A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 67

Went to a room?

Is it the kind of thing she’s thinking?

By now, the restaurant was getting busier, and Nan Xue stood there, feeling dizzy despite not having had any alcohol.

How could this be?

Rationally, she thought it couldn’t be true—Shu Yubai wasn’t that kind of person. But the next moment, she remembered that Shu Yubai had drunk so much red wine and might already be drunk. What could happen after becoming intoxicated, especially after returning with You Fu?

The color drained quickly from her face. She bent down slightly, picked up her small bag from the chair, and hurried outside.

Bei Zhen watched her slender figure with some confusion: It was just a joke. Why the rush?

Where did they go?

Would they be in the room they were staying in?

In the hotel corridor, the silence was profound. The soft carpet muffled the sound of footsteps. As soon as the elevator opened, Nan Xue hurried toward the room, fearing that something undesirable might happen if she was even a second late.

At the end of the long corridor was a small window, and the light coming through the window illuminated the room number. Nan Xue confirmed it, feeling slightly flustered as she fumbled with her room card, hesitating for a moment before finally daring to open the door.

The room was empty.

The suitcase was open and strewn messily on the floor, and the soft curtains fluttered in the breeze.

They weren’t here.

Nan Xue frowned, her heart rate quickening with anxiety.

Where was You Fu’s room?

She hadn’t paid any attention to where she was staying, only remembering it seemed to be upstairs. But with so many rooms upstairs, how could she find it? Frustrated, she fumbled with her phone, dialing Shu Yubai’s number.

Beep, beep, beep.

The call connected, and Nan Xue’s heart tightened. Just as she was about to speak, the call was abruptly ended.

She had hung up on her own call.

Nan Xue stared blankly at the phone screen, the call lasted only two seconds before being cut off. What were they doing?

Were they kissing?

Or had they already started something else?

Her heart ached, and she paced in place like a trapped animal. Just as she was about to go downstairs to the front desk to inquire about the room number, her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced down.

It was Shu Yubai?

Why was she calling back?

Nan Xue swiped the screen and answered, her voice faintly trembling.

“Hello?”

On the other end.

Shu Yubai, holding a towel, was handing it to You Fu while answering the call.

You Fu stood nearby, continuing to wipe with the towel.

Earlier, Shu Yubai might have been somewhat drunk and had not steadied her wine glass properly. While watching Nan Xue leave, she was distracted and didn’t notice that the glass was tilted, causing red wine to spill all over You Fu’s coat.

Shu Yubai, flustered, apologized and offered one of her spare coats for You Fu to wear. They then went upstairs together.

The coat was stained with wine, creating a large, deep red mark, and the smell of the red wine was quite strong.

“Sorry, I was busy and accidentally hung up,” Shu Yubai said. “What’s up?”

On the other end, You Fu had finished drying off and removed her coat. The little suit was a bit tight against her figure. Shu Yubai, seeing her struggling, helped adjust the sleeve and gently pulled it out.

“You’re with You Fu?” Nan Xue’s voice came softly through the receiver.

“Yeah.”

“What are you doing?”

Shu Yubai, holding the phone with one hand and helping You Fu take off the red-wine-stained, damp coat with the other, mumbled, “Taking off clothes.”

She realized it sounded ambiguous but thought explaining would only make it more awkward.

Taking off clothes?

Shu Yubai felt her face flush.

No, she was just helping You Fu with her coat, which had gotten dirty from the spilled wine and needed changing. Shu Yubai struggled to find the right words in her mind; any explanation seemed overly deliberate.

Like she was trying too hard to prove her innocence.

There was a pause, then a loud crash.

It sounded like something had been smashed, and the noise was quite loud.

A sharp intake of breath came from the other end of the line.

“What’s wrong?”

Shu Yubai frowned.

“A vase broke.”

Nan Xue said.

“Oh.”

Shu Yubai was taken aback and didn’t know what to say.

Nan Xue’s voice came through the receiver, soft and trembling: “Sister, I… cut my hand. There’s so much blood.”

Shu Yubai’s pupils contracted, and she instinctively tightened her grip on the phone, her actions halting: “Where are you?”

“In the room.”

Nan Xue said.

“Do you have a band-aid?”

Shu Yubai asked urgently.

“No… It hurts so much. Sister, please come down.”

Nan Xue’s voice was shaky and anxious: “Please, come down.”

Shu Yubai was alarmed.

She hung up the phone, hurried to the door to change her shoes, grabbed her bag from the shoe cabinet, and turned to You Fu, saying, “Senior Sister, the vase was accidentally broke, and Nan Xue cut her hand. I’m going downstairs to check.”

“Hmm?”

“Cut her hand?”

You Fu was a bit surprised: “Then go ahead. I can handle things here.”

Shu Yubai left, closing the door behind her.

You Fu slowly hung up her coat.

She was puzzled.

How could Nan Xue have cut her hand? You Fu thought about it for a while but couldn’t figure it out. Her gaze fell on the white porcelain vase by the hotel bed.

The vase was quite large, white porcelain with a narrow neck and a round belly, adorned with painted peach blossoms in a light pink color. It was about half a person’s height and contained a bunch of red wax plum flowers, real flowers kept in water and flourishing.

She walked over and measured it against her waist, then pushed it.

It was indeed heavy.

Could this thing… really break?

••••

The elevator doors opened.

In the quiet, Shu Yubai hurried through the dimly lit corridor. At the end, she spotted the dark red door of the room. Her heart raced a little as she lowered her head, took the room card from her bag, and swiped it against the door handle.

Beep.

The door opened.

Nan Xue was curled up in the blanket.

Shu Yubai, standing at the door, anxiously changed her shoes.

The linen curtains were drawn tightly. Inside the room, the walls were dimly lit with an orange light, making the room look hazy. Water stains on the wooden floor led up to the door, probably spilled from the vase.

She followed the water trail inside.

Behind a screen, there was a bed. Next to it, two white porcelain flower vases were shattered, with broken pieces scattered on the floor.

The bouquet of plum blossoms had fallen into a puddle of water, its petals wet and translucent.

On the bed, the girl was curled up under the blanket, her black and white eyes quietly watching her.

She was wearing a white camisole.

It was very thin and transparent.

The delicate straps rested on her collarbone, her shoulders exposed. Her soft, black hair draped over her shoulders, the milk-white fabric barely covering her.

In an instant, Shu Yubai noticed certain details.

Still not dressed?

Nan Xue wasn’t drunk this time.

Could it be that she was the one who was drunk?

Shu Yubai lightly touched her forehead… She was dizzy, really drunk, and possibly hallucinating?

Shu Yubai walked over, not sure where to look, feeling as though she had been burned. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the alcohol, but her cheeks were very hot, almost burning.

She asked, “Where’s your hand?”

Nan Xue hesitated for a moment, then obediently pulled her injured right hand out from under the blanket.

“It’s not that serious, actually.”

She explained softly.

Shu Yubai took her hand and turned it over.

There was a cut on her index finger, not too deep or shallow, with a little blood oozing from the wound. Shu Yubai leaned in to examine it closely, her gentle breath touching the injury.

Nan Xue slightly furrowed her brows.

“Does it hurt?”

Shu Yubai’s heart skipped a beat as she instinctively placed Nan Xue’s index finger in her mouth.

In the next second, she realized it wasn’t appropriate.

She looked up, their eyes meeting. Nan Xue’s cheeks were slightly flushed as she looked at her.

Shu Yubai remembered how Nan Xue had reacted after waking up from her drunken state yesterday—so indifferent. She had been tense, but now, as their eyes met, she felt distracted.

—She’s really beautiful.

The girl was only in a camisole, loosely wrapped around her. Her glossy black eyes, full and delicate red lips, and the usual indifference were gone. Her snow-white cheeks were now tinted with a blush, warm and porcelain-like, like a thin glaze on fine china.

Her normally aloof demeanor was now shy and timid, very different.

It was indescribably alluring.

Shu Yubai’s heartbeat skipped a beat.

She was moved again.

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

Nan Xue’s cheeks were slightly warm as she looked at her.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Did Shu Yubai notice?

Did she realize that she was actually… trying to seduce her?

Nan Xue thought to herself that if she were drunk, she definitely wouldn’t go to find You Fu.

She’d rather be with her…

Shu Yubai sucked for a while, lowered her gaze to avoid eye contact, and released Nan Xue’s index finger.

Nan Xue’s hand was very beautiful—white and slender, like green onions, with prominent knuckles and pale blue veins on the back, giving a feeling of delicate strength.

The index finger had a glistening sheen of moisture.

“Um… saliva can disinfect.”

Shu Yubai coughed awkwardly, still feeling a bit dizzy. She turned around, closed her eyes, and explained, “I’m going to buy some band-aids.”

Nan Xue watched her back.

Leaving again?

She thought of You Fu and wondered if, if she were a bit late, Shu Yubai would be with her?

Nan Xue felt a pang of bitterness.

She looked at Shu Yubai’s back, feeling both angry and disappointed, as well as a deep sense of unwillingness and grievance. Was she not drunk? She seemed quite sober now, and could still go off with You Fu?

A wave of dizziness hit her.

Seeing Shu Yubai about to leave again, Nan Xue grew anxious and suddenly grabbed her.

Shu Yubai looked back in confusion.

Under the warm light, the winter wind carried away the moisture from the floor, seeping through the gaps. Under the light, their figures were shadowy, soft, and warm.

The woman’s cheeks were flushed, as if dyed by the wine, sweet and tempting.

Even though she was drunk, there seemed to be no other reaction, just a light blush on her normally pale cheeks. Her black hair fell around her, her face was like peach blossoms, delicate and charming.

Nan Xue’s gaze fell on those plump lips.

The elegantly shaped lips were red and glossy, having just been touched by Shu Yubai’s warm and heated mouth.

Nan Xue straightened up, leaned in, wrapped her arms around Shu Yubai’s neck, and suddenly pressed her lips against hers.

In an instant, both of them froze, unmoving.

Shu Yubai’s eyes widened in shock.

What was she doing?

Kissing her?

But she wasn’t drunk.

Shu Yubai pushed her, but was held even tighter.

Yesterday, after Nan Xue sobered up, she had been trying to set boundaries, saying “don’t take it to heart” and “don’t mind it.”

Why was she acting like this today?

Was she really not drunk?

Could it be that after Shu Yubai left with You Fu, Nan Xue was persuaded to drink again? She knew that Nan Xue got drunk easily.

Shu Yubai sighed lightly, feeling like she was in a fragile dream. She gently lifted her fingers, touching the girl’s back, her pale and delicate skin like porcelain.

Even if it were a dream, it was quite nice.

She curled her fingers and closed her eyes.

Nan Xue’s eyes were tightly closed, her long, curled lashes trembling slightly.

The woman’s lips were unbelievably soft, smooth, and moist. Her delicate nose lightly brushed against Nan Xue’s face, her warm breath gently falling.

Nan Xue embraced her waist, through the thin fabric she could even hear her heartbeat.

Shu Yubai was only wearing a white v-neck base shirt, the neckline open, her figure accentuated, with a red flush on her white, soft skin from the alcohol.

She offered no resistance, being very compliant.

Nan Xue stopped for a while, kissing her from shallow to deep.

Shu Yubai’s legs went weak from the kiss, making a small sound. Nan Xue let go of her, breathed lightly, and then licked her ear, her tongue gently tracing the outer edge, biting softly.

Shu Yubai’s body felt limp, breathing lightly.

Nan Xue had expected to be pushed away and was mentally prepared for rejection or even a slap, but Shu Yubai offered no resistance, remaining quiet and soft, allowing her every move.

Was it because she was drunk?

The room was heated and very warm.

Nan Xue pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around her waist, and pushed her towards the edge of the bed.

Shu Yubai’s hair was spread out, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glistening.

It was slowly merging with a certain embarrassing dream from the past.

Nan Xue’s heart trembled slightly as she leaned in, her cool hair lightly brushing across Shu Yubai’s chest. She pressed her red lips against her translucent collarbone, gently biting, her breath warm and uneven.

But in the next second, Shu Yubai pushed her away gently, stood up, and turned her back, closing her eyes, “Nan Xue, what are you doing?”

Shu Yubai tried hard to suppress any thoughts of letting things continue with her and focused on staying clear-headed.

She gently asked, “Did you drink after I left? Are you drunk?”

Nan Xue grabbed her hand.

She hugged her from behind, pressing her cheek against her, “No.”

“Sister, will you be with me?”

The person behind her was close, the voice vibrating with a hum.

Nan Xue’s heart raced wildly, fearing another rejection. If she was turned down again and again, she might never muster the courage again.

“I like you… in that way.”

The girl’s face was slightly flushed as she said seriously, “Not just as friends.”