After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 32

“Teacher An, are you signing autographs for them?” Lin Duxi took the photo from An Yu’s hand, examined it carefully, and then smiled faintly.

“This photo is of me and A-Yu. It’s quite a nice picture.”

Then she looked up at the stunned girl across from her. “Do you want an autograph?”

The girl nodded blankly, her mouth slightly agape.

Lin Duxi smiled, reached over, and took the pen from An Yu’s hand. “A-Yu, you don’t mind, right?”

Though phrased as a question, she didn’t wait for An Yu’s response before signing her name on the back of the photo.

Then she handed it to An Yu. “A-Yu, why don’t you sign it too? It’s a photo of both of us. Having both our signatures would make it even more perfect.”

She had completely taken control of the situation, as if  she  were the one signing autographs for fans, and An Yu were merely an accidental bystander.

An Yu took the photo and the pen from Lin Duxi’s hand. Their fair fingers brushed against each other unintentionally, then lingered.

An Yu’s heart skipped a beat. She froze for a moment before regaining her composure and signing her name next to Lin Duxi’s.

Their names side by side, paired with their photo, made the whole scene seem even more intimate and ambiguous.

An Yu handed the photo back to the girl, whose hands trembled as she took it.

The surrounding fans stared dumbfounded at what had just unfolded. They had assumed An Yu was the proactive one, but now it seemed Lin Duxi was the instigator-they’d guessed wrong!

“Teacher Lin!”

“Teacher Lin, why are you here?”

“Teacher Lin, are you going to a show? With Teacher An?”

They clamored to hand their photos over for signatures, and the scene quickly became chaotic.

Lin Duxi took off her sunglasses, accepting the photos one by one as she signed them, smiling and chatting with the fans.

“Yes, I’m going to record a show. Of course, it’s with A-Yu.”

Her words were deliberately vague-whether she meant the same show or just the same flight, no one but those involved could say. The ambiguity sent the fans into another frenzy, and they immediately began snapping photos with their phones.

An Yu let her continue signing, her heart fluttering at the ambiguous response, but she said nothing. Instead, she maintained a safe distance between Lin Duxi and the fans, acting almost like a bodyguard.

The CP fans exchanged knowing glances, smirking to themselves.

“Looks like the two teachers have a really good relationship,” one fan couldn’t help but comment.

Lin Duxi’s hand paused mid-signature. She then lifted her head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and looked at An Yu with eyes full of unconcealed tenderness.

Silence spoke louder than words-and the emotion in her gaze was so intense that even the solo fans could tell there was something unusual between them.

The crowd erupted into noise again. An Yu, busy managing the chaos, didn’t notice Lin Duxi’s expression at first. Thinking something had happened, she turned back only to see Lin Duxi already composed, head bowed as she continued signing.

The crowd around them had grown larger, with some being Lin Duxi’s solo fans. The photos they handed her featured only her, without An Yu.

Amid the CP fans’ cheers, these solo fans remained silent, watching the frenzy with tightly pressed lips, determined to uphold their “solo stan” identities-though they struggled to keep their own smiles from breaking through.

Lin Duxi bent her head as she signed, her long hair cascading over her flawless profile, making her appear even more delicate and beautiful. The fans couldn’t help but admire her side profile, and for a moment, the only sound was the clicking of cameras.

Seeing that the crowd had calmed slightly, An Yu relaxed her guard.

Then, a slender hand suddenly reached toward her, holding out a stack of signed photos.

She turned and met Lin Duxi’s shimmering eyes, which seemed to pull her into a swirling vortex, leaving her momentarily dazed.

When An Yu didn’t react, Lin Duxi’s expression softened, her lips curving into a smile as she prompted, “A-Yu.”

The way she lingered on the name sent ripples through An Yu’s heart. Snapping out of it, An Yu took the photos and began signing them one by one, though her mind was anything but focused.

The fans had chosen some truly flattering shots-even in still images, the chemistry and tension between them were palpable. One photo in particular, where Lin Duxi’s gaze at her was practically molten, made An Yu’s face burn. But under the watchful eyes of Lin Duxi and the fans, she forced herself to push those thoughts aside and stay composed.

“Done.” An Yu handed the signed photos back to the fans.

“Thank you, Teacher An, Teacher Lin! Wishing you a hundred years of-uh, career success!” One fan, too excited, nearly slipped up, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

Out of the corner of her eye, An Yu saw Lin Duxi also chuckle at the blunder, her lips curving upward. An Yu couldn’t help but smile too.

Lin Duxi tilted her head toward An Yu. “A-Yu, let’s go.”

An Yu nodded. “Mm.”

Instinctively, Lin Duxi started to reach for An Yu’s arm but stopped herself just in time.

Don’t push your luck. A-Yu might get angry.

“Teachers, we hope your recording goes smoothly! We’ll definitely be watching tomorrow, cheering you on!” the fans called after them as they walked away side by side.

“They’re so perfect together! Did you see that look they shared? I’m  obsessed  !”

“The real deal is feeding us sugar straight to our mouths-I love it!”

“A hundred years of happiness! A hundred years of happiness!”

An Yu kept her head down, silent, as Lin Duxi walked beside her. Lin Duxi gently took the boarding pass from An Yu’s hand to examine it.

“A-Yu, what a coincidence. It looks like we’re on the same flight.” She showed An Yu her own boarding pass.

An Yu glanced at it-indeed, it was the same flight. She checked again and saw that their seats weren’t together.

Well, it makes sense. Given that we’re attending the same event, taking the same flight isn’t that unlikely.  With that thought, she dismissed further suspicion.

“What a coincidence indeed-so much so that Teacher Lin spotted me right away,” she couldn’t resist remarking.

Lin Duxi merely smiled, indulging her small outburst without responding.

An Yu’s gaze drifted from the boarding pass to the slender hand holding it. On the thumb was a faint scar, barely noticeable unless one looked closely. Yet to An Yu, it was like a thorn lodged in her heart.

She lowered her eyes and glanced around. “Let’s go.”

Lin Duxi smiled faintly and followed.

The second episode of  Hello, Friend  required the six guests to arrive at a hotel the night before filming, as the director had warned that the next morning’s shoot would be far from their lodging.

An Yu and Lin Duxi had taken the same flight back, so the production team arranged for a single car to pick them up.

When An Yu left her home, it was still noon. By the time they reached the hotel, night had fully fallen. Through the darkness, the faint outline of a towering shadow loomed in the distance, blotting out half the sky.

An Yu frowned.  So tomorrow’s activity really is hiking.  Her gaze unconsciously shifted to Lin Duxi beside her, her brow furrowing in thought.

The memory of Lin Duxi collapsing after a high school track meet, feverish and weak, flashed vividly in her mind. A pang of worry shot through her.

Lin Duxi noticed An Yu’s change in demeanor immediately. Following her line of sight, she too spotted the mountain and stiffened slightly, her mind racing.

Then, she smiled boldly and looped her arm through An Yu’s, pulling her forward.

“The wind’s picking up. A-Yu, let’s head inside.”

Before An Yu could shake her off, Lin Duxi had already tugged her into the lobby.

Director Qiao Qingzhou had been waiting for them in the hotel lobby. Watching the two enter arm-in-arm, her eyelids twitched, and her foggy mind suddenly cleared. She hurried over to greet them, though inwardly, doubts crept in.

Are they actually together? Not just putting on a show for the CP fans? Then why did Pei Lu tell me they don’t get along?  For the first time, Qiao Qingzhou questioned whether her arrangements had been the right call.

“You’ve had a long trip. Go ahead and rest upstairs.” She handed them two room keys, and only then did Lin Duxi release An Yu.

“Dinner will be delivered to your rooms, so please get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow will be… exhausting.”

For emphasis, she repeated, ”  Very  exhausting.”

An Yu asked, “Are we hiking?”

Since all the guests had arrived, Qiao Qingzhou saw no reason to hide it. “You probably saw it on the way here-that mountain, Bomi Mountain. It’s tall, and the climb will be tough. Make sure you rest well tonight.”

Their rooms were on the same floor, directly across from each other. An Yu eyed the room numbers suspiciously, wondering if the director had arranged it deliberately.

She opened her door but didn’t step inside immediately. Only after hearing Lin Duxi’s door unlock did she turn and say,

“Get some rest.”

Lin Duxi smiled back. “You too, A-Yu. Sleep well.”

An Yu closed the door and flopped onto the bed, burying her face in the blankets with a sigh.

“System, is  everyone  required to hike tomorrow? Including Lin Duxi?” She finally gave in and asked the question weighing on her mind.

Perhaps because filming was about to start, the system had been monitoring the situation closely and responded promptly.

“The female lead is a main character-of course she’s hiking. Are you malfunctioning?” The system found her question absurd.

An Yu: “…”

“Host, there’s no need to worry. The female lead will be paired with the male lead, and under his care, she won’t come to harm.” Compared to An Yu’s concern, the system sounded entirely unconcerned.

“Even if something goes wrong, it won’t be serious. Unless… you’re developing  other  feelings for Lin Duxi again?” The system’s tone turned icy, laced with a dangerous edge.

An Yu frowned. “No, stop making baseless accusations! If you think I’ve fallen for Lin Duxi again, then show me the evidence.”

The system hesitated. A faint electric hum sounded in An Yu’s mind, as if it were scanning for proof.

After a moment, it replied, “No anomalies detected. Host, refrain from making misleading statements. Do not misplace your concern.” Its voice remained cold and mechanical, a clear warning.

“I was just asking out of courtesy. If  this  triggers your alarms, your system must be outdated. Time for an upgrade.” An Yu relaxed slightly.

The system replied, “My updates are none of your concern.”

An Yu: “…”

Thanks to the system’s nagging, An Yu slept poorly that night. When she woke and dressed the next morning, her mind still felt foggy. Only after breakfast did she start to feel more present.

The weather was perfect-the early morning sun warm and comforting. An Yu closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

Then, a slender hand gently encircled her wrist, and a faint, familiar fragrance drifted into her senses. An Yu turned to see Lin Duxi smiling at her, standing close.

“A-Yu, let’s go.” Lin Duxi held her wrist, leading her forward as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

Xie An’an couldn’t help but click her tongue.  Ugh, this dog food.  She glanced at Lin Duxi and An Yu, shaking her head.  I really am going to be the third wheel this entire shoot.

At 9 a.m., the second episode of  Hello, Friend  began as scheduled. The moment the livestream went live, fans flooded in.

[Episode 2! I’m here!]

[It’s finally starting! My digital comfort show-do you have any idea how many times I’ve rewatched Episode 1?]

[Lin Duxi, here I come! An Yu, here I come!]

[Look at them standing together right before filming starts-I’m  emotional  .]

[Are they splitting into teams soon? They don’t want to be apart, do they?]

[Girls, screenshot this while you can! This might be the only sugar we get all episode!]

Watching the viewer count climb, Qiao Qingzhou grinned before turning to the cast with a megaphone.

“Welcome back to  Hello, Friend  ! Today’s first task is to climb this mountain.” She pointed toward the towering peak in the distance, its summit shrouded in mist, its true height impossible to discern.

“Since we need to prepare some things for the mountain climb, the production team has prepared money for everyone to buy supplies. Each group has the same amount. There are many shops at the foot of the mountain where you can make purchases. We’ll gather back here in an hour.”

“Remember, you can only use the money in the envelope. If the production team finds out you’ve bought supplies on your own, there will be penalties.” Qiao Qingzhou narrowed her eyes at the group, as if warning them, before announcing the start of the task.

The staff handed each team an envelope. An Yu opened hers and counted the money.

Xie Anan walked over, somewhat awkwardly greeting Lin Duxi before sidling up to An Yu to count the money together.

【LMAO, Xie Anan is so cute-why does it feel like she’s saying to Lin Duxi:  “Sis, I’m borrowing your wife for a sec, don’t be mad.”  】

【Hahaha, who’s laughing one second and crying the next? Oh right, me.】

The envelope didn’t contain much money-unsurprisingly, the production team wasn’t that generous. An Yu stuffed the cash back inside and checked her backpack. Thankfully, she had packed a lot of medicine, saving them some expenses.

She gazed at the mountain peak shrouded in clouds. “The temperature at the summit will probably be freezing. Let’s buy some heating pads and climbing gear.”

Xie Anan stammered, “O-okay.” She glanced at Lin Duxi standing beside An Yu, gulped, and silently repeated to herself: It’s just friendship, just friendship.

Lin Duxi watched quietly as An Yu and Xie Anan huddled together to discuss their plans, her fingers tightening unconsciously, nails digging into her palms until they nearly drew blood.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind her. Lin Duxi relaxed her grip and turned.

“Lin Duxi, filming’s started. Let’s go buy what we need.” Pei Lu stood before her, envelope in hand.

Lin Duxi stared at him for a few seconds before smiling-a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Sure, let’s hurry so we don’t fall behind.”

Pei Lu immediately perked up. “Got it!” He clenched the envelope, instinctively reaching out, but Lin Duxi sidestepped him. His expression faltered briefly before he forced a laugh and walked ahead.

No problem, we’re not close yet. Someone like Lin Duxi won’t be won over overnight.

Lin Duxi’s smile vanished as she turned back for one last glance at An Yu, suppressing the reluctance in her eyes before following.

An Yu looked back, her gaze lingering on Lin Duxi’s retreating figure for a few seconds before she turned away.

【They’re splitting up? For real? Nooo! I can’t take this…】

【Don’t be sad, they’re definitely still soulmates deep down T_T】

【Did you all see the way Lin Duxi was looking at An Yu just now? My god, that depth of emotion can’t possibly be acting.】

An Yu and Xie Anan divided their money and headed to a nearby pharmacy to buy heating pads. While paying, An Yu’s eyes caught on boxes of ginger tea displayed in a glass case.

The shopkeeper said, “Ginger tea helps ward off the cold. You should buy some-the summit is freezing. Don’t let the warm weather here fool you. Up there, even a military coat wouldn’t be overkill.”

As locals, the shopkeeper’s words carried weight. An Yu and Xie Anan exchanged a glance and bought a pack.

Stepping outside, a gust of hot wind snapped Xie Anan back to reality. “If it’s cold up there, we’ll need hot water, but we don’t have thermoses. How are we supposed to drink it?”

An Yu: “……If we have money left, we’ll buy one at the supermarket.”

The two wandered from shop to shop, gathering supplies. Having learned to haggle during her unemployed days in her past life, An Yu managed to buy everything they needed while saving a fair amount-earning constant thumbs-ups from Xie Anan.

At a mountaineering store, they picked out two trekking poles. Just as they were about to pay, a familiar voice called out excitedly behind them.

“A-Yu.”

An Yu turned-it was Lin Duxi, smiling softly at her. Unable to resist, An Yu smiled back.

Lin Duxi’s mood brightened instantly. She was about to approach when someone abruptly cut between them.

Pei Lu: “What a coincidence, running into you two here.” He looked down at An Yu, his eyes brimming with smug disdain.

An Yu’s expression instantly cooled. She glanced at Lin Duxi, who was still gazing at her tenderly, which only fueled her irritation.

Xie Anan, sensing the tension, quickly stepped in. “Lin-laoshi, Pei-laoshi, what a small world!” She tugged An Yu’s arm, pulling her back to the counter.

An Yu gave the pair a frosty look before turning away.

【Ugh, they didn’t even get to talk! Pei Lu, why are you butting in?!】

【I’m so done with this guy. He forced himself into Lin Duxi’s team and now won’t even let them speak. Who does he think he is?】

【Pei Lu, get lost already. My goodwill toward you is hanging by a thread.】

Lin Duxi stared as An Yu turned to negotiate with the shopkeeper, the warmth in her eyes shattering into nothingness. She glanced at the man in front of her, her gaze icy.

A clerk approached to assist them, enthusiastically explaining the various climbing gear. Lin Duxi listened with half an ear, her attention wholly fixed on An Yu. It felt like knives were stabbing into her.

An Yu was right beside her, yet she couldn’t go to her-couldn’t be with the person she loved. Instead, she was stuck here helping this idiot pick out equipment.

I miss A-Yu. It’s been hours since we last held hands. I want to be with her.

A storm of emotions flickered in Lin Duxi’s eyes before she forcibly suppressed them. Frantically, she searched for the wounds on her palms-proof that An Yu still cared for her-but they had already healed.

No… that can’t be.

How could they be gone? Impossible.  Her heart lurched as her nails dug into the barely healed cuts, unconsciously deepening them.

“Lin-laoshi, do you like these? If you do, let’s buy them all.” Pei Lu’s voice snapped her back.

Lin Duxi relaxed her hands, burying the madness and obsession rising in her eyes. When she looked up again, her expression was flawless.

“Hmm?”

Pei Lu pointed at the gear. “Is there anything here you like? If so, let’s get it!” He was practically oozing generosity.

Lin Duxi glanced at the equipment. The prices were exorbitant-their funds would barely cover one set.

A glint flashed in her dark eyes. Slowly, she said, “I don’t really like any of these.”

Pei Lu stiffened. These were all items  he  had picked out. For her to dismiss them so casually was a slap in the face. Annoyance flared, but he swallowed it-this was the woman he’d been chasing for so long. He opened his mouth to persuade her, but before he could speak, Lin Duxi continued:

“But if Pei-laoshi likes them, you should buy them. I can make do with anything.”

Pei Lu lit up. “Really?”

Lin Duxi nodded.

Ecstatic, Pei Lu immediately paid for the entire set.  Lin Duxi is so considerate-nothing like the other women I’ve dated.  He swore to himself that once they were together, he’d leave his playboy days behind.

Lin Duxi picked out a single trekking pole. After paying, their funds were nearly depleted. She glanced at the spot where An Yu had been standing earlier-now empty-and her heart sank.

Outside the store, An Yu and Xie Anan stood panting on the street.

Xie Anan bent over, hands on her knees. “Why did you run? And why drag me with you?”

An Yu remained composed. “Didn’t you hear that shopkeeper? He was trying to rip us off-one trekking pole would’ve cost half our budget. If we hadn’t run, we’d be broke now.”

Xie Anan gasped. “Really? That’s terrifying. Thank goodness you were here.”

An Yu exhaled, wiping sweat from her brow. Her mind was a mess-Lin Duxi’s smiling face still burned in her memory. When she smiled, her eyes curved like a contented cat’s, soft and beautiful.

Except this time, that smile hadn’t been for her.

It stung too much. An Yu had needed to escape.