After Being Reborn, My Ex-Girlfriend Became Obsessed - Chapter 44

The scenery below the mountain gradually expanded in An Yu’s eyes. Normally, these sights would have been pleasing, but her gaze was empty, lacking any interest. The cable car rumbled steadily downward, and An Yu couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

Earlier, at the mountain peak, Lin Duxi had been helped by her to reach the destination. She had let Lin Duxi sit on a chair to rest, but Lin Duxi clutched her sleeve, not wanting her to leave. Her eyes, slightly reddened, stared straight at An Yu. For the first time in a long while, An Yu felt flustered, and even now, she could feel her restless heartbeat.

“An Yu, where did you first meet Lin Duxi?” Xie An’an asked, glancing at the rapidly scrolling comments on the livestream. Using the viewers’ questions as a medium, she voiced her curiosity.

An Yu turned to look at her, lowering her eyes as if thinking. Then she replied, “While filming a movie.” She spoke vaguely, summarizing the general truth. The earliest time fans had connected the two of them was in behind-the-scenes footage during filming. That was also the first moment when An Yu and Lin Duxi consciously recognized each other again.

“I see… then your relationship is really close,” Xie An’an commented.

“Close.”

An Yu’s gaze softened, and she smiled faintly. Indeed, her relationship with Lin Duxi had once been very close—far more intense than the fan-made “ships” online.

At Jiangcheng No. 2 High School, it was customary to hold an autumn sports meet each year. If seniors didn’t participate, it was scheduled after the first exams.

An Yu and Lin Duxi had long since abandoned the rules the head teacher had tried to instill in An Yu. They would sit close together chatting during breaks. It was then that An Yu realized Lin Duxi’s outwardly cold and silent demeanor was a facade. Almost every class break, whether An Yu was present or not, tired or not, Lin Duxi would say at least a few words to her before stopping.

News of the sports meet spread quickly throughout the grade. When it reached An Yu, she was tidying the extra milk tea and envelopes that had mysteriously reappeared on her desk after having disappeared earlier, taking considerable effort to manage.

Lin Duxi had been called out by the math teacher to discuss exercises. An Yu put the items into a large bag and headed toward the trash bin.

“An Yu, what are you holding?” A female classmate wearing glasses, passing by, looked back curiously.

An Yu recognized her—it was Xu Ting.

“Nothing, just some snacks,” she said, tossing the bag into the trash before returning to her desk. The girl handed her a bottle of water.

“Here, this is left over from distributing to them.”

An Yu took it and glanced around. Seeing similar bottles on other desks, she didn’t think much of it and thanked her before returning to her seat.

Lin Duxi returned at some point, leaning over her desk doing math exercises. Hearing the chair move, she glanced up with her peripheral vision, noticing the bottle on the desk.

“Did I disturb you?” An Yu asked as she settled back in her seat.

Lin Duxi shook her head, but didn’t resume writing. An Yu flipped through her drawer, doing her own things.

Lin Duxi’s eyes wandered, finally resting on the identical bottles on a desk behind her, before calmly looking away.

After class, Lin Duxi went to throw out the trash, staring at the bag in her hands.

“No way, you really plan to act during the sports meet… I think An Yu…”

“Hey, a little advantage won’t hurt, even if it doesn’t work out, you’re still classmates,” Lin Duxi said. She let go, and the bag fell into the bin.

The sports committee member was going around the class taking down who would participate in which events. Lin Duxi returned just in time. Seeing both An Yu and Lin Duxi, he hesitated. Neither seemed likely to join any event. Looking at the few names on the list, he finally asked, “Would either of you like to sign up for any events?”

An Yu wasn’t interested, not even looking up. “No.”

The committee member assumed Lin Duxi wouldn’t participate either. Just as he was about to leave, Lin Duxi grabbed the list from him.

“When is the sports meet?” she asked, scanning the options.

Seeing a chance, the committee member perked up. “Next Sunday. There are several unclaimed events. Which one would you like?”

Without hesitation, Lin Duxi wrote her name in the last available slot: Women’s Long-Distance Running.

An Yu, working on her assignments, peeked secretly.

The committee member, seeing her choice, nearly exploded with excitement. “Three thousand meters! You’ve done me a huge favor!” He dashed off like he had been given a shot of adrenaline.

After he left, An Yu asked with raised eyebrows, “Three thousand meters?”

Lin Duxi nodded, then rested her elbow on the desk, supporting her chin. “An Yu, are you worried about me?”

An Yu froze, her heart thumping wildly. She turned her head to the blackboard, clearing her throat. “You’re overthinking, I’m not.”

Lin Duxi smiled, gently taking An Yu’s face in her hands. “Alright, it’s just my imagination. Will you come watch me during the sports meet?”

An Yu nodded slowly, “I don’t have plans that day. Maybe I’ll come watch.”

Lin Duxi’s lips curved.

In the following days, Lin Duxi practiced after evening study sessions. The classroom emptied quickly, leaving An Yu drawing idly at her desk.

“An Yu, did you draw this?” a voice asked. An Yu’s pen froze, leaving a streak across the page. She glanced up, quickly hiding her drawing.

Xu Ting seemed delighted. “So cute! A kitten?”

An Yu nodded shyly.

“Wow, you can draw so well! Why didn’t you go into art?” Xu Ting chatted freely.

An Yu thought for a moment. “Maybe I couldn’t handle the long, isolated practice.” She flipped the page.

Xu Ting nodded knowingly, then began, “Then could you draw one for—”

“An Yu.” A calm voice interrupted from nearby.

An Yu looked up to see Lin Duxi standing at the door in her uniform, slightly out of breath, then walking over to sit beside her.

Having just finished running, Lin Duxi’s cheeks were flushed, sweat clung to her strands of hair, her plain beauty highlighted.

“What did the Chinese teacher assign?” she asked, flipping through the nearby book, not noticing An Yu’s conversation with Xu Ting.

An Yu frowned. “I’m not the class representative for Chinese. Why are you asking me?”

Lin Duxi turned. “Because that’s the class you didn’t nap in.”

An Yu: “….” She took out her Chinese book and assignments, thinking back to the lesson.

“The teacher didn’t assign anything.”

Lin Duxi smiled. “So you knew.”

An Yu, exasperated by her playful humor, turned to see Xu Ting had already left. She shrugged, unconcerned.

She noticed Lin Duxi holding a familiar sketchbook, engrossed in something. Heat spread across An Yu’s cheeks. She reached to grab it, but Lin Duxi gently grasped her wrist.

“So cute, the kitten—can I have it?” Lin Duxi asked directly.

An Yu stammered, “You… you…”

“That means yes.” Lin Duxi released her hand and tore the paper out, slipping it into her Chinese textbook.

An Yu, taking back the sketchbook, felt the warmth from Lin Duxi, her face flushing. Fortunately, Lin Duxi didn’t know the drawing had been inspired by An Yu herself.

“An Yu, the long-distance run starts at 3 PM on Sunday. Will you come watch me?” Lin Duxi’s expression softened, though her eyes remained gentle.

An Yu, still flushed, avoided her gaze. “I said I’ll be free. Maybe I’ll come watch.”

Lin Duxi couldn’t resist smiling. “Good. I’ll find you.”

An Yu raised an eyebrow. “With so many spectators, how could you find me?”

Lin Duxi only smiled. “As long as you’re there, I’ll find you.”

An Yu turned her head, lips curling involuntarily.

On Sunday, the school generously gave all first- and second-year students a day off, but activities were limited to the campus.

Disliking crowds and noise, An Yu sat alone in the quiet classroom. The ticking of her watch seemed amplified in the silence. She couldn’t focus on reading. As the minute hand reached “12,” she sprang up and rushed outside.

“An Yu.” A female voice called her from behind. She turned to see Xu Ting, confused.

“What is it?”

“An Yu, um…” Xu Ting took a few steps closer, taking a deep breath.

“Do you have someone you like?” she asked tentatively.

An Yu froze, surprised. Images of Lin Duxi flashed through her mind.

Seeing An Yu not answer, Xu Ting hesitated, then decided to push further.

“If you don’t have anyone you like—”

“Wait, Xu Ting.” An Yu cut her off, glancing at her watch. “The sports meet has started. I want to watch the races. Let’s talk later, okay?”

Xu Ting paused, then nodded. “Okay, okay, I’ll go with you.”

An Yu ran toward the track, anxious to see Lin Duxi, already a few minutes past 3 PM.

Arriving at the crowded field, she was blocked by a sea of people. Jumping and pushing through, she finally reached the front.

Just as she stepped out, she heard a cheer and suddenly felt someone soft and fragrant collide with her.

Startled, she stumbled back a few steps but regained her footing. People gathered around, chattering excitedly.

“First! Lin Duxi came first!”

“Lin Duxi, are you okay? Help her rest!”

“Class Three is first! We’re first!”

She held Lin Duxi’s trembling body tightly, feeling her feverish warmth and short breaths, momentarily stunned.

“Lin Duxi? Lin Duxi?” She called anxiously, noticing Lin Duxi seemed unwell, unaware of how intimate the embrace appeared.

Lin Duxi’s intense heat brushed An Yu’s fair neck, turning it pink. She could feel Lin Duxi trembling, as if enduring something.

“An Yu, I found you,” Lin Duxi whispered, exhausted but smiling faintly.

“Don’t speak yet. I’ll help you rest.” An Yu held her tightly, about to leave, but felt sharp pain in her shoulder and heard Lin Duxi stifling a whimper.

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