A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 68

– I like you.

– Not just as friends.

These two sentences—one after another—echoed in Shu Yubai’s eardrums. The tone was clearly light, but it shook her so much that she couldn’t speak. She turned around, her pupils dilating slowly and then suddenly contracting.

She could hardly believe it.

Is it true?

Shu Yubai lowered her eyes and slowly recalled many details, peeling back the layers: last night, after getting drunk, this person invited her to bathe together, kissed her forehead, between her eyebrows, and her chest; the bracelet she gave, and those almost imperceptible touches and kisses.

Shu Yubai furrowed her brows slightly: “That day after waking up, you told me not to take it to heart. What did you mean?”

Nan Xue blinked: “I was afraid you’d be angry.”

“Angry?”

Shu Yubai looked at her in confusion: “Why would I be angry?”

“You said before that you didn’t like me anymore.”

Nan Xue’s thick lashes lowered, her fingertips trembling slightly as she repeated Shu Yubai’s exact words: “You said, ‘Senior Sister is not a friend, she’s the person you like now.’”

She still remembered it clearly.

After speaking, Nan Xue fell silent, her fingertips turning white.

Shu Yubai: “……”

Oh, she did say that.

She thought for a moment. That sentence was actually said deliberately to distance herself from Nan Xue at the time.

It was similar to saying “I don’t like you anymore, I like someone else now” after a failed confession.

That makes sense.

—If she really didn’t like Nan Xue anymore, it would be normal to be angry or bothered by how she was treated after getting drunk, right?

So Nan Xue was acting so cautiously?

Shu Yubai hesitated, wanting to explain about You Fu, but the words faltered on her lips.

Explain what?

She decided against it, letting Nan Xue think what she wanted.

Shu Yubai’s lips curled up slightly.

Nan Xue waited for a long time without a response and suddenly became anxious: “Sister, are you still not over her?”

“No…”

Shu Yubai was about to deny it when Nan Xue grabbed her fingertips, biting her lip: “If I hadn’t called you, would you have…”

“Been together?”

Shu Yubai looked at her, not understanding.

“You and her… in a room.”

Nan Xue gritted her teeth.

Shu Yubai was stunned. In a room? Her and You Fu? Why did she jump to that conclusion, just because of that “take off clothes” comment? Was Nan Xue’s imagination too wild?

“This…” Shu Yubai paused slightly and explained: “I didn’t stay in a room with her. Her clothes got stained with wine, so I just took her to change.”

“……”

Nan Xue’s eyes showed a moment of confusion before she slowly understood, her eyes brightening slightly.

So they didn’t stay in a room.

She thought so. Shu Yubai wasn’t that kind of person; she hadn’t even been in a relationship before, so how could she do something like “getting drunk and acting out”?

“So, will you promise me?”

Nan Xue held her hand, her eyes shining, staring at her.

The glass window was slightly open, and the cold wind rushed in. It was very cold outside, with strong winds on the island making the trees rustle and countless leaves fluttering, with light snow drifting down.

In the sky, it seemed like there was a crackling sound of ice forming.

At this moment, she held her breath, all her senses heightened.

Shu Yubai lowered her head, her red lips curving slightly.

She used her delicate little finger to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing half of her profile, without speaking.

She seemed to be hesitating.

Hesitating is better than an outright refusal.

Nan Xue: “I’m serious.”

She thought for a moment and then added: “I’ll be responsible for you.”

Shu Yubai’s heart trembled violently.

She suppressed the rising emotions and looked at Nan Xue nonchalantly, smiling: “Responsible for me? What have you done that requires you to be responsible?”

Nan Xue looked at her and asked: “Does kissing you count?”

Shu Yubai looked down and laughed.

“Doesn’t count.”

Shu Yubai placed her delicate white hand on her red lips and looked out the window with a smile.

“Why doesn’t it count?”

Nan Xue became anxious: “Isn’t that your first kiss?”

“No.”

Shu Yubai recalled: “The first time I kissed you, that was my first kiss.”

Their first kiss had been under a streetlamp.

The sky was drifting with light snow. Shu Yubai grabbed her collar and pressed in. The woman’s lips were unbelievably soft, with a warm fragrance in her breath. Nan Xue’s mind went blank for a while before she finally came to her senses.

“You rejected me back then.”

Shu Yubai pressed her lips together: “So, in return, I have to reject you too.”

Nan Xue: “……”

Who is this vengeful older sister?

“No!”

In a flash, Nan Xue caught a hint of a logical flaw in Shu Yubai’s response. She declared firmly: “You’ve already rejected me once before.”

She lowered her head, with her earlobes flushed and warm amidst her black hair.

“This is the second time.”

Nan Xue’s voice was soft, her face lowered: “Sister, how many times do you want me to confess to you?”

“Just give a number.”

Shu Yubai’s lips curved up slightly.

She couldn’t help it and gently pressed her lips, laughing continuously.

It felt like she was dreaming.

Is she serious?

Shu Yubai lifted her eyes, her gentle gaze fixed on her: “Are you sure? Do you really like me?”

“Really.”

Nan Xue nodded: “What do I need to do for you to believe it?”

“……”

Shu Yubai lowered her head and seriously considered for a moment, then asked: “Can I ask you a few questions? No lying.”

“Okay.”

Nan Xue looked at her with anticipation: “You ask.”

“Besides me, who else have you liked?”

Shu Yubai held her hand, her eyes soft, but the question was blunt.

“I only like you.”

“Liar.”

Shu Yubai looked at her: “How is that possible?”

“Why isn’t it possible?”

Nan Xue raised an eyebrow.

“Because I…” Shu Yubai’s words trailed off, cutting off the rest of her sentence.

“Because you’ve liked someone else?”

Nan Xue glanced at her with indifference.

“Oh, I know. Your senior sister, You Fu, right?”

Her tone was a bit sour.

“No.”

Shu Yubai shook her head, not telling her.

Another one?

Who?

The girl half-kneeling on the bed, with her black hair falling down, her face as white as snow, looked like a white gardenia, with an indescribable elegance, as if painted with natural watercolor.

Her gaze, however, was evasive.

A bit awkward.

Shu Yubai beckoned Nan Xue closer: “Come closer, and I’ll tell you.”

Nan Xue looked at her, half sour, half angry, but ultimately gave in to a strange sense of competitiveness and moved closer to listen.

Her cheeks were slightly warm as the woman’s lips brushed against them.

She leaned in and said, “Nan Xue.”

“Hmm?”

Nan Xue turned to look at her, stunned for a moment.

Shu Yubai’s red lips were silent.

Nan Xue, a bit slow to react, suddenly realized—Shu Yubai kissed her! And said she liked her?

“Are you happy?”

Shu Yubai held her hand and asked.

Nan Xue looked down, her long black lashes lowered, her small red lips curving slightly.

“Hmm?”

Shu Yubai smiled:

“I’m asking you, are you happy?”

Nan Xue nodded and couldn’t help but smile: “Happy.”

That should be a yes, right?

Nan Xue got off the bed and quickly went to the bathroom, took off the silver bracelet from the rack, and handed it to Shu Yubai.

Nan Xue: “Put on this bracelet, and we’ll be together from now on.”

Shu Yubai’s hand was delicate and small, and the bracelet slipped on easily.

Nan Xue then took out a small box from her bag.

The white velvet box with transparent glass contained two small diamond rings, the white diamonds shining with a cool light.

“What’s this?”

Shu Yubai’s eyes widened slightly: “Rings?”

“Give me your hand.”

The thin silver ring was placed on her ring finger.

The other one was put on Nan Xue’s finger.

Shu Yubai’s eyes flickered with a moment of hesitation: Will others notice this?

She didn’t mind herself.

But she was concerned about Nan Xue.

Although Shu Yubai hadn’t talked about her own situation with her mother, most of her friends knew she liked women; but what about Nan Xue? Did her father know about this?

Should they be cautious about wearing rings?

She didn’t mind a secret relationship.

Mutual affection and being together was enough.

Whether public or not, it didn’t matter.

“So… we just wear them like this?”

Shu Yubai looked at her hand, the ring sparkling on her delicate finger.

“Hmm.”

Nan Xue moved closer, gently wrapped her arms around Shu Yubai’s waist, looking very satisfied, and buried her small face in her shoulder, taking a deep breath.

What is that scent?

Why does it smell so good?

It was clear that Nan Xue was very happy.

The girl hooked her neck to kiss her, seemingly enchanted. Her lips were so warm, so soft; she gently turned her head, taking Shu Yubai’s red lips in her mouth and sucking.

The tip of her tongue gently explored.

“Sister…”

Nan Xue’s eyes misted over.

“Hmm?”

Shu Yubai made a soft, indistinct sound.

“Your lips are so soft,” Nan Xue said, her delicate white fingertips lightly touching Shu Yubai’s lips, marveling: “Why are they so soft?”

Shu Yubai smiled: “Yours are very soft too.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Nan Xue’s eyes brightened as if encouraged. She embraced Shu Yubai’s waist and deepened the kiss, tilting her head, their noses touching gently, their breaths mingling warmly.

••••

Shu Yubai knew what Nan Xue wanted to do. Her cheeks warmed slightly as she thought, so her usual cold demeanor was just an act? How aloof, and yet—after just confessing, she was already moving forward?

It hadn’t seemed like much before, but now that it was really starting, she felt a bit shy.

She gently grasped the girl’s wrist: “Don’t move.”

Nan Xue’s actions were halted, and Shu Yubai pulled the girl’s hand out from her clothes: “Your hand is still injured. Don’t touch it.”

Nan Xue: “…”

Why did she cut her hand?

Nan Xue looked down. The shallow cut on her index finger had already formed a scab. It didn’t hurt much, but she felt a pang of regret.

Her self-inflicted pain had turned into a stumbling block.

“Sister…”

Nan Xue looked at her like a begging kitten: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Shu Yubai, standing by the window with the cold wind blowing, felt instantly sober and began to feel shy: “Stop.”

“No.”

Nan Xue lowered her head, seemingly unaware of her mistake: “Why? Don’t you like it?”

“It’s too soon.” Shu Yubai cleared her throat: “How can you… do that right after confessing?”

“……”

Nan Xue’s red lips curled up slightly: “Okay, let’s take it slow.”

The two of them gazed at each other. Shu Yubai smiled and went to kiss her, her white cheeks and the warm, red, jade-like ears hidden in her black hair.

“It tickles…”

Nan Xue laughed and tried to avoid it.

“Wait.”

Shu Yubai again held her hand, carefully examining the wound. On her pale skin, the dark red blood had congealed and formed a scab.

“Really not hurting anymore?”

Shu Yubai asked.

“Not hurting.”

Nan Xue shook her head nonchalantly.

Shu Yubai, still worried, went to her bag on the sofa, found a bandage, and carefully applied it to her index finger. It was a plain, light brown fabric bandage with no patterns.

“These broken porcelain pieces, get someone to clean them up.”

Shu Yubai frowned slightly, seeming puzzled, and couldn’t help but ask: “Such a large vase, and it was against the wall—how did it break? It’s too careless.”

Nan Xue looked down, her pale cheeks tinged with a bit of red, feeling a bit guilty. She covered it up with a light cough and said: “Sister, it was because you made me angry.”

“Who told you to always be with You Fu?”

“Really?”

Shu Yubai looked at her, her red lips curling up, and she gently scratched Nan Xue’s palm. At that moment, it felt so wonderful. The girl stood before her like a little animal, letting her play with her.

In an instant, her sentimental mood returned. She hugged Nan Xue, stroked her head, and couldn’t help but ask: “Will there ever be a day when you don’t want me anymore?”

Nan Xue looked at her in surprise, shook her head, and gently kissed her forehead. Her voice was soft: “Sister, as long as you don’t leave me, I will never leave you.”