Cross Lines

Chapter Eleven: Meeting You

As soon as Zachary was away on a business trip, Maggie’s workload increased. Not to mention the mundane tasks in the department, she had to attend the weekly departmental manager meeting every Monday in formal attire.

One of Maggie’s least favorite things was wearing work clothes. Once dressed, she felt awkward and even walked clumsily. The female version of the work attire at Yafu consisted of a standard skirt suit paired with a white shirt, and the effect largely depended on the individual's temperament. Although there was no strict rule mandating its use, even Jasmine adhered to it meticulously for meetings. Maggie was annoyed but dared not deviate from the norm, even though she was tempted.

The first meeting room had a large conference table that seemed fit for short track speed skating, surrounded by men and women, mostly middle-aged, all dressed in similar attire. To work at Yafu at a middle management level required some degree of experience and time. Maggie, who rolled up her sleeves and attended the meeting with a spirit of participation, looked distinctly different from the older, more conservative managers of other departments.

The design department had little standing, and Maggie’s seat was far from the chairperson's position, so she had to squint to see the faces. With Seymour Gao abroad, Jasmine usually presided over the meetings in his absence. Maggie had only attended a few manager meetings since becoming an assistant manager, and this was her first time experiencing Jasmine chairing the meeting.

President Gao hadn’t arrived yet, and the room was buzzing with quiet chatter. Maggie chose not to participate in this social bonding, resting her forehead on one hand and flipping through the documents on the table with the other. She fidgeted with a small toy and doodled absentmindedly to pass the time.

Suddenly, the meeting room door was thrown open with a loud bang. Maggie glanced up and saw Qiqi and Peter Gao walking in one after the other. The younger woman, dressed in a skirt suit, gave Maggie a fleeting glance with a semi-smile before turning away. Behind her, Peter Gao, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, lacked a sense of style but had sharp, intelligent eyes that conveyed a businesslike vigor.

The rivalry between Peter Gao and Jasmine had been ongoing for some time, with numerous rumors circulating in the company. Originally, Jasmine had hoped Qiqi's return would boost her leverage, but Qiqi seemed intent on establishing her own influence, evident from her unauthorized presence at the departmental meeting. This further complicated the already chaotic situation. However, with Seymour Gao still young and healthy, no one dared to make these power struggles public or escalate them.

Jasmine entered the meeting room five minutes before the start, perfectly punctual. She held herself straight and gazed straight ahead, exuding an air of authority. Kevin followed closely behind, adding to her imposing presence. Only Jasmine, besides President Gao, had the privilege of bringing a secretary to meetings, a point of contention for Peter Gao, who was displeased with his own secretary—a thirty-something with acne who, despite having a high education, was inept and brought nothing but embarrassment.

As the meeting proceeded, with no particularly urgent matters on the agenda, key departments began reporting their weekly progress. Maggie listened passively, struggling to stay awake. Just as she was fighting off drowsiness, the meeting room door was abruptly slammed open, making a startling noise despite its hydraulic dampers.

Everyone in the room jumped in surprise and turned to see a young man in a leather jacket and sunglasses striding in. His blond hair was styled upright with the roots still black, and he wore a row of sparkling earrings. His attitude was defiant and rebellious.

Jasmine’s brows furrowed as she glared at the intruder from the chairperson’s seat, remaining silent. Everyone recognized the young man immediately, and the room fell silent. The young man walked in with his head held high, found an empty seat, and plopped down, his face showing nonchalance.

“Continue with the meeting, continue,” he said casually. “I’m just here to listen.”

The manager of the production department, who had been speaking, glanced cautiously at Jasmine, unsure whether to continue or wait. Leo, seated across from Peter Gao, spoke up angrily,

“Liang Gao from the Logistics Support Department is late to the meeting. His salary will be deducted by 30 percent. HR, make a note of it and enforce it this month!”

The young man’s expression stiffened, and he looked around awkwardly, feeling embarrassed as everyone stared at him.

“Brother-in-law! My cousin hasn’t spoken yet. Why are you so hasty?”

“Liang Gao! That’s enough!”

Before Leo could say more, Peter Gao interrupted him. Maggie carefully turned her head to observe the expressions of the people involved, suppressing a smirk.

The bold young man who had barged in was Peter Gao’s younger brother, Seymour Gao’s nephew, and Jasmine’s cousin—Qiqi’s older brother. Known for his extravagant lifestyle and mismanagement, he was notorious for his reckless spending and causing disruptions in various departments. Seymour Gao had no choice but to create a special department for him, the Logistics Support Department, where he had a few staff to help with procurement and transportation tasks. He still insisted on attending company meetings to assert his presence.

He had little respect for Leo, viewing him as nothing more than a sycophant to Jasmine. Despite his disdain, he was somewhat intimidated by his older brother Peter Gao, which is why he fell silent when his brother spoke. The meeting continued.

Maggie lowered her head again, finding the internal power struggles among the company’s top executives distasteful. The internal conflicts between family members were more bitter than external competition. And manager meetings were truly excruciating—she couldn’t understand why so many people fought to be involved, as they seemed like a waste of time. Nonetheless, it didn’t concern her directly, so she continued doodling.

After getting her gym membership, Maggie went to the gym every Wednesday and Saturday for a week. On the eighth day, she finally spotted Emily Luo’s white Audi in the parking lot. Her license plate, ending in four ones, was easy to remember. Satisfied, Maggie parked her car a little farther away, grabbed her gym bag, and walked into the main building of the gym.

The large screen displayed that the badminton courts were fully booked, and the equipment room was crowded. Seeing that she had brought her swimwear, Maggie registered to swim. It was best to be natural when encountering someone unexpectedly.

After changing, Maggie entered the swimming pool area with her small organizer. The pool, warmed to a comfortable temperature due to the cool weather, had fewer people. The water in the standard pool was clear, and each lane had one or two swimmers. After warming up, Maggie dove into the pool.

After swimming 2000 meters, Maggie felt it was enough and got out of the pool. After showering and changing, she sat in the gym’s café for a while. She had hoped to run into Emily Luo, but the chances were not as high as she had hoped.

Maggie, not one to linger idly, finished her coffee and decided to head home, as she was preoccupied with some design drafts. Just as she was about to leave, she spotted Emily Luo through the large glass windows near the entrance, dressed in white sportswear.

Maggie happily wiggled her hips and cheerfully walked out. However, Emily Luo did not share her cheerful mood; she was frowning and looking displeased as she spoke to a portly, middle-aged man with a military build.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Hu, but I really have things to do today.”

“Dr. Luo, it’s fine. What’s your schedule like? I can give you a ride.”

The chubby, bald man had a lecherous grin, gesticulating and seemingly trying to make physical contact. Emily Luo deliberately kept her distance, avoiding any physical contact.

Maggie quickly grasped the situation and decided it was her cue to step in. Smiling broadly, she approached Emily Luo from behind.

“Emily! What are you doing here? Long time no see!”

As she spoke, she used her shoulder to nudge the portly man aside.

Emily Luo looked surprised, blinking at Maggie, momentarily stunned. Maggie turned to the man.

“Oh, Uncle, you’re with Emily? I’m her classmate!”

The middle-aged man’s face turned a mix of red and white, clearly embarrassed.

“Not... not...”

“Not? Then why are you here?”

“I’m not her uncle…”

The man was sweating coldly, and Maggie pretended not to hear, turning back to Emily Luo.

“Shall we find a place to sit? Oh, I have so much to tell you!”

Emily Luo quickly understood and smiled.

“Sure, my car is over there.”

Maggie nodded enthusiastically, adding, “Hmm! How about you join us, Uncle?”

The man’s face contorted, his nose scrunching up as he awkwardly replied, “No... no need...”

Without waiting for him to finish, Maggie grabbed Emily Luo and walked away.

“Then, excuse us. Goodbye, Uncle!”

“...”