After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 56

An Yu’s brows furrowed deeply. The next second, her eyes locked onto the man following Lin Duxi’s retreating figure. Hastily, she grabbed her phone and dialed the residential security while frantically changing her shoes to rush out the door.

“Hello, I’m a resident of Building C. There’s a suspicious individual in the complex stalking another resident-they’ve just left the premises.”

She hung up and stepped into the elevator, watching the descending floor numbers with rising anxiety. Her mind flashed back to the vigilant bodyguards she and Lin Duxi had encountered after disembarking from their flight a few days prior.

So there had been signs even then.  Yet she had mistaken them for protection against overzealous fans.

Unconsciously, An Yu clenched her phone tightly, her palm damp with sweat.

As she rushed out of the building, she ran into the responding security team. The guards, upon seeing her, prepared to fan out and search for the suspicious figure-only to be stopped by An Yu.

She pulled up a map, scanning for the nearest supermarkets and hardware stores. The upscale neighborhood was surrounded by various shops. Based on the direction Lin Duxi had taken, An Yu narrowed down the most likely destinations.

Her frown deepened, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes as she methodically deduced Lin Duxi’s possible route. The urgency and worry radiating from her were palpable. The middle-aged guards, unfamiliar with entertainment shows and unaware of An Yu’s identity, exchanged glances-assuming she was a newly hired bodyguard for Lin Duxi.  This one’s really dedicated,  they thought.

Once she finished her analysis, An Yu lifted her gaze, glaring coldly at the guards surrounding her. Suppressed anger laced her voice.

“You failed to monitor suspicious individuals entering the premises. Pray this is just a false alarm.”

Without another word, she turned and sprinted toward the nearest supermarket in the direction Lin Duxi had gone.

The closest large supermarket wasn’t far. An Yu barged in without any disguise-fortunately, the morning crowd was sparse.

“Excuse me, has a woman about my height with slightly wavy long hair come in here?” Lin Duxi had been wearing a mask and cap when she left, so An Yu avoided mentioning her name to avoid drawing attention.

The cashier, chewing gum while watching a variety show on her phone, glanced up at An Yu-then froze. Her eyes darted between her screen and An Yu’s face.

An Yu: “?”

“Are you… An Yu?” the cashier asked, stunned.

An Yu: “…People say I look a lot like her.”

The cashier frowned, glancing at her show again.  No mistake, it’s her.  But when she looked up to speak, An Yu repeated her question, urgency sharpening her tone. Reluctantly, the cashier dropped the topic.

“Hmm… I think there was someone like that. Wore a cap and mask, tall and slim. She bought… a lightbulb? Her back looked really nice, so I noticed her. She left heading east. Her silhouette seemed familiar…” The cashier tapped her chin, reminiscing, but before she could finish, An Yu thanked her and dashed out.

“I wasn’t done…” The cashier stared after her, then suddenly gasped, looking back at her phone’s paused screen.

That girl who bought the lightbulb… her back view looked just like Lin Duxi.

The cashier’s eyes widened in shock.  Did I just stumble onto something huge?

An Yu followed the cashier’s tip and ran east-but she had come from that direction and hadn’t seen Lin Duxi. That meant Lin Duxi hadn’t turned back but had gone elsewhere.

She halted, the guards behind her panting as they caught up.

An Yu surveyed the area. The main road connecting the supermarket and the residential complex branched into numerous narrow alleys, winding toward different directions.

Her frown deepened.  Lin Duxi wouldn’t wander into these alleys for no reason.  She exhaled heavily, forcing down her rising panic.

Closing her eyes briefly, she reopened them with renewed clarity.

She instructed the guards to split up and search different paths. Steeling herself, An Yu turned into the nearest alley.

The lane was deep and quiet, with multiple forks. An Yu moved cautiously, listening for any sounds-until, midway, she heard a man’s harsh voice from another intersection.

Her heart lurched. The calm she’d fought to maintain shattered. She broke into a sprint, startling the guards behind her.

Following the voice, she rounded a corner and saw Lin Duxi-and the man gripping her shoulder, his arm raised as if to strike. Lin Duxi, frowning, seemed to be speaking to him when her gaze flickered past him and locked onto An Yu.

The man noticed her distraction and turned-only for a sharp pain to explode at the back of his skull, forcing him to stagger back and release Lin Duxi.

An Yu retracted her fist and pulled Lin Duxi into her arms, immediately checking her for injuries. The red marks on her wrists and arms made An Yu’s suppressed emotions surge forth. Her eyes reddened at the edges, like a guilty puppy who’d failed to protect its owner.

Lin Duxi’s heart melted. She gently stroked An Yu’s hair, murmuring reassurance.

“I’m fine.”

An Yu swallowed hard, lowering her head with a quiet “Mm.”

The man: “…” He pushed himself up, his black cap falling off to reveal greasy, dyed-yellow hair with dark roots. He looked younger than them. Humiliated by the blow, he glared at An Yu, only to freeze under her icy, murderous gaze.

His bravado faltered, face flushing red.

“You fucking dare hit me? Even my dad doesn’t hit me! Do you know who I am?!”

An Yu stared coldly, her eyes still rimmed red but now sharp as blades.

“A lowlife like you? Why would I care?”

“You-! Today, I’ll teach you a lesson, or I’ll-” He rolled up his sleeves, but before he could finish, shouts cut him off.

“Who’s there? Don’t move!” The guards charged in with batons.

The man paled, backing away-but not before An Yu’s dagger-like glare pinned him in place.

“Lin Duxi, just you wait! I’ve got all your dirt! I’ll expose everything-see how smug you are then!” He spat the threat before bolting, vanishing in seconds.

An Yu ignored him, leaving the chase to the guards. She focused solely on Lin Duxi, who seemed entirely unbothered by the man’s words, her soft gaze fixed on An Yu.

Under that tender stare, An Yu’s unspoken words dissolved.

Lin Duxi interlaced their fingers, her warm palm seeping heat into An Yu’s ice-cold hand. At first, An Yu worried Lin Duxi might be feverish-until she realized  she  was the one trembling with cold.

Still holding hands, Lin Duxi embraced her, gently tracing An Yu’s spine with her fingertips, sending shivers through her.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry, Ah Yu. I’m really fine.” Despite being the one harassed, she comforted An Yu as if nothing had happened.

An Yu rested her head on Lin Duxi’s shoulder, the delayed fear sapping her strength. She mumbled, trying to sound unaffected.

“I wasn’t worried. I just…” She couldn’t lie. Her lips pursed pitifully. “From now on, wherever you go, take me with you.”

How could Lin Duxi refuse? Everything she had was An Yu’s-her possessions, her very being, all for An Yu to claim.

“Okay. I’ll tell Ah Yu everything.” She stroked An Yu’s back, her inner possessiveness thoroughly satisfied. A contented smile curled her lips, like a well-fed beast.

The guards returned empty-handed, heads bowed in shame.

An Yu, now composed, gave them a frosty glance before leading Lin Duxi away.

She wasn’t merciful-especially where Lin Duxi was concerned. The security of this high-end complex was supposed to be impeccable, yet a stranger had slipped in. An Yu’s anger simmered.

That punk… why does he seem familiar?  Maybe all delinquents just shared the same aesthetic.

An Yu had already mentally moved them to a new home-until she remembered she was broke.

An Yu: “…” She sighed.  Another life goal added.  Unconsciously, she had already woven Lin Duxi into her future plans.

Lin Duxi watched her, amused by the stark contrast between her cold demeanor now and the vulnerability she’d shown earlier. She tightened her grip on An Yu’s hand, her lingering fears easing in the reassurance of An Yu’s hold.

After a few steps, Lin Duxi remembered the lightbulb she’d dropped in the alley. But seeing An Yu’s still-trembling lashes, she stayed silent.

“Ah Yu, let’s buy some groceries,” she murmured, coaxing An Yu’s scattered focus back.

An Yu nodded, pushing aside her thoughts.

They returned to the supermarket. The cashier shot up the moment they entered, slamming her phone face-down on the counter and staring as An Yu and Lin Duxi walked in hand-in-hand.

As they shopped, Lin Duxi noticed the covert glances from other customers. Puzzled, she finally understood when she looked at An Yu.

An Yu was in casual loungewear-no coat, no sunglasses, not even a mask.

Lin Duxi’s heart clenched.  She was so worried about me she didn’t even think to disguise herself.  The thought took root and grew wildly, vines wrapping around her heart.

Suppressing the urge to kiss An Yu, Lin Duxi watched her intently picking vegetables. She reached out, grasping An Yu’s wrist, feeling their pulses sync.

“I love you so much,” Lin Duxi whispered, so softly only she could hear.

So much that I want the world to know I’m yours-or that you’re mine.