After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 22

In the hospital room, Qin Xiangxi had just opened her eyes not long ago, listening as her mother cautiously recounted the events that had transpired.

From her car accident to Jiang Xuehe’s visit earlier that morning.

It also included Jiang Xuehe once again rejecting Qin Xiangxi’s “confession” right in front of them.

Her mother chose her words with the utmost care, but during her unconscious state, Qin Xiangxi had retained some vague awareness, especially right before waking up. Every word of Madam Jiang’s sarcasm had clearly pierced her ears.

Qin Xiangxi had initially thought she was dreaming and turned to her mother with hopeful eyes.

But her mother seemed completely oblivious to her silent plea.

Instead, each word of comfort only served to confirm Jiang Xuehe’s heartless cruelty.

“What’s so great about Jiang Xuehe? If you ask me, she’s not even as good-looking as our Xixi. She’s just a failed contender for power, living off her family’s wealth. At best, she’ll marry into money and become a rich housewife, how could she possibly take good care of you? I think that Yan girl is much better, more sincere.”

Mrs. Qin tightly gripped her daughter’s hand, listing Jiang Xuehe’s flaws one by one, hoping to steer her back from her misguided path. But she failed to notice her daughter’s face growing increasingly pale.

“Most importantly, she doesn’t like you at all but frankly, I don’t think she’s even worthy of you. Xixi? Xixi! What’s wrong?!”

Qin Xiangxi’s face turned deathly pale. Her eyes closed, and she collapsed back onto the bed.

Mr. and Mrs. Qin sprang up in panic, hovering over their daughter for a long moment before finally snapping into action. One of them reached out to hold their daughter, while the other dashed out of the room to call for a doctor.

Not far outside the door stood Yan Guiqiu, but neither of them noticed her.

By the time Jiang Xuehe retraced her steps, Qin Xiangxi’s room had descended into chaos. Mrs. Qin’s screams could be heard from a distance.

For a moment, Jiang Xuehe found the scene before her both absurd and ridiculous, as if it were unfolding in another world entirely.

Her footsteps paused briefly, and her gaze met Yan Guiqiu’s as the latter looked up.

Yan Guiqiu instinctively offered her a smile. Jiang Xuehe felt a momentary daze, as if she had been pulled back to reality, and she, too, instinctively curved her lips into a gentle smile as she walked toward her.

“Why are you here alone?” Jiang Xuehe asked.

“An Chen is waiting for me in the parking lot,” Yan Guiqiu replied.

“Hmm?” Jiang Xuehe wasn’t satisfied with the answer.

“I was waiting here for you,” Yan Guiqiu sighed.

Naturally, Jiang Xuehe had returned to find her.

Earlier in the hospital room, she had indeed spotted Yan Guiqiu.

After stepping out, she had deliberately led Madam Jiang in another direction to avoid a confrontation.

“Am I really that much of an embarrassment?” Yan Guiqiu asked, though she didn’t seem particularly bothered. She had a rough idea of Madam Jiang’s character and would prefer to avoid meeting her if possible.

It was just that Jiang Xuehe seemed a bit pitiable.

“Not at all,” Jiang Xuehe chuckled. “My mother can be rather petty in certain ways and likes to think she’s clever. If she were to see you now, she’d assume you were provoking her and would target you because of it.”

Jiang Xuehe had no qualms about exposing her mother’s flaws in front of others.

Yan Guiqiu nodded. From the plot, she had already gathered that Madam Jiang was the type to hold grudges. Later in the story, after Qin Xiangxi married into the Jiang family, Madam Jiang made life difficult for her, tarnishing her reputation and, in a way, inadvertently drawing fire away from Jiang Xuehe in the plot.

“Although I know you can handle it, it’s better to avoid trouble than to invite it.” Jiang Xuehe spoke while glancing at the nearby hospital room, her gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.

“Qin Xiangxi seemed to wake up just now, but probably due to excessive shock, she fainted again. They’re calling the doctor now,” Yan Guiqiu explained. “But I heard from the nurse that she should be fine, just physically weak due to poor constitution.”

Jiang Xuehe gave a soft “Mm” and quickly averted her gaze, walking with Yan Guiqiu toward the elevator.

“My mother usually stays at home playing the wealthy lady, so her influence rarely reaches me. But if you ever run into her in the future, don’t feel obliged to spare my feelings,” Jiang Xuehe said as she pressed the elevator button. “I don’t want you to suffer any grievances because of me.”

“What about you?” Yan Guiqiu instinctively asked.

“Me?” Jiang Xuehe turned to look at her.

“Don’t you feel wronged?” Yan Guiqiu asked, watching her.

“It’s fine,” Jiang Xuehe shifted her gaze to the changing numbers on the elevator panel and said calmly, “I’ve long grown accustomed to it.”

As early as six years ago, when she chose to go abroad, her heart had already turned cold.

Back then, there was a hint of defiance in her decision. But when she called home after some time, her mother would ask about her well-being yet never once urged her to return.

On several occasions, Mrs. Jiang inadvertently let slip that it was a relief Jiang Xuehe had willingly stepped back, saving her from having to face any awkwardness.

Jiang Xuehe did feel disheartened for a while, but being alone allowed her to gradually come to terms with it. She wasn’t one to dwell on things obsessively. Time and favoritism had worn away her emotions until she no longer cared.

Others praised her for her magnanimity and good temper, but she simply avoided arguments, handling matters in the most dignified way possible. This not only prevented conflicts but also earned her a good reputation after all, a generous and kind-hearted person is always more trustworthy than a petty, sharp-tongued one.

And Mrs. Jiang’s wariness of her was not entirely unfounded.

During her years abroad, Jiang Xuehe hadn’t been idle. Her keen intuition and foresight seemed almost innate, and the shares she acquired through investments alone provided her with a solid foundation. She could either retire comfortably or take risks with confidence.

Within the Jiang family, aside from her staunch supporter Jiang Xuyu, only the patriarch, Old Master Jiang, was fully aware of this and had even covertly supported her, helping to cover things up.

Jiang Xueyang and his father, seeing Jiang Xuehe yield and cooperate, let their guard down completely, likely thinking along the lines of, “Women are too soft-hearted to achieve great things.” After the welcome banquet, when they learned she had opened an art gallery in a small town, even their occasional phone calls became noticeably warmer and more affectionate.

Only Mrs. Jiang, despite knowing nothing about the company’s affairs, remained wary of her daughter.

Whether it was due to a woman’s innate intuition or simply excessive favoritism, Jiang Xuehe didn’t dwell on it. She felt it no longer mattered.

Silencing her mother’s incessant nagging had become a skill she had mastered by now.

As for how much grievance she felt, she hardly noticed anymore.

Without expectations, there would be no disappointment.

That was what she had always believed.

But Yan Guiqiu looked at Jiang Xuehe and said, with apparent sincerity, “I feel wronged on your behalf.”

For a fleeting moment, Jiang Xuehe wavered.

It wasn’t that she thought her mother’s actions were truly excessive, but rather she was thinking that having someone care about you, someone who stands up for you, really is something that makes a person happy.

Being disappointed in one part doesn’t mean losing all hope entirely.

With a ding, the elevator stopped in front of them. It happened to be empty at that moment, and the two stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to close, someone from around the corner shouted, “Hey, wait, wait, wait!” and rushed over.

Jiang Xuehe reached out and pressed the elevator’s door-open button, while at the same time hearing Yan Guiqiu say from behind, “Do you want to come home with me?”

The person outside, sweating profusely, dashed in, one hand bracing against the elevator wall as they panted and repeatedly said, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Jiang Xuehe distractedly replied, “You’re welcome,” before turning back to look at Yan Guiqiu beside her and asking, “What did you say?”

Yan Guiqiu said, “My hometown is in Ningcheng. Although it’s a bit far from here, it only takes a little over two hours by plane.”

Jiang Xuehe was taken aback. “Ningcheng? How long has it been since you went back?”

Yan Guiqiu thought for a moment and said, “Just over a month. I went back during the New Year.”

But it was only once or twice a year, and each time she couldn’t stay for more than a few days.

Truthfully, she had rarely stayed at home since middle school, and after starting university, she had almost settled elsewhere. Every time she went back, it felt like visiting an unfamiliar city.

“It’s changed a lot in the past couple of years,” Yan Guiqiu said. “I heard they even opened a new art museum with many authentic ancient masterpieces.”

The young man who had just entered the elevator chimed in, “Yes, yes, yes! Ningcheng has been focusing on tourism development these past two years. There are so many fun places to visit. I lived there for over half a year last year and almost didn’t want to come back. If you go, you must check out the lantern festival by the Ningcheng River. I heard making wishes there is really effective. Unfortunately, I went too late last year and missed it.”

Yan Guiqiu asked curiously, “Really? Where is it?”

The young man said, “It’s in the eastern part of the city, near the park. You can also look up some guides online. I heard it lasts for several days.”

Yan Guiqiu pulled out her phone and started discussing the popular attractions with the young man.

The young man had indeed just returned from there and spoke enthusiastically. By the time the elevator reached the first floor and they walked to the hospital entrance, he finally stopped, still looking like he had more to say.

As an afterthought, he casually asked, “Are you two going back to pay respects to your ancestors? Or just for a trip?”

Yan Guiqiu, still looking down as she noted the last keyword, blurted out, “Meeting the parents.”

The young man: …

Yan Guiqiu didn’t seem to have any intention of adding something like “just kidding.” Instead, she turned to the girl beside her and said, “I already talked to my mom. She said as long as I’ve made up my mind, I can bring someone home anytime.”

Then, remembering the bystander, she turned back and specifically said, “Thank you.”

The young man awkwardly replied, “Oh,” glancing at Yan Guiqiu and then at Jiang Xuehe, who showed no sign of refuting or explaining. Finally, he instinctively said, “I wish you both happiness.”

Yan Guiqiu stopped, turned to look at him, and said earnestly, “Thank you.”

Her seriousness made the young man a bit embarrassed, and he could only smile faintly.

The two walked toward the parking lot, Yan Guiqiu’s voice still audible: “Give Sister He a raise and have her watch the shop for a few more days, it’ll be a bit of extra work, but think of it as a chance to relax. My mom is the one who calls the shots at home, so if you come back with me, I promise you won’t be treated unfairly.”

Beside her, Jiang Xuehe watched with a faint smile, occasionally responding with a word or two.

Though she spoke less than the person next to her, her gaze never strayed for even a moment.

The young man standing at the entrance scratched his head, suddenly feeling a twinge of envy.

Unaware and unconcerned about how others perceived them, the two continued. Jiang Xuehe said she needed more time to think it over, and Yan Guiqiu stopped under a tree at the entrance to the parking lot.

“At this point, I might as well be direct,” Yan Guiqiu said, her expression serious.

Jiang Xuehe paused as well, unconsciously adopting a more solemn demeanor. “What is it?”

“Since the opportunity is here, why wait for another day?” Yan Guiqiu looked at her and said, “Give me a place by your side, Sister Xuehe.”

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