Crossing the Line – Chapter 17

by Little Panda

When I Come Back, Can I Still See Her?

The salon was winding down. Guests were leaving one by one, and the waitstaff were quietly clearing away glasses and plates, the occasional crisp clink of glass against glass punctuating the air.

Lin Ji didn’t take the nearest elevator. She walked around to the other end of the corridor and took the observation elevator instead.

Jiang Siyi, following behind her, thought, Probably because there are fewer people over there.

It was obvious Lin Ji didn’t like crowded places.

Lin Ji was Jiang Siyi’s guest. She knew full well why the salon had been such a success, and she had nothing to offer in return. Seeing her to the elevator was the bare minimum of social courtesy.

The rustling and low laughter unique to social gatherings had faded completely with the departing crowd.

The latticed windows of Huixiang Space filtered the daylight into the texture of warm jade — the same color as Lin Ji’s pupils.

Announcing in front of Lin Ji that she’d already broken off her engagement with Song Ti felt like it carried subtext.

Like she was hinting that she was ready to start something new.

That really wasn’t what she meant. She had no idea how Lin Ji saw her, and she was even more puzzled by Lin Ji’s last remark.

If it was meant to rescue her from an awkward situation, the two people in question had already left by the time Lin Ji said it.

It was clearly said for Jiang Siyi’s ears alone.

Just as Lin Ji was about to step into the elevator, Fang Yi hurried over, wanting to set a specific time to come see the jade pendant.

Once he got a satisfactory answer, Fang Yi finally noticed the other person beside him. His gaze shifted to Jiang Siyi.

He remembered that when he and Lin Ji had “closed the deal,” Lin Ji’s first thanks had gone to Jiang Siyi.

He’d found it a bit odd at the time. Now, seeing the two beauties lingering reluctantly at the elevator, it suddenly clicked. He turned his whole body to face Jiang Siyi and thanked her sincerely, saying how grateful he was that she’d invited him to such a wonderful salon.

Only then did Jiang Siyi realize that the pendant Fang Yi held might really be the heirloom Lin Ji had been searching for.

That made sense.

So Lin Ji’s blatantly protective remark — one that far exceeded the bounds of their relationship — was actually payment for Jiang Siyi’s role as a go-between in this transaction.

Once she understood that, Jiang Siyi’s gaze, which had been darting around in uncertainty for a while, finally settled back on Lin Ji with ease.

Fang Yi was already gone. They were standing right by the elevator. The next step was naturally for Lin Ji and her assistant Fan Qing to take the elevator and leave.

Jiang Siyi had already thought of her farewell, but Lin Ji made no move to press the elevator button. Fan Qing stood motionless behind her as well.

Seeing that Jiang Siyi was still rooted to the spot, Lin Ji spoke first.

“One step closer to finding Grandmother’s heirloom. Thank you. And the wine today was very good.”

Fan Qing’s expression didn’t change, but her hands, clasped in front of her, tightened almost imperceptibly.

Whether this pendant would also turn out to be a dead end remained to be seen.

What she could confirm was that an hour ago, she’d watched her BOSS take a sip of the wine, make a face, and set the glass down.

Then, overhearing a Jiashibi staff member mention that today’s wine selection was personally chosen by Jiang Siyi, she’d picked the glass back up and taken two more sips.

She’d even fallen into a contemplative silence.

Her own wine selection had been complimented. It seemed she’d also helped Lin Ji. Jiang Siyi smiled, soft and warm.

“If you find it, make sure to let me know.”

“Mm.”

After this exchange, Jiang Siyi still hadn’t left. It seemed she was determined to see Lin Ji off first, seeing the social courtesy through to the end.

Lin Ji had no choice but to press the elevator button.

Jiang Siyi noticed a brief flicker of awkwardness on Fan Qing’s face.

From Jiang Siyi’s perspective, if she were Fan Qing — spacing out when she shouldn’t be, forgetting to press the elevator button, and having her boss do it herself — she’d probably make the same face.

What Fan Qing was actually thinking was a world away from Jiang Siyi’s guess.

She was worried about whether her boss would step directly into the elevator in front of Miss Jiang.

Lin Ji didn’t like enclosed spaces. It affected her mood, triggered anxiety.

It seemed to be related to some childhood trauma.

She’d received treatment, and it had improved to some extent, but she still couldn’t be as oblivious to confined spaces as an ordinary person.

Although she could tolerate being in an elevator car for short periods on lower floors, she would always choose an escalator if one was available.

Her office was counterintuitively on the first floor of headquarters, and even her newly renovated villa hadn’t been fitted with a residential elevator.

Out of pride, Lin Ji never liked showing her scars in front of others.

But to reach the middle floors of this high-rise, to accept Jiang Siyi’s invitation, the elevator was unavoidable.

The high-speed elevator at the Yunding Hotel arrived in an instant.

With a ding, Fan Qing braced herself.

The elevator doors slid open slowly. Before stepping in, Lin Ji said to Jiang Siyi,

“See you next time.”

“Okay. See you next time.”

Jiang Siyi habitually adopted her business posture, hands clasped in front of her, giving a slight bow.

When she looked up again, through the narrowing gap of the closing elevator doors, she saw Lin Ji with her eyes shut, her brows drawn together in a slight frown.

It was an expression of displeasure.

Jiang Siyi’s smile was still on her face, but there was a sudden hollow feeling in her chest.

She didn’t know what had gone wrong. Or maybe some of the pleasant moments just now had all been an act?

Jiang Siyi hesitated as she walked back.

She tried to think positively. Maybe she was just tired.

This long salon had been exhausting, and Lin Ji had been so conspicuous.

More importantly, Lin Ji didn’t give her the same feeling as her stereotype of a businessperson. She wasn’t the type to say one thing and mean another.

Thinking it through this way, she felt lighter. She was even more grateful that Lin Ji had so generously accepted her invitation.

She wasn’t as afraid of her anymore.

Inside the elevator.

As it descended from the high floors, the city’s lights rushed toward them through the glass.

Fan Qing stared at Lin Ji’s rigid back and called out with a hint of concern, “BOSS…”

Lin Ji kept her eyes closed, trying to ignore the oppressive sense of narrowness created by the solidifying air, and the heartbeat that was racing beyond her control.

“Almost there?”

“Almost.”

Fan Qing could hear the unnatural tightness in her voice and reached out to support her.

“No need.”

Lin Ji refused.

She had to overcome it eventually.

The composure she’d lost, the missing piece of her life’s puzzle — she had to pick them up herself.

Otherwise, she still wouldn’t be qualified to truly stand by Jiang Siyi’s side.

Fan Qing knew how strong her pride was. She obeyed and didn’t step forward.

The elevator doors opened.

Air and wind rushed into the car. The world that suddenly opened up provided an escape route for her heart, which had been under immense pressure.

Lin Ji opened her eyes and saw the hotel lobby.

The anxiety dissipated in the wide-open space. Her heartbeat gradually returned to normal.

But the fragile nerves, after being stretched to their limit, still ached. It wouldn’t fade for a while.

Lin Ji had anticipated this pain. She’d even already made an appointment with a doctor.

She lowered the seat, settled into the car, closed her eyes, and rested. She was so quiet she seemed to have vanished.

Fan Qing drove her to the hospital. A thought flickered through her mind —

For a salon like this, to see that person… was it worth it?

The thought was there and gone. She quickly told herself: This isn’t something you should be thinking about.

A qualified assistant must always remember not to overstep.

Otherwise, people like them would have a hard time finding work anywhere else. After all, not everyone was as tolerant and generous as Lin Ji.

After the guests left, Jiang Siyi and her colleagues stayed behind to clean up the venue and do an inventory check with the hotel staff. By the time everything was finished, it was already very late.

Manager Wu’s back pain had flared up again. She pressed a hand to her lower back and said, “I need to make another appointment with the rehab clinic. I’d love to take everyone out for a big feast, but let’s do it tomorrow. You all decide where we’re having lunch. Get plenty of sleep. Come in a bit later, it’s fine. Everyone worked hard today.”

Then she gave a thumbs-up in Jiang Siyi’s direction.

“Excellent work.”

Once again, Jiang Siyi took the last train home, exhausted.

But she thought, Every time I manage to catch the last train and don’t have to spend a fortune on a taxi home — isn’t that a kind of luck in itself?

When she got home, she took Xueqiu out for his walk. Watching his round face buried in his food bowl, making piggy snorting sounds as he ate, Jiang Siyi’s stomach started growling ferociously.

She realized that throughout the entire salon, she’d only been drinking wine. The only thing she’d eaten was a matcha and raspberry brûlée tart, and she hadn’t even finished that — she’d taken two bites before being called away to work.

Once she became aware of her hunger, it only got worse.

Unfortunately, the fridge at home was even more barren than her stomach.

Come to think of it, she’d put all her energy into the salon lately. She hadn’t restocked groceries in a long time.

At this hour, there weren’t many takeout options. She scrolled through a few but didn’t see anything she wanted.

Jiang Siyi changed into a light outfit and went out, riding a shared bike through the night breeze.

She pedaled two streets over and stopped at the entrance of a small park.

This small park was older than she was. When her mother was still alive, the old family house had been nearby, and her mother used to bring her and her sister here to play.

The small park had witnessed her childhood, and every corner held memories of her mother.

Even the night market beside the park was still going strong.

Every time she came to the park for a walk and had a late-night snack at the market, it gave Jiang Siyi a sense of comfort.

There was a food stall in the night market run by an elderly couple. Her mother had loved going there.

Her mother had said that her own grandmother — Jiang Siyi’s great-grandmother — had also run a small stall once.

Over the years, Jiang Siyi had always remembered this place. She came by every few days to eat.

The old couple’s surnames were Yu and Liu. They weren’t the fastest workers, but they were very particular about hygiene, the food was good, and they’d barely raised their prices over the years. Their business wasn’t booming, but with the support of the old neighborhood, it was enough to make a living.

In the summer, this area would be filled with barbecue stalls, street-side hot pot, and all kinds of fried skewers, turning into a full night market street. The old couple’s business would get very busy too.

Sometimes, while she was eating, Jiang Siyi would lend a hand.

Jiang Siyi never talked about her family situation, but the old couple had the life experience and age to guess why she was always alone, why she’d gone from a smiling little kid to a young woman weighed down by worries.

Especially after she started working. Every time Jiang Siyi came, they could see she’d lost a bit more weight.

Jiang Siyi loved wonton soup. Auntie Liu would cook her a big bowl and add an extra chicken leg. Uncle Yu would fry her an egg and pile on the greens like they cost nothing. When Jiang Siyi politely tried to refuse, the old couple would get upset.

Too embarrassed to freeload, she’d help out as a waitress, bringing dishes and collecting bowls. For a while, there was a rumor that a “Night Market Beauty” worked here — stunningly pretty — and she was briefly popular on a review app.

Tonight, Jiang Siyi came again. She was a bit late; in another hour, the night stalls would be packing up.

Auntie Liu gave her an extra chicken leg as usual, piled on the greens, and topped it all with a fried egg. A bowl of small wonton soup, surprisingly well-balanced.

The wontons arrived. It had been a while since they’d seen the girl. Her thin face was etched with exhaustion, but her big eyes were bright and spirited.

There weren’t many customers, so Auntie Liu told Uncle Yu to mind the stall and sat down across from Jiang Siyi for a casual chat. She asked if she was so happy because something good had happened lately.

Jiang Siyi, chewing on a chicken leg, mumbled, “Something good, yeah.”

Auntie Liu beamed. “Found a boyfriend?”

Jiang Siyi took a big bite, skin and meat together, the juices bursting with rich chicken flavor.

She swallowed before saying, “Why does it have to be a relationship to be happy?”

Jiang Siyi had never actively told anyone she’d been engaged before. Even Duan Ning had only found out by accidentally running into Song Ti. She’d never mentioned it to Auntie Liu either.

Maybe it was because she’d never had much confidence in that relationship in her heart, so she didn’t like to talk about it.

And just like that, it was really over.

Auntie Liu tried again. “Work going well, then?”

Jiang Siyi’s mouth was full, so she just nodded.

Auntie Liu’s face lit up. “That’s great. Even better than a relationship. Eat up. When you’re full, you’ll have the energy to make big money.”

They chatted and laughed about everyday things. When Jiang Siyi finished eating and got up to leave, Auntie Liu was still saying,

“If you do find someone, make sure to bring them by for me and Uncle Yu to meet.”

Jiang Siyi laughed. She said “Okay” out loud, but somehow, Lin Ji came to mind.

Come to think of it, she’d been running into Lin Ji an awful lot lately…

A full bowl of wonton soup had left her stuffed. Jiang Siyi paced around the small park to help her digestion.

She wondered if Xueqiu would bark at her when she got home for eating without him.

After a couple of laps, she found herself in front of the old, neglected swing again.

When she was little, she’d loved sitting here, with her mother pushing her from behind.

In her memory, the swing had just been built, clean and new — nothing like it was now.

Jiang Siyi took a tissue and wiped off the thick layer of dust, sat down, and pushed off the ground with her feet, swinging herself.

Amid the creaking and groaning, Jiang Siyi looked up at the starry sky.

She’d long understood that her mother was gone. She couldn’t turn into a star like in the stories and watch over her from the sky.

But the series of events lately made her feel like some invisible force was guiding her out of the fog, helping her see the truth of life.

Even though she’d lost everything precious, at least she wasn’t still sinking in the mud. That was something, wasn’t it?

“Mom…”

On the rusty swing, the lonely girl looked up and whispered to the night sky.

“If you’re really watching me, I hope you’ll bless me and let my work keep going well.”

A gentle breeze passed by. The fragrance of some unknown flower drifted in from somewhere even more unknown, faintly resembling the sweet scent of a Zhenzhou Rose.

The floral scent reminded her of Lin Ji. Of Lin Ji’s eyes, which were smiling but held no real joy.

Jiang Siyi paused, then said, “And I hope you’ll bless Lin Ji, so she can find her grandmother’s heirloom soon. So she can have everything she treasures.”

After that, Jiang Siyi came by for a late-night snack every now and then. Xueqiu never found out.

Until one night, a week later. The slow-witted Xueqiu finally caught the smell of food on her. He perked up and leaped, his short, white, cylinder-like legs planted firmly on her thighs as he stretched his little head out, looking at her in bewilderment —

How could someone eat alone and not share with the dog?

Jiang Siyi kept scrolling through her phone, unruffled. Xueqiu couldn’t believe it. His round head kept pushing between her phone and her face.

Jiang Siyi laughed and hugged him.

“Stop it. I’m picking out a gift.”

She remembered that Lin Ji’s birthday seemed to be coming up. Lin Ji had helped her so much. She wanted to buy a gift to show her gratitude.

But picking a birthday gift for Lin Ji was really hard. When someone had reached that height in life, ordinary gifts probably wouldn’t impress her.

But if she couldn’t impress her, she couldn’t just not try, could she?

Jiang Siyi, holding Xueqiu who was squirming and yelping in protest, browsed various shopping sites in frustration. She even searched social media for “what to give a ridiculously rich friend for their birthday.”

Nothing she found satisfied her.

She thought about it and decided the search wasn’t specific enough. She changed the keywords to “what to give a super rich and beautiful ridiculously rich friend for their birthday.”

While Jiang Siyi was racking her brains, she had no idea that the object of her frustration was right downstairs.

On the narrow road where Jiang Siyi commuted every day, walked her dog, and bought groceries — a road lined with affordable, practical cars — a Bentley sat conspicuously.

Dark circles shadowed her eyes. The whites were threaded with red. After days of back-to-back meetings and terrible sleep, Lin Ji was barely holding on.

Even if she didn’t want anyone to notice her exhaustion, her heart, under immense pressure, needed an outlet.

She knew which apartment Jiang Siyi was renting.

The window was still lit. Occasionally, a silhouette would pass by.

Lin Ji propped her throbbing head on one hand. In the other, she held a palm-sized plush toy. Her gaze was fixed on that small window.

Between waking and sleeping, she remembered a time long, long ago. After returning from that terrifying hell, the small park where she’d seen Jiang Siyi.

Her mother, Lin Xuebo, had taken Lin Ji’s hand and pointed at the little girl on the swing in the distance.

“That’s your Siyi-meimei,” she said.

The teenage Lin Ji was as thin as paper. Years of malnutrition had left her complexion sallow, her demeanor gloomy. She was sensitive and cold, and she didn’t like talking to anyone.

But she wanted to see Jiang Siyi.

The young Jiang Siyi’s delicate features were just beginning to bloom. She loved to laugh, bathed in sunlight like a plump, ripe peach.

Lin Ji asked Lin Xuebo, “When I come back, can I still see her?”

“Yes, of course. Mommy promises!”

Two years later, after returning from treatment abroad, Lin Ji got her wish. She saw Jiang Siyi again. They were at the same school.

Lin Ji had longed so much to see her again. She’d kept those letters with her all along.

In countless lonely nights, she’d rehearsed the first words she would say to her.

And then she finally saw her.

The first real, face-to-face meeting after they’d grown up. Outside that classroom.

Jiang Siyi, who had been happily chatting with her classmates, couldn’t hide the shock on her face the moment she saw Lin Ji. The bread in her hand fell to the ground.

…

She used to be afraid of her. She’d thought it was because she was too young, and Lin Ji really was gloomy and cold, with strange rumors following her, making people afraid to get close.

She never expected that so many years later, things hadn’t improved much.

Lin Ji no longer spent days feeling sad just because Jiang Siyi avoided her gaze.

She’d grown up too. She’d long since learned to comfort herself.

She didn’t need to know what Jiang Siyi was doing right now. She didn’t need to contact her. Just knowing that she was living well was enough. The darkness and pain that plagued Lin Ji would then shrink away like ghosts caught in the light, slowly fading.

True, restful sleep finally came.

…

The east was growing light.

Jiang Siyi had spent the whole night agonizing over a gift and still hadn’t picked one. She was still browsing while brushing her teeth.

In her peripheral vision, a Bentley drove away from the residential complex.

It looked a bit like Lin Ji’s car. The one she’d ridden in.

By the time she tried to get a better look, the car was already far away.

Impossible, Jiang Siyi thought with a smile.

As she spat out the foam, she thought, Why would Lin Ji be here? I’m losing it.

The author has something to say:

Lin Ji: Step five of the wife-luring strategy — stay in the place closest to your wife.