After Being Forced to Kiss My Superior (GL) - Chapter 15
The necklace was ultimately won by Ji Jinyan—at a very high price.
Although this auction wasn’t as formal as others held in the past, it had still been well-publicized in advance. So, it wasn’t entirely surprising that Ji Jinyan knew about it. What surprised Li Wanqiu was that she actually showed up.
Even more unexpected—she bid on the necklace. Until that point, Ji Jinyan hadn’t participated in a single auction that evening.
It almost felt like… she had come specifically for that necklace.
With that final bid, the auction officially came to a close, and the evening reception began.
The organizers had prepared refreshments and drinks in advance. Small groups began to gather across the room—mostly wealthy young heirs and heiresses from elite families, chatting, sipping wine, and socializing.
“Wanqiu, want something to drink?” Yan Weiwei tugged her up by the arm and led her toward the bar. “How about this one?”
“Anything’s fine.”
Li Wanqiu nodded, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.
“What are you looking at?” Weiwei handed her a glass, then followed her gaze—and immediately looked surprised.
“Wait, isn’t that President Ji?”
“I didn’t expect her to show up,” Weiwei added, nudging Wanqiu with her elbow. “Want to go say hi?”
“Better not.”
Li Wanqiu shook her head and took a small sip of the wine. It hit strong at first, but the aftertaste was surprisingly flat—nowhere near as rich as what Bixia usually served.
“You didn’t notice she’s with someone?”
“Oh—you’re right.”
Weiwei raised her eyes again and finally saw the woman standing beside Ji Jinyan. Wavy hair, almond-shaped eyes, refined features, tall and elegant—she was stunning.
The two seemed close. Ji Jinyan leaned in to say something softly, and whatever it was, the woman laughed—bright and beautiful.
“Wanqiu, do you know her?” Weiwei asked, curious.
“No,” Wanqiu answered honestly. She watched the two for a moment longer, then turned her eyes away.
“Probably just a friend of Ji Jinyan’s.”
Probably.
That last word came out a bit too softly.
Unlike Weiwei, Li Wanqiu had already noticed the woman by Ji Jinyan’s side before the auction even ended.
She had been working with Ji Jinyan for over a month now, and in all that time, she’d never seen her get close to anyone. After a while, she had almost assumed Ji Jinyan didn’t really have friends. But seeing this tonight made her realize—maybe she’d just been wrong.
Turns out, Ji Jinyan did have friends. Or maybe… more than just friends.
A few acquaintances came by to say hello. Wanqiu smiled, made small talk, and tried to stay engaged. But at some point, her eyes drifted forward again, almost out of habit.
Only this time, Ji Jinyan was gone.
Wanqiu paused, then gave a soft cough under her breath. She was aware that her thoughts were starting to drift in the wrong direction. After all, she and Ji Jinyan were just colleagues—boss and employee.
Who she talked to, what kind of people she spent time with, who she brought to an event like this… none of that was Wanqiu’s business.
With that thought, she pulled her attention back and shifted her gaze elsewhere.
“How have you been lately, Madam Li?”
The man in front of her was still making polite conversation. Li Wanqiu was beautiful and came from a well-off family—she had no shortage of admirers.
“It’s been a long time since we last met.”
“Want to grab a cup of coffee later?” he asked, turning to get her a glass of wine. “Perfect timing, we could…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a server walked up and interrupted politely.
“Madam Li?”
The server smiled and asked respectfully.
“Yes,” Wanqiu replied, a little confused. “Is something wrong?”
“A lady asked me to bring this to you,” the server said as he handed her a glass of orange juice.
“She told me to remind you—it’s getting late, and it’s better not to drink too much. You’ve got work tomorrow.”
It sounded… exactly like something Ji Jinyan would say.
“…Thank you.”
Wanqiu nodded and took the glass, sipping it lightly. As she tasted the juice, that line—you’ve got work tomorrow—suddenly made her want to laugh.
And only after she laughed did it hit her:
—Maybe, long before she ever noticed Ji Jinyan,
Ji Jinyan had already noticed her.
Work at the vineyard wasn’t exactly busy, but it was never completely idle either. Nights like this—where she could truly relax—were rare.
Surrounded by laughter and chatter, Li Wanqiu’s mood slowly lifted. She chatted freely with Yan Weiwei, Song Yu, and the others.
As usual, Weiwei drank too quickly. She couldn’t handle much alcohol but still loved to drink. Now slightly drunk, she spotted an old acquaintance and happily dragged her over, grinning ear to ear.
“Hey, did you win anything you liked tonight?”
“There was a bag I really wanted,” the girl replied. “That limited-edition L-brand from 2009. But I missed it.”
“Oh?” Weiwei nodded thoughtfully. Then she grinned, unable to hold it in.
“I got it!”
“Want it?” she added, lowering her voice dramatically. “Since we’re good friends, I’ll let you buy it from me—for a little extra. Go on, name your price.”
She made it sound generous, but her hand was already signaling wildly—holding up all five fingers with exaggerated pride.
Completely shameless.
“Madam Li, she’s drunk again, isn’t she?”
The girl turned to Wanqiu, half-laughing, half-begging for rescue.
“Of course she is.”
Wanqiu nodded, eyes full of amusement. She turned to Weiwei, grinning.
“Are you drunk again?”
“This little bit of wine? That won’t get me drunk,” Weiwei huffed. “I’m not like you—at every party, it’s always you who—”
Before she could finish, Wanqiu reached out and gently clapped a hand over her mouth.
Weiwei mumbled behind her palm while everyone nearby burst into laughter.
Wanqiu smiled too. But when she finally let go, she noticed her palm was stained red—all from Weiwei’s lipstick.
Turning her head slightly, she saw Weiwei smiling triumphantly, clearly very pleased with herself.
Li Wanqiu: “…”
“You’re absolutely shameless.”
She sighed, frustrated and amused at the same time. Turning to Song Yu beside her, she said,
“Keep an eye on her for a bit—I’m going to the restroom.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
This venue had hosted several events before, and Li Wanqiu had been here a few times. She remembered exactly where the restroom was. She picked up her pace, turned a corner, and quickly arrived.
Unlike the lively main hall, the corridor here was much quieter. With her head lowered, Li Wanqiu washed her hands carefully. Just as she reached for the soap, she heard footsteps behind her.
A moment later, someone appeared in the corner of her eye—not only was the figure familiar, but even the scent in the air was unmistakable.
She was almost used to these “coincidences” with Ji Jinyan by now. Wanqiu looked up at the mirror and greeted her calmly.
“Good evening.”
“Good evening,” Ji Jinyan replied as she turned on the tap. The noise from outside made the silence in the restroom feel even more pronounced. The only sound was the gentle rush of water between them.
“Did you get anything you liked?” Ji Jinyan asked.
“No,” Wanqiu shook her head. “I was just here with a friend.”
“I see,” Ji Jinyan replied.
She glanced over and smiled.
“You look really good in that outfit.”
Li Wanqiu froze slightly.
She had honestly forgotten—until that moment—that she was still wearing Ji Jinyan’s clothes. The light scent in the air grew more distinct now, blending with the subtle fragrance lingering on the fabric.
For some reason, her cheeks began to warm.
“Thank you… for letting me borrow it,” Wanqiu said with a light cough, her voice a little quieter than usual.
“I’ll wash it and return it to you tomorrow.”
“No need.”
Ji Jinyan gently shook her head.
“It suits you far better than it ever suited me.”
“I’m heading out now,” she added softly, turning off the tap and drying her hands slowly.
“Madam Li… see you tomorrow.”
Wanqiu nodded. “See you tomorrow.”
She stood there quietly, watching Ji Jinyan walk away. But just before she disappeared around the corner, Wanqiu suddenly remembered something and called out to her:
“Did you get anything you liked?”
Ji Jinyan paused.
After a few seconds, she turned back with a faint smile.
“No, I didn’t.”
She was clearly lying—yet somehow, her voice sounded completely sincere.
“I’m just like you,” she added, her smile deepening as she continued,
“I was only here to keep a friend company.”
Her tone was gentle—but those last two words, a friend, carried just a little too much weight.