A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 37

The phone rang.

Shu Yubai turned around and walked inside from the terrace, lowering her head to search through her bag and eventually pulling out her phone. She glanced at it hurriedly; the incoming call was from an unfamiliar number.

But it was a local area code.

Who could this be?

She answered the call, “Hello?”

She answered! Nan Xue’s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively prepared to speak, but the next moment, Shu Yubai’s voice, gentle and distant, asked, “May I ask who you are looking for?” Her tone was polite but detached, as if speaking to a stranger.

Does she not recognize her own number?

No notes?

No.

In an instant, it suddenly occurred to her. She quickly hung up the phone and leaned back in the driver’s seat, breathing slightly heavily.

She had dialed the wrong number.

The phone had two SIM cards, and she had used the secondary one. The number she called was the one she had provided to customer service when she took a photo of Shu Yubai’s painting. Very few people knew this number, and only a few friends were registered on the WeChat account associated with it, Lin Lan being one of them.

Shu Yubai had only recently added this number when taking the painting photos.

After hanging up, Shu Yubai stared at the missed call for a while, puzzled, before turning around and putting her phone back.

Nan Xue was somewhat unwilling to accept this. Perhaps Shu Yubai had already switched back to her regular number?

She tried calling again. After a moment, a voice came through:

“The number you dialed is currently busy…”

Nan Xue frowned, looked at the screen, and then glanced at the person on the terrace. Shu Yubai was standing there, not holding a phone, only a box of fruit.

Busy?

And she still had her blocked number.

Nan Xue swiped to end the call, put her phone on the passenger seat, and tiredly rested her forehead, sighing softly.

After a while, she opened the car door and got out. The cold wind was strong; she placed one leg on the ground, and after a moment, the other leg followed.

Shu Yubai, hidden in the night, glanced down without much notice.

The car looked somewhat familiar.

The person also seemed familiar.

A girl stood downstairs, her pale skin glowing in the night like undissolved snow. She wore a red long coat, with dark hair falling on her shoulders, and her legs were slender and straight. She walked to the car door and quickly disappeared into a cluster of greenery.

Nan Xue?

Shu Yubai observed where the person had disappeared.

After a moment, the doorbell rang.

You Fu came out from another room, somewhat puzzled, “Who is it?”

Shu Yubai: “I don’t know.”

They were on the third floor. Going down would take a while, but the doorbell kept ringing urgently.

You Fu went downstairs and looked at the display on the security camera. The girl had indifferent eyes, with dark lashes fluttering slightly.

She raised an eyebrow and opened the door, “Nan Xue?”

The person in front of her seemed to have hurried over, with a thin layer of snow on her coat. Her pale cheeks were slightly reddened from the cold, and she was enveloped in a frost-like chill, her eyes holding a hint of unfamiliar hostility.

Why was she here? How did she know where she lived? You Fu wondered if You Luan had told her. Perhaps she was looking for Shu Yubai at this late hour. It was unclear what the matter could be.

Shu Yubai came downstairs and, seeing her, looked a bit surprised:

“You came?”

Nan Xue’s expression was indifferent. She glanced at You Fu, who had already washed up and was in pajamas, her hair slightly damp. She stood there with no sign of hesitation, as if she had been living with Shu Yubai for a long time.

The third floor was the bedroom?

What had they been doing?

Shu Yubai came downstairs, having removed her coat since it was warm inside, leaving only a thin, fitted cotton shirt that hugged her body’s curves. She looked at Nan Xue, hesitated slightly, and then slowly approached.

The first floor was the living room, with curtains partially drawn and a vintage chandelier casting a warm, somewhat ambiguous light.

So, Shu Yubai was alone with You Fu?

She met Nan Xue’s somewhat cold eyes and asked, “Nan Xue?”

Nan Xue walked over and firmly grabbed her hand, saying, “Sister, I need to talk to you.”

“What about?”

Shu Yubai tried to pull her hand away.

“It’s urgent. Bring your things.”

Nan Xue’s voice was somewhat cold, lacking any warmth.

“It’s fine to discuss it here.” Shu Yubai looked at her, “I’m not going back tonight. I’m staying here.”

Nan Xue remained silent, repeating, “Staying here?”

Her eyes were cold and deep, as if colored by the frost outside.

“…”

Shu Yubai looked at her serious expression, slightly stunned—was there really something important?

Otherwise, why would she be so serious and even… a little scary?

“Then wait a moment.”

Shu Yubai forcefully pulled her hand away and said, “I’ll go upstairs and get ready, okay?”

She turned and went upstairs, leaving You Fu behind.

You Fu’s expression fluctuated. She glanced at Nan Xue with some surprise, observing her for a while. Nan Xue, in turn, looked at her with a cold, distant gaze, her eyes carrying a strong chill.

The air seemed to freeze.

You Fu looked at her again—she had misjudged. Nan Xue’s feelings towards Shu Yubai seemed to go beyond mere possessiveness.

Childhood friend?

She recalled Shu Yubai’s descriptions and looked at Nan Xue.

The girl’s sharpness had slightly receded.

She looked at the stairs. Shu Yubai had already put on her coat and was carrying a bag, hurrying downstairs.

Nan Xue took her hand and led her outside.

The snow was falling more heavily at night. It was very cold, and Nan Xue held an umbrella with one hand, lightly resting her other hand on Shu Yubai’s waist to bring her closer. This proximity felt quite unfamiliar.

“Is something wrong?”

The two walked through the snow.

The person beside her was silent, their profile cold and aloof.

“Get in the car first.”

Nan Xue opened the passenger seat, holding the umbrella to let Shu Yubai get in, and then went around to the other side.

She opened the door, closed the umbrella, and got in.

“You drove here yourself?”

Shu Yubai leaned gently against the passenger seat, feeling a subtle unease she couldn’t quite place. She turned her head to the side. Nan Xue, next to her, was gripping the steering wheel, her hands slender and beautiful.

“Mm.” Nan Xue kept her gaze forward and softly said, “I came by myself.”

The car was very quiet. Nan Xue reversed and drove off, with snowflakes gently accumulating on the window edges, white and sparkling.

She rarely drove. In the past, when they lived together, Nan Xue always rode in her car, leaving Shu Yubai with a strange sense of disorientation watching the young woman in the driver’s seat.

The car remained silent.

An English song played softly, endlessly looping.

“Can you talk now?” Shu Yubai asked, looking at her. “What’s the matter?”

Nan Xue sighed softly.

After a long pause, she finally said, “Sister, don’t be with You Fu anymore.”

Shu Yubai was stunned into silence. The atmosphere in the car suddenly grew very quiet, with a female voice from the speakers softly singing an endless Italian aria, the notes drawn out.

“You said there was something important. Is this it?”

Shu Yubai’s voice was very soft, like a sigh. She lowered her eyes and asked, seemingly confused, “Why?”

Nan Xue, not glancing sideways, saw the green light ahead and pressed the gas pedal. “She’s not right for you.”

“How is she not right?” Shu Yubai chuckled. “I think she’s quite good.”

Nan Xue said seriously, “You should find someone better.”

Shu Yubai sat there, turning her head, her long hair cascading over her shoulder. The movement obscured half of her view. The girl next to her held the steering wheel, her expression calm, as if she was genuinely considering her.

“There isn’t anyone better.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head and smiled.

Nan Xue was quiet for a moment before softly saying, “I’m afraid you’ll get hurt.”

“She’s been in five or eight relationships.”

“How can you be so sure you’re her last?”

Shu Yubai looked at the streetlights ahead, their light glaring. She blinked. “Is that so?”

She recalled the details of her interactions with You Fu and felt increasingly that it wasn’t that kind of situation. She shook her head. “I don’t think you can judge a person by how many relationships they’ve had. Senior Sister You Fu has been very good to me; she’s actually quite interesting. We’ve known each other for a long time.”

“I also quite like her…”

Suddenly—

A harsh screech of brakes.

Nan Xue turned to face her, one hand resting on her shoulder, their faces coming very close, her gaze fixed on Shu Yubai’s lips.

A faint, sweet fragrance spread.

Her dark hair gently brushed against Shu Yubai’s collarbone. The girl’s slender form, pale skin, and tempting red lips seemed to promise a sweet taste with the slightest touch.

Shu Yubai was momentarily stunned by how close she was.

Two seconds later.

She forcefully pushed Nan Xue away. “What are you doing?”