After Rebirth, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessive - Chapter 72

After autumn arrived in Jiangcheng, the weather became increasingly unpredictable. At noon, the sky had been a clear, cloudless blue, but by the afternoon, dark clouds had gathered ominously. By the time the two of them bid farewell to the director and the children at the orphanage and got into the car, it had just begun to rain.

Seeing An Yu in low spirits, Shi Yu offered to drive, and An Yu agreed.

The rain grew heavier, droplets splattering against the car windows and blurring the world outside. Everything seemed illusory, like flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in water. An Yu sighed softly for no particular reason, turning her head to gaze at the rain-streaked window.

Everything she had learned at the orphanage today felt like an unreal dream. An Yu was utterly exhausted. No one spoke in the car, and as she listened to the relentless drumming of the rain outside, she slowly closed her eyes.

When they stopped at a red light, Shi Yu glanced at the side mirror and caught sight of An Yu’s slightly furrowed brows. She lowered her lashes, fingers tightening unconsciously around the steering wheel.

For the first time, she began to doubt whether what she was doing was truly right.

The feelings she had harbored for her friend in their youth had long since been washed away by Lin Duxi and the passage of time. Now, seeing her again, Shi Yu felt only nostalgia for their past friendship and a lingering guilt.

Back in high school, she had been timid-so timid that even the faintest whisper of her fragile affection had terrified her. That was why, the moment she saw Lin Duxi, she knew she stood no chance.

On the eve of her decision to switch majors, she had sought out Lin Duxi in an empty classroom. The wind howled mournfully outside, slipping through the gaps in the windows and stirring their loose strands of hair.

She had asked Lin Duxi if she loved An Yu.

Lin Duxi turned to look at her. In the dim light, she couldn’t make out Lin Duxi’s expression, but she could sense the icy chill in her gaze. Lin Duxi didn’t answer.

She pressed further, asking how long Lin Duxi would love An Yu. Finally, Lin Duxi responded. Six years later, when Shi Yu revisited those high school memories, those words remained vivid, undimmed by time, echoing in her ears-and they were the reason she chose to trust Lin Duxi again after all those years.

Lin Duxi had said,  From life to death.

After they started dating, everything seemed to fall effortlessly into place. An Yu had never given much thought to what a relationship would be like. Coming from a privileged family, she had never felt the need for love.

Yet now, she longed to cling to Lin Duxi every moment, to weave her into every part of her life, as if she wanted to tie them together inseparably.

Lin Duxi, too, adored being with her. An Yu’s parents were rarely home, so the two of them secretly shared her room, sleeping in each other’s arms on her pillow, their breaths hot and uneven against each other’s skin, igniting flames as they lost themselves in love.

Young and inexperienced, they were curious about everything, though their lack of skill often left them unsatisfied.

An Yu had a habit of sketching Lin Duxi whenever she was bored. Every time she realized what she was drawing, her face would flush, and she’d end up with so many sketches that she didn’t know where to hide them. Afraid Lin Duxi might find them, she stuffed them haphazardly into a box and shoved it under the bed.

Once, while browsing online, An Yu stumbled upon a nightgown. In an instant, she could picture Lin Duxi wearing it. Her hands trembling, her face burning, she clicked “order” before she could second-guess herself.

In the end, it was Lin Duxi who received the package.

An Yu panicked. “Don’t open it!”

But it was too late. Lin Duxi had already sliced through the tape and pulled out the contents, staring in shock before turning to An Yu, whose face was now so red she wished she could vanish into the ground.

Lin Duxi’s gaze flickered between the nightgown and An Yu before she finally smiled and asked, “Did A-Yu buy this for me?”

She even added  “classmate”  teasingly, making An Yu’s face burn even hotter. She couldn’t bring herself to respond.

Laughing softly, Lin Duxi stood, holding the nightgown, and wrapped her arms around An Yu, her lips brushing her ear as she murmured, “Thank you, A-Yu.”

That night, Lin Duxi wore the nightgown. Whether it was the garment’s effect or not, she seemed even more alluring than usual. An Yu felt her skills had improved remarkably, and during a brief respite, she couldn’t help but ask.

Lin Duxi nuzzled her cheek affectionately, her eyes tinged red, her voice husky as she took An Yu’s hand. “Because I’m a fast learner. Should I teach you, A-Yu?”

Her words, tender and seductive, drew An Yu in. She nodded helplessly.

An Yu cherished every moment with Lin Duxi. She devoted herself to anything that could bring her joy. In the lazy, blissful days waiting for their college entrance exam results, their lives felt full and content.

Yet a faint shadow of unease lingered in An Yu’s heart. Something about her parents-they were still hiding something from her. She worried it might be trouble with the company.

Curled against Lin Duxi, her head resting on her arm, she voiced her concerns with a slight frown. Of course, Lin Duxi didn’t know either, so she could only soothe her, stroking her back reassuringly.

Days before the results were released, top-scoring students were already being courted by prestigious universities. Lin Duxi’s phone and the orphanage’s landline rang incessantly with offers.

An Yu was even happier about it than Lin Duxi, so much so that her own anxieties about her scores faded. News spread through the neighborhood that the orphanage had produced an exceptional student, and Lin Duxi’s name became widely known.

The day the results came out marked the beginning of a nightmare for Lin Duxi-and the first day An Yu would never wish to relive.

Early that morning, An Yu dragged Lin Duxi all over the city-arcades, malls, every possible place to pass the time.

Lin Duxi knew An Yu was nervous, using these distractions to ease her tension, so she accompanied her willingly.

They stayed out until afternoon, nearing the time the results would be announced. Sensing An Yu’s growing unease, Lin Duxi reached out and clasped her cold, trembling hand.

An Yu snapped back to reality. The warmth of Lin Duxi’s palm steadied her racing heart slightly. On the livestream, the announcer finally revealed the score thresholds, and at the same time, Lin Duxi pulled up An Yu’s results.

An Yu’s heart pounded as if awaiting judgment-until she saw the smile blooming in Lin Duxi’s eyes.

She slumped back in the café chair, gasping.

627. She had outperformed her own expectations. This score was more than enough to get into her dream university, likely even for her preferred major.

Lin Duxi set her phone down and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“A-Yu, congratulations.”

Cradled in the arms of the one she loved, An Yu felt all her strength drain away. She wanted nothing more than to melt into Lin Duxi and stay there forever.

But their tender moment was cut short when Lin Duxi’s phone rang-a call from the orphanage. She assumed it was about her results, but the moment she answered, her blood turned to ice.

An Yu noticed her unusual expression and asked with concern,

“What’s wrong? What happened at the welfare home?”

Lin Duxi put down her phone, her gaze softening with a smile as she looked back at her. “It’s nothing. Seems like someone’s causing trouble there, and they’re short on staff. They asked me to go back and help.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Lin Duxi pressed a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back into the seat. Leaning down, she brushed a light kiss against her lips.

“I’ll handle it. Don’t you need to hurry and share the good news with your parents? They’ve just come home after so long.”

An Yu was swayed by her kiss. The two said their goodbyes at the café entrance, but even as she left, An Yu’s heart remained exhilarated. Sitting in the taxi, she couldn’t help imagining her parents’ joy when they heard her exam results and the life she’d share with Lin Duxi studying in the same city.

I definitely can’t bear being apart from Lin Duxi. I’ll rent a place there so we can live together.

Brimming with excitement, she nearly sprinted the last stretch home. From a distance, she spotted the butler waiting anxiously at the gate.

When the butler saw her, his expression was one An Yu couldn’t quite decipher at the time. Assuming he was just worried about her results, she teased,

“Uncle Wen, don’t worry this time. Mom and Dad won’t be disappointed.”

Hearing this, the butler’s tense face finally broke into a smile, though his voice carried a hint of strain. “That’s good. The master and madam will surely be thrilled.”

An Yu didn’t pay much attention to his troubled tone. She practically flew through the front door, not even hearing the butler’s call behind her.

An Huaili and Yu Yingzhen were indeed in the living room-one seated, one standing-but the atmosphere was oddly tense. The joy An Yu had been about to voice stuck in her throat, then vanished without a trace.

At the sound of the door opening, both turned to look. What had been hidden behind them came into view, and An Yu’s eyes locked onto what An Huaili held in his hand.

That painting. That cardboard box. She couldn’t possibly mistake them.

Her blood ran cold. A chill shot up from her feet, spreading rapidly, followed by a surge of fury at having her things rummaged through. Her brows furrowed, lips parting slightly.

“Mom, Dad, why were you going through my things?”

Yu Yingzhen’s anger flared. She snatched the painting from An Huaili’s grip and stormed toward An Yu, clutching it tightly.

“An Yu, if I hadn’t cleaned your room today, I’d never have imagined you’d paint your classmate’s…” She gritted her teeth, her upbringing stopping her from finishing the sentence.

“You went through my things?” An Yu’s entire body trembled with cold and rage.

An Huaili took a deep drag of his cigarette and stepped forward. “Shouldn’t you be reflecting on why you painted something like this in the first place? An Yu, did you learn art just to create this kind of thing?”

He gripped the painting and tore it to shreds right before her eyes. The fragments fluttered down like her heart, shattering along with it.

“My painting!” She frantically knelt to gather the pieces, her chest aching as if gouged, the pain nearly unbearable.

Yu Yingzhen sighed. “You… you’ve fallen for your female classmate? An Yu, do you realize what you’re doing?” Her gaze darkened as she suddenly seized An Yu’s collar and yanked it down.

An Yu couldn’t stop her. On her fair collarbone, faint red marks peeked from beneath the fabric-tiny, hidden, but unmistakable.

It lasted less than a second, but it was enough for An Huaili and Yu Yingzhen to understand.

“An Yu, you… you’re something else.” Yu Yingzhen gasped for breath, fury darkening her vision. An Huaili quickly steadied her, barely keeping her upright.

“We will never approve of this. Break up with her!” An Huaili growled, barely containing his anger.

The weight of parental authority crushed An Yu’s breath. She lifted her eyes, glaring stubbornly at An Huaili, the redness at their corners only emphasizing her resolve. The standoff was silent, but the thought of Lin Duxi filled her with sorrow.

“Mom, Dad, I really love her. I’ve made so many plans for our future. I’m an adult-I can take responsibility for my decisions. Please.” Her voice cracked with tears. She didn’t want Lin Duxi to be humiliated because of her.

But her plea fell on deaf ears. “You’re going abroad, An Yu. Immediately. Cut all ties with her.”

An Yu froze. “What? No, I won’t go!”

“This isn’t up for debate. You  are  going. When you’re older, you’ll understand why we’re doing this. Break up with her. Now.”

An Yu trembled, fury and confusion snowballing inside her.  This isn’t like them. They’ve always been so open-minded, so loving. Why are they being so ruthless about me and Lin Duxi?

She looked up, her eyes brimming with shattered light, staring at An Huaili’s rage and Yu Yingzhen’s labored breathing. Her lips moved faintly.

“The college entrance exam results came out today. I scored 620.”

Without another word, she turned and bolted for the door-only to be intercepted by her parents’ bodyguards. They seized her limbs, ignoring her violent struggles, and forcibly carried her back to her room.

“Miss, please don’t resist. We’d hate to hurt you.”

They deposited her on the bed, locked the door, and stood guard outside, indifferent to her pounding. Soon, An Huaili’s voice sounded through the door.

“Stop knocking. It won’t open. Calm down first. Your mother is resting after the shock you gave her. Once you’ve settled, go apologize.”

“And… you did well on the exam.”

Her phone had been taken. She had no way to contact Lin Duxi now. The room had been cleaned out-fresh bedsheets, not a trace of Lin Duxi’s presence left.

Just yesterday, we were wrapped up in each other. How did it come to this in a single day?

Slumping against the door, An Yu slid to the floor, hugging her knees as silent sobs wracked her body.

Lin Duxi will worry if she can’t reach me.