After Being Forced to Kiss My Superior (GL) - Chapter 18
Li Wanqiu followed Ji Jinyan into a small restaurant and sat down.
It was a clean, cozy little place. Though the space wasn’t large, everything was neatly arranged, and a warm aroma filled the air—pleasant and appetizing.
“Ah, Xiao Ji’s here!” the owner, a friendly woman, greeted them warmly as soon as they walked in. She seemed to know Ji Jinyan quite well.
“Long time no see,” Ji Jinyan replied with a polite smile.
“The usual?” the owner asked kindly, then glanced at Wanqiu. “And what about this young lady?”
Li Wanqiu looked up at Ji Jinyan and asked in a quiet voice, “What’s ‘the usual’?”
“This one,” Ji Jinyan replied, pointing to a set meal on the menu.
Wanqiu glanced down and saw that the meal included all the kinds of food she liked, so she nodded and said, “Sounds good.”
“I’ll have one too…” she said, scanning the menu carefully, but she couldn’t find a name for the set. After a pause, she simply copied Ji Jinyan’s tone and added, “The usual.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ji Jinyan’s lips curved slightly in a smile.
“What?” Wanqiu noticed and grew a little embarrassed. She cleared her throat and asked softly, “Why are you smiling?”
“It’s nothing,” Ji Jinyan shook her head, then turned to grab utensils and told her, “Find a seat you like.”
“Do you have any dietary restrictions?” she asked.
“Nope,” Wanqiu replied.
“Alright.” Ji Jinyan nodded, waited for Wanqiu to settle at the table, then turned away and chatted briefly with the owner while waiting for the food.
Outside, the rain was still falling. The soft, persistent sound slipped in through the cracks in the windows. Wanqiu couldn’t make out what Ji Jinyan and the owner were talking about—only the light, relaxed tone in Ji Jinyan’s voice.
It reminded her of a long time ago, when the two of them had visited Master Liu together.
While she was lost in thought, Ji Jinyan returned with the food.
“Which one do you want?” she asked.
Wanqiu looked up and thought the sandwich in Ji Jinyan’s right hand looked better, so she pointed. “That one.”
“Here,” Ji Jinyan said, sliding the tray in front of her.
“Thanks,” Wanqiu said, picking up her chopsticks and trying a small side dish. The flavor was unexpectedly good, and the corners of her mouth lifted in surprise. “This is really tasty.”
“How did you find this place?” she asked. “It seems kind of tucked away.”
“I used to come here a lot as a kid,” Ji Jinyan replied. “The food’s always been great. I never forgot it, even after growing up.”
Wanqiu paused in surprise. “You mean… when you were little?”
“Yeah,” Ji Jinyan smiled, looking at her. “I lived nearby for several years.”
That response left Wanqiu a little stunned.
—She said she used to live here when she was a child.
Wanqiu wasn’t very familiar with this part of town, but she knew it wasn’t exactly a busy or upscale area.
Bixia was founded by Ji Jinyan’s grandfather and quickly established itself in the wine industry within just a few years. It had gone on to win countless awards and praise.
As the founder, Old Mr. Ji certainly had no shortage of wealth. It shouldn’t have been difficult to provide his family with a more comfortable life.
“I used to come here a lot when I was a kid,” Ji Jinyan said. “The food here was always delicious. I still remember it, even after all these years.”
“When you were a kid?” Li Wanqiu paused, surprised.
“Yeah.” Ji Jinyan smiled and looked up at her. “I lived nearby for quite a few years.”
Li Wanqiu blinked in surprise.
—She had lived here when she was young?
Wanqiu wasn’t familiar with this part of town, but she knew it wasn’t exactly a busy or upscale area. Bixia, the company founded by Ji Jinyan’s grandfather, had quickly made a name for itself in the wine industry. Within just a few years, it had won numerous awards and earned widespread recognition.
As the founder, Old Mr. Ji surely had no shortage of money. It should have been easy for him to give his family a more comfortable and luxurious lifestyle.
She remembered Assistant An once mentioning that Old Mr. Ji owned several properties across the country—large ones, in excellent locations.
So why… had Ji Jinyan lived here as a child?
Wanqiu couldn’t make sense of it. But since it was Ji Jinyan’s personal family matter, she didn’t want to ask. After a short pause, she kept her thoughts to herself and said instead,
“You’re someone who really values the past.”
Ji Jinyan suddenly laughed. “The way you say that makes me sound old.”
“No!” Wanqiu immediately protested, a little flustered. She wasn’t sure how long Ji Jinyan would hold a grudge over one teasing comment. “You’re not old at all. You’re young. Very young.”
“Oh~” Ji Jinyan raised an eyebrow, drawing out the word with playful amusement.
Wanqiu hesitated. Seeing Ji Jinyan go quiet, she got the feeling she was waiting for more. With no way out, Wanqiu forced herself to continue,
“Plus… you’re beautiful. And really successful too. You’ve accomplished things most people could only dream of.”
Ji Jinyan smiled again. “You think I’m beautiful?”
Wanqiu: “…”
She sighed and gave in. “Yeah. Really… beautiful.”
Ji Jinyan’s smile widened. “I recorded that.”
“Wha—” Wanqiu sat up straight in a panic. She was just about to tell her to delete it when it hit her—Ji Jinyan hadn’t touched her phone once since they sat down. That’s when she realized—
She was being teased again.
“You’re the worst,” she muttered, trying to sound serious as she voiced her complaint.
“Add that to the recording, too,” Ji Jinyan replied, still amused.
After their meal, the weather seemed to lighten up, with the rain slowly letting up.
Li Wanqiu and Ji Jinyan got back in the car. After about ten more minutes of driving, they arrived at the exhibition venue.
Because of the earlier rain, there weren’t too many visitors. The two of them entered the gallery easily and began strolling through the exhibits at a relaxed pace.
This exhibition’s theme was “Collision.”
Like the name suggested, the paintings on display reflected a mix of contrasts—some were from experienced artists, others from rising newcomers. The styles were wildly different, and the subjects varied, but when placed together, none of the works felt out of place.
There was even a kind of beauty to it all—where history and the future blended together, where the old collided with the new.
Li Wanqiu took her time with each painting, carefully studying them one by one. As she moved through the gallery, she felt inspired, gaining more than just artistic insight—she found moments of reflection too.
By the time they had seen every exhibit, it was almost noon.
“Tired?” Ji Jinyan asked gently.
“A little,” Wanqiu admitted, then looked up at her. “How about you?”
“I’m fine,” Ji Jinyan replied. She pulled out her phone and began looking up nearby restaurants. “Let’s grab some lunch together.”
“Okay.” Wanqiu nodded and walked beside her. The rain had stopped, but the air was still cool and damp.
As they passed a storefront, Wanqiu spotted a milk tea shop and suddenly asked, “Want a cup of milk tea? My treat.”
“Sure,” Ji Jinyan answered with a calm smile. “Thank you.”
“Wait here then. There’s a bit of a line,” Wanqiu said, motioning for her to stay put. She then quickly turned and walked toward the line.
The shop had recently launched a few new drinks, and from what she’d heard, they were pretty popular. Wanqiu picked the two best-selling flavors, paid, and turned back with the drinks in hand.
As she walked back, her eyes naturally scanned the crowd—looking for Ji Jinyan.
She found her quickly.
Just like she promised, Ji Jinyan was still standing in the same spot. She hadn’t moved at all. But she wasn’t looking at Wanqiu—instead, her gaze was fixed on the direction they had come from. Just like that night, a soft flicker of flame danced at her fingertips.
Wanqiu’s steps slowed without her realizing it.
It wasn’t that she hated smoking. It was more that she didn’t like how Ji Jinyan looked when she smoked.
She still looked beautiful. Still graceful, composed, and elegant. But there was something else—something she couldn’t quite describe.
Maybe… a kind of quiet sadness. Or a deep, lingering loneliness.
Wanqiu didn’t know why those words came to her mind, but they felt right. In that moment, they felt like they belonged to Ji Jinyan.
She hesitated for a moment, then started walking again.
Ji Jinyan must have sensed her coming. Just before Wanqiu got too close, she put out the cigarette.
And just like that night, she said, “Li Wanqiu, stay back. I don’t want the smoke to get to you.”
Her tone was noticeably different from usual—softer, more careful.
Wanqiu looked up into her eyes. She didn’t know what had happened, or what Ji Jinyan was carrying behind that composed expression. She didn’t know what to say, so she acted instead.
She noticed Ji Jinyan’s coat pocket was slightly puffed up. Her instincts told her that’s where the cigarettes were.
Without asking, she reached in and pulled them out, along with a lighter. Then, calmly and deliberately, she lit one and said,
“I want to try.”
She put the cigarette to her lips, took a deep drag—
—and immediately broke into a coughing fit. Her eyes watered, and her cheeks flushed red.
It was honestly kind of cute, but also made her look a little pitiful.
“What brand is this?” she asked through coughs. It took a while for her to catch her breath. “It smelled fine, but when you actually smoke it, it’s just…”
Before she could finish, Ji Jinyan stepped closer and gently pulled the cigarette from her fingers. Her fingertips brushed against Wanqiu’s—warm and comforting, like a small flame in the cold air.
Wanqiu froze for a beat. Maybe it was that small touch, but her heart skipped just slightly.
Before she could react, Ji Jinyan placed something else in her hand.
A lollipop.
“I bought those a long time ago. I honestly don’t remember the brand,” Ji Jinyan said as she turned and tossed the rest of the cigarette pack into a nearby trash can. “You were right. They’re not that great.”
“I can handle them,” she added with a soft laugh. Then she looked Wanqiu in the eyes and said quietly,
“But for you… candy suits you better.”