A Moment Too Late [GL] by cat喵

Chapter 13

The night was completely silent.

Had she woken up?

Nan Xue's fingertip hovered in the air, frozen. In an instant, her cheeks felt like they were burning with obvious warmth. After a moment, she heard a soft creak as Shu Yubai turned over gently, her breathing steady, but she was still deeply asleep.

"......"

Nan Xue hesitated for a moment, placing her slender fingers on her lips.

The warmth didn’t diminish.

Warm, hot, with a moist rhythm of breathing.

Snowy nights are always exceptionally quiet. She stood on the slightly raised edge of the old wooden floor for a while, her fingertips feeling cold.

Her heartbeat had gradually calmed.

She glanced once more at the sleeping woman, raised her eyebrows slightly, turned, and left briskly.

••••

The next day was a weekend. It was supposed to be like before, with both of them going out shopping and strolling together, but Nan Xue didn’t get to see Shu Yubai.

Xiao Yi had arranged for Shu Yubai to go to the art museum.

"Morandi’s exhibition. The museum opens at ten in the morning."

Xiao Yi's slender fingers gripped the steering wheel as she glanced at the rearview mirror. Shu Yubai, with her long hair spread out, sat in the back seat.

She was lowering her head, her delicate brows furrowed, looking very serious.

It seemed she was replying to an important message.

"Mm." Shu Yubai, sitting in the back seat, responded with a quiet sound, her gaze fixed on her phone with Nan Xue’s message displayed in the chat box.

[Where are you?]

[When will you be home?]

Her delicate fingers trembled slightly as she prepared to reply.

She typed out a string of text, then deleted it.

Xiao Yi glanced at her through the rearview mirror and smiled, “Listen to me, don’t reply to her messages.”

“Hmm?” Shu Yubai looked up, her eyes reflected in the mirror, holding a question.

“You don’t have much experience.”

Xiao Yi smiled gently, “With someone like her, you need to ignore her for a while.”

Shu Yubai lowered her head, looking conflicted.

The distance was short, just about a ten-minute drive.

The white building stood against the backdrop of pine trees and the sky, simple and clean, with an interesting design.

“We’ve arrived.”

Xiao Yi applied the brakes and parked steadily.

As soon as the car door opened, a gust of cold air swept in, accompanied by fine snowflakes.

“It’s below zero today.”

Xiao Yi adjusted Shu Yubai's scarf and watched her close the car door.

The street was sparsely populated.

Only the entrance of the art museum was crowded.

Shu Yubai stood at a distance, surveying the peculiar building under the daylight. The white spire, a low window on the north side, and the smoky glass emitting a dim light. On the south side was a row of green pines, their branches covered with snow, merging with the blue sky above.