A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 34

Shu Yubai was momentarily stunned, then, without looking at Nan Xue, she lowered her head and hurriedly packed up the easel by the roadside. “I don’t like it anymore.”

She had a bunch of items in her hands: the easel, pencils, erasers, and under her arm was the sketch she had just completed.

In the twilight, her soft, long hair was gently lifted by the wind.

Her figure appeared somewhat desolate.

Shu Yubai turned back and saw Nan Xue still standing there watching her. She smiled, “Come help me. I can’t carry it all.”

Her tone was very casual, as if she didn’t care much about the issue.

Nan Xue walked over and took the items.

She suddenly fell silent and, after a while, looked towards You Fu’s direction.

You Fu was standing a bit farther away, her posture upright. She wore a gray short skirt with a light-colored collared wool coat over it. The cuffs were slightly rolled up, revealing her fair and delicate hands. With her slightly curled hair ends, bright eyes, and the corners of her lips curving up when she smiled, she exuded a mature and elegant aura in her every gesture.

When You Fu was with Shu Yubai, their atmospheres were very different.

They were very in sync.

“Do you like her that way?”

Nan Xue asked softly.

“Yes.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head and smiled, “I’ve fallen for someone else. As for you, don’t overthink it.” (TN: Ouch)

The sky gradually darkened, and the group walked down the mountain path. There was a shallow water channel by the side of the trail, and the sound of flowing water was quite pleasant. Looking down from the mountain, there were few pedestrians, and the white snow among the pine trees was gradually being swallowed by the darkness.

Nan Xue swallowed the words she almost blurted out: “Why don’t we give it a try?”

Indeed.

Earlier, she had sensed that Shu Yubai had some feelings for You Fu.

Now her guess had only been confirmed.

This person was more indifferent than she had thought.

Nan Xue felt a pang of discomfort in her heart.

••••

In the evening, before Nan Xue went to sleep, she closed her eyes.

In a half-dream state, she recalled the pair of misty, pitiful eyes, as if someone had been bullying her.

Her heart skipped a beat.

The heartbeat was very evident.

Around ten at night, she picked up her phone and turned it on.

She saw Shu Yubai’s WeChat.

She clicked on the profile picture. Shu Yubai’s account had blocked only Nan Xue, but it was open to this secondary account she had added halfway through.

Nan Xue opened it.

There were many photos, all with You Fu.

There were pictures of them going out, holding a glass of juice;

And photos of their shadows.

It really looked like good things were coming.

She couldn’t quite describe her feelings.

She kept wanting to do something. After a moment, she sent a message to Shu Yubai on WeChat.

[Are you there?]

Shu Yubai didn’t reply.

What was she doing? Maybe she was out with You Fu again?

Nan Xue waited for a long time, but still received no reply. In the silence of the night, with only the sound of insects chirping, she tossed and turned.

In her irritation, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

-“I think I really like her.”

••••

The next morning.

Nan Xue arrived early, and there weren’t many people in the office.

As she passed by the secretary’s desk, she lightly tapped the surface with her slender fingers, calling her over.

The glass door had good sound insulation. The secretary followed her in. Nan Xue first asked about some work matters, and after finishing, she casually asked, “Do you have the contact information for that bodyguard from before?”

That was one her father had arranged for her.

For a while, Nan Xue found it troublesome and dismissed him.

Later, her father arranged a few more, but those were all closely connected with her father, and Nan Xue couldn’t instruct them well.

She was also afraid of leaking any information.

The secretary checked the records and soon sent the information to her.

“Hello?”

She lightly tapped the desk and said, “Help me track someone. Just take some photos every day. Thank you.”

••••

That night, Shu Yubai went with You Fu to her studio.

The night was very quiet.

There was no other sound in the studio.

This was Shu Yubai’s first time seeing You Fu’s studio. It was a villa transformed from a place close to West Lake. The first floor had a spacious reception area with tea and sofas, and the decor was refined and elegant.

You Fu took her upstairs, up the winding staircase.

The second floor was spacious but messy.

In a corner was a grand piano. On the walls were many paintings of various styles, all by masters. Shu Yubai glanced at one, a Monet “Water Lilies,” probably a replica. On the opposite wall, on a display board, numerous character sketches were haphazardly stuck with magnets.

The room was very spacious, with a large table in the center that could seat ten or more people.

The table was covered with art supplies.

The items were stacked somewhat messily, and a small desk lamp was on, illuminating a clear space, which roughly defined the owner’s working area.

On the opposite side of the table was a wide floor-to-ceiling window with the curtains drawn wide open.

Shu Yubai always had a sense of respect for You Fu, as if she were facing a senior. Years ago, she even felt like running away upon seeing her—like a student encountering a teacher.

She stood in the studio, looking around and taking in her surroundings.

Holding her breath slightly.

You Fu, on the other hand, sat leisurely, pouring tea for herself and her “junior sister.”

“Come over and have some water.”

She waved her hand.

Shu Yubai walked over, thanked her, picked up the teacup, and took a small sip.

The two sat together. You Fu shared her current painting with Shu Yubai, and they discussed and analyzed it.

After discussing the artwork, You Fu suddenly changed the topic and asked, “What do you think of me?”

Her voice was pleasant, with a slightly smoky tone and a casual, indifferent manner.

Yet, her pitch-black eyes, with a hint of a smile, carried a serious undertone.

The large room was illuminated by only one floor lamp.

Under the warm, orange light, her eyes looked exceptionally beautiful.

“It’s just the two of us here.”

You Fu said softly, “Don’t be nervous. I’m just asking for your opinion.”

“Senior sister, you’re very nice.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head, feeling a bit flushed. The person in front of her looked at her directly, without hesitation.

She wasn’t sure where to look.

“Are you giving me the ‘good person card’?”

You Fu chuckled, “No need for that.”

Shu Yubai sat beside her, her gaze resting on the painting on the table.

You Fu paused slightly and asked softly, “Did you notice that I’m pursuing you?”

Shu Yubai suddenly looked up.

You Fu glanced at her, paused for a moment, raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, then stood up with a smile. “It’s okay. Let’s go get something to eat.”

The evening air was a bit damp and chilly.

After leaving the neighborhood and turning left, there was a slightly more bustling street with old shops selling fruits and vegetables. At around seven or eight o’clock, the street was lively and crowded.

An elderly man was strolling with a small dog, which wagged its tail and barked.

The fruits in the shop were fresh, with green stems and vibrant leaves. She looked around and chose a bag of oranges, a few guavas, and a bunch of grapes.

The store’s lighting was a warm yellow.

Seeing beauty under such light added a unique charm.

Shu Yubai’s long neck was slightly bent, a strand of hair falling beside her ear. Her hands were very beautiful, well-proportioned and fair, clearly suited for painting. She had an aura of a scholar, quiet and seemingly untouched by worldly dust.

As she slightly turned her face, a gleam passed through her clear eyes.

Her long hair was smooth and silky.

It was like satin.

You Fu had been in many relationships.

Shu Yubai was the kind of person who was most suited for a long and lasting life.

For such a person, You Fu had ample patience.

You Fu carried the fruits for her, and then Shu Yubai led her to buy some vegetables.

The two walked back together.

••••

On the other side.

At nine o’clock at night, in Nan Xue’s room.

She turned on the light and opened a small gap in the floor-to-ceiling window. The cold wind outside whistled as it blew in. Outside the window, it was already quiet, with the constant flow of water on the terrace reflecting the moonlight.

Aunt Zhang came upstairs again and placed a cup of warm milk by her desk. “Young lady, have some.”

Nan Xue turned around, thanked her, placed her notebook on the desk, and curled up her long legs to work, with a notebook and fountain pen at her side.

She wrote and scribbled, checking the chat box from time to time for new messages.

After a while, the chat box jumped a few times. Nan Xue clicked on it.

Her heart raced, and she felt a thin layer of cold sweat on her back. It was a photo from the person she had hired. Her slender white fingers trembled slightly as she opened it.

A zoomed-in photo appeared on the screen.

Nan Xue glanced at the photo for a second before quickly closing it.

She rested her forehead on her hand, closed her eyes, and her fingertips turned white. The image was excessively beautiful, painfully glaring.

After a second.

She opened it again with a blank expression.

In the photo, a woman stood gracefully with her hair pinned up, holding two bags of vegetables, standing closely beside You Fu. The pedestrians were hurried, and the dimly lit street corner made the figures indistinct, with the faint light making the atmosphere even more ambiguous.

She tilted her head and looked gently at You Fu, as if her eyes contained only her.

The two stared at each other.

The gentle smile at the corners of her eyes and brows was frozen in the image.

Next to her, You Fu was dressed in a mature little black dress with a thin woolen coat draped over her shoulders. Her figure was slender, her short black hair slightly curled at the ends, lifted slightly by the wind.

You Fu was indeed very beautiful.

Perhaps Shu Yubai simply preferred that type?

Nan Xue’s fountain pen, which she had been holding, left a heavy dot on the paper.