A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 20
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“Have I been staring at her?”
Shu Yubai said in surprise, “Really?”
“Yes.”
Nan Xue glanced at her and asked, “Do you think she’s good-looking?”
You Fu was standing not far away, chatting with two girls. The water was shallow, and her slim waist and perky hips were accentuated by her black, wet swimsuit. Her slightly curled hair rested on her shoulders, and her shoulder blades had a graceful, strong line.
Shu Yubai looked over and nodded slightly.
“Yes, she’s quite beautiful.”
Nan Xue: “……”
Her tone became more distant, and she stopped talking to Shu Yubai, casting a brief, deep glance at You Fu.
Shu Yubai carefully observed her expression and asked seemingly casually:
“Aren’t you also looking at her?”
When they first entered the hot spring, Nan Xue’s gaze was immediately fixed on You Fu, making Shu Yubai feel a bit hurt.
Nan Xue was taken aback for a moment, then smiled, wiping the water from the corner of her eye with her slender fingers: “I was only looking at her because I saw you looking at her.”
Oh?
Shu Yubai looked at her, wondering why Nan Xue would look at You Fu, rather than her.
The group of people approached from over there.
Although tourists kept coming, it wasn’t crowded—there were only about ten people in the hot spring, mostly couples or families out for a day trip.
The place was at a slightly higher altitude. Nearby was a small resting house for travelers, with glass windows on the south side and several tall, bright windows. That was the dining area for guests.
Not far from the dining area, the light was very bright.
You Fu was coming over with two older girls and a younger one. One of the older girls, who looked similar to her with large, lively eyes, was You Li; the others were unknown to Shu Yubai.
Among them was a little girl who looked very cute, peeking out from behind the adults with a mischievous expression.
“This is my cousin, nine years old.”
You Li patted the little girl and said, “Call her ‘sister’.”
The little girl looked at Nan Xue, her eyes wide, seemingly in awe.
After a moment, she sweetly smiled and said, “Sister.”
Then she started looking at Shu Yubai, her cheeks red with shyness.
Shu Yubai ruffled her hair:
“Hello there.”
The girls who came with You Fu were mostly relatives from the You family. A few of them stood around, unsure of what to do. You Li suggested, “Since there are so many of us, how about playing Truth or Dare?”
••••
The hot spring water resembled amber.
Clear, with a faint herbal scent.
Shu Yubai lowered herself into the warm water, the water was shallow, and the light made her white feet visible.
There were small blue stones in the water.
Nan Xue sat beside her on a small stone step in the water, with the water covering her collarbone. Her dark hair lightly brushed the surface of the water, her fair face emerged from the mist, her lips a vivid red, and her eyelashes damp.
The sound of the pipa continued.
Nan Xue glanced at the girl playing the pipa and said:
“Sister, it’s been a long time since I heard you play the pipa.”
Shu Yubai smiled lightly and lowered her gaze, “Has it?”
She couldn’t help but recall a long time ago. Back then, they were both young, with pure and simple feelings toward many things. During the school’s New Year’s event, she had performed on stage with Nan Xue, playing a duet of piano and pipa near Lake Baikal.
How many years ago was that?
They seemed to be about the same age as the little girl opposite Nan Xue.
The combination of Chinese and Western instruments in that piece turned out to be unexpectedly beautiful.
Snow accumulated on the branches of cedar trees. The surroundings were filled with the sound of water flowing gently down the mountain, gathering in a shallow pool at the base. Unlike the hot spring pool with a cypress wood bottom, this pool was just for viewing.
About seven or eight people formed a circle. You Fu sat opposite Shu Yubai, occasionally glancing at her with a seemingly casual gaze.
Her eyes were beautiful, and when she looked at others, it always seemed somewhat nonchalant.
It was hard to decipher her attitude.
Outside, the snow was cold, but here, a warm mist enveloped the area, making the cold, ethereal mountain scenery even more pronounced.
You Li was on Shu Yubai’s right. She lightly tapped Shu Yubai’s shoulder and, curious, asked, “What’s this?”
Shu Yubai held a black feather in her hand. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she smiled and explained, “I picked it up on the way. It’s quite beautiful.”
“Let me use it.”
You Li had a sudden idea. She took the feather, gently placed it on the water’s surface, and said, “Here, let this feather float in the middle and spin. When it stops, the person the feather’s tail points to will choose Truth or Dare for the person the shaft points to.”
“Okay.”
Everyone agreed.
Shu Yubai instinctively looked up. You Fu happened to be right opposite her, raising an eyebrow slightly, her slender white arm resting on the wooden platform behind her.
According to the rules, it would be their turn soon.
“Be careful later.”
You Fu smiled, pointed at Shu Yubai with her index finger, and teasingly said, “You’re in my hands now.”
“Better not go easy on me later.”
Shu Yubai’s eyes held a smile.
Nan Xue glanced at them, her gaze becoming even more indifferent.
Shu Yubai kept glancing at her from the corner of her eye, wondering if she didn’t like seeing her interact with You Fu.
Could it be that she really likes You Fu’s type?
Her heart felt cold.
You Li spun the feather, creating gentle ripples on the water’s surface. Eventually, it came to a slow stop.
The two girls pointed to were forced to start the game.
At first, everyone was unfamiliar with each other.
The questions asked were relatively plain and simple, with no excessive content.
In the center of the wooden pavilion, the old lantern’s shadow fell on the pipa player’s cloak. The light was bright in the snowy night, and the pipa’s music was like a gentle whisper, adding a unique charm to the cold, snowy night.
The pipa music was very pleasant.
She tilted her head up.
Snowflakes drifting in the night sky sparkled faintly under the lantern, resembling starlight. In the cold night, countless leafless branches were laden with snow, densely packed, resembling a slightly raised, pencil-sketched painting. The night sky contrasted with the white tree trunks and branches, and the distant mountain ranges were layered, either thick or faint.
People in thick down work clothes passed by the roadside.
Shu Yubai closed her eyes to rest, looking up as snowflakes drifted slowly from the night sky. The cold snowflakes fell on her warm cheeks and quickly melted.
She held her breath slightly.
It was as if she could hear the sound of melting snowflakes falling gently into the hot spring.
After a moment, she suddenly heard a familiar voice:
“Shu Yubai.”
The voice carried a hint of playful smokiness.
She opened her eyes, her heart skipped a beat, and heard the person opposite say:
“It’s your turn.”
A black feather floated on the water’s surface, motionless. The feather’s tail pointed at You Fu, and the shaft pointed at Shu Yubai.
“Ah… okay.”
She looked across, slightly nervous: “I choose Truth.”
You Fu glanced at her, raised an eyebrow: “Really? Then I’ll ask.”
Shu Yubai nodded.
You Fu smiled: “Is your first kiss still intact?”
Shu Yubai: “……”
Nan Xue’s hand, which had been gently rubbing her shoulder, stopped.
She lowered her gaze, quietly waiting for Shu Yubai’s response.
Shu Yubai thought, if she said her first kiss was still intact, would it be a bit strange? After pretending to be a couple with Xiao Yi for so many days, by normal standards, as adults, her first kiss should have been lost long ago.
She hesitated for a moment and said, “Then I’ll choose Dare.”
Nan Xue gave her a single, indifferent glance. After a moment, she resumed gently rubbing her shoulder, her eyes showing no other emotion.
Surrounded by laughter and teasing, You Fu remained calm. She sat there for a while and said, “Then go up and switch with that pipa player. I want to hear you play.”
Shu Yubai was taken aback; the request wasn’t unreasonable.
She just wasn’t sure if the staff would agree.
She stood up, not feeling nervous, and walked over with calm composure.
The wooden platform was in the center of the hot spring. She was wet, slowly walking up the small steps. Her swimsuit clung to her body, revealing her well-proportioned, peach-like figure.
“Hello.”
She lightly tapped the pipa girl on the shoulder and explained softly:
“We’re playing Truth or Dare. I lost, and I was wondering if I could borrow your pipa?”
The girl was surprised but nodded and smiled:
“Sure. I’m actually quite tired.”
She worried that Shu Yubai might be cold, so she took off her cloak and draped it over her.
Many people in the hot spring below looked up.
In the center of the wooden platform was a young woman.
The woman gave off an extremely gentle impression, with smooth, white skin and a soft, pure aura. As she played the pipa, her expressions were full of subtle emotions. Her black hair was gathered over one shoulder, her red lips silent, and her fingertips lightly plucked the strings. Occasionally, she would lift her gaze to look at a spot below the stage.
Who was she looking at?
With such tender, affectionate eyes.
It must be someone she loves dearly.
Her fingertips gently plucked the strings, her eyebrows long and delicate, lips red. She slightly lowered her long lashes, with the wooden pipa covering half her face, as snowflakes quietly fell on her shoulder.
In that moment, she had an ethereal, otherworldly quality, yet her touch was tender. The pipa’s melody was enchanting and soft, conveying a sense of gentle affection.
She played a piece called “Guan Jiu.”
“Guanguan jujiu, on the river’s isle.
Elegant and virtuous lady, a gentleman’s perfect match.
The uneven water plants, flowing left and right.
Elegant and virtuous lady, sought day and night.
Unable to find her, day and night in thought.
Leisurely, restlessly, tossing and turning.”
••••
Shu Yubai looked up, her gaze shifting to Nan Xue.
Her heart raced. Others might not know the name of the piece, but Nan Xue would recognize it. “Guan Jiu” was not a traditional pipa piece; it was composed by her pipa teacher at the time, and she had played it with Nan Xue before.
She had even said it was suitable for playing to someone special.
Could Nan Xue understand her intention?
What would her reaction be?
Shu Yubai’s fingertips turned pale, feeling icy and somewhat nervous.
She glanced down at the audience once more.
The hot spring submerged her shoulders, while Nan Xue sat there, her face expressionless. Her eyes were distant, one hand lightly pouring water over her shoulder. Shu Yubai couldn’t even tell if Nan Xue was listening.
Nan Xue’s long lashes were lowered, not even looking at her.
Shu Yubai’s fingertips remained pale.
For a moment, she felt her own sentimental gestures were nothing more than a joke.
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