A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 76

“Does it not hurt anymore?”

Nan Xue asked softly.

She held Shu Yubai’s hand in her palm as if holding something fragile.

The skin on the back of Shu Yubai’s hand was soft and warm. Nan Xue gently pinched her index finger joint and asked, “Was it here that hurt before?”

Sunlight in the courtyard shone on her hand, giving it a jade-like, semi-transparent quality.

“No, it’s complicated,” Shu Yubai recalled. “In short, it’s hard to describe. Sometimes at night, the whole hand would ache and swell. Other times, it was a sudden sharp pain when I exerted myself while painting.”

“That must have really affected your sleep.”

“Yes,” Shu Yubai remembered. “Fortunately, it’s better now.”

Nan Xue had never experienced such feelings and tried to imagine how uncomfortable it must have been. She couldn’t help but feel pained, her brows slightly furrowed. She looked at Shu Yubai and confirmed again, “Does it really not hurt at all now?”

“Mm.”

Shu Yubai moved her joints in the sunlight, feeling an unprecedented ease and freedom. Half reminiscing, half marveling, she said, “It seems… ever since being with you, it hasn’t hurt.”

Nan Xue’s rosy lips curved up slightly, her eyes brightened. She leaned close to Shu Yubai’s ear and whispered, “Is it because you’re in love and in a good mood?”

“Maybe.”

Could love have such a good effect?

Nan Xue kissed her forehead, and they held each other, sharing a sticky, sweet kiss, both conveniently forgetting Dr. Tang’s painstaking acupuncture and those few packs of Chinese medicine.

Nan Xue laughed softly, wrapped her arms around Shu Yubai’s waist, kissed her long hair, and slowly said, “Now you can’t abandon me. What if you start hurting again if we break up?”

“Then I’ll find someone else to fall in love with.”

Shu Yubai teased her on purpose.

Nan Xue looked at her deeply, lowered her head, and kissed her, not allowing any argument.

“Sister, don’t ever say things like that again.”

Gentle breaths tickled her ear.

••••

Elsewhere.

In the city art gallery.

The competition ended, and some of the winning works were mailed back to the country for a small exhibition.

Among them was Shu Yubai’s painting.

In the dimly lit exhibition hall, many people came to view the paintings, crowded together. Sunlight poured in through the transparent ceiling, filling the hall with a sense of emptiness and quiet, interrupted only by hushed conversations.

Bei Zhen sat on a bench outside, surrounded by a few girls who usually liked to follow her around. They had been wandering the art gallery for a few days, using “viewing the exhibition” as an excuse to join the crowd, not really looking at anything, and ended up gossiping.

Bei Zhen tossed her drink bottle into a nearby trash can, crossed her legs, half disdainful, half sour, her expression clearly showing her dissatisfaction.

“I was sitting right next to her at the time. I saw what she painted.”

“It was really mediocre.”

“It was obviously terrible. How did she win? Does she have connections or something? What are those judges thinking?”

“Exactly.”

Another voice chimed in, “Her painting was really average, not even as good as current art students. How did it get exhibited and win a prize? She must have some connections with the judges.”

“What kind of connections?”

The art world was notorious for its depth. Rumors said that having connections with judges made it easier to get exhibited. Many tried bribery, gifting, or buying judges’ paintings at high prices.

Maybe Shu Yubai did something like that.

But Bei Zhen didn’t think so.

She had tried such things herself, but it didn’t work.

Not everything was as the rumors suggested; many were just rumors.

One girl gave her a sideways glance. “Whose connections did she use? Her dad’s? Didn’t her parents divorce? I thought she was with her mom.”

“Her mom is an fine arts academy professor. Maybe she used her family connections.”

“She’s about to retire, though.”

“It could be ‘that kind’ of relationship.”

Lowered voices whispered, and soon, they were all laughing.

“I saw her painting. It was very similar to mine.”

Bei Zhen rolled her eyes, half mocking, half ridiculing. “The painting was really bad, the worst. She was the first to submit in the whole studio, just slapped something together and left!”

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

Echoes of agreement.

After speaking, she lowered her head and opened a forum.

There was a post on the homepage: “The second international youth live painting was shady. All sorts of weird things came out.”

The title perfectly matched her state of mind.

Bei Zhen clicked in and replied, seizing the opportunity to criticize Shu Yubai’s painting, denigrating it completely. She acted as if the judges’ aesthetics were all wrong and only she was right, giving off a sense of being the only clear-headed one among fools.

After commenting a few times, she felt a bit more at ease. Bei Zhen stood up, dusted off her wrinkled coat, and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Let’s go home.”

••••

Later that evening, it started to drizzle.

Rain marks the boundary between winter and spring.

“Is Uncle really not home?”

Shu Yubai and Nan Xue walked hand in hand along the path.

“He’s not here.”

Nan Xue lowered her head and smiled. “So what if he was? You’ll have to meet him eventually.”

Shu Yubai understood the meaning behind this statement. She looked down, her earlobes turning red.

The road was a gentle uphill slope. Behind the large house was a green mountain where locals grew tea, with dense tea trees covering the hillside. At the foot of the mountain were white-walled, black-tiled inns, and further away, near the bustling area, was Nan Xue’s home.

Nan Xue was wearing a light blue slip dress, showing her fair shoulders, slim waist, and long legs. She had a slightly long beige checkered shirt draped over her and a small black leather bag slung over her shoulder, looking neat and stylish.

“He went on a business trip.”

Nan Xue gently pulled Shu Yubai closer and whispered, “Sister, will you sleep in my room tonight?”

This phrase sounded familiar.

When they were little and knew nothing, Nan Xue would say similar things. She would stand by the bed, shyly inviting Shu Yubai to stay over and sleep in the same bed, clinging to her and refusing to let go.

But that was when they were young.

There were no ulterior motives.

Countless overlapping memories filled Shu Yubai’s heart with warmth. The girl from her memories and the tall, cold person beside her merged, creating a wonderful feeling.

She gently hugged Nan Xue, kissed the white earlobe amidst her black hair, and whispered in her ear, “Okay.”

Nan Xue was slightly stunned.

She paused, pulled Shu Yubai’s hand into her arms, wrapped her waist, and kissed her back passionately, almost desperately. Their lips and teeth intertwined, their breaths light yet urgent.

“Stop…”

Shu Yubai pushed her away. “We’re outside. Be careful.”

“No one’s around.”

Nan Xue’s tongue lightly licked her lips.

Just as she finished speaking, the sound of departing footsteps came from the narrow path’s end, faint and distant.

Shu Yubai: “…”

Could someone have seen them?

Her heart pounded anxiously. She wasn’t worried about herself but about Nan Xue, who sometimes didn’t care about her own identity and acted recklessly.

“It doesn’t matter if they see.”

“We’re in love, not breaking any laws.”

Nan Xue reassured her, lightly hooking Shu Yubai’s hand. “Sister, let’s go home.”

She had a point.

Was Shu Yubai being too cautious, too careful?

Shu Yubai panted slightly, still shaken.

“How much longer?”

“Very soon.”

In the cool, fresh air, Shu Yubai looked into the distance. Along the way, ivy climbed the walls of large houses, covering the gray-white walls. Bamboo grew at the base of the walls, swaying gently in the wind. After the rain, the road was slightly damp, and the air was cool and moist.

The security camera at the front gate turned toward them.

With a click, the door opened.

They walked inside.

On the right side of the path, in a spot they hadn’t noticed.

A woman stood against the wall, covering her mouth, her eyes wide with surprise.

What had she just seen?!

Nan Xue and Shu Yubai… hugging tightly, like a couple passionately kissing.

Was it an illusion?

The dim light only allowed her to vaguely see a figure. She was too far to make out details. She frowned, recalling the scene, sensing something amiss.

The matching rings she saw in the elevator, the subtle ambiguity in their gazes—how close must two girls be to act like that?

Could they really be in that kind of relationship?

She looked down at her phone.

She had forgotten to take a picture.

••••

A white stone path stretched across the lawn, leading to the end.

A middle-aged woman opened the door and stood there, looking at her. “Xiao Nan is back?”

“Aunt Zhang.”

She greeted.

The one who opened the door was Aunt Zhang. When Nan Xue met her gaze, she suddenly remembered something she had almost forgotten. Her fingers curled slightly, her eyelashes fluttering nervously as she lowered her eyes.

Oh no.

The painting of Shu Yubai that she had secretly took was still hanging on the bedroom wall.

A long time ago, she had used Aunt Zhang’s ID to register a small account on an auction site. Using both the small account and her main account, she had driven up the price to secure the painting Shu Yubai had once promised to give her, buying it at a high price.

That painting was now treasured, hanging above her bed.

“Who’s this…?”

Aunt Zhang looked at Shu Yubai. This person was quite beautiful, with long hair, fair skin, and a gentle demeanor. By her generation’s standards, she was a great beauty. She looked again, vaguely recognizing her, as if she had seen her somewhere before.

“Shu Yubai.”

Nan Xue introduced. “This is… Sister Shu.”

Aunt Zhang clapped her hands, remembering.

Over the years, she had been working here and had quite an impression of Shu Yubai—she was the quiet, well-behaved girl who used to come over, bring her homework, and do it with Nan Xue?

Not bad.

The little girl had grown up.

Aunt Zhang looked at her, her smile growing kinder.

“Come in, have a seat.”

She turned to make tea for them. Nan Xue pulled Shu Yubai into the hall, thinking quickly.

She held Shu Yubai’s hand as they sat on the sofa in the living room, handing her water while trying to figure out how to sneak the painting out of the room without being noticed.

Shu Yubai took a sip of tea, set down the porcelain cup, and said softly, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Aunt Zhang smiled kindly and asked, “Would you like some fruit? What do you like? There are strawberries in the fridge. I can wash some for you.”

“No need, no need, thank you, Auntie.”

Shu Yubai waved her hands quickly.

The enthusiasm of the older generation can be overwhelming.

Sitting in the hall, she felt a bit restrained. She turned to Nan Xue and asked, “Shall we go upstairs?”

Nan Xue, who was planning to sneak the painting away, froze: “…”

“I want to see your room,” Shu Yubai said softly.

Looking into Shu Yubai’s gentle, pleading eyes, Nan Xue found herself unable to refuse. Against her better judgment, she said, “Okay.”

The two went upstairs. When they reached the third floor, Nan Xue paused, then quickly closed her bedroom door, moving so fast it was astonishing.

Shu Yubai stared at her, speechless: “…”

Nan Xue coughed lightly. “Sister, shall we go to the room next door?”

The third floor had an open floor plan with a grand piano in the center. There was a room on the left and another on the right. The lighting was dim, and Nan Xue had closed one of the rooms, not allowing anyone to enter.

Shu Yubai looked at her, puzzled, and asked, “Is this uncle’s room?”

She knew not to enter the rooms of elders without permission, as they often contained important items related to the company. Shu Yubai wasn’t interested in those things and hadn’t planned to look inside. Why was Nan Xue being so… defensive?

She didn’t like the word “defensive.”

She lowered her head, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her nose under the light. For a moment, her mood dipped, which Nan Xue noticed.

“No.”

Nan Xue panicked, no longer caring about her previous plans. She immediately explained, “That room is mine.”

“Yours?” Shu Yubai frowned. “Then why can’t I go in?”

“…”

“Is there a secret inside?”

Shu Yubai looked at her for a long time. Nan Xue still stood at the door, gripping the handle, not allowing her to enter. Guarding the door, it was as if she was afraid Shu Yubai would push it open.

A secret?

Nan Xue was hiding something from her.

Shu Yubai felt a pang of sadness. She shook her head and forced a smile, “It’s okay, if you don’t want me to go in, I won’t.”

The air turned quiet.

Was she overthinking things again?

Nan Xue hesitated, not expecting this outcome. She closed her eyes, made up her mind, and her pale fingers gripped the handle tightly, ready to turn it.

Just then, a voice came from downstairs. It was Aunt Zhang:

“Xiao Nan.”

She peeked her head from the spiral staircase, “I just remembered why this name sounds so familiar. The painting on your wall is signed ‘Shu Yubai,’ isn’t it?”. (TN: HAHAHA… Caught on the spot! 😂😂😂.)

Nan Xue: “…”

Shu Yubai: “…”

Shu Yubai’s mind slowly processed the information. She asked Nan Xue, “What painting?”

“Could it be…”

Shu Yubai vaguely remembered something. Aunt Zhang… Aunt Zhang…

Nan Xue was trapped in a moment of immense embarrassment, her earlobes turning red. She looked down, not knowing what to say.

Well, there was no need to hide it now. Aunt Zhang had torn away the last shred of secrecy.

“Sister, you can look.”

With a forceful twist, she opened the door.

A gentle breeze blew in, lightly moving the curtains. In the quiet bedroom, a familiar painting hung on the wall: the misty rain of Jiangnan, the soft green willows, and a lady standing on a small path.

The signature read: Shu Yubai.

“…”

There was a moment of silence.

Shu Yubai looked down and asked softly, “You bought my painting?”