Cross the Boundary GL - Chapter 9

I was overwhelmed, her ears flushed crimson, and her voice became hoarse with embarrassment: “But I really can’t refuse. No matter how difficult a customer is, when I think about making a living, I just have to endure it.”

Her pupils were large, with a greater proportion of black in her eyes. They were constantly brimming with tears, moist and shiny like a wild animal.

Now, that glistening was even more pronounced.

Qin Song subtly parted her lips, her gaze finally dropping to the decorative box on the corner of the table: “Release the glitter board.”

She said in a flat tone, “Promotional work doesn’t need to be on a single timeline.”

eyes widened: “Are you teaching me?”

The look in her eyes just now seemed hesitant, and keenly caught the subtle detail.

Qin Song swallowed emotionlessly, her slender neck moving with the action: “This is a transaction. It’s written clearly in the agreement.”

dimples appeared faintly, but not because she was smiling: “Since we’re partners, are you willing to get to know me now?”

Qin Song looked at her in silence, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Her order was once again broken, shattered by the phrase “in the same boat.” Yet, they weren’t in the same boat, so how could there be empathy?

But the fact that they were both forced by life was also a fact.

In an instant, some very distant memories were awakened and flooded her mind. Qin Song had once counted them, they were the root cause of her illness.

“You should know, I grew up in an orphanage. “bit the inside of her lower lip hard: “The dean was very good to me. She used to be a famous lawyer.”

The strands of hair were pushed away from her neck. Qin Song was tying her hair up, but didn’t leave it in a ponytail, simply folding the remaining hair into the hair tie.

saw it, lowered her head, and opened her toolbox.

“I started learning to paint when I was thirteen, and I started working very early. I worked and studied at the same time, sometimes having to run between the two. When I saved enough money, I opened the store, though the dean helped me with a large part of it.”

After she disinfected her tools, she went to disinfect Qin Song’s neck, holding the needle but not moving to pierce her: “The dean loves me very much, but sometimes I can’t help but wonder where my biological parents are and why they didn’t want me.”

Qin Song tapped her tongue stud against her teeth. She couldn’t feel any interest in other people’s backgrounds and experiences, but because she got what she wanted, she became a little less unfeeling: “Since they’ve already abandoned you, asking is useless.”

moved closer: “You’re right. It’s just something I think about sometimes. So, if I tell you all this, will you… feel a little better?”

The process was very quick. Qin Song’s hair was soon let down, covering the small silver ornament behind her neck.

She turned around, and the fleeting hesitation from earlier was gone, replaced only by a cold demeanor: “Your experience has nothing to do with me.”

There were still faint finger marks on face. When she spoke, her jaw and the marks moved in unison: “We need to find a comfortable way to get along. You have too many scars, and I can’t ignore them.”

“Everyone has a dark past. I’m not trying to test you. We already made it clear on the phone that even for a temporary collaboration, we should adjust, right?”

Qin Song wanted to shut her up, and then did so. The movement wasn’t gentle, and the tongue stud churned, making the syllables intermittent.

was forced to suffocate, and the hand holding the tool trembled and hung in the air.

What she didn’t understand was why Qin Song, who resisted others knowing her past and surrounded herself with thorns, would want to kiss her after taking what she wanted. Why do such an intimate thing?

Mutual benefit, was that really all it was?

Or, was she subconsciously craving a person with whom she could build an intimate connection?

However, these were all just guesses for now. Qin Song’s rejection was there, her coldness was there, and her push to keep people at a distance was also there.

Her jaw was pinched again, and a thumb wiped away the shine from her lips. This time, Qin Song still didn’t hold back her strength. Her suppressed, boundless gaze reflected no impurities. Her two hollow eyes stared straight at her.

was very sensitive to emotions, so she could always find clues. Qin Song resented this innate ability of hers.

“Your story doesn’t move me. It’s not enough of a bargaining chip,” she released her hand and looked up with an expression of disgust: “Equivalent exchange, use something substantial.”

should have felt upset because of the other person’s cold and resolute attitude, but as she looked at the pathological dark circles under her eyes, she suddenly opened her mouth and bit down on Qin Song’s wrist.

Qin Song instinctively wanted to pull her hand back, but after moving a short distance, she stopped.

eyes were like a cat’s, round and glowing. This bite was done with all her might, and she didn’t let go even as liquid flowed from the corners of her lips.

After a long time, Qin Song lifted her jaw, and at the same time, lifted face. A kiss mixed with the smell of blood fell, a fierce kiss that made the crimson look like blurred lipstick smudged on both of their chins and cheeks.

After they separated, Qin Song’s lips twitched. In her silent eyes, a crackling spark was suppressed: “Tell me your needs.”

knew she had succeeded.

“How did you get the scars on your body?”

Qin Song didn’t say a word, closing her eyes in thought. When she was quiet, she not only didn’t soften her coldness but instead resembled a sleeping lion.

The clock ticked. When she opened her eyes again, Qin Song calmly picked up a cigarette and said: “External wounds. By my stepfather.”

felt as if she had been struck by a rainstorm and lightning. She was dizzy and bewildered, her limbs no longer feeling like her own.

Qin Song pulled out a tissue with a sharp sound. She slowly wiped the dried blood from the corners of her mouth: “Perhaps you really wouldn’t want to know who your parents are.”

If they abandoned her, would knowing them change reality?

Reality was far more cruel than the unknown.

She lit the cigarette, and a thin wisp of smoke curled up and stared at that thin wisp, and inexplicably felt like crying.

Her eyes were already red, with bloodshot whites, stubbornly refusing to shed tears, as she stared blankly at Qin Song.

Qin Song lowered her hand. For a moment, paleness and fragility coexisted, wiping away her usual sharp coldness.

Still wanted to say something, but the phone on the table suddenly rang, startling her so much that she nearly jumped out of her chair.

The call came too suddenly. After hung up, she stood outside the door with a gloomy expression.

Qin Song came out, also looking to be in a bad mood. The sudden bright light of the lanterns failed to illuminate her pupils.

She gave a cold glance and walked straight past.

“Qin Song, don’t go.”covered her eyes, a motion that instead made tears flow: “Dean Hu collapsed in the kitchen and is now being rushed to the hospital…”

Qin Song interrupted her indifferently: “What does that have to do with me?”

was stunned.

“Your needs have been met. Don’t bother me again.”

With that, she walked away, stepping on the fading light of the setting sun.

…

In the hospital, with red eyes was peeling an apple. She looked listless, having whittled down an entire apple to the size of a tangerine.

Dean Hu, holding a law book, tilted her head and looked at the girl at the bedside for a while, then said gently: “What’s wrong, my little ?”

heart trembled, and she forced a smile: “Dean, you’re sick. I’m very sad.”

“Did I scare you?” Dean Hu said slowly: “Don’t be afraid. As you get older, your body will have problems. But I’m fine now, aren’t I?”

Her voice was very gentle, like an old gramophone, with a lingering sense of age: “Everyone dies. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ve long wanted to… go be with my friends.”

Eyes were red at the corners, suppressing a double layer of sadness.

“Does little have something on her mind? Ever since you came to the hospital, you’ve been so dispirited. If this continues, you’ll be the one who needs to see a doctor.”

Eyelashes fluttered, a few tears hanging on them. The apple in her hand got smaller and smaller, and the slices became more and more fragmented.

Seeing this, Dean Hu put down her book and reached out to hug her: “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?”

The warmth given by a loved one made it too easy to show vulnerability. Tears slid past the dimples at the corners of her mouth: “Why can one person be so cold-blooded? But she’s obviously not having a good time either.”

Dean Hu tilted her head slightly and stroked the girl’s soft, long hair: “Who is she? Is she very important to you?”

Couldn’t say. Her subconscious told her that things shouldn’t progress so quickly with Qin Song, and the feelings hidden in the dark corners of her heart shouldn’t take root.

Qin Song made an equivalent exchange, and she was forced to bear the cost of the exchange.

“If she’s not important, why do you care about her thoughts?” Dean Hu got straight to the point: “Our little has a crush, doesn’t she?”

Suddenly, was a little flustered: “No!”

But immediately, she lowered her head again: “I don’t know. I’m just curious. I really want to explore the secrets on her body. That day, she came to the shop in the rain, covered in tattoos and piercings, and scars…”

The old woman on the bed seemed to be in a trance for a moment.

Then she smiled: “And then? Did you find out?”

“She’s sick.” wasn’t cursing. She frowned seriously: “Her way of socializing is to trade benefits for benefits. There’s no emotional exchange, just trading needs for needs. We even… signed an agreement.”

As if it was difficult to say, she was silent for a long time before continuing: “She… craves pain, like how people crave cigarettes or alcohol. I solve this problem for her, and she teaches me how to run the store. There’s no other connection besides that.”

She didn’t know how old Qin Song was, where she lived, what she liked to eat, or what color she liked. The scope was limited to this.

Dean Hu blinked tiredly: “The connection between people starts with curiosity and ends with understanding. To open a person’s heart requires overcoming countless difficulties, crossing thousands of rivers, and unwavering determination.”

After a while, a nurse came to urge her to leave, could only leave. Before she left, Dean Hu called out softly: “If you really like her, try to pursue her. You can’t live a lifetime with regrets.”

She took a taxi home.

It was the weekend, and there were all kinds of delicious foods on the street, but she had no appetite. She walked and walked until she found herself standing at the entrance of a bar.

She is now somewhat understood why Qin Song helped her out last time, even if the method was a bit extreme.

You couldn’t look at Qin Song with a normal person’s mindset. She felt that she might not have genuinely wanted to help. If she had truly wanted to help, she would have come at the beginning of the conflict.

She felt uneasy, so she walked in. The light suddenly dimmed. The familiar halo of lights spun and flickered.

“Hello, just one?” a waiter came out from the front desk.

There must have been some event today. The music was very loud. She hadn’t even sat down yet when the lights immediately changed into colorful flashing strobes that pulsed with the rhythm.

There was a man on the stage yelling and singing hysterically. Her drink arrived, and he was still performing dedicatedly, quite professionally.

After he finished singing, a middle-aged man who looked like a boss was also about to go on stage, followed by a group of black-clad men of various heights and sizes.

The middle-aged man chattered for a long time, then impatiently waved his hand: “Call her over for me!”

One of the black-clad men of various heights and sizes stood out and whispered something into the middle-aged man’s ear. The man’s face grew darker and darker.

He watched the scene with great interest, finding it even more exciting than a TV show.

The middle-aged man answered a call, and his face became even uglier. His eyes were murky. He pointed his phone at the stage below and yelled: “Call… over for me. Tell her if she doesn’t come, I’ll…”

The music was too loud, and only heard bits and pieces.

This world of debauchery was truly incomprehensible.

On the screen, a music video was playing a story of unrequited love, and these well-dressed people were drinking in a daze in front of the screen.

After a while, someone else came up and whispered to the middle-aged man. This time, he must have been satisfied. He smiled brightly, grabbed a glass of champagne, and was about to walk off the stage.

She was curious about who could make her personally go and greet them, so she leaned halfway on the table, propping herself up with her elbows.

The bar entrance was hung with bead curtains, which seemed a little out of place for the venue. The clinking beads swayed, casting pink shadows.

The look of a spectator on his face froze.

Qin Song was too easy to recognize, so much so that you didn’t need to look a second time to know it was her.

Her pink-purple hair was coiled across her left chest, and the metal on her collarbone reflected the overhead lights, as if a nine-day goddess had mistakenly entered the mortal world.

The colorful light flickered. Qin Song walked slowly and calmly to the side of the stage with her hands in her pockets. Her dark ear studs swayed slightly with her movements.

The middle-aged man was ignored and stood still, his hand gripping the wine glass tightly, then immediately turned back with a smile.

“Teacher Qin, thank you for coming!”

Qin Song’s eyes lifted slightly. The coldness was even sharper and more intense because of her cynical gaze: “Didn’t you all say that if I didn’t come, you’d give the address to Zheng Chengfeng?”

She gave a bland smile: “It seems that Director Chen is getting old and forgetful.”

Director Chen’s livid face was really not a pretty sight.

She was thorny, to the point, and her words were devastating.

Hiding under her indifference was an extremely crazy soul.

She was shocked to realize that she was leaning on the brightest table. The scattered white light illuminated her whole body clearly.

She quickly sat up straight, lowered her head to the table, grabbed the edge of the table with both hands, and only revealed a pair of eyes.

Looking up through the narrow view, Qin Song nonchalantly took the champagne from the waiter’s tray and drank it in one gulp.

She was very composed. She seemed to have always been like this. Even though she was called here at the last minute, and even seemed to have been threatened into attending, she was more composed than everyone else who had arrived early.

After she finished her glass of wine, she felt the drunkenness hit her. Using the noise of the crowd as cover, she ran to the restroom.

She fanned herself in a stall to sober up. Outside, the sound of high heels echoed, accompanied by the laughter of women.

“Did you really call Qin Song?”

“What do you think?”

“Why call her? It’s just going to ruin a good party.”

“Director Chen today…”

She seemed to be making some kind of gesture. She secretly peeked out of the gap. Two women with exquisite makeup were standing with their backs to the stall. Their clothes had very little fabric, and they had slender waists and long legs, ready to burst out.

“Director Chen still has a hold on Qin Song?”

“…Shh.”

She clutched the door lock, wanting to touch her phone, only to find that it was still at her seat. Her heart instantly turned cold.

After the two women left, she opened the door with a click and ran out.

The stage had become a dance floor, and people were bumping into each other randomly. She was sweating profusely, and she stared with wide eyes, looking through the flickering lights.

Finally, at the edge of the lively dance floor, she saw Qin Song, who was sitting with one leg bent, her foot on the railing, drinking by herself.

She crossed the stage to go forward, but was suddenly bumped, and her body staggered to the side.

Black-clad men gathered around Qin Song, seeming to inform her of something. After listening, Qin Song tapped the rim of her glass with her fingers. The three rings tapped for a long time before stopping.

The owner of the rings, who was leaning against the railing, straightened up and prepared to leave with the black-clad men.

Her heart was pounding. Her sweaty forehead was covered with messy, sticky strands of hair.

She wanted to find Qin Song. She had to find Qin Song.

She lost a shoe. The hysterical singer on stage roared, and the cheesy romance music video was still playing in the background.

She stood frozen, looking around, and then lunged toward the singer.

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