A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 22

“Alright.”

 

She whispered gently in her ear and then straightened up.

 

Her breathing was slightly uneven.

 

Several staff members in thick winter coats watched from the side. On the narrow path outside, the number of pedestrians increased, and someone remarked that it was time to get off work.

 

There was also water flowing into the hot spring pool in the room, but the room was too stuffy, and the view was not as beautiful as the outdoor one.

 

Everyone went back to their rooms.

 

“Has she kissed you like that too?”

 

Nan Xue kept her gaze fixed ahead. The surroundings were very quiet, with the pine branches gently swaying. A clump of snow fell to the ground with a muffled sound—just a little squirrel.

 

She wondered if Shu Yubai would also breathe lightly and blush like that.

 

Had Xiao Yi touched her? If so, where?

 

Shu Yubai’s physical reaction hadn’t yet subsided; her cheeks were very warm, and her legs were still a bit weak.

 

She didn’t even have the courage to look at Nan Xue.

 

“No… no.”

 

Shu Yubai wasn’t very good at lying, so she simply said it outright.

 

Nan Xue glanced at her, as if wanting to ask something else, but then stopped.

 

Shu Yubai’s cheeks had a faint blush; she quietly lowered her head. Her lips were a deep red, and her black hair was half-wet, cascading over her shoulders, looking extraordinarily beautiful.

 

Nan Xue barely managed to avert her gaze.

 

Her heart began to race uncontrollably again.

 

Shu Yubai didn’t know what Nan Xue intended to do. She hooked her pinky finger and held her hand.

 

They were so close.

 

Her sense of smell seemed to become exceptionally sensitive. Shu Yubai noticed the faint, clean fragrance of Nan Xue, crisp and aloof, like the pines in a forest after snow.

 

The tall girl beside her was as usual, holding her hand, but she seemed quieter. Her fair skin was dotted with water droplets, with a slim waist and a pair of long, beautiful legs, straight as if drawn by a cartoonist.

 

They walked in silence, not knowing what she was thinking.

 

The night was chilly, and when they arrived at their lodging, it was still brightly lit. The water-featured platform in front of the door reflected the lights like a mirror. Nan Xue walked up a few stone steps and entered—their home.

 

“Hello?”

 

After Shu Yubai finished washing up, she lay in bed answering the phone, with Nan Xue’s graceful figure bathing behind the frosted glass partition in the bathroom.

 

Curved and delicate, swaying gently.

 

On the other end of the phone was You Fu, who asked, “Are you asleep?”

 

Shu Yubai replied with a soft laugh, “Not yet. How about you, Senior Sister?”

 

There was a brief pause in Nan Xue’s movements on the other end, as if she was listening to the conversation. After a while, she continued.

 

You Fu said, “Not yet. Will you still be in Beijing later?”

 

Shu Yubai shook her head, saying she wasn’t sure.

 

You Fu responded, “Hmm?”

 

She continued, “If you do go somewhere, let me know.”

 

Shu Yubai didn’t know what she was planning, but just nodded and agreed.

 

After chatting a bit more, You Fu hung up the phone.

 

When the sound of water stopped, Shu Yubai slipped under the covers and adjusted the quilt.

 

She closed her eyes.

 

She felt a slight vibration behind her as the quilt dipped slightly. Her lower legs felt cold; Nan Xue had lifted the quilt and gently slipped in. The fresh, cool scent from Nan Xue made her heart flutter.

 

Everything felt more sensitive.

 

There was a moment of silence, and then the light was turned off with a click.

 

In the warm quilt, her skin, which had been immersed in the hot spring water, felt damp and warm. Shu Yubai felt a bit hot and instinctively slowed her breathing. Nan Xue was beside her, her ankle gently brushing against Shu Yubai’s calf, the cool sensation and slender bones.

 

She couldn’t fall asleep.

 

She didn’t know what she was waiting for.

 

Or rather, what she was expecting.

 

But Nan Xue didn’t do anything.

 

She even carefully maintained her distance.

 

••••

 

Morning light streamed in.

 

In the snowstorm, the layers of distant mountains showed sharp outlines through the drifting snow. Some guests had already left the hotel. Before Nan Xue woke up, Shu Yubai had brushed her long hair and let it fall gently over her fair neck.

 

By a small square window with a wooden ledge underneath, Shu Yubai sat there, tapping on her phone screen and starting to plan the remaining time.

 

1. Prepare a satisfactory artwork for the exhibition;

 

2. Contact the mentor;

 

3. Nan Xue.

 

Her fingers, which had been moving quickly, stopped.

 

What to do about Nan Xue?

 

Outside the window, the slightly sloped outline of the mountain was silhouetted against the dim sky, with white mist drifting in. In the clear, chilly morning, it seemed almost otherworldly. She could hear the sound of snow and the wind. A linen lamp lit up, casting a quiet and lonely glow.

 

The bed creaked.

 

She woke up.

 

Shu Yubai gently leaned against Nan Xue’s bedside.

 

With the small window propped open behind her, the cold mountain snow occasionally blew into the room. Her face was soft and warm, as if flowing with warm currents, her dark eyes quietly watching Nan Xue.

 

“Are you awake?”

 

Nan Xue propped herself up on the bed, the collar of her bathrobe slightly open, revealing soft skin beneath her collarbone with a hint of warm pink. She looked at Shu Yubai through a hazy gaze, her eyes clear and cold like unmelted ice.

 

Her skin was delicate with a touch of pink. The light on her translucent white nose made her look as clean as the snow on a mountain peak, untouched by any dust.

 

Her lips, however, were a deep red, moist and soft, like cherry blossoms.

 

What would it feel like to kiss those lips?

 

Shu Yubai’s heart raced a bit faster.

 

“They brought breakfast.” Shu Yubai looked at her and said softly, “Get up. We need to head home soon.”

 

Nan Xue responded with an “mm” and sat there, hastily eating.

 

One bun, leaving a small bite mark.

 

Shu Yubai let Nan Xue eat breakfast while she stood behind her, holding a wooden comb and gently brushing her hair. The strands of her hair felt cool, black, and smooth like a little girl’s, with a glossy sheen.

 

By the roadside, the wintersweet flowers quietly bloomed on the branches, with a layer of snow on the twigs and a fragrance that was heartwarming.

 

Shu Yubai relaxed slightly, though she was uncertain about what to do with Nan Xue.

 

But she had already come up with an idea for the art exhibition.

 

••••

 

On the long table in the hall was a painting.

 

It was a piece of rice paper, 67*65 cm, depicting a lady. The colors were elegant, different from any traditional lady paintings or Western-style nudes.

 

The lines were subtle, using Western-style color blocks with a melancholic lady, Jiangnan’s green willows, and dense forests, exhibiting a unique and soft beauty.

 

Within a unified color tone, there were rich subtone variations—deep red, purple, vermilion, and ultramarine. The use of color absorbed the transparency of Song Dynasty porcelain, giving it a unique sense of purity.

 

“Falling flowers without words, the person is as chrysanthemums.”

 

Ying Ran stood by the table, carefully examining the painting, providing comments, and then asked Nan Xue, “Your friend, who is her mentor? She must be more focused on Western painting, right?”

 

Nan Xue tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, “The mentor is in Hangzhou, and she mostly studies traditional Chinese painting.”

 

Ying Ran remarked, “The lines are a bit weak, not like someone who has studied traditional Chinese painting.”

 

The lines were a bit shaky, but fortunately, the composition and colors of the painting were very good, which could cover up these minor flaws. Otherwise, it would be impossible to meet the standards for the art exhibition. At first glance, it looked like an attempt by a Western painter to adapt traditional Chinese painting, rather than someone who studied traditional Chinese painting professionally.

 

Nan Xue sighed lightly, “Her hand has issues.”

 

Ying Ran frowned slightly and asked, “Oh? What happened?”

 

“It’s complicated. The doctor said it’s due to the damp and cold conditions of her new home after moving, and there are also many psychological factors.”

 

But the specifics of what happened.

 

Probably only Shu Yubai knew clearly.

 

On the other side.

 

Nan Xue said she would have her uncle take a look at the painting, and Shu Yubai waited for news from her.

 

Her phone chimed.

 

Xiao Yi: [I’ve started booking the tickets. Do you want to buy them together?]

 

Xiao Yi: [February 27th, 6:00 PM, flying to Xiaoshan International Airport.]

 

Tickets were being booked.

 

What about Nan Xue?

 

Shu Yubai’s fingertips turned white. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and thought she’d give it one last try. If successful, she would cancel the tickets.

 

Shu Yubai looked at the message, paused for a moment, and replied, [Okay, thank you.]

 

February 27th, it’s already coming up so quickly, she thought.