After Being Forced to Kiss My Superior (GL) - Chapter 24
Ji Jinyan’s arms were warm. It was the kind of warmth that made people want to stay close.
The night breeze was a little cold, but instead of waking her up, it only made Li Wanqiu feel more lightheaded. Her body trembled slightly, and without realizing it, she leaned closer, seeking Ji Jinyan’s warmth.
The hand that had been tugging on Ji Jinyan’s coat earlier now rested gently on her wrist. It stayed there quietly, like it belonged.
It was just like the last time she had been drunk.
Ji Jinyan looked down at her. Before she could speak, Li Wanqiu had already mumbled something through her daze.
“I don’t feel good.”
“Is it your stomach?” Ji Jinyan asked softly as she stepped forward and pressed the elevator button. “Do you feel like throwing up?”
Li Wanqiu gave the question some serious thought, then slowly shook her head.
“No.”
“Then where does it hurt?” Ji Jinyan followed up gently.
“I just want to sleep,” Li Wanqiu said. Her voice was soft and low, almost like a little girl whining for attention.
Ji Jinyan smiled. “Then go to sleep.”
Li Wanqiu whimpered. “But I need a shower first.”
Ji Jinyan nodded. She had already found the key in Li Wanqiu’s shoulder bag earlier. She lifted her hand and opened the door.
“We’re home now,” she said softly.
When she heard that, Li Wanqiu slowly opened her eyes. She looked around the room in a daze and climbed out of Ji Jinyan’s arms.
She was too dizzy to stand properly. Her steps wobbled, and she had to steady herself for a few seconds before she could keep her balance. Even in this state, she still remembered to say thank you.
She reached into her pocket and searched for a while. Finally, she pulled out a lollipop and studied it closely.
“Strawberry flavor,” she read softly. After a short pause, a gentle smile appeared on her face. “That’s my favorite.”
Still smiling, she walked forward and stopped in front of Ji Jinyan. She used both hands to lift Ji Jinyan’s hand and gently placed the lollipop in her palm.
“This is for you.”
“Thank you,” Ji Jinyan said with a smile. She turned her hand and held onto Li Wanqiu’s, steadying her again. “But what about you? Aren’t you having one?”
“I don’t have any more,” Li Wanqiu whispered.
“I can give this one back to you,” Ji Jinyan offered.
“It’s okay,” Li Wanqiu said with a soft shake of her head. “I’ll just buy more later.”
Even though she was clearly drunk, Li Wanqiu was still able to speak normally. She was a little quieter than usual, much more well-behaved, and unusually sweet. She was also very honest.
“I see,” Ji Jinyan said, slipping the lollipop into her pocket.
“What about during the business trip?” she asked a moment later. “I remember you still had some left that day.”
Li Wanqiu fell silent for a moment, as if recalling something. Then she raised her hand and covered her eyes. Her ears began to turn red. After a long pause, she whispered, “Because I was embarrassed.”
She was being completely honest again.
Ji Jinyan responded with a smile. Her lips curved upward in quiet amusement.
Li Wanqiu looked at her, puzzled by the smile. She stood there silently for a few seconds, then turned around and walked back to the bed. She picked up her pajamas and said, a little annoyed, “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Can you manage on your own?” Ji Jinyan asked.
“Yes,” Li Wanqiu replied. She held her clothes and walked slowly toward the bathroom. But just as she reached the door, she stopped and turned back to look at Ji Jinyan.
“Did you forget something?” Ji Jinyan asked gently.
Li Wanqiu shook her head. She said nothing and did not move. She simply stood there, watching her quietly, as if trying to make up her mind.
It took a while before she finally spoke. Her voice was very soft and low.
“Are you going to leave tonight?”
That night, Li Wanqiu had a dream. In the dream, she was a little girl again.
Her parents were always busy and rarely came home. Left alone for most of her childhood, Li Wanqiu had to grow up early. She learned to eat by herself, sleep by herself, and deal with everything on her own.
Most of the time, she felt lonely.
But she never said anything. Her grandmother was in poor health, and she did not want to upset her with sad stories. So she kept it all inside, quietly waiting for the silence at night to process her feelings alone.
Back then, she often thought, Maybe I’m just someone nobody wants. When will I finally stop feeling so alone?
Li Wanqiu sniffled in her sleep and woke up suddenly. She frowned and reached for her phone. It was already six in the morning.
Her head hurt from drinking. She sat up slowly, rubbing her temples while trying to piece together what had happened the night before.
Why did I get drunk in front of Ji Jinyan again?
She felt a little embarrassed and confused. She could not remember much, only that they had played a lot of games and that she had drunk more than she should have.
Her phone screen was still lit. There were messages from Yan Weiwei.
Yan Weiwei: “Don’t forget our trip today!”
Yan Weiwei: “I actually woke up early. Impressed?”
Yan Weiwei: “Are you awake yet? Text me when you are. Hurry up and get ready. I’ll be over soon.”
Li Wanqiu finally remembered that she had promised to go on a day trip with Yan Weiwei to a nearby city.
Oh no.
She felt guilty for a moment, but thankfully she was already starting to feel better. She quickly replied with a “Got it,” then jumped out of bed to get ready.
She smelled faintly of body wash, and her nightgown was soft and clean. The fabric wrapped gently around her body, warm and comfortable.
Li Wanqiu felt a quiet sense of pride. Even though she had been drunk, she had still remembered to take a shower.
As she thought about it, she slowly pushed open the bathroom door. What she saw next stopped her in her tracks.
There was someone standing inside.
Li Wanqiu froze.
Ji Jinyan also stood still.
Li Wanqiu blinked in confusion.
The scene in front of her was so unexpected that she was completely stunned. It took her a while to find her voice. Finally, she asked, “Ji Jinyan, why are you here?”
Ji Jinyan turned off the faucet casually and dried her face with a towel nearby. “What is it?”
Her tone was calm and relaxed.
Li Wanqiu had no answer. For a moment, she genuinely could not think of what to say.
“I saw a spare toothbrush and toothpaste in the cabinet, so I used them,” Ji Jinyan explained, smiling as she tied up her hair. Her lifted arm revealed a fair stretch of skin. “Thank you.”
As she moved closer, a light and pleasant fragrance followed her. It did not take long for Li Wanqiu to realize that Ji Jinyan had taken a shower earlier too, and had probably used her body wash.
That thought made her ears instantly turn red.
“You didn’t go home last night?” she asked softly, looking at Ji Jinyan’s face.
“No,” Ji Jinyan answered, nodding with a slight smile in her eyes. “You asked me not to leave.”
Her voice was light, and the way she said it made it unclear whether she was teasing or telling the truth.
Li Wanqiu looked at her in disbelief.
She hesitated, clearly nervous. She could not recall much from the night before, so she asked cautiously, “Did I really say that?”
Her worry showed clearly in her eyes.
After a brief pause, Ji Jinyan smiled and shook her head. “I was just teasing you.”
“Go freshen up,” she added gently, ending the conversation there. She turned to leave the bathroom, but after a few steps, she glanced back.
The morning sunlight fell across her face, and her smile was soft and pleasant.
“By the way, I ordered breakfast. Would you like to eat together?”
Li Wanqiu stayed in the bathroom for a little longer. When she finally came out, breakfast had already arrived. A warm, savory smell filled the air. It smelled like soup dumplings.
She looked up and saw two bowls of millet porridge on the table. Ji Jinyan was already preparing everything, placing small dipping sauces next to the bowls.
Everything was already taken care of.
“Did I trouble you last night?” Li Wanqiu walked over to the sofa and sat down. Her voice was quiet and filled with guilt as she glanced at Ji Jinyan.
“Not at all,” Ji Jinyan said with a gentle shake of her head. She handed her a pair of chopsticks. “You were very sweet.”
The word “sweet” came out soft and warm. It carried a smile and a hint of something that made Li Wanqiu’s heart skip.
She touched her hair in a slightly nervous gesture. “That’s good.”
“Let me pay for breakfast,” she added. “You already brought me home, and now you’re treating me to breakfast too. I feel bad.”
“It’s alright,” Ji Jinyan replied. “You can pay next time.”
Li Wanqiu opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but she was afraid she might sound too fussy. After a short pause, she nodded and quietly said, “Okay.”
Ji Jinyan smiled again.
The smell of the dumplings made her stomach growl a little. Neither of them said anything more. They quietly ate their breakfast. Just as they were about to finish, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Li Wanqiu had almost forgotten about Yan Weiwei.
“Hold on,” she said as she set her bowl down. She quickly walked over to open the door. As soon as it opened, Yan Weiwei burst inside like a gust of wind.
She was full of energy and dressed beautifully. She walked straight to Li Wanqiu and struck a playful pose.
“Wanqiu, don’t I look amazing today?”
Li Wanqiu gave a soft cough and signaled with her eyes. “You look great.”
“Right?” Yan Weiwei grinned. She did not seem to notice anything unusual. “What took you so long to open the door? What were you doing?”
As she spoke, her gaze shifted and landed on a pair of unfamiliar shoes by the shoe rack. Her eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Li Wanqiu, unbelievable. Are you hiding someone in here?”
Before Li Wanqiu could stop her, she walked further into the apartment, still joking.
“I need to see who you’ve got hidden away…”
But the moment she stepped forward, she froze.
The atmosphere turned awkward in an instant. No one said a word. The silence lingered, thick and uncomfortable. After what felt like a long time, Yan Weiwei cleared her throat and straightened up. Her playful expression vanished, and her face turned bright red, like she had just been dropped into boiling water.
“I didn’t think there would really be someone here,” she muttered, full of regret.
“Good morning, President Ji.”