A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 29

A month had passed since they last met, and Nan Xue felt that Shu Yubai seemed different. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different, just that she wasn’t quite the same as before. Shu Yubai, who used to always seem a bit repressed, now had a slight smile on her face. Wearing a thin wool cloak and just a light shirt underneath, with a form-fitting skirt that outlined her waist and hips alluringly, she looked very seductive.

Though she looked beautiful, it aroused suspicion.

Why was she suddenly so fond of dressing up and wearing so little in the winter? Was it because she was going on a date with someone she liked?

Nan Xue rested her pale hand on her chin, her peripheral vision occasionally glancing at her.

Shu Yubai sat upright, always feeling Nan Xue’s gaze on her, but she didn’t dare to think too much about it. They were already at such an awkward point that there was really nothing more to think about.

She avoided Nan Xue’s gaze as much as possible.

Nan Xue waited for a long time, but Shu Yubai didn’t even spare her a glance.

Her fingertips felt a little cold.

Was it possible she really didn’t want to look at her at all?

You Luan smiled at his cousin You Fu, “Sister, how did you two meet?”

You Fu smiled gently, placing a lobster from the plate in front of Shu Yubai and putting on gloves to shell it for her, “We met quite a while ago, back in university. Shu Yubai was my junior schoolmate.”

Shu Yubai smiled softly.

Her eyes lowered slightly, as if recalling something.

“She was still a child back then.”

You Fu ruffled her hair, “I was in my first year of graduate school, and she was in her first year of undergrad.”

You Luan nodded, suddenly understanding, and looked at You Fu, “I see, so you had a good relationship from the start.”

Nan Xue: “…”

Her expression remained calm, but her hand hurt.

The sharp lobster shell had cut her hand when she wasn’t paying attention.

Shu Yubai frowned slightly, glanced up, and saw it. Her fingers on the table lifted slightly but then fell back down the next moment.

The feelings she once couldn’t hold back, now seemed to belong to another time and place.

But now, she saw things more clearly.

Shu Yubai found the big boy beside Nan Xue amusing. He acted somewhat childishly, occasionally glancing at Nan Xue with a bit of panic, clearly interested in her.

She used to be like that too.

Full of warmth, thinking she was hiding it well.

“Sister, now that you’re here, are you staying?”

You Luan asked.

You Fu squeezed Shu Yubai’s little finger, “Not sure, depends on the situation.”

Shu Yubai seemed to feel ticklish, gently patting You Fu’s hand, and You Fu withdrew her hand.

Shu Yubai looked at You Luan, “Mainly because my teacher is here, and I need to ask her for some help.”

“Oh,” You Luan nodded and continued eating.

Nan Xue sat there, her heart skipping a beat every time Shu Yubai glanced in their direction.

But she eventually realized that Shu Yubai wasn’t looking at her at all, just chatting casually with You Luan.

Their sporadic conversation relieved the initial awkwardness when it was just the two of them.

Nan Xue couldn’t taste the food, her mind entirely focused on Shu Yubai.

During the meal, Shu Yubai occasionally looked at You Fu, her eyes sparkling like stars, with a faint smile, her every gesture full of an indescribable charm—she was so gentle.

Yet, that gentleness was directed at You Fu.

It had nothing to do with Nan Xue.

Shu Yubai sat across from You Luan, with Nan Xue directly diagonal from her.

“Sister.”

Nan Xue finally mustered up the courage to look at Shu Yubai, using her red chopsticks to offer a piece of crab meat she had already shelled.

Shu Yubai looked at the person opposite her, momentarily dazed, her gaze resting on Nan Xue for a brief moment before quickly shifting away.

It was just a fleeting glance.

“…Thank you.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head and quietly ate the crab meat. From Nan Xue’s angle, she could just see her gracefully curved nose and long eyelashes.

Nan Xue, however, was overly concerned. Using the reflection from the floor-to-ceiling window nearby, she noticed her own semi-transparent reflection. Her hair seemed a bit messy, so she quickly and discreetly tidied it with her slender fingers.

Her phone vibrated.

[My cousin’s girlfriend is very pretty, isn’t she?]

The message was from You Luan.

Nan Xue glanced at the person opposite her.

Shu Yubai was sitting on a bamboo-woven stool, with a faint warm light behind her. Her cheeks looked soft and pale, like flower petals. Nan Xue felt a strong urge to gently touch them and see what they felt like. Sitting diagonally from Nan Xue, Shu Yubai was very quiet, with a strand of smooth long hair falling by her ear, her long eyelashes lowered, not looking towards Nan Xue.

Nan Xue paused for a moment before replying.

[Yes, she is quite pretty.]

You Luan read the message and laughed.

[My cousin is also beautiful. They make a great match.]

You Luan sent another message.

Nan Xue glanced at You Fu, her expression unchanged.

With her dark hair and red lips, her slightly curled hair resting on her thin shoulder, she wore a coat that was neither thick nor thin, and underneath it, a tight-fitting black sweater. Her earlobes were adorned with delicate pendants that caught the light.

Nan Xue suddenly remembered that during the hot spring visit, Shu Yubai hadn’t looked away from You Fu once she saw her.

She lowered her gaze, her eyes filled with indifference.

[Your cousin is just average.]

You Luan read the message and was instantly speechless, replying with a series of ellipses.

You Fu looked at her cousin and Nan Xue, whom she had seen recently at the hot springs, and gently smiled, saying, “Could you two be together? Since everyone knows each other, it seems like fate.”

You Luan was surprised, glancing at Nan Xue, and asked, “You know my cousin and my sister-in-law?”

“Sister-in-law”?

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

Shu Yubai looked up, staring at You Luan with confusion in her eyes.

Was You Luan referring to her as “sister-in-law”?

You Fu shot You Luan a glare.

Instantly, You Luan stood up and quietly apologized to Shu Yubai, “Sorry, sister, I misspoke.”

He sat back down, and You Fu’s message arrived:

[We’re not at that stage yet.]

At the moment the screen lit up, Nan Xue glanced over but couldn’t see clearly.

You Luan looked down and typed quickly:

You Luan: [Haven’t you pursued her yet?]

You Fu: [No.]

You Fu: [Actually, I just haven’t confessed yet.]

You Luan: […]

You Luan: [Then why are you posting so many ambiguous photos?]

You Fu looked away from the screen, pointed at him, and replied: [That’s also a way to pursue someone. Do you understand?]

On the wall of the restaurant hung a huge painting, which Shu Yubai had noticed as soon as she entered. While everyone was silent, she stared at the painting, somewhat mesmerized.

It was a large piece from the Southeast Asian school of painting, resembling a print. The deep blue background featured intricate patterns with a scene of two ancient soldiers on horseback, with golden hats and red horses, and the lines were delicate and powerful.

Shu Yubai tugged at You Fu’s sleeve: “Senior Sister, look at that.”

The moment You Fu looked over, Shu Yubai patiently dealt with the lobster in her hands. After a while, she removed a piece of tender white lobster meat, picked it up, and placed it in You Fu’s bowl.

Nan Xue inadvertently made eye contact with her. The tenderness in Shu Yubai’s eyes was still present, like a faint water stain, and their gaze quickly passed.

You Fu turned her face and smiled slightly: “Nice. But it’s probably a copy or replica.”

“Really?” Shu Yubai asked, looking over: “Why, Senior Sister?”

“Because the real one is in the museum.”

You Fu looked at her and smiled: “You’re not familiar with Southeast Asian painting styles, so it’s normal you haven’t seen it before.”

Her eyes were full of affectionate amusement: “But it’s quite beautiful.”

Nan Xue lowered her head, feeling that even though the place was heated, it still felt a bit cold. She hugged her arms, her slender neck drooping, listening to Shu Yubai call “Senior Sister” repeatedly.

She suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable.

After a while, You Luan, trying to make conversation, nudged her arm:

“Sorry, I made a mistake earlier.”

He whispered, “She’s not my sister’s girlfriend.”

Nan Xue looked up.

Her heart raced, and she stared at him, wide-eyed: “What did you say?”

“They’re not together yet, but it should be soon.”

You Luan showed her the chat history.

Not together yet.

Nan Xue suddenly looked up at Shu Yubai, her heart tightening slightly.

So, could it be that…

After the meal, You Fu and You Luan fought over who would pay the bill, leaving only Nan Xue and Shu Yubai at the table.

The two sat in silence.

Outside, the scenery was still bleak; it was winter, with people hurrying by, and the snow on the ground was half-melted. As people walked, they left a trail of footprints stretching into the distance.

A waiter came by to refill their tea.

Nan Xue mustered the courage to look at her, her palms damp with sweat. She asked softly, “Sister, do you hate me?”

The question reverberated lightly in the air.

Shu Yubai’s long eyelashes fluttered as she looked over. Nan Xue held a cup of hot water, gazing at her with hopeful eyes. Her cherry-like lips were glistening with the mist, and her eyes sparkled with a hint of hope.

She seemed like a little kitten that had been kicked, approaching tentatively, brushing against her pant leg in an attempt to appease her.

“How could I?”

Shu Yubai laughed softly, a genuine smile on her face.

“I would never hate you.”

Shu Yubai sat there with a gentle gaze, her delicate fingers wiping her lips with a napkin, and said softly, “Also, you… don’t need to be afraid. I’ve already let go.”

Nan Xue’s mind buzzed with the revelation.

Shu Yubai continued:

“We can just interact normally from now on, no need to have any special thoughts.”

“Interact normally?”

Nan Xue’s voice was flat.

“Yes, just as ordinary friends.”

Her response was calm, even carrying a subtle distance. Nan Xue’s heart ached, and she stared at Shu Yubai, asking, “And what about You Fu? Are you two just ordinary friends too?”

In the distance, You Fu was in line to pay. With so many people these days, reservations had to be made in advance, and the checkout line was even longer.

It would take a while for her to return.

Shu Yubai looked at her back, a fleeting smile appearing in her eyes, which Nan Xue subtly noticed.

“She isn’t.”

Shu Yubai’s lips curved up slightly: “She is someone I currently like.”

In that instant, Nan Xue felt as though she had been punched in the face. Her mind was filled with a blinding white light, and she couldn’t see anything, her head buzzing for a while, unable to recover.

“It seems she’s pursuing me,” Shu Yubai sighed lightly. “But I’m not sure; it might be my own misunderstanding. If it’s true, I… still need some time to process it. Maybe in a while, we’ll be together.”

Nan Xue stared at her and asked again, “You like her?”

Shu Yubai lowered her head, her long lashes fluttering, seeming a bit embarrassed.

“I have strong feelings for her.”