After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 42.1

Teacher Zhang was genuinely taken aback for a moment.

Yan Guiqiu and Yan Guizhou had attended the same elementary school. Compared to her older sister, who was merely “quite bright,” Yan Guizhou was far more notorious.

Not only did she excel academically, but in sports meets and extracurricular activities any event that involved rankings or winners and losers, she was always more eager than anyone to compete.

She got into physical fights quite often as well.

Sometimes it started with minor arguments, but Yan Guizhou had an exceptionally stubborn personality as a child. Even in quarrels, she had to win. Often, things would escalate until the other party, enraged beyond reason, would push her first, and Yan Guizhou would naturally push back.

Back and forth it went, and the number of times these scuffles drew blood was too many to count on one hand.

The key point was that Yan Guizhou was always the one “in the right.” The arguments started because the other side couldn’t hold back and cursed first; the fights broke out because the other side threw the first punch, and Yan Guizhou merely retaliated.

For a time, Yan Guizhou was the source of headaches for homeroom teachers, grade-level directors, and even the principal. Her name was known to everyone in the school.

Even after graduation, veteran teachers would have nightmares at the mere mention of her name.

Later, when Yan Guizhou occasionally passed by the school gates, her former teachers would recognize her, exchange pleasantries, and then remark in disbelief at how much calmer her temper had become.

Naturally, Teacher Zhang was no exception.

When it came to “fighting,” it was definitely the younger sister who left a stronger impression.

So he took a moment to carefully reconsider whether he might have misremembered, but after a while, it dawned on him.

“How could that be?” Teacher Zhang said. “Back then, Qin Xiangxi was in the same class as you, right? Your sister was only in first grade.”

In first grade, Yan Guizhou could still be described as “well-behaved.”

Teacher Zhang was getting on in years, so it was understandable that his memory wasn’t as sharp. But Qin Xiangxi, being directly involved, wouldn’t misremember.

“Just a little while ago, before class, Xiangxi called me to ask about those times. She said she felt really sorry and asked if I had your contact information. She wanted to apologize to you in person,” Teacher Zhang explained. “But it’s been so many years since graduation, I’m not even sure if your old number still works. I told her I’d look through my old contact book tonight and get back to her.”

He never expected to run into Yan Guiqiu right here.

“What a coincidence,” Teacher Zhang chuckled warmly. “I always thought the two of you had a special connection. It’s just too fitting that it was always you who ended up helping her.”

Yan Guiqiu felt an urge to find something to shut Teacher Zhang up, but with Jiang Xuehe standing beside her, she could only force an awkward laugh and try to steer the conversation elsewhere.

Fortunately, the warning bell for class rang just in time, and Teacher Zhang snapped back to reality, patting his forehead.

“Oh, I have a class soon. I shouldn’t keep chatting. If you have time later, feel free to drop by during lunch break. You could share some college experiences with your juniors and motivate them a bit.”

Waving as he walked away, Teacher Zhang’s voice faded into the distance.

Yan Guiqiu breathed a slight sigh of relief, only to hear Jiang Xuehe remark beside her, “It seems you’ve had a habit of standing up for others since you were little.”

Hearing Jiang Xuehe’s teasing, Yan Guiqiu gave a wry smile. “I really don’t remember any of it.”

There was also a part of her that deliberately chose to forget.

Long before she regained her memories, she had felt that Qin Xiangxi was too unpredictable and had always kept her distance as much as possible. Even though Qin had helped her many times, almost none of those moments left a deep impression on her.

All that remained was a vague, generalized impression of “trouble.”

“But she went through your elementary school teacher to find you. She must have had some reason, right?” Jiang Xuehe asked.

Her first instinct was to suspect some kind of scheme perhaps Qin was trying to subtly extract some information. But after recalling the impression Qin Xiangxi had left on her, she dismissed that suspicion on her own.

“Isn’t she at the same school as you?”

“Yes, but we didn’t exchange contact information.” Yan Guiqiu thought for a moment and added, “However, the last time she was hospitalized, I left her my transfer account number, and the registration was under my phone number. But she might not have kept it.”

There might also be some records in the school’s general group chat, but Qin Xiangxi probably wouldn’t have bothered to memorize them.

Before this, they had practically disliked each other at first sight. Even if they ran into each other on the street, they likely wouldn’t have greeted one another, let alone added each other to their friend lists.

As for their long history as classmates, aside from elementary school, they were hardly ever in the same class, so there was no real need to exchange contact information.

Only during elementary school were they proper classmates who had even taken graduation photos together.

But why would Qin Xiangxi suddenly go to their elementary school teacher to ask for her contact information?

It would have been more efficient to ask Yan Guiqiu’s university classmates.

Yan Guiqiu had a vague suspicion in her heart but wasn’t entirely sure.

According to the plot, Qin Xiangxi’s rebirth should have happened two years later.

But then again, the plot never mentioned that the “spare tire” and the “white moonlight” would end up together.

Perhaps it was the butterfly effect.

“Then it must be related to something from your childhood,” Jiang Xuehe guessed.

Yan Guiqiu thought the same.

“I’ll go back and ask Ah Zhou and Anchen,” Yan Guiqiu said.

“Anchen?” Jiang Xuehe paused for a moment, recalling that Song Anchen was Yan Guiqiu’s childhood friend. “Were you classmates too?”

Yan Guiqiu nodded. “Yes, actually, we all met after starting school.”

Jiang Xuehe let out a slow “Oh.”

Yan Guiqiu noticed she seemed preoccupied. “What’s on your mind, Xuehe-jie?”

“It just feels like quite a coincidence.” Jiang Xuehe paused, shook her head, and swallowed the words she had intended to say.

What she was really thinking was, Why didn’t we meet earlier?

Song Anchen was a distant relative of hers, and they had seen each other a few times during holidays.

Qin Xiangxi had followed her relentlessly, turning an unrequited crush into something everyone knew about.

Even with A Luan, they had exchanged nods at banquets and events in the past.

Yet Yan Guiqiu, who was connected to all of them, was someone she only truly got to know now.

And if she hadn’t taken the initiative to return to Yunhua City, they might never have crossed paths again in this lifetime.

But it wasn’t too late.

As long as they had met, it wasn’t too late.

Jiang Xuehe glanced at Yan Guiqiu’s profile. The latter was looking down, sending a message to Song Anchen.

When Yan Guiqiu put her phone away, Jiang Xuehe reached out and took her hand. Neither of them felt like wandering anymore, so they slowly made their way home.

By the time they arrived, Yan Guiqiu’s father and Yan Guizhou had just returned.

Yan Guizhou and Gu Yuyin were gathered around the table, studying something intently, while Yan’s father was in the kitchen preparing ingredients for dinner.

“What’s this?” Yan Guiqiu leaned in to take a look.

“Sparklers,” Gu Yuyin replied.

“Dad picked them up on his way home when he saw them on the roadside,” Yan Guizhou added as an explanation.

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