A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 44

Nan Xue: “!!!”

A blind date?

She stood up, reflexively wanting to walk over and speak to Shu Yubai in person. Halfway there, she remembered Shu Yubai was in the shower, fearing she might see something she shouldn’t. She turned back and sat by the bed.

The room was slightly warm, with a hazy mist.

The water in the shower stopped, and Shu Yubai’s soft voice called out, “Could you please hand me the towel? Thank you.”

Inside, the enclosed glass shower made it easy for the towel to get wet. Shu Yubai hadn’t brought one in and had left it within Nan Xue’s reach.

Nan Xue picked up the towel and walked over, catching a vague glimpse of Shu Yubai’s silhouette—she was also crouching down.

In reality, it didn’t help much.

The woman’s outline was blurry but still discernible. A slim waist, long legs, and the heavy curves of her chest were slightly obscured by the glass, like being covered with a light veil, not entirely clear.

Shu Yubai gently pushed the door open, and a water-soaked hand reached out, fingers delicate and soft, very beautiful.

Nan Xue’s cheeks felt a bit warm. She handed the towel to Shu Yubai and turned away.

As she walked away, a sudden thought crossed her mind:

—If she were my girlfriend, wouldn’t I be able to…

Able to what?

She didn’t dare think further.

Holding hands, kissing, or hugging…all normal things between couples. Thinking further made her feel… Nan Xue held her cool hands to her face, her heart beating faster.

A soft sound.

Shu Yubai pushed the door open.

She was covered in water droplets, her long hair pinned up with a transparent clip, exposing her slender, white neck. She walked out, bringing with her a damp mist. The beige towel wasn’t too long, just enough to cover her hips. As she moved, Nan Xue listened to the rustling sounds, feeling slightly nervous.

“I’m changing now.”

Shu Yubai said softly, “Don’t turn around.”

Nan Xue nodded. For some reason, those words amplified her nervousness, making her want to look back even more.

“You went on a blind date with that doctor?”

Nan Xue was silent for a moment before returning to the topic, asking, “How did it go?”

“Blind dates… they’re all the same.”

Shu Yubai undid her towel, gently wiping the water droplets off her body. She picked up her nightgown from the side and slipped it on. Nan Xue sat on the edge of the bed with her back to Shu Yubai, sitting upright and not looking around, her spine straight.

Nan Xue said, “What do you think of that doctor?”

“She’s quite nice, very gentle. Maybe I can try to get to know her.”

“Really.”

Nan Xue’s tone was indifferent: “You like that type?”

Shu Yubai hummed in agreement while continuing to dry off, “I like people who are good-looking and gentle.”

“You think she’s good-looking?”

Nan Xue lowered her head: “I think she’s average, just so-so.”

Shu Yubai laughed.

Nan Xue sat on the other side of the bed with her back to Shu Yubai, her waist slender, her silhouette thin, silent and seemingly lost in thought.

Shu Yubai said, “I’m done changing, it’s okay now.”

A light, sweet fragrance mixed with a bit of warmth wafted over, carrying a hint of some flower.

Nan Xue turned to look at her.

Shu Yubai was wearing a pure white cotton dress with a small bear on it. The round neckline and the hem of the dress fell to her thighs. She took the clip out of her long hair, letting the dark, shiny strands fall to her waist.

Though the dress was loose, her graceful figure was still faintly visible. Her lips were slightly moist, full of vitality.

“No need to try to get to know her.”

Nan Xue looked at her seriously and said softly, “She’s not suitable for you.”

Shu Yubai, half amused, walked over and sat beside Nan Xue. The proximity made her damp hair give off a faint, fresh scent like gardenias. Nan Xue’s fingers tightened slightly, feeling a bit nervous.

Shu Yubai propped her chin with her hand, turning her head to look at Nan Xue: “Why isn’t she suitable now?”

Nan Xue turned to face her, her dark eyes quietly observing: “Meeting on a blind date, there’s no emotional foundation. How can you be together?”

Shu Yubai said, “But I met her at the gallery before. Isn’t that a kind of fate?”

“And she likes my paintings.”

Nan Xue blurted out, “But she didn’t buy any.”

Shu Yubai was puzzled: “Did you buy them?”

Nan Xue: “…”

She lowered her head, feeling a surge of guilt. (TN: Hahaha… She did buy them through an auction site 😆.)

••••

The next morning.

Around seven in the morning, the courtyard was very quiet. Not many people were up yet. A small white bird flew lightly from a branch of the wutong tree into the sky.

Shu Yubai came out from inside, a sharp chill hitting her head. She stood at the door while Ying Ran’s assistant was sweeping the snow in the courtyard.

“Good morning.”

The slightly plump assistant smiled.

She wasn’t very tall, about half a head shorter than Shu Yubai. Her skin was quite fair, and when she smiled, her eyes would squint, and there was a small dimple on her left cheek. She was currently wrapped in a thick down jacket, sweeping the courtyard.

“Good morning.”

Shu Yubai greeted her, then turned to look at Nan Xue’s room. The curtains were still drawn, and she wondered if Nan Xue was up yet.

Just as she was about to move forward, a tall girl walked through the moon gate, carrying two buns and a cup of soy milk. In the snowy light, her soft, petite red lips stood out.

When she saw Shu Yubai, she raised the food in her hand:

“Sister, I brought you breakfast.”

“There were only a few options nearby.”

Nan Xue recalled, “I wanted to buy corn, but it seems you don’t like it.”

She was still wearing the same ankle-revealing jeans from yesterday. Her legs were quite beautiful, long and straight. At that moment, Shu Yubai glanced at her, worrying: Isn’t she cold, dressed so lightly?

On the other side, Ying Ran’s assistant looked at the two of them, question marks floating in her mind: “You two know each other?”

Shu Yubai nodded: “Yes, we do.”

The slightly plump girl lowered her head, recalling yesterday when Nan Xue was quietly watching Shu Yubai paint. That look in her eyes… she keenly sensed something was off.

“No wonder.”

She smiled at Nan Xue.

Nan Xue walked over, and Shu Yubai took the breakfast, then squeezed Nan Xue’s hand, which was cold and a bit stiff.

“Go back and warm up.”

Shu Yubai looked at her: “Don’t come out; it’s cold outside.”

Nan Xue nodded and asked, “Where’s my uncle?”

Shu Yubai: “He’s not up yet. I’ll start painting first. I usually look for him around noon.”

Ying Ran’s schedule was very irregular, day and night reversed. When he felt inspired at night, he would stay up painting until midnight, causing him to sleep in the next morning.

Nan Xue remembered her uncle joking about himself many years ago:

“The real morning starts at noon.”

Typically, Ying Ran would skip breakfast and start with lunch, so the cook didn’t prepare breakfast. For the past few days, Shu Yubai had been going to nearby breakfast shops outside the courtyard, where they served only soy milk, buns, or boiled corn.

Nan Xue pulled Shu Yubai back to her room, where they sat at a round wooden table to eat.

She ate slowly, taking small bites.

Nan Xue sat across from her, propping her chin on her hand, her dark eyes fixed on Shu Yubai without blinking.

Shu Yubai felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze.

“What are you doing?”

Nan Xue: “Watching you.”

She said it so seriously, as if unaware of any awkwardness.

Shu Yubai: “…”

Is Nan Xue trying to flirt?

Shu Yubai ignored her and continued eating. After finishing, she threw the trash bag into the bin outside the courtyard.

After breakfast, Shu Yubai didn’t have time to keep Nan Xue company. She carried her drawing board around the courtyard, looking for a suitable spot to do a sketch. Recently, she had been practicing landscapes, meticulously drawing flowers, trees, and even the veins on the leaves with precise detail.

By noon, the sun was strong, and the snow showed signs of melting.

Shu Yubai carried a stack of morning sketches to find Ying Ran. Nan Xue opened the door and followed her.

“I’ll go with you,” she said.

Shu Yubai looked at the tall nose and jade-like chin of the person beside her. “You’re coming too?”

Nan Xue: “Yes.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head, thinking that if Ying Ran scolded her later and Nan Xue saw it, it wouldn’t be good. But she couldn’t figure out exactly why it wouldn’t be good; she just felt a little nervous.

She pushed open the wooden lattice door.

Ying Ran was already sitting at the table behind the embroidered screen, practicing. When Nan Xue and Shu Yubai entered together, Ying Ran looked up, glanced at Nan Xue, and smiled, “The girl came too?”

“Yes.”

Nan Xue said, “I also quite like painting.”

She liked it? That was a lie. Shu Yubai’s lips curved slightly. Nan Xue lowered her head, softly calling “Uncle,” and then sat on a stool beside the large table, watching them.

Shu Yubai presented her paintings. Ying Ran, surprisingly in a good mood, spoke gently, first praising her work before pointing out minor shortcomings. His tone was like a spring breeze, completely different from his usual strict demeanor.

Shu Yubai’s paintings were spread out on the large table. She stood beside Ying Ran, slightly leaning forward, listening to him and watching his pen move on the paper, demonstrating.

Nan Xue also stood up and moved closer, standing beside her.

Shu Yubai glanced at Nan Xue beside her. She had moved close, and her breath was right by her ear.

A soft strand of black hair fell, gleaming with a cool luster. Her skin was extremely fair, like ice and snow, without a blemish. Her long black eyelashes trembled slightly, and her pupils were clear.

Her full lips carried a faint cool fragrance.

Nan Xue was very close, her breath lightly brushing against Shu Yubai’s ear.

Shu Yubai discreetly moved away.

Ying Ran talked for an entire hour, covering everything from composition to color and tone. After a long time, his mouth dry, he handed the painting back to Shu Yubai, saying, “It’s almost lunchtime. Take it back and make some changes.”

Ying Ran put down his pen and concluded, “Not bad, a lot of improvement.”

“Thank you, teacher.”

Nan Xue’s lips curved slightly.

There was still some time before lunch, and the sun had come out, making the courtyard warm. Shu Yubai carried her painting, modifying it here and there in the courtyard. She wore a simple white wool dress, her long hair falling loosely to her slender waist.

Her soft, pretty calves were planted in the snow, one in front of the other.

Nan Xue stood by the door, leaning lightly against the door frame, her gaze fixed on Shu Yubai.

Shu Yubai was very beautiful. Nan Xue had always privately thought that she looked best in a white dress. It was a gentle look that made people fall in love at first sight. Back in school, boys used to chase after her, but later, more girls did.

Nan Xue walked over lightly, stepping through the crushed snow. Shu Yubai, unaware, kept her head down, her slender white fingers holding an eraser, concentrating on her drawing.

Her expression was focused and engrossed, her eyes deep, seemingly oblivious to Nan Xue’s approach.

A focused person is the most attractive.

Nan Xue watched her long eyelashes flutter slightly in the light, delicately curved, countable one by one.

She leaned in softly, a faint warm fragrance, like osmanthus, emanating from her hair. Bending over, she lightly pressed her lips to Shu Yubai’s long hair.

Shu Yubai suddenly looked up.

Their eyes met.

Her eyes were very soft, as if filled with the gentle rivers and mountains of Jiangnan, holding a tender affection.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Sister.”

Nan Xue’s heart pounded wildly.

But Shu Yubai lowered her head again, ignoring her, and continued drawing.

Nan Xue’s fingertips tightened and then relaxed.

After a moment, she turned and went back to her room, pacing like a caged beast.

Her fingertips trembled slightly as she started searching on her phone: How to pursue a girl you like.

The browser provided answers:

1. Make a good first impression.
2. Show your attractive inner qualities.
3. Know how to talk to her.
4. Use humor effectively.

••••

Nan Xue expressionlessly closed the browser and looked at the cold snow outside, feeling a bit calmer.

After a while, she dialed Lin Lan’s number.

The first thing she said was, “You guessed right before. I like her.”

Lin Lan: “???”

Who? Who likes whom?

Nan Xue took a deep breath and said softly:

“I want to pursue her.”

“But I don’t know how.”

“How do you pursue a girl?”

Lin Lan, slow to react, said, “You’re… bent?”