After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 63
Pei Lu’s original plan was to invite Lin Duxi to a restaurant, then wear her down with his charm until she agreed to accompany him to the jewelry gala. If she still refused, he would dangle the carrot of a business collaboration-a combination of coercion and temptation that was foolproof, with fallback options at every turn.
He had assumed he could spend the entire day slowly wearing Lin Duxi down. But An Yu’s sudden appearance threw all his plans into disarray. An Yu was like an unpredictable bomb, or perhaps a magnet that irresistibly drew Lin Duxi in. With her around, every strategy he had prepared for Lin Duxi would be thrown into chaos.
Pei Lu glanced at Lin Duxi and noticed a depth of affection and tenderness in her eyes that he had never seen before. His face instantly darkened, jealousy twisting his expression into something ugly.
An Yu stood at the entrance of the garden restaurant, cautiously scanning her surroundings. Aside from a few scattered office workers below, the garden terrace was empty except for the three of them. Clearly, Pei Lu had reserved the entire upper level-his intentions were glaringly obvious.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m here to pick up Lin Duxi.”
The moment these words left her mouth, both pairs of eyes turned toward her. Pei Lu’s gaze was wary, while Lin Duxi’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes brimming with indulgence.
An Yu quickly averted her gaze. “Lin Duxi’s driver took the day off, so I’m filling in.” The lie slipped out effortlessly, without the slightest hesitation. Pei Lu stared at Lin Duxi in disbelief, but Lin Duxi gave a slight nod, confirming it was true.
Avoiding eye contact, An Yu walked in with natural composure, her expression unreadable-even as the system notifications in her mind flashed urgent red warnings. Under the weight of their stares, she made her way to the table next to Lin Duxi and Pei Lu, then casually flagged down a server.
“Hello, one coffee, please.” She tapped the iced coffee option on the menu, completely ignoring the two beside her.
A server hurried over. Though it was only autumn, the atmosphere was so frosty it might as well have been midwinter-courtesy of Pei Lu’s icy aura.
“I’m sorry, miss, but this area has been reserved by this gentleman.” The server approached An Yu apologetically, only to suck in a sharp breath the moment she got a clear look at her face. Despite the casual hairstyle and outfit, there was no mistaking that face.
It was An Yu-who else could it be?
The server’s eyes darted nervously between Lin Duxi, Pei Lu, and An Yu. Remembering the wildly popular ship polls circulating online recently, she immediately clamped her mouth shut.
“It’s fine. She’s with me.” Lin Duxi rested her chin on one hand, watching An Yu with amused interest.
“You’re still sick-no iced drinks.” Lin Duxi chided lightly. “Switch it to hot cocoa, please.”
An Yu turned her head away, avoiding Lin Duxi’s gaze, but her lack of protest was tacit agreement. The server couldn’t help stealing another glance at the scene before scurrying off, closing the garden terrace’s door behind her.
The whole exchange happened so quickly that it seemed the two had engaged in some sort of telepathic communication, perfectly coordinated without a single word spoken. Pei Lu, meanwhile, was left both stunned and utterly baffled, his frustration mounting until he could practically feel his blood boiling. He wanted nothing more than to tear An Yu apart on the spot.
He turned back to Lin Duxi, only to find her attention had long since drifted away from him, her gaze still fixed on An Yu, a faint smile playing on her lips. Noticing his stare, Lin Duxi finally turned to him-but the warmth in her expression vanished, replaced by cool detachment.
“Mr. Pei, have you finished what you wanted to say?”
Pei Lu was seething. His entire plan had been ruined by An Yu’s interference, and Lin Duxi seemed utterly bewitched by her! He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain polite. “Xixi, I think there might be some misunderstanding between us. I sincerely want you as my plus-one. To show my sincerity, here-this is for you.”
He slid a contract across the table. Lin Duxi took it, flipping through it briefly. It was an offer for her to serve as the brand ambassador for an international label he had previously endorsed-their next seasonal campaign, no less. He was really going all out this time.
Lin Duxi smiled faintly and closed the folder. “I’ll need some time to consider this. I’ll get back to you later, Mr. Pei. Also-” Her tone cooled. “Please call me Lin Duxi. I don’t believe we’re on such familiar terms.”
Pei Lu was still unsatisfied with her response. With An Yu hovering nearby like a ticking time bomb, there was no telling when Lin Duxi might change her mind. What he needed was an immediate, on-the-spot commitment.
Abandoning all pretense, Pei Lu put on a pleading expression and reached for Lin Duxi’s hand where it rested on the table. But before he could touch her, she withdrew it, folding both hands beneath her chin.
Pei Lu froze mid-motion, his mask of composure nearly cracking.
An Yu idly stirred her hot cocoa, her head tilted as if lost in thought. But through the reflection in the glass, she had seen everything-especially the way Lin Duxi had pulled her hand back to avoid Pei Lu’s touch. No matter how much acting training she’d had, she couldn’t suppress the smirk that tugged at her lips.
Pei Lu instantly flew into a rage. He awkwardly withdrew his hand and picked up the coffee in front of him. “Xiao Xi, I don’t know what others have said about me to you before, but I want you to understand that my feelings for you, my heart for you, will never change-never. Look, last time during the show recording, you slapped me so hard my face was swollen for days, but I didn’t get angry at all. I truly love you.”
To prove his sincerity, he reached out again, trying to grab Lin Duxi’s hand. Lin Duxi, recalling what he had said to An Yu in the jungle during the show recording, felt her aloof expression instantly turn icy, her eyes radiating a chilling coldness.
But before she could pull her hand away, a wave of heat brushed past her face, accompanied by a familiar yet exaggerated voice.
“Ah, sorry, Teacher Pei! I accidentally spilled it on you,” An Yu said from the side, though her expression showed no trace of apology.
Pei Lu was drenched in hot cocoa-his hair, face, and suit all covered in the sticky, scalding liquid. He had been too focused on Lin Duxi to dodge in time. The sickly sweet, burning smell filled the air around them. His brows furrowed so tightly they could crush a fly, and he glared at An Yu, who simply sat there calmly, offering an insincere apology without lifting a finger.
“An Yu, you did that on purpose!” he growled in a low voice.
An Yu flailed her hands in mock panic, taking the opportunity to scoot closer to Lin Duxi. “It’s just that I suddenly remembered a piece of entertainment news I saw the other day. It said a certain Pei-surnamed award-winning actor was spotted leaving a hotel with a certain actress the morning after a ‘wonderful night together.’ I found it so funny that my hand slipped, and the cocoa spilled.”
“Teacher Lin, you won’t blame me, right? It got on your sleeve too.” She pulled out a tissue and carefully wiped away a small stain on Lin Duxi’s sleeve. Lin Duxi’s eyes gleamed with amusement.
Pei Lu choked on his fury, the discomfort of being exposed making his skin crawl. Ignoring the mess on his clothes, he hurriedly defended himself, “Xiao Xi, don’t listen to her nonsense! Those other people mean nothing to me. My heart belongs only to you.”
An Yu clenched Lin Duxi’s hand tightly, unable to hold back any longer. She suddenly raised her arm and flung the crumpled tissue straight at Pei Lu’s face. The damp paper stuck to the cocoa on his cheek, refusing to fall off.
“Go to hell, you absolute moron! If you’re sick, check yourself into a mental hospital instead of polluting my ears and eyes! Looks like slapping half your face wasn’t enough-I should’ve swollen the other side too, just to even out the flour and water sloshing around in that brain of yours!”
Lin Duxi wrapped an arm around An Yu’s shoulders, resting her head against them with a faint smile.
Pei Lu was stunned. Furious, he peeled the tissue off his face and hurled it to the ground. “An Yu, how dare you speak to me like that? Do you think the entertainment industry is too boring for you? Xiao Xi, believe me, my love for you is as unshakable as heaven and earth, as eternal as the sun and moon!”
An Yu: “It’s overcast today.”
Lin Duxi leaned against her shoulder and let out a soft chuckle. For some reason, An Yu’s anger instantly dissipated.
Pei Lu: “…” His gaze burned into Lin Duxi, who was nestled against An Yu. The sight stabbed at his eyes until they turned bloodshot. “Xiao Xi, you know better than I do what kind of people attend Du Qianshu’s jewelry banquet. If you go as my plus-one, you’ll meet countless elites. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
As he spoke, he wiped the cocoa off his face with a tissue, then glanced at the contract on the table. After a brief hesitation, he snatched it up.
“Anyway, going with me has no downsides-only benefits. If you refuse, I’ll understand, but you might not get another chance like this.” He forced a smile, gritting his teeth in a half-threat before turning to leave with the contract. But An Yu’s voice stopped him.
“Pei Lu, do you know why I didn’t slap the other half of your face?” An Yu said coolly, her vision blurring as the pain in her head intensified. She closed her eyes.
Pei Lu paused.
“Because there’s something dirty on it, and I didn’t want to soil my hand.”
Pei Lu’s breathing grew visibly ragged, his face flushing red with rage. When he turned and saw An Yu resting with her eyes closed, his fury exploded.
“An Yu, you’re something else. Truly something else!” he spat before storming off without another glance.
As the door to the rooftop garden slammed shut, An Yu’s strength drained away, and she slumped weakly against Lin Duxi.
Lin Duxi supported her body, pressing a hand to her forehead-it was frighteningly hot.
“Ah Yu, you’re burning up! Let’s get you to the hospital, okay?” She pulled out her phone with trembling hands and dialed for an ambulance.
An Yu’s mind was filled with the system’s countdown beeps, drowning out Lin Duxi’s voice. She grabbed Lin Duxi’s hand and pressed it firmly against her forehead.
[Mission ending in one minute. Host, please act quickly…]
[Host’s insult toward protagonist detected. Punishment will be administered upon mission completion.]
[Mission ending in 53 seconds… 52 seconds…]
“Lin Duxi… about the banquet… just follow your heart. Do what feels right to you.” The cool touch on her forehead brought a sliver of clarity.
Lin Duxi massaged her temples, her voice thick with worry. “Let’s not talk about that now, okay? Let’s just go to the hospital. Ah Yu, please.” Her palm burned with An Yu’s fever, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
A drop of moisture landed on An Yu’s cheek, piercing her heart like an arrow. She opened her eyes and saw Lin Duxi’s reddened eyes. She smiled weakly.
“I’m fine. It’s just a slight fever.”
Lin Duxi cupped An Yu’s face, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears. In her panic, her mind raced, piecing together details she hadn’t noticed before.
She hadn’t told An Yu where she was going. In her hurry, she’d left only a note telling An Yu to rest, yet An Yu had found her immediately.
If An Yu had been feverish and disoriented, her first instinct should have been to stay home and rest. If she’d needed anything, she would’ve texted-but Lin Duxi’s phone showed no new messages. An Yu’s simple outfit and hastily styled hair suggested she’d rushed out in a hurry. And yet, she’d pinpointed this exact location without hesitation.
From where she sat, Lin Duxi had a clear view of the entrance. She’d watched An Yu stride straight toward her as if guided by an invisible hand.
It’s that person behind An Yu.
They knew where she was. They knew Pei Lu was here. Which meant they knew exactly what had been discussed.
The more Lin Duxi thought, the more her head throbbed, as though something were resisting her realization. But even through the pain, she glimpsed the truth.
Whoever sent An Yu here hadn’t done it without purpose. If they knew about her conversation with Pei Lu, then their goal was clear:
To make her attend the banquet with Pei Lu.
Lin Duxi’s delicate brows furrowed, her eyes glinting with cold fury.
They’re controlling Ah Yu again.
She didn’t know their motives, but her instincts screamed one thing:
Do as An Yu says.
Gently kneading An Yu’s temples, Lin Duxi’s heart ached with a pain so deep it felt suffocating.
“Ah Yu, I’ll follow my heart. But first, let’s go to the hospital. You’re burning up.”
Hearing this, An Yu’s lips curled slightly. Her goal was accomplished. She closed her eyes, ready for the final judgment.
[Mission ends in five seconds. Countdown: 5… 4… 3… 2… 1.]
[Mission failed.]
[Punishment mode activating in three seconds. 3… 2… 1.]
[Punishment mode initiated.]
System, just explode already! (Furious)
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Zei_An
I think this was the first time I’ve read something where a character really deduced someone is forcing a player to act on something