When A Snail Loves Chapter 18

Perhaps Ji bai realized someone is behind him so he turns around all of the sudden while Xu Xu is in a daze. Under the morning’s sunlight, drops of sweat are running down Ji Bai’s sharp face. His pair of eyes are eyeing her attentively, quietly question: “What kind of speed is that?”

Xu Xu felt like she gets electrocuted, quickly speed up her running speed passing him.

 

It’s only 7:30 AM when Xu Xu finished her jog, No one can be found in the office. Xu Xu doesn’t like the oily smell of foods in the cafeteria. Therefore she takes the box of food that she brought this morning to a small meeting room and also puts a newspaper next to it before she walked out the room.

There is a small shower room for the workers in the station. Xu Xu comes back to the office 20 minutes later after bathed clean. Just pushed the door of the small meeting room, she immediately froze.

Ji Bai is sitting on the place she chosen; his left hand is holding the newspaper while his right hand is placing the shrimp dimsum into his mouth. The box of food in front of him is empty.

Seeing Xu Xu standing there, Ji Bai glances up to look at her: “Sit down!”

While Xu Xu hasn’t quite understood why did he eat her breakfast?

Ji Bai still focused on the newspaper, his deep voice not fast nor slow speak up: “I ate your breakfast to let you understand that for an officer, it is important to know how to communicate with others. Since our work rely on citizens to give us information. How could an officer who only works well but doesn’t know how to treat others receives support from the public?

Xu Xu continues to be stunned.

Ji Bai steadily speaks: “ I guess you are not that bad since you’ve prepared breakfast for me. However, you don’t have to do it anymore. I don’t need this kind of tricks in my team.

Xu Xu started to understand, Ji Bai has misunderstood her.

To be honest, it is easy for Ji Bai to be mistaken about this. Because the fact that Ji Bai also doesn’t like the oily smell of the cafeteria of the station. He has been eating at the small meeting room everyday while reading the newspaper after his workout in the morning. Everyone knows this habit of his for these past years. Also, he always sit at that spot because the sunlight that shines through there is just right.

When he walked into the meeting room today, he sees the box of food and the newspaper next to it in his spot. There is only Xu Xu in the office right now so it must be her who prepared them.

In the past, there are a few female officers who involuntary opened the small meeting room’s door and asked if he wanted to have some breakfast however he has always declined. Because this is Xu Xu, he knows that she doesn’t have any other thought in mind. He feels that it is a precious thing that Xu Xu who is a bookworm knows to ingratiate her superior. He can’t reject her harshly. So he decided to accept it while also teaches her how to treat others. Moverover, her breakfast is shrimp dim sum that JI Bai likes the most.

When he finished speaking, he immediate sees Xu Xu pair of black eyes staring at him attentively, the nice pair of eyebrow furrows up: “You have mistaken me, I didn’t prepare the food for you. The food is my breakfast.”

Within a second, the room is in tranquility.

Ji Bai places the newspaper down and attentively looks at Xu Xu without saying a word.

At this time, Xu Xu feels that she might have been too straightforward about it. She glances over Ji Bai’s face, considers for couple of second before deciding to compromise: “If you want, I will prepare breakfast for you tomorrow.”

“No need!” Ji Bai stands up; his big built which like a tall big tree completely conceal her figure. He cracks a light smile: “If that is the case, then I cannot eaten your breakfast with nothing to return. Tomorrow, you have to be here 1 hour earlier than today, I will personally supervise you.”

Earlier than today 1 hour, that means leaving the house at 5 AM… Xu Xu stunned, Ji Bai walks passed by her leaving the small meeting room.

When Xu Xu runs to the cafeteria, all the food are sold out. Xu Xu can only return with a hungry stomach.

A while later, all the colleagues start to arrived. Yao Meng is holding 2 bag of small buns, radiantly smiles when walking in the door: “ Fresh buns just out of the oven, it is really famous in my area. I brought an extra bag, is there anyone who wants to eat it?”

Everybody replied saying they already ate, Yao Meng takes the bag of buns walks to Ji Bai’s office: “Have you eaten breakfast yet?”

Ji Bai is reading the newspaper, it is concealing his face, there is only a light voice echoed out: “I have eaten.”

Yao Meng sticks out her tongue, brings the bag of buns returning to her seat. She finds Xu Xu pair of black eyes is attentively stares at the bag of buns on her hand. Xu Xu asks with a deary tone: “ Could you give me one bag?”

In her profession, Xu Xu has her own willfulness and proudness. But as a officer, she always earnestly follows all the regulations and orders. Even though Ji Bai’s order is outrageous, Xu Xu never though of going against her superior, she can even can be said to be a bit too “cowardly endure”

Xu Xu leaves the house on time the next morning. When she reached the track field, it is still dark outside; the street’s lights are still on. On the big track field, there are only 2 to 3 people running on the track in the dark.

Xu Xu stands for just a moment, then instantly find a person from the fog running toward her. It is Ji Bai, perhaps he hasn’t been here for long since there is no smell of sweat on him.

Under the dimly light, the outline of Ji bai’s face is blurry but his deep and calm voice is very clear: “How many laps did you run yesterday?”

“Five laps.” Xu Xu reply.

“It’s ten today, the speed cannot be slower than yesterday; I will keep track of the time.” After spoken one sentence, Ji Bai continues to run toward.

Xu Xu silent for just seconds; holds up the bottle of water to drink a gulp water out of it before runs after Ji Bai.

Eventhough saying that Xu Xu is running behind Ji Bai but he already out of sight. When Xu Xu passed half a lap, there is sound of footstep coming from behind.

From the breathing sound, one can tell the power emitting of the person exercising. Contrary, there is no power in Xu Xu’s jog at all with her weak movement. She has short stride while light exhalation. Looking down, Xu Xu instantly see one stride of Ji Bai is even longer than two of hers, he quickly runs pass her….

“This lap doesn’t count, you ran way too slow.” Ji Bai’s voice echoed from the dark space afar. Xu Xu stunned then somberly run following him.

It is completely bright outside when Xu Xu finished with 10 laps. Xu Xu is so tired that she can’t even breaths. Xu Xu can’t even count how many lapses Ji Bai did. She just knows that in the last 2 laps, Ji Bai went somewhere; she isn’t sure where he went. Xu Xu wonders if he is keeping track of the time like he said he would.

Wondering for a moment, Xu Xu crawls with her sore legs to leaves the track field. Passing the equipment area, she sees Ji Bai is sitting down with a man there. Hearing her footsteps, the two of them turned around, Ji Bai smiles and waves to her: “Xu Xu, come here.

His smile is really warm making his handsome brighten up under the sunlight.

Xu Xu glances at him then turns to look at the man next to him.

The man is over 50 years old, average built, clean cut with a gentle looking face. He speaks up first: “ Hello, Xu Xu. I heard there is a new trainee that is very promising, I didn’t think it is such a petite girl like this.”

Xu Xu speaks up: “Hello superintendent Nghiem, I’ve heard of your great reputation for a long time.”

The man smiles brightly: “Not surprising, clever and bright. However, since you are Ji Bai’s student, you should call me (teacher of teacher).”

There is a word for teacher of teacher in Chinese but I don’t think we have one in English….

This person (last) name is Nghiem, he was a superintendent. He is now retired, he’s Ji Bai ‘s teacher back then. He was super famous detective in the L city. Xu Xu heard a lot about him. Based on his age, actions, and voice to predict his identity.

Of course, Ji Bai’s gentle smile also a clue to it.

“Hello (teacher of teacher)” Xu Xu sincerely greets.

Mr. Nghiem looks at Xu Xu’s clear eyes. He feels great likeness for this petite girl in front of him. He smiles and says to Ji Bai: “Your student is very obiedient while really clever, you have to teach her well. And she is a girl so you shouldn’t be too harsh on her.”

Ji Bai smiles: “Of course”

Xu Xu turns silent..

Hearing that Xu Xu learned criminal psychology, Mr.Nghiem seems to be interested in it. Having such a famous person praised her, Xu Xu blushes a little.

Mr.Nghiem observes her then winks with Ji Bai to say to him that this petite girl is so innocent.

Ji Bai quietly listens to the two of them talk. Received his teacher’s wink, he glances over Xu Xu. Looking at her, he is a bit stunned.

The sun is way up emitting faint morning sunlight. Xu Xu standing in front of them, her pale skin is like translucent under the sunlight. Her tiny face is slightly red. Just a light red but because of her thin skin makes it look like the color of blood. Her ears are also turned red, looks really loveable.

She is looking down slightly and isn’t very relaxed looking. Despite, her eyes are still black and calm as usual like two small rivers.

So she is nice looking like this.

Seeing that Ji Bai is just looking at her without saying anything, Xu Xu obediently lowers down in front of Mr.Nghiem: “(Teacher of teacher), I have to leave first, bye!”

Mr. Nghiem smiles while keeps his eyes on her until she is out far to turn to Ji Bai: “That’s why you didn’t complain and accepted to train a female college’s student, she seems to be very competence.”

Ji Bai glances up just to see Xu xu leaves the track field, he smiles to reply: “ she doesn’t cause any trouble.”

At lunch’s break, Xu Xu in deep sleep, to the point where she doesn’t even hear when the alarm rings up that it is time for work. Yao Meng pushes Xu Xu’s body to wake her up: “Are you alright? You look like you just got beaten almost dead by someone.”

Xu Xu depressingly reply: “Almost like that.”

She just turned on the PC to find a new message from UC of officers; the person talking is Zhao Han.

UC : A system for announcement and chatting,etc for specific for officers.

Before, Xu Xu asked Zhao Han about the track field, so he knows that Ji Bai is training her. And he feels bad that the reason Xu Xu has to do this is because Xu Xu got kidnap as a hostage. That’s why, he imitates motivate her.

Zhao Han: “what do you feel about Ji Bai’s evil training?”

Xu Xu: “It is really evil.”

Zhao Han: “Haha *(when facing difficulty, that is when one learns how to endure). Ji Bai is doing it for your own good!”

* He said a Chinese quote

Xu Xu: “I understand”

Zhao Han: “All the female officers in the station are so envious of you.”

Xu Xu: “Why?”

Zhao Han just says it carelessly. Facing with Xu Xu questioning, he is a bit stunned for couple of seconds before replying: “Because he is handsome.”

Xu Xu: “Because he is handsome, they want him to abuse them? Do they like to be abused or something”

Sitting in his desk in front of her, Zhao Han spits water out of his mouth.

To be honest, Xu Xu is very straightforward with her wording and actions. She meant to say abuse as in running and she feels it is so scary. Her use of word is just because of her study in psychology. But to a average man like Zhao Han, her word is a bit too much.

—————-

Chapter end