Helping Beautiful Women Become Stronger, I Have a Love System

25: Chapter 25 Ji Guangli wants to sleep in the same room as Cao KunThe entire process went smoothly, far beyond expectations.

Cao Kun watched from the side, understanding in his heart that ninety-nine percent of this smoothness and preferential treatment was due to Long Huili’s influence.

Li Bin repeatedly referred to him as ’Secretary Long’s brother,’ his attitude polite and thorough, even carrying a trace of subtle deference. This gave Cao Kun a new, higher estimation of Long Huili’s actual status and influence within Xuefen’s company.

After signing and exchanging contracts, both parties exchanged a few more polite pleasantries, agreeing on the specific liaison personnel and the project’s start time for the follow-up.

Li Bin had another meeting to attend, so he excused himself and left first.

Only after Li Bin’s figure disappeared at the elevator entrance did Ji Guangli’s tense shoulders relax almost imperceptibly.

She looked down at the now-effective contract worth millions in her hand, the corners of her mouth uncontrollably curving upward. A relieved, genuinely relaxed, and happy smile blossomed on her face, her eyes crinkling into beautiful crescents.

”We... we actually did it!”

She turned her head to look at Cao Kun, her voice brimming with irrepressible joy, ”Cao Kun, this time it really was all thanks to you! It’s fantastic!”

Cao Kun was also infected by her smile, feeling a heart full of accomplishment, but out of habit, he modestly replied, ”You’re too kind, boss. It was only under your brilliant leadership that I could complete the task successfully.”

Ji Guangli was amused by him, giving a rare, coquettish roll of her eyes. Her tone became much more casual and intimate.

”Alright, alright, stop putting me on a pedestal.”

”This matter really didn’t have much to do with me. I was just here to go through the motions, an extra piece.”

”To put it bluntly, even if you had brought... well, someone else with you today, this contract would still have been signed.”

She had almost said ’a dog,’ but stopped herself in time. The implication, however, was already clear.

Cao Kun looked at her rare, almost mischievous expression and knew she was truly overjoyed, even making this kind of joke.

He chuckled and continued to play along, ”Boss, don’t be so self-deprecating. Your presence alone is a stabilizing force, your aura is right here.”

”Smooth talker,” Ji Guangli scolded with a laugh, clearly in an excellent mood.

She carefully placed the contract into a document folder and said seriously, ”But honestly, after we get back, you need to properly thank your ’Sister Long.’”

”She helped us tremendously this time. Manager Li showing so much face was entirely due to her influence.”

”In the future, if we want to maintain our cooperation with Xuefen, we’ll still need to rely on this connection.”

Her words, both explicit and implied, already positioned Cao Kun as the key figure in maintaining this important client relationship, even vaguely placing some responsibility and expectations upon him.

Simultaneously, her curiosity about Cao Kun’s relationship with Long Huili grew even stronger.

What kind of sibling bond could make her exert such effort?

But since her last inquiry was vaguely brushed aside by Cao Kun, although curious, she felt it inappropriate to probe further now and could only temporarily suppress her questions.

Cao Kun naturally agreed readily, thumping his chest in assurance, ”Got it, boss! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely thank Secretary Long properly when we’re back. I’ll make sure to keep this elder sister happy. Our long-term meal ticket will be secure!”

He deliberately emphasized the word ’thank,’ an image of Long Huili’s charming smile flashing in his mind.

He thought this ’thank you’ would probably require another ’in-depth exchange.’

...

Mission accomplished.

Cao Kun drove the car steadily towards the highway entrance, filled with the joy of success and a faint, ambiguous undercurrent.

Sunlight outside the window danced across Ji Guangli’s relaxed brow.

The weight of the contract in her hand now felt as light as a feather, because the mountain named ’performance pressure’ in her heart had been completely removed.

Just as the car was about to turn onto the highway ramp, Ji Guangli suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a rare, almost willful lightness, ”Cao Kun, no rush to get on the highway just yet.”

”Hmm?” Cao Kun slowed down, looking at her with confusion.

Ji Guangli turned her head, her gaze resting on the expansive sky of City of Luo and the faint outlines of distant mountains outside the window, a smile on her lips.

”The business is done, the contract is signed. We’ve come all this way, and today is overcast, no scorching sun. Why don’t... we play for a day before heading back? We’ll leave tomorrow.”

This suggestion completely caught Cao Kun off guard.

He looked at the pure, expectant light sparkling in Ji Guangli’s eyes, now free of burdens, and felt his heartbeat inexplicably quicken.

Accompany his beautiful boss on a trip?

And it was her initiative? This was like manna from heaven! Maybe if they had a good time, that ’make her genuinely happy from the heart’ mission could be accomplished in one go!

”Of course!” Cao Kun agreed almost immediately, turning the steering wheel and pulling over to the side of the road.

”Where would you like to go, boss? Longmen Grottoes? White Horse Temple? Or somewhere else?”

After a brief discussion, the two ultimately chose the renowned Longmen Grottoes.

As the cultural landmark of City of Luo, that treasure trove of stone carving art, nestled against mountains and water and spanning millennia, was sufficient to carry the leisure and sense of exploration following their victory.

Upon arriving at Longmen Grottoes, even under the cloudy sky, the overwhelming grandeur that transcended time and space still hit them.

Ji Guangli changed into casual clothes and sneakers in the car.

Only then did the two enter the scenic area.

The Yi River flowed gently. On the cliff face of the West Hill, densely packed Buddhist niches and statues were carved into the mountain. Having weathered the storms of time, they still silently narrated the brilliance of faith and art.

From the magnificence of the Middle Binyang Cave to the compassionate and solemn gaze of the Vairocana Buddha at Fengxian Temple overlooking all beings, every step on the historical plank road inspired awe and a sense of openness.

Ji Guangli seemed to have completely shed her professional identity, acting like a curious tourist, sometimes stopping to listen to explanations, sometimes raising her phone to photograph the exquisite reliefs.

Cao Kun walked beside her, occasionally shielding her from passing crowds or handing her the portable telescope from his backpack when she tried to see details high up.

The two of them, with their outstanding looks and refined demeanor, naturally attracted quite a few glances as they walked together.

Many tourists mistook them for a high-profile couple.

Even a photographer with a professional camera approached them enthusiastically, offering to take a set of couple photos for free, believing their image and interactive atmosphere were very photogenic.

”We’re not...” Ji Guangli’s face flushed slightly as she instinctively started to explain.

”Sorry, we’re not a couple, we’re colleagues,” Cao Kun also quickly clarified with a smile.

But his heart rippled slightly at the misunderstanding. He stole a glance at Ji Guangli and noticed that although she denied it, the tips of her ears seemed a bit red. Her profile, set against the ancient backdrop of the grottoes, looked exceptionally soft and beautiful.

Ji Guangli’s heart was also unsettled.

The word ’couple’ was like a small stone tossed into the lake of her heart.

If it were with him... the thought flashed by, making her heartbeat a little erratic.

She quickly redirected her attention back to the millennia-old stone carvings, but the unconscious curve at the corner of her lips betrayed that she wasn’t averse to the misunderstanding; in fact, she felt a bit happy about it.

They lingered at Longmen Grottoes for nearly half a day, only leaving reluctantly in the afternoon.

After the cultural journey, it was natural to reward their stomachs.

Cao Kun suggested trying the highly recommended local snacks at Xiaojie Tianfu.

Ji Guangli readily agreed.

Xiaojie Tianfu was bustling with people, full of lively atmosphere.

They ordered Dan Dan noodles, Longyan steamed buns, bean skin hot pot, sweet and sour spicy baby potatoes, fermented glutinous rice with red bean sweet soup balls...

A small table was filled with various snacks.

The Dan Dan noodles were numbing, fragrant, fresh, and spicy; the Longyan buns had thin skin and tender filling; the sweet and sour spicy baby potatoes were crispy with a sour-sweet and numbing flavor—each had its own distinctive taste.

As they ate, they commented and shared the food, also sharing the pleasant mood after their outing. Unconsciously, their relationship grew much closer.

After dinner, night fell.

Having played all day, fatigue began to set in, and they needed to find a place to stay.

On the way back, Ji Guangli leaned against the passenger seat, watching the brilliant nightscape of City of Luo outside the window. That peculiar feeling in her heart grew like a creeping vine, becoming clearer and clearer.

She had to admit that after these past few days of interaction, especially Cao Kun’s meticulous care last night and today’s relaxed, pleasant companionship, she seemed... to have really developed feelings for this man, a few years younger than her, who always brought surprises and a sense of security.

She had never shared a room with a member of the opposite sex. That experience was both unfamiliar and carried a forbidden allure for her.

Now, a bold yet shy thought emerged: she wanted to try it. What would it feel like to simply be in the same space with someone she liked, just being together?