After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 67

“Wasn’t this video released with Lin Duxi’s consent? Did she change her mind?” The voice on the other end of the phone wasn’t loud, but it rang clearly in An Yu’s ears.

Her fingers, gripping the phone, curled slightly unconsciously, her expression one of disbelief.

On the other end, Ning Xuan was still puzzled: “Didn’t I mention before that I wanted to get in touch with Lin Duxi’s team? A few days ago, her team reached out to me. They were very open to collaborating and even proactively showed me this video to discuss the timing of its release on the ‘Hello, Friend’ official blog. I thought Lin Duxi had already told you.”

An Yu suppressed the turmoil in her heart, keeping her tone steady: “I’ve been focused on studying the script these past few days, so I might have missed it.”

“That makes sense. I figured since you and Lin Duxi are neighbors, she probably thought it wasn’t a big deal.”

After hanging up, An Yu handed the phone back to her assistant and leaned back in her chair, sighing softly. A strange feeling swept through her, leaving her emotions in disarray-sour and astringent.

She shook her head, pushing down the messy thoughts, and forced herself to focus on the script in front of her.

Tan Yiyan was a meticulous director. Her scripts were polished to perfection before filming began, which was why her dramas were high-quality but slow to produce.

For An Yu, who wanted to break free from her exploitative agency, landing a role in Tan Yiyan’s project was crucial.

The audition took place in a large studio. Tan Yiyan sat across from her, glasses perched on her nose as she carefully flipped through the script. She barely glanced up when An Yu entered.

The scene An Yu was auditioning for was one where a fallen princess, after finally achieving her revenge, grapples with the pain of being discovered by the person she loved-that her closeness had only been for manipulation. The emotional shifts and intensity demanded strong acting skills.

An Yu had rehearsed this scene with Lin Duxi before. Lin Duxi had played the heartbroken protagonist, her eyes red with sorrow, an image that had seared itself into An Yu’s heart. Even now, the memory brought a dull ache.

Though this was a solo performance without props, An Yu could still see Lin Duxi’s tearful, accusatory gaze in her mind. The surge of emotions she channeled moved everyone present.

Tan Yiyan, who had been skimming the script, suddenly looked up when she heard An Yu’s lines. Her eyes sharpened with interest, and though no one else noticed, the corners of her lips curled into her first smile of the day.

The audition ended in just three minutes, earning An Yu unanimous applause from the room. Tan Yiyan rested her chin on her hands, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

“An Yu, I admire your performance. I can see the effort you’ve put into understanding this character, as well as your emotional depth. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Her heart swelled with excitement, but she maintained her composure. “Thank you, Director Tan.”

The conference room door creaked open. Her assistant, who had been waiting anxiously outside, rushed over. Seeing An Yu’s dazed expression, her heart sank.

“An-jie, even if this one didn’t work out, there are other opportunities. Other directors have reached out to you too,” she comforted, trying to hide her worry.

An Yu snapped out of her trance and smiled faintly. “What are you talking about? I got it.”

The assistant gasped, then beamed. “Really? That’s amazing! I’ll tell Ning-jie right away-she’s probably on edge waiting!” She immediately pulled out her phone and scurried off to a quiet corner to relay the news.

An Yu looked up at the sky and exhaled in relief. A weight she had carried for so long was finally lifted, and she could breathe freely again.

Yeah, I should share this with Lin Duxi as soon as possible.

The car dropped her off at the entrance of her neighborhood. An Yu watched it drive away until it disappeared around the corner before heading toward the security office.

She pushed open the door, where a guard had been waiting for her. He handed her a USB drive.

“Miss An, this is the surveillance footage from around the neighborhood after the last incident. We’ve identified that the man in black who harassed Miss Lin entered from the northeast corner of the complex. That gate is rarely used, so he likely slipped in during the evening when security checks were relaxed. We’ve since added a guard post there and installed additional cameras at all four corners of the complex. You can rest assured.”

An Yu nodded and pocketed the drive, her brows furrowed. Her concern wasn’t about the neighborhood’s security-it was about that man.

Even though they now knew how he had infiltrated the area, his motives for targeting Lin Duxi and how he had obtained her address remained unclear. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

Back home, An Yu plugged the drive into her computer and skimmed through the footage. She selected the clearest shot of the man’s face and sent it to Ning Xuan.

[Ning-jie, help me look into this person.]

Ning Xuan:  [Who is he? What’s going on?]

An Yu:  [He might be a stalker fan or someone sent by Lin Duxi’s rivals. Either way, he’s a threat to her.]

[Shouldn’t Lin Duxi be the one handling this? Why are you asking me?]

An Yu:  [Didn’t you just say Lin Duxi and I are a packaged deal now? Whether I investigate or she does, it’s the same. Please, Ning-jie, just help me out this once.]

Ning Xuan:  [Ugh, I can’t stand your silver tongue. Fine, I’ll see what I can find.]

[Thanks, Ning-jie! (Heart)]

With that task delegated, An Yu changed clothes and headed to Lin Duxi’s door.

It didn’t take long for the door to open. Lin Duxi stood there in loose loungewear, an apron tied around her waist.

“Ah Yu, congratulations on passing the audition.” Her lips curved into a smile.

“How did you know I passed? Did Ning-jie tell you?”

Lin Duxi took An Yu’s hand and led her inside, casually brushing a finger against An Yu’s chest when she wasn’t looking.

“Because… Ah Yu and I share a heart.”

An Yu laughed. “I wanted to tell you myself.”

Lin Duxi closed the door and met An Yu’s gaze.  “You still can. Since you’re so happy, shouldn’t we celebrate?”  She untied her apron and guided An Yu to the dining table.

“The food’s ready. I was just waiting for you.”

She then retrieved two bottles of wine from the cabinet. An Yu frowned, remembering how Lin Duxi had suffered from headaches after drinking the last few times. “You’re drinking?”

“Just a little. To celebrate your success, okay?” She tugged lightly at An Yu’s sleeve, her eyes pleading.

An Yu couldn’t resist that look. She averted her eyes and reluctantly agreed.

But she had underestimated Lin Duxi. Lin Duxi was in high spirits today, and before An Yu could stop her, she had already finished an entire bottle. Horrified, An Yu rushed to intervene.

“Does Ah Yu want some too?” Lin Duxi smiled as An Yu approached, pouring her a tiny amount. “You’re still recovering from a cold, so you can’t drink much. Just this much for you.”

An Yu took the glass, staring at the pitifully small amount of wine, and sighed inwardly.

So you do know what ‘a little’ means.

Worried Lin Duxi would drink more, An Yu snatched the bottle each time Lin Duxi tried to pour herself another glass, drinking it herself instead. Lin Duxi pouted but only pinched An Yu’s cheeks in retaliation.

“Ah Yu is so mean. Mean Ah Yu.”

By the end, the second bottle was mostly emptied by An Yu.

Her alcohol tolerance had been honed in her past life, but in this one, she rarely drank. Combined with the potency of Lin Duxi’s liquor, she was now slightly tipsy, sitting quietly in her chair and thinking about going home to sleep.

Her vision blurred. As her sluggish mind tried to process why Lin Duxi seemed to be getting larger in her field of view, a sudden weight settled on her lap.

Lin Duxi’s arms looped around her neck, one hand tilting An Yu’s chin up, fingers brushing over her flushed cheeks. Her voice was husky, thick with affection.

“You’re still the same as before-just as adorable when you’re drunk.” She pressed soft kisses to An Yu’s lips, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, nibbling at the delicate shell.

An Yu’s eyes fluttered shut as she leaned into the touch, a small smile playing on her lips, her hands resting obediently on Lin Duxi’s back.

Lin Duxi shifted slightly, her collar slipping to reveal a pale, elegant collarbone.

Cupping An Yu’s face, she kissed her fervently, her fingers intertwining with An Yu’s, guiding them downward-

Warm. Damp. Moonlight spilled through the window’s cracks, casting a glow over their tangled clothes.

An Yu’s eyes flew open. Her fingers recoiled as if burned, a fleeting moment of clarity piercing the haze.

Lin Duxi froze. She released An Yu’s hand, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, her expression wounded.

“We can’t?”

An Yu panted, struggling to focus. “No… not now. Not like this.”

Lin Duxi’s breath hitched. Tears welled up, threatening to spill with every blink.

“We can’t?”

An Yu’s chest tightened. Realizing her words had hurt Lin Duxi, she hurried to explain, despite their compromising position.

“Drunk… can’t… can’t… We’re not officially together yet.” Her alcohol-addled mind spoke without filter.

Lin Duxi’s heart skipped a beat. She pressed An Yu’s hand to her lips, gently biting her fingertips before murmuring,

“Then, Ah Yu… can we make it official?”  To sway An Yu, she added, “I want to be with you.”

In the past, whenever she asked this, An Yu would always agree. This time, she hoped for the same.

But to her surprise, An Yu shook her head, lips trembling.

“No… if people find out, you’ll get hurt. I-”

Lin Duxi’s eyes widened. She might have just found a way to uncover the truth behind An Yu’s secrets. Suppressing her emotions, she cradled An Yu’s face, coaxing softly.

“Who would find out, Ah Yu? It’s just the two of us here. No one will know. Be with me, okay?”

But An Yu kept shaking her head.

“If they find out… Duxi will get hurt… Can’t…”

Her heart pounded violently. Lin Duxi could feel her blood boiling-she was so close to the truth.

“Who would find out? Tell me, Ah Yu.”

She stared intently as An Yu’s lips parted, forming words-

In an instant, Lin Duxi’s blood turned to ice.

She couldn’t hear what An Yu said. She couldn’t even see her lips move.