After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 28

It had already been a week since An Yu last rode in the car to send Lin Duxi home.

During this week, the interactions between the two remained the same as before-familiar yet ordinary desk mates. An Yu didn’t ask Lin Duxi whether the matter from last time had been resolved.

On one hand, she found it strange that she kept unconsciously paying attention to Lin Duxi. On the other hand, she felt that their relationship wasn’t close enough to casually chat about personal matters.

The proud young lady An Yu didn’t understand what it meant to like someone. She simply assumed it was the so-called “adolescent phase” people talked about, so she deliberately maintained a bit of distance from Lin Duxi.

Yet, during breaks between classes, or when stretching her back after tiring herself out with homework during self-study sessions, her peripheral vision always caught glimpses of Lin Duxi hunched over her desk, solving problems.

Her loose school uniform sleeves concealed her slender frame, and a few strands of hair casually fell, partially obscuring her delicate, striking profile. Lin Duxi would occasionally tuck those strands behind her ear, revealing a small, pale earlobe.

As if sensing her gaze, Lin Duxi turned her head slightly, and her always somewhat distant eyes met An Yu’s. Both then subtly averted their gazes, as if nothing had happened.

On the surface, everything seemed unchanged, yet somehow, something had undeniably shifted between them.

After the first monthly exam of their sophomore year, the classmates in their class relaxed their tense nerves, gathering in small groups to chat about students from other classes or discuss the exam questions they’d just taken. Even before entering the classroom, An Yu and Shi Yu could hear the lively chatter from the hallway.

“Finally, the exams are over!” Shi Yu dramatically raised her arms, then slung one around An Yu’s neck. “Wanna go to karaoke this weekend? The class monitor said his buddy’s celebrating his birthday and invited us all to go. You in?”

An Yu shook her head. “No.”

Shi Yu pouted in dissatisfaction. “Come on! We just finished exams-time to unwind! Besides, you’re already an adult, it’s not like you can’t get into karaoke. Did Mom and Dad set some new goal for you or something?”

An Yu shook her head again. “No, I’m just not close with the others in class. It’d be awkward.”

Shi Yu had no choice but to give up. “Fine, then I’ll go by myself.”

As the two chatted, they walked into the classroom. An Yu’s eyes immediately landed on Lin Duxi, who was hunched over her desk doing homework, standing out starkly against the lively atmosphere around her. Unconsciously, An Yu’s steps faltered, causing the classmate walking in front of her to bump into her.

“An Yu, what’s wrong?” Tong Ge, the one who had accidentally bumped into her, turned to ask before following An Yu’s gaze to Lin Duxi.

“The monthly exams are over, and she’s still not taking a break? She really is a top student,” Tong Ge remarked, then added offhandedly, “Honestly, apart from that time you had a fever, I’ve never seen any other expression on her face.”

An Yu turned to look at her. “What do you mean, Tong Ge? What happened that day? What expression?”

Tong Ge was caught off guard by her rapid-fire questions. Blinking in surprise, she said, “I mean, that time you fell asleep in class because of your fever, Lin Duxi looked really worried when she helped you to the infirmary. I remember someone tried to step in, but she refused their help.”

“And her expression was full of anxiety and concern-I’d never seen her look like that before. You two must be really close as desk mates.” She patted An Yu’s shoulder before walking away.

Lin Duxi… was worried about her?

An Yu’s mind was in turmoil. A bittersweet feeling spread through her chest, as if ten thousand little deer were rampaging inside, pounding against her nerves in sync with Lin Duxi’s movements. Her gaze darkened as she looked at Lin Duxi, her emotions growing increasingly complicated.

An Yu walked over and sat down beside Lin Duxi, straightening the haphazardly scattered test papers on her desk. She wanted to talk to Lin Duxi but had no idea what to say. The adolescent young lady was experiencing this kind of hesitation for the first time. Just as she had finally found a plausible reason to speak up, she was startled by a voice greeting her.

“An… An Yu.” An Yu turned to see a quiet, bespectacled girl holding a test paper, looking nervous.

An Yu vaguely recognized her but didn’t remember her name well enough to address her confidently, so she stayed silent. The girl continued, “An Yu, did you simplify the final step in question 22 on the math exam?”

An Yu blinked. “Huh?”

“The last formula in question 22 on the math test. I’ve been arguing with others about it for a long time but couldn’t reach a conclusion, so I wanted to ask you… An Yu.” The girl lowered her head, her cheeks slightly flushed, the neatly held test paper now crumpled in her grip.

An Yu felt a bit baffled-why come to her with a math problem instead of seeking out Lin Duxi, when she was practically the human equivalent of a crow trying to mimic a peacock in math class? But the moment this thought flickered through her mind, she instinctively rejected it, without even realizing it herself.

“For question 22, I only did the first part. I ran out of time and didn’t get to the rest,” An Yu replied succinctly.

The female classmate looked up at An Yu’s face and stammered even more: “S-sorry, An. If you don’t know, then we can-”

“An Yu.” A cool voice sounded behind An Yu, landing in her ears like a signal. She immediately turned around.

Lin Duxi was holding the test paper she had just finished organizing, glancing over it before raising her eyes. “There’s a small mistake here in this question, Ah Yu.” Her knuckles tapped lightly on the paper, producing a faint rustling sound.

An Yu looked over and saw it was a problem she had struggled with for a long time. Anxiety flared in her, sparking a desire to argue.

“How? I analyzed this question for ages-there’s no way I got it wrong.” She leaned in, unconsciously closing the distance between her and Lin Duxi. Her long hair draped over the test paper, lightly brushing against Lin Duxi’s palm, sending a ticklish sensation through her.

Lin Duxi reached her right arm over An Yu, encircling her in an embrace as her finger pointed at the paper. “Right here. There seems to be an issue.”

An Yu was even more skeptical. She grabbed a pen and paper and started recalculating, completely unaware of how intimate their current posture was.

Lin Duxi lifted her gaze to the girl holding the test paper, her eyes icy. The classmate froze, instantly understanding the relationship between the two. Clutching her paper, she bit her lip and walked away under Lin Duxi’s stare, fighting back tears.

“It’s not wrong,” An Yu said, putting down her pen and looking up at Lin Duxi. The coldness in Lin Duxi’s eyes had just faded when their gazes accidentally met. Their faces were barely 20 centimeters apart-close enough for Lin Duxi to feel An Yu’s breath. Staring into those clear eyes, Lin Duxi faltered for a moment.

“I must have misread earlier,” she said, a hint of fluster in her voice.

An Yu’s smile immediately brightened with triumph. “See? I told you I couldn’t have gotten it wrong.”

Lin Duxi, infected by her joy, couldn’t help but smile indulgently. “Mhm. An Yu could never make a mistake.”

An Yu grinned at her, her chestnut-brown eyes sparkling even brighter. Then, snapping back to reality, she finally realized just how close they were.

Lin Duxi was sitting in her own seat, An Yu’s chair pressed right next to hers. An Yu was practically perched between the two chairs, her body leaning toward Lin Duxi as if she were throwing herself into her arms.

An Yu glanced around before settling her gaze back on Lin Duxi, who was still smiling, her eyes brimming with tenderness. “What’s wrong?”

An Yu felt as if she’d been scalded. Her heart pounded like a drum, and she jerked back abruptly, snatching her test paper along the way.

“Thanks,” she said, clearing her throat, though her voice came out slightly hoarse-a poor attempt at nonchalance. When she turned around, the girl from earlier was nowhere to be seen, and she couldn’t help but frown.

“Looking for the classmate who asked for help earlier?” Lin Duxi asked. An Yu turned back and nodded.

“She saw you working on the problem and left to ask someone else,” Lin Duxi said, her deep, convincing gaze making it impossible to doubt her words.

An Yu nodded, abandoning her search. Then, remembering Tong Ge’s words from earlier, she clenched her fists and forced out what she wanted to say.

“Lin Duxi, let’s walk home together after school.”

Lin Duxi: “Hm?”

“Uncle Wang has something going on at home and can’t pick me up. I’ll have to take the bus, so it’d be safer if we went together. Plus, it’s on the way.”

An Yu stared straight at Lin Duxi, her tone and expression devoid of any pleading. Yet Lin Duxi felt something in her chest soften, as if melting into a puddle.

“Okay.”

As the two lost themselves in each other’s gaze, neither noticed the pair of eyes watching them from a distance before quickly looking away. Shi Yu quietly lowered her head, her long lashes shielding her expression from the sunlight. But the grip on her pen grew tighter and tighter.

The night before, An Yu had received a call from her friend Shi Yu, inviting her out. An Yu happily accepted-she also had some things she wanted to ask Shi Yu about.

Following the address Shi Yu had given her, An Yu arrived at a café. As soon as she entered, she spotted the impeccably dressed Shi Yu, who immediately waved her over.

An Yu walked over and took a seat across from her.

“Look at you, our big celebrity-your complexion has improved since the show. What, did you and Lin Duxi get back together?” Shi Yu teased with exaggerated curiosity.

An Yu couldn’t help but recall last night’s scene with Lin Duxi during their rehearsal. The tips of her ears turned pink. “…No, you’re overthinking it.”

Shi Yu finally backed off. “Can you blame me? The way you two acted on the show, anyone would think you’ve reconciled. Just for the cameras, I guess. Poor us shippers, suffering for nothing.”

She pretended to wipe away tears.

An Yu laughed but was also intrigued by her words. “You’re saying Lin Duxi and I were all lovey-dovey back then? Can you… give me some details?”

Shi Yu stiffened, her expression turning complicated. She clenched her fists, as if restraining herself from hitting An Yu.

An Yu hurried to explain, “No, it’s just-outsiders see things more clearly, right? As someone who was in it, I might not have noticed.” She was still puzzled about how she’d forgotten Lin Duxi’s love for mangoes. She’d even wondered if her memories from that period had been sealed away after her parents’ deaths, but doubts lingered.

Shi Yu relaxed, her gaze drifting as if genuinely lost in thought. An Yu held her breath, waiting.

Then Shi Yu suddenly looked up. “You were living the dream and didn’t even realize it, and now you want me to spell it out for you? Who do you think you’re flaunting to?”

An Yu frantically waved her hands in denial. Shi Yu, amused by her panic, burst into laughter.

“Relax, I’m just messing with you. You and Lin Duxi were just… really sweet back then. Like, always thinking about each other, treating each other incredibly well-couple goals, basically.”

Of course, she knew exactly how sweet An Yu and Lin Duxi had been. She had witnessed that grand love story-one that had cost her all her youthful devotion.

Though years had passed, and she had long moved on, having loved others wholeheartedly since then, her relationship with An Yu now was purely platonic. But revisiting the topic, being asked to recount An Yu and Lin Duxi’s past romance, still sent needles of pain prickling through her heart.

Perhaps it was the one time she’d lost so completely. But now, Shi Yu found it somewhat amusing-at least she got a front-row seat to the An-Lin reconciliation drama.

“As for the specifics, you’d know better than me. It’d be too cheesy coming from me-oh, she’s here!” Shi Yu cut herself off, looking toward the café entrance.

An Yu: “Who’s here?” She followed Shi Yu’s gaze but only caught a glimpse of a woman’s retreating figure.

“So this is why you dragged me all the way out here?” An Yu said, realization dawning.

“I just happened to notice her. I’ve been coming here to write lately, and I’ve seen her here every afternoon, ordering coffee. She’s running a bit late today.”

An Yu gave her a look. “You’re such a creep. Hasn’t she called the police on you?”

Shi Yu: “…It was an accident. I just think she’s got a story. You know I’m drawn to women with depth. I’ve been wanting to talk to her, just haven’t found the right moment. Oh, about the orphanage visit we discussed-have you thought about it?”

An Yu remembered-Shi Yu had mentioned a charity script. Thinking of Lin Duxi, she nodded.

“Sure. When?”

“Anytime works. I’ll scout it out first, and after you finish recording, we can go together.”

An Yu considered it. “Okay.”

Shi Yu smiled in satisfaction. Then, out of habit, she glanced toward the woman again-only to freeze mid-motion. An Yu, confused, turned and saw a familiar figure.

“Ah Yu, what a coincidence.” Lin Duxi sounded pleasantly surprised, a smile playing on her lips as she greeted her. She nodded briefly at Shi Yu, who returned the gesture, before fixing her gaze back on An Yu.

“Did you come here to wait for me, Ah Yu?”

An Yu gave a wry smile. “No, just a coincidence. What are you doing here?”

Lin Duxi walked over naturally as she answered. “Didn’t I tell you last night? I had some business to take care of. Now that it’s done, I’m taking a break. Mind if I join you?”

An Yu glanced at Shi Yu, who stirred her coffee while staring at the ceiling.

An Yu: “…Do what you want.” So Lin Duxi happily took the seat beside An Yu.

A server handed her a menu, and Lin Duxi ordered a mango pancake. An Yu lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable.

Shi Yu got a work call and hastily excused herself. As An Yu watched her wave from the doorway, she couldn’t shake the suspicion that the call had been staged.

“What brought you here, Ah Yu?” Lin Duxi’s voice drew An Yu’s attention back. She sat beside her, tilting her head in curiosity.

An Yu: “Meeting a friend. Shi Yu-you know her. She just got back from abroad.”

Lin Duxi smiled. “Of course I know her. She’s the one who called you for me when I was drunk last time. I just didn’t expect to see you here-it’s pretty far from home.”

She deliberately made the mention of their respective “homes” vague, leaving room for imagination.

An Yu smiled but didn’t mention Shi Yu to Lin Duxi. Besides, as far as she knew, the surrounding area was mostly commercial streets with no large companies. What business could Lin Duxi have had here?

When she didn’t answer, Lin Duxi didn’t press further. Just then, the mango pancake she had ordered arrived, so she averted her gaze and lowered her head to eat.

An Yu watched her, seeing only her profile. It was the first time she had looked at her so carefully-more mature now, more refined. She wore a fitted blouse and trousers, her deep chestnut curls cascading down as she leaned forward.

It seemed the aloof Lin Duxi from back then existed only in her memories, known to no one but her. People always harbor a possessiveness toward the things they love, and An Yu was pleasantly amused by this thought. When she looked at Lin Duxi again, her eyes held an unconscious tenderness.

What had she gone through all these years?

An Yu turned her head toward the distant flow of traffic, but her mind drifted back to some forgotten high school study hall, to an inadvertent glance that had captured a sight destined to haunt her for a lifetime.

Even if sharp, dangerous thorns pierced her skin, even if blood mingled with pain to drown her in despair-she would still embrace it all with delight.