Lisa saw Jaehyun and she smiled lightly, waiting for him to speak.
Jaehyun lowered his head to look at her.
When he saw Lisa dressed up so femininely, Jaehyun 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?"
Lisa replied politely, "Fine. What about you?"
Jaehyun shrugged. "I'm doing good too." As good as he could be.
After a moment of silence, Jaehyun smiled and said, "Has there been any cross-border police activity between China and Myanmar recently?"
Lisa 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 Jaehyun.
Jaehyun 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 Lisa by Jaehyun.
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, Lisa 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 Lisa found nothing when she searched the police unit database.
Jungkook 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 Lisa went through her files at her desk.
Suddenly, she got a call saying that the station chief had summoned her.
The look on the station chief's face was solemn and serious as he handed a document to Lisa. 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."
Lisa 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 Rosé 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, " "Rosé 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 rescue even more victims, and since you're a psychologist, you will be able to comfort the victims better."
Lisa 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?"
Lisa 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?"
Lisa nodded. "I guarantee that I will complete the task."
After this, Lisa left the station chief's office. As she walked to the front door of the criminal police unit, she saw Jungkook 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 Lisa passed by Jungkook, he did not look sideways, but a smile quickly flashed through his eyes.
Lisa 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 Jungkook 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 Lisa whilst beaming with pride and said, "The station has decided to send Lisa 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, Taehyung passed around some documents that the deputy station chief had been carrying to everyone. They looked at it and saw that Lisa's name was printed on the bottom of the page.
Everyone was a little surprised at first, then they all grinned. They applauded Lisa and offered her words of encouragement, but while Old Wu and Da Hu smiled, they also looked towards Jungkook.
Lisa 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 Jungkook.
Jungkook 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, Jungkook 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 hy the higher ups, so he did not consult Jungkook's opinion and directly issued an order to the criminal police unit and Lisa herself. It was only after Jungkook 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 Jungkook 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."
Jungkook did not say anything.
The reason why he went to the station chief was not just because of Lisa. 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, Jungkook 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, Jungkook sent Lisa back to her house. After getting out, Lisa smiled and waved at him. "Goodbye."
As she was about to turn around, Jungkook 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 Jungkook 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.
Jungkook 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, Lisa 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, Jungkook 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?"
Lisa 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. Lisa tried to reach out to stop him but Jungkook 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. Jungkook 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 Jungkook quickly pulled his head away from Lisa's neck and the two of them looked at each other.
"My brother!" Lisa quickly pushed Jungkook away, sat up straight and hurriedly did her best to tidy up her clothes. Meanwhile, Jungkook calmly placed his arm around her shoulders and looked towards the door expectantly.
When Mingyu 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.
Jungkook had met Mingyu in the past, so he quickly got up and greeted him. Then, the three of them sat down together on the sofa.
Mingyu nodded politely at Jungkook. "Captain Jeon, thank you for taking care of my sister."
Jungkook looked at Lisa and answered gently, "You're being too modest. I'm supposed to take care of her, be it at work or privately."
Mingyu smiled and did not ask anymore. He turned to look at the clock on the wall and then looked at Lisa once again. "Didn't you have something to talk about?"
He was hinting at Jungkook to leave as Mingyu was a person who liked to beat around the bush. How long had it been since Lisa and Jungkook 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.
Lisa looked at the clock and saw that it was already 10.00 pm, so she piped up. " Third brother, it's late, I will send you down."
Jungkook nodded and picked up his outerwear, but he did not get up. Instead, he looked at Mingyu calmly and said, "This may sound a little abrupt, but because you're Lisa's brother, whom she has always respected, I want to make it clear so you can rest easy - I take my relationship with Lisa 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 Jungkook left, Mingyu looked at Lisa in confusion. "Third brother? Then what brother am I?"
Lisa was feeling happy because of what Jungkook had said, so she smiled and did not reply.
After Mingyu took a shower, he came out to see Lisa standing in front of the sofa taking the keys from his trouser pocket.
"What are you doing?" Mingyu frowned.
Lisa ignored him and put the keys into her own pocket.
Mingyu saw this and became a little angry. "Girls always forget about their family the second they get into a relationship!"
Lisa rolled her eyes and answered calmly, "What if we're having sex the next time you walk in? Have you no shame?"
Mingyu's heart nearly jumped out of his mouth.
After a while, Lisa made him a bowl of noodles for supper with two eggs in it. Mingyu 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 little baby 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.' Mingyu thought to himself.
🌙
The next day.
Lisa 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, Jungkook came over, but Lisa 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.
Jungkook sat there for a while, then he looked sideways and saw Lisa 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, Lisa suddenly turned her head. Then, she stood up and walked towards him.
Jungkook 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 Jungkook'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. Jungkook 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?"
Lisa'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.
Jungkook 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?"
Jungkook'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.
Lisa 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. Lisa 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. Lisa quickly noticed that Jungkook 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, Lisa yawned. Jungkook 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."
Lisa 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.
Lisa 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 seem 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.
Lisa 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, Jungkook 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 thighs. His hair was still wet and stuck to his forehead as his eyes shimmered slightly from the water.
Lisa'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."
Lisa was a bit surprised. "You... are not sleeping on the sofa?"
Jungkook sat down on the bed and smiled at her. "I won't do anything. Let's sleep."
Lisa 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 Lisa's entire body was very tense. After a while, Jungkook 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."
Lisa 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."
Jungkook 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 Lisa'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, Jungkook lowered his head to kiss her and she once again felt something warm on her lips.
After restraining himself for the entire night, Jungkook managed to hold it in and fell asleep with her while hugging her from behind.
Jungkook was used to waking up early, so he opened his eyes just as the sun was rising. He then turned to look at Lisa and struggled to suppress his laughter. Lisa 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, Jungkook 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. Jungkook 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 Jeon. I'm sorry to disturb you this early... Yes, our station chief 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. Lisa 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 a valuable asset to our group..."
Lisa's heart began to race when sheheard this.
"He's none other than the captain of the Criminal Police Unit in Lin City, Jungkook! I believe that everyone knows him already and he should be arriving soon." Everyone had a joyful look on their face as Lisa'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.
Jungkook walked over to everyone and quickly greeted several well-known criminal police captains. Jungkook 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 Lisa.
Lisa 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.
🌙