Cross Lines

Chapter 58: The Journey

The journey wasn't particularly short, but for such a large-scale group trip with mostly middle-aged and young employees from Yafu, the excitement outweighed the fatigue. Although they didn't make a lot of noise, chatting and laughing in small groups made the time pass quickly and kept boredom at bay.

Despite Maggie’s occasional glances towards Dr. Luo, she managed her subordinates and communicated with colleagues from other departments without missing any tasks. Lola sat beside her, listening to music through headphones, flipping through magazines, and occasionally accepting drinks from Maggie. She seemed quite calm.

Dr. Luo, who usually preferred quiet on long journeys and would often take a short nap, found her seatmate, Qiqi, less than ideal. Qiqi complained about the narrowness of the economy class seats and quibbled with the flight attendants about the temperature of her coffee. Dr. Luo, accustomed to being patient, maintained a neutral expression while enduring her friend’s complaints.

By the time they reached their destination and checked into the hotel, it was already evening. Everyone was a bit tired and eager to freshen up and enjoy a hearty meal. The rooms had been pre-arranged based on departments and gender, with double rooms assigned for each pair. Room cards were handed out upon check-in.

Poppy, a subordinate of Maggie known for her tendency to fuss, saw this as an opportunity to stir things up. As soon as the staff in charge were still busy with the check-in process, she approached Maggie with a pout and fluttering fake eyelashes.

“Maggie, can I switch rooms with you?”

Since some rooms were shared between different departments, it wasn’t unusual. Poppy, from the design department, had been paired with Lola.

Maggie, holding a travel bag, blinked in confusion. “Why?”

“Oh, it’s just that you and Lola are more familiar with each other, so it would be easier for you to chat and stuff.”

Poppy, standing next to Lola, didn’t want to say directly that she felt awkward staying with someone she barely knew, so she used a more indirect approach, and ended with a sweet smile at Lola.

Maggie glanced at her and then at Lola, who seemed agreeable to Poppy’s request and smiled back at her.

Before Maggie could respond, Qiqi and Emily Luo had already taken their room cards and were heading upstairs. As they passed Maggie, Dr. Luo casually spoke with Qiqi while subtly and skillfully pressing a finger into Maggie’s side, spinning it with considerable force. The pressure was intense, and Maggie barely managed to suppress a loud cry.

Poppy noticed Maggie’s sudden pale face and asked with concern, “Maggie, are you okay?”

“I'm fine, really,” Maggie managed to squeeze out between her teeth. Poppy, thinking this was a response to her request, cheerfully said, “Thanks, Maggie!” and took her room card, heading upstairs with her friend.

For Maggie, rooming with anyone except Emily Luo made little difference, but Dr. Luo’s small gesture of affection gave her a small thrill. If only it were a bit lighter.

The room was quite spacious, with a large floor-to-ceiling window. Maggie lay on the bed in a starfish pose and sighed with contentment, “This is so comfortable!”

Lola, who hadn’t said much, unpacked her suitcase slowly, her expression relaxed with a hint of a smile.

“Aren’t you going to take a shower?” Maggie asked.

“Hmm? You go ahead,” Lola replied, continuing her task.

“Okay!” Maggie was a bit hungry, so she quickly freshened up, eager to go down for dinner.

After Dr. Luo and Qiqi entered their room, there was no further sign of them, not even for dinner. Maggie enjoyed a lavish local lobster feast and considered sharing her experience with Dr. Luo but decided against it. There would be other days!

The next day’s itinerary included a hot air balloon ride. Cairns is famous worldwide for its hot air balloon tours, with over 350 days of clear weather annually. Maggie loved this kind of mildly adventurous yet safe activity. Since swimming on the beach wasn’t an option in Australian winter, the hot air balloon ride was the perfect substitute, though she still didn’t see the person she hoped to. Dr. Luo and Qiqi seemed to be staying in their room all day, which made Maggie wonder why they bothered traveling at all. Fortunately, the exciting activities kept her too busy to dwell on it.

After dinner, Lola suggested visiting the hotel’s bar, and since Maggie was bored, she agreed to go. Unexpectedly, they saw Qiqi at the entrance.

Wearing a wine-red low-cut dress with wavy hair, Qiqi was chatting animatedly with a handsome white man with gray-white hair. She was too engrossed to notice Maggie’s arrival.

Maggie immediately saw this as a great opportunity. Although she felt a bit guilty about Lola, she didn’t want to miss it. She turned to Lola and said, “I just remembered something I need to do. I’ll be back in about half an hour to an hour. Do you want to wait here or go back to your room?”

Lola was surprised and looked at Maggie, pausing before she responded, “Oh…” Her response was hesitant. Seeing Maggie's apparent urgency, Lola said, “Since we’re here, you might as well stay a bit. I’ll be in touch with you later?”

“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll be fine,” Lola replied, finally understanding. Maggie smiled apologetically and quickly left.

Watching Maggie’s retreating figure, Lola was lost in thought, her expression calm but hinting at deeper concerns.