A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 96

Perhaps because Nan Xue had just showered, the dim room seemed to have a thin layer of mist. The water vapor dispersed, making the girl’s slender shadow appear particularly enchanting.

Nan Xue’s nightgown was of medium length, reaching her knees, with her white and smooth calves visible. Water droplets rolled down and gathered at her ankles.

Shu Yubai could only watch.

The two sat silently facing each other, with the temperature gradually rising.

After a while, she fiddled with her numb fingers and cleared her throat lightly. “Are you ready?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Nan Xue opened the door and said, “Come in.”

Nan Xue’s room was very tidy. The bedding on the bed was neatly folded, and her desk by the window had a desk lamp illuminating a small portion of the desk. The window was slightly open, allowing a breeze in.

Shu Yubai noticed a detail—a framed photograph on the nightstand next to the bed.

The black-and-white photo was of her deceased father.

A wave of indescribable sadness rose in Shu Yubai’s heart.

“Your father…”

Shu Yubai opened her mouth but didn’t know how to start. She sighed softly and then stopped. She wanted to ask how Nan Xue had been these years, how she had managed to get through it. Did she harbor any resentment towards her for not being there?

But with so much to say, she couldn’t utter a single word.

The spring wind was faintly fragrant, a sweet aroma carried from a flower grove. Nan Xue’s desk was quite large, and on it was a smooth white porcelain vase with a slender neck, holding a rose with a subtle fragrance.

Nan Xue’s desk was clean, with a notebook placed on it—light gray with fine checks—and a light blue gel pen, seemingly prepared for note-taking.

The textbook Shu Yubai had lent her was neatly placed aside.

“Teacher, come over here.”

Nan Xue moved a chair next to the desk for her.

Shu Yubai: “…”

What did she just call her?

Teacher?

Shu Yubai’s face flushed, and she looked at Nan Xue incredulously.

The term wasn’t incorrect since she was indeed there to teach Nan Xue, but still… She glanced at Nan Xue, who was already quietly sitting by the desk, waiting for her.

Suppressing her thoughts, she walked over, lowered herself into the chair, and said, “Thank you.”

“Have you done the preview?”

Shu Yubai asked gently as she flipped through the textbook she had lent Nan Xue.

Her notes were accompanied by Nan Xue’s writing, which was beautiful, sparse, and with a sharp, cold precision.

“Yes.”

Nan Xue nodded.

“Good, then I’ll start with the origins of art.”

Shu Yubai closed the book, picked up her pen, and opened the notebook, drawing an outline.

Her voice was inexplicably soft and patient during the lecture, different from usual. She spoke gently, “The origins of art began with the cave paintings of ancient times. People then believed that painting had divine power—whatever was depicted in the painting could come true in reality. So, many of those paintings were of people running in fields or holding bountiful grains.”

“And later…”

Shu Yubai extended the arrow on the notebook and continued.

As she talked for a while, her mouth became dry.

Just then, footsteps were heard on the stairs. Aunt Zhang was coming up with a fruit plate, containing several cut-up oranges arranged with toothpicks.

Aunt Zhang lightly knocked on the door: “Xiao Nan?”

Nan Xue turned around: “Aunt Zhang, the door isn’t locked.”

A moment later, with a creak, the door opened. Aunt Zhang brought in the fruit and gently placed it on the table.

She glanced at Nan Xue—before Shu Yubai arrived, the girl had spent quite a while in the bathroom.

“Take a break.”

Nan Xue said, “Have some fruit?”

She picked up a small piece with a bamboo skewer and offered it to Shu Yubai’s lips: “Here.”

Shu Yubai’s eyes widened slightly.

She opened her lips in confusion, took a small bite, and bit down from the skewer. The slightly sour juice of the orange flowed out. “Thank you.”

The two ate fruit in silence, which seemed quite proper.

Shu Yubai felt a sense of incongruity in her role, her eyes occasionally drifting towards Nan Xue.

Nan Xue’s hair was in excellent condition, half-dry, black, and glossy, seemingly freshly washed. It clung damply to her collarbone, carrying a faint shampoo scent, a hint of orange.

A single crystal-clear droplet of water rested on her collarbone, translucent and delicate, with a fragile beauty.

Without realizing it, Shu Yubai couldn’t help but think:

She’s really so white, and a bit fragrant. Is it because she just bathed and the scent of the body wash? The water marks on her collarbone are so pale and exquisite. It’s been a long time since I’ve touched anything like that. Is it as smooth and slightly cool as porcelain?

Nan Xue glanced at her.

Her long lashes fluttered slightly, and she asked, “Shall we continue?”

Her nightgown was a bit loose, worn casually, with the neckline open. The desk lamp illuminated the room, and Nan Xue happened to turn slightly, revealing a tempting view.

Shu Yubai’s fingertips curled up slightly, her pale cheeks warmed, thinking, ‘This is too much.’

How could she always be thinking about such things?

It was all wrong.

The room was a bit chilly since it was early spring, and dressing so lightly made it easy to catch a cold.

“Nan Xue.”

Shu Yubai kept her gaze fixed forward. Outside the window, a peach blossom forest appeared in the distance, like drifting mist.

Shu Yubai composed herself and looked at Nan Xue. The open neckline allowed the wind to blow through the window gaps. She wondered what would happen if Nan Xue caught a cold after just washing her hair.

Nan Xue looked up at her and asked, “Hmm?”

Shu Yubai cleared her throat as if to cover up, saying, “Put on a jacket… I’m worried you might catch a cold.”

Nan Xue, however, curved her red lips into a light smile and said, “I’m not cold.”

Shu Yubai remained silent.

She tapped her fingertips on the table and said, “Shall we continue?”

Shu Yubai’s throat moved slightly as she nodded and said, “Alright, let’s continue.”

She picked up her pen again, while outlining the main points, speaking patiently and gently: “Western literature and art, including many paintings and sculptures, originate from Greek and Hebrew civilizations. Next, I will focus on related works.”

“Another origin of painting is religion…”

Shu Yubai spoke slowly, turning the pages of the textbook one by one. Nan Xue listened quietly, occasionally nodding. The faintly cold light from outside illuminated her profile, giving her a look like icy jade, with her lips tinged with a moist red.

“All done.”

Shu Yubai closed the textbook and said, “We’ve covered everything for now, so let’s do a few practice questions.”

She flipped to the exercises page, casually marked a few problems, and handed them over, saying, “Try these and see how you do.”

Three minutes later.

Nan Xue’s black hair fell smoothly around her ears, neither long nor short, with the ends brushing lightly against her shoulders. Her slightly translucent ear tips peeked out, resembling some sort of fairy. She pointed to a fill-in-the-blank question with her delicate white fingers and asked, “Teacher…”

The girl, with her lowered lashes, asked politely and softly:

“What does this one mean?”