After Breaking Up with the Stoic CEO - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: She Kissed Her Lips

Li Jin never expected to cross paths with Lu Wu again so soon.

They had spoken on the phone only an hour ago, and now the person was standing right in front of her.

She looked up at the other woman with an inquisitive gaze. The surprise on that face wasn’t faked; Lu Wu hadn’t known she would be here.

The one who had invited her was Li Yan.

After a moment of thought, Li Jin reached a conclusion: this encounter was nothing more than a well-timed coincidence.

Everyone present was immersed in their own thoughts, and for a moment, no one spoke. The room fell silent, save for the familiar background music.

It was Rene Liu’s Later.

Amidst the soothing melody, the woman smiled and broke the silence. “Hello, I’m Li Yan. You can call me Sister Yan, or just Li Yan.”

Qin Xu hurriedly pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind her back and handed it over, clearing her throat with practiced deliberation. “First time meeting you, I… I’m Qin Xu.”

A flash of pleasant surprise crossed Li Yan’s eyes. She took the bouquet and lightly sniffed the blossoms. “A gift for me? When did you prepare this?”

Li Yan looked over with a gaze gentler than expected. Qin Xu only managed to meet her eyes for a moment before the tips of her ears turned bright red. She touched her burning earlobe, feigning composure. “On the way here… do you like it?”

Li Yan curled her lips into a smile and answered softly, “Thank you, I like it very much.”

The smile was so dazzling it was impossible to look away. Qin Xu stared, entranced, forgetting to speak.

Li Yan then looked at Lu Wu, who was standing stiffly to the side. “And this is.”

Only then did Qin Xu realize she had forgotten the introduction. “This is Lu Wu, my friend.”

Li Yan’s lips parted slightly, looking somewhat surprised. “Lu Wu?”

Seeing her reaction, Qin Xu recalled the negative trending searches and asked worriedly, “You… know of her?”

Li Yan nodded. “I’ve heard people mention her.”

‘Heard people mention her.’

In this specific timing, those words seemed to carry an extra layer of meaning—malice, misunderstanding. Before the other woman could even finish her sentence, Lu Wu had already braced herself for the judgmental looks.

She asked, almost as if joking, “What did they say about me?”

Li Yan rested her chin on one hand. Thinking of her own “little girl” at home, her eyes curved into a smile.

“They said you are the best, best person in the whole world.”

Lu Wu froze in place.

The best person?

Qin Xu let out a long breath of relief.

Their reactions were so amusing that Li Yan couldn’t resist reaching out and tapping each of their heads. It was soft and gentle it didn’t hurt, but rather felt like a knock on the heart. Qin Xu’s face flushed again.

Li Yan didn’t notice her expression. She tilted her chin toward the person working busily in the corner. “That’s my sister, Li Jin. You can just call her Xiao Jin.”

Lu Wu had just regained her senses when Qin Xu’s eyes widened beside her.

Li Jin? Which Li Jin?

She blurted out the question instinctively: “Is it… the legendary Li Jin?”

Li Yan blinked. “Yes.”

Qin Xu sucked in a sharp breath.

Hearing them discuss her, Lu Wu looked toward Li Jin. The woman had her head down, a glint of light reflecting off her flat lenses.

Lu Wu turned to Qin Xu. “Why is she ‘legendary’?”

Why was she the legendary Li Jin?

As someone standing on the shoulders of her parents to see the world, Qin Xu sometimes received unprovoked malice. The most common form was a deep-seated prejudice: people assumed that those labeled “Second-Generation Rich” were always indulgent, idle, and lacked ambition.

While this was based on a vast amount of data many did indeed squander their resources it was undeniable that there was a segment of that group who were both talented and incredibly hardworking.

For example Li Jin.

Before middle school, Li Jin had displayed extraordinary intellectual talent. After skipping two grades, she still entered the top class of the prestigious No. 7 Middle School without any pressure. At enrollment, she was three full years younger than the average age.

At sixteen, Li Jin was admitted to the Tsinghua University Junior Class. In her early twenties, while pursuing her master’s degree, she simultaneously began managing part of the Li family’s industries.

Not only that, the Li family had once experienced a financial fraud scandal that shook the city. At that time, the group’s market value evaporated by nearly five billion dollars overnight. Everyone thought the Li family was finished, but after the storm, Li Jin stepped in to turn the tide. Through strategic adjustments and operational reforms, she achieved the rebirth of the entire Li corporation.

Undoubtedly, Li Jin was a model figure for the younger generation in the elite circles of C City. Qin Xu, born a few years later, had grown up hearing countless stories of her glorious deeds. In a sense, Li Jin was her idol.

And now, such a perfectly legendary figure was sitting right in front of her.

Qin Xu, suppressed her excitement and whispered, “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

Li Yan and Qin Xu stepped out together.

Only Lu Wu and Li Jin remained in the private room, accompanied by the light clicking of a keyboard. Lu Wu didn’t expect the one to break the silence to be Li Jin.

“Is your body feeling better?”

She was still busy, her voice calm and peaceful.

Is your body feeling better? It was a question without context.

It took Lu Wu a while to figure out the reason. When Li Jin called that afternoon, Lu Wu had been in low spirits with a nasal tone; the other woman must have thought she had a cold. She had kept it in mind until now.

Because of this unplanned concern, some unexpected thoughts suddenly began to grow and spread without warning, filling her entire chest.

Lu Wu looked at Li Jin’s face, the tips of her ears turning red. “Li Jin, can I interpret this as you caring about me?”

Li Jin’s movements paused for a moment. She didn’t answer immediately. After a long while, she reached out to take off her glasses, her tone neither heavy nor light. “I am six years older than you.”

Counting the book signing and La Point, this was their third meeting. It was the first time Li Jin had mentioned something personal, using this form to give a subtle reminder. A six-year gap wasn’t just about age; it involved cognition, mindset, and other things.

Lu Wu pretended not to understand. “So?”

Li Jin packed away her computer and gave a light warning: “You shouldn’t call me that.”

Li Jin’s words were direct, but even if she hadn’t spoken, Lu Wu knew she shouldn’t be calling her “Li Jin” so casually. For someone she had met only a few times, the most polite address would be Miss Li or President Li.

But the former sounded too distant, and the latter sounded too much like work. It felt like a title would confine their relationship within a transparent frame, leaving no room for progress. “Li Jin” was just right; it lacked distance and seemed to hint at infinite possibilities.

Lu Wu looked away, her finger hooking a stray lock of hair hanging over her chest. “Oh.”

Her reluctance was obvious. Li Jin noticed it and looked up, meeting those crystalline, bright eyes. The gaze within them was practically burning—it was hard to ignore.

Li Jin raised an eyebrow, speaking with hidden meaning: “Has no one ever told you what a secret crush is?”

When her unformed crush was called out by the person herself, Lu Wu didn’t show any sign of embarrassment. She rested her chin on her hand, her slender brows furrowing slightly.

“You say a secret crush?” “Is my liking for you not obvious enough?”

The question was tricky, but Li Jin’s reply was nonchalant. “I don’t like younger people.”

Lu Wu instinctively sat up straighter, her attitude serious. “Why?”

Li Jin glanced at her, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I don’t believe I have an obligation to explain that to you.”

Just then, there was a commotion at the door. “We’re back!” It was Li Yan’s voice.

Qin Xu followed closely behind, explaining helplessly, “That shop was closed…”

Lu Wu sat down naturally next to Li Jin, picking up the conversation. “Is that so? But I know another dessert shop with great flavors. We can get it delivered.”

Creak.

The leather sofa dipped slightly. Amidst the unchanging cool air, a wave of warmth approached uninvited. Simultaneously, Li Jin once again detected a faint, lingering scent of citrus. She remembered it was Lu Wu’s perfume. Fresh and pure, bright and passionate. A very unique scent.

Li Yan was clearly eager to taste the dessert shop Lu Wu mentioned. Sitting beside her, she asked with interest, “Delivery? Will it take long? I just came back from abroad, I don’t know much about these things.”

Qin Xu joined in. “I know that shop…”

The three of them chatted warmly. Li Jin had no intention of joining in, sitting upright to the side with her eyes downcast, her thoughts unknown.

After a while, a waiter knocked and entered. “Pardon the interruption, your drinks are here.”

Qin Xu had ordered them. She took a glass from the tray and turned to Li Yan. “Sister Li Yan… I forgot to ask, do you drink? If not, I can have them bring a glass of juice right now.”

“I’ll just have the alcohol.” Li Yan took the glass from her and teased with a smile, “Xu-xu is so thoughtful.”

Being praised like that made fireworks go off in Qin Xu’s heart, but she didn’t show it. She just pursed her lips and said modestly, “It’s only what I should do.”

Lu Wu couldn’t bear to watch. She turned to Li Jin. “Do you want to drink?”

Li Jin shook her head slightly. Lu Wu added a bit of concern: “Your period?”

Li Jin looked up at her and explained calmly, “I have to drive back later.”

Since she put it that way, Lu Wu didn’t plan to push further. “Alright then…”

At this moment, Li Yan suddenly chimed in. “Xiao Jin, don’t be a killjoy. I’ve already called for a ‘substitute driver’.”

Lu Wu guessed it meant a designated driver. She tilted her head toward Li Jin. The other woman’s expression was helpless. “I understand.”

The atmosphere was good. After a few rounds, everyone had more or less finished some drinks. Qin Xu was prone to getting tipsy, and with the alcohol, she became more uninhibited, volunteering to go up and sing.

“I sing really well… you better pay attention.” She looked at Li Yan, speaking shyly like a bride about to enter her wedding carriage.

Li Yan was very supportive, responding with a laugh, “I will.”

Qin Xu sat down by the stand microphone, adjusting the equipment with a serious air, looking every bit like a professional singer. Lu Wu curled her lips, showing her first genuine smile of the evening.

The orange-yellow light spilled down from above, and the clouds of gloom hanging over her brow finally dispersed, making her round, dark eyes sparkle like the halo of a setting sun at dusk. Li Jin, being the closest, noticed this, and it felt as if something had brushed against her heart.

She asked instinctively, “…What are you laughing at?”

Her voice was quiet, easily drowned out by the music. By the time Lu Wu turned around, she only met that cool, detached gaze.

Lu Wu asked with a hint of confusion, “Did you just say something?”

Li Jin realized she had asked a meaningless question and withdrew her gaze. “Nothing.”

Lu Wu was about to press further, but Qin Xu’s performance had already begun.

“Pick an apple, walk past your door~”

A simple sweet song. One lyric had five words, and four of them were off-key. Li Yan froze for a few seconds, but a smile quickly flooded her eyes as she struggled to keep a straight face while clapping along.

Lu Wu looked at the person on stage, then at Li Jin. The latter had her lips pursed, returning to her serious and upright manner, no different from usual.

Lu Wu inexplicably recalled the scene when she saw Li Jin at La Point. In the bustling bar, the woman had sat alone on the terrace in the cold wind, the light at her fingertips flickering as if she were far away from all the noise. This scene was very similar.

But not exactly the same.

At that time, Li Jin felt more like a living, breathing person. Now, she seemed to be confined within some framework, every movement following a fixed orbit.

Lu Wu couldn’t help but ask, “Why aren’t you laughing?” Li Jin: “I don’t want to.”

Three simple words killed the conversation. Lu Wu wasn’t ready to give up and looked for another topic. “When did you learn to smoke?”

Li Jin paused for a moment and said calmly, “I don’t smoke.”

Lu Wu reminded her, “I saw you at the bar that day, you.”

Li Jin remained silent, her gaze sweeping over with a hint of warning. A sense of pressure hit her, and Lu Wu instinctively swallowed the rest of the sentence.

What did that mean? Was smoking a topic that couldn’t be mentioned? She couldn’t guess the reason behind it.

Li Jin didn’t speak again either.

When the song ended, Li Yan had laughed enough. She turned and asked Lu Wu warmly, “Xiao Lu, is there anything you want to sing? I’ll help you pick.”

Lu Wu thought about it and chose the song Dream Delusion.

Qin Xu felt a bit embarrassed and wanted to redeem herself, whispering to Li Yan, “Actually, Lu Wu sings really well too, even a bit more ‘extra’ than me.”

If it was only “a bit more extra” than the singing just now, then “really well” was likely a generous euphemism. Li Yan didn’t take Qin Xu’s words to heart.

But when the singing started, she realized she had misunderstood. This time, “really well” actually meant it was beautiful.

“But you, drunk by the night Have many times disturbed my throbbing heart The warm air is approaching Love becomes a blurred murmur”

Lu Wu’s singing voice was different from her speaking voice. It was warm and soft, sounding quite stunning. Because she had been drinking, there was a slight raspy, “bubbly” quality to her voice like a whispered story, or a sea breeze on a hot summer day.

In short—it was impossible to dislike. Even for someone like Li Jin.

Lu Wu was watching her. For Li Jin, this was an easy thing to notice. She didn’t turn her head to respond. Even so, with the dim lighting and the audible breathing, the atmosphere easily became intimate.

From the singing, she heard the words Lu Wu hadn’t been able to say. It was a love song, hiding the secrets of a young girl’s heart.

But the song couldn’t be finished because a small accident happened halfway through. The glass in Li Jin’s hand tipped over, and the alcohol inside spilled onto Lu Wu without a drop being spared.

The singing stopped abruptly. Li Yan turned around and saw the mess, her mouth parting in surprise. “What happened?”

Qin Xu, on the far end, didn’t know what was going on. “What happened? Do you need help?”

Lu Wu was wearing a loose white T-shirt today. In an instant, the white was stained light brown, and the originally loose fabric clung tightly to her body, faintly outlining her curves.

Li Jin regained her senses and looked at her hand, her gaze shifting slightly. “I spilled the drink.”

Li Yan handed over some tissues while taking a moment to glare at her. “How could you be so careless? Xiao Lu’s clothes are all wet.”

Li Jin: “……” “Sorry.”

Lu Wu appeared very calm. She took the tissues and wiped the excess liquid from her body, giving the others a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. You guys keep having fun, I’ll just go take care of it.”

She stood up to leave, followed by the sound of trickling water. Li Jin remained silent.

Li Yan was worried. “Is Xiao Lu okay on her own?” Qin Xu hesitated. “It should be fine? Or should I go check?”

As the words fell, Li Jin suddenly spoke. “No need.”

It was a blunt sentence. The other two looked over with obvious confusion. Li Jin’s expression was normal as she took a jacket from her bag. “I brought a jacket. I’ll go.”

The private room was large and had its own restroom, which was convenient for Lu Wu. The alcohol stains were mainly on the upper part of the shirt; she simply took it off and held the stained area under the running water.

After scrubbing for a bit, the light brown dirty water was washed away through the drain, and the shirt gradually regained its original color. The smell of alcohol rose in the narrow space. Perhaps because she had drunk too much earlier, the after-effects were kicking in, and Lu Wu’s thoughts were drifting.

She thought of Li Jin. When sober, she was as rational as an airtight iron barrel, giving no one a chance to break in. What would it be like if such a rationally self-controlled person completely lost her sense of propriety? Lu Wu was a bit curious.

Creak.

A tiny sound picked at her nerves. Lu Wu looked back and found that the door had been opened from the outside. The person she was just thinking about was now standing in the doorway.

A wave of cold air seeped in without warning, sending goosebumps across her skin. Lu Wu feigned nonchalance. “Why are you here?”

The air was silent for a second, and then a very light, ambiguous laugh came from the door.

Lu Wu watched as Li Jin used those fair, slender hands to close the door behind her. Stepping in her ten-centimeter heels, she walked over step by step, finally stopping less than a meter away.

She looked at her with ease, her gaze seemingly piercing through her body to see her heart. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”

Lu Wu’s movements paused. She didn’t deny it. She applied a bit more strength to her hands, wringing the water out of the shirt.

Li Jin was right. She had intentionally bumped the glass, purposefully making a mess of her clothes. Washing the shirt was just a clumsy excuse to leave the crowd. She hadn’t been sure Li Jin would come, but it seemed the strategy had worked.

She turned the tables. “Even knowing I did it on purpose, you still came, didn’t you?”

Li Jin remained silent for a moment, then handed over the jacket in her hand and asked airily, “And?”

Lu Wu set the damp T-shirt aside. She glanced at the expensive suit jacket but didn’t reach out to take it. Before the other woman’s patience ran out, she leaned in closer.

The distance between them went from half a meter to the width of a fist, and then to no gap at all.

It was too close. Realizing this, Li Jin’s body stiffened slightly. She smelled the faint scent of alcohol and the lingering fragrance on Lu Wu’s body.

Before her eyes were the curves of her chest and the firm, powerful lines of her body…

The other woman was pressed close to her ear; a slight turn of the head would lead to a kiss.

And Lu Wu did exactly that.

She kissed her lips.

Support After Breaking Up with the Stoic CEO