When A Snail Loves

Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Everyone’s first impression of Xu Xu was usually that she did not pay too much attention to how she dressed. She wore a suit and a shirt to work, casual sportswear out of work, and never seemed to put on makeup. When paired with the cold expression constantly on her face, she seemed even more plain and boring.

In reality, Xu Xu was very particular about the way she dressed. However, her focus was always on whether or not the style was appropriate for her.

For instance, she would buy delicate mature pajamas which were slightly sexy and rather feminine which she wore at night. (A.K.A. when she was alone.)

All her sportswear was carefully selected to make sure the fabrics were light, breathable, waterproof, and quick-drying. Her sportswear were all products which had been scientifically proven to help performance whereby the only downside was the low variety of style. This is why her sportswear did not look too fancy,

The way she dressed in work seemed solemn and old-fashioned because she wanted to maintain an image of being stalwart, mature and reliable as a criminal police officer. Moreover, she knew that she looked relatively small and young, so she made up for it with the way she dressed. All this was to win the trust of the public.

The reason why she did not wear a skirt often was also because it was not convenient for moving about. Xu Xu actually had dozens of dresses at home that Xu Juan bought for her from time to time, this gave her a wardrobe more than sufficient enough to meet the functional and ornamental needs of various occasions.

This was one such occasion. She stood at the bar to pick up a drink while wearing a black bareback openwork dress and black stiletto heels.

Thankfully, there were many tall, beautiful and youthful girls present at the party, so Xu Xu’s dress was not overly eye-catching.

Nevertheless, many people were still looking at her.

Her skin was naturally already extremely fair and thin, but the black dress accentuated her skin to the point where it seemed unusually snow-like and cold under the dim lights. The design of the dress was elegant yet bold and although there were hollow patterns all about, her entire fair and smooth back was exposed. It was obvious that she did not want to show too much skin, but she seemed even more seductive than the beautiful girls who all had their long slender legs on display.

This dress was from a luxury brand that Xu Juan bought. In order for it to fit her, he had to go to a tailor to reduce the waist size and shorten the hem of the dress. With this, although she seemed very petite, her chest, waist, and hips looked relatively full. Her exquisite feminine curves were all smoothly and tastefully accentuated.

...

Da Hu whistled quietly to show that he was impressed, then he picked up a drink and nodded towards Ji Bai without saying anything.

Ji Bai was originally a little distracted, but after this, he laughed lightly and clinked glasses with Da Hu.

As he drank the drink slowly, his gaze was fixed on her figure where it lingered quietly for a while.

Xu Xu actually wore the dress quite daringly.

It was not just Zhao Han’s friends and classmates who were attending the engagement party, his girlfriend’s relatives and friends were present too. The open-air garden was filled with melodious music, warm lights, and people everywhere.

Ji Bai, Da Hu, and a few others sat in the corner drinking and chatting. Occasionally, people would walk over to them to have small talk. The whole mood was very peaceful and comfortable.

Xu Xu only stood there for a while before she was swooped away by Zhao Han’s fiancée, Man Man, to sit with her girlfriends. After a while, Man Man invited Xu Xu to get something to eat.

The restaurant was on the first floor of the hotel and was connected to the garden. It was not a traditional banquet tonight, but an open buffet. The two of them slowly walked about filling their plates. When they arrived at the barbecue section in the corner, they noticed that there were not many people around because people rarely ate barbecue in the summer. The barbecue chef wore a white coat and a tall hat as he smiled at the two of them with both of his hands casually folded behind his back.

Man Man flashed him a smile then began to choose her food. “Zhao Han likes to eat grilled squid the most.”

Xu Xu stood by her side and looked on for a while. Then, she raised her head and said to the chef, “Can I use your tools and ingredients to grill my own food?”

A few of the core members from several branches came over to propose a toast to Zhao Han as Ji Bai likewise exchanged toasts with each one of them. After some small talk, they left and Ji Bai turned his head only to find that Xu Xu was no longer sitting at her original position.

The ability of a criminal police officer to spot something was not to be underestimated. After briefly scanning his surroundings, he saw Xu Xu’s petite figure in the restaurant at the side of the garden.

Was she... grilling food?

The restaurant was surrounded by transparent glass and skinny trees. The lights were bright orange in color and there was a great variety of exquisite food available to all the guests.

Xu Xu lowered her head while she stood in front of a large black barbecue grill with a focused look on her face. Both of her hands moved about busily in an orderly manner.

The chef and Zhao Han’s fiancée stood at the side with a smile on their faces while they watched her cook. Who would have thought that an oversized chef’s hat and white apron could look so good on someone?

At this moment, Da Hu piped up. “I’m going to get some food. Do you want some?”

The smile on Ji Bai’s face widened. “I’ll wait a little longer.”

After a while, she took off the chef’s outfit and followed Man Man over to Ji Bai’s table with a plate of food in her hand.

Old Wu, Zhao Han, and several others were sitting at the table. They all knew about Ji Bai and Xu Xu’s relationship but they did not point it out. Even so, Da Hu pretentiously pulled out a chair and put it next to Ji Bai. “Xu Xu, sit here.”

There was a smile on everyone’s face and Ji Bai smiled along as well. He comfortably leaned on the spacious chair and stared at his woman approaching.

Xu Xu strictly adhered to the rule of “keeping it low-profile”, so she sat next to Ji Bai with an indifferent look on her face. She placed the plate full of food on the table but she did not offer it to him.

Man Man looked at them and grinned. “Xu Xu grilled it by herself. I tasted a piece just now and it tasted better than the ones cooked by the chef.”

After this, everyone lowered their heads to look at it and saw that it really did look delicious. The food was brightly colored and gave off a wafting fragrant aroma.

Ji Bai looked at the plate of food and then looked at the little woman beside him, who for some reason had her head tilted downward defensively. The food looked delicious, which made him, as a man, feel unutterably comfortable and peaceful.

Before he could even take a piece, Da Hu quickly snatched a small piece of steak and stuffed it into his mouth. He instantly relaxed as an enchanted look washed over his face. “Xu Xu, you’ve taken cooking classes before, right? It’s delicious.”

Xu Xu did not actually have any special talent for cooking. It was just that she always worked patiently, so after looking through a recipe, she would be able to follow the recipe almost to the tee. In addition to this, the food that she had grilled were all food that Ji Bai liked, which came as a result of her having done some research on grilling beforehand.

As Xu Xu watched Da Hu stuffing the largest piece of tenderloin into his mouth, she subconsciously frowned lightly. Seconds later, Zhao Han also picked up a piece and praised Xu Xu.

Ji Bai and Xu Xu briefly exchanged looks.

Just as Xu Xu was about to open her mouth, Ji Bai pulled the plate towards himself and said with a cocky smile, “Do you think that she grilled it for you guys?”

Everyone burst into laughter and Xu Xu instantly felt her face burning up. Ji Bai picked up his chopsticks and began to eat the plate of food all by himself. Then, he secretly reached under the table and held her hand.

Later on, a leader summoned Ji Bai for a talk, after which he did not return for quite some time. Thus, Man Man brought Xu Xu over to her table. Xu Xu sat there for a while and listened to the girls talk about cosmetics as well as gossip. Unsurprisingly, it was way too boring for her, so after a while, she took a glass of water, got up, and went to walk around the garden.

There was a glossy flowing pond a short distance away which Xu Xu leisurely walked over to. She met several young girls chatting by the pond under the lights. In the middle of them all was Yao Meng, smiling and wearing a long red dress.

Yao Meng stood under the rain for a long time on the night that she was rejected by Ji Bai. She caught a cold on the day she returned to Lin City. Perhaps because she was physically and mentally exhausted, she had been feeling very weary. She took a few days of sick leave and only went back to work the following Monday to attend Zhao Han’s engagement party.

A few girls saw Xu Xu standing not too far away from them and one of the girls from the election service asked Yao Meng softly, “I heard that Xu Xu is in a relationship with Ji Bai? Is it true? I can’t tell.”

Yao Meng took a glance at Xu Xu’s dress and her heart skipped a beat. She was a little stunned but she kept smiling as she answered, “I’m not too sure.”

The girls left after chatting with Xu Xu for a bit. Even though Yao Meng had taken sick leave, the people in the criminal police unit did not pay it too much mind. However, now that Xu Xu was looking at Yao Meng’s slightly pale face, she was concerned. “Have you recovered from your cold?”

Yao Meng did not want to talk to her, so she stared at the pool of water next to her and nodded enthusiastically. “I’m fine.”

Xu Xu was startled. Yao Meng’s smile was very faint, and although she flashed it, Xu Xu understood all the hidden emotions hidden within. There was a little sadness, a little self-deprecation, irony, and detest.

Neither of them spoke as Yao Meng turned around and left without looking at her.

After standing still for a while, Xu Xu’s phone rang and opened her phone to see that it was a text message from Ji Bai. “Let’s go back.”

Xu Xu replied, “Okay.”

Ji Bai was in a good mood as the car drove through the quiet night. From time to time, he would glance at the woman beside him with a slight smile on his face.

After a while, Xu Xu abruptly asked, “Did you reject Yao Meng?”

Ji Bai had his hand on the steering wheel as he answered briefly. “Yeah.”

After this, Xu Xu did not say anything else.

When he arrived at the Xu Xu’s house, there was no one around. Xu Xu smiled, turned her head to look at Ji Bai and calmly waited for a parting kiss.

Ji Bai laughed. He rested one of his arms on the back of her seat, held her face with the other, and leaned forward to kiss her.

This kiss was as calm and sweet as usual. However, when Ji Bai averted his gaze, his eyes fell upon her fair, slender shoulders as well as her soft and beautiful back. Throughout the entire night, he had been teased by the lively scene in front of him such that now he suddenly found it even more difficult to restrain himself.

His kisses slowly moved from her cheek to her neck as he whispered, “Xu Xu, sit on me.”

Xu Xu jerked her neck backward slightly to temporarily avoid his warm kisses.

In all other aspects, Xu Xu was “a person of great wisdom who only seemed slow-witted”, but when it came to relationships between men and women, she was extremely simple-minded.

Each time she hugged or kissed Ji Bai, her heartbeat would accelerate and her face would feel warm. After this, it would take her all to keep herself calm and steady. Moreover, the level of intimacy over these past few days might not have been enough for Ji Bai, but she was very satisfied and content with it.

Nonetheless, the request made by Ji Bai was clearly an erotic one. This meant he wanted the level of physical contact between them to go beyond the kissing stage. Thus, it naturally made her nervous, which caused her to hesitate.

Ji Bai saw the nervous and embarrassed expression on her face, but he still continued to trap her between his body and the seat. He stared at her with playful eyes without making a sound. After a while, even though her face was bright red, there was a determined look in her eyes. “I’ll do it.”

Xu Xu sat on his lap inside the narrow car with both of her hands around his neck. As she sat there, she raised her head upwards slightly to welcome his kisses. Ji Bai felt her soft body leaning against him and became fascinated such that his consciousness started wavering. This made him kiss her even more forcefully and passionately. He could not help but move his big hands along her smooth curves toward her chest.

Right after he had gently touched her soft chest, he felt Xu Xu’s body stiffening up and she suddenly reached out to push his hands away. “Don’t go overboard.”

Ji Bai could not help but laugh, then he tightened his grip around her waist slightly and continued to hold her in his arms. He kissed her lips from her neck all the way to her shoulders as Xu Xu’s body grew hotter and hotter. She closed her eyes and her eyelashes trembled slightly. After kissing her for a while, Ji Bai subtly moved his hand to her chest once again.

When Xu Xu got off the car, her long skirt was a mess and her face was red. Ji Bai’s face was also a little red as he walked her towards the front door of the building with a barely suppressed smile on his face.

After taking a few steps, Ji Bai raised his head and saw a black BMW ten meters away.

Xu Xu saw it too and she remained silent.

Ji Bai stared at her and asked in a low voice, “Do you want me to accompany you?”

Xu Xu shook her head. “No, you should go ahead first.”

Ji Bai nodded, loosened his grip around her, then went back to the car. Instead of starting the car, he reached into his pocket to get a cigarette but instead grabbed a box of chewing gum that Xu Xu had given him. He smirked, then put a piece in his mouth and quietly watched from inside the car.

A few moments later, the rear door of the BMW opened and Ye Zixiao stepped out.

Xu Xu saw Ye Zixiao and she smiled lightly, waiting for him to speak.

Ye Zixiao lowered his head to look at her.

When he saw Xu Xu dressed up so femininely, Ye Zixiao became happy for her while also feeling a little sad. Even so, these feelings were only for a fleeting moment, thus he still sounded gentle and calm when he spoke.

“How have you been recently?”

Xu Xu replied politely, “Fine. What about you?”

Ye Zixiao shrugged. “I’m doing good too.” As good as he could be.

After a moment of silence, Ye Zixiao smiled and said, “Has there been any cross-border police activity between China and Myanmar recently?”

Xu Xu remained silent. Recently, she had heard that the Public Security Bureau had plans to contact Myanmar to cross the border and go after members of Brother Lu’s criminal group, but obviously, she could not reveal anything to Ye Zixiao.

Ye Zixiao continued, “I have recently contacted a friend in Southeast Asia. He’s a patriotic businessman with a background in gangsterism, and he has some friends in Myanmar. He heard some clues about the case but was not able to come forward, so he asked me to give some advice to the police units involved.

“If you enter Myanmar, be wary of the gold python.” These were the words offered to Xu Xu by Ye Zixiao.

The gold python was one of the species of giant pythons in Myanmar. It was large in size, ferocious and powerful, with a beautiful pattern on its scales.

From the way he said it, Xu Xu believed that although the target “gold python” was mentioned, it was just a warning. It was not a clear giveaway, so she suspected that it was credible.

Gold python might be the code name for a person or a certain force. However, the information shared between China and Myanmar was inaccessible, so Xu Xu found nothing when she searched the police unit database.

Ji Bai reported this information to his superiors and the China-Myanmar border police office soon came back with a statement saying that they did not know what it stood for.

On Monday afternoon, the breeze was gentle and the sun was warm as Xu Xu went through her files at her desk.

Suddenly, she got a call saying the station chief had summoned her.

The look on the station chief’s face was solemn and serious as he handed a document to Xu Xu. When she looked through it, she saw that it was in fact instructions from the Public Security Bureau about the establishment of a cross-border task force against the China-Myanmar criminal group.

“Brother Lu, formerly known as Zhao Xiaolu, hails from Northeast China.” The station chief said solemnly. “According to the latest clues, she not only controlled a large number of domestic human trafficking groups. She also repeatedly sold Burmese women to the Guangdong coast as prostitutes. Moreover, her criminal group is also involved in the transportation of drugs and firearms through the border. We must absolutely stop this cancer in our society.”

Xu Xu had already guessed the reason why the station chief had summoned her, and she was a little surprised to say the least. “Am I going?”

The station chief nodded. “Originally, you were not supposed to go, but because previously you and Yao Meng were responsible for taking care of the victims, the two of you were the only ones who came into close contact with Brother Lu. Therefore, the Public Security Bureau asked for one of you to go.” He frowned and continued, “Yao Meng has been on sick leave and I have talked to her. She stated that her physical condition would not allow her to do cross-border work and, in addition to that, she had also made a mistake the last time around. After thinking about it thoroughly, you are the obvious choice. Moreover, you have an advantage because Brother Lu is a female, so it might be easier for a female police officer to deal with the case. Also, after arresting her, you will like rescue even more victims, and since you’re a psychologist, you will be able to comfort the victims better.”

Xu Xu nodded to indicate that she understood.

The station chief saw the indifferent look on her face and smiled. “So tell me, do you dare to go abroad and hunt down a criminal?”

Xu Xu remained emotionless and replied, “Yes.”

The station chief laughed. “Good! You can rest easy because I have contacted the head of the task force. I told them that you’re a trainee police officer and also a girl, so they will not arrange for any front-line work for you. You just need to tag along to take care of some reports and handle some support work from the rear. However, you’re the only one who’ll be going from our unit, so after you arrive, you will be representing the entire Lin City police station. Do you have confidence in successfully completing the task?”

Xu Xu nodded. “I guarantee that I will complete the task.”

After this, Xu Xu left the station chief’s office. As she walked to the front door of the criminal police unit, she saw Ji Bai and the deputy station chief walking out. The two of them were holding a document and they seemed to be talking about something serious.

When Xu Xu passed by Ji Bai, he did not look sideways, but a smile quickly flashed through his eyes.

Xu Xu spotted this and felt a tinge of joy in her heart, but only after she entered the office and sat down did she remember that she was going to Myanmar.

She would let him know in the evening.

The criminal police unit had their regular meeting before they got off work.

Everyone reported their work while Ji Bai sat at the head seat with a serious look on his face. From time to time, he would ask questions in a low voice and voice out his opinions.

At this time, they heard the sound of footsteps outside the door. The deputy station chief who was in charge of the criminal investigation walked in along with the station chief.

Everyone stood up and greeted them as the station chief waved at them with a smile. “Sit down. I just thought that I would have to announce this news in person.” He looked at Xu Xu whilst beaming with pride and said, “The station has decided to send Xu Xu to join the China-Myanmar Joint Strike Team to curb criminal activity. This came as a result of people having faith in the criminal police unit and also the trust that the Public Security Department have in our station.”

As he spoke, Zhao Han passed around some documents that the deputy station chief had been carrying to everyone. They looked at it and saw that Xu Xu’s name was printed on the bottom of the page.

Everyone was a little surprised at first, then they all grinned. They applauded Xu Xu and offered her words of encouragement, but while Old Wu and Da Hu smiled, they also looked towards Ji Bai.

Xu Xu immediately stood up and indicated that she would try her best to live up to everyone’s expectations. In the midst of the lively atmosphere, she nervously looked at Ji Bai.

Ji Bai had a gentle smile on his face, but his piercing eyes were staring at her quietly such that she could not tell what he was thinking.

After the station chief left the criminal investigation unit and returned to his office, Ji Bai knocked on his door.

“Station chief, why am I not in the action group?”

The station chief muttered incoherently to himself.

This was an order given by the higher ups, so he did not consult Ji Bai’s opinion and directly issued an order to the criminal police unit and Xu Xu herself. It was only after Ji Bai had come looking him did he recall that the two of them were in a relationship.

The station chief had always been scrupulous in separating public from private interests. Thus, he would not consider all these insignificant factors while making a decision – as such, there were plenty of other reasons why he did not include Ji Bai in the group.

“You don’t have to overthink it. Your criminal investigation ability is no doubt outstanding and while the task force was discussing suitable candidates, you were one of the names mentioned.” The station chief suddenly changed the topic. “When you first joined the criminal police unit, I promised your family that although there are risks that could not be avoided, I would not send you anywhere where your life would be in unnecessary danger. You also agreed to this promise. So, even though this trip to Myanmar will be assisted by the Myanmar police force and will not be very dangerous, it is still a chaotic place, so I don’t think your family will agree to you going there.”

Ji Bai did not say anything.

The reason why he went to the station chief was not just because of Xu Xu. Just as the station chief had said, his criminal investigation ability was one of the best in the country, which is why he should be participating in this operation. Moreover, he was responsible in the operation that allowed Brother Lu to escape. So, just like any other responsible criminal police officer, Ji Bai would have liked to arrest her with his own hands.

Nevertheless, the station chief’s decision was firm. Moreover, this news had most probably already spread to Beijing, so it would be difficult to overturn.

That evening, Ji Bai sent Xu Xu back to her house. After getting out, Xu Xu smiled and waved at him. “Goodbye.”

As she was about to turn around, Ji Bai suddenly pulled her hand, looked upstairs, and smiled. “I haven’t been to your house yet and I would like to have a look.”

It was clear that Ji Bai was not just there to look around. Although his girlfriend’s house was indeed very comfy and clean, after taking a brief walk around her house, he sat down on the sofa with her.

Then, he sat her on his lap and started kissing her.

Ji Bai did not worry too much about the Myanmar case since it was normal for a criminal police officer to travel abroad for a case. Furthermore, Xu Xu would be there for logistic and paperwork, so she wouldn’t be in any real danger. Both of them were people who put work first and they were also very open-minded, so there were no reluctant goodbyes.

Even so, Ji Bai was quite unwilling to let go of her as he kissed her, especially after seeing her blushing face and smelling the sweet scent of her body. After a while, he whispered in her ear. “Do you want me to go to Myanmar with you?”

Xu Xu shook her head and answered frankly, “It doesn’t matter.”

He had expected this answer based on her personality and also due to the fact that it made sense considering the current situation. Even if he had gone along, he would probably not have time to take care of her. However, he was still a little disappointed by the fact that she was not hesitant at all.

After hearing her reply, he tightened his hands around her, pulled her in close, and pressed his lips harder into hers. Then, he lifted up her shirt and slowly moved his hands underneath. Xu Xu tried to reach out to stop him but Ji Bai had both of his hands cupped firmly around her soft breasts... Slowly, she started getting a little breathless as her petite body shivered slightly in his arms. Ji Bai noticed this and increased the intensity of his kisses, traveling along her delicate neck inch by inch...

Suddenly, he heard a soft “click” sound come from the door.

Criminal police officers were extremely sensitive to sound, so Ji Bai quickly pulled his head away from Xu Xu’s neck and the two of them looked at each other.

“My brother!” Xu Xu quickly pushed Ji Bai away, sat up straight and hurriedly did her best to tidy up her clothes. Meanwhile, Ji Bai calmly placed his arm around her shoulders and looked towards the door expectantly.

When Xu Juan entered the house, he saw his sister sitting dangerously close to a man on the sofa. The tall man had a calm look and traces of a smile on his face whilst his sister seemed flustered. However... her face was bright red and her clothes were messed up! Did she also forget about how sensitive her skin was? The hickeys on her neck stuck out like a sore thumb.

Ji Bai had met Xu Juan in the past, so he quickly got up and greeted him. Then, the three of them sat down together on the sofa.

Xu Juan nodded politely at Ji Bai. “Captain Ji, thank you for taking care of my sister.”

Ji Bai looked at Xu Xu and answered gently, “You’re being too modest. I’m supposed to take care of her, be it at work or privately.”

Xu Juan smiled and did not ask anymore. He turned to look at the clock on the wall and then looked at Xu Xu once again. “Didn’t you have something to talk about?”

He was hinting at Ji Bai to leave as Xu Juan was a person who liked to beat around the bush. How long had it been since Xu Xu and Ji Bai were together? Did this man think that he was at the stage where he could meet her family? Although today was just a coincidence, as her elder brother, he still had to put some pressure on his future brother-in-law.

Xu Xu looked at the clock and saw that it was already 10.00pm, so she piped up. “Third brother, it’s late, I will send you down.”

Ji Bai nodded and picked up his outerwear, but he did not get up. Instead, he looked at Xu Juan calmly and said, “This may sound a little abrupt, but because you’re Xu Xu’s brother, whom she has always respected, I want to make it clear so you can rest easy – I take my relationship with Xu Xu very seriously and I have plans to marry her in the future. I know that she is very simple-minded, but I will still try my best to take care of her in the future.” After this, he stood up. “Okay, it’s late now, so I will be leaving.”

After Ji Bai left, Xu Juan looked at Xu Xu in confusion. “Third brother? Then what brother am I?”

Xu Xu was feeling happy because of what Ji Bai had said, so she smiled and did not reply.

After Xu Juan took a shower, he came out to see Xu Xu standing in front of the sofa taking the keys from his trouser pocket.

“What are you doing?” Xu Juan frowned.

Xu Xu ignored him and put the keys into her own pocket.

Xu Juan saw this and became a little angry. “Girls always forget about their family the second they get into a relationship!”

Xu Xu rolled her eyes and answered calmly, “What if we’re having sex the next time you walk in? Have you no shame?”

Xu Juan’s heart nearly jumped out of his mouth.

After a while, Xu Xu made him a bowl of noodles for supper with two eggs in it. Xu Juan only started to calm down after eating, and before long, he was feeling quite comfortable. Then, he saw his sister texting someone on the sofa with a wide smile on her face and his heart instantly softened. He walked over to caress her head.

He was not willing to let anyone touch his baby little sister whom he had taken care of for so many years, but she would soon become another man’s woman.

‘I hope that you will be happy and that this man does not cause you any grief. Hopefully, everything will go well for you.’ Xu Juan thought to himself.

The next day.

Xu Xu was due to leave tomorrow so she did not need to go to the police station today. In the morning, she went to the provincial department to attend a conference and then she went back home to pack her luggage in the afternoon.

In the evening, Ji Bai came over, but Xu Xu wanted to pack her luggage, so she asked him to watch the TV by himself in the living room.

The sky was gradually getting dark and the sound of the news acted as background noise to help set the mood. The lamps and candles from the streets below continued to give off their warmth to the chilly night sky as the two of them went about their own business. Ji Bai sat there for a while, then he looked sideways and saw Xu Xu packing clothes into her luggage bag while sitting on her bed. The cable of a long white pair of earphones was hanging messily around her neck and she was humming to a song softly with a calm look on her face.

This girl seemed completely unbothered by the fact that she was leaving tomorrow afternoon.

As if she had noticed his gaze, Xu Xu suddenly turned her head. Then, she stood up and walked towards him.

Ji Bai was leaning against the sofa comfortably as she approached him until she eventually stood between his legs. However, she refused to sit down. Instead, she took her mobile phone out from her pocket and pointed it at him. The camera flashed several times in a row and then she put it away again. “I’m taking a few pictures so that I can look at them while I’m there.”

The feeling of helplessness and gloominess in Ji Bai’s heart immediately disappeared as she quietly sat on his lap and lowered her head to look at the photos she had just taken.

Since she was at home, she wore a loose and simple t-shirt. The plain white t-shirt made her seem very frail whilst her arms, which were slender and fair. They seemed soft and fragile when he held it in his tanned palms. Ji Bai lowered his head and kissed her arm lightly. Then, he lifted his head and looked at her with his deep, black eyes. “Do you want to stay over at my house?”

Xu Xu’s entire body seemed to stiffen up as she slowly turned her head to look at him. “Do you think I should?” She jumped off his lap immediately after saying this. She had a straight face but her cheeks were very red.

Ji Bai quickly stretched out his arms and pulled her back into his embrace. “What else are you going to do? My self-control is not that weak, accompany your third brother for one night, okay?”

Ji Bai’s house was not too far away from the police station. It was a quiet and open housing estate with a large garden in the middle and only a few residential buildings around. He lived in a spacious two-bedroom apartment whilst the decor of his house reflected the style of a man who lived alone: The entire apartment was monotonous and consisted of black, gray and white tones. It was simple, cold, neat, and perfectly clean – even the kitchen counter was sparkling new, without any traces of foodstuff.

Xu Xu brought her luggage there and reported directly to the Provincial Department Task Force the following morning.

Nonetheless, going to his house was the right decision. Xu Xu saw his collection of exquisite and well-made gun models as well as the photos that he had taken during the first few years after he joined the police station. Most of them were photos of him receiving awards or of he and his friends during conferences. Xu Xu quickly noticed that Ji Bai had short cropped hair whilst in his early twenties, coupled with his face which was as handsome as it has ever been. However, there was also an obvious arrogance in his eyes. Apparently, his skin had also gotten a lot tanner and was now filled with scars and calluses too.

Later on, the two of them watched a movie on the sofa together as the sun began to set on their part of the world. The night gradually grew darker and before long, Xu Xu yawned. Ji Bai glanced at her briefly, then loosened the hand around her shoulder and got up. “Go to sleep if you’re sleepy. There are clean sheets and blankets in the cupboard. I’ll go take a shower.”

Xu Xu watched as he entered the bathroom, and soon, the sound of rushing water was heard. She turned around and looked at the two rooms: a study room and a bedroom with a double bed.

Xu Xu took the blanket and pillows on the bed and placed it neatly on the sofa in the living room. Then, she took out the new sheets and blanket from the cupboard and laid down on the bed.

The bedroom had a large floor-to-ceiling window and dark grey curtains. The starlight shined through the glass window which made the room seemed empty and quiet under the dark sky. She buried her head in the pillow and smiled when she realized that his bed was very clean without any odd scents.

She liked it.

Xu Xu heard the sound of the bathroom door opening and she quickly stood up after jumping out of bed. The sound of footsteps got closer and seconds later, Ji Bai appeared at the bedroom door.

The lights in the bedroom were off and he blocked out most of the lights from the hallway just by standing there. He wore a pair of boxer pants and a gray t-shirt which was a size too small such that the muscle on his shoulders and back could vaguely be seen. He seemed tall and slender, but also tense. His boxer pants reached above his knees and revealed his lean, but strong-looking tights. His hair was still wet and stuck to his forehead as his eyes shimmered slightly from the water.

Xu Xu’s face suddenly became a little warm and she looked at him intently.

Then, she saw him walk back into the living room with an indifferent look on his face. He took his pillow into the room and threw it on the bed along with hers. Then, he raised his head and looked at her. “Let’s sleep.”

Xu Xu was a bit surprised. “You... are not sleeping on the sofa?”

Ji Bai sat down on the bed and smiled at her. “I won’t do anything. Let’s sleep.”

Xu Xu took his word for it and cautiously climbed onto the bed. Right after she laid down next to him, he reached out his long arm and pulled her in close, peppering her with kisses in the process.

Despite this, they were on a bed together, so Xu Xu’s entire body was very tense. After a while, Ji Bai moved his lips away, but he continued to hold her in his arms. His handsome face was very close to hers and his dark eyes twinkled like stars as he kissed her one last time. “Goodnight.”

Xu Xu wore a loose house t-shirt and trousers. However, he was wearing quite little, so she felt very uncomfortable when his skin touched hers. Thus, she quickly spoke up. “It’s not comfortable to sleep like this, let go.”

Ji Bai compromised and withdrew his arm which was originally under her head. Nevertheless, he still wrapped one of his hand around her waist and chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”

The night was quiet and only the sound of rustling leaves from the trees in the housing estate could be heard. The two of them closed their eyes and hugged each other in silence. Since Xu Xu’s mental state was very strong, so she calmed down very quickly, moreover, she actually felt relatively comfortable in his arms. Over time she got sleepier... Suddenly, Ji Bai lowered his head to kiss her and she once again felt something warm on her lips.

After restraining himself for the entire night, Ji Bai managed to hold it in and fell asleep with her while hugging her from behind.

Ji Bai was used to waking up early, so he opened his eyes just as the sun was rising. He then turned to look at Xu Xu and struggled to suppress his laughter. Xu Xu was hanging onto him like a little sloth, her hands were on his waist and her legs were wrapped around his legs. She buried her face into his chest and slept soundlessly.

Was she treating him like a bolster? Even so, Ji Bai could no longer let her continue as his self-control after being provoked the entire night was at its breaking point. He gently pulled her hands as well as legs off him and went to take a cold shower.

When he got back to the bedroom, she was still asleep. Ji Bai sat down by her side, lifted her soft little hand and kissed her. Then, he raised her head and looked at the morning sky outside the window.

After a while, he went to the balcony, closed the door behind him, and made a phone call to Beijing. “Minister Xue, it’s me, Little Ji. I’m sorry to disturb you this early... Yes, our station chief f refused me even though I’m willing to voluntarily participate in it... It’s a little rushed and I’m sorry... my grandfather will definitely agree to this but my mom and the rest of them worry excessively...”

Lin City was adjacent to the southwestern border and there were several direct flights to Myanmar every week. Task forces from all over the country were to gather here and take a plane to Myanmar.

The sun was shining brightly in the afternoon but the lighting in the spacious lounge was mottled. Xu Xu sat in the middle of an empty row of seats and lowered her head to look through the case file. The other members of the task forces were all older than her and they all knew each other well since every single one of them were respected figures in the country’s police industry. When they saw a quiet unknown girl like her, they did not talk to her much after their initial greeting. The men stood aside while they smoked and chatted.

After a while, the head of the task force, a deputy-director level cadre of the Public Security Bureau gathered everyone.

The plane soon landed on the runway and the air stewardess stood at the entrance of the departure hall smiled while she waited for them.

The head quickly gave them a brief talk. “Everyone, we will set foot on the plane soon. We will be leaving the country and will be going into a foreign country to hunt down some wanted criminals. I represent the task force when I make this request: we must do our best to overcome any and all difficulties to nab these crooks.”

Everyone started applauding energetically as the head smiled at them. “There is also some good news. I just received a notice from my superiors that a fresh member will be joining us at the very last minute. In addition to this, he volunteered himself. I have no doubt that he will prove to be an invaluable asset to our group...”

Xu Xu’s heart began to race when she heard this.

“He’s none other than the captain of the Criminal Police Unit in Lin City, Ji Bai! I believe that everyone knows him already and he should be arriving soon.” Everyone had a joyful look on their face as Xu Xu’s eyes instantly locked onto the entrance of the departure hall. Not long after, a familiar yet tall silhouette strolled through the doors. He was holding two suitcases in his hand and he took his time to walk towards them.

Ji Bai walked over to everyone and quickly greeted several well-known criminal police captains. Ji Bai shook hand and hugged everyone one by one, then went to greet the head. Someone handed him a cigarette but he smiled and waved his hand to indicate that he had quit the habit. Then, he subtly moved his gaze and looked at Xu Xu.

Xu Xu stood at the outer regions of the crowd while she observed his calm and handsome face. When she saw his gentle, beaming eyes, she could not help but laugh.

Damn it.

She would not have accompanied him yesterday if she knew that he was going to be traveling with her.

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