After Being Forced to Kiss My Superior (GL) - Chapter 13
When Li Wanqiu took the tissue, she quietly glanced at Ji Jinyan.
Because of the rain, the sky outside had already turned completely dark. Inside the building, the lights were bright and clear—under that light, it was easy to tell the difference between raindrops and tears.
Li Wanqiu understood what Ji Jinyan was doing. From the moment she sat down beside her, Ji Jinyan had been staring out the window, never once turning to look at her.
“Thank you,” Li Wanqiu said softly, using the tissue to wipe away her tears in silence.
When she spoke again, her emotions were mostly back under control.
“Weren’t you in H City? Why…”
“There were still a few things I needed to deal with at the office,” Ji Jinyan replied. “So I came back to check in.”
“I see.” Li Wanqiu nodded, saying nothing more.
Ji Jinyan didn’t speak either. The two of them simply sat side by side, watching the rain pour outside the window. The wind was strong, slipping in through the window cracks, bringing with it a slight chill.
Li Wanqiu instinctively pulled her clothes tighter around herself. She was zoning out when Ji Jinyan suddenly spoke again.
“How was the chocolate from this morning?”
Li Wanqiu blinked, then gave a small nod.
“It was good. Strawberry-flavored. It tasted really nice.”
“You like that kind of chocolate?” Ji Jinyan asked, a trace of curiosity in her tone.
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
“I bought those for my little niece. I just happened to leave a couple behind.”
She turned to glance at Li Wanqiu, her eyes carrying a hint of something unspoken.
“Apparently, it’s a favorite flavor among children.”
“…”
Li Wanqiu coughed lightly. “Is that so?”
“I’m heading back upstairs,” Ji Jinyan said, smiling and not pushing the subject any further. “The rain’s coming down so hard—it’s risky heading home right now. Why don’t you stay and help out a bit? Once we’re done, I’ll drive you home.”
Li Wanqiu looked up at her, but didn’t respond right away.
Ji Jinyan raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll count it as overtime.”
Well, in that case…
Li Wanqiu gave a small nod and got up to follow her. The two returned to the top floor in the elevator, back to the office.
Noticing that she seemed cold, Ji Jinyan poured her a cup of hot coffee without saying a word. Li Wanqiu took it gratefully and sipped slowly, warmth gradually returning to her body. In that quiet moment, she had a strange realization: though she had stayed behind under the pretense of helping out, in reality… it felt more like she was the one being helped.
She lowered her eyes and traced the rim of the cup with her fingertips. A strange, indescribable feeling stirred in her chest.
Ji Jinyan had given her shelter in the cold and rain—a little space that felt safe.
…
When Ji Jinyan worked, she was calm and focused.
Li Wanqiu finished her own tasks and saw that Ji Jinyan was still busy, so she didn’t interrupt. She simply looked up and stared at the rain pouring outside the window.
The rain hadn’t let up at all. It pounded against the glass, steady and relentless. The sound filled the room, but instead of getting up or leaving, Li Wanqiu felt a strange resistance to moving. Like that morning, she lay down again on the desk, head resting quietly.
The atmosphere in the room remained calm. Ji Jinyan seemed completely unbothered by her presence, continuing to type away at her laptop.
From where she lay, Li Wanqiu tilted her head to watch her. The shifting light of the screen danced across Ji Jinyan’s face—sometimes bright, sometimes dim. Because of the speech she had given earlier, Ji Jinyan was dressed even more formally than usual today. Her shirt was buttoned all the way to the top, giving her a look that was… reserved, even a bit ascetic.
That small mole on Ji Jinyan’s neck, just above her collar, gave her an unexpected hint of sensuality.
Even though Li Wanqiu had spent a fair amount of time with Ji Jinyan, she still didn’t really know what kind of person she was. Her vision started to blur, sleepiness creeping in quietly but quickly, pulling her under before she could think too much.
By the time she woke up again, Ji Jinyan was no longer in the room.
Li Wanqiu slowly opened her eyes, still groggy. She glanced at the clock—it was almost midnight. The room was completely silent, except for the sound of rain still pouring outside.
“Ji Jinyan?” she called out softly, but there was no reply.
She hesitated, then instinctively got up and stepped out to look for her. She found her around a corner.
There, in the dim light, a faint flicker of flame glowed at Ji Jinyan’s fingertips.
“…?”
Li Wanqiu walked over and caught the light scent of smoke drifting through the air. She didn’t recognize the brand, but it wasn’t as harsh as she expected.
“What are you doing?”
Ji Jinyan glanced over. “You’re awake?”
Li Wanqiu nodded. “Mm-hmm.”
“I didn’t know you smoked,” she said softly.
“I don’t, not usually,” Ji Jinyan replied. She reached up to push her hair over one shoulder, and just as Li Wanqiu was about to get closer, she put out the cigarette.
“Don’t come too close.”
Li Wanqiu blinked. “Why not?”
Ji Jinyan smiled.
“So you don’t get smoke in your face, little Miss Wanqiu.”
Little Miss Wanqiu…
If her earlier teasing about the chocolate was subtle, this was anything but.
That one line made Li Wanqiu’s ears heat up—but she didn’t back down. Instead, she stepped forward quickly.
She took a breath and finally asked the question that had been bothering her for a long time:
“Are you still mad at me?”
Ji Jinyan looked over at her. “About what?”
Li Wanqiu lowered her gaze.
“What I said before… about you being older.”
There was a brief pause.
“Maybe,” Ji Jinyan said after a moment. “I remember it clearly.”
“Sorry—” Li Wanqiu responded immediately, dragging out the word in mock apology. She said the right thing, but her tone wasn’t exactly apologetic—more teasing, as if she were playfully getting back at Ji Jinyan for holding a grudge.
Ji Jinyan looked up at her and smiled helplessly.
“Little ingrate.”
Her voice was soft, but the wind carried it just enough for it to land gently in Wanqiu’s ears. Somehow, it made her ears burn all over again.
After a slight pause, Li Wanqiu stepped closer almost instinctively.
“Are you in a bad mood today?” she asked.
“Why do you ask?” Ji Jinyan replied.
Li Wanqiu didn’t answer right away. Her eyes simply lingered on the cigarette Ji Jinyan had just put out.
After a moment, Ji Jinyan spoke.
“I’m okay. Not good, not bad.”
She added casually, as if talking to herself,
“Maybe I’m just a little tired.”
Before Li Wanqiu could say anything else, Ji Jinyan suddenly reached out and patted her lightly on the head.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Go where?” Li Wanqiu asked without thinking.
“The rain hasn’t stopped, and the water’s already pooling everywhere,” Ji Jinyan said. “You probably won’t be able to get home tonight.”
She looked at her with a faint smile.
“Want to experience dorm life at Bixia?”
Li Wanqiu packed up her small bag and followed Ji Jinyan into the elevator.
There was a shortcut from the office building to the dorms, and five minutes later, the two of them arrived.
Ji Jinyan led Li Wanqiu up to the 13th floor.
The entire floor was reserved for Ji Jinyan alone. The early hours of the morning were quiet; everything seemed to be asleep. In the distance, the occasional bark of a dog broke the stillness.
Ji Jinyan opened the door to Room 1304, flicked on the lights, and gestured for her to take a look.
“Do you like this room?”
“It’s fine,” Li Wanqiu nodded. Even though no one had lived here for a while, the room was spotless. Everything was tidy, and the bedding was freshly prepared and unused.
“The toothbrush and towel should be in here…” Ji Jinyan opened a cabinet and pointed inside. “Take whatever you need.”
“Okay. Thank you,” Li Wanqiu replied with a polite nod.
“You’re welcome,” Ji Jinyan said with a soft smile. She glanced at her watch—it was late.
“Get some rest. Work’s not too busy tomorrow. You can come in a bit later.”
“Alright.”
“Good night,” Ji Jinyan said as she turned to leave. But just as she reached the door, she paused, then turned back.
“What is it?” Li Wanqiu asked, thinking she had forgotten to say something.
“Nothing,” Ji Jinyan said, shaking her head slightly. Then, with a playful smile in her voice, she added,
“I just wanted to let you know—my room’s right next door.”
She paused, then said with a teasing warmth, “If you have a nightmare tonight, you can come knock on my door.”