After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 54

Yan Guiqiu swept a glance over Qin Xiangxi, her expression remaining unchanged.

As if looking at a complete stranger, she quickly averted her gaze and took a step back. She then turned as usual and walked through the school gates, her silhouette merging into the crowd of students holding umbrellas.

Qin Xiangxi froze where she stood, the image of the two of them kissing under the umbrella replaying endlessly in her mind.

So, they really are together.

The thought drifted through her mind in a daze. The rumors, which had previously lacked any sense of reality, were suddenly laid bare before her. It felt like a heavy blow to the head, leaving her mind a total blank.

Someone behind her wasn’t paying attention and bumped into her. Qin Xiangxi stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

The passerby was startled instead and quickly reached out to steady her. “Are you okay?”

Qin Xiangxi turned back, looking at the person dully, and gave a stiff shake of her head.

The passerby was an older woman carrying a vegetable basket. She looked Qin Xiangxi up and down, noticing that the girl’s shoulder was soaked from the rain and that she looked utterly soul-crushed. She couldn’t help but ask with concern, “Are you alright, little girl? Did you get your heart broken?”

Qin Xiangxi’s expression was grim. Something in her face must have misled the woman, who patted her shoulder with the air of someone who had seen it all.

“Oh, you young people certainly have the leisure for such drama. When you grow up and look back, this won’t even matter. It’s hard to find a three-legged toad, but two-legged men are all over the street! If you broke up, it just means you weren’t right for each other. Just move on to the next one…”

The woman rambled on with her consolation, and the people passing by couldn’t help but cast curious glances their way.

Among those coming out of the school gates were Qin Xiangxi’s own classmates, who spotted her immediately. Seeing a classmate heading her way, Qin Xiangxi finally snapped out of it. She awkwardly interrupted the woman, lowered her head, and hurried into the school, brushing past her classmate and ignoring the other girl’s greeting entirely.

The older woman let out a lingering sigh. “Young people these days… their minds are entirely on romance. If they put that effort into studying and giving back to society, it would be much better…”

The classmate looked at the woman, then back at Qin Xiangxi’s retreating figure, her confusion shifting to a look of sudden realization.

Hidden away on campus, Qin Xiangxi let out a sneeze.

By the time Yan Guiqiu put away her umbrella and walked into the classroom, her roommate had already found a spot in a corner. Upon seeing her, the roommate waved frantically, signaling her to come over.

As Yan Guiqiu walked across the room, classmates greeted her one after another. Some had heard the news of her new girlfriend and offered playful congratulations. She didn’t blush; she simply smiled and responded to each one.

By the time she reached the corner, her roommate was so anxious her leg was shaking.

“What’s wrong?” Yan Guiqiu asked as she sat down.

“You asked about Qin Xiangxi before, right?” The roommate lowered her voice and covered her mouth. “I heard she’s coming back to school today.”

I just ran into her, Yan Guiqiu added silently in her mind.

She wondered if it was the inertia of the “plot” again. The school was so big and full of people, yet they were forced into these repeated encounters. If it were Jiang Xuehe, she would probably see it as a blessing from fate; since it was Qin Xiangxi, she only found it troublesome.

A person in a relationship is just that double-standard.

However, Yan Guiqiu didn’t say this aloud. She quietly listened to her roommate continue. When the roommate had initially looked into Qin Xiangxi, it was partly out of concern that she was using Yan Guiqiu and partly out of boredom. But hearing some recent rumors had made her feel a bit guilty.

Word was that Qin Xiangxi had been seen at several hospitals’ psychiatric departments over several consecutive days. Her parents had accompanied her throughout, and their expressions of anxiety and worry were clearly genuine.

Naturally, many people linked this to the recent school rumors. Those with a modicum of empathy felt a pang of guilt, and some even stopped others from bringing it up again. As time passed, the gossip about Qin Xiangxi and the playboy had mostly died down. While some still whispered privately that she was faking it for sympathy, no one dared to say it openly anymore.

Yan Guiqiu knew the truth was the exact opposite of the rumors. The gap between her rebirth and reality was likely the hardest part for her to accept. In both the plot and reality, Qin Xiangxi was a “little princess” who had been psychologically shielded. A sudden, massive upheaval could easily leave her trapped in despair. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen such an impulsive way to end her life in her previous one.

From their brief encounter at the gate, Yan Guiqiu had clearly seen the shock, loss, and devastation on Qin Xiangxi’s face. This person was likely not the Qin Xiangxi she had once known.

Thinking along those lines made Yan Guiqiu feel a bit melancholic. Where did the original Qin Xiangxi go? Although the old Qin Xiangxi was self-centered and brought her plenty of trouble, she was still a living person Yan Guiqiu had watched grow up.

Some things were better left unthought.

Yan Guiqiu forced her attention back as she heard her roommate say, “…Her name was on the graduation performance list released two days ago. She’ll probably be back to rehearse these next few days.”

Qin Xiangxi was in the College of Music and Arts, specializing in the violin. She used to be a fixture at school events. However, ever since her actions caused several students to miss out on overseas training opportunities—combined with the later rumors—both students and teachers had become quite cold toward her.

During a school event in early April, Qin Xiangxi had been sidelined. Both students and teachers had excuses ready: they wanted to give freshmen a chance, and the freshmen were clearly more skilled than her. It was a difficult argument to counter. Many guessed she wouldn’t appear in the graduation performance at all, or if she did, it would be a minor role.

The result, however, surpassed many expectations.

A student in the row in front overheard their gossip and leaned in. “What else could the reason be? Her parents are rich. I heard from a friend that an entire floor of equipment was renovated, all paid for by her parents. The graduation performance isn’t even that big of a deal; the dean just squeezed her in. It’s just adding a bit of stage time, who’s going to complain?”

The conversation shifted toward the rehearsal.

“I heard the lecture hall over there is open to the public lately. Want to go check it out? Maybe we’ll run into the goddess.” A boy’s friends egged him on with teasing smiles.

“Will Qin Xiangxi be there today?” Yan Guiqiu suddenly asked her roommate.

“Probably,” the roommate said uncertainly. “Why are you asking?”

“I want to go see,” Yan Guiqiu said.

“See her for what? Aren’t you afraid she’ll cling to you again?”

Before the roommate could finish, their elusive class advisor hurried into the room. He tapped the lectern for silence and began explaining the official arrangements for the thesis defense and graduation ceremony details, such as the class photo.

The advisor spoke rapidly, reminding them that important points would be posted in the class group. But there were so many trivial details that even with his emphasis, over an hour passed quickly. Without much sentimental parting, he reminded them to pass the word to those absent and rushed out again.

As the students began to disperse in small groups, the roommate glanced in the direction Yan Guiqiu was facing. “Are you really going?”

Yan Guiqiu nodded, opened her umbrella at the door, and walked toward the lecture hall often used for performances.

The roommate hesitated for a moment. Realizing she had nothing to do back at the dorm, she decided to follow.

Quite a few students had claimed they wanted to see the “goddess,” but very few were actually willing to brave the rain across half the campus. When Yan Guiqiu and her roommate followed the sounds of activity to the backstage area, there were very few spectators, and even fewer people rehearsing.

Qin Xiangxi, however, was there.

She didn’t notice the two of them wandering in. She was sitting alone on a stool in the corner, holding her violin and staring blankly at the curtain. People bustled past her, but no one stopped to accompany her. Occasionally, someone would ask her a question, but they rarely received a response.

It was hard to say if others were isolating Qin Xiangxi, or if she was isolating herself.

Yan Guiqiu stood at the edge of the room, quietly observing her for a long while. Her roommate peered over, letting out a few “wows.” Her attention was entirely captured by the others; seeing a familiar face, she excitedly shook Yan Guiqiu’s hand. “I’ve seen her on TV!”

She wasn’t talking about Qin Xiangxi. By the time Yan Guiqiu turned to look, the celebrity had already disappeared, likely having just left. The roommate pouted in disappointment, and only then did her gaze find Qin Xiangxi in the corner. “Why did you suddenly think of coming to see her?”

Yan Guiqiu turned to her and asked, “Do you think she’s different from before?”

The roommate took another look and shook her head. “I’m not close to her, how would I know if she’s different?”

“Does anything seem strange?” Yan Guiqiu pressed.

The roommate looked blank and shook her head again.

Yan Guiqiu gave a soft “oh” without explaining further. She took one last look at Qin Xiangxi and, without going up to say hello, turned to leave.

The roommate followed, confused. “What exactly is wrong with her?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Yan Guiqiu said slowly. “I just think she’s quite pitiful.”

A person trapped uneasily in a strange world, instinctively avoiding everything. Since the roommate wasn’t close to her, she naturally couldn’t see it. But because of her “ill-fated connections” with Qin Xiangxi, Yan Guiqiu knew a bit about her social circle.

Qin Xiangxi had a poor relationship with her roommates, but she was close to a girl from the next room who studied vocal music. That girl was present now; she had stolen several glances at Qin Xiangxi and tried to start a conversation, only to be ignored every time.

Qin Xiangxi acted as if she didn’t know her at all, sitting there helplessly and restlessly. She did indeed look quite pitiful.

Yan Guiqiu was finally certain: this was no longer the Qin Xiangxi she knew. But for this current Qin Xiangxi, she and Jiang Xuehe were likely complete strangers as well.

Jiang Xuehe was no longer the untouchable goddess of her perception, and Yan Guiqiu was no longer the devoted “spare tire” at her beck and call. If she could quietly accept reality without bothering them, they might coexist in peace. Otherwise…

The thought was still in her mind as she walked out of the school gates.

However, as the saying goes, whatever you fear most will happen.

While Yan Guiqiu was waiting for Jiang Xuehe by the road, she ran into Mr. and Mrs. Qin, who had come to pick up their daughter. As usual, the couple were out together. Seeing Yan Guiqiu, they stopped to greet her.

With people walking by, Yan Guiqiu simply nodded and brushed them off coldly. But Mrs. Qin seemed oblivious to the coldness. After some enthusiastic small talk, she cut to the chase.

“Our Xixi has been dreaming of you lately. You’ve had a bond for so many years; we know how much heart you’ve put into her. Xixi has finally changed her mind… When will you come over to our house with her?”

The implication was excessively blunt.

Yan Guiqiu’s brow furrowed, but before she could speak, she heard a slight screech of brakes. A car with a familiar license plate pulled up behind Mr. Qin’s vehicle.

Jiang Xuehe stepped out of the car with an umbrella. Having caught the latter half of Mrs. Qin’s sentence, the smile on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold expression. She walked up quickly to stand beside Yan Guiqiu, reaching out to take her hand and pulling her under her own umbrella.

When Mrs. Qin saw Jiang Xuehe, her face darkened as if she had seen an enemy. She looked back at Yan Guiqiu, her confusion mixed with a sense of “disappointment,” as if she couldn’t understand why they were together.

But the two of them were holding hands quite openly; anyone looking slightly down could not ignore it.

Yan Guiqiu simply put her own umbrella away and leaned close to Jiang Xuehe.

Before Mrs. Qin could say anything, Jiang Xuehe looked at her first. With a voice laced with coldness, she asked, “May I ask what you mean by saying those words to my girlfriend?”

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