A Moment Too Late [GL] by cat喵

Chapter 24

“What are we having for New Year’s Eve?”

With her mother not around and her father being the only one present, it was impossible for her to go back home for the New Year, so it was just her and Nan Xue. She had asked Nan Xue if she was going home, thinking she would go back to see her father, but Nan Xue only shook her head and said no.

She said she would stay with Shu Yubai

Saying she wanted to be with her.

So, they stayed here, snuggling on the sofa and playing with the little dog.

Outside, the sky had darkened, snow drifting past the low square window panes. Inside, the room was brightly lit, like a warm old wooden box, with the two of them huddled together feeling cozy and content.

Shu Yubai poured a cup of hot water, holding it in her hands, and thought, “Let’s eat out. It doesn’t need to be too lively with just the two of us.”

She looked down, searched on a review site, and found a well-rated buffet restaurant.

“How about this one? It’s close by.”

Nan Xue leaned over, glanced at it, and nodded, “Sure.”

After a while, she rested her head on Shu Yubai's shoulder and softly asked, “What about Xiao Yi? Isn’t she joining us?”

“Hmm…” Shu Yubai had almost forgotten. It was only when Nan Xue mentioned it that she remembered, and she had to force herself to say, “She went home a long time ago. She’s not here.”

“Oh.”

Nan Xue nodded, thinking that perhaps it was just a fleeting shadow she saw that day and she might have been mistaken.

••••

On the other side.

Xiao Yi’s studio.

“Teacher, who are you spending the New Year with? Can you take me along?”

Dong Ling moved closer, hands behind her back, watching her paint while asking.

Xiao Yi looked up, smiled at her, and said, “I have plans.”

She dipped the tip of her brush into some paint, her eyes gleaming with a special light.

Dong Ling immediately noticed something different and said meaningfully, “Who is it? Is it Sister Yubai—”

“No.”

Xiao Yi said, “It’s someone else you haven’t met.”

She swiped her phone and showed Dong Ling, saying, “Sorry, I’ve already made a reservation.”

It was a buffet restaurant specializing in seafood. Dinner reservations had to be made two hours in advance.

Dong Ling glanced at it and saw it was a five-star hotel’s buffet. She had been there a few times and remembered the location was very close to where Shu Yubai was staying.

••••

The buffet restaurant was on the first floor of the hotel.

In the night, tall buildings stood, and the cool blue glass reflected the lights below. The traffic was dense, and there seemed to be an unexpectedly lively crowd.

“I’ll find a parking spot first.”

Shu Yubai turned the steering wheel while Nan Xue, sitting beside her in the passenger seat, helped look for a space.

However, they arrived a bit late, and all the spots had already been taken.

Nan Xue continued to look outside the car window, but all the hotel-designated parking spots were full. She had to give up. Shu Yubai nudged her shoulder and said, “You go ahead and save a window seat for me. Get some food too.”

Nan Xue got out of the car.

At the entrance, a kumquat tree was decorated with red envelopes, creating a festive atmosphere.

One side of the buffet featured seafood—salmon, tuna, and other raw meats arranged on crushed ice. The other side had wooden bar counters with heating stoves, where small ceramic pots bubbled with red flames, with four-person tables.

As she was about to walk inside, her steps faltered slightly as her gaze landed on two women sitting opposite each other by the window.

One of them was clearly Xiao Yi. The other woman was the same one she had seen walking with Xiao Yi that day.

Wasn’t she supposed to be going home?

Nan Xue sat at a four-person table behind them, separated by a wooden bar counter.

She just listened quietly.

••••

“Back in the country, are you still leaving?”

Xiao Yi carefully cut a piece of freshly cooked steak on her plate and fed it to the girl opposite her.

The girl looked young, with doe-like eyes, fair skin, curled lashes, and delicate features.

“Thank you.”

The girl bit into the steak without hesitation, looked up with a gentle smile, and jokingly said, “With you here, where would I go?”

Xiao Yi seemed particularly moved, continuing to feed her, their gestures intimate.

Then Xiao Yi appeared a bit nervous. She looked down, took a small box from her bag, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it over, saying, “Here, a New Year’s gift for you.”

She stared at the girl with unblinking eyes.

The girl opened it to reveal a diamond ring.

Her red lips curved into a surprised smile. She looked up, but in the next moment, saw another girl approaching.

She frowned slightly.

The girl was very young, with a slim waist and long legs, walking with an air of aloofness.

As she approached, her appearance became clearer.

By the window, the cold night reflected on her. Her skin was extremely white, clean like frozen snow, with cherry-red lips and eyes that were very dark and bright, her demeanor between coldness and allure, making her beauty strikingly intense.

Her expression seemed to be suppressing something.

The next second, she walked straight up to Xiao Yi, picked up the cup of coffee from the table, and, without warning, threw it at her.

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Translator's note: Damn! That's harsh! Xiao Yi and Shu Yubai's little game is over!

To Be Continued...