A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 40

In the store, there was a complete silence.

The person at the counter was slightly surprised. In fact, he wasn’t clear about the exact situation regarding the painting. After all, the store owner handled purchasing the paintings, and he was responsible for selling them. He only had a general understanding.

This person said the painting was a copy?

He squinted slightly and looked at the young woman in front of him.

She stood on the old wooden floor, her black long hair reflecting the snow light outside. She stood quietly, giving an impression of calmness, neither humble nor arrogant. She wore a light gray turtleneck sweater, wide-leg pants with a strong drape, and carried a light gold bag. Her long hair cascaded to her waist, and her fingers were slender and white, though with noticeable thin calluses.

He had a feeling that she was either a teacher from the art academy or a recent graduate.

In any case, she seemed knowledgeable.

He put down his takeout, stood up, and poured two cups of water, handing them over.

“Drink some hot water, it’s cold outside.”

Shu Yubai took the cup.

The man smiled at her: “You say it’s a copy? All the paintings here are personally selected by our boss. His taste is precise.”

“You shouldn’t speak carelessly.”

“I’m not speaking carelessly.”

Shu Yubai held the hot water, unsure how to explain the awkward situation. She turned to the woman beside her and asked, “Do you still want to buy the painting?”

“Hm?” The woman turned to look at her, her eyes clear and carrying a hint of confusion. “Is it really a copy? What a pity.”

“What’s the pity?”

“I quite like it.”

She stood in the room, looking at the painting she had chosen after visiting several stores. She liked the painting style very much—unique, clean, and hazy with a gentle quality.

But she said it was a copy?

She looked at Shu Yubai.

This woman, she had noticed as soon as she entered, had a somewhat different vibe. Long hair, slim waist, and crucially, a unique elegance in her movements. It was not just graceful but rather delicate and gentle.

Not at all aggressive.

Light and understated, like the willow catkins by the lake.

“Who are you?”

She looked at Shu Yubai, with curiosity and a desire to connect.

“I also study painting.”

Shu Yubai looked at her and smiled gently: “Trust me, it’s not wrong.”

“Hmm.”

She nodded and put away her phone.

The potential customer was about to leave, and the shop owner was somewhat dissatisfied. He looked at Shu Yubai, the faint smile in his eyes fading to seriousness and dissatisfaction. He tapped the table with his index finger: “Who are you? Just because you say it’s a copy, does that make it one?”

“If you ask me, it’s worth this price.”

“She is the original artist of the painting.”

A voice came from behind, small and thin, like broken ice.

Everyone turned to look.

A girl was standing at the door, not sure how long she had been there, looking up at the painting on the wall. She wore a puffy white down jacket, with a long neck and black hair lightly resting on her shoulder. Her skin was pale, with small red lips, and her profile was cold, giving off a pure, clean aura, like a lotus drawn from the water.

Shu Yubai turned around: “You’re here?”

“Hmm.” Nan Xue pointed outside: “The groceries are bought, in the car.”

“You’re the original artist?”

The woman looked at her in surprise, her eyes bright with light: “Is it true?”

“Yes.”

Shu Yubai was still a bit embarrassed: “This painting is at my home. If you’re interested, you can come see it.”

“……”

The shop owner fell silent.

No wonder! She was so certain—it turned out she was the one who painted it! Selling the painting as a fake and then encountering the original artist?

What a situation.

“Can we add each other on WeChat?”

The woman looked at her, feeling a strange sense of fate. The unique painting and person had this relationship, which made sense. She had been wondering what kind of person could create such a painting.

It was her.

Shu Yubai lowered her eyes and smiled: “Sure.”

Shu Yubai opened the WeChat interface but was startled. There were many unread messages, with little red dots piling up.

One of the avatars was blank, and there were several unread messages from the girl who bought her painting at a high price—Aunt Zhang’s granddaughter.

Shu Yubai opened and glanced at the messages:

[Sister, are you there?]

[Did you go to a friend’s house?]

[Image.]

[Are you single now?]

[It’s getting late, you should go home, it’s not safe outside.]

Shu Yubai smiled and replied after a day: [Sorry, I just saw this. Thanks for your concern, I’m already home.]

Meanwhile,

Nan Xue’s phone dinged, accompanied by continuous vibrations.

She picked it up and saw that it was a message from Shu Yubai.

Nan Xue: “……”

She stood there watching the two exchange contact information. The woman seemed somewhat interested in Shu Yubai, her eyes bright when looking at her.

And Shu Yubai

Also seemed quite friendly with her.

Nan Xue quietly observed for a while, as they continued their pleasant conversation.

After a while, she stepped forward, her boots making a buzzing sound on the floor. Shu Yubai turned around, and Nan Xue gently took her hand, leaning closer, resting her chin on her shoulder, and whispered: “Let’s go, sister.”

It was an intimate gesture, and her breath, warm and soft, brushed against Shu Yubai’s ear. Her ears were quite sensitive.

A slight tingling sensation.

Shu Yubai tilted her head, retreating slightly.

They left the store and got into the car. Shu Yubai sat in the passenger seat, looking at her phone and chatting with someone.

Nan Xue, not glancing aside, asked: “Who are you chatting with?”

Shu Yubai looked down, her slender white fingers lightly tapping the screen: “Someone I just added. She said she’s a doctor.”

“Oh?”

Nan Xue glanced sideways: “Are you getting along?”

••••

Dinner was prepared by her mother and was very sumptuous. Nan Xue didn’t pick the dishes, and the carrots she bought were a bit stale, which made Li Nian chuckle and scold her a bit. Nan Xue didn’t take it to heart.

The next day, Nan Xue went back to work, and Shu Yubai visited her teacher at the agreed-upon time.

Su Hanting took her there at 9 AM.

Ying Ran’s residence was in a cluster of buildings designed to look ancient. The entrance featured a moon gate with white walls and gray tiles. It had a sensor glass door that opened automatically when the doorbell was pressed.

At this early hour, many shops on the street had yet to open, and the surroundings were quiet and desolate.

Su Hanting led her through a small courtyard and into the complex.

“My teacher can be a bit stern,” she said to Shu Yubai, offering slow, careful advice. “He prefers diligent students, but he especially likes smart ones.”

Shu Yubai nodded.

Su Hanting seemed more nervous than Shu Yubai, giving continuous reminders: “When you meet him later, don’t be too formal—relax a bit. But if he asks you to paint, you need to put in your best effort.”

“He’s known to scold people.”

“He’s made several young women cry before; they were too afraid to continue studying with him.”

“I’ve been scolded by him too.”

“Quite fierce.”

••••

A few days ago, Nan Xue had recommended this teacher to her. At that time, Shu Yubai had only asked Nan Xue to help take her paintings to her uncle for some advice and hadn’t met the teacher in person. She hadn’t expected him to be so strict. Shu Yubai tightened her grip, feeling a bit nervous with a slight sweat on her palms.

They walked through several courtyards and small ponds, gradually moving deeper into the complex.

The ponds had many red koi swimming slowly, their tails swaying gently, creating soft ripples on the water’s surface.

On the roadside, several girls were shoveling snow. Su Hanting explained that they were Ying Ran’s apprentices, learning from him and helping with various tasks. It was similar to ancient teacher-student relationships—one-on-one, and once a student was taken in, they stayed with that teacher.

It was quite different from the academic style.

Inside, there was a room with an embroidered screen depicting “Pine Breeze and High Reclining,” a piece from the Song Dynasty.

A slightly hoarse voice came from inside: “Is someone here?”

“Teacher?”

Su Hanting led Shu Yubai inside: “You’re still busy.”

They passed the screen to find a square redwood table, intricately carved, with a middle-aged man sitting at it practicing calligraphy. He was dressed casually, with somewhat long hair and an unshaven stubble.

Without looking up, he continued practicing with his brush: “Shu Yubai?” After a few more strokes, he finally looked up. “I’ve heard of you from Nan Xue.”

“Hello, Teacher.”

“Sit.” Ying Ran gestured to two tall chairs in front of his desk, and Shu Yubai took a seat along with her teacher.

“What have you been painting recently? Let me see.”

Shu Yubai slightly bowed her head, took out a few pieces of her recent work from her bag, and showed them to Ying Ran.

He reviewed each piece quickly.

“This one is good,” he said, picking out a painting of plum blossoms from a sketch, noting its detailed execution. Did he prefer detailed work? Shu Yubai thought, but Ying Ran commented, “It’s just that it’s too detailed.”

Shu Yubai: “…”

She quickly nodded, “Okay, Teacher, I’ll correct it next time.”

Ying Ran glanced at her without speaking.

“How’s your hand?”

“Still undergoing treatment.”

“Good.” Ying Ran rolled up the paintings on the table and handed them back to Shu Yubai. “Move in tomorrow or today. There’s a vacant room here; you can stay here. You need to get into the national exhibition this year.”

His statements were direct commands. Shu Yubai nodded quickly and asked, “Teacher, how about the tuition?”

Ying Ran smiled at her: “I’ll cover it for you. No rush on repayment once you’re famous.”

Su Hanting was stunned:

“Why didn’t I get this treatment?”

••••

That afternoon, Shu Yubai packed her belongings.

The residence was designed like a traditional courtyard house. Shu Yubai dragged her suitcase inside and found her room, which was neither too big nor too small. She placed her suitcase inside and settled in.

Staying with the teacher was common during intense periods, such as when preparing for exhibitions or facing academic pressures like entrance exams. Living close provided the benefit of 24-hour guidance and faster progress.

She sat on the edge of the bed, about to catch her breath when her phone rang. It was Nan Xue.

“Hello?”

The girl on the other end was silent for a while, then asked incredulously, “Sister, did you just unblock me?”

“Yeah.” Shu Yubai smiled.

She hadn’t blocked Nan Xue out of anger.

It was because she hadn’t received a response, and blocking her allowed her to delude herself into thinking that perhaps Nan Xue had returned her call, but she didn’t receive it due to the block.

Shu Yubai looked down and smiled softly.

Nan Xue hesitated and then asked, “Sister, aren’t you at home?”

“No.”

She stood up, started tidying up the room, and chatted with Nan Xue: “Did you go looking for me at my place?”

“Yeah. Where are you?” Nan Xue sounded anxious. “I’m still waiting downstairs at your building.”

The wind was strong, and Nan Xue wrapped her coat tightly while talking. When she went up to look for Shu Yubai, her mother answered the door and said, “Xiao Shu isn’t home; she went to the studio and won’t be back for a while.”

Nan Xue was stunned, unable to understand. Did she mean the studio where You Fu worked? Were they going to start living together?

Her heart sank as she hurried downstairs, standing in the cold wind and snow for a long time until she mustered the courage to call Shu Yubai.

“I’m not telling you.”

Shu Yubai chuckled, looking at Ying Ran’s grand residence.

On the other end, Nan Xue hesitated before asking quietly:

“You’re not at You Fu’s studio again, are you?”

Shu Yubai thought for a moment: “Guess?”