After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 28

When Jiang Xuehe came out of the shower, drying her hair, Yan Guiqiu was standing in front of her bookshelf.

“Let me help you wash your hair,” Jiang Xuehe said.

“Sister Xuehe, you should dry your hair first so you don’t catch a cold,” Yan Guiqiu replied before turning to fetch the hairdryer from the bathroom.

She didn’t seem to react particularly, but Jiang Xuehe felt something was off.

The phone on the desk suddenly lit up again.

Jiang Xuehe instinctively took a few steps forward and glanced at the screen. Jiang Xuyu had just sent her several messages. It seemed that since her phone had been off earlier, the messages had only now appeared along with the new ones.

They were just the same old topics they’d discussed endlessly, so Jiang Xuehe didn’t think much of it. She casually closed the app and was about to put down her phone when she noticed the chair that had been moved aside out of the corner of her eye. She froze for a moment.

“Sister Xuehe, the hairdryer,” Yan Guiqiu came out with the hairdryer in hand.

“Guiqiu,” Jiang Xuehe looked up at her, clearly intending to say something.

Seeing the phone in her hand, Yan Guiqiu had already guessed most of it.

Suddenly feeling nothing but guilt, she stood in place and confessed proactively, “I didn’t mean to peek, I really just accidentally saw my name.”

Yan Guiqiu repeatedly emphasized the word “accidentally.”

“It was my cousin who sent it to me,” Jiang Xuehe beckoned her over. “Come here.”

Yan Guiqiu hesitated for a moment before walking over, but she deliberately averted her gaze, avoiding looking at the phone.

“My cousin, Jiang Xuyu, knows a little about you and thinks you’re amazing, so he’s been wanting to recruit you,” Jiang Xuehe explained as she scrolled through the chat history, not hiding it from Yan Guiqiu.

Yan Guiqiu gave a dry “oh” but didn’t look at the phone.

She had known for a while that Jiang Xuehe had looked into her background.

“But I didn’t agree to it,” Jiang Xuehe sighed softly, unsure how to express herself without sounding guilty. “That’s not why I’m with you.”

“I know,” Yan Guiqiu paused, finally meeting her gaze and looking at Jiang Xuehe. “I don’t misunderstand you.”

This time, it was Jiang Xuehe’s turn to be taken aback.

She had expected Yan Guiqiu to be at least a little upset.

But Yan Guiqiu seemed to trust her completely.

“If it were about business, you wouldn’t have needed to go to such lengths to be with me,” Yan Guiqiu said. “And if you had such intentions, you would’ve brought it up long ago.”

The truth was, in their private moments, they almost never discussed companies, business, family matters, or even topics related to their professions.

Perhaps it was a mutual, unspoken understanding, a fear that talking too much about things only they understood would make the other feel neglected or awkward.

Looking back, their conversations were often trivial, woven into the fabric of everyday life, yet they seemed to bring enough joy and satisfaction.

Jiang Xuehe had been so flustered out of concern that it took her a moment to realize.

When she was with Yan Guiqiu, the latter was so easily shy that Jiang Xuehe often forgot just how capable she truly was.

Shyness might stem from inexperience or cherishing a deep affection, but that didn’t mean Yan Guiqiu had suddenly turned into a mindless fool.

She could still distinguish genuine feelings from pretense.

“It seems I overthought things,” Jiang Xuehe said with a wry smile. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” Yan Guiqiu replied casually. “I believe Sister Xuehe isn’t that kind of person.”

“What if I really did deceive you?” Jiang Xuehe asked.

The hypothetical felt uncomfortable and unlikely, yet perhaps because Yan Guiqiu was too tolerant and uncomplaining, Jiang Xuehe found herself instinctively wanting to test the limits of that patience.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Jiang Xuehe regretted them, but it was too late to take them back.

Yan Guiqiu, however, didn’t overanalyze it and answered without hesitation, “It wouldn’t matter.”

Jiang Xuehe pressed, “How could it not matter?”

Yan Guiqiu said, “Even if you really deceived me or used me, I’d be willing.”

“Just because of ‘liking’ me?” Jiang Xuehe asked.

Yan Guiqiu hummed in agreement, then paused and corrected herself, “Not ‘just’ because of liking. Liking you is the only reason I need.”

Jiang Xuehe fell silent for a long moment, even stopping the motion of drying her hair.

Yan Guiqiu glanced at her expression and chuckled. “Sister Xuehe, do you think I sound too pitiful?”

Jiang Xuehe nodded honestly. “It suddenly feels quite heavy.”

Yan Guiqiu asked her, “Then, are you that kind of person?”

Jiang Xuehe shook her head. Of course, she wasn’t the type to deceive or use Yan Guiqiu.

“Then it’s settled,” Yan Guiqiu said. “Someone who would deceive or use me probably wouldn’t be someone I’d like in the first place. But in reality, the person I like wouldn’t do such things, so why worry about something that won’t even happen?”

Jiang Xuehe thought it over carefully and found her reasoning sound. Reflecting further, she realized she was the one overthinking things.

That wasn’t good.

“You’re right,” Jiang Xuehe sighed, finally understanding, and resumed drying her hair. “I won’t do it again.”

Yan Guiqiu handed her the hairdryer, its plug already inserted near the desk. The whirring sound filled the room for a while. After some thought, Jiang Xuehe decided to share her original plans with Yan Guiqiu.

“I never intended to return to the Jiang family,” Jiang Xuehe said. “While abroad, I saved up some money and built a network. My plan was to take a break after returning, assess the Jiang family’s situation, and then start my own business.”

She had her eye on an emerging industry overseas, but it still lacked a solid foundation domestically. She could only start small and test the waters. Moreover, the Jiang family viewed her as a threat, and it was hard to say whether they would create obstacles for her. One misstep could ruin all her efforts.

It made more sense to wait, to better understand the Jiang family’s stance and the domestic market before diving in. Preparations were already underway with help from others, so she didn’t need to overexert herself just yet.

This period after returning home was a rare vacation for her.

Her rapid progress with Yan Guiqiu was unexpected, but in truth, Jiang Xuehe had returned early precisely because of her. Her curiosity wasn’t tainted by ulterior motives, and she hadn’t included Yan Guiqiu in her career plans.

Knowing that Yan Guiqiu had no intention of touching those things again, she naturally wouldn’t force her to do anything for her.

Bringing it up with Yan Guiqiu now was simply to lay her cards on the table, giving her a clear understanding.

Although Yan Guiqiu trusted her, trust still needed to be actively maintained and not allowed to be worn down over time.

Since it was something that had to be addressed sooner or later, clarifying it early could help avoid misunderstandings.

“The one who just messaged me is my cousin, we’re separated by about three or four generations. Back when I was working at the family company, he was the one who helped me. His personality is a bit unreliable, but he’s quite dependable when it comes to getting things done.” Jiang Xuehe briefly introduced him. “He has some conflicts with my older brother some old grudges and new disputes. Since he gets along well with me, he’s been quite dedicated in helping me.”

As for the others, some were international students she met abroad, some were business partners she got to know while learning the ropes at the Jiang family company, and a few were old classmates.

However, most of them were just business partners, without any deeper personal connections.

The ones she could consider close were her cousin and old friends like Zhong Heyi, whom she had known since her student days.

Jiang Xuehe gave a general overview, and Yan Guiqiu didn’t press for details.

Yan Guiqiu nodded, keeping only a rough idea in mind.

She didn’t know most of these people, and it was unlikely she’d meet them in the future, so there was no need for an overly detailed introduction.

Jiang Xuehe didn’t specify how far along she was in her current plans, but since she was determined to start from scratch and had already established collaborations with so many people, it was clear that her life hadn’t been easy over the years.

Yan Guiqiu hesitated again as she thought about it.

Jiang Xuehe knew about her past and was well aware of her capabilities.

Those close to her had urged her not to give up the “good resources” around her, clearly believing she could be of great help.

Jiang Xuehe genuinely didn’t mind now and had no intention of involving her, but what about the future?

Jiang Xuehe noticed her conflicted expression and paused to ask, “What’s wrong?”

Yan Guiqiu said, “I don’t know how I can help you.”

Jiang Xuehe replied, “I don’t need you to force yourself to do things you don’t like.”

Yan Guiqiu’s expression remained uncertain.

Sensing her hesitation, Jiang Xuehe’s earlier questions resurfaced all at once.

“Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you go back home?” Jiang Xuehe looked at Yan Guiqiu, studying her expression as she spoke slowly, her tone as gentle as possible. “Your sister mentioned wanting you to come back and help. She doesn’t seem like the type who can’t handle losing and resorts to underhanded tricks. Why are you avoiding it to this extent?”

She also recalled the complaint letter Yan Guiqiu had written that day at Xinglan.

Something that could have been resolved with a simple phone call, or at the very least, an anonymous letter to the higher-ups would have been more effective than those complaint forms.

Rather than hoping the store’s management would self-investigate, it seemed more like Yan Guiqiu simply didn’t care about Xinglan’s affairs.

Was it “avoidance”?

It felt more like “giving up” or “indifference,” as if it truly had nothing to do with her, only warranting her input as a customer.

If her family relationships were distant, that would be one thing, but the Yan family clearly got along well. Even out of consideration for familial bonds, she shouldn’t be this detached.

Yan Guiqiu stared at the floor.

She had never spoken of these matters to anyone before. At this moment, she resembled a primary school student being lectured by a teacher, slightly lowering her head and pondering for a long while before lifting it again. Yet, her gaze avoided Jiang Xuehe, instead fixing on the potted green plant on the windowsill.

“It’s not because of avoidance,” Yan Guiqiu said. “I just.”

She paused briefly before continuing, “Simply detest those things.”

Money, power, they seemed like the very things countless people dreamed of, cloaked in every mention of “success.”

But Yan Guiqiu understood all too well what the word “interest” ultimately brought.

“I think my life now is good, and I don’t want anything unstable to disrupt the bond between us.”

Yan Guiqiu looked up at Jiang Xuehe as she spoke, concluding, “And I don’t want to lose you.”

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