Crossing the Line – Chapter 56
by Little PandaThe Posture of Complete Control
Why had Lin Ji mentioned “an obedient and worry-free wife”?
Was it a coincidence, an offhand remark, or did she already know?
For two days after returning to the country, this question kept popping up in Jiang Siyi’s head at random intervals.
Whether Lin Ji could read minds was something she had seriously suspected for several seconds.
A hundred percent, she didn’t want her to know.
Unfortunately, after spending all this time together, her assessment of Lin Ji’s extraordinary intelligence told her—with ten thousand percent certainty—that she knew.
She knew, and she said it on purpose.
And she didn’t name names, just quietly teased her.
In the adult world, wasn’t seeing through someone without saying so an unspoken understanding?
How could this person be so bad?
Her internal criticism had barely begun when she remembered that she had misunderstood the other woman for so long, and then Lin Ji seemed so innocent instead.
You misunderstood someone for months for no reason. What’s wrong with being teased a little?
Jiang Siyi, who had flared up only to immediately deflate, couldn’t bring herself to say anything bad about Lin Ji in her heart anymore.
At the same time, looking back on the whole thing, she found it marvelous.
If not for that misunderstanding, constrained by her sense of morality and unwilling to “use” Lin Ji, who knew when—or whether—she would have agreed to this arranged marriage.
A marvelous encounter, a serendipitous misstep.
…
When she got home that evening, Xueqiu trailed at her heels from the moment she walked through the door, tail wagging furiously.
They had been back for two days, and the little furball still refused to leave her side. If she didn’t pick him up, he would whine pitifully without end.
Jiang Siyi hadn’t even put her bag down yet, but he was clinging so persistently she couldn’t take a step. She had to scoop up the mama’s boy dog with one hand before setting her bag down.
During Xueqiu’s stay at the pet daycare, the community butler had synced his daily food log and schedule to Jiang Siyi.
He had eaten even better than at home.
A certain little dog might miss his mama, sure, but it hadn’t affected his appetite one bit.
After a few days, he had fattened up a whole size—there was noticeably more weight to him when held.
Seeing the mud tracked in from the courtyard on his little paws, she pulled out a wet wipe and carefully cleaned them.
Xueqiu lay on his back in her arms, basking in the comfort of being cared for, and happily licked her face.
Tickled by him, Jiang Siyi finished wiping his paws and laughingly tapped his nose.
A gaze drifted over from the kitchen.
Lin Ji, holding a spatula, had witnessed the entire sweet interaction between Jiang Siyi and Xueqiu.
“Dinner is ready.”
She turned off the range hood and called out.
“Oh…”
Had Lin Ji come home this early today?
Dinner was already done.
Jiang Siyi set down the clingy furball and, escorted by Xueqiu, walked to the dining room.
After wiping down the table and laying out placemats, Lin Ji brought out the food just in time.
Under the warm glow of 3000K lighting, another exquisite dinner.
Lin Ji attentively cut the chicken for Jiang Siyi into perfect bite-sized pieces, placed them on a spoon, drizzled a little sauce over them, and set it in front of her.
Being cared for so meticulously, Jiang Siyi thanked her reflexively.
“Thank you.”
Lin Ji smiled faintly. “You’re welcome.”
When the chicken entered her mouth, she froze.
Wait.
This dialogue felt so familiar.
On the plane, when Lin Ji had opened the refrigerator door for her, they had exchanged this exact same “thank you” and “you’re welcome.”
Jiang Siyi looked up and, sure enough, caught a smile of ambiguous meaning hidden at the corner of Lin Ji’s mouth.
She felt like the next second she would say again, “A wife like me, so obedient, is here to save you worry.”
Alarms blaring in her heart, Lin Ji didn’t say what she expected—she only asked:
“Is it good?”
Different from what she had anticipated, Jiang Siyi replied a beat late: “…It’s good.”
“Good, so it seems you like the teriyaki flavor too.”
“…Mm.”
Could she have been thinking the worst of her?
But someone who appeared to be cataloguing everyday flavors for future dinner tables still wore a smile that carried a shade more meaning than it should.
It turned out that even without saying it outright, there were other ways to hint—and to keep teasing with precision.
Lin Ji added one more line: “Being able to please your stomach every day—am I well-behaved?”
Jiang Siyi: …
She knew it!
Ahhhhh.
What kind of person was this? So bad.
She couldn’t bear to truly criticize Lin Ji, yet she couldn’t stop the internal grumbling either.
In the end, she could only knock on her own forehead—It’s all your fault.
…
In the morning, as always, Lin Ji drove her to work.
Stepping out of the elevator, Jiang Siyi spotted at a glance the display screen at the Jiashibi reception, playing the video of her speech and live interactions at the London exchange conference.
Colleagues passing by would slow their steps to take a look.
Seeing Jiang Siyi herself standing right there, they didn’t hold back their praise:
“Impressive, Xiao Jiang. Speaking in front of all those people and not even flinching.”
“Oh my god, President Yan was there too. I’d die. If it were me, one look from her and my legs would give out.”
“Xiao Jiang is young, but she already has the poise of a seasoned general.”
Jiang Siyi felt a bit shy from all the praise.
Lin Ji had shown her the videos and photos from the event.
But seeing them on a phone versus on the large display screen were two different experiences entirely.
The poise of a seasoned general?
In the video, she appeared composed and at ease under the gaze of over a thousand people, handling random questions without missing a beat.
Anyone who didn’t know how nervous she had been before the speech would truly be fooled by that surface calm, thinking she hadn’t been nervous at all.
She had been nervous. How could she not be?
But someone had drawn out her potential, and with that person’s encouragement bolstering her, she had actually done it.
Another item checked off her life’s achievement list.
…
The morning’s work flew by fast.
As the lunch break approached, Lin Ji sent three dinner menu options for Jiang Siyi to choose from.
At the same time, Lin Ji’s “am I well-behaved?” echoed in her mind.
Some people were clearly bad, but when they said “am I well-behaved?” they were strangely cute…
Already accustomed to Lin Ji’s thoughtful attentiveness, Jiang Siyi didn’t think too much of receiving three dinner options—she just pondered what she wanted to eat tonight.
She was about to select the menu featuring passion fruit sour soup beef as the main course.
Then she overheard a colleague in the corner complaining about their other half while sipping tea.
“It’s so annoying. I work and cook every single day, and they still nitpick. Do they have any idea how much trouble cooking is, how much energy it takes? Not only do you have to wash and chop everything, you have to rack your brain figuring out what to make today, switching it up every day. And my deadbeat at home? Just opens their mouth, eats, and then picks at everything—too salty, too bland. Hmph!”
Another colleague chimed in: “Serve them doujuezi1 every meal and they’ll behave.”
The two colleagues complained as they grabbed their phones and headed out for lunch.
Jiang Siyi sat frozen at her workstation.
Her reply to Lin Ji’s WeChat came a little slower.
She wasn’t that awful, of course—she had always eaten every meal with a grateful heart, and when the timing worked out, she would always help out in the kitchen.
Right now, just how exhausting cooking was had been underlined in her mind, courtesy of her colleagues’ conversation.
At the same time, everything Lin Ji had done for her surfaced one by one.
The answer had been right in front of her all along, but because the first step of this arranged marriage had been so tentative, so uncertain, every step afterward had felt like walking through fog—impossible to confirm, and even more impossible to dare hope.
Now that the fog had lifted, looking back at the path she had stumbled along in a daze, she could finally dare to hope.
Why had Lin Ji proposed this arranged marriage, and attended to every detail so thoroughly, even willing to be physically close?
She didn’t think anyone could kiss someone they didn’t like with such intensity.
Jiang Siyi made a wildly audacious yet perfectly logical deduction—
Lin Ji likes me.
Lin Ji. Likes. Me.
Reading that sentence again, every single word could overdraft a lifetime’s worth of narcissism.
Narcissistic, sure—but the happiness was real too.
Phone hiding her mouth, concealing the corners of her lips curling freely upward.
Once the joy subsided and reason returned, she pondered a crucial question.
From childhood to adulthood, she had never done anything for Lin Ji, had never poured her heart out for her. Back in school, whenever she spotted Lin Ji walking toward her from a distance, she would quietly take a detour.
All fond feelings were built on a foundation of acquaintance, contact, and effort, weren’t they?
Jiang Siyi, who from childhood had rarely received commensurate returns on what she gave, couldn’t help but puzzle over this logic—
I haven’t done anything. Why would Lin Ji like me?
“Xiao Jiang.”
Manager Wu locked her office door and tipped her chin toward Jiang Siyi.
“Come on, come on, lunch is on me.”
Jiang Siyi’s performance this year had been impeccable—soaring results, and she had acquitted herself brilliantly at the exchange conference. She was very likely to receive this year’s title of Global Emerging Auctioneer.
This title was not merely an honor—it was a fast track to promotion as department manager.
Commission percentages would increase accordingly.
The last super rookie from J City’s Jiashibi to win this title had done so five years ago.
That person was now the most influential star auctioneer in the Oil Painting Department, and arguably in all of J City’s Jiashibi.
Their performance records remained unchallenged to this day.
CEO Gu had received praise from London headquarters, and that morning in a meeting with Manager Wu, his tone brimmed with shared pride.
He had even allocated several client resources from his own pool to the Gold, Stone, and Jade Department.
It seemed the department’s standing had risen yet another notch.
Manager Wu was in a good mood and felt like spending money.
Jiang Siyi: “Why the sudden treat?”
Manager Wu didn’t mention the Global Emerging Auctioneer possibility to Jiang Siyi. If she told her too early and it fell through, the disappointment would be crushing.
Instead, she said it was to thank Siyi for volunteering to go to London for the department and completing the task so outstandingly.
“What, who’s treating?”
Duan Ning’s head popped up from the empty desk on the other side.
Manager Wu: “You misheard. Nobody’s treating.”
Duan Ning: “What, anywhere is fine? Wait for me, just let me shut down my computer!”
Manager Wu was thoroughly defeated by Duan Ning’s talent for answering entirely different questions.
“You didn’t even go to the exchange conference. Why should I buy you lunch?”
“Well, isn’t it precisely because I didn’t go? If I had, our department would have lost major face. You should be grateful for my grace in not embarrassing us.”
Manager Wu: “…That actually works?”
Unable to out-argue Duan Ning, she resigned herself to treating her. One more mouth wouldn’t bankrupt her.
Besides, having Duan Ning around meant a guaranteed workout for the facial muscles—laughing until her stomach hurt, every trace of stress evaporating into thin air.
The three of them headed to a nearby mall. Manager Wu asked Jiang Siyi what she wanted to eat, deferring to her.
Jiang Siyi’s culinary desires had been thoroughly satisfied lately, so she had no preferences and deferred to Duan Ning.
Duan Ning pointed: “I want sukiyaki.”
Manager Wu’s mouth twitched: “In this heat, eating something so hot and greasy. What an appetite you have, Duan Ning.”
Duan Ning: “Well, it’s because Manager Wu is treating, isn’t it? Even if my appetite were poor, it would have to rise to the occasion.”
Manager Wu grabbed Duan Ning by the scruff of her neck and hauled her into the sukiyaki restaurant.
“Fine, eat. I won’t let you leave until you’ve put on three pounds.”
Fortunately, the restaurant’s air conditioning was cranked high enough that eating wasn’t uncomfortable.
With Duan Ning around, every meal felt like dinner paired with a stand-up comedy show.
She dropped chrysanthemum greens into the pot, and while waiting for the ingredients to cook, Duan Ning launched into a piece of gossip she had heard recently.
From a different social circle of hers.
“Whoa, isn’t that just a substitute?”
Manager Wu used her serving chopsticks to place perfectly cooked beef onto Duan Ning’s and Jiang Siyi’s plates, summing up Duan Ning’s lengthy monologue in a single sentence.
The word “substitute” made Jiang Siyi, who had been slightly zoned out, freeze mid-thought.
“Impressive summary. Manager must read her share of novels. That’s exactly it—a substitute.” Duan Ning said, “Just like in the novels. Found someone who looked very similar to their white moonlight2 and married them, treating the person as a stand-in for the unattainable first love, doting on them. The substitute was confused—how could they be so madly in love? Then the married white moonlight returned to the country a few days ago. Both sides met at a dinner party, and all questions were instantly resolved.”
“What a coincidence. Are they getting divorced?”
“Don’t know if they’re divorced, but at least a full bottle of Moutai got thrown in someone’s face.”
Without context, Jiang Siyi’s brain automatically latched onto several key points.
Married someone who looked very similar to a white moonlight.
Treated them as a first love to dote on.
A chrysanthemum green hung from her lips, forgotten.
She had never even considered this possibility before.
If Lin Ji also had an unattainable white moonlight in her heart…
And if she happened to resemble that white moonlight…
Then the reason Lin Ji had married her and cared for her so meticulously would also be instantly resolved.
Gulp, gulp, gulp…
Jiang Siyi downed an entire glass of barley tea in one go.
Duan Ning watched her drink so aggressively and asked, puzzled: “It’s sweet, not even salty.”
Setting down the glass, Jiang Siyi told herself—
Stop. Don’t think about it.
She had misunderstood Lin Ji for so long the last time, all because she heard something she shouldn’t have and let her imagination run wild.
Real life wasn’t full of such melodramatic plots.
But before her thoughts had fully settled, she suddenly remembered the bunny tattoo on Lin Ji’s chest and the letter she had used as her avatar for years, and Jiang Siyi sank into another round of deep contemplation.
Oh no. Not only did it seem like there was a white moonlight, but the evidence was all there too.
Every factor stacked together aligned ever more precisely with the “substitute” trope.
Ha.
Jiang Siyi took another big gulp of Calpis.
She didn’t believe it.
If she said she didn’t believe it, then she didn’t believe it.
She made up her mind—this time, no matter what, she would not think of Lin Ji in the worst possible light again.
Having promised herself not to overthink, her thoughts continued to rise and fall beyond her control anyway.
During her self-defense combat class after work, she accidentally twisted her shoulder.
She felt the discomfort that evening while showering.
Standing in front of the mirror during her bedtime routine, she could barely lift her arm.
Lin Ji saw Jiang Siyi’s brows knit together while brushing her teeth, walked up behind her, and asked:
“What’s wrong?”
“Twisted it a little during class.”
“Class?”
Lin Ji gently pressed around Jiang Siyi’s shoulder, searching for the pain point.
“Mm, a combat self-defense class.”
Even with gentle pressure, the pain was impossible to ignore.
Jiang Siyi’s face flushed with an unnatural pink from the discomfort.
After locating the sprain, Lin Ji fetched an ice pack for cold compression.
Then she slowly guided the arm through some gentle movement.
“Hiss…”
“Slower. How does it feel?”
“Seems a little better.”
“Don’t move yet. Keep the ice on a bit longer.”
Lin Ji looped one arm around Jiang Siyi’s waist, the other hand holding the ice pack pressed against the sprain.
She lingered behind her a while longer.
Jiang Siyi didn’t move away. She said nothing, maintaining in silence the posture of being held by Lin Ji.
Lin Ji was the one helping with the cold compress, easing her pain—yet it felt as though this taller woman was the one clinging to her, unable to let go.
Her chin rested feather-light against the back of Siyi’s neck, breath washing softly over and over across the little wing tattoo.
The skin of her nape grew warm under the repeated caress of Lin Ji’s exhalations.
Jiang Siyi found it slightly unbearable, biting her lower lip without being noticed.
Where their backs touched, she could feel soft, full contours, and a growing heat.
Afraid that if she spoke, Lin Ji would leave, she stayed quiet and let herself be held.
The ice shouldn’t stay on too long. Setting the small ice pack aside, Lin Ji took Jiang Siyi’s wrist and guided her through another slow range of motion.
Following the movements of the person behind her, Jiang Siyi raised her arm and slowly traced a half-circle.
“Feel it out—is there any more pain anywhere?”
“Seems fine. Much better.”
“Mm,” the person behind her acknowledged, but the arm around her waist didn’t withdraw.
Fingers spread wide, pressing flat against her lower abdomen.
“Why did you want to learn combat self-defense?”
The hand that had been helping with her range of motion hadn’t released her wrist either.
She was drawn deeper into Lin Ji’s embrace.
Jiang Siyi tried hard to concentrate, keeping her brain functioning normally as she answered.
“It’s just… I remembered when you had that incident abroad. I thought, if there’s ever an emergency in the future, having learned combat, I could protect you when I’m by your side.”
At the start, she had taken the combat class thinking she just didn’t want to hold Lin Ji back.
But now, merely not holding her back no longer felt like enough.
She didn’t want Lin Ji to suffer any accident or pain, ever.
Jiang Siyi gazed at the reflection of the person holding her from behind in the mirror, her eyes bright with genuine feeling.
This girl with narrow shoulders, a slender frame, and a shorter stature than hers was saying she wanted to protect her.
The moved gaze drew closer and closer. Jiang Siyi’s heart seized sharply—a kiss was coming.
The instant Lin Ji’s lips met hers, her heart fluttered and her eyes fell shut.
Her lips parted slightly, not quite skillfully, making room for her.
But not enough—the pressure tipped her head back.
It was the same fierce kiss, forceful enough, but not quite aggressive.
An intake meant to reach the deepest depths of Jiang Siyi’s soul—possessiveness in its most concentrated form.
The kiss left her breathing ragged, barely able to stand.
The hand that had never left her waist tightened, and tightened again.
Searching fingertips pressed through fabric, leaving indentations across her flat stomach.
Even while kissing her with such abandon, the previously injured arm remained untouched—completely protected by Lin Ji.
Sensing that Jiang Siyi was again on the verge of forgetting to breathe, the kiss left her lips.
Before she could recover her rhythm, her ear was taken by those same lips and tongue.
The hand at her waist traveled upward, grazing her throat, skimming heated skin, tilting her chin higher by degrees.
Facing the mirror directly, unable to avoid the sight of her own posture—completely under someone’s control.
No one spoke, no words passed between them, yet Jiang Siyi could feel it: Lin Ji wanted her to see the picture of how thoroughly she was possessed by the person behind her.
The pink beneath her pale skin could no longer be distinguished—as to whether it rose from shame or from Lin Ji’s expert touch and kiss.
Her ear grew soft and hot, nearly melting between Lin Ji’s lips.
Her eyes went hazy.
No longer able to stand, she could only sink back into the embrace behind her.
Her body was turned around. The kiss continued.
After a short, fractured “Mm—”
The only sound in the quiet room was the faint, intermittent sound of kissing.
And the scalding interweaving of breath…
The author has something to say:
Lin Ji: Wife-pampering step twenty-four—don’t be afraid to let your wife know your possessiveness
Footnotes
- 豆橛子 | dòu juézi | Regional dialect term (esp. Shandong) for long green beans, often served as a repetitive home-cooked dish that everyone tires of in summer.
- 白月光 | bái yuèguāng | Literary metaphor for an idealized, unattainable first love one can never truly possess, popularized by Eileen Chang's novella 'Red Rose, White Rose'.
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