A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 16

After saying that, there was an instant silence around them.

A small snowflake fell.

Then came the sound of the wind, mixed with cold, the cedar forest rustling, the sound of accumulated snow falling, and the snow piles hitting the ground with a thud.

Shu Yubai met Nan Xue’s eyes, deep and inscrutable. Her pupils contracted, and she remained silent, tilting her head slightly to look at her closely, as if asking a question.

Their breaths turned to white mist, one after another.

Shu Yubai’s heart pounded wildly, her fingertips clenched tightly, leaving a deep mark in her palm.

They stared at each other in silence.

After a moment, Nan Xue looked away and asked softly, “Have you caught a cold?”

“Maybe.”

Shu Yubai felt a sense of relief, worried that if Nan Xue knew her true feelings, they wouldn’t even be able to remain friends. But immediately, she was hit with a heavy sense of disappointment.

Did she really not know?

Or did she just not want to know?

Nan Xue’s expression remained calm. She reached out, gently brushed the snowflakes from Shu Yubai’s long hair, and then stopped holding her hand, keeping a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Upstairs.

Xiao Yi glanced at the two of them outside the window, her eyes full of helplessness.

Why did Shu Yubai have to invest her feelings in this person? Knowing it was impossible, yet twenty years had passed in a blink of an eye.

••••

There were still more than half a month left until they left this city.

Shu Yubai gripped the steering wheel, driving in the direction of home. Outside the car window, the desolate cityscape passed by.

-“Isn’t there still a month left before you leave here? Why don’t you try again? If it doesn’t work, then let it be.”

-“If you fail, just go far away.”

She remembered Xiao Yi’s words.

In the rearview mirror, she saw Nan Xue’s eyes, cold and indifferent.

Her short, fine hair rested on her shoulders, and her slender white hand propped up her chin as she looked out the window, her expression unclear.

This area was originally a scenic spot. On weekends, during peak traffic hours, it was very congested. After passing a narrow asphalt road, the traffic was at a standstill. During this gap, people were handing out flyers in the traffic.

“Newly opened sea view apartments, down payment as low as—”

A flyer was tucked under the windshield wiper.

“Pension insurance—”

Another flyer.

“Newly opened hot spring hotel—”

The last flyer was directly handed in through the half-open car window.

The person handing out flyers was an old lady, stooped and skinny. Shu Yubai felt a pang of sympathy and took the flyer, saying thank you.

She glanced at the flyer. The hot spring hotel’s address was not far away.

She looked at Nan Xue in the back seat again. Her eyelashes were half-lowered as she looked out the window, lost in thought.

Neither of them spoke.

The atmosphere in the car was much quieter than usual.

“Do you want to go?” Nan Xue suddenly asked.

But she didn’t look at her, her expression somewhat nonchalant.

Shu Yubai cleared her throat and said, “In winter, isn’t it too cold to soak in a hot spring?”

Nan Xue shook her head lightly and said softly, “If you want to go, let’s go.”

The hotel was half-hidden behind a cedar forest, with a row of wooden cottages. The window frames glimmered with lights, the orange glow reflecting off the snowy eaves, and the branches pointed at the dark sky.

There was a small creek in front of the hotel, not dried up.

The sound of water gurgled softly.

Upon closer inspection, the snow beside the creek had melted, revealing that the warm spring water was channeled from the hotel.

Winter in the north is cold, making it the off-season for tourism, especially near the Chinese New Year when it’s less crowded. As they walked along the path, there was the sound of snow dripping from the eaves and light music, ethereal as if in a canyon.

Shu Yubai hesitated slightly at the front desk.

Since blurting out that untimely remark, the atmosphere between them had been subtly awkward.

The receptionist glanced at them and smiled, asking Shu Yubai, “Are you here with a friend?”

Shu Yubai looked at Nan Xue, who was following behind her at a distance, lost in thought.

She responded with a hum.

“Okay.” The receptionist typed on the keyboard and then asked, “Only rooms with a double bed are left in the twin rooms, is that alright?”

Nan Xue finally looked up, her gaze briefly meeting Shu Yubai’s.

Their eyes met and quickly parted.

Usually, sharing a bed was no big deal, but considering it now felt strange.

“Uh… it’s fine.”

The receptionist nodded and quickly completed the check-in process.

Shu Yubai clutched the room key and went upstairs.

The room was warm, with a low window on the south side, its white sheer curtain gently swaying. A square pendant lamp hung in the center, over a small table and a tatami area. In a small room inside, there was a two-meter-wide double bed, a bright bedside lamp illuminating the darkening sky outside.

To the north was a spacious walk-in closet and a sliding door.

Shu Yubai took a bathrobe from the closet and handed it to Nan Xue, “Here, you can take a bath first.”

Nan Xue, sitting on the edge of the bed, shook her head, “You go first.”

The sudden sense of distance and unfamiliarity was more pronounced. Shu Yubai awkwardly nodded and went in.

The double bed room was designed for couples.

The shower room offered little privacy.

Through the frosted glass, she saw Nan Xue’s tall figure leaving, standing on the balcony, looking into the distance. Shu Yubai turned on the shower, the warm water cascading from her neck to her collarbone and further down.

The reflection on the glass showed her curvy figure, swaying in the water.

Nan Xue, however, only looked at the scenery, not turning back.

The water stopped.

Shu Yubai opened the door, put on slippers, and walked to the balcony.

In winter, the sky darkened early. The blue twilight revealed only the black shadows of trees, the distant mountains layered, their peaks covered in snow, looking stark and cold. The temperature kept dropping.

The glass fogged up.

Shu Yubai walked over and gently tapped Nan Xue’s shoulder:

“I’m done, it’s your turn.”

Nan Xue turned around, Shu Yubai slightly tilting her head, twisting the ends of her wet hair with her pale fingers.

“What’s wrong?”

She straightened up as Nan Xue continued to look at her.

For a moment, the mountain’s night fire lit up her face and eyes, strikingly beautiful. Drops of water clung to her lips, sliding over her collarbone, chest, and into the water. The snow on the balcony slowly melted, forming small clusters.

A drop of water rolled down her white neck, disappearing into her collar.

“Let’s go inside, it’s cold out here.”

Nan Xue held her sleeve and led her inside, carefully closing the sliding door.

The room grew quieter.

Shu Yubai lay on her side.

She heard the sound of water behind her, the flow sliding down a back, hitting the ground.

The water’s noise was mesmerizing.

Nan Xue changed into a bathrobe, the cross-collar patterned with blue and gray stripes. She tied a delicate bow at her waist. From the wide sleeve emerged a clean, white hand. She untied the bow and then tied it again.

Shu Yubai watched her, her heart beating faster.

But in the end, Nan Xue did nothing.

She walked over and said, “Let’s rest for a bit. When it gets warmer, we’ll go to the hot spring.”

Nan Xue seemed tired, half-leaning on the bed, lying down wearily, curling up in the white cotton quilt.

Their legs brushed gently, warm to the touch.

The dim light, Shu Yubai leaned over to turn off the lamp, catching a whiff of cool lemon scent from the bath gel. Nan Xue closed her eyes, her soft chest rising and falling with her breath, as if she had fallen asleep.

Her collar was loose, half-open, exposing her clear collarbone and lower.

The one who seemed asleep suddenly opened her eyes and softly asked, “Sister, are you still with Xiao Yi?”