After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 50.1

“……”

Yan Guiqiu instantly forgot what she had intended to say earlier.

As the one with more life experience, Jiang Xuehe usually carried herself with the poise and gentleness fitting her age this was the first time she had ever pretended to be pitiful.

But…

It was also quite endearing.

Yan Guiqiu pressed a hand over her heart, shamelessly feeling a little charmed.

She could only nod repeatedly.

Before she could say anything, a sudden snort came from the alley entrance.

Followed by the sound of someone choking on their own saliva.

Jiang Xuehe’s expression darkened slightly as she turned to look.

The explosive coughing immediately stopped.

Yan Guiqiu followed her gaze and saw a man standing against the light. Judging by his build and attire, he seemed to be a young man.

He appeared to be an acquaintance of Jiang Xuehe’s.

“Is it that funny?” Jiang Xuehe asked gently.

“Yeah, a little!” The man caught himself just in time, his tone shifting a hundred and eighty degrees, but he still couldn’t stop his mouth from running, “ scary.”

Jiang Xuehe: “…”

She curled her lips into a faint, insincere smile. The man trembled almost imperceptibly, instinctively shutting his mouth. His gaze swept around before settling on Yan Guiqiu, visibly brightening with enthusiasm.

“You must be Miss Yan, right? I’ve heard so much about you, so much!” The young man strode over eagerly, looking as if he might grab Yan Guiqiu’s hand and shake it vigorously.

Yan Guiqiu finally got a clear look at his face.

He appeared to be in his twenties, slightly older than Jiang Xuehe, dressed in a gray tracksuit that looked like he’d just run out of a senior activity center or a square dance gathering. Yet his hairstyle was meticulously styled, with a row of shiny silver hoops dangling from one ear.

It was hard to tell if he was just unconventional or simply eccentric.

Yan Guiqiu glanced at him, then at Jiang Xuehe, then back at the young man.

There was a faint resemblance between the two.

“I’m Jiang Xuyu,” the young man introduced himself excitedly.

“My cousin,” Jiang Xuehe added, shooting him a glance before adding, “He’s a bit unconventional at times. Don’t mind him.”

Ah, one of Jiang Xuehe’s most capable allies in the struggle for the family fortune in the storyline.

Yan Guiqiu finally connected the dots.

Only Jiang Xuehe could handle someone like this.

Yan Guiqiu couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect.

Realizing how mismatched his outfit was, Jiang Xuyu quickly explained.

“I just came from a senior activity center downtown played a round of tai chi with some elderly gentlemen, then went for a run by the river. My clothes are all at the hotel; I haven’t had time to change yet.”

Yan Guiqiu: “…”

Yan Guiqiu: “Oh.”

So it really was a senior activity center.

The first impression was deeply ingrained. Jiang Xuyu noticed the conflicted expression on her face and fell silent for a moment. Glancing at Jiang Xuehe, he added a few more words of explanation.

“Our company is currently developing smart products for the elderly. We’re planning to open a branch in Yunhua City soon, so I came ahead to do some research.”

He had arrived in Yunhua City that morning, but Jiang Xuehe said she had something to attend to, so he had to find something to occupy himself.

Although he had brought others with him, he still preferred to handle certain matters personally to feel more at ease.

Jiang Xuehe took Yan Guiqiu to a restaurant that had just opened near the gallery. Jiang Xuyu happened to drop by to visit his cousin after finishing work, which was how he ran into them.

With an outsider interrupting, Jiang Xuehe and Yan Guiqiu naturally lost their playful mood and invited Jiang Xuyu to the gallery to sit for a while.

“Didn’t you say you’d come next week?” Jiang Xuehe took some desserts from the cabinet to treat her cousin.

Jiang Xuyu’s taste was quite similar to Yan Guiqiu’s both had a particular fondness for sweets.

Clearly, the two of them got along well. Jiang Xuyu didn’t hold back at all, immediately picking out the most expensive and rarest box of cookies and opening it.

“Old Zhao from our company, the big shot we just poached has some family matters next week and asked for leave. So I figured I’d bring him along this week to check out his future workplace.” Jiang Xuyu munched on a cookie as he spoke. “Oh, and did you know your brother’s coming next week?”

“My brother?” Jiang Xuehe snatched a few packets of cookies from the box he’d opened and handed them to Yan Guiqiu beside her. She seemed surprised. “What’s he coming for?”

“It’s all because of your mom’s doings. Somehow, he heard about that young girl your mom screwed over said she lost her reputation and everything. And with Grandpa losing his temper last time, your brother’s eager to show off. Right in front of Grandpa. Ugh, he went on and on about how guilty he felt, insisting he had to personally go apologize.”

Jiang Xuyu rolled his eyes dramatically, his disdain evident. “You should’ve seen it. Grandpa was furious, but your brother thought he was doing great.”

“…”

Jiang Xuehe fell silent for a moment, though she wasn’t entirely surprised. “Sounds like something he’d do.”

Jiang Xueyang wasn’t exactly clueless, but when it came to flattery, he often overdid it.

The problem was, Old Master Jiang was a master of sarcasm even if he cursed you to your face, you might not realize it. When they were kids, Jiang Xueyang would take Grandpa’s words literally seven or eight times out of ten during their visits.

It seemed he hadn’t improved much since growing up.

“Since Grandpa already asked you to come home for a meal, your brother volunteered to pick you up on the way.” Jiang Xuyu snorted. “I don’t want to run into him. What bad luck!”

Jiang Xuyu clearly held quite a grudge against Jiang Xueyang and didn’t hold back his complaints, even in front of Jiang Xuehe.

Yan Guiqiu listened with great interest, almost wishing she had a handful of sunflower seeds to snack on while hearing all about Jiang Xueyang’s embarrassing moments over the years.

As she listened, she began to form a rough idea of Jiang Xueyang’s character.

At the company, Jiang Xueyang was the type who neither excelled nor failed, he completed the tasks Old Master Jiang assigned him adequately, without major mistakes, but also without any standout achievements.

People still addressed him as “Young Master Jiang” because the old man hadn’t stepped down, and Jiang Xueyang hadn’t accomplished anything impressive enough to earn a more respectful title.

With Jiang Xuehe his biggest competitor out of the picture, Jiang Xueyang seemed to lack motivation to strive harder.

No wonder Old Master Jiang was so frustrated with Jiang Xuehe for not being ambitious enough.

If she were around, why would he bother trying to polish a block of wood?

Outside the company, however, Jiang Xueyang was no stranger to gossip. Mrs. Jiang loved boasting about how filial and outstanding her son was, making a fuss over every little thing. On the surface, people praised him, but behind his back, many enjoyed laughing at his expense.

Madam Jiang was not entirely unaware of the rumors, yet she remained undeterred. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell she was trying to craft the image of a perfect son to secure a favorable marriage alliance.

Unfortunately, she looked down on families of similar status, while those of higher standing were beyond her reach.

Jiang Xueyang himself had never expressed an opinion on the matter. When his mother asked him to meet the daughters of family friends, he complied without explicitly labeling it as a matchmaking effort. Most of the time, after a few meetings and meals, the connections would fade, and Madam Jiang would move on to the next candidate.

Lately, her greatest concern was her son’s lifelong commitment.

Jiang Xuyu deliberately brought up these matters, not merely to amuse the two of them. By the end, he cast a meaningful glance at Yan Guiqiu.

“Your brother is already in his late twenties. At his age, other people’s children are old enough to run errands. Your mother’s pickiness might last another year or two, but after that, she’ll have to settle for someone from a similar background.”

Yan Guiqiu felt a twitch in her eyelid under Jiang Xuyu’s gaze.

The way he looked at her, as if appraising a piece of merchandise, made her uncomfortable.

But that gloomy expression vanished in an instant. Jiang Xuyu himself seemed displeased, tossing the last piece of biscuit into his mouth, turning his face away, and chewing expressionlessly.

Yan Guiqiu felt Jiang Xuehe’s grip on her wrist tighten, followed by a low voice: “I know. It won’t happen.”

“I hope so.” After a moment, Jiang Xuyu turned his gaze back, his expression once again playful. “Forget it, let’s not talk about such gloomy matters. As hosts, now that my brother is back, shouldn’t you two properly entertain me, your guest?”

Jiang Xuehe patted Yan Guiqiu’s hand reassuringly, not continuing the vague topic, and smoothly changed the subject: “Where do you want to go?”

Jiang Xuyu thought seriously for a moment and said, “A nursing home or a community activity center for the elderly.”

“If you’re free in the evening, you can join me for the seniors’ square dancing event.” He counted on his fingers and added, “I feel a bit embarrassed going alone as a man.”

Yan Guiqiu: “…”

“You’d feel embarrassed?” Jiang Xuehe voiced Yan Guiqiu’s thoughts, giving Jiang Xuyu’s outfit a once-over. “You seem to be enjoying yourself quite a bit.”

“Not at all, I’m actually quite awkward,” Jiang Xuyu said with a serious face. “It’s just too far from the hotel, and I couldn’t get a taxi, so I thought I’d come find you.”

Jiang Xuehe stared at him for a long moment before finally looking away, unable to bear the sight. “Let me take you back to change your clothes first.”

Yan Guiqiu guessed they had private matters to discuss and waved at them from her seat. “You two go ahead. I’m a bit tired after eating and will wait here for you.”

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