A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 51

Winter was cold outside, but the sun made a difference. A few sparrows perched on the tall sycamore trees, their bright black eyes catching the sunlight that streamed through the room’s window, warming the woman’s back.

Her white, smooth back resembled a stranded mermaid.

Nan Xue paused with her fingertips.

Shu Yubai’s breath was soft and somewhat delicate, a noticeable contrast.

The door to the room was closed, providing good soundproofing, making everything outside very quiet. Shu Yubai’s gentle, nasal sounds in the ambiguous light gave the room a touch of romance.

“What’s wrong?”

Shu Yubai took a moment, turned her head, and looked at her.

Her eyes were moist.

“Sister, is this pressure okay?” Nan Xue asked. Shu Yubai’s expression was calm; perhaps it was just an illusion. Nan Xue suppressed a certain inexplicable impulse within her and asked, “Is it comfortable?”

This was Nan Xue’s first time massaging acupoints, and she didn’t know how to control the pressure, following her instincts.

Shu Yubai replied, “It’s fine.”

She gripped the edge of the pillow tightly with her delicate white fingers. Nan Xue’s earlier touch had even brought tears to her eyes. However, Tang Ruoyan had advised her that the massage shouldn’t be too light; the pressure should be slightly stronger.

Shu Yubai had to endure.

She buried her face in the pillow, her shoulders and neck glistening with fine sweat. Her long, dark hair was spread out messily, and a droplet of moisture clung to her closed eyelashes.

Nan Xue noticed this and said softly, “You’re crying from the pain.”

“Hmm?”

Shu Yubai made a vague nasal sound and opened her eyes.

Nan Xue’s dark eyes showed concern, her hair brushing her shoulders. “Is it okay?” she asked, gently adjusting the pressure. She was following the acupoint chart on her phone, applying light pressure to Shu Yubai’s back.

“Yes,” Shu Yubai replied, making a vague nasal sound as if she were a cat taking a nap.

Her skin was white and smooth, soft to the touch, but it seemed very delicate. Nan Xue’s slight pressure caused a faint flush to appear, with the herbal medicine on her back giving a sense of harshness.

Outside, the sound of someone humming accompanied the sweeping of the yard. It was Ying Ran’s assistant starting to clean the courtyard. Nan Xue glanced at the window, which was closed, and the door appeared to be locked as well.

“Move up a bit.”

Shu Yubai, feeling somewhat embarrassed, spoke softly.

Having already massaged her lower back and abdomen, Nan Xue continued in that area, which was a bit painful. Shu Yubai’s white skin had turned slightly red, and the T-shirt lightly covered the area.

Nan Xue’s dark hair fell, with a hint of redness on her pale earlobes.

Suppressing her own discomfort, Nan Xue tentatively reached out and rolled up the shirt an inch.

Her skin was delicate, smooth as silk in water, and cool to the touch.

Nan Xue’s pale fingers applied gentle pressure, one touch at a time.

“Sister, if it hurts, just say so.”

“Okay.”

Nan Xue tucked her falling hair behind her ear, looking down. The cool tips of her hair lightly brushed Shu Yubai’s back, soft and gently grazing.

“Don’t move.”

Nan Xue leaned closer, her light breath brushing Shu Yubai’s ear, carrying a slightly cool fragrance. She reached out, her delicate little finger brushing against Shu Yubai’s earlobe.

Shu Yubai shivered, her body feeling tender.

Her ears flushed warmly, slightly burning.

Nan Xue’s fingertips were cold.

“Sister, the Chinese medicine got on me”

Nan Xue held a small piece of herb and smiled with her full lips.

Her skin was white, but her lips were red, like a pure canvas with a touch of rouge, the lips full and smooth with a cold, fresh elegance.

Shu Yubai lowered her eyes, her face slightly flushed.

“Thank you.”

The oversized T-shirt still covered some of her body. After a while, Nan Xue glanced at Shu Yubai’s back in the dim light, and gently rolled up the shirt another inch.

In this position, the shoulder blades slightly protruded, with the straps of her underwear visible, a light green color, thin straps hanging over her shoulders, tapering down to her waist and then to her rounded hips.

With the shirt rolled up to the top, her entire smooth, white back was exposed, the red marks and light brown stains from the herbal medicine mixed together. The T-shirt also became somewhat damp.

“What’s wrong?”

Shu Yubai turned her head to ask.

“Should I… unfasten your bra?”

Nan Xue asked softly, touching it lightly before quickly withdrawing her hand, her snow-white ears slightly reddened.

Shu Yubai’s face flushed momentarily. She turned back to see Nan Xue maintaining a kneeling position with her long legs apart, but she did not sit down, only controlling the position with effort.

“No need. It’s… it’s okay for today.”

Shu Yubai said softly, “Can we stop here for today? I’m afraid it might tire you out.”

“I’m not tired.”

Nan Xue looked at her: “Not continuing?”

“Yes,” Shu Yubai said. “My back hurts. I can’t take it anymore.”

“Alright, then we’ll continue another day.”

Nan Xue got off her.

A hint of emotion flashed in Shu Yubai’s eyes.

Nan Xue was very proper, meticulous in her massage, even controlling the strength and finding the acupoints as if conducting a serious experiment, without any random touches.

Perhaps that’s just how straight people are.

Shu Yubai thought dejectedly.

••••

After the massage, Shu Yubai slept particularly soundly. When she woke up, she glanced out the window and felt completely relaxed. She got up, dressed, washed her face, tidied her long hair in the mirror, and then, holding her painting, opened the door.

“Sister Yubai, you’re up?”

The plump girl in the courtyard smiled, a small dimple on one side of her face and her eyes curved. She was slowly sweeping the courtyard with a wooden broom, greeting Shu Yubai cheerfully.

“Mm.”

Shu Yubai stretched lazily.

“What were you doing at noon?” Ying Ran assistant asked with a smile. “I heard someone calling from inside.”

“…”

Shu Yubai looked down, feeling a bit embarrassed. She said, “Nan Xue was giving me a massage. She has a strong hand.”

“Oh.”

The girl nodded, revealing a thoughtful smile.

Nan Xue had already gone to the office. Shu Yubai glanced at her room; the light was off, the door was closed, and no one was inside. After getting some fresh air, she turned back, picked up her painting, and went to find her teacher.

The air outside was very crisp.

Slightly cool, with a hint of damp mist rising from the ground. Shu Yubai held her paintings, walked through the moon gate, and saw the screen of Ying Ran’s study.

The art exhibition was at the end of the month, giving her a few weeks to prepare. Painting small pieces was fine, but if she wanted to create large pieces to increase her chances of being selected, time was quite tight.

Large works, given her painting speed, would take at least a month to complete, and now only a few weeks remained.

Calculating this, the time was indeed very tight.

Shu Yubai and Ying Ran discussed and decided to prepare three pieces of artwork: one large and two small. Submitting all three would increase the chances of being selected for the exhibition.

“A large portrait.”

Ying Ran tapped the table, eyes thoughtful: “Portraits align more with this exhibition’s theme, and your style isn’t suited for large landscape paintings.”

“Mm.”

Shu Yubai nodded, taking note.

“Who will you paint?”

Ying Ran picked up his teacup, took a sip, then set it down and turned to the person at the desk painting: “How about painting a senior brother?”

Her senior brother… Sitting there, he looked up at her, confused. Shu Yubai glanced at him and felt he wasn’t a good subject. Painting requires creative impulse and capturing a moment of beauty, which needs emotional investment and inspiration.

She had no creative impulse for her senior brother.

Ying Ran considered various options and concluded that her senior brother wouldn’t work, and finding someone randomly on the street would be even less feasible.

Ying Ran then suggested, “Paint Nan Xue.”

“Nan Xue?”

Shu Yubai’s fingers tensed, her heart skipped a beat. She instinctively looked at Ying Ran, realizing he was serious when she met his stern gaze.

“Is there a problem?” Ying Ran asked.

Shu Yubai shook her head repeatedly: “No.”

••••

In the winter evenings, it gets dark early. By seven o’clock when Nan Xue got off work, she had been busy with a meeting that ran late. As she stepped out of the office, a burst of cold air hit her. She tightened her blue scarf around her shoulders and slipped into the car by the roadside.

The car was warm. Nan Xue unwound her scarf.

The rearview mirror reflected her pale face.

Her lips were a soft grapefruit red, and her dark hair fell over her shoulders. The car felt stuffy, and the driver never initiated conversation. Nan Xue, in the quiet, unbuttoned her coat to let some air in.

Sitting in the back seat, she glanced at her phone as the screen lit up. It was a message from Lin Lan.

[Do you have any progress?]

Nan Xue’s fingers trembled slightly, her dark eyes showing a fleeting shyness. Her lips curled up but were soon pressed flat.

[Yes.]

Lin Lan replied shortly:

[Oh?]

[Listen up.]

Nan Xue’s fingers tapped on the screen as she sent:

[I gave her a pair of bracelets. She accepted and is wearing them on her wrist.]

Lin Lan responded:

[Is that all? Just that?]

[“…”]

Nan Xue raised an eyebrow. Lin Lan sent a string of ellipses. Just as Nan Xue was about to reply, Lin Lan sent another message: [You’re too slow. Next, you need to create physical contact. Flirt with her, make the first move.]

[Of course, if you can’t flirt,

Using seduction isn’t out of the question.]

Nan Xue closed her phone.

She leaned back with her eyes closed, feeling troubled.

Flirt with her?

Seduction?

It sounded so difficult.