After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 42

An Yu didn’t feel that there was anything wrong with the arrangement. After reaching an agreement with Lin Duxi, she visibly relaxed a little.

Though she still didn’t know what Lin Duxi’s wish was-An Yu had tried to probe her about it-Lin Duxi had only smiled at her, her eyes tender and lingering.

“I don’t know yet. But between this and the reward I promised you last time for helping you rehearse, you owe me two now. I’ll take my time thinking about them.”

An Yu didn’t press further. At the very least, the immediate problem of the restriction in her mind had been resolved.

Since the system stated that the “contact level” between the male and female leads included interactions like conversation, An Yu figured that as long as Lin Duxi exchanged a few words with Pei Lu, she could fudge the numbers once the contact level reached 10.

After everyone packed up, the director arranged for a vehicle to take the six of them to the foot of the mountain where the glass walkway was located.

Bai Mi Mountain was surrounded by numerous peaks, and the glass walkway was built across a deep valley adjacent to it.

Standing at the base of the mountain, An Yu’s calves trembled slightly-the agony of yesterday’s climb still lingered in her sore muscles.

Fortunately, the production team wasn’t  that  cruel. They had everyone take the cable car up to the summit in turns, then descend along the path to the glass walkway.

Since it had been late the previous night, everyone had been hurriedly grouped together for the descent. But now, with ample daylight, Qiao Qingzhou didn’t force them to crowd together again.

Following the show’s pairing, the six were divided into groups of two for the cable car ride up, with the livestream still running.

An Yu stood at the foot of the mountain, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward Lin Duxi. But Lin Duxi remained composed, accepting the director’s arrangements without protest. Then she turned and met An Yu’s eyes, offering her a smile-An Yu understood the unspoken message.

“A-Yu, I’m listening to you.”

An Yu turned away wordlessly.

The director announced that since she and Xie An’an had won yesterday’s challenge, they didn’t need to take the cable car up. They could stay behind and explore the market at the base while waiting for the others to return.

In the past, An Yu would’ve happily taken the chance to rest in the car. But now…

Her gaze drifted toward Lin Duxi, who was talking to a staff member in the distance. A strange unease rose in her chest as she thought about what was to come.

Xie An’an, meanwhile, assumed that An Yu was worried about Lin Duxi. When she saw An Yu’s slightly furrowed brow, she became even more convinced. So she immediately made a decision.

“Director, An Yu and I will go up with them.”

Qiao Qingzhou raised an eyebrow. “You two want to experience the glass walkway too?”

Xie An’an: “Of course… I mean, since we’re here, we might as well try everything. Right, An Yu?”

An Yu:  “…Right.”

Xie An’an’s words conveniently masked An Yu’s concerns, so she didn’t say anything else, quietly exhaling in relief.

Since their decision was last-minute, the crew scrambled to arrange spots for them. By the time the two boarded the cable car, the other four were already nearing the summit.

An Yu sat inside, staring at the shrinking landscape below. Despite the beautiful scenery, her mind was filled with images of Lin Duxi and Pei Lu stepping into the cable car together-torturing herself, the more she tried not to think about it, the clearer the scene became.

And then, as if to mock her, the numbers in her mind suddenly flickered.

[Male-Female Lead Contact Level: 1/10]

An Yu:  “…”

[Male-Female Lead Contact Level: 2/10]

An Yu:  “…”

[Male-Female Lead Contact Level: …]

An Yu couldn’t take it anymore.  “Get lost.”

Her fingers dug into the cable car’s metal door, rust staining her pale knuckles, but she didn’t bother to look down.

Xie An’an yawned, finding the silence in the car a bit too stifling. She glanced at the cable car ahead-though it was some distance away, she could see the people inside chatting. Trying to make conversation, she asked:

“An Yu, are you afraid of heights?”

An Yu glanced at her before turning back to the view.  “No.”

Xie An’an nodded.  “Me neither.”

Silence.

[LMAO these two are hilarious.]

[The brainless and the grumpy.]

[What’s An Yu looking at? Let me see the view too.]

[It was almost dark yesterday, so the scenery wasn’t that great. But now, from the cable car… damn, Baimi Mountain is actually really pretty.]

Unable to contain her curiosity, Xie An’an studied An Yu-her unchanging posture, her gaze fixed on one spot-and instantly understood what was on her mind. She couldn’t help but shake her head internally.

These lovebirds really can’t stand to be apart. Just being in separate cable cars has them pining like this.

She sighed and decided not to disturb An Yu further.

There was still some distance between the cable car drop-off and the glass walkway. The crew led the group on a slow walk up the mountain. Having already spent so much time on Baimi Mountain the day before, none of them were particularly interested in sightseeing now.

From the moment she stepped off the cable car, An Yu’s eyes kept drifting toward Lin Duxi. Whether it was her imagination or not, Lin Duxi seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today-which only darkened An Yu’s already gloomy thoughts. She distractedly scrolled through her phone, trying to divert her attention.

Lin Duxi was just fulfilling their agreement. She was always serious about her work-that much was clear from the last time she helped An Yu rehearse. So wasn’t it normal for her to be focused now? An Yu told herself.

The system’s notifications continued to flash in her mind, the contact level steadily rising. An Yu watched as Lin Duxi walked ahead without exchanging a single word with Pei Lu. It seemed the system counted mere proximity as “contact”-no conversation necessary. The realization eased some of her frustration.

Lin Duxi strolled leisurely, hands clasped behind her back, acutely aware of the burning gaze fixed on her from behind. It thrilled her, sending a shiver of excitement down her spine. She couldn’t help but smirk.

The glass walkway stretched across the valley, suspended in mid-air like an illusion.

The director reached the structure beside the walkway first. Seeing the group approaching at a snail’s pace, she raised her megaphone.

“Welcome, everyone, to Baimi Mountain’s glass walkway! Without further ado, let’s begin!”

The walkway was long, so having everyone cross in pairs would take too much time. Qiao Qingzhou wanted to capitalize on the romantic potential-giving the audience something to ship. After some thought, she decided to space out the groups, letting one pair get a head start before the next followed. This way, they’d save time  and  create shippable moments.

The first to go were Yu Fei and Feng Zhinian, the losers of yesterday’s climb. Though they appeared calm at first, the moment they stepped onto the glass, they started screaming like banshees. The livestream chat erupted with laughter.

An Yu frowned, her eyes flicking toward Lin Duxi.

Lin Duxi stood at the edge of the walkway, looking down through the glass at something below. Her long lashes fluttered slightly, casting delicate shadows.

An Yu looked away, reminding herself that Lin Duxi wasn’t afraid of heights-she’d be fine walking on the glass. Still, she couldn’t shake the worry.

Just then, Lin Duxi turned around.

Their eyes met across the distance, tangling in the air like an unbreakable thread.

Lin Duxi stood by the walkway’s entrance, the valley stretching endlessly before her. The wind tugged at her clothes, making the fabric ripple like water. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her dark, clear eyes curving into crescents-overflowing with warmth.

Qiao Qingzhou had been keeping an eye on audience reactions and had picked up on certain…  developments  . And as a woman, her instincts told her everything she needed to know after observing Lin Duxi and An Yu these past few days.

Same-sex relationships weren’t uncommon in the entertainment industry. Qiao Qingzhou, having directed indie films before, was no stranger to them. In fact, the reason this show didn’t restrict pairings by gender was precisely to allow for such dynamics.

At first, she hadn’t paid much attention to Lin Duxi and An Yu, assuming they barely knew each other and were just putting on an act for the cameras. But even the best actors slipped up eventually-yet she’d never seen any cracks in these two.

Years ago, Qiao Qingzhou had filmed a documentary following a lesbian couple for four years. Over that time, she’d witnessed their passionate love, their bitter fights, their breakup, their reconciliation. No matter how vicious their arguments, the love in their eyes never faded. By the end, Qiao Qingzhou had thought she’d never see such pure devotion again.

But now, on this variety show, atop Baimi Mountain, in Lin Duxi’s eyes-she saw it again. That clear, untainted, overwhelming love. It excited her. Her professional instincts screamed at her to capture it on film.

Then she glanced at An Yu, who was watching Lin Duxi with undisguised concern, and her expression shifted slightly.

“An-laoshi, Xie-laoshi, you may proceed,” Qiao Qingzhou announced.

An Yu hesitated, watching as Lin Duxi ventured only a few meters ahead. But she steeled herself and stepped onto the glass.

Looking down from the outside and actually standing on it were two entirely different experiences. The moment An Yu’s foot touched the transparent surface, her heart lurched at the sight of the sheer drop below. Even without a fear of heights, her legs nearly gave out.

She took a deep breath and looked up-only to freeze.

Lin Duxi had turned to face her.

[Male-Female Lead Contact Level: 8/10]

[Male-Female Lead Contact Level: 9/10]

[Male-Female Lead Contact Level: 10/10. Today’s task complete.]

Pei Lu had assumed Lin Duxi would be terrified on the glass walkway-that she’d cling to his sleeve, begging for protection. He’d even prepared a lecture on how she should act more reserved.

Instead, Lin Duxi walked across the glass as if it were solid ground, utterly unfazed.

Meanwhile,  he  was the one whose legs had turned to jelly after just a few steps. Desperate to maintain his image, he forced himself to stand still, adopting what he hoped was a thoughtful pose.

Footsteps approached from behind.

Pei Lu smirked, ready to turn and greet his admirer-

An Yu walked straight past him without even a glance, heading directly to the front where Lin Duxi-who had been acting somewhat off for who knows how long-was and pulled her into her arms.

Pei Lu’s face instantly darkened.

Xie An’an, who had been struggling to hold back her laughter behind them, took a few steps forward and passed the self-absorbed man. But just as she was about to reach Lin Duxi and An Yu, she heard a sharp  crack  beneath her feet-and immediately froze.