A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 100

When the lips touched, they were perfectly aligned, with warm and moist breaths rising and falling, as if carrying an alluring heartbeat.

Very soft, very warm.

A familiar, enticing faint scent suddenly wafted over.

Nan Xue’s heart tightened, beating wildly as if out of control.

A gentle touch came from beside the pillow, with the woman pressing one hand against it, slightly leaning over to support herself. It felt as if she had been kissing her forehead for a long time, or perhaps just a brief moment.

There was a slight itch on her cheek, as if a hair strand had fallen and lightly brushed against her.

Nan Xue struggled to open her eyes through the haze.

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps were heard outside the door.

The woman suddenly lifted her head in surprise.

The spiral staircase outside was a bit old, and Aunt Zhang’s footsteps were clear and distinct. With the door slightly open, anyone outside could see everything inside.

Aunt Zhang stood at the door, peeking in.

“Auntie.”

Shu Yubai felt anxious, her palms damp with sweat. She wasn’t sure if Aunt Zhang had seen, and explained, “I was just… taking her temperature.”

Aunt Zhang was also worried.

She had just given Nan Xue two fever-reducing tablets. The side effects of the medicine made one drowsy and mentally unclear, only wanting to sleep. An hour had passed; she didn’t know if it had worked. She looked at Shu Yubai and asked softly, “Oh, so what’s the temperature now?”

Shu Yubai: “…”

She awkwardly hesitated—what was the temperature? Her lips were not a thermometer and hadn’t measured anything.

“I just checked with my hand.” Shu Yubai’s cheeks were slightly flushed as she said, “It seemed a bit hot… I’ll use a thermometer to check.”

“Okay.”

Aunt Zhang nodded: “The thermometer is on the bedside table.”

After saying that, she turned and left, gently closing the bedroom door behind her.

The bedroom was quiet.

The outside light spilled in, and in the warm-toned room, Nan Xue lay quietly in the soft blankets. Her curled eyelashes were closed, and her snow-white face seemed defenseless, soft, and pitiful.

Yesterday, she was so charming; where did that allure go?

Now she had a fever?

Shu Yubai held the thermometer, feeling perplexed.

Why is it a mercury thermometer… don’t they have electronic ones?

To take her temperature, she’d have to place the thermometer under her armpit, right?

A strange feeling flashed through Shu Yubai’s mind.

It felt a bit awkward.

She gently lifted a corner of the blanket. Beside the pillow, in the warm and soft bedding, Nan Xue wore a round-necked nightgown. Due to her sleeping position, part of her clean, white shoulder was exposed, warm and hot, with the girl’s eyes closed, looking innocent.

Her nightgown had a wide neckline and had slipped slightly.

Just below the collarbone, a white, smooth groove was visible.

Shu Yubai’s face grew flushed for no reason. She thought, I’m just taking her temperature. Nothing else.

To calm herself, she gently tugged at the edge of the nightgown, very lightly, afraid to wake her, pulling it outward.

The next step was to place the thermometer under her armpit.

Shu Yubai hesitated, holding one end of the thermometer.

She touched gently.

Nan Xue’s fevered skin was very hot, but the thermometer was cold. The moment it touched, Nan Xue’s tightly closed eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Shu Yubai paused, her mind racing with how to explain if she woke up.

But she did not wake.

The neckline of the nightgown had slipped further.

The slender, white shoulder was exposed, fitting for her fingers to rest upon. Shu Yubai momentarily lost focus, recalling some vivid memories from the past… She closed her eyes, trying hard to dispel those thoughts.

She carefully placed the thermometer under Nan Xue’s armpit, covered her with the blanket, and tucked the edges in, ensuring she remained still.

Shu Yubai sat by the bed and watched for a while.

Nan Xue slept soundly, defenseless, resembling her past self. Her snow-white face and red lips were gentle and soft, looking like a sleeping cat.

But when she opened her eyes, she was so cold and indifferent.

Shu Yubai sighed softly, preparing to get her some hot water.

At that moment, the girl’s lips trembled.

As if she was about to wake up.

Shu Yubai sat back down, leaned closer, and softly asked, “What?”

The girl’s lips trembled, struggling to make a sound, her brows furrowed as if having a nightmare.

Shu Yubai gently patted her, soothing her. After a while, the girl’s lips trembled again, and she finally murmured clearly, “Sister…”

Shu Yubai’s heart seemed to be struck in an instant, followed by the girl’s tightly furrowed brows, her pale forehead dotted with fine sweat. She seemed to shake her head in distress, pleading, “Don’t go.”

Shu Yubai’s pupils contracted, and she sat there in a daze for a long time.

“…”

She watched Nan Xue quietly, overwhelmed by many emotions. In her eyes, there was compassion and heartache—was Nan Xue dreaming of something?

She gently brushed a strand of hair from the girl’s forehead.

She thought, I’m sorry.

I won’t leave again… okay?

Shu Yubai bent over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

••••

“Did she say you’re immature?”

In the afternoon, Nan Xue was sleeping soundly. Shu Yubai didn’t want to disturb her and left first. Qian Qian came over for a meal. Sitting on the sofa, Shu Yubai prepared cold medicine granules for Nan Xue and asked.

The early spring night was cold. A light rain had just passed. In the kitchen, a small pot was steaming with ginger soup, and the pot on the flame was giving off a white mist.

Aunt Zhang ladled the ginger soup into a bowl.

She brought it to Nan Xue, smiling, “Drink this. I didn’t add scallions this time.”

Qian Qian, who was nearby, glanced at it and said, “Add some brown sugar—it tastes awful like this.”

Aunt Zhang nodded, took a bag of brown sugar, and handed it to Qian Qian before turning and leaving.

Nan Xue sat beside her.

After taking two fever-reducing pills, her temperature had dropped to 37 degrees.

Still a bit high.

She felt a bit dizzy, leaning back on the sofa with her eyes closed, feeling weak all over.

“Hmm.”

Nan Xue asked softly, “Is immaturity annoying?”

Qian Qian thought for a moment:

“She probably wants you to mature a bit.”

Many things are forced upon us.

The more hardships and setbacks we face, the more we are forced to grow.

The more burdens we carry, the more stable we naturally become.

Nan Xue remained silent, her eyes closed wearily. Qian Qian continued, “And the breakup at that time was definitely not because you were immature.”

“There were other… more important reasons.”

“Back then?”

Nan Xue recalled something, the corners of her lips lifting slightly in self-mockery, “Back then… she might have been really fed up with me.”

There was a post.

After Shu Yubai left, Nan Xue saw it.

At that time, Nan Xue was bewildered, consumed by thoughts of how to find Shu Yubai again. After she left, Nan Xue searched everywhere for ways to salvage a failed relationship, wondering how to win back her ex.

But she inadvertently came across a post.

The post was from a same-s3x discussion forum.

The posters were all women.

The title was eye-catching, striking directly at Nan Xue’s pain:

【I want to break up. My ex is endlessly pestering me, which is seriously affecting my work and life】“We’ve known each other for many years, but have been together for a short time.”

“My ex’s family has very conservative views, and she doesn’t have the ability to address family issues.”

“I’ve brought up breaking up, but she won’t agree.”

“She clings to me all the time.”

“It’s very distressing.”

“I’ve already suggested breaking up twice.”

“But she won’t agree.”

“Every time I see her pitiful look, I can’t bring myself to speak harshly.”

“Her father calls every day, talking to me, asking me to return his daughter.”

“Every day is frustrating.”

“What should I do? I’m almost driven mad by these issues.”

Someone asked:

“Do you still love her?”

Nan Xue’s heart skipped a beat; she even held her breath as she scrolled down, only to see the reply: “No longer in love.”

“Can’t get that feeling back, just feel tired. This relationship has worn me out every day.”

Below was a long list of complaints, accumulated over time:

“She’s also very suspicious.”

“If I don’t reply to messages promptly, she suspects I’m having an affair.”

“Her clinginess has become pathological.”

“I really want to get rid of her.”

“I’m going crazy.”

••••

Complaints like these.

In the end, someone suggested:

“I’m suffocating just reading this.”

“Already tried breaking up twice, and it’s still not working?”

“Why not just leave? Move somewhere else, block all contact. Surely, she can’t keep clinging on then.”

Nan Xue initially thought it was just a coincidence, maybe just a girl with a similar experience posting? It couldn’t be Shu Yubai.

But she kept scrolling.

The last reply from the original poster was: “Thanks for the advice, I’ve already gone abroad.”

The date was May 23rd.

Coinciding exactly with Shu Yubai’s departure date.

At that moment, Nan Xue felt as if she had collapsed. All her efforts seemed to be just endless entanglement and harassment in her eyes.

She couldn’t articulate the feeling.

Hate?

Or regret, regretting why she fell for it, only to be abandoned in the end.

“Do you think the post was written by her?”

Qian Qian asked.

Nan Xue: “Otherwise?”

Qian Qian frowned: “Could it be a misunderstanding?”

How could it be?

Qian Qian had met Shu Yubai a few times—such a gentle girl wouldn’t say that about her lover.

How could she bear to?

••••

The next day, Shu Yubai went again.

Walking along a winding uphill road, she saw the familiar house at the foot of the tea plantation—white walls, gray tiles, surrounded by sparse bamboo groves, just as it was before Nan Xue’s father passed away.

At the door, Aunt Zhang came to greet her. They walked slowly up the gravel path. The mountains beside the path were shrouded in a light mist under the daylight, creating a cool shade.

“Is Nan Xue feeling better?”

Shu Yubai asked.

“Much better, the fever is almost gone.”

Aunt Zhang smiled: “Really, at this age, still acting like a child—swimming in spring, no wonder she caught a cold.”

Shu Yubai smiled gently.

She carried a bag of kiwi, though it wasn’t very useful. Her mother had insisted on giving it to her, advising: “You’re seeing your girlfriend, right?”

“Xiao Nan likes sour things, peel some for her to eat.”

Shu Yubai wanted to correct her, it was no longer “girlfriend,” it had become “ex-girlfriend,” but thinking about it, it would only add to the sadness, so she let it go.

— Besides, maybe soon it would turn back to “girlfriend”?

She carried the bag of fruit to the eaves. Aunt Zhang was about to open the door when it was suddenly unlocked from the inside with a click.

Nan Xue leaned against the door, quietly looking at her.

As the weather warmed, she wore a short, thin light blue top and white low-waisted pants. A slight movement revealed a bit of her pale waist.

The girl’s black hair draped over her shoulders, looking more spirited than in previous days, with clear eyes.

But her expression was somewhat cold.

Shu Yubai stood at the door, having walked a long distance. Her long hair had a hint of sweat, her skin was pale with a touch of exercise-induced blush, exuding warmth and vitality.

Nan Xue’s lashes fluttered slightly.

The woman raised her eyes, with soft, watery eyes looking at her, and held up the plastic bag: “Uh, I brought some fruit for you. Do you want some?”

For some reason.

It felt as if a string in Nan Xue’s heart was lightly plucked.

The bit of hatred she had painstakingly built up seemed to dissipate instantly.

Nan Xue took a deep breath, opened the door, looked down, and coldly said, “Sure. Peel it for me.”

Shu Yubai then sat on the sofa in the living room, holding a small porcelain plate, peeling kiwis for Nan Xue. The light green juice dripped into the plate, and the sour smell reached her nose.

Shu Yubai patiently peeled a piece.

Holding the fruit knife carefully, she brought it to Nan Xue’s lips, her eyes gentle, saying, “Here.”

Nan Xue’s lips trembled, and her tongue took it away.

Shu Yubai watched her, smiling lightly, seeming very satisfied.

Nan Xue suddenly lowered her lashes.

The wall of indifference she had painstakingly built up crumbled quickly.