A Moment Too Late (GL) - Chapter 97

— So it turns out she’s so well-behaved and gentle.

Nan Xue’s lowered lashes framed her face, with clear, beautiful lines from her forehead to the tip of her nose. Her profile was fair and delicate, with a chin that resembled fine porcelain. Shu Yubai’s gaze fell upon her, and an unexpected thought arose in her mind.

Where did that come from?

Shu Yubai’s cheeks grew slightly warm. Feeling uncomfortable, she cleared her throat and barely managed to pull her gaze away.

“Is… is it that you can’t write it?”

“Hmm.”

Nan Xue nodded, pushing the textbook toward her: “This question.”

“Hmm, let me see… Characteristics of Greek temple architecture?” Shu Yubai read aloud, then flipped through the textbook a few pages forward, her slender white finger tracing the content but finding nothing.

She then remembered that this topic would be covered later, which was why Nan Xue didn’t know it.

“This is covered later.”

Shu Yubai spoke gently, “No need to rush, skip it and continue with the others.”

The fruit was finished, leaving only a bit of light orange juice, clear with a hint of orange’s tang lingering in the air. Shu Yubai placed the bamboo skewers on the plate and took it downstairs to hand it to Aunt Zhang.

“Finished eating?”

Aunt Zhang smiled at her: “How about having dinner together tonight? I can make something for you.”

Shu Yubai hurriedly shook her head: “Thank you, Aunt Zhang, but I…”

She suddenly remembered that she hadn’t gathered any useful information during her visit, such as whether Nan Xue had become particularly close with anyone over the years, or if she had been seeing someone… and whose were those light pink plush slippers?

Her sentence trailed off subtly as she lowered her gaze, then said, “It’s still early, Aunt Zhang. You can rest for now, and I’ll let you know later. Thank you.”

Aunt Zhang smiled and said, “Alright, we’ll see later.”

As Aunt Zhang turned to head back to the kitchen, Shu Yubai’s heart raced. She gently pulled Aunt Zhang’s sleeve, leaning in and lowering her voice to ask, “Aunt Zhang, has Nan Xue…”

Aunt Zhang looked at her in confusion, asking, “What?”

“Has she…”

Shu Yubai’s face grew warm as she struggled to find the right words—how to phrase it? It made her feel like a nosy “housewife” trying to catch someone.

Unfortunately, Aunt Zhang lacked the ability to guess the direction of the conversation and didn’t understand what Shu Yubai was trying to convey. They stared at each other for a moment, and just as Shu Yubai was about to continue, a voice came from upstairs. Nan Xue was at the stairway, calling out, “I’m done.”

Shu Yubai’s heart pounded. Fearing that Nan Xue might notice something, she had no choice but to abandon her inquiry, leaving Aunt Zhang looking puzzled as she headed upstairs.

“I’ll take a look.”

Shu Yubai sat at the table while a light rain began to fall outside.

The sound of the rain was as tranquil as a piano piece, drizzling down from the eaves, falling into the lush green grass, and rolling off the grass tips onto the muddy ground.

“Not bad.”

Shu Yubai corrected Nan Xue’s work for a while, astonished by her excellent memory. In the past, Shu Yubai had struggled to remember many things in this subject.

Yet, Nan Xue had remembered everything after just one explanation?

Incredible.

Shu Yubai blinked her long lashes, looking at Nan Xue with gentle, rippling eyes: “You didn’t refer to the book just now?”

Nan Xue rested her chin on her hand, her long, black, curled lashes fluttering. She twirled a pen between her slender fingers casually: “Nope.”

Shu Yubai: “…”

She was still skeptical. After thinking for a moment, she covered the answer to one question with her hand and looked at Nan Xue: “Please restate this one.”

The question in the book was: Describe the three styles of ancient Greek art.

The line of neat black text at the bottom was Nan Xue’s answer, which Shu Yubai had covered with her palm.

Nan Xue looked at her silently.

After a moment, the girl slightly parted her red lips and fluently said:

“Oriental style, black-figure style, red-figure style. Ancient Greek art is mainly sculpture, with strong elements of Greek mythology and religion. In the 15th century Italian Renaissance…” [Note 1] Shu Yubai was taken aback and said, “Not bad.”

Nan Xue slightly raised an eyebrow, her slender white fingers resting on her chin as she tilted her head and asked, “Teacher, do you not believe me?”

Shu Yubai: “…”

Seeing her silent, as if she had tacitly admitted it, Nan Xue seemed a bit sad. She lowered her gaze and remained quiet for a while.

Shu Yubai was immediately anxious. She hated seeing Nan Xue like this and hurriedly explained, “No, it’s just that I used to be slow at memorizing, but you remembered so quickly. I just… find it hard to believe.”

Nan Xue did not look at her.

Her eyes, however, seemed to melt like ice and snow, with a barely perceptible smile.

In the spring, the air was moist. In the evening, a light rain began to fall outside. Nan Xue glanced at the gray sky outside the window and asked Shu Yubai, “Did you bring an umbrella?”

“Let me check…”

Shu Yubai looked down, picked up her bag from the side, and searched for a while, saying, “No, I didn’t.”

Nan Xue watched her quietly and said, “Let’s have dinner here tonight. After we finish, I’ll have someone take you home.”

Shu Yubai’s face grew slightly warm, and she shook her head, “No need, thank you…”

Nan Xue glanced at her but maintained a neutral expression as she looked out at the rain, saying softly, “Actually, there’s no need to be so reserved.”

Shu Yubai was taken aback and turned to look at her.

Nan Xue looked at her quietly and said, “Right now, you are my invited teacher. It’s only natural for me to invite you to dinner and to send you home if it’s raining. Teacher Shu, please don’t overthink it.”

Shu Yubai: “…”

There was a faint knock on the door.

Aunt Zhang poked her head in: “Is Xiao Shu staying for dinner?”

Nan Xue: “Yes.”

Aunt Zhang smiled: “I thought so. Dinner is ready.”

Shu Yubai: “…?”

The rain changed from a light patter to a heavy downpour. The rain intensified, and a gust of wind blew some rain through the window crack, splashing on the notebook and making a small damp spot, causing the ink to smudge. Shu Yubai got up to close the window.

“Let’s go downstairs.”

Nan Xue gently tugged at the corner of her clothes.

Shu Yubai turned, her slender back looking graceful, her black hair brushing against her delicate neck.

In the center of the room was a soft, plush foot mat. Shu Yubai, distracted by looking at Nan Xue, tripped over it and almost fell forward, but was gently caught by a hand around her waist.

She looked up, their eyes meeting unexpectedly.

Nan Xue’s figure was slender, exactly the type Shu Yubai had always admired—narrow waist and long legs, looking good in anything.

She wore a pure white bathrobe with a loosely tied belt, her white, evenly proportioned calves long and her ankles delicate and slim. Below her collarbone, her black hair fell gently, the collar slightly open, revealing a soft, graceful curve.

The sudden intimate contact made her heart skip a beat.

“Sorry.”

Shu Yubai quickly stood up, “I tripped, I…”

Before she could finish explaining, Nan Xue had already turned calmly and continued forward.

Shu Yubai stared blankly, her fingers lightly touching her waist—the sensation of the embrace still lingering.

The first floor had slanted wooden flooring, and the large transparent floor-to-ceiling window let in the dim light of the rainy day. The floor gleamed slightly, and the dining table was illuminated by a hanging light. The dim light was warm-toned, making the food look appetizing as Aunt Zhang served the dishes.

Across the long, natural wood-colored dining table, several picture frames were casually hung on the gray wall, varying in size. Shu Yubai quietly observed them. They were pictures of Nan Xue when she was young, with her father and mother, and one of her and Nan Xue together.

“Eat more.”

Aunt Zhang served food into her bowl: “Xiao Shu, it’s been a long time.”

“Hmm.” Nan Xue glanced at her and gently said, “She went abroad and has just returned after three years.”

The words were spoken plainly.

But to Shu Yubai, it felt like there was an accusation in them. Was she resenting her? Or was it just her misunderstanding?

“How have you been these years?”

Shu Yubai asked.

“Not bad…” Aunt Zhang suddenly remembered something and said, “It’s fortunate that Qian…”

She started to say more, but Nan Xue’s gaze suddenly lifted and met hers, with a faint, unreadable expression in her eyes.

Aunt Zhang immediately fell silent.

Shu Yubai tugged at the corner of her lips and asked, “Qian?”

Aunt Zhang cleared her throat awkwardly and said, “Fortunately, there’s money…”

Shu Yubai: “…”

She couldn’t help but think more deeply:

Is it that person from last time? Nan Xue’s screen name is Qian Qian. I don’t know what their relationship is, but since they’re so close, could the pair of slippers at her house also belong to her? Is Nan Xue with her now?

The more Shu Yubai thought, the more she couldn’t continue.

Nan Xue’s words, “please don’t overthink it,” kept replaying in her mind. Is she telling me not to get the wrong idea? Has she already started dating someone else?

Shu Yubai instantly lost her appetite.

She felt a bit awkward.

Has Nan Xue noticed her feelings and her involuntary emotions?

She casually ate a few more bites and finished the rice in her bowl, then stood up with a pale face and softly said, “Nan Xue, I’m done eating, thank you… By the way, there’s no need to see me off.”

The rain had stopped, and a crescent moon hung in the night sky, clean and cold, with an edge as sharp as a blade. The post-rain sky was cool, and the refreshing scent of grass and trees lingered in the air, which was uplifting.

She turned and looked into the distance.

Behind her, there was a light sound of footsteps.

The cuff of her sleeve was gently tugged.

“Are you heading back?”

Nan Xue, leaning against the doorframe and standing behind her, asked softly.

Shu Yubai paused, unable to resist turning back to look at her.

A muffled sound.

A transparent umbrella opened suddenly, covering her head, with delicate, translucent-pink fingers holding the handle. The umbrella ribs were slender, and a thin layer of mist covered the pale blue sky.

Shu Yubai’s heart gave a small flutter.

In the silence.

Nan Xue held the umbrella, half of it outside and half inside the room. Her porcelain-like cheeks seemed to be coated with a sparkling glaze under the chilly light.

After a long time, neither of them spoke.

“Here.”

She handed over the umbrella.

Outside the door, the mountain path wound down along the courtyard wall. The bamboo groves by the roadside swayed gently in the moist rain, making a rustling sound, as serene as silk-worms devouring mulberry leaves.

Shu Yubai looked back once more.

In the distance, the door had already closed.

She couldn’t see the girl’s figure.

••••

In the car, the rain slid down the glass in streams. Shu Yubai sat in the car and opened her phone, seeing an unread message from her senior sister: You Fu: [You still can’t let go.]

Can’t let go, referring to Nan Xue.

Shu Yubai recalled the silhouette by the door and thought, can’t let go? When has she ever let go?

She was smitten at first sight.

Shu Yubai: [Yes.]

You Fu: [Then why not pursue her? I’m anxious just watching.]

Shu Yubai: […]

Shu Yubai: [She seems to have a girlfriend now.]

Shu Yubai: [Her name is Qian Qian.]

[Qian Qian?]

The name sounded familiar.

It seemed that she had a classmate named Qian Qian in elementary and middle school.

You Fu was silent for a long time and then replied with a string of ellipses.

••••

The next day, You Fu was invited to a dinner party.

The event was held at a hotel, with only seafood on the menu, but You Fu was allergic to seafood and could only eat a few pieces of fruit to fill her stomach.

The party was a bit boring.

It hadn’t started for a while.

You Fu sat in her seat, idly chatting with the people around her, when she heard the host on the central stage with a microphone, speaking softly to someone nearby: “We’re still missing a young lady. Does anyone know where she is?”

“She’s the vice president of Zhongmao Group. Does anyone have her contact information?”

“Can someone hurry her up?”

“It’s a bit urgent, thanks!”

Who’s missing?

Latecomers… You Fu had little patience for such people.

An incoming call appeared on her phone. You Fu glanced at it, got up, and went to the restroom to prepare for a callback.

The restroom was cold, with warm-toned dim lighting. Two bottles of perfume were placed in front of a spotless mirror, along with a pot of pothos, and two ceramic dishes with hand towels.

Click, click, click.

The sound of high heels tapping on the marble floor.

You Fu touched up her lipstick in front of the mirror.

She then glanced at the screen; the call was from a man who had been persistently harassing her recently. Her father valued this person highly, so it was awkward to block him directly. You Fu planned to find a stall and call him back.

The first stall was occupied.

The second and third stalls…

You Fu’s gaze lingered on the fourth stall.

The door lock was green, and the stall was empty.

She walked over, pressed her fingers against the door, and gave it a gentle push.

A slow, startled scream came from inside.

“Ah…!”

The next moment, she saw a woman’s bare back.

The woman seemed to be changing clothes, with a sweater hanging around her neck. Her disheveled hair was flying about, with the black ends falling on her white, smooth back, curling up and creating a beautiful curve from her shoulder blades to her slender waist.

She was beautiful.

Just from a brief glance at her back, she inexplicably felt that her front should be quite stunning as well.

The woman turned her side face, revealing a clear, extremely beautiful eye amidst the tangle of hair, quietly looking at her.

You Fu was wearing a black evening gown with a skirt sparkling with tiny diamonds. Her slightly curled hair framed her collarbone, and she had tassel gold earrings dangling from her earlobes. Her lips were bright red, her eyes dark, her nose high, and her features deep.

The two stared at each other.

The woman, who was in the midst of changing into a gown, actually took the time to gaze at her for a while.

You Fu raised an eyebrow: “Sorry.”

She closed the restroom door, wondering if she was being mistaken for… some kind of pervert?

The next moment, a gentle female voice came from the stall:

“It’s okay, I know. This door is broken.”

You Fu: “…”

She was surprisingly understanding?

She had to find another empty stall, go in, and return the call. After a long conversation, You Fu hung up, and when she opened the door to leave, the woman had already gone.

— She still didn’t know who was changing clothes in the restroom?

When she returned to her seat, the party had started.

You Fu, holding a champagne glass, mingled around, and someone introduced her: “Let me introduce you to the vice president of Zhongmao Group… Their chairman had an urgent matter and couldn’t come.”

“I’ll introduce her to you soon—she’s very beautiful.”

The person led her forward.

Just then, she saw a pair of clear, extremely beautiful eyes.

It was her?

It seemed she had been changing clothes in the restroom—she was the late-arriving young lady.

The woman had changed into a silver fishtail gown, with sequins embellishing her chest and highlighting a pearly, soft curve. Her slender shoulders were adorned with long, curled hair. Her exposed side profile was very pretty, pale and gentle, with a touch of charm.

You Fu: “What’s your name?”

The woman raised her glass and smiled lightly: “Qian Qian.”

You Fu’s red lips curved slightly, and her dark eyes glinted with a meaningful look as she said, “Qian Qian?”

“Nice name.”