A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 60

The touch of lips was distinct, slightly warm, with a momentary rush of heat.

Shu Yubai turned around, and Nan Xue was still hugging her, very close, with her porcelain-like chin resting on her shoulder, her dark hair falling down, carrying a faint fragrance.

“What are you doing?”

Shu Yubai looked at her, their eyes meeting, her heartbeat quickening for a moment.

“Nothing. I just wanted to hug you.”

Nan Xue whispered in her ear.

A staff member with a badge happened to be standing beside them, glancing ahead, and said helplessly, “Stop hugging and catch up.”

During the brief moment while speaking to Nan Xue, Shu Yubai hadn’t noticed that they had fallen behind a bit.

“Let go,” Shu Yubai said, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She pushed Nan Xue’s hands off her waist and walked a bit faster.

Nan Xue didn’t seem to mind, standing upright with her long dark hair cascading over her shoulder, still calm and composed.

You Fu passed by her, looking at Nan Xue.

Their eyes met.

The girl’s thin eyelids drooped, her gaze cold. For a moment, there was a hint of hostility in her eyes that quickly disappeared.

You Fu: “…”

She raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing more.

There were still a few hours before departure. At the moment of takeoff, Shu Yubai felt a bit of nervousness—this was her first time participating in such a competition.

Not knowing what to expect, she took the opportunity to review the competition rules she had learned before.

The rules were simple.

It was similar to the art exams she had taken before, but with fewer questions on art history—only drawing was required.

First, the organizers would give the contestants a poem. The poem might be from any country, but considering the participants’ language proficiency, it would be translated into English. Contestants then had to create a painting based on the content of that poem.

The form of the painting was unrestricted, and the theme was open.

However, time was limited, with only one day available.

This meant that if she wanted to do a meticulous painting that required a lot of time, it would be impossible. She would have to choose a quicker method.

Watercolors?

Or perhaps something like freehand painting.

Shu Yubai closed her eyes and thought about it.

Outside the porthole was a clear blue sky, with wispy clouds moving gently, quietly.

A few hours later, they arrived.

••••

The hotel was located near the subway, in the city center. After getting out of the car, the hotel had no exotic charm; it stood tall amidst the noisy streets, reflecting light through its cool blue glass facade.

It was colder up north, and the warmth from the taxi quickly dissipated. Her fingertips felt icy, and at the street corner, many people in thick coats were bustling about.

“Senior Sister, is this the hotel you booked too?” Shu Yubai asked.

Crossing a crosswalk, You Fu walked beside her, gently tugging at her sleeve: “Come over here.”

Shu Yubai obediently moved closer.

“I haven’t booked yet, so I’ll stay with you.”

You Fu took out her phone to check and began to book. The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, occasionally exchanging glances and smiling. Shu Yubai always looked as if she was willing to follow You Fu’s lead.

Nan Xue walked behind them, glancing at their little interactions, her fingertips clenched tightly.

Her senior brother walked even more slowly, leisurely, not rushing.

As he passed Nan Xue, he glanced at her and said, “Not happy?”

Nan Xue: “…”

She didn’t reply, her face becoming even colder.

Entering the lobby, Shu Yubai went to the front desk to get the room key.

You Fu’s room was on the floor above hers; Shu Yubai was on the 16th floor, and You Fu on the 17th. After completing the check-in process, she went upstairs with her suitcase.

Her senior brother also finished and went upstairs, leaving only Nan Xue and Shu Yubai in the lobby, still debating room arrangements.

“Sister.”

Nan Xue moved closer and asked, “Can I stay with you?”

Nan Xue leaned on the cold marble counter, her long legs next to a black rolling suitcase. She slightly bent forward, the hem of her sweater sliding up, revealing her slim white waist and the smooth curve of her spine.

“Stay with me? Isn’t that… not very good?”

A few thoughts flashed through Shu Yubai’s mind.

What did Nan Xue want to do?

Was she just wanting to be together like many years ago?

Back then, when they were younger and naive, they were this close and used to cling to each other even when sleeping.

But now things were different.

She liked this closeness but was also afraid of it.

“What’s wrong with that?” Nan Xue asked, her eyes slightly bright.

“There’s only one bed, it’s not a double room, so it might be inconvenient for sleeping.”

The room was booked by Ying Ran’s assistant, originally planned for Shu Yubai alone. She hadn’t expected Nan Xue to come as well.

Sharing a room and sleeping in the same bed was too… tempting, and Shu Yubai worried that she would be restless.

“Isn’t it a big bed?” Nan Xue said, swaying slightly, her slim waist briefly visible.

Shu Yubai gave her a glance and, unable to tolerate it any longer, reached behind her to pull down her sweater’s hem, covering her.

Nan Xue felt a jolt and straightened up abruptly.

“Even a big bed isn’t as comfortable as a single room.”

Shu Yubai thought about it seriously.

“This place is unfamiliar to me,” Nan Xue said softly, looking at her, “Sister, I’m scared to stay alone.”

“…”

Scared to stay alone? Really?

Shu Yubai looked at her. Over the past few days, she had vaguely sensed Nan Xue’s intentions. She was trying to get closer, but what was the purpose of this closeness?

Did she want to be with her?

Shu Yubai couldn’t believe it.

She had heard of many failed relationships between women and straight women—either being abandoned midway with the loved one marrying someone else, or realizing after being together that they still couldn’t accept a woman, leading to a hasty breakup.

She was afraid Nan Xue might be like that.

Shu Yubai was conflicted. She was always soft-spoken and lacked strong principles. If someone was more patient and brought up something three times, she would eventually agree.

“Alright.”

Shu Yubai dragged her luggage and said softly, “Let’s go, I’ve already got the room key.”

“Wait.”

Nan Xue stood at the front desk, communicated with the receptionist in Japanese for a while, then bent down to register something in a notebook. After a moment, she received another room key.

Nan Xue held the key card with her slender fingers and said, “I got another one, just in case.”

The elevator was very quiet, with only the two of them.

Nan Xue stood next to her and suddenly asked, “Sister, is You Fu staying here too?”

“Yes.” Shu Yubai turned to look at Nan Xue and asked, “What’s up?”

Shu Yubai had a faint, warm fragrance, barely noticeable. Nan Xue leaned in, linking her arm, almost touching. She brushed her long hair near Shu Yubai’s ear and asked, “If she wanted to stay with you, would you agree?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

Shu Yubai looked at her in confusion and smiled slightly, “Why are you asking this?”

“Why wouldn’t you agree?”

Nan Xue seemed a bit pleased, pressing further.

“Because both she and I like women, so it’s inappropriate for us to share a room. But it’s different for you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Nan Xue froze and asked, “Different for me?” The light in her eyes dimmed, and she whispered, “I don’t need to be cautious, do I?”

Shu Yubai didn’t look at her expression, paused for a moment, and said:

“We… don’t really have anything. There’s nothing to be cautious about.”

Nan Xue tightened her grip on Shu Yubai’s fingers, seeming upset, and fell silent for a while.

An oppressive silence.

“So, what about you and your senior sister?”

Nan Xue asked.

“I and her…”

Shu Yubai lowered her gaze in a rush, unsure how to explain.

Nan Xue looked quietly into Shu Yubai’s eyes and said, “Don’t be like this.”

“Mm?”

Shu Yubai looked at her.

“I will…”

Nan Xue lowered her head, her dark hair covering her face, and remained silent for a while. As the elevator door opened, she whispered, “I’ll get jealous.”

Shu Yubai was stunned, her heart racing. She looked at Nan Xue’s back, wanting to say something more, but the elevator door closed.

The red number in the upper right corner was thirteen.

“Where are you going?”

Shu Yubai asked just as the door was closing, “We haven’t arrived yet.”

“To buy something to eat.”

Nan Xue didn’t look back, her long legs stepping forward.

Shu Yubai went upstairs, helping Nan Xue carry her luggage. Nan Xue, fearing she might be hungry, went to get something to eat for Shu Yubai. The elevator stopped at the 13th floor of the hotel, and she got off.

The corridor was dimly lit. Shu Yubai found her room, swiped her card, and pushed the door open.

The door closed behind her.

Shu Yubai placed her luggage against the wall and looked around.

The bedroom had a large bed. From the 16th floor, the curtains were partially drawn. Looking out, she couldn’t see the bustling cityscape, only a deep and clean blue sky. A small lamp by the bedside was on, and the surroundings were tranquil.

Shu Yubai half-leaned against the bed, lowered her head, and took out her phone from her bag to send a message to Lin Lan.

Shu Yubai: [Are you there?]

She was filled with confusion and uncertainty.

Nan Xue had said she liked her.

She had also hugged and kissed her, saying she would get jealous.

After a moment, Lin Lan replied, [Yes.] Shu Yubai looked down and recounted the recent events: a few days ago, they had gone out for a movie by bike at night, holding hands, with Nan Xue resting her head on Shu Yubai’s shoulder; Nan Xue had given her a bracelet with an engraving; and there had been affectionate gestures like hugs and kisses on the cheek.

Shu Yubai asked: [Do straight women act like this too?]

Such actions made it hard not to overthink.

However, Nan Xue had previously said she was straight.

Changing sexual orientation isn’t easy. Just as Shu Yubai couldn’t develop an attraction to men within a month, Nan Xue probably couldn’t change her sexual orientation so quickly either.

Shu Yubai was afraid to test or think too much about it.

The risks were too great.

Theoretically, these assumptions seemed reasonable.

But Nan Xue had been acting strangely recently.

She no longer seemed to mind physical contact with Shu Yubai. On the contrary, she seemed to enjoy it, occasionally hugging her, kissing her neck or cheek.

Did straight women do this too?

Shu Yubai felt somewhat lost.

Or perhaps it was precisely because she had no feelings that she could embrace so openly?

Lin Lan: [You said she hugged you from behind and kissed your neck?]

Lin Lan: [ohhhh!]

Shu Yubai: [?]

Lin Lan sent a bunch of surprised emojis, as if the sky was falling.

Shu Yubai: [Is there something wrong?]

Lin Lan: [Nothing, I just didn’t expect Nan Xue to be this bent already.]

Lin Lan: [Xiao Shu, you’re quite something! A real wrench in the works!]

Shu Yubai: […]

Shu Yubai: [Isn’t it normal for straight women to act this way? It doesn’t seem like a big deal.]

Lin Lan thought for a moment and agreed that there might be some truth to it. She was a straight girl, while Shu Yubai was lesbian. What’s the main difference between a straight girl and a lesbian girl?

— Very simple: one likes handsome guys, and the other likes beautiful girls.

Does Nan Xue like any guys?

Probably not.

Moreover, Lin Lan privately felt that Nan Xue’s gaze towards Shu Yubai was quite different. Specifically, it seemed that Nan Xue’s gaze sometimes shied away, as if she was seeing a good-looking guy on the street—she wanted to look but felt shy.

Comparing it this way, Lin Lan suddenly had a thought:

What if Nan Xue was never straight?

Besides, although Nan Xue and Shu Yubai were close, they only held hands when shopping, not hugging from behind or kissing Shu Yubai’s neck or cheek… That would be impossible!

Lin Lan: [To be honest, I think Nan Xue is lesbian.]

Lin Lan: [When have I ever kissed you? Never, because I never had that thought!]

Really?

Shu Yubai thought for a moment and replied: [She’s different from you.]

Lin Lan: [?]

Shu Yubai: [She’s more clingy. So, hugging and kissing might be normal for her. She’s not thinking about anything else, so she dares to act like this.]

After sending this message, her mind was in a whirl, as if caught in a strange logical chain: Nan Xue doesn’t kiss her—she’s straight.

Nan Xue kisses her—she’s still straight because she’s open and doesn’t have other thoughts.

Lin Lan: […]

Lin Lan sent a string of ellipses and then said: [You handle your own business. You won’t believe me even if I tell you.]

Lin Lan: [I’ve said my piece.]

Lin Lan: [Nan Xue is lesbian.]

Lin Lan: [If you don’t believe it, just book a room with her and see for yourself.]

Shu Yubai’s heart skipped a beat, her face flushed. The next second, there was a click at the door, and it was pushed open.

She instinctively turned off the screen and flipped the phone face down on the bed.

The window glass let in a sliver of light, casting a cold, pale glow on Nan Xue.

Nan Xue was carrying a white porcelain plate, carefully walking forward. At the door, she gently turned around, stretching her long legs to close the door, revealing a bit of her ankle.

She raised her eyes, looking at Shu Yubai, and noticed the phone Shu Yubai had tried to hide, frowning slightly.

“Sister, who were you chatting with just now?”