Crossing the Line – Chapter 18
by Little PandaSoaked
The salon turned out even more successful than anticipated, drawing quite a few new collectors. The consigned auction items also reached an unprecedented high for the Gold, Stone, and Jade Department.
If this positive cycle continued, not only would there be no shortage of standout centerpiece pieces for the autumn auction, but the entire department’s standing could soar.
Manager Wu was beside herself with joy and treated the whole department to a 688-yuan-per-head seafood buffet, eating until everyone was thoroughly stuffed and happily spent.
Once again it was the start of the month, and Jiang Siyi received a handsome paycheck.
She had no intention of touching the account her late mother had left her—it sat in the bank, quietly collecting interest.
Nor did she want to spend the money her elder sister wired her; she funneled it all into her mother’s account alongside the rest.
Her career wasn’t long, and she’d always been frugal. Combined with her recently surging salary, she ought to be able to prepare a gift worthy of Lin Ji.
Jiang Siyi browsed online for another round before finally settling on a watch.
It was a rose gold moon phase watch, set with over a hundred diamonds around the bezel, a silver guilloché dial with ornate numeral hour markers and dauphine hands—exquisitely, almost aggressively elegant—paired with a leather strap in a midnight blue that calmed the mind.
Though a six-figure retail piece, it would likely sit in the most obscure corner of Lin Ji’s watch display case, and there was no telling whether Lin Ji would even wear it. Still, it was a distinctive new model, and the most expensive gift Jiang Siyi could afford.
She imagined it for a moment and decided the watch suited Lin Ji perfectly.
After work on Friday, Jiang Siyi made a special trip to the physical boutique to see it in person. It was even more beautiful than the online photos.
Decision made. This was the one.
The sales associate told her the last one in stock had already been reserved. No immediate inventory, but if she confirmed, they could transfer one in right away.
Jiang Siyi asked about the timeline. “It’s a gift for someone.”
The associate gave her a date that would arrive before Lin Ji’s birthday.
Jiang Siyi said, “That works. I’ll take it.”
The associate said, “We’ll need a 30% deposit upfront. Once payment is complete, please leave your name and contact information, and we’ll notify you the moment the watch arrives in store.”
When was the last time she’d bought something this expensive? Jiang Siyi couldn’t even remember.
Strangely, she should have been wincing at such a massive expense, but the moment she thought of it as a gift for Lin Ji, it didn’t sting at all.
She only hoped Lin Ji would like the birthday present.
As she walked out of the boutique, Zhou Yanlin happened to be approaching from the other direction with his girlfriend.
He spotted Jiang Siyi. She didn’t see him.
Zhou Yanlin was curious—Jiang Siyi was willing to buy a watch from this brand?
He walked into the boutique and asked the sales associate, “What was that Jiang woman buying?”
Ordinarily, a customer’s purchase details weren’t something to share. But Zhou Yanlin was their gold diamond member, and the associate didn’t want to offend him.
The sun sank westward; lamplight spread.
J City nights had bustling night markets thick with the warmth of street food, and also the gentle clink of thin wine glasses in soft intoxication.
Chen Zheng, champagne flute in hand, couldn’t focus on the middle-aged man across from him who was holding forth at length.
His attention kept drifting to the striking woman three steps away.
Dark hair, painted lips, a waistline that commanded notice.
He’d always known the proprietor of Yunding was a young woman, a competitor to his Yilan Hotel.
He’d seen her photo. But nobody had told him the Yan family’s eldest daughter was a hundred times more stunning in person.
Just as his mind wandered, Yan Yu walked toward him, stopping right in front of him.
“CEO Chen.” Yan Yu tilted her glass toward his, a light clink.
“This one’s for you—my thanks for your generosity.”
“Generosity?”
Though puzzled, Chen Zheng maintained his habitual smile.
Yan Yu swirled her glass. “If you hadn’t broken your contract, the Huixiang Space would never have hosted Jiashibi’s art appreciation salon so smoothly. I’d been agonizing over next quarter’s marketing and resource conversion. Thanks to you, it was all solved in one stroke.”
As Chen Zheng’s expression stiffened, Yan Yu lifted her lovely chin and drained the glass.
Quick footsteps echoed down the quiet corridor—men’s leather shoes grinding against the floor.
Even the footsteps alone radiated fury.
At the far end of the hallway, the banquet manager—who had come to the same gala—was sneaking a quiet moment, huddled in an empty corner, secretly playing □□ on his phone.
He’d just impulsively loaded 10,000 yuan, and in the blink of an eye, lost every last cent.
He cursed under his breath as he shoved his phone into his pocket.
He’d been counting on winning this round to pay back Oliver, so he’d never have to endure that bastard’s threats again.
Instead of winning, he’d gambled away the last of his savings.
Just as he stood there in frustration, hands on hips, he saw Chen Zheng bearing down on him, furious.
“CEO Chen? How did you—”
Before he could finish his bewildered question, Chen Zheng jabbed a finger hard into his chest.
“I don’t care who bribed you to tear up that contract—if it had brought the hotel revenue, I wouldn’t have had a problem. But you went back on your word and cost us a VIP guest! This isn’t just about short-term reputation. I knew that salon you hosted wrapped up in a hurry—now I see why. All the guests flocked to Yunding instead! If it weren’t for you, Lin Ji would have been at our hotel! Every major media outlet would have covered Yilan! Instead, you handed a ready-made opportunity over on a silver platter!”
The banquet manager finally understood what his boss was so furious about.
Who’d been whispering in his ear?
“I—”
He barely managed a single syllable before Chen Zheng waved his hand, cutting him off.
“I will pursue this to the very end.”
Before leaving, Chen Zheng raked his hand fiercely through his hair.
The banquet manager stood frozen in place. Only when his boss’s figure had completely disappeared did he let out a heavy curse.
Being dressed down mercilessly by the boss wasn’t the end of his tragedy.
Several days later, he received an EMS envelope—a court summons.
Jiang Siyi had actually sued the hotel, and now the hotel was suing him.
The banquet manager slammed the EMS envelope onto the table. The sharp crack was so loud it made his own eardrums throb with pain.
The dry warmth carried on the evening breeze held the first hints of approaching summer.
The outdoor extension of the downstairs bar was fully open.
Lin Ji sat in a corner, scrolling through trending tattoo designs on her tablet. Her long hair, dark and glossy as a rinsed inkstone, fell past her shoulders in a silken sweep. She looked so immaculate, so pristine, she didn’t seem to occupy the same layer of reality as everything around her.
A few passersby who spotted her assumed a film crew was shooting on location.
When Yan Yu sat down across from her, a distinct wave of alcohol preceded her.
Lin Ji frowned slightly and closed the tablet.
“I do your dirty work and you give me attitude.”
Yan Yu took several large gulps of the olive juice Lin Ji had ordered for her in advance. The crisp, sweet liquid slid down her throat, washing away the sour afterbite of champagne.
“Olive juice is still better.”
Lin Ji had once taken a sip of olive juice herself. The indescribable taste had made her think she’d drunk expired juice.
Yan Yu, on the other hand, was devoted to the flavor.
After that, Lin Ji stopped questioning the olive juice and started questioning her friend’s taste buds instead.
Yan Yu drained an entire glass of olive juice without Lin Ji saying a word. Curious, she asked:
“Why aren’t you asking if I pulled it off?”
Lin Ji: “You didn’t start cursing the moment you sat down. That means it went well.”
Yan Yu, seen through instantly: “…”
Yan Yu lifted her thick hair off her neck to let off some heat.
“‘Pull it off’? That banquet manager’s resume will probably show up on every job site before long.”
Lin Ji: “Good work.”
“No sweat, no sweat. Though you still haven’t brought your Miss Jiang over for a meal with me, we’ll be family sooner or later. Why so formal, You-jie?”
Yan Yu said while savoring her olive juice:
“By the way, this time wasn’t just satisfying for you—it was personal for me too. Do you know how long Yilan Hotel has been harassing me? Two years ago, they released rats in our hotel swimming pool, then immediately bought trending posts to smear Yunding for an entire quarter. This year they got bolder—hiring paid trolls on every OTA platform to spam bad reviews, and their new branded suite design is a near one-to-one copy of my concept from last year. It’s like they’re following me around just to harass me. I can’t shake them off. Yilan and Yunding aren’t even in the same league—why are they nipping at my heels?”
“Even if you’re not on the same hill, that doesn’t stop them from treating you as their imaginary enemy, terrified you’ll poach their territory.”
Yan Yu summed up Yilan’s obsessive campaign against Yunding in three characters.
“Psychos.”
They chatted casually about other things. Yan Yu mentioned that Cen Lu would soon be making it back from northern Myanmar in one piece.
Talking about Cen Lu led to reminiscing about their college days.
The three of them had been high school classmates. Lin Ji and Cen Lu had also attended the same university. Over their years of being partners in crime, they’d forged a deep, battle-tested bond.
Yan Yu tossed out a question, sounding casual: “So, you still not planning to celebrate your birthday this year?”
Lin Ji’s expression didn’t change. Two words: “Not celebrating.”
“Alright.” Yan Yu sounded disappointed. “Cen Lu asked me about it—said if you were planning to celebrate this year, she’d book a venue ahead of time.”
“No need.” Lin Ji ended the topic with two clipped, decisive words, leaving absolutely no room for the conversation to continue.
Late into the night, the two parted ways and headed home.
On her way back, Yan Yu sent a voice call invitation to someone.
A middle-aged woman’s voice filled the quiet car: 【How did it go?】
Yan Yu: 【Xiaoyou said she’s still not celebrating her birthday this year. Auntie, don’t worry too much—this kind of emotional wound has to be overcome slowly. It can’t be forced.】
Lin Xuebo sighed softly on the other end.
【I know. I never meant to force her. It’s just… if Xiaoyou never celebrates her birthday, it means she’s still holding on to that incident. I only hope that in my lifetime, I can see her walk out of the shadows.】
【She will, Auntie. Xiaoyou’s been doing much better lately. Just give her a little more time.】
【There has been some improvement. Do you know why?】
Lin Xuebo was pressing for an answer, but Yan Yu didn’t bring up Jiang Siyi.
She was usually outspoken, but this was Lin Ji’s private matter. Without Lin Ji’s permission, she couldn’t blab—even to Lin Ji’s own mother.
Yan Yu smiled warmly: 【Well, that’s because you’ve invested in so many psychological treatment facilities, Auntie. The latest therapies are paying off. Heaven rewards the diligent.】
Lin Xuebo’s quiet laugh brushed against the receiver.
【Thank you for the comfort. Come visit us when you have time.】
【That’s not comfort—it’s simply the truth. You got it. Once things calm down, I’ll definitely come see you.】
As summer arrived, the temperature climbed day by day.
While Jiang Siyi was busy, Lawyer Zhao from the legal department came to tell her that the copy of the lawsuit had been mailed to the banquet manager at Yilan.
Lawyer Zhao said, “Yours is straightforward. All the evidence is well-preserved. It’ll be wrapped up within six months at most.”
Lawyer Zhao’s efficiency was impeccable. As Jiang Siyi thanked him, Duan Ning came to fetch her:
“The car’s downstairs. Let’s go.”
“Give me a second—I’ll grab some water and be right there.”
Tonight was a thank-you banquet for industry association and regulatory personnel.
Jiang Siyi drank some water, tidied her hair, casually pinned it into a low bun, and followed Duan Ning downstairs to the company car headed for the hotel.
The association and regulatory thank-you banquet was stiff and dry—devoid of any entertainment, more like a press conference than anything.
CEO Gu was there too, taking turns with the association and regulatory leaders to give speeches on stage. Down in the audience, Duan Ning was so hungry her stomach growled audibly.
By the time the meal was actually served, it was already late.
She’d barely taken a few bites when Jiang Siyi heard Duan Ning beside her mutter a curse.
“What’s wrong?”
Duan Ning held her phone low and whispered, “Wang Tai Tai is back again! She wants to add items to this catalog right before it goes to print!”
Duan Ning vented and complained endlessly, but ultimately couldn’t bring herself to badmouth a patron of that caliber.
After all, Wang Tai Tai had brought two treasures this time.
One was a rare Ming dynasty Shoushan stone1 paperweight for the regular auction in three days.
The other was something else entirely—a Burmese natural jadeite bead necklace, the same variety as a record-breaking glassy imperial green piece that had sold for over a hundred million. An exceptionally rare necklace king!
After Manager Wu saw the photos Wang Tai Tai had sent, even she was stunned.
“How has our little temple been attracting one grand Buddha2 after another lately? There’s our autumn auction centerpiece! Come on, come on—we’re working overtime tonight to make this happen for her.”
The meal was abandoned. Jiang Siyi, Manager Wu, and Duan Ning all headed back to the office.
Seeing the glassy imperial green jadeite in person, Jiang Siyi was captivated by its transcendent beauty. After shooting a set of photos, she couldn’t help but marvel: something naturally exquisite didn’t need fussy adjustments to angle, technique, or lighting. Just being there, it was the focal point, the very center of allure.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, she thought of Lin Ji.
Lin Ji was the same—never wearing heavy makeup, yet possessed of a beauty impossible to ignore…
Wait. Jiang Siyi caught herself. She’d been thinking about Lin Ji rather a lot lately.
They worked straight through to 11:30 PM.
Duan Ning posted on her WeChat Moments while sighing, “Missed the last train by a mile.”
Duan Ning used Moments like a diary—every big or small event warranted a post.
She was sociable with lots of friends; every post racked up rows of likes.
In contrast, Jiang Siyi’s Moments hadn’t been updated in ages. She didn’t like sharing her life with others. Knowing things herself was enough.
At this hour, the last train had indeed already gone.
She’d been lucky enough to catch the last train several times recently. One stroke of bad luck now and then was fine.
Meanwhile, at Huanwei headquarters.
Another day of meetings done, Lin Ji had gone swimming, hoping to exhaust the last of her energy and help her sleep that night.
But even at this hour, tired as she was, she felt no drowsiness.
Fan Qing had just scrolled past Duan Ning’s Moments. Ignoring Duan Ning’s pouty crying selfie, she spotted half of Jiang Siyi’s head in the corner of the photo.
Fan Qing lowered her phone, clasped her hands in front of her, and said to Lin Ji:
“BOSS, heavy rain tonight.”
Lin Ji looked up at her.
Fan Qing thought: Being considerate isn’t the same as overstepping, is it?
They turned off the office lights and headed downstairs.
Manager Wu’s rental was nearby; she planned to walk home.
Jiang Siyi suggested, “Let us walk you to your building. Safer that way.”
Manager Wu said, “No need. The night market lines the whole route, and the police station is right across from my building. But you two—send me the license plate number when you get in the car, and let’s make sure we all confirm we’re home safe.”
After parting with Manager Wu, Jiang Siyi and Duan Ning were heading the same direction. Jiang Siyi planned to hail a cab and drop Duan Ning off first.
She was about to call a ride when a WeChat voice call popped up first.
It was Lin Ji.
They each had their own work to busy themselves with, their social circles didn’t overlap, and there was no natural reason to meet—it had been nearly a week since she’d last seen her.
Seeing Lin Ji’s incoming voice call, Jiang Siyi felt a flutter of nerves. Over the phone connection, she instinctively stood straighter, cleared her throat, and answered.
【Lin Ji-jie?】
【Still not home this late?】
Jiang Siyi immediately looked around. 【How do you know?】
【Turn around.】
Jiang Siyi turned at once and saw Lin Ji’s car.
The Bentley slowly emerged from the darkness and stopped in front of her.
The window lowered. Lin Ji’s voice, traveling through the phone and the warm summer night air, overlapped as both reached Siyi’s ears simultaneously.
“Just passing by,” Lin Ji said. “No more subway at this hour. I’ll take you both home.”
Was it really a coincidence?
Jiang Siyi didn’t want to trouble her and was about to decline—the cab ride wasn’t far.
Before she could refuse, the “both” in “you both” had already accepted.
Duan Ning: “Yes, yes! Chairman Ji is so nice. I’ve never ridden in a Bentley before!”
Jiang Siyi: …
Lin Ji: “Chairman Ji is too formal. Just call me Lin Ji.”
Not daring to use her full name so directly, Duan Ning quickly changed her tune: “Yeah, yeah, way too formal! Lin Ji-jiejie, my place is close—just two blocks away!”
Jiang Siyi mentally added another ellipsis.
Lin Ji-jiejie?
That extra character made it so much more cloying. Duan Ning really could say it without flinching.
Just as she was inwardly mocking her, she caught Lin Ji’s cool, level gaze.
Jiang Siyi: ?
What’s that look for?
Duan Ning was like a cheerful little sparrow—chattering away but with a sense of measure, not annoying in the least.
It was just that when she got excited, her thoughts tended to scatter and her behavior risked spinning out of control.
Fan Qing came to open the car door. Seeing Duan Ning about to climb into the back seat, she smiled and said:
“Miss Duan, sit in the front with me. I have a few things I’d like to chat with you about.”
She wanted to leave the back seat for BOSS and Miss Jiang, hoping the intimate atmosphere of them being alone together would help BOSS decompress and sleep more easily tonight. With an extra person, she didn’t know if the method would still work.
Duan Ning thought “Oh?” to herself, remembering that this cool woman had taken the initiative to add her WeChat. Her imagination ran wild before she leaned close to Fan Qing and whispered:
“I know what you mean. No problem. But I prefer a slower pace.”
Fan Qing looked at her flushed cheeks and thought: You don’t seem to understand at all.
Duan Ning happily settled into the passenger seat and couldn’t stop exclaiming the whole way—such a fragrant car, such comfortable seats. Was this what it felt like to sit on a pile of cash?
Fan Qing actually did have things to talk about. The entire ride was spent discussing auction house work, and the questions were extremely professional.
In a mere ten-minute ride, the conversation ran so deep it gave Duan Ning the distinct illusion of working overtime.
It had started raining by the time they reached Duan Ning’s place. She thanked them, jogged two steps into the entryway, and waved goodbye to Jiang Siyi and the others.
As the car drove toward the next destination, the rain grew heavier and heavier.
By the time they reached Jiang Siyi’s building entrance, it had escalated to a full-blown storm.
Jiang Siyi didn’t have an umbrella. Even though the entrance wasn’t far—just a few steps to dash through—she’d still be drenched and disheveled by the ferocious rain.
As she hesitated, Lin Ji had already grabbed an umbrella and gotten out of the car.
The rain was held at bay by the taut, curved canopy of the umbrella—a small pocket of safety in the midst of the downpour.
The slender woman stood outside the car door, umbrella raised, unmoved by wind and rain.
She would see her to a place beyond the wind and rain.
Jiang Siyi had never imagined that someone like Lin Ji would be willing to stand in the rain for anyone.
Not wanting to keep Lin Ji waiting, she didn’t hesitate any longer. Jiang Siyi got out of the car at once.
Rain hammered a dull roar above her head. Wind howled in spirals. The world was in the grip of a torrential downpour, yet Jiang Siyi didn’t get so much as a drop on her.
As they stepped onto the building entrance landing, Lin Ji—standing face to face with Jiang Siyi—lowered the umbrella behind her. Rainwater gathered along the canopy and streamed down in lines.
“Did you get wet?”
Even as Jiang Siyi answered “No,” she noticed that the person asking whether she’d been caught in the rain had shoulders covered in water droplets that hadn’t yet soaked into the fabric.
Her black hair, always sleek and silky, was soaked through—clinging to her neck and back in a way it never had before, stripped of all its usual composure.
Lin Ji’s umbrella was large. In an ordinary rain, it would have easily covered them both.
But this rain was simply too torrential.
“You’re soaked.”
Jiang Siyi spoke almost instinctively.
“Want to come up and dry your hair?”
The moment the words left her mouth, she felt the atmosphere shift.
Inviting someone who had once proposed a marriage alliance to her home in the dead of night—anyone would find that suggestive.
As Jiang Siyi fumbled, not knowing how to take back the words, Lin Ji seemed unwilling to give her any room for second thoughts. She responded quickly, in a voice like rinsed jade:
“Okay.”
The author has something to say:
Lin Ji: Wife-luring step six—keep the wife in a perpetual state of good luck. And when the wife extends an invitation, you must accept in one second.
Footnotes
- A prized Chinese stone from Shoushan, Fujian Province, traditionally used for carving seals and decorative objects.
- In Chinese business slang, a 'grand Buddha' (大佛) refers to a VIP client or major patron, humorously likened to a large Buddhist statue that a small temple would struggle to accommodate.
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