I Became the Female Lead’s Current Obsession - Chapter 21

The teacher was drawing diagrams on the board while Jiang Qing twirled her pen absentmindedly below.

There was just one more day before the holidays. She planned to take Hou Xue to the supermarket after school to pick up some daily necessities. Technically, this could be handled by someone else, but Jiang Qing had no qualms about doing it herself—after all, she wasn’t a real heiress, and she didn’t mind getting her hands dirty.

They were going to be away for a week. After discussing it with Xu Miao yesterday, Xu Miao had insisted on bringing her younger cousin along.

Her exact words were: “You two are all lovey-dovey, I’m not about to be the third wheel.”

Jiang Qing didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh, but thinking about it, she had to admit Xu Miao had a point.

If she were being honest, Jiang Qing would’ve preferred it to be just her and Hou Xue.

But that was only a thought.

Lately, she had a nagging feeling that something was off. It felt like if she and Hou Xue went off alone, people might start getting the wrong idea about their relationship.

And now, even bringing others along felt like overcompensating.

“Only care about the new girl’s smile, not the old one’s tears, huh?” Xu Miao had joked bitterly.

Amusingly enough, Jiang Qing found herself unable to deny it.

Finally, the last class of the day ended. After the homeroom teacher gave a long-winded pep talk to the soon-to-be seniors, Jiang Qing rushed out to find Hou Xue.

“Let’s go to the supermarket,” she said, leaning on the edge of Hou Xue’s desk.

The room was noisy and chaotic. With the final substantial holiday starting, the students were practically bouncing off the walls.

“What?” Hou Xue looked up, not quite hearing her.

“We’re going on a trip, remember? I thought we could go to the supermarket and—” Jiang Qing bent down slightly to speak louder, but before she could finish the words “buy toiletries,” someone’s overstuffed backpack slammed into her lower back.

She lost her balance and stumbled forward uncontrollably.

Her lips—soft but slightly dry—briefly brushed against Hou Xue’s cheek. Her eyes widened in surprise.

But it was only a fleeting moment.

Rather than a kiss, it was more like a passing graze.

“I’m so sorry!” the girl who bumped into her was shorter and looked mortified. She reached out to steady Jiang Qing. “Are you okay?”

“I’m… I’m fine,” Jiang Qing replied, still a little dazed. She braced herself on the desk and stood up quickly, as though staying any longer might make things worse.

Her entire upper body had practically landed on Hou Xue. She could still feel a faint warmth on her lips. And all of this happened in a classroom full of students.

Even if it was accidental, the whole situation felt far too intense.

“I really am sorry,” the girl said again.

Jiang Qing recognized her vaguely—she had once sat in front of her for a while. But the original Jiang Qing had never even learned her name. The girl had a shy and clumsy personality, not the type Jiang Qing’s past self would have bothered to befriend.

“No worries,” Jiang Qing smiled. “Enjoy your holiday.”

“You too!” the girl replied, blushing slightly, then left with a friend through the back door.

Jiang Qing rubbed the back of her neck and stepped out of the aisle. She turned to Hou Xue again. “Let’s go to the supermarket and pick up some daily stuff.”

Hou Xue had her back to her and simply nodded.

She seemed to be in a good mood.

Miao Xiao was nearby, packing her bag and not really paying attention to their conversation.

But out of the corner of her eye, she caught a peculiar scene—her usually composed and expressionless deskmate was… smiling?

…

Jiang Qing had the driver wait outside the supermarket while she and Hou Xue went in to shop.

It was fairly crowded inside, and Jiang Qing pushed a cart as they walked.

Leaning against the handlebar, she realized she couldn’t even remember the last time she went grocery shopping like this.

The toiletries section wasn’t far from the entrance, and they arrived quickly.

This supermarket was huge and stocked with a wide variety of products. Just the towel section took up half a wall, with so many options it was almost dizzying.

Jiang Qing found herself hesitating between two towel designs from the same brand—one with a black cat on a white background, the other with a white cat on a black background.

“Which one do you think looks better?” she asked, rubbing her chin, turning to Hou Xue.

Hou Xue looked over, reached out, and grabbed both. “I want the one with the white cat,” she said.

So assertive?

Jiang Qing was slightly amused and followed Hou Xue across the aisle to look at toothbrush holders.

“Which one do you want?” Jiang Qing grinned at her, seeing Hou Xue lost in thought, scrutinizing the options.

Hou Xue smiled faintly, played along, and pointed at the avocado green and sky blue ones.

Jiang Qing mimicked her movements exactly, picked up both, and whispered, “I’ll take the green one.”

Hou Xue just smiled without saying anything.

Cute.

Jiang Qing didn’t hesitate much when it came to toothpaste. She grabbed a basic brand she used in her previous life—affordable and practical. Hou Xue didn’t seem picky, so she simply went with whatever Jiang Qing chose.

When they got to the shampoo and body wash section, Jiang Qing was reminded of the conversation that had been interrupted yesterday.

“By the way, didn’t you say you’d mix a custom scent for me?” Jiang Qing asked casually, scanning the bottles on the shelf.

“Tomorrow,” Hou Xue replied.

“That soon?” Jiang Qing straightened up, holding a bottle of shampoo.

“Mhm,” Hou Xue said. “After you mentioned it, I made all the arrangements.”

“Inspiration hit you that fast?” Jiang Qing asked, dropping the bottle into the cart.

“If it’s for you…” Hou Xue paused.

Jiang Qing’s breath caught slightly, but she didn’t let it show.

“…Your very existence is my inspiration,” Hou Xue finished softly.

Her voice wasn’t loud, just enough for the two of them to hear. But unfortunately, a boy had just walked into their aisle looking for shampoo—and caught that exact line.

His eyes flicked back and forth between them, then landed on the school emblem on Jiang Qing’s chest. His brows furrowed, and his expression grew… complicated.

A romantic instrumental was playing overhead, and at that exact moment, the music swelled.

It was nothing, really—but Jiang Qing found the boy’s gaze irritating and her thoughts a mess.

She clenched her fist, her expression hard to read. A few seconds later, she stepped forward and said with forced lightness, “I didn’t realize I gave off such an artistic vibe.”

Hou Xue didn’t respond. She glanced coldly at the boy, who shivered under her stare.

She followed behind Jiang Qing silently.

Jiang Qing kept walking ahead.

Hou Xue hadn’t expected her to be so sensitive.

That wasn’t good.

She sighed quietly and rubbed her temples.

Maybe Jiang Qing wasn’t as easy to sway as she thought.

Jiang Qing was just a little soft-hearted toward her—maybe more out of sympathy than anything else.

In the past, Hou Xue had despised being pitied. But now, she wished Jiang Qing would pity her a little more.

Like… maybe turn around.

Jiang Qing stopped, as if hearing her thoughts, and looked back.

Hou Xue looked a little dejected—head down, brows slightly furrowed, like a child who had just been scolded.

Jiang Qing felt a pang of guilt. What could a kid like her possibly understand? Maybe she was just being overly sentimental.

She sighed, stepped back a few paces, and gently placed her hand over Hou Xue’s on the cart—an unspoken gesture of comfort.

Hou Xue swallowed hard and lowered her head, not daring to meet Jiang Qing’s gaze.

She was afraid Jiang Qing would see the messy, unspoken feelings in her eyes.

…

“I feel like taking a walk,” Jiang Qing said, taking the items from Hou Xue and placing them in the cart. It was a spontaneous idea. “Want to come with me?”

The supermarket wasn’t far from the Jiang family villa—just a twenty-minute walk. But in her memory, the original Jiang Qing had never taken that road before.

There was a busy intersection nearby, probably because of a private elementary school close by. The area was filled with food stalls and vendors that turned it into a bustling night market.

The original Jiang Qing had always looked down on such places, thinking they were beneath her. Every time she passed while waiting for the light, she would scoff inwardly at the people there, feeling they lived in a completely different world.

And to her, Hou Xue belonged to that world as well. Living under the same roof with someone she considered “beneath her” had been unacceptable.

Hou Xue hesitated for a moment but nodded. “Okay.” She couldn’t think of a reason to say no.

“Thanks. You can head back first,” Jiang Qing told the driver. “Just have someone put the bags in my room.”

Then she turned to Hou Xue. “Let’s go.”

The two walked side by side down the sidewalk. It was only around 7 p.m., still light out. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden-red glow, while clouds drifted lazily overhead.

Summer evenings were stifling. The trees lining the streets provided shade but couldn’t ease the heat.

Jiang Qing couldn’t remember the last time she had wandered aimlessly like this.

By her rough count, she had been in this world for about a month. Apart from the whole “villainess” role, being the Jiang family’s second daughter had its perks. But it was a far cry from the life she once knew.

In college, she and her friends would often hang out in the campus food district, grabbing snacks and chatting aimlessly.

That all felt like a lifetime ago, even if it hadn’t been that long.

She remembered now—it was a high school friend who had first recommended Waiting for the Snow to Stop, the novel this world was based on.

On her first day here, Jiang Qing had already considered her options.

If she could return, great. If not, she’d treat this as her second life—one with memories intact.

She couldn’t change the fact that she was here. So, the only option was to adapt.

After all, those who adapt survive.

She had reached her first monthly goal and felt genuinely proud. She even wanted to brag to Hou Xue about it.

But then she wondered—had she really adjusted that quickly? Was it really that easy to leave everything behind?

Twenty-plus years of her previous life, all reduced to a single month of transition?

She didn’t want to be someone who moved on that easily.

Not because she lacked courage, but because… it felt wrong.

Because she couldn’t go back.

For the past month, she hadn’t really thought about it in depth. Partly because she was focused on maintaining her persona, partly because she was avoiding it.

The pressure of exams had just ended yesterday. Now, with nothing urgent on her plate, the warm summer breeze and lively street noise stirred her thoughts uncontrollably.

She had once had a perfect family—loving parents and a comfortable life.

That ended the year she started middle school.

They had been on a trip abroad when a domestic gang conflict flared up. Her father never came back.

Jiang Qing wiped her face. Her eyes stung, but her fingers came away dry.

Still, she considered herself lucky. She had lived a good life—free, unresentful, and on her own terms.

Her mom, a freelancer, had plenty of savings and lived comfortably.

She had never remarried—probably for Jiang Qing’s sake.

So now that Jiang Qing was gone… maybe that was a good thing. Her mom could finally live for herself.

This life mirrored the rhythm she once knew.

She thought of joking with friends, of her mom’s terrible but well-meaning tomato and egg stir-fry.

And she realized—she did have memories worth holding on to.

Some things only reveal their value after they’re gone.

Jiang Qing let out a bitter laugh and sighed softly.

The long summer days found Jiang Qing focused on putting one foot in front of the other, avoiding bumping into anyone. So when Hou Xue snuck her pinky finger into Jiang Qing’s, Jiang Qing didn’t react right away.

It was a public place, and Hou Xue had hesitated a long time before doing it.

Jiang Qing looked at her, but her eyes seemed miles away.

Hou Xue knew Jiang Qing was worried, but she didn’t push. She just held onto her pinky finger a little tighter and said softly, “What kind of candy are you craving?”