A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 89

“Where are we going?”

Shu Yubai walked through the crowded streets.

The street was bustling yet crowded.

Everywhere were tourists buying milk powder and cosmetics; the sasa store was filled with young girls, and a few stores were selling electronic products, packed with people as well.

At night, the neon lights came on, and the city’s lights reflected in the mall windows.

“We’re going to a restaurant, quite a romantic one.”

Shi Chu said, “When I first got here, I was hungry, so I went there for afternoon tea, and then I saw that pretty girl.”

Pretty girl?

Shu Yubai glanced at her and smiled lightly, “If you like her so much, why don’t you go after her yourself? Why bring me along?”

“I’m not into girls.”

Shi Chu gave her a look, “You’re the one who’s into girls, sweetheart.”

Following Shi Chu, the city’s breeze gently brushed by. A row of sparse evergreens was planted along the roadside, their leaves rustling in the wind. Though it was spring, there was already a chill in the air, reminiscent of an autumn night.

Walking straight up a steep slope, there was a hotel halfway up the hill, very tall, with some large English letters lit up in white. Shu Yubai didn’t look closely as Shi Chu dragged her inside.

Thirteenth floor.

The lighting was dim, and there were already some people seated inside. In the center was a round wooden platform, with a black piano placed there, unplayed at the moment.

On the stage, a blonde, fair-skinned person was strumming a guitar, humming a folk song softly with downcast eyes.

Many young, beautifully made-up girls were around. Shi Chu scanned the area but couldn’t find the “little beauty” she remembered, feeling disappointed. She sighed, “Can’t see that girl. She was here this afternoon… seems like she’s already left.”

“Is that so.”

Shu Yubai found a seat.

“We’re late; she’s no longer here.”

Shi Chu said, “In the afternoon, she was sitting by the window, alone, must be single.”

“So what if she’s single? She might be straight.”

Shu Yubai looked down, sipping her black tea.

She hadn’t eaten much all day. Now in the restaurant, her stomach belatedly started to feel hungry. She grabbed a plate and got some cheese-baked lobster, eating slowly.

“What’s your plan next?”

Shi Chu sat across from her with a small glass of juice and a piece of toast. Having eaten a lot of snacks in the afternoon, she didn’t feel hungry at all now.

“Going back to teaching, then painting, not much different from before.”

Shu Yubai said softly.

“Going back where?”

Shi Chu asked, “Back to your mother’s place? The school has already contacted you, right?”

“Yes.”

Shu Yubai looked down, swiping her phone to check her schedule.

The day after the art exhibition, she was going back.

That person’s face flashed in her mind once more.

“Do you still want to find a partner?”

Shi Chu looked at her, “You wouldn’t… plan to be alone forever, right?”

“I could.”

Shu Yubai glanced at her, “Being single is pretty good.”

“Stop fooling yourself.”

Shi Chu said.

Shu Yubai had mentioned before.

She used to really like a girl, had a long-term crush and finally got together, but unfortunately, the girl’s father strongly opposed it, causing a lot of tension, and they broke up.

Since the breakup, Shu Yubai hadn’t moved on, not even trying a new relationship.

Shi Chu sighed and sincerely suggested, “Actually, if you can’t let go, you might as well go back and pursue her.”

“It’s been three years.”

“She… might be seeing someone new.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head, eyes cast down.

Shi Chu suddenly leaned in and whispered, “Look up, towards the bar. Wait, it looks like her… but she wasn’t wearing that in the afternoon.”

Shu Yubai followed her gaze.

She didn’t know when she appeared or how long she had been there.

Several hanging lights cast a soft glow.

She had changed into a black silk dress, leaning against the bar, head down, talking to the bartender, holding a wine glass with slender white fingers, her posture casual and relaxed.

She turned her head, the light illuminating her profile.

Clean, translucent, snow-like.

“Not mistaken.”

Shi Chu said, “It’s her. Beautiful, right?”

“I told you she’s your type—you’ve been staring without blinking.”

“……”

Shu Yubai quickly looked away, avoiding her gaze.

An orange reflective glass showed her reflection. Shu Yubai looked up, seeing herself in the mirror, hair down, wearing a plain gray t-shirt like pajamas, no makeup.

Her lips always looked pale.

“Shi Chu.”

Shu Yubai said softly, “Do you have any lipstick?”

Shi Chu: “?”

She looked at Shu Yubai in surprise, “Don’t you usually not wear makeup?”

Shu Yubai felt her face heat up, very embarrassed. Shi Chu didn’t tease her further and took a lipstick out of her small bag, handing it to her, “I told you to dress up nicely before going out, but you didn’t listen.”

“Regretting it now?”

Shu Yubai looked down and quickly applied the lipstick, her cheeks still bare.

Shi Chu took a good look at her.

Actually, she looked great without makeup, her skin was good, fair and smooth like a peeled egg, with naturally balanced eyebrows extending towards her temples. Her features, when made up, could seem a bit sultry, but like this, they looked quite natural.

“You look good.”

Shi Chu put away the lipstick and asked, “So, are you going to go talk to her?”

Shi Chu’s voice was neither too loud nor too soft.

As if alerted, the girl at the bar turned her head and looked in their direction.

A distant glance, very subtle.

She had a slim frame, with delicate shoulder straps accentuating her prominent collarbones. The gradient starry blue dress hem swept against her straight, fair thighs as she walked, her dark hair tucked behind her ear, showing a gold earring on her white earlobe.

The two of them exchanged a glance from afar.

She had meticulously applied makeup, walked over step by step, wearing black high heels, her ankles delicate and fair.

Shu Yubai’s heart suddenly beat very fast.

Nan Xue had matured a lot.

Watching her approach, countless thoughts lit up and extinguished in Shu Yubai’s mind like fireworks, not even having time to look away.

Shi Chu was puzzled and turned her head, “Does she know us? Why does it seem like she’s walking over here?”

“She… was my first love.”

Shu Yubai’s long eyelashes lowered, hiding a fleeting emotional reaction.

“She is…?”

Shi Chu was shocked, “What?”

Unfortunately, Shu Yubai was overthinking it.

Nan Xue, wearing a very figure-flattering black spaghetti-strap dress, sat at the table behind them to eat. There was a woman at that table, very beautiful, though her relationship with Nan Xue was unknown. However, dining together at a hotel suggested a close relationship.

Nan Xue rested her delicate hand on her chin, listening quietly, not looking their way.

Shu Yubai wasn’t sure how Nan Xue felt about her.

She was still in a daze, thinking, it’s really her. How could it be? Upon closer inspection, it really was her. Her features hadn’t changed much, but her aura was different.

She had changed a lot.

Like a dark starry sky, bright yet elusive.

Shi Chu whispered in her ear:

“Why not go say hello?”

“Your ex is really beautiful.”

“No wonder you couldn’t forget her—if I were you, I’d not only remember her, I’d regret it deeply.”

Shu Yubai: “…”

It started raining.

The night was very deep.

The rainy night was cold, with the rainwater rushing down from the mountainside, making the road muddy, a cold wave blowing in with the evening wind.

Shi Chu and Shu Yubai didn’t stay at this hotel.

Neither had brought an umbrella, so they stood at the hotel lobby entrance with their bags over their heads.

“How long will this rain last?”

Shi Chu asked, “Should we call a car… what app do they use here?”

Shu Yubai leaned out a bit, and in an instant, the rain drenched her clothes.

Light footsteps approached from behind.

The empty hall was nearly deserted, the rhythm familiar, like the beat of a song, light and slow, unhurried.

A figure entered her vision.

Nan Xue draped a white coat over her slim shoulders and stood beside her.

Her slender, fair fingers held a black umbrella, with a few water droplets on the back of her hand. Because she was holding it with a bit of force, faint blue veins were visible.

Nan Xue walked over and asked, “Shall we go together?”

Shu Yubai was momentarily dazed.

So familiar.

That day, it was also raining heavily, the night just as dark.

She tilted the umbrella, getting half her shoulder wet.