A Moment Too Late [GL] by cat喵

Chapter 75

In the distance, the street lamps were on, the black iron lamps illuminating the rooftops, covered with a thin layer of white snow, glittering and fragmented. A wild cat lightly walked across the rooftop, leapt onto the plane tree, and disappeared into the distance.

As the night deepened, on the other side of the hill, the lake shimmered under the moonlight.

Shu Yubai felt as if she was soaked in warm water, her cheeks clearly hot. The things Nan Xue said were even more embarrassing than the faint touches.

"What exactly does it feel like, hmm?"

Nan Xue asked her, her voice lightly vibrating against her spine.

Shu Yubai's cheeks were slightly hot. Not knowing how to describe it, she could only ask in return, "So curious? Next time, let me try it on you. Then you'll understand."

"Mm... okay."

Nan Xue didn't refuse, holding her waist under the covers, comfortably pressing her cheek against her. The fabric was soft, and in the warm and humid air, she murmured, "So comfortable, I just want to hold you forever."

The moonlight fell, the skin cool and smooth, their outlines clearly defined. The blanket had shallow rises, like two small hills on a plain.

"When is next time?"

Nan Xue started planning.

"Depends on my mood."

Shu Yubai closed her eyes, helplessly.

"Okay."

Nan Xue kissed her neck again.

After a while, they both drifted off to sleep, like two porcelain spoons nestled together.

Their first attempt, brief but leaving them wanting more. Few knew about their secret relationship, adding a forbidden thrill. In the coming days, they'd still face Senior Brother and her uncle together. Shu Yubai felt a bit nervous.

Would their relationship be discovered?

What would they face if it was?

It felt like walking through a pitch-black fog, unable to see the road ahead. Each step forward caused the path behind to disappear. The future was unclear, and retreating was not an option.

This relationship was like a blooming night-blooming cereus.

So beautiful it was worrisome, as if it might wither at any moment.

Shu Yubai closed her eyes, her mind sinking into chaos.

••••

After that day, Nan Xue and Shu Yubai didn't take any further steps.

They behaved like many couples in the throes of early love, gazing at each other with sticky, affectionate eyes. Occasionally, they would sneak kisses under the trees in the quiet courtyard, stopping abruptly if they heard footsteps, feeling like they were having an affair.

They would also sleep in each other's arms.

But Nan Xue was no longer as easily satisfied as before. Mere touches through clothing gradually became insufficient.

As the temperature rose, the snow on the ground melted away, revealing patches of brown soil. The low rooftops basked in the warm sun, while the branches of the plane trees swayed in the breeze, enveloping the entire courtyard in a cocoon of tranquility and warmth.

Around noon, when it got warmer, Shu Yubai took off her thick cotton jacket and left it indoors, wearing only a thin woolen sweater that was still warm.