The situation in Northern Burma was hot and anxious, whereas Lin City was calm, warm and pleasant.

The air conditioner in the police station was blasting on full power, releasing a refreshing coolness throughout the office. Since there were no big cases lately, it had been quiet and orderly in the office and everyone was quite relaxed.

Zhao Han took a set of documents out from the fax machine and seemed joyful. “This is great, there’s news from Myanmar. These few days, Captain and the others have identified more than ten of Brother Lu’s strongholds and have also captured around forty people. Now they just have to apprehend Brother Lu herself.”

Old Wu smiled when he heard this. “We can get started on the celebrations.” Everyone laughed upon hearing this. Amid the lively discussion, Old Wu set his eyes on Yao Meng who was sitting diagonally opposite him. She neither joined in the discussion nor lifted her head up, and there was only a faint smile on her fair and beautiful face.

When they were getting off work, Da Hu went up to Yao Meng. “Little Yao, can you hand in that report you’re working on to me tomorrow?”

Yao Meng had already turned her computer off, so she took her handbag up and smiled at him. “I’ll try my best.” She left after saying this.

Soon enough, almost everyone left the office. Zhao Han stood in the relative empty office and asked aloud, “Why do I feel that Yao Meng has been out of it at work lately?”

Da Hu stood by the windows and looked downstairs. Beside the road outside the police station, Yao Meng was walking towards a Rolls-Royce, whereby the driver got out of the car and opened the back door for her. She smiled sweetly at the person inside the car, then entered gracefully.

“She’s found herself a rich man.” Da Hu muttered, “No wonder she’s been bold enough to slack.”

Old Wu sighed softly. “I’ve talked to her but she’s not very willing to communicate. She’s quite a good child, but I couldn’t make her stay.”

Zhao Han jaw dropped. “You’re saying that Yao Meng has decided to quit?”

Old Wu did not reply, but Da Hu sneered, “It’s obvious, how can you not tell? Her heart’s not even here anymore.”

During sunset, Maija City looked much more peaceful and tranquil with the warm glow of washing over the land.

The streets that used to be bustling and vibrant were all but closed, such that they looked cold and deserted. As for the locals, after days of terror brought on by continuous gunshots, they too finally felt like peace had been restored.

Xu Xu was getting so exhausted as she arranged the last sets of data that her vision was starting to get blurry. She walked over to the window and stretched numb body, then lowered her head to see Ji Bai and a few other criminal police officers returning to the hotel after getting out of a car.

The operation had gone perfectly. Yesterday, Sun Pu had brought four criminal police officers away to continue the search for Brother Lu whereas Ji Bai, Xu Xu, and three others stayed back in Maija City to wrap things up.

Xu Xu smiled and walked leisurely to the basin to wash her hands, then she took the first aid kit out and waited. After a while, as expected, she received a message from Ji Bai. “Come over if you’re free.”

Ji Bai had been badly injured after saving Zhou Chengbo, and while most of his injuries were only flesh wounds, there was a knife wound on his left upper arm which was particularly deep. On top of that, the weather here was scorching so it was easy for the wound to get infected, so both Xu Xu and him made sure to keep a close eye on it.

When Xu Xu entered Ji Bai’s room, she saw him sitting under the fan, stripped to his waist. He had probably just finished showering as his hair was not completely dried yet, and his eyes seemed to have water vapor in them, which made them look extra shiny and wet.

Xu Xu walked over then lowered her head and kissed his cheek. He immediately turned around and held her face to kiss her softly, then they went to handle their own matters.

Ji Bai was going through some information when he suddenly looked sideways at Xu Xu’s face.

Over the past few days, they had been so occupied that each time Ji Bai got his wounds treated it was done in a hurry, such that he had no time to check up on her at all. There was also one time when he had a canceled meeting with Chen Yalin and the others so he grabbed the opportunity to ask her to treat his wounds, but did not even realize that she was not around. At last, their work had temporarily come to an end and he was much more relaxed that he could now finally take a good look at her.

She had planted one leg on the floor and was kneeling on the couch with the other as she stood quietly beside him with her head aimed downward to focus on cleaning his wounds. This evening, she wore a simple pale blue knee-length cotton dress, which only made her skin look more snowy-white and clean than usual. Only now did Ji Bai notice that she was actually quite particular about her outfits – she had a wide variety of clothes, and they were all practical.

Now, as her partner, he was very much enjoying the delicate feminine charm that she subconsciously gave off.

After looking at her for a while, Ji Bai reached his hand out to hold her arms. Her skin was smooth and cold and also seemed to be free of sweat; her flesh was soft too, which was the complete opposite of his firm and warm muscles. In the past, Ji Bai did not know that women’s skin could be so soothing to touch, but after feeling it regularly, he felt like it could even grow to be an addiction.

The corner of Xu Xu’s mouth curled up as she let him gently pinch the flesh on her arms while she concentrated on treating his wounds.

“Don’t move.” Xu Xu stretched her body over the side table to retrieve more ointment, and as she did so, Ji Bai’s eyes casually ran along the curves of her body.

Xu Xu took the medicine and continued applying it on him. All of a sudden, she felt a pressure on her waist after Ji Bai placed his hands there. Xu Xu saw this but ignored. However, she did not expect him to start using his thumb to caress the flesh on her waist through the cotton.

“It’s a little itchy.” Xu Xu could not help but laugh.

His hand paused. After some time, he moved his hand to her bum, then he paused for a while before he started to stroke it softly.

Xu Xu’s body quivered. Then, in a daze, she raised her eyes to look at him.

He was almost completely calm as he looked straight back at her; his mysterious eyes appeared quite daunting as though it was looking right into her heart, whereas his hands did not stop moving…

The fan whirred quietly in the background as the sunset painted the room with long, golden rays. Ji Bai gazed downward and looked at her heavily flushed face, and immediately felt as though a teasing wind had just blown part his normally undaunted heart. The image from that day of this girl unintentionally exposing her skin was deeply engraved in his mind. In addition to this, the wonderful feeling tantalizing his fingertips combined with the knowledge that he was gripping her seductive curves was just too great…

Xu Xu was in a dilemma when Ji Bai openly seized her – since the two of them were a couple, this sort of intimacy was reasonably normal; that being said, she still felt embarrassed and her whole body felt like it was on fire, her heart was pounding faster than ever before. A foreign excitement rushed into her heart, but this burning sensation was more than she could bear. Does she want more? Or should she make him stop?

As she thought of this, Ji Bai’s hands stopped right before he lifted her dress up. Xu Xu breathed a sigh of relief once she knew that it was over. She still felt like work was more important at this point in time and that she should not give way to sensual desires, so she pushed him away and stood up.

“I’m going back.” Xu Xu said softly.

Ji Bai smiled plainly, he did not force her.

After walking a few steps away, she turned around and said, “I won’t be visiting you at night anymore until we return to Lin City.”

Ji Bai understood, after all, they were here for work; he was only playing by ear just now as he could not hold back his desires. Besides, after looking at her all shy and embarrassed, he felt pleased. “Alright. I’ll listen to you, we’ll wait until we return to Lin City.”

The heat in Xu Xu’s cheeks resurfaced again as she walked away quietly.

After arranging some files in her room, Xu Xu received a call from Sun Pu asking her to send a document over to General Po to be signed. By now, the sun in the sky was still bright and the city was now relatively safe. Therefore, Xu Xu did not alert Ji Bai and only called Ti Sa who brought two soldiers along with him to look for Po.

There were almost no cars or people on the roads on the way there with Kachin soldiers stationed every fifty meters or so – the whole city was basically under Po’s control. The liaison officer in the military told them that Po had gone to the prison in the city where the criminals were being temporarily detained. Thus, Xu Xu set off, but when she arrived, the sky was already turning dark.

As Xu Xu and Ti Sa walked through the prison’s entrance, they could see a group of soldiers standing by the field ahead off in the distance. There was a man kneeling whilst another person was lying on the ground. This shocked Xu Xu, so she strode over there.

As they moved closer, she managed to get a clearer look. The man lying on the ground was a soldier, blood was gushed out from his neck and his eyes were wide open in horror – it was clear that he was already dead. As for the man who was kneeling, it was a criminal from one of the gangs, Xu Xu knew this as she had registered his information before. Po stood at the very front of the crowd wearing a light gray military shirt and dark military trousers. He looked much more hostile and stern than usual.

When he saw Xu Xu, he took a glance at the information in her hand, so he knew that she was looking for him. He lifted the corners of his thick lips into a sneer. “Wait for a while.” Then he took his gun out and aimed it at the criminal’s head.

Xu Xu immediately dashed in front of him. “What are you doing?”

The soldiers around were startled as they watched this young lady from China yell at their general. Po turned and looked at her, the smile on his face was bone-chilling as he explained. “This person tried to break out of prison and ended up killing one of my soldiers.”

Xu Xu took a look at the messy corpse on the floor then replied, “We’ll investigate the offense, and if it’s true, we’ll add it to his penalty, but you just go around lynching as you please.”

The people around fell silent as the eyes of the criminal who was trembling out of fear lit up with hope again. “Yes, yes, you shouldn’t be lynching…”

Po looked at Xu Xu and put his gun down whilst Xu Xu looked straight into his eyes without turning away. Then, he unexpectedly took the documents from her hand. “Do you need me to sign this?”

Xu Xu replied, “… Yes.”

He took the pen and quickly signed it before returning it to Xu Xu. Right after Xu Xu took it back, she saw him lift his gun up at the speed of light.

“You can’t!”

Nonetheless, it was too late. Po actually forced the barrel of his gun into the criminal’s mouth, and with a “bang”, the blood splashed out of the back of his head. His mouth hung open limply and his eyes remained open in shock as he slowly dropped to the ground.

Xu Xu felt her temples twitch suddenly as her mouth frowned in horror. On the other hand, Po passed his gun to the deputy officer and then left without even looking at her.

Xu Xu watched him for a while then left too. A while later, Ti Sa caught up with her, and with the help of some translations, tried to comfort her. “I’ve talked to the soldiers just now and it’s true, that man deserved to die so you don’t have to be outraged.”

Xu Xu did reply him, but once she got in the car, she made a call. “Director Sun, there’s something that I must report to you…”

Xu Xu did not calm down even after returning to the hotel.

After their initial meeting many days ago, the task force rarely contacted Po. He had always stayed in a villa in the city, and all the arrest were handled by the deputy officer, so Director Sun was the only one who occasionally met him. On the other hand, his soldiers had cooperated with the task force very well and had carried out their jobs valiantly. Hence, Po gave everyone the impression that he was a brusque, dauntless, pragmatic military man.

However, what happened today utterly shocked Xu Xu. Although she had seen corpses in the past, it was the first time that somebody had been killed right in front of her. Moreover, it was done in a direct and cruel way. She remembered the moment that the victim died: his frightened face, his shaking face muscles, and the remains of blood and flesh splattered across the ground. All of this was deeply imprinted in her mind such that they could not be wiped away.

After laying in her bed for a while, she still felt anxious, so she left her bed and knocked on Ji Bai’s door.

Ji Bai had already fallen asleep, but when he heard the knocks he quickly put on a shirt and a pair of pants. Upon seeing Xu Xu at the door, he smiled. “Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t be coming over until we return to Lin City?”

Xu Xu did not smile as she entered the room quietly.

Ji Bai watched her walk in, then followed her. The two of them sat down on the couch and Ji Bai reached his hand out to hold the back of her head, then stroked her hair. “Tell me what happened.”

Xu Xu briefly explained what had happened, after which Ji Bai looked horrified. He let go of her and stood up. “This must be reported to Director Sun and voiced out to the Burmese government, it can’t be tolerated.”

Xu Xu nodded. “I’ve already reported it and Director Sun is furious too, he’ll take care of it right away.”

Only after hearing this did Ji Bai sat sit down.

The two of them sat there silently for some time, but Ji Bai noticed that his partner still did not look alright. “What’s wrong?”

Xu Xu kept quiet for a moment then looked up at him and said softly, “Third brother, my heart feels unpleasant.”

Ji Bai understood that it was her first time witnessing a person’s life being taken. Despite the fact that she was a calm and prudent person, she still had a kind nature, so it was natural that she was affected by this.

To be honest, her reaction was quite acceptable as compared to that of a normal person.

That being said, it was still her first time acting fragile in front of him; she had even called him “third brother” as if she was wronged. All the while, she had been upfront and direct with her speech and expression and never tried to hide anything, thus the reliance that she expressed at this moment made Ji Bai feel even more sorry for her. However, even though he felt sorry for her, he also felt a bit of joy. He hugged her in his arms and lowered his head to look at her face which was just inches away from his. “Myanmar is quite chaotic due to their war, so the military can be quite cruel in the way that they handle things, don’t take it to heart.”

Xu Xu remained silent for a while then replied, “I understand, they don’t have any awareness of the law. General Po also probably thinks that this is the only way to gain the respect of his soldiers.”

Ji Bai smiled and no longer talk sense into her. Later on, he kissed her again.

The night sky was turning darker and Xu Xu had already calmed down, despite this, her heart still felt somewhat stifled. She wanted to stay with him longer, so she did not mention anything about returning to her room; meanwhile, Ji Bai did not say anything either.

Sometime later, the two of them climbed onto the bed. Ji Bai turned off the main light and only left a table lamp on, then he pulled her into his arms and started kissing her neck before moving downwards. He also placed his hand into her dress and used it to explore her body.

The night sky was tranquil the only sounds that could be heard was the crickets chirping in the paddy field outside. Xu Xu’s body was burning, and her head spun as though she was intoxicated. In spite of this, it was a completely different feeling from the afternoon as she was not nervous at all and was no longer embarrassed or uneasy either. Her initially awkward feelings seemed to have been calmed through his loving touches and kisses.

Xu Xu watched his lean figure while breathing in the warmth dissipated from his muscles and felt like drowning in his arms. Soon, she reached out her hand out and caressed his back, then his shoulders, then his waist…

Ji Bai was enjoying her touches, and his heart felt like a kettle about to overflow, causing him to become more gentle with his kisses. He thought about her fragile skin which might be covered in hickeys tomorrow and slowed himself down. In the midst of the passionate love, he suddenly froze as he felt her hand grabbing onto…

He looked at her with his mouth wide open.

Xu Xu was merely following her heart’s desire and had grabbed onto it because she wanted to. When she looked at Ji Bai’s agitated eyes, Xu Xu stopped in her tracks.

Ji Bai immediately flipped her over and held her down on the bed.

This time, their intimacy was much closer and deeper than ever before. He finally took off her dress, but as he approached the point of no return, he suddenly pulled the blanket over and covered her body. He then took a deep breath and sat up.

He spoke gently. “I don’t want you to recall your first time happening in such an awful place.”

“Mmm.” Xu Xu’s face was completely red and she nervously replied, “I need to get ready too.”

Ji Bai could not help but laugh he kissed her forehead one last time before going for a shower.

When Ji Bai got on the bed again, he saw Xu Xu shriveled under the blanket whilst looking at him with a big smile on her face. Ji Bai’s heart jumped a bit as he laid on the bed and pulled her into his arms. A moment later, he took out a bundle of keys from the edge of his bed, then detached his house key and passed it to her. “Wait for me in Lin City.”

He said this because, according to the delegated tasks, he had to go to Yangon tomorrow to continue hunting for Brother Lu with Sun Pu and the others; Meanwhile, Xu Xu would leave with three other criminal police officers on General Po’s personal train to help escort all the criminals back to China, meaning the two of them would be separated for at least ten days. Xu Xu kept the keys, but when she thought about him having to run about all day long and the fact that he would be overworked, she felt sorry for him, so she offered him some encouragement in a sweet voice, “Alright, we’ll meet again, victorious, back in Lin City.”

Ji Bai was rather disturbed that he was not able to taste the beautiful lady in his arms, and he could not help but get distracted when he heard those words – to have a victorious meeting back in Lin City… He smiled deeply. Xu Xu was confused. “Why are you smiling?” Ji Bai did not answer as he hugged her tightly. “Let’s sleep.” The morning of the next day, Xu Xu and the other colleagues boarded Po’s personal train, and under the watchful protection of Po’s army, they escorted all criminals towards China’s border. On the other hand, Ji Bai headed in the opposite direction.