Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 63

Ji Yang was waiting at the entrance of Nightshade. The moment she saw the person arriving, she clicked her tongue and greeted with a smile, “A rare guest.”

The other person nodded slightly and handed over a gift—a small, exquisitely wrapped black-and-gold box.

“Ji, wishing Nightshade a successful opening.”

Ji Yang took the gift and stepped aside to lead her in. “How polite of you. You even brought a gift.”

Lingxi followed behind her, glancing faintly at the deep blue wall lamps inside. “It’s a celebration. A gesture is necessary.”

A nearby attendant lifted the beaded curtain for them. Ji Yang turned her head slightly to look at her. “But when Yu Tao told me you were coming, I was quite surprised.”

With no obstruction to her sight, the lights from the hall reflected on Lingxi’s side profile.

“I rarely visit bars,” Lingxi replied, her gaze sweeping over the scene ahead before pausing slightly.

The booth area was already crowded. In the center, surrounded by people, sat a woman wearing a black spaghetti-strap dress with a small cardigan draped over her shoulders.

Her long hair cascaded down, with soft waves resting against her shoulders, partially covering her delicate collarbones.

She leaned back against the leather sofa, one leg crossed over the other, her hand resting on her knee as she held a glass of wine. Her fingers tapped gently against the glass, and a faint smile adorned her lips as she spoke with the person beside her.

Even Lingxi herself didn’t understand why she could see every small movement of that hand so clearly.

But in the next moment, the woman lifted her gaze and looked straight at her.

A spotlight overhead happened to flicker across Lingxi’s eyes, making her squint slightly in reaction.

The woman’s smile seemed to deepen.

Lingxi suddenly stopped in her tracks, avoiding the light as she tried to catch the subtle change. But just as she halted, someone leaned in beside her.

“Oh? What are you looking at?”

Yu Tao followed her line of sight.

Lingxi said nothing. The woman in the distance took a sip of her wine, her expression unreadable.

“So, you didn’t come here because of me? How heartbreaking!”

Yu Tao feigned distress and raised a hand as if to wipe away tears.

Lingxi responded coolly, “Don’t. You’ll have to redo your eye makeup.”

“Aww, Ji!” Yu Tao clung to Ji Yang’s arm and dramatically patted her chest. “Little Wei is finally paying attention to me!”

“No, I just think wasting makeup is a shame.”

With that, Lingxi took her seat as Ji Yang signaled her to do so.

Ji Yang chuckled, while Yu Tao, left speechless for a moment, sighed. “Sigh, there are so few people these days who don’t know how to cherish beauty. If you’re second, no one dares to claim first.”

Ji Yang gave a few instructions to the attendants, who soon began bringing over drinks, fruit platters, and bar snacks.

Lingxi had little interest in bars. She came mainly out of respect for Ji Yang, but more importantly, because of the person sitting diagonally across from her in the booth.

“Ji, your event tonight is quite grand. Besides our Little Wei, I even spotted Qin Sui just now.”

Lingxi’s fingers, tracing the rim of her glass, paused for a brief moment. She lifted her eyelids slightly and glanced in that direction again.

Qin Sui had shifted into the shadows. The person who had been blocking her view was gone, leaving only her silhouette imprinted in Lingxi’s eyes.

Ji Yang let out a small sound of surprise and smiled. “Qin Sui was filming a project before and borrowed the set at our West Gate location. We met a few times. When I sent her an invitation this time, I thought she’d decline, but she agreed immediately.”

Yu Tao asked, “What kind of project?”

Ji Yang thought for a moment. “I think it was—”

Before she could finish, Lingxi interrupted, speaking slowly, “It was *Autumn Rain*, wasn’t it?”

Yu Tao went silent for a few seconds, then looked at her in disbelief.

“No way. Our workaholic Little Wei actually knows this?”

Lingxi didn’t respond, but soon, she heard approaching footsteps.

“Yu Jie.”

A sweet, delicate voice rang out in front of them.

Yu Tao’s eyes curved with a smile. She let go of her curiosity about Lingxi’s knowledge of the film and patted the seat beside her. “Zhi Yao, come, sit here.”

The woman called Zhi Yao sat down beside Yu Tao, looking a little reserved. But when she turned her head toward Yu Tao, she tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled, a faint blush coloring the tips of her ears.

Lingxi knew this was Yu Tao’s *canary*. Since Yu Tao was here tonight, her *canary* naturally received an invitation as well.

Ji Yang kept them company for a while before leaving to attend to other guests.

Lingxi remained low-key, but Yu Tao was the opposite. It was impossible for people not to notice her, and soon, one after another, they came over to drink with her.

Those who approached, upon seeing Lingxi up close, hesitated for a moment before gathering around.

After several rounds, Lingxi grew tired of the small talk and subtly passed them off to Yu Tao.

Her ears listened to the chatter, but her eyes remained fixed on the other side.

Qin Sui was still conversing with someone. Occasionally, people would approach her for a toast.

Sometimes she would take a small sip, sometimes she would simply smile at them without speaking. The other party, understanding the cue, would drink on their own and then leave.

But she never looked at Lingxi again.

A vague sense of frustration crept up Lingxi’s chest, as if tiny ants were crawling through her veins, unsettling her.

“Zhi Yao, have you seen *Autumn Rain*?”

“I have. Why, Yu Jie?”

Lingxi glanced at Yu Tao. Zhi Yao was feeding her grapes, her actions gentle and careful.

Lingxi frowned slightly, an unfamiliar emotion rising in her chest. She tilted her head back and downed the rest of her drink in one go.

The lights in the bar suddenly dimmed, and upbeat music began playing. A few people entered the dance floor.

Qin Sui declined several invitations with a smile. Soon, her surroundings cleared, leaving only her and her assistant standing behind her.

Yu Tao was still discussing *Autumn Rain* with her *canary*, but Lingxi suddenly stood up, holding her glass.

As Lingxi approached, Qin Sui finally looked up from her phone screen.

Seeing Lingxi and the drink in her hand, Qin Sui smiled slightly, her gaze flickering toward Yu Tao and Zhi Yao, who were both watching from behind Lingxi.

Tilting her head, Qin Sui tapped her finger lightly on her dimmed screen. “What should I do? My little *canary* doesn’t seem to know how to behave.”

“Little Wei.”