Everyone laughed.

Old Wu added: "Teach her well, she might become a female detective in the future. But her physical fitness seems to be not so good, which is a problem."

"That won't be a problem." Ji Bai smiled calmly, "Let her work herself to death, and her physical fitness will naturally improve."

☆、Running snail

When Xu Xu got up the next day, the five bright red fingerprints on his chest had not yet faded. Her skin was originally white, and she felt that she looked quite hideous when she looked in the mirror.

So I applied some safflower oil and the whole body smelled good. While at work, Yao Meng came over to smell it and asked, "Where else were you injured yesterday?"

Xu Xu replied: "Just a minor injury."

After a while, Ji Bai walked into the office leisurely with his hands in his pockets, nodded and greeted everyone, and went into his room.

If it were any other girl, she would definitely feel awkward and shy when seeing Ji Bai. But Xu Xu was too rough in this regard and had no feelings at all. He just greeted politely.

Ji Bai's nerves were not rough, but he understood and controlled himself very well. He knew that his obsession with the soft touch was just a normal reaction after his physical desires had been suppressed for too long. So after returning home last night, he took a cold shower and all his fantasies disappeared. Seeing Xu Xu today, he would not have any other thoughts.

"Hey, do you feel that the atmosphere in the office is different after the boss came back?" Yao Meng glanced at Ji Bai's office and whispered.

Xu Xu nodded. It’s different, more intense. Everyone spoke in a lower and faster voice than usual.

She adapted quite well.

***

Because there was a lot of follow-up work to do in the Yang Yu case, Xu Xu and Yao Meng were very busy helping everyone out that day. By the afternoon, the case materials had been basically sorted out. Before Xu Xu could catch his breath, the phone on the table rang at the perfect time. It was Ji Bai: "Come in."

When Xu Xu walked in, he saw Ji Bai leaning back in his chair, holding a few pages of documents in one hand, without even raising his head: "Close the door."

Xu Xu closed the door and stood there obediently. He raised his eyes to look at her and said, "Sit down."

Xu Xu sat down as he was told.

Feeling his sharp gaze on him, Xu Xu also raised his eyes and looked directly at him. His face was handsome and clean, and his dark eyes were slightly narrowed, with a scrutinizing look in them.

Xu Xu likes to observe other people's eyes because they can reveal their emotions to a certain extent. But there seemed to be something lazy and indifferent in Ji Bai's eyes at all times, making it difficult to understand.

"In the past ten years, you are the first police officer in Lin City to be held hostage by criminals." Ji Bai said, "How do you plan to explain it?" His voice was low and stern, and his eyes were cold. He had scolded several other female police officers in the police station until they cried before.

But Xu Xu was not embarrassed at all, and replied: "Nothing needs to be explained."

It’s not that Xu Xu has no sense of honor and disgrace, but that her mentality is too peaceful. She knew that physical fitness had always been her weak point, but she believed that everyone had things they were not good at. Since they had tried their best, why should they feel ashamed of their shortcomings?

Ji Bai stopped talking, his dark eyes just staring at her. Xu Xu looked at him calmly. After a while, a faint smile suddenly appeared in his eyes.

This smile made Xu Xu feel some kind of invisible pressure, as if something bad was going to happen.

Sure enough, Ji Bai threw the document he had been holding onto the table. Xu Xu took a quick glance and realized it was his resume. The column for physical fitness scores was circled by Ji Bai with a red pen.

"I passed." Xu Xu emphasized.

"You are the only one in the entire criminal police team who has passed the physical fitness test." Ji Baidan said, "The others are excellent. And I just checked, although you passed, you are the last in the department."

At this time, Xu Xu's face felt a little hot. After all, the title of "last from the bottom" was too extreme, and it was still a bit painful for a top student.

Ji Bai stared at her. "Within three months, your physical fitness must be improved from passing to good. During these three months, you are not allowed to go out on patrol, and you can only do civilian work. I don't need a subordinate who could be hijacked at any time and drag down the entire team."

***

When Xu Xu came out of Ji Bai's office, he was still quite depressed. Because she was not sure at all whether she could achieve the goal set by Ji Bai.

So from this moment on, Xu Xu was shrouded in the pressure of "probably not being able to achieve the goal." When I got home from get off work, I immediately turned on my computer, searched for some information, and made a plan to improve my physical fitness. The plan was undoubtedly demanding, she had to do a lot of training and eat more.

Xu Jun did call her at night and asked her if she had finished the case and wanted to introduce her to an IT technician. Xu Xu said yes.

Xu Jun could tell his sister was in a bad mood. After asking what was going on, he smiled and said, "Your boss is right. I'm also worried about you catching criminals with your small physique."

***

Since "exercise" is a very hard thing for Xu Xu, she feels it is necessary to reward herself. The next morning she went out at 6 o'clock, bought some delicious breakfast, and then drove to the police station.

There is a sports field next to the police station, which is affiliated with the police academy. It was just dawn at this moment, and a light mist covered the runway like a veil. Xu Xu put on earplugs as usual and started running slowly.

There were strong young men and middle-aged people passing by. Most of them wore sports vests issued by the police station. Xu Xu had just run two laps when he suddenly heard a cold voice beside him: "Are you a snail?" He turned around and saw Ji Bai standing next to him, wearing a gray T-shirt and dark sports pants.

He had obviously been running for a long time. His back and chest were soaked with sweat, and his hair was also wet. His face was a little red, and his eyebrows and eyes looked even darker and clearer in the morning light. He looked like a handsome young man. But his expression was stern, and he stared at her with a frown.

Because they were standing so close, the smell of the man's sweat and heat could be smelled. Before Xu Xu answered, he took a small step back reflexively. In Ji Bai's eyes, the girl shrank back like a frightened animal. There are differences between men and women, so he didn't want to force her anymore, so he just said coldly: "Faster!"

Xu Xu ran with all his strength. It’s not that I’m afraid of him, but I’ve heard that Ji Bai has kicked out people he was dissatisfied with from the criminal police team several times, and he never showed mercy. Xu Xu wanted to be a criminal police officer, and she would never let herself be driven away. And she also understood that Ji Bai's physical requirements were actually for her own good.

Fearing that he was following him, Xu Xu did not dare to slack off. He ran for most of a circle and noticed that there were no footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw that the fog was thick and he did not catch up at all.

Xu Xu breathed a sigh of relief and slowed down a bit. He had to improve his physical strength gradually.

Unexpectedly, after running another half circle, I saw a familiar figure standing in the equipment training area in front of me.

At this time, the fog had dissipated a lot, and the morning light shone on the lawn. Ji Bai had his back to her, lifting something that looked quite heavy. His back looked very tall, and every inch of muscle under his T-shirt slowly revealed its tight lines and contours. And when he put the equipment down, his bulging muscles retracted again, and the lines of his back became slender and well-proportioned again, casting a soft and smooth silhouette in the sunlight.

Xu Xu had always thought that although he was tall, he did not look strong, but he did not expect that he was so muscular. Although Xu Xu has never been in a relationship, he knows how to appreciate people's physical beauty. She has never liked strong and powerful men, but appreciates handsome and slim men. According to her aesthetic standards, Ji Bai is good-looking, but his muscles, although not bloated and even well-proportioned, still detract from his appearance.

Just as he was lost in thought, Ji Bai seemed to notice the gaze behind him and suddenly turned around. In the sunlight, a drop of sweat slid down his angular face, and his dark eyes stared at her, as if silently asking: What speed are you going at?

Xu Xu sped up as if he had been electrocuted, and silently ran away from him.

***

It was exactly 7:30 when I finished running and there was no one in the office. Xu Xu didn't like the smell of cooking fumes in the cafeteria on the top floor, so he put his breakfast in the small meeting room, took a newspaper and put it next to it, then left.

There was a special bathing area in the police station compound. By the time Xu Xu finished his bath and returned to the office, it was already twenty minutes later. As soon as she pushed open the door of the small conference room, she was stunned.

Ji Bai sat in the seat she had chosen, holding a newspaper in her left hand and putting a crystal shrimp dumpling into her mouth with her right hand. The lunch box in front of him was empty.

Xu Xu was stunned. He just raised his eyes and glanced at her: "Sit down."

Why did he eat her breakfast?

Ji Bai's eyes were still fixed on the newspaper. He spoke in a low, unhurried voice, "I'm eating your breakfast to tell you that as a criminal police officer, it's necessary to understand some social conventions. Criminal investigations rely on clues from the masses. How can a police officer who only knows his profession and not the ways of the world get the support of the masses?"

Xu Xu continued to be stunned.

Ji Bai: "You know to prepare breakfast for me, so you are not hopeless. But you don't have to prepare it in the future, my team doesn't need this."

Xu Xu then understood: Ji Bai had misunderstood.

In fact, it’s not Ji Bai’s fault for being sentimental. He didn't like the smell of cooking fumes in the cafeteria, so after exercising every morning, he would go to the small conference room to eat something and read the newspaper. Over the years, everyone on the team knew it. And he would definitely sit in this position so that the sunlight could shine in just right but not too glaring.

As soon as he entered the small meeting room today, he saw breakfast and newspapers neatly placed at his seat. Xu Xu was the only one in the office, so it must have been prepared by her.

There had been one or two times before when the female police officer knocked on the office door and asked Ji Bai if he wanted breakfast, but of course he refused. But now the target is Xu Xu, he would not think that she has other thoughts. He just thought it was commendable that this nerd could think of pleasing his boss. You can't discourage her from making such changes, so just accept it and teach her some tips on the ways of the world.

What's more, she bought his favorite crystal shrimp dumplings.

However, after he finished his lecture, he saw Xu Xu's dark and clean eyes staring at him, and his delicate eyebrows were already frowned: "You are wrong, this is my breakfast, not prepared for you."

The room fell silent instantly.

Ji Bai put down the newspaper, stared at her, and said nothing.

Xu Xu then felt that he might have been too direct and embarrassed him. After pondering for a moment, he decided to compromise: "If you like, I can bring you one tomorrow."

"No need!" Ji Bai stood up, his tall figure looming over her like a tree, and smiled faintly, "In this case, I can't eat this breakfast for nothing. Tomorrow you arrive an hour early, and I will supervise it myself."

One hour early means going out at five o'clock... Xu Xu was still a little dazed, and Ji Bai had already passed her and walked out of the small meeting room.

When Xu Xu ran to the cafeteria again, breakfast was sold out. I had to return to the office hungry.

After a while, colleagues came in twos and threes. Yao Meng came in carrying two bags of steamed dumplings and said with a smile, "Freshly steamed dumplings. My area is famous for them. I bought an extra bag. Who wants one?"

Everyone said they had eaten, so Yao Meng walked to Ji Bai's door carrying a bag and said, "Boss, have you eaten?"

Ji Bai was still reading the newspaper, his face hidden behind his head, and he said in a light voice: "I have eaten."

Yao Meng stuck out her tongue and returned to her seat with her breakfast. She saw Xu Xu's always dark and cold eyes staring at the bun in her hand, and said in a muffled voice: "Can you give me some?"

☆、In his eyes

Xu Xu has her own stubbornness and arrogance in her profession, but as a police officer, she always strictly enforces the rules and orders. Although Ji Bai's request was a bit unreasonable, she would not think of rebelling against her superiors, and it could even be said that she was a bit "submissive".

So the next morning, she still went out on time. When we arrived at the sports field, it was dark but the street lights were still on. The track was eerie and empty, and you could vaguely see three or two people running in the darkness.

She stood there for a while, and then she saw a figure running towards her from the thick haze.

It was Ji Bai. He must have just arrived and there was no smell of sweat.

The light was dim, and his outline was a little blurry, but his voice was clear and powerful: "How many laps did you run yesterday?"

Xu Xu: “Five.”

"Ten today, and the speed cannot be slower than yesterday. I will time you." After saying these words, he continued to run forward.

Xu Xu was silent for a moment, picked up the water bottle, took a big sip, and followed.

Of course, although he said he followed, Ji Bai actually disappeared very quickly. After Xu Xu ran half a circle, he heard steady and fast footsteps approaching from behind.

Just by listening to the rhythmic breathing, you can feel the power released by the male body during exercise. In comparison, Xu Xu's running had no sense of presence at all, her steps were small and her breathing was light. When she lowered her head, she saw Ji Bai surpass her in one step, which was two and a half steps away from her...

"This lap doesn't count. It's too slow." A faint voice floated from far away in the darkness. Xu Xu froze and followed it depressedly.

By the time Xu Xu finished running ten laps, it was already dawn and he was so tired that his breathing became weak. As for how many laps Ji Bai ran, she couldn't count them anymore. Anyway, he stopped in the last two laps and she didn't see him. She didn't know where he went. She even doubted whether he was really timing it.

After resting for a long while, Xu Xu dragged his legs, which felt like they were filled with lead, out of the stadium. When I walked to the equipment area, I saw Ji Bai sitting there with a man. Hearing her footsteps, they both turned around. Ji Bai waved at her with a smile on his face: "Xu Xu, come here."

The smile was exceptionally gentle, making her already outstanding appearance shine even brighter in the sunlight.

Xu Xu glanced at him and then turned his gaze to the man.

The man looked to be in his fifties, of medium height, with gray hair and a kind face. He said to her, "Hello, Xu Xu. I heard that there is a new member with great potential in the team. I didn't expect that she is such a petite girl."

Xu Xu: "Hello, Captain Yan. I have heard a lot about you."

The man's smile deepened: "You are indeed very clever. But since you are Xiao Ji's apprentice, you should call me Master."

This person is none other than the retired former criminal police captain, whose surname is Yan. He was also Ji Bai’s former master and a famous detective in Lin City. Xu Xu had heard of him before, and based on his age and tone of voice, he guessed his identity.

Of course, Ji Bai's smile, so gentle that it seemed to be dripping with water, also explained everything.

"Hello, Master." Xu Xu called out honestly.

Captain Yan saw that her eyes were clear and she was neither humble nor overbearing, so he developed a favorable impression of her. He smiled and said to Ji Bai, "Your apprentice is well-behaved and smart, so take good care of her. She's a girl, so don't be too strict."

Ji Bai smiled: "Of course I know this."

Xu Xu was silent.

Captain Yan was very interested when he heard that Xu Xu was studying criminal psychology. He asked him a few questions, and Xu Xu answered them one by one. Captain Yan praised her a few more times. After all, the person he was facing was a former legend in the police force, and Xu Xu blushed a little.

Captain Yan observed Ji Bai's expression and gave her a look, meaning that this girl was too naive.

Ji Bai was originally listening to their conversation quietly, but when he received a look from his master, he looked towards Xu Xu. When he saw this, he was slightly stunned.

The sun has risen, and the morning light is yellowish and bright. Xu Xu stood in front of them, her originally pale skin now looked almost transparent in the sunlight. But the little cheeks were evenly flushed. The red color was not deep, but her skin looked so thin and fragile that the red color seemed like blood that was about to drip down. Even its snow-white ears are red, a moist color that looks like it will stain your hands if you touch it.

She lowered her head slightly, looking a little embarrassed, but her eyes were as clear, dark and calm as always, like two shallow streams, quietly reflecting the sunlight.

It turns out that it is quite pleasing to the eye.

Xu Xu saw Ji Bai looking at him indifferently, and it seemed that he had no other instructions, so he bowed to Captain Yan politely and said, "Master, I'll be leaving first. We'll talk next time."

Captain Yan kept smiling as he watched her walk away. He turned to Ji Bai and said, "No wonder you don't mind the trouble and are willing to take on a female apprentice. You seem to be very good."

Ji Bai looked up and saw Xu Xu turning out of the stadium. He smiled and replied, "She didn't cause any trouble."

***

During the lunch break, it was natural for Xu Xu to sleep soundly. She didn't even hear the bell for work, and it was Yao Meng who woke her up and asked cutely, "Are you okay? You look like you've been beaten up."

Xu Xu replied weakly: "About the same."

As soon as I turned on the computer, a message popped up on the police station’s internal UC (internal communication system), and the person being talked to was Zhao Han.

Xu Xu had asked him about the situation at the sports field, so he knew about Ji Bai's training. In addition, he had always felt guilty about Xu Xu being held hostage last time. Therefore, I come here specifically to encourage.

Zhao Han: "How does the devil training feel?"

Xu Xu replied: "Indeed, a devil."

Zhao Han: "Haha! God will give great responsibilities to this person! Captain Ji, this is for your own good."

Xu Xu: “I know.”

Zhao Han: "Other policewomen can't even envy me like this."

Xu Xu: "Why?"

Zhao Han typed casually, paused for a moment, and replied: "Because the boss is handsome."

Xu Xu: "Because he's handsome, they want to be tortured by him? They like being tortured?"

Sitting opposite, Zhao Han spat out a mouthful of water.

In fact, Xu Xu's thoughts and language are very straightforward, and what she says is limited to the literal meaning. "Torture" refers to the running that makes her feel extremely torturous; "masochism" refers to the very serious concept of masochistic physique in psychology. But to an ordinary man like Zhao Han, her words were too explosive.

Similar things have happened before.

In high school, everyone was still very shy about matters between men and women. One day after school, several girls stayed in the classroom and gossiped privately, saying that they suspected a certain girl and a certain boy had "had an improper relationship." Because Xu Xu was also there at the time, one of them had a good relationship with Xu Xu and excitedly asked her what she thought about this matter.

Xu Xu didn't know the two people they were talking about, so he could only comment on the nature of the incident and answered, "Sex is an animal instinct."

The girls who were too embarrassed to even mention "doing" publicly were immediately shocked.

…

Here, Zhao Han replied tremblingly: "You..."

Xu Xu replied: “?”

Just as he finished typing the question mark, he heard a leisurely voice behind him: "Xu Xu, come to my office."

Xu Xu turned around and saw Ji Bai holding a cup that was still steaming. He must have just returned from the tea room. He glanced down at her, then turned and walked into the office.

Xu Xu didn't think she said anything excessive, but Ji Bai saw her commenting on him, which still felt a little wrong, so she immediately stood up and followed him in.

As soon as they sat down, Ji Bai glanced at her and said indifferently: "According to my standards, morning exercises are just warm-ups. The real torture hasn't started yet."

Xu Xu: “…”

Ji Bai flipped open a document and threw it to her: "This is a report that my superior wants. Please prepare it and hand it in before the end of get off work tomorrow."

Xu Xu took it, flipped through it, and asked about a few unclear points. Just as Ji Bai was about to answer, his cell phone rang.

It was an important call. He picked up the phone, stood up, motioned Xu Xu to wait a moment, and walked into the small meeting room next door.

He didn't tell her to leave, so Xu Xu just sat there and waited obediently. She finished flipping through the documents in a short while. Ji Bai hadn't come back yet. She looked up boredly and looked around.

It was mid-afternoon, and the sun shone through the large windows, painting the floor a warm golden color. Even the terrazzo marble tabletop seemed to have taken on the scent of being dried by the sun.

The chair in Ji Bai's office is also more comfortable than the ones outside, it is both large and sturdy. After sitting in the sun for a while, Xu Xu felt a little sleepy. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and thought.

After Ji Bai finished the call and walked into the office, he saw Xu Xu had fallen asleep.

The small body curled up in the wide chair, head slightly tilted back, arms resting on the armrests, movements and postures as mature as a middle-aged man. His complexion looked a little bad, and his dark eyebrows were slightly wrinkled, as if he was deeply tired.

It seems that the little one is really exhausted.

Ji Bai looked at her for a few seconds, walked lightly, returned to his seat, lit a cigarette and smoked it slowly.

Give her ten minutes.

***

However, Xu Xu woke up in less than a minute.

I was awakened by the slight rustling sound of turning pages. When I opened my eyes, I saw Ji Bai sitting opposite me without me noticing. His handsome face was slightly drooped, one hand holding a cigarette, the other hand flipping through documents, with no expression on his face.

She didn't know how long she slept, but falling asleep in front of her superior during work hours was too much for her. Especially Ji Bai who is so strict. She immediately broke out in a cold sweat on her back and her face turned pale.

Ji Bai didn't even raise his head and asked slowly, "Are you satisfied with the sleeping conditions in my office?"

Xu Xu's expression became even uglier: "I'm sorry."

I thought I would be met with even harsher criticism and ridicule from Ji Bai, but he suddenly changed the subject: "What else are you unclear about just now?"

Xu Xu was startled and asked about his work questions. Ji Bai answered them one by one, but did not mention the embarrassing incident of her falling asleep.

***

Generally speaking, Xu Xu's life was worse than death during the first week after Ji Bai came back. I am exhausted both mentally and physically every day. I fall asleep as soon as I get home from get off work, and my appetite has increased significantly.

Xu Jun naturally felt distressed when he saw her depressed look. But he himself was a strong-willed and hardworking man, and he thought that the training would be good for his sister, so he didn't say much. She just said that since she failed in her career, she must strive for success in love. She has arranged a blind date for her this Friday, a high-quality IT man, and she must be on time.

On Friday morning, Xu Xu finally completed the great task of ten laps. While sitting in the small conference room eating breakfast, he asked Ji Bai if he still had to train on Saturday and Sunday.

Ji Bai replied, don’t you eat on Saturdays and Sundays?

So Xu Xu was speechless.

By the time he got off work, Xu Xu was already feeling depressed. But because the blind date in the evening had already been scheduled, she could only think about meeting him early, completing the task, and going home to sleep.

She went directly to the parking lot of the bureau, and Xu Jun came to pick her up. As soon as I went down to the basement, I saw Ji Bai walking out from another passage.

"Xu Xu!" A clear voice came from Xu Jun, who was wearing a well-made black suit and sitting in his Mercedes Benz with a smile in his eyes. But when he saw the simple shirt and casual pants she was wearing, he frowned, "You're going on a blind date dressed like this?"

Xu Xu looked down at himself: "Like this?"

Xu Jun remained silent. Xu Xu turned around and said, "Captain Ji, goodbye."

Ji Bai actually glanced at her, nodded, and walked towards the car next to him.

Xu Xu walked over and Xu Jun opened the door for her. He was a little surprised: "Your superior?"

She nodded, just in time to see Ji Bai driving by in a black Buick. They were ordinary cars, and he didn't even look at them.

***

As the lights came on, a black Mercedes Benz was moving through the traffic. When Xu Jun parked the car at the entrance of the "courtyard", Xu Xu still keenly sensed that something was wrong.

Courtyard, a low-key but famous private club in the city. A few years ago, when Xu Jun earned his first million, he generously brought Xu Xu to dinner. Later, Xu Jun came more frequently, so Xu Xu naturally refused to keep him company.

But isn’t it a bit too much to go on a blind date with an IT engineer in a “courtyard”?

Seeing Xu Jun leisurely walking in with his long legs, Xu Xu said: "Stop."

Xu Jun certainly understood what she was questioning, and he justified himself without changing his expression: "The president of an IT company is of course also an IT person - you can't discriminate against him just because he has a high position."

Xu Xu frowned: "First of all, the president is a manager, not a technician, not the type I specified; secondly, people of this type are generally more complicated in character and thinking than ordinary people, and their work is also busier. Do you want me to face a turbulent marriage with less time together and more separation?"

Xu Jun also stopped smiling and replied, "First of all, I have known this man for a while. He is not like the average rich kid. He is a responsible man. Xu Xu, love is not a rigid thing. It cannot be successful by analysis and prediction. Secondly, since you are here today, you should give me this face and at least finish this meal."

Xu Xu stopped talking.

Xu Jun thought she was angry and wondered if he had said something too harsh. Just as he was about to soften his tone, Xu Xu nodded: "I accept your opinion, go in."

Xu Jun was stunned, then smiled and touched her hair: "Just touch him, if it doesn't suit you, just kick him out. It doesn't matter if he's a CEO or a soldier, my sister likes him the most important thing."

Xu Xu nodded: "Nonsense."

The two walked towards the reserved private room. From afar, they could see the old-fashioned yellow window frames and the window paper as white as snow. In a quiet and elegant room, a young man sat behind a table with a pot of sake and a burner of sandalwood at his side. The white porcelain wind chimes on the door jingled. The man raised his head, looked at Xu Xu, and smiled slightly, revealing his snow-white teeth. His handsome face had a soft and elegant look in the light of the night.

Ye Zixiao.

☆Whose story