Cross Lines

Chapter 40: Privacy

Maggie paused for a moment, placing Jasmine’s luggage by the bedroom door before sitting down on the couch. She waited to see what the young lady would arrange.

Jasmine didn’t take long. She emerged quickly. Maggie stood up and said, “President Gao…”

Jasmine glanced at her but didn’t respond. Maggie felt a bit awkward and hesitated before speaking again, “Sister.”

Jasmine’s expression relaxed, but she didn’t say much. She retrieved her personal bag and headed toward the bathroom.

“Um…” Maggie said.

Jasmine stopped and looked back at her, puzzled, “What’s up?”

“Uh, I was just going to open my room.”

Jasmine blinked, “Open your room? Is it not okay to stay here?”

“I’m afraid I might disturb your rest.”

“Do you snore?”

Maggie was momentarily speechless, “No, it’s not…”

As if understanding something, Jasmine turned back, crossing her arms, “Maggie, you seem to be quite reluctant to be around me.”

Maggie was at a loss for words. Truth be told, she didn’t dislike this supervisor who favored her, but for reasons she couldn’t quite grasp, she felt a bit intimidated and was somewhat reluctant to get close.

Given the current situation, if she insisted further, things might end up being awkward. So she quickly corrected herself, “It’s not that. I just don’t want to inconvenience you. If you don’t mind, then I’m fine with it.”

Not using honorifics seemed to please Jasmine a bit, “Alright, I’m going to take a nap. Would you like to join me?”

Maggie’s mind raced, “I’ll watch some TV.”

“Suit yourself.”

Jasmine said this and went on, closing the bathroom door behind her.

Maggie exhaled in relief, realizing how important it was to be cautious on this trip.

There were no scheduled activities in the afternoon. Jasmine slept for a good two hours, then got up to work on some tasks on her computer. Maggie took a nap on the couch, and when she woke, she washed her face and waited for instructions.

Jasmine remained quiet, focusing on her work at the desk. Maggie didn’t want to disturb her, so she turned on her computer to work on her own tasks. They were in relative silence until dusk, when Jasmine finally rubbed her temples and asked, “Maggie, are you hungry?”

“Huh?” Maggie looked up.

“A bit. Should I have them bring us food?”

Jasmine suggested, “I know a place that serves great boiled fish. Would you like to try it?”

Although Maggie wasn’t a fan of overly spicy food, she knew not to spoil the mood and immediately agreed, “Sure!”

Jasmine was pleased and said, “Let’s go!”

They didn’t call for a driver but hailed a cab from the hotel to their destination. The reputed restaurant was a bustling Sichuan place, alive with the clamor of dinner time. Jasmine navigated confidently, guiding Maggie to a table and ordering, appearing to be a regular. Soon, dishes were served along with a few bottles of chilled beer.

Jasmine’s habit of drinking with meals was a bit troublesome for Maggie, but since she didn’t push for drinking more than one wished, Maggie didn’t protest. Spicy food did pair well with cold drinks, so she didn’t mind too much.

The dishes lived up to their reputation, and Maggie enjoyed the meal greatly. Jasmine mostly watched her eat while drinking beer herself. Maggie found it odd but kindly helped Jasmine with the dishes a few times, noting that Jasmine’s smile, though subtle, was genuinely heartfelt.

On the way back, Jasmine didn’t show any signs of drunkenness. Maggie admired her capacity for alcohol and remained cautious. As they entered, Jasmine seemed to stumble slightly, and Maggie quickly supported her from behind.

“Careful!”

Jasmine looked up into Maggie’s eyes, and they were very close, almost able to see the color of each other’s eyes. Jasmine seemed lost in thought.

Maggie froze for a moment, helping Jasmine steady herself and then withdrawing her hand. She didn’t sense anything or perhaps deliberately avoided any implications.

Jasmine soon regained her usual composure, smiled at Maggie, and said, “Thank you.”

Maggie shook her head, signaling it was nothing, and turned on the lights and closed the door. Jasmine had already gone into the bathroom, presumably to start her shower. Maggie looked at the bed in the bedroom and shrugged.

Well, since it’s come to this, let’s make the best of it.

Jasmine took over an hour for her bath. Maggie flipped through TV channels several times before Jasmine emerged in a bathrobe.

“I’ve run some hot water for you. Go take a bath.”

“Great!”

Maggie happily grabbed her pajamas and toiletries and headed to the hot tub. With her own small space, she only got to enjoy such luxuries occasionally. Going on a business trip with her boss wasn’t so bad—it involved eating, drinking, and having fun.

After her bath, Maggie found Jasmine reclining against the headboard of the bed, having just finished a routine call with her daughter. Jasmine smiled at Maggie and asked, “Is there anything else?”

“Huh?” Maggie dried her hair and said, “No, not really.”

“Would you like to chat?”

“Sure.” Maggie gladly agreed and climbed onto the bed, feeling that if it was necessary, it was better to be natural.

Jasmine continued to smile at her, removed her bathrobe, revealing only a thin camisole.

Maggie was stunned.

Jasmine had a superb figure and fair skin that could lead to unwelcome thoughts. However, Maggie wasn’t entranced by her appearance. Instead, she noticed several distinct bruises on Jasmine’s otherwise smooth, pale skin, which didn’t look like accidental injuries but rather like deliberately inflicted marks.

Seeing where Maggie’s gaze was fixed, Jasmine understood what she saw but maintained a calm demeanor, sitting on the bed with a faint smile.

Maggie, who usually knew how to handle situations well, was now unsure how to react. The scene before her was outside her usual scope, and though she could guess the reasons, she…

“What’s wrong?”

Jasmine’s voice remained gentle, almost like an elder sister, calmly watching Maggie. It didn’t seem right to ignore it, so Maggie hesitated and asked, “What happened to you…”

Jasmine answered without hesitation, “They were from a fight with Leo. He grabbed me and did this.”

Maggie’s face stiffened. Although she had guessed this possibility, hearing it stated so plainly was unsettling.

“Why… why did he…?”

“Hm? Why did we fight?”

“No…” Maggie felt a bit drained, “Why was he so violent?”

Jasmine sighed slightly, “I suppose his pride was hurt.”

“So that justifies hurting someone?”

Frowning, Maggie began to feel angry. Although she wasn’t close enough to interfere in Jasmine’s personal matters, seeing such results stirred feelings of anger and sympathy. Shouldn’t such a delicate and beautiful body be carefully cherished instead of harmed?

Jasmine, however, seemed unconcerned, giving a light sigh and resting her head against the headboard with closed eyes, “It’s nothing…”

Maggie didn’t understand, her frown deepening. She didn’t know how to talk to Jasmine. Seeing Jasmine’s puzzled expression, she reached out and gently touched Maggie’s hair, saying, “Alright, let’s not talk about this.”

Being trusted enough to see such private matters was already significant. Since Jasmine didn’t want to discuss it further, Maggie wouldn’t press on. She adjusted her emotions and smiled, “So what would you like to talk about?”

Jasmine grinned, “Let’s talk about you. Is that okay?”

“Me?” Maggie raised an eyebrow, “What is there to talk about?”

“For instance, why doesn’t our Maggie have a boyfriend?”

Maggie’s whole demeanor froze, and she rolled her eyes, “Can we change the topic?”

Jasmine’s smile grew wider, remaining silent and watching Maggie. After a moment, Maggie surrendered.

“Alright, alright. It’s just that I haven’t met someone I like.”

“And now? Have you met someone?”

Jasmine seemed genuinely curious, and Emily Luo’s face popped into Maggie’s mind. So she answered with a smile, “I’ve found someone, but…”

She stopped, not continuing. Jasmine slowly blinked, “Still not pursuing them?”

Maggie seemed to find this interpretation agreeable and nodded. Unexpectedly, Jasmine’s next question caught her off guard.

“Is it Emily?”

Maggie’s smile froze. She was stunned by the sudden question and wondered how Jasmine knew.