the darkness, watching her silently.