After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 10

“To kill a person is one thing, but to crush their spirit perhaps that’s what this is.”

Qin Xiangxi’s face stiffened, and the words swirling in her mind spilled out without a second thought: “Who knows if you used some sweet talk to deceive Sister Ahe!”

The sharp accusation emerged, and from then on, there was no need to hold back for the sake of appearances.

“I’ve looked into it you two didn’t even know each other before. You only met at Sister Ahe’s welcome party a few days ago, exchanged a few words, so how could there be any deep feelings?”

Qin Xiangxi’s voice grew louder, her anger more evident, as if Yan Guiqiu had already committed the act of deceiving someone’s emotions.

“You don’t even like her! It’s just that Sister Ahe is kind and doesn’t hold it against you. How could you take advantage of her gentleness to hurt her?!”

“Who says I don’t like her?” Yan Guiqiu lifted her eyelids slightly. “Haven’t you heard of love at first sight?”

“That’s nothing but being attracted to looks!” Qin Xiangxi retorted disdainfully.

“So, according to you, only someone like you, silently enduring a crush for years, can call it true affection?”

Yan Guiqiu’s words were laced with sarcasm. Qin Xiangxi choked, then fell silent, tacitly admitting it.

“But who are you performing this ‘deep affection’ for? All these years, you haven’t even become friends. You haven’t helped her in any way, nor have you made her happy. Besides moving yourself, what use is it?” Yan Guiqiu asked.

The more she spoke, the redder Qin Xiangxi’s face became, until even her eyes grew moist, as if she were too angry to speak. She stammered, “I, you,” but couldn’t find a reasonable angle to refute.

It was a fact that Jiang Xuehe didn’t like her.

Originally, Qin Xiangxi had regarded her as an untouchable goddess, a lofty flower who treated everyone equally, so she hadn’t felt too upset only occasionally jealous of the friends close to the goddess.

But suddenly, Yan Guiqiu appeared out of nowhere. They had never met before, yet after just one encounter, they became inseparable.

Jiang Xuehe kept Qin Xiangxi at a distance, stopping her at the shop entrance, yet allowed Yan Guiqiu to freely enter her private space.

Not to mention the subtle intimacy and softness in her tone, completely different from the formal politeness she showed Qin Xiangxi.

Qin Xiangxi wasn’t so foolish as to not notice such a stark contrast.

After just one meeting, after only a few days of acquaintance neither long-time close friends nor like-minded companions they seemed to have become inseparable confidantes in the blink of an eye.

In comparison, Qin Xiangxi felt like a complete failure, an outsider and a clown.

She felt confused, resentful, and wronged.

But at the peak of her outburst, Yan Guiqiu’s cold, questioning tone gradually drained her courage to lash out. Instead, she could only murmur repeatedly to herself, “Why?”

Qin Xiangxi’s eyes were red, and tears finally spilled uncontrollably.

Passersby noticed their argument, some stopping to watch, and a few even pulling out their phones.

Those unaware of the truth cast reproachful glances at Yan Guiqiu.

At first glance, it did seem as though the petite girl had been bullied to tears by her.

Yan Guiqiu, on the other hand, grew calmer. Seeing Qin Xiangxi on the verge of tears, she found it amusing but the amusement was directed at herself.

Why should she bother with Qin Xiangxi? Who knew if this little princess’s “liking” was also a malicious twist of the plot?

Being pushed along by the plot without any awareness whether that counted as a form of sorrow was hard to say.

Moreover, what happened between her and Jiang Xuehe was none of Qin Xiangxi’s business. Why should she have to report every detail to an outsider?

“There are plenty of fish in the sea,” Yan Guiqiu thought for a moment before finally offering some advice. “You still have such a long life ahead of you. Why cling to a dead tree?”

She paused, then took the opportunity to clarify further: “And honestly, I’ve never liked you not once. Some things are fate, some are coincidences, but they’re definitely not love.”

Yan Guiqiu pulled out two tissues and handed them to Qin Xiangxi, who was crying uncontrollably.

Qin Xiangxi didn’t want to stand by the roadside and be stared at any longer. She lowered her head, rubbing her eyes, and asked with lingering resentment, “Why can she like you, but she just won’t like me?”

Yan Guiqiu had no intention of comforting her and replied indifferently, “When it comes to feelings, there aren’t that many reasons.”

She stepped around Qin Xiangxi and continued on her way.

After returning home, Yan Guiqiu mentioned Qin Xiangxi’s situation to Song Anchen over the phone.

Song Anchen had gone back a few days earlier. Unlike Yan Guiqiu, who had already secured a spot for graduate studies, Song Anchen studied music and had signed with a music studio during her sophomore year. Though it was more of a casual pursuit, she still had to dedicate some time to work.

The matter of Qin Xiangxi had come up because Song Anchen had asked about it.

After learning about Yan Guiqiu and Jiang Xuehe’s situation, Qin Xiangxi had indirectly questioned everyone she knew, and the news eventually reached Song Anchen’s ears.

Qin Xiangxi’s personality was somewhat indecisive and weak, so Song Anchen wasn’t worried she’d cause any major trouble. Still, she was concerned about rumors spreading in their circle and, more importantly, about Yan Guiqiu herself.

Yan Guiqiu said that her progress with Jiang Xuehe had been going smoothly lately.

Not only had she increased their time together by volunteering to help organize the gallery, but she had also gradually learned many of Jiang Xuehe’s little habits.

For example, Jiang Xuehe didn’t like fried foods, preferred plain water and green tea over sugary drinks or juice, enjoyed sunlight, and liked bright colors.

Today, she also found out that Jiang Xuehe didn’t like sweets.

Yan Guiqiu sat cross-legged by the coffee table in the living room, phone in hand as she propped her chin on it. Reaching for the cookies Jiang Xuehe had given her, she popped one into her mouth. The overly sweet taste made her pause for a moment.

She flipped the package over to check the ingredient list and expiration date. The cookies had a seven-day shelf life, and from the packaging alone, it was clear they weren’t cheap. Moreover, the level of sweetness probably wasn’t for everyone.

Maybe the newly hired shop assistant, Xiao He, had a sweet tooth?

Yan Guiqiu thought this to herself but found it hard to fully convince herself.

“We’ve even made plans to have a meal together,” Yan Guiqiu said, pushing the thoughts aside and stuffing the remaining half of the cookie into her mouth. “I feel like she might like me too. When do you think would be a good time for me to officially confess?”

Song Anchen: “…”

Are young people nowadays into rocket-speed relationships?

After a moment of silence, Song Anchen couldn’t hold back her concern any longer. “But, don’t you think it’s all moving a bit too fast?”

That was putting it mildly.

Before, when Yan Guiqiu was the only one caught up in the excitement, Song Anchen hadn’t thought much of it. But now, observing from a calmer perspective, she realized that Jiang Xuehe’s side of things also seemed rather questionable.

Yan Guiqiu had a straightforward personality and believed in fate when it came to making friends. After meeting Jiang Xuehe just once, she claimed it was love at first sight. Though it seemed abrupt, Song Anchen didn’t find it all that unbelievable.

Jiang Xuehe, on the other hand, had a completely opposite temperament. Whether she had deep thoughts or not, she was undoubtedly the type who rarely took the initiative to get close to others.

But with Yan Guiqiu, she broke her own rules.

Even Yan Guiqiu’s closest friends occasionally argued with her due to her personality quirks, yet Jiang Xuehe, a near-stranger had never shown any dissatisfaction or impatience.

At first, Song Anchen thought it might be due to Jiang Xuehe’s polite and gentle nature, but now she realized something else.

If Jiang Xuehe truly felt unhappy or displeased, she had a hundred ways to distance herself from Yan Guiqiu or keep her at a safe boundary.

But the fact was, Jiang Xuehe didn’t.

Not only did she not keep her distance, but she also tacitly allowed even indulged Yan Guiqiu charging headlong into her personal space.

On the surface, it looked like mutual affection, a two-way street, a happy ending for everyone.

But, could such a coincidence really happen in the world?

Especially with someone as rational as Jiang Xuehe.

“Besides, Yunhua City isn’t a big metropolis. The climate isn’t particularly great, and whether it’s the economy, transportation, education, or cultural atmosphere, it’s not exactly outstanding. If she wanted to be close to her ancestral home, Linyuan further south is better in every way have you ever wondered why she came to Yunhua City?” Song Anchen asked.

Yan Guiqiu paused with a biscuit in her mouth, took a bite, and smiled, reassuring her friend, “Cities are a matter of fate too, who can say for sure? Maybe we’re just kindred spirits.”

Kindred spirits even Yan Guiqiu didn’t believe such words herself, using them at most as a lighthearted joke.

But she didn’t doubt Jiang Xuehe.

For one, she had been away from home for so long that there was nothing about her worth scheming for. For another, she had always believed that if you liked someone, you should act on it. She didn’t deliberately weigh gains and losses in her efforts. Even if Jiang Xuehe didn’t respond, she wouldn’t get angry or give up easily.

If Jiang Xuehe took the initiative to respond, she would be overjoyed.

After Yan Guiqiu went with Jiang Xuehe to sample food a couple of times, the gallery was finally fully organized. The front exhibition hall was decorated, and the official opening date was set. For this, Yan Guiqiu even made a special trip back to her university to distribute flyers.

When she returned, she saw Jiang Xuehe on a phone call outside and faintly heard words like “Yunhua City.”

Yan Guiqiu hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but Jiang Xuehe had already spotted her, waved her over, and approached.

“I think Yunhua City is quite nice. I don’t plan on moving for now,” Jiang Xuehe said to the person on the phone. “Thank you for your kindness. I’ll definitely visit in person when I have time.”

After a few more polite words, Jiang Xuehe hung up and noticed Yan Guiqiu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Dinner might be a bit late tonight, and I’ll need your help with something,” Jiang Xuehe said, pointing toward the studio. “I forgot to close the window when I left this morning, and a stray cat got in and made a mess. I still need to clean it up.”

The gallery was a shop with a dual function as a residence, running north to south. Its front faced the main road, and walking to the end led directly into the inner part of the residential area. It even came with a small courtyard as an extra. The east-facing window of the studio looked out onto a corner of the yard. The courtyard wall was low, so it wasn’t unusual for stray cats to climb in.

Yan Guiqiu followed Jiang Xuehe into the studio.

Inside was a mess: an easel had toppled over, water from a vase had spilled across the floor, and the pink flowers had been trampled beyond recognition. Fortunately, the valuable items had been locked away in a cabinet. Aside from a few scratches, there was no significant damage, though a wooden box inside had been jostled open, scattering its contents like a shower of petals across the cabinet.

“I’ve called a technician to seal the window tomorrow,” Jiang Xuehe said. “Just pick up the easel, the vase, and those tubes of paint and put them on the table. Leave the broken pieces where they are, I’ll sweep them up later.”

While Jiang Xuehe went to tidy the items in the cabinet, Yan Guiqiu righted the vase and placed the only intact flower back inside before gathering the rest of the things.

Not far away, as the cabinet door opened, there was a clattering sound. The wooden box tumbled to the floor, sending a few sheets of white paper fluttering down.

Yan Guiqiu instinctively glanced over and, seeing that Jiang Xuehe had dodged in time and wasn’t hit, breathed a sigh of relief. She reached out to catch one of the drifting papers.

It was about the size of 16K paper, blank on the back and slightly yellowed with age, with a texture reminiscent of sketching paper.

Without much thought, Yan Guiqiu instinctively turned it over to look.

On the other side, Jiang Xuehe picked up the papers nearby and, after a quick glance, realized one was missing. She instinctively turned to look.

Both of them froze at the same time.

What was drawn on the paper one knew perfectly well, the other could see clearly.

It was a black-and-white pencil sketch of Yan Guiqiu.

A girl in a trench coat and trousers, slightly turned to the side as she spoke to someone nearby, yet most of her face was visible.

Beside the fluttering hem of the coat, the character “Yan” was scrawled boldly, followed by a lightly drawn question mark.

In the lower right corner was the signature character “He” (Crane).

Dated four years ago.

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