When A Snail Loves

 “If you go to Burma, look out for the “golden python”. This is what Ye Zi Xiao’s words were to Xu Xu.

Golden Python is a huge Burmese python. Its body is large with colorful patterns, its ferocious, and poisonous.

Xu Xu believed that from the wording and sentence placement, it referred to the “golden python”, but only hinted to be prepared and gave no explicit guidance; basically had a certain level of credibility.

Of course, gold python may also be a code for someone or some organization. But due to the lack of information between China and Burma, Xu Xu couldn’t find anything after she searched the police’s database.

Ji Bai immediately informed this information to superiors. The China- Burma’s police office soon reported back, they also weren’t clear.

On Monday afternoon, the weather was sunny and warmth, Xu Xu was sitting in the office looking over the files. Suddenly a phone call came, the director had summoned her.

The director’s expression was relatively heavy and solemn. He placed a pile of doc.u.ments in front of Xu Xu.  She immediately picked them up, they were the ministry of public security instructions on “the establishment of task force specialized in catching cross-border China and Myanmar group crimes”.

“Brother Lu whose real name was Zhao Lu belonged from the northeast of Harbin.” Directory said: “According to the latest source, not only does she control a number of domestic human trafficking gangs, but has also repeatedly trafficked many Burmese women to the coast of Guangdong for organized prost.i.tution activities. In addition, her group is also involved in drugs and weapons trafficking around the border. We must absolutely eliminate this “cancer”.

Xu Xu guessed the director intentionally summoned her, still a little surprised: “I’m also partic.i.p.ating?”

The director nodded: “Originally not, but you and Yao Meng were responsible for the victims last time and also came in close contact with Brother Lu. The Ministry of Public Security wants one of you to partic.i.p.ate.” He frowned: “Yao Meng is still on sick leave. I also spoke to her, but she said her health condition isn’t fit for cross-border work. Moreover, last time she made a mistake. Thinking it over, only you are suitable. It’s also good for you to go, “Brother Lu” is a female so to have a woman police investigator join would make the team become more comprehensive. And when she gets arrested, it is likely that we will rescue more victims and since you’re a psychological expert, you can appease the victims.”

 Xu Xu nodded in understanding.

Looking at the placid look on her face,  the director laughed: “Do you dare to go abroad to catch criminals?”

Xu Xu answered: “Yes sir.”

The director smiled: “Great, but don’t worry, I have told the person responsible for this force that you’re a trainee policeman and also a female, there will not be any front line job a.s.signed to you. You only follow them, you will be responsible for the doc.u.ments and rear support work. However, our bureau only a.s.signed you to go on the behalf of the Lin city police, do you have the confidence to successfully complete this task?”

 Xu Xu: “I guarantee to complete the task.”

Leaving the director’s office, she arrived at the office’s door to see Ji Bai and deputy director walking out. They were holding piles of doc.u.ments with a solemn expression.

When the two of them pa.s.sed each other, Ji Bai looked straight ahead, but his eyes still quickly flashed an indistinct smile.

Seeing him, Xu Xu also felt a touch of happiness inside. She walked into the office and sat down, she suddenly remembered the business trip to Burma. She would have to inform him later tonight.

Just before ending working hours, the squad had a weekly meeting.

Everyone reported their tasks at hand, Ji Bai sat the highest location with a serious expression, occasionally asked questions and gave advice. Then there were the sound of footsteps outside the door, the deputy director of the criminal investigation team accompanied by the director walked in.

Everyone stood up to greet them. The director smiled and said: “Everyone can sit down. I want to personally announce the news.” He looked at Xu Xu with high regard. “Our bureau decided to send Xu Xu to Burma to partic.i.p.ate in the joint actions against criminals. This is the Public Security Bureau (Provincial Police) trust and confidence in the criminal investigation team and to the bureau as a whole.

After the director finished, Zhao Han immediately took the doc.u.ments in his hand and distributed them to everyone. Xu Xu’s name was printed on the bottom of the page.

Everybody, at first, a little surprised then laughed, applauded Xu Xu and verbally encouraged her. Lao Wu and Hu Ge smiled and also turned around to glance at Ji Bai.

 Xu Xu immediately stood up and promised to try her best, and not disappoint everyone’s expectations. Within the warm atmosphere, she subconsciously glanced toward Ji Bai’s direction.

There was still the warm smile on Ji Bai’s face, his black eyes were quietly staring at her. Xu Xu couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

The director left the team and had just got back to the office and sat down when Ji Bai  came and knocked at the door.

“Director, why isn’t my name on the action team?”The director was slightly hesitant. 

The action, this time, was instructed from the top so he didn’t seek for Ji Bai’s opinion and directly gave the order to the criminal investigation squad and specifically Xu Xu. Now that Ji Bai came, he suddenly remembered that the two were in a relationship.

The director had always been an impartial person, whenever making decisions and wouldn’t consider irrelevant factors. But not letting Ji Bai go, it was due to other reasons.

“This is a matter that you don’t have to consider. Your ability to crack cases is excellent, at the panel of discussion for candidates, you were also nominated.” Saying that, the director changed the topic: “When you joined the squad, I promised to your family that risks cannot be avoided in this line of work but I won’t a.s.signed you to dangerous places. About this, you also agreed. The trip to Myanmar this time, although with the a.s.sistance of Myanmar, probably won’t face any danger but that place is after all a land of war. I think, your family wouldn’t agree for you to go.”

Ji Bai did not speak.

He had come to find the director, not entirely because of Xu Xu. Just as the director said, his ability in criminals investigation was top notch in the country, he was very suitable to partic.i.p.ate in the case this time. Moreover, Brother Lu escaped from the action that he was responsible for. Just like other competent criminal investigators, Ji Bai wanted to personally arrest her.

But seeing the director’s obviously very determined att.i.tude, perhaps this had been pa.s.sed back to Beijing, and was very difficult to change.

That evening, Ji Bai sent Xu Xu back home downstairs to her apartment complex, Xu Xu smiled: “Goodbye.”

Just as she had turned around, Ji Bai immediately pulled her hand and looked up at the stairs: “I haven’t visited your house before.”

Ji Bai’s purpose certainly wasn’t to have a look at her house because he could guess that his girlfriend’s house was definitely clean and comfortable. After going around the house once, Ji Bai pulled Xu Xu to sit down on the sofa.

Then held her up to sit on his thighs and began to kiss her pa.s.sionately.

About the Myanmar trip, Ji Bai didn’t really mind. An Interpol going on a business trip was normal, moreover, Xu Xu was only going to do support work, this time, the danger wasn’t high. They were both the type of people who put work first and straightforward so no lingering nostalgic att.i.tude remained when parting.

After kissing for a while, looking at the crimson face in his arms and smelling the soft fragrance of her, the more Ji Bai looked, the more he couldn’t bear to let go. He whispered in her ear, asked: “Do you want me to go with you to Burma?”  

Xu Xu frankly answered: “Either is fine.”

 Although the answer was very much consistent with her personality and also in line with the actual situation – and if he really went, he was afraid that he wouldn’t have time to take care of her. But seeing her uncaring att.i.tude, he was a little bit disappointed on the inside. He tightened his arms and held her closer, his tongue venturing deeper inside. His hands began to wander, pulled up her shirt and slowly probe inside. Xu Xu’s hand slapped him. Despite her protest, his big hands firmly held on to the soft hills and didn’t move.  Slowly her breathing became faster, the small body was trembling slightly in his arms. Ji Bai left her lips then kissed down along her delicate neck.

A “rattle” sound came from the door.

 Interpol’s hearing being extremely sensitive, Ji Bai quickly looked up from Xu Xu’s chest. The two of them looked at each other.

“My brother!” Xu Xu pushed Ji Bai and sat down on the sofa. She rushed to tidy up her clothes. Ji Bai didn’t panic, he naturally draped one arm over her shoulders then looked together with her towards the door.

Just as he had walked inside the house, Xu Jun immediately saw his sister with a man sitting on the couch. The tall man looked calm with a light smile on his face. His sister also looked indifferent but… her face was red like a tomato and her clothes were disheveled. Did she forget how sensitive her skin was, a faint hickey mark was still on her neck?

Xu Jun and Ji Bai had met before. He stood to greet, the two sat down on the sofa.

Xu Jun said politely: “Ji Captain, thank you for taking care of my sister.”

Ji Bai looked at Xu Xu, softly said: “Whether work or personal, it’s what I should do.”

Xu Jun smiled and didn’t ask anymore questions. He glanced at the clock on the wall then looked at Xu Xu: “Do you have something else you want to talk about?”

This was what politely dismiss the guest meant. Xu Jun was a roundabout person, Ji Bai, and Xu Xu started dating for how many days? How could the man think that he could visit to see the parents so quickly? Today was just by chance, he as her brother, of course, should act strictly to make a bit pressure for the future brother in law.

Xu Xu looked at the clock which reads ten o’clock, it was a bit late. She said: “Third brother, it’s quite late, I’ll see you out.”

 Ji Bai nodded and picked up the jacket. He didn’t moved but looked at Xu Jun with warm eyes while speaking: “This might be abrupt, but you’re the brother that Xu Xu has the utmost respect for so I would like to express my grat.i.tude to give you peace of mind. I place great importance on the feelings I have for Xu Xu, I also plan to get married to her in the future. I know her personality is very simple, I’ll try my best to take care of her in the future. It’s quite late, I should leave.”

After Ji Bai left, Xu Jun glanced at Xu Xu: “Third brother? So this brother of yours is in what place?

Xu Xu still felt happiness from Ji Bai’s remarks, she only laughed without answering.

After Xu Jun got out of the bath, he was just in time to see Xu Xu stand before the sofa, pull out his keys from the trouser pocket.

“What are you doing?” Xu Jun frown.

Xu Xu removed the key to her house then put his keys back into the pocket.

Xu Jun was slightly angered: “Already thinking of your boyfriend.”

Xu Xu calmly replied: ” What if the next time you come when we’re making love? Wouldn’t you feel embarra.s.sed?”

Xu Jun got angry.

After that, Xu Xu personally cooked him a bowl of noodles, and also added two eggs for his supper. After Xu Jun ate, he felt a lot more pleasant inside. Looking at his sister without her lips curled up sitting on the sofa texting, his heart immediately softened and he walked over to rub her hair.

The baby sister whom he raised for many years, couldn’t bear to let others touch was now almost becoming another man’s woman.

Brother just hoped that his sister would always be happy, it was best to never be hurt by a man, make no mistake nor get betrayed by him.

The next day.

Tomorrow Xu Xu would be going on the business trip, and hence did not need to be at the bureau today. In the morning, she went to the Provincial station for a meeting and packed her luggage at home in the afternoon. In the evening, Ji Bai came to her house. Xu Xu was busy packing so he sat in the living room watching Tv.

The sky was darkening, the news anchorman’s voice reciting the news. Outside the window, everyone had lit up their places brightly. Ji Bai sat for a while and looked inside the room. Xu Xu was sitting on the bed folding clothes into the luggage. There were white earbuds around her neck, she looked very calm, while humming a song tunelessly.

She would be leaving tomorrow at noon, yet the little guy still wasn’t nostalgic.

As if aware of his eyes Xu Xu suddenly turned around, she looked straight at him then got up and walked out.

Ji Bai comfortably leaned back on the couch. He pulled her hand but she stood between his legs and refused to sit down. After that, she took her phone out from the shirt’s pocket and raised it up in front of his face. The camera continuously flashed, she glanced at him and faintly said: “Let me take a few pictures, I will take them out to look at them while I’m there.”

Hearing her words, the frustration and depressed feelings inside him immediately disappeared. After she finished, Xu Xu obediently sat on his lap and looked at the pictures.

Because she was at home so she was wearing a loose simple T-shirt, she looked especially fragile. Her hands were slender, pale, and softly placed in his wheat colored hand, it looked especially vulnerable. Ji Bai lowered his head and gently kissed on the back her hand, he lifted his black eyes to look at her: “How about sleeping at my house tonight?”

Xu Xu was subtly petrified, she slowly turned her head toward him: “Do you think that’s possible?” She jumped out from his lap, scrolling a little but her face was flushed in deep red.

Ji Bai stretched out his arm and pulled her back to sit down on his lap. He looked down at her eyes: “What are you thinking? My self-control is not that bad. You’re going tomorrow, so sleep with third brother one night, okay?

Ji Bai’s house wasn’t far from the police station, it was in an open and quiet area. The whole area was full of trees, having only a few residential buildings. He lived in a s.p.a.cious two bedroom, furnished exactly in single man’s style; black, white, and gray, simple, chill, neat, and clean. The kitchen was brand new, with no scent of food.

Xu Xu had brought the luggage there, and would go to the provincial station directly tomorrow morning to report for duty.

Coming to Ji Bai’s house was the right decision, looking at the realistic firearms models in his collection, Xu Xu felt very happy. In addition, there were also photos of him when he first joined the police. Most of them were commended and meeting photos. Ji Bai was in his early twenties with a short military haircut with a handsome white face that couldn’t hide the arrogance in his eyes. Unlike now, tanned a lot, the big hands were scarred and callused. Encountering any big thing, his dark eyes only gave off cold and calm.

After that, the two of them sat on the sofa and watched a movie in the comfortable and good atmosphere.

Later on the night, Xu Xu yawned, Ji Bai looked over at her and his arms left her shoulders: “If you’re sleepy then go to bed. There are clean bed linen and blanket in the closet. I’m going to take a bath.”

Xu Xu watched him go into the bathroom and soon came the pattering sound of water. She turned around and looked at the two rooms; a study and a bedroom, only one large bed.

Xu Xu brought blankets and pillows to the sofa in the living room. She also arranged it neatly for him. Then she took new linens and blankets from the closet then laid on the bed after finished everything.

The bedroom had a big window with dark gray curtain, the night stars shined through the gla.s.s creating an empty peaceful atmosphere.  

Xu Xu buried her head in the soft pillow. His bed was very clean with no smell. She really liked it.

The bathroom door made a sound, Xu Xu jumped out of bed and stood still. Footsteps were approaching, Ji Bai appeared at the door.

In the bedroom’s soft light. Ji Bai stood there as if blocking most of the light. He was wearing a gray T-shirt and black shorts. The shoulder muscles were looming out making him look even taller and stockier. The length of the shorts was above the knees exposing the dark strong legs. His hair was wet, plastered to his forehead. On the angular face the black eyes as if hidden by a layer of mist, silently looked at her.

Xu Xu’s face suddenly turned hot, also intently looked at him.

And then he casually went out to the living room and came back with his pillow and threw it on the bed, then lifted his eyes to look at her: “Sleep.”  

Xu Xu: “You aren’t sleeping on the sofa?”

Ji Bai sat on the bed, smiled at her: “I won’t do anything, come on let’s sleep.”

Xu Xu trusted Ji Bai’s words of a.s.surance. She crept into the bed and lay down beside him. Ji Bai reached out to pull her into his arms and began to kiss.

Because of lying on the bed, Xu Xu’s body was completely tensed. After a while, Ji Bai’s lips left hers with his handsome at close distance, black eyes were shining like the stars: “Good night.”

Xu Xu also wore comfortable home T-shirts and trousers. But he only dressed in shorts so his hot skin stuck to her making her felt uncomfortable. So she spoke: “This is too uncomfortable to sleep, let go of your arms.”

Ji Bai compromised and retrieved his arm being like a pillow under her head, but the other arm was still around her waist, he faintly said: “Just count it as practice.”

The night was quiet, only the rustling sound of trees blowing in the wind was heard. Both of them had their eyes closed and quietly hugged each other. Xu Xu’s psychological quality was relatively strong, she quickly calmed down. Moreover, his arm was actually quite comfortable. The sleepiness slowly arrived. Suddenly, hot lips touched hers, Ji Bai once again lowered his head down to kiss her.

Continuing for a moment, Ji Bai finally endured, hugged her waist from behind and fell asleep.

All these years, Ji Bai had practiced the habit of waking up early. It was only dawn, he had already woken up. Just opened his eyes, he realized that Xu Xu’s entire body like a sloth was clinging on to him. Her arms around his waist and legs wrapped around his legs with face buried in his chest, deep in sleep. Was she treating him as a pillow? Ji Bai couldn’t continue to let her hold on to him. His self-control had been provoked the whole night, now was the weakest time. Ji Bai gently removed her arms and feet, got up to take a cold shower.

Returning to the bedroom, she was still asleep. Ji Bai sat on the bedside, held up her soft hands to kiss. After a little while, he went out to the balcony and closed the door, called to Beijing. “Xue minister, it’s me little Ji. Sorry to disturb you so early. Yes, my director refused to let me go. I personally volunteer to go.

It’s a little abrupt, I am really sorry. My grandfather certainly would agree, my mother has the habit of worrying excessively..”

Lin City was adjacent to the southwest border; there were several nonstop flights a week to Myanmar. The members from around the country had gathered there to fly to Burma.

The afternoon’s strong burning sun shined over the s.p.a.cious waiting lounge. Xu Xu sat in the row of empty chairs, had her head down looking at the information on the case. Other members of the team were older than her and also famous and important figures in the police force, they all knew each other. Seeing a stiff quiet girl sitting there, they called out to greet her then didn’t pay much attention to her and gathered to chat while smoking. After a while, a ministry of public security deputy was nominated to be the action captain summoned everyone.

The airplane had landed on the ap.r.o.n, the boarding gate had been opened, the hostess smiling standing at the entrance waiting.

The captain solemnly said: “Ladies and gentlemen, We are about to embark on the plane, leaving the country and go arrest a criminal. On behalf of the task force’s request which also expressed we have to try our best and overcome all difficulties and be determine to arrest the criminal.

Everybody applauded. The captain smiled: “I also have a good news, I just received a notice from the higher up, the force gained one more member, he took the initiative to join. With him, we can be even more powerful.”

Hearing that, Xu Xu’s heart was slightly disturbed.

The captain added: “He’s Ji Bai, captain of the criminal investigation team of Lin City Police. I believe that we all know of him. He should be here soon.” Everyone expressed looks of joy, Xu Xu’s eyes drifted toward the waiting lounge entrance.

A little while later, a familiar tall figure appeared. He was carrying a suitcase and leisurely walked in.

When Ji Bai came closer, a few familiar Interpol captains happily greeted him. Ji Bai shook hands or hugged everyone then came over to greet the captain. Someone handed him a cigarette but he waved his hands saying that he already quit. Finally, he indistinctively looked at Xu Xu.

Xu Xu stood outside the crowd, watching his calm handsome profile and his warm smiling eyes, could not help but smile.

What a loss. 
If I knew that he would go, I definitely wouldn’t have slept with him yesterday.

Edited by No.5 proofreader