After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 55

Mrs. Qin’s face paled, then flushed with anger.

“What do you mean, your girlfriend?” Mrs. Qin turned to Yan Guiqiu, demanding an answer. “Didn’t you always like Xixi?”

“You’ve misunderstood,” Yan Guiqiu replied calmly.

Mrs. Qin’s expression softened slightly, thinking she had made a point.

But Yan Guiqiu immediately followed up: “Miss Qin and I have never been close.”

The smile froze on Mrs. Qin’s face, and her expression darkened instantly.

When Qin Xiangxi walked out of the school gates, she was greeted by the sight of her mother arguing with Jiang Xuehe and Yan Guiqiu. To be more precise, it was a one-sided tantrum by Mrs. Qin.

Mrs. Qin was accusing Yan Guiqiu of being fickle and heartless, then turned her venom on Jiang Xuehe, calling her a seductress and wondering what kind of “witchcraft” she used to make people throw themselves at her one after another.

The two women clearly had no interest in entertaining her. They didn’t engage further, simply turning around to walk toward the car parked behind.

Mrs. Qin, however, was relentless. She looked as though she was ready to jump out of the car and chase after them to continue her tirade.

Fortunately, the rain intensified, thinning out the crowds on the street. Passersby couldn’t hear the specifics of her shouting, though they cast curious, lingering glances.

Qin Xiangxi felt a small sense of relief, yet her face burned with a deep, hot flush. She didn’t dare meet the eyes of any onlookers and charged into the rain with her head bowed.

Did my parents always “protect” me like this before?

Having been reborn, Qin Xiangxi had learned at least a little about reading people’s cues. She understood why her mother was attacking Yan Guiqiu and Jiang Xuehe, but she felt no joy. Instead, she felt only embarrassment and shame.

Yet, a moment later, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of floating. All this impulsiveness from her parents was because of her. They had even put their work aside to stay by her side, watching over her with meticulous care.

Her mother, a socialite for over twenty years, had moved into Qin Xiangxi’s rented apartment just to cook for her. Her father, though silent, expressed his support through constant presence and action.

In this world, aside from her parents, no one would ever love her so wholeheartedly again.

Seeing her daughter approach, Mrs. Qin immediately cut off her vitriol. She broke into a wide smile and waved: “Xixi! You’re finished so soon? Quick, get in the car. Don’t catch a cold.”

As she spoke, she hurried out of the car, ran to Qin Xiangxi’s side, and ushered her into the back seat.

Qin Xiangxi had an umbrella and wasn’t particularly wet, but her mother already had a dry towel and hot water ready. Mr. Qin silently turned up the car’s heater.

As for the two women who had just made Mrs. Qin grit her teeth in rage, they were forgotten in an instant. Her world was once again occupied entirely by her daughter.

However, they seemed completely oblivious to the abnormality in their daughter’s behavior lately. Or rather, they noticed it but believed it was entirely the fault of others; they thought their daughter had suffered so much that she had become this cautious, dazed shadow of herself.

Qin Xiangxi was pulled back to reality by that initial tug, only to find herself in a never-ending freefall.

The intense, nervous attitude of her parents, so different from her memories, had brought her joy at first. But soon, it bred a growing sense of dread. Those differences and changes served only to remind her, over and over again, that this world was not the one from her past life.

Qin Xiangxi held the cup of hot water but couldn’t feel its warmth. Her eyes were glazed as she stared at a corner of the car, catching only the blurred movement of her mother’s mouth.

She couldn’t hear a thing.

The last thing she registered before losing consciousness was her mother’s startled cry: “Xixi!”

The Gallery

Upon returning, Yan Guiqiu learned that before going to the school, the Qins had visited Jiang Xuehe at the gallery.

They had intended to cause a scene at the entrance, repeatedly demanding to know what Jiang Xuehe had said to their daughter. When Jiang Xuehe told them the truth, they refused to believe it, insisting she must have provoked Qin Xiangxi.

They had deliberately blocked the front door, making it clear they intended to disrupt her business. Had it not been raining, the crowd of onlookers might have stretched from one end of the street to the other.

Finally, Jiang Xuehe took out her phone and threatened to call the police. Only then did they hesitate and leave.

At the time, Jiang Xuehe thought it was strange they gave up so easily. It was only when she ran into them again while picking up Yan Guiqiu that she realized they had likely left to ensure they weren’t late to pick up their daughter.

Yan Guiqiu clicked her tongue. “They really do dote on her.”

Jiang Xuehe poured tea for Yan Guiqiu. “It’s a classic case of ‘choosing the beauty over the kingdom,’ except in this case, the ‘beauty’ is their daughter. I’ve heard their company is facing some instability lately, but it seems they can’t spare the time to manage it.”

Yan Guiqiu tapped her fingers on the table and looked up. “Are you interested?”

Jiang Xuehe shook her head. “For me right now, that target is too big. But there are plenty of people who want it.”

When people spoke of the Qin family, many had to grit their teeth to hide their envy. The Qins had started as a mom-and-pop shop. Both parents were clever with sharp instincts; they had caught a lucky break and became the proverbial “pigs flying in a storm.”

However, their subsequent ambition and courage hadn’t kept pace. This resulted in a company that was neither here nor there, leaving others both jealous and frustrated, often thinking, “If only I had caught that break…”

If the Qin family fell, the most direct result would be competitors seizing their market share. Many eyes were watching them hungrily. Yet, the couple truly showed no further drive. Just as they had finally taken a step upward into a critical market consolidation phase, their daughter’s issues arose, and they simply walked away from the mess.

Not only were competitors likely laughing themselves awake at night, but the employees within the company were losing trust.

A meeting would be in progress when a call would come in saying something happened to their daughter, and they would vanish. During remote briefings, the daughter could be heard eating in the background. If there was an emergency and people tried to reach Mr. Qin, a dozen calls would go unanswered because of his daughter.

Once or twice could be understood as an emergency or a sign of valuing family. But after countless repetitions, it was simply a lack of perspective.

“There are even rumors that some companies are secretly praying for the eldest Qin daughter,” Jiang Xuehe shared a recent joke with Yan Guiqiu. “They say her ‘illness’ came at the perfect time.”

Of course, it was just a joke. Even if Qin Xiangxi came back from the dead three hundred times, she wasn’t the root cause of the company’s instability. In the previous life, the fact that Jiang Xuehe had brought the Qin family down might have had other hidden reasons.

Yan Guiqiu chatted with Jiang Xuehe over tea and snacks. As evening approached, she heard the notification pings on Jiang Xuehe’s phone. She fell silent to avoid disturbing her, turning instead to look out the window.

Because of the trouble caused by the Qins, Jiang Xuehe had given Xiao He a half-day off to rest. The shop was empty now, save for the two of them sitting at the front desk; one looking down at messages, the other staring blankly at the rain.

The rain grew heavier, drummed loudly against the glass, drowning out the sound of traffic. Usually, at a time like this, Yan Guiqiu would be in bed reading, watching a show, or chatting with friends to kill time.

But sitting here with Jiang Xuehe, once the conversation stopped, Yan Guiqiu began to feel a sense of… emptiness. Not boredom or loneliness, just the sudden realization that she was a bit idle.

Her school affairs were settled, and she wouldn’t be back to a full course load until after summer. But spring wasn’t even halfway over yet.

Jiang Xuehe had changed her mind and made a decision. After going back to the Jiang house for dinner with the grandfather next week, these leisurely times would likely come to an end. Yan Guiqiu was already worried she wouldn’t be used to it.

When Jiang Xuehe finished her messages and looked up, she saw Yan Guiqiu spinning her chair listlessly. She glanced at the half-finished snacks. “Don’t like these?”

Yan Guiqiu shook her head. “I was just wondering what to bring when I go back with you next week. How many days do you plan to stay, Sister Xuehe?”

“Three days at most, depending on how things go with Grandpa,” Jiang Xuehe said. “But we’ll stay at least one night. One change of clothes is enough.”

“At your parents’ house?” Yan Guiqiu asked.

“Yes,” Jiang Xuehe replied. “It’s rare for me to return, so it doesn’t matter where I stay. But my brother is coming the day after tomorrow; he’ll definitely be taking us back to my parents’ place.”

“Your brother is actually coming?” Yan Guiqiu was surprised. “Is he still thinking about the apology?”

Jiang Xuehe looked weary and gave a slow nod. “But the Qin family is a mess right now. Even if we back out, it probably won’t matter much.”

Yan Guiqiu nodded thoughtfully.

A few days later.

Jiang Xueyang arrived, travel-worn and carrying a mountain of “gifts,” heading straight for his sister’s gallery.

Jiang Xuehe wasn’t surprised to see him, but she offered a polite greeting: “You should have told me you were arriving; I would have picked you up.”

Jiang Xueyang smiled. “I didn’t want to bother you while you’re busy with the shop. It wasn’t far; a taxi was just as easy.”

The siblings hadn’t seen each other in over two months, but they didn’t seem particularly distant. Jiang Xueyang gave his sister her gifts and even had something for Xiao He, instantly boosting his image in the assistant’s eyes. Seeing Xiao He’s delight, Jiang Xuehe simply smiled and said nothing.

After sitting for a short while, Jiang Xueyang grew restless. After touring the gallery, he turned to Jiang Xuehe. “Do you know where that Qin daughter is right now?”

Jiang Xuehe remembered Yan Guiqiu mentioning the rehearsals. She checked the time. “She should still be at school.”

“Then let’s go see her.” Sensing his own eagerness might seem odd, Jiang Xueyang coughed and explained quietly, “I specifically carved out time for this trip. I have to rush back for a meeting tomorrow afternoon, and then I have a business trip…”

This small window of time was purely to show his face to the grandfather, demonstrating his sense of responsibility and his deep “sibling bond” with Jiang Xuehe.

Jiang Xuehe had already guessed his motives. She didn’t refuse. She asked Xiao He to watch the shop and took Jiang Xueyang toward the school.

At the school gates, they were stopped by security for registration. Since they were together, Jiang Xuehe handled the paperwork. Jiang Xueyang peeked over her shoulder and saw that in the “Reason for Visit” column, she had written: “Visiting family.”

Probably just a random excuse, Jiang Xueyang thought, not paying it much mind.

Once inside, Jiang Xuehe studied a simple map on her phone. She pointed to a road on the west side. “Miss Qin should be in the rehearsal hall. Walk to the end of this road; it’s the shortest independent building there.”

She hadn’t visited the campus often, but Yan Guiqiu had given her detailed directions once when she asked for help delivering documents.

Jiang Xueyang grunted an acknowledgment and took a few steps before realizing something was wrong. He quickly turned back.

“Xuehe!” he called.

“What is it?” she asked.

“You…” Jiang Xueyang looked at the direction she had pointed, then at the direction she was currently facing. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, “Isn’t the rehearsal hall that way? Where are you going?”

“I’m not looking for Miss Qin,” Jiang Xuehe said calmly.

She didn’t believe she had anything to apologize for.

Jiang Xueyang wanted to persuade her—after all, the whole mess was started by their mother, and it would seem more sincere if they both went. But then he remembered the root cause was Qin Xiangxi’s failed, obsessive pursuit of his sister. No one would feel particularly warm toward someone who turned the world upside down just because a confession was rejected.

Furthermore, it was Jiang Xuehe who had warned the family and told their mother not to go too far. In every sense, the apology was not her responsibility.

Jiang Xueyang rubbed his nose awkwardly. He didn’t bring up the joint apology again, but he couldn’t help muttering, “I thought you came specifically to accompany me.”

Jiang Xuehe: “…”

Not exactly.

“Brother, if you want to show sincerity, you should go soon.” Jiang Xuehe checked her phone. “It’ll be lunchtime soon, and the people rehearsing will be leaving for food.”

With that, she turned to walk away.

Jiang Xueyang instinctively called out, “Wait, where are you going then?”

The direction she was heading didn’t look like the way out of the campus.

Jiang Xuehe replied without looking back, “I’m going to pick up my girlfriend for a date.”

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