A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 36

The first time Shu Yubai met Nan Xue, she was just a child.

Of course, Shu Yubai herself wasn’t very old at that time either.

On the slightly chilly flagstone path, beside the white walls and dark-tiled mansion, Nan Xue was the little girl from the house across the street.

The adults said that Nan Xue’s family had just moved in; her parents were old friends of Shu Yubai’s family, and they had a child, younger than Shu Yubai.

Shu Yubai stood in her room, looking out through a small window. In the yard, a little girl with snowy white skin and soft hair tied into a short ponytail, with lips as red as cherries, looked around anxiously, held by an adult.

Shu Yubai ran out of the room and stood there, shyly shrinking behind the adults, looking at her with dark, moist eyes like a small animal.

Even after many years, Shu Yubai still remembered.

She lowered her head and smiled gently.

••••

A few days later, Shu Yubai continued to accompany You Fu to the studio.

The two got along very well, engaging in professional discussions and often painting together. You Fu’s studio was quite messy, with many pieces of paper and paints stacked together, giving off a casual feel, much like her personality.

But when it came to her professional work, You Fu was meticulous and obsessive.

She pursued perfection almost to the point of being harsh.

Although Shu Yubai’s hand had issues, she could still manage to paint works that focused on composition and color. However, she struggled with paintings that required high sensitivity and precision. For example, she couldn’t handle the meticulous detail of Song and Yuan dynasty paintings, but Western art was still within her ability.

There was a desk lamp on the table.

Surrounded by the smell of paint, with a palette in front of her, Shu Yubai was working on a piece in the style of Monet’s “Water Lilies.”

There was an exhibition at the end of the month, and You Fu said she would take Shu Yubai along to see if she could help her win an award.

Exhibitions often emphasize the effect of the display, so large paintings are common. Artists frequently create portraits in life-size proportions, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Shu Yubai had painted halfway and was reluctant to stop.

But it was getting late.

“If I’m alone, I usually just sleep here,” You Fu said, glancing at her watch. “It’s ten o’clock now; should I take you home?”

“You sleep here?”

“Yes.”

Shu Yubai felt awkward asking someone else to drive her home. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “How many rooms are there?”

“Upstairs, there are two more rooms.”

Shu Yubai hesitated, feeling that either asking someone to take her home or staying over would inconvenience others.

“Maybe I should just take a taxi…”

You Fu understood and smiled: “Don’t. If you’re comfortable, you can stay here.”

Shu Yubai was not good at refusing and really wanted to continue painting. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she lowered her head: “… Thank you, Senior Sister.”

“Well then, I’ll leave breakfast to you tomorrow.”

You Fu smiled at her.

“Alright.”

You Fu ruffled her hair.

Shu Yubai smiled and moved to the side.

••••

On the other side.

Nan Xue sat by her desk, resting her chin on one hand, her slender fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city was shrouded in mist, and her delicate figure seemed somewhat blurred.

She was waiting for the hired person to send her the photos.

It seemed she needed to check every day to be reassured that Shu Yubai and You Fu were fine for the time being.

With the computer on, the night felt a bit lonely. She was reviewing the financial reports for the quarter, and after a while, she picked up her cup and sipped some hot water.

Her phone rang; it was her father. She answered, “Hello?” He urged her to come home soon, and she frowned slightly, saying, “Dad, I’m still at the office. I’ll be back later.”

Nan Xue continued typing on the keyboard.

The day had not gone smoothly.

She scanned the data on the screen, then picked up her phone to reply to WeChat messages. After replying, she casually checked Shu Yubai’s social media updates. There was a new post.

In the four-grid photo, two pictures were of her paintings, seemingly just finished. One was of dinner, and another was an ambiguous photo of a woman’s silhouette in the night.

The woman’s hair was slightly curled, and the silhouette was elegant.

Nan Xue glanced at the likes; among the few mutual friends she had with Shu Yubai, she saw Lin Lan’s name.

Lin Lan commented: “Good things are coming soon~”

Shu Yubai neither confirmed nor denied.

Nan Xue pulled at her collar with her slender fingers, feeling a bit stuffy, and frowned.

The small icon on her desktop blinked; the hired person sent her another photo.

The photo showed two people entering the residential area, one in front of the other. Visitors had to register and report their apartment numbers. The person taking the photos stood outside and captured a few shots. The photo showed the two of them carrying groceries after shopping, entering together.

Only one silhouette was visible.

[She went in around six. It’s now past ten, and she hasn’t come out yet.]

The hired person sent her the message.

It was ten o’clock at night, and she hadn’t returned home. It seemed she wasn’t planning to go back.

Was she staying overnight at You Fu’s place?

Nan Xue stood up, paused for a moment, and then sat back down.

She picked up her phone, logged into her secondary account, and lightly tapped on the screen to edit.

Nan Xue:[Sister, are you there?]

Nan Xue: [Did you go to a friend’s house?]

Nan Xue: [Image]

The image was a screenshot of the social media post she had just seen.

Nan Xue: [Did you start dating someone?]

Nan Xue: [It’s too late. You should come home; it’s not safe outside.]

The screen remained blank for a long time, and Shu Yubai didn’t reply.

Nan Xue stared at the message and, after a while, replied to the hired person: [You can go back. Don’t take any more photos; I’ll go myself.]

Nan Xue opened the drawer to find her car keys. Normally, the driver would handle the car, and she wasn’t sure where she had left the spare keys. After searching for a while and giving up, she called the driver, who then took her home.

The house was quiet. Her father was working upstairs, Aunt Zhang was cleaning on the first floor, and the cook and housekeeper had left.

She entered the house and quietly took her father’s car keys from the coffee table.

Next, she grabbed the thick cloak from the coat rack, wrapped it around herself, and went out.

Before leaving, Aunt Zhang asked, “Young lady, where are you going?”

Nan Xue didn’t turn her head and replied, “I’m going to the company. I’ll be back soon.”

It was ten o’clock at night.

The night carried a chilly edge, with strong winds and dry, cold snowflakes. Nan Xue rarely drove herself. She gripped the steering wheel, driving forward with snow accumulating heavily on the wipers, the black road reflected in the windshield.

If it were daytime and Shu Yubai were at her place painting, there wouldn’t be much to worry about. But now it was nighttime.

Nan Xue drove into the community. The security guard stopped her, and she gave You Fu’s name.

You Fu’s villa in the area was a studio, not used as a residence like others. It was common for visitors to come by the studio, so the time of day wasn’t unusual. The security guard glanced at the booklet, had her register, and then opened the gate to let her in.

She drove straight and then turned right. The villa was right in front of her.

The lights on the first, second, and third floors were all on.

The fourth floor was dark.

Sitting in the car, Nan Xue felt a bit stuffy. She looked up but couldn’t see anyone. After a moment, she saw a slender figure moving on the third floor and immediately recognized it as Shu Yubai.

She felt a surge of tension.

After thinking for a moment, she dialed Lin Lan’s number.

“Hello?”

“What’s up?”

“I just saw your comment,” Nan Xue’s soft voice came through the car: “Is Shu Yubai really in a relationship?”

“Hmm?”

Lin Lan laughed, “I was just guessing. Even if she’s not in a relationship yet, it will be soon. Just wait a week, no, not even a month, just a week.”

Her voice was relaxed, filled with laughter through the Bluetooth: “In a week, that beautiful big sister in her social media will definitely announce their relationship.”

“She’s beautiful?”

“Yes,” Lin Lan added, “And you wouldn’t know, but her temperament is really liked by the fans.”

“Different from you.”

“From what I know, fans of the circle are all into older sisters. Shu Yubai probably likes that kind of affectionate older sister too.”

“…”

“And look at that silhouette; it’s so ambiguous.”

Nan Xue was silent for a long time, unusually quiet. After a while, Lin Lan asked, “What’s going on with you? Don’t you know her better than I do?”

“And why are you asking me about her relationship? Why not just ask her directly?”

“And why is it always about her love life? Whether she’s dating or who her partner is?” Lin Lan seemed to realize something: “So, you have a crush on her, right?”

Nan Xue’s heart skipped a beat.

She remained silent for a long time, her pale cheeks flushed with a noticeable heat.

Her heart raced uncontrollably.

She instinctively wanted to deny it.

But when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she couldn’t say anything.

“Hey, I was just joking,” Lin Lan seemed not to have heard clearly and laughed, “You really should just play along with the joke and smile.”

Nan Xue took a deep breath, feeling a bit less tense. She didn’t explain further, and they chatted for a bit before ending the call.

She then called You Luan, asking if her cousin was in a relationship.

You Luan was somewhat puzzled but laughed, saying although there hadn’t been an official announcement, she had always felt that her cousin was already in a relationship.

The car was parked in front of the villa. Nan Xue looked out through the car window, where everything outside appeared somewhat blurry through the smoky glass.

She kept staring.

In the distance, small snowflakes drifted down silently, and the person she had been thinking about walked out.

Shu Yubai’s long hair was again flowing down, very soft, gently resting on her slim waist. She leaned against the railing of the terrace, looking out, holding a box of fruit salad, poking a skewer into one, and feeding it to herself.

Nan Xue gripped her phone tightly and dialed Shu Yubai’s number.

She held the receiver to her ear, as if she could hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

Badum, badum..