Helping Beautiful Women Become Stronger, I Have a Love System

50: Chapter 50 A Woman Who Still Retains Her CharmCao Kun looked at the scorching sun outside, then at the high-proof liquor, and quickly waved his hand with a smile.

”Uncle, it’s so hot today, white liquor is too harsh. I’ll have some beer with you; it’s cooling and just as enjoyable.”

As he spoke, he picked up a bottle of chilled beer.

It wasn’t that he was afraid of drinking—his body, strengthened by the system, had a very high metabolism for alcohol—it was mainly that drinking white liquor in this weather felt like torture.

Ji Baoxiu was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, ”Alright! Beer is good too!”

Cao Kun poured the beer into a bowl, while Ji Guangli and Ma Guilan poured themselves drinks.

Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together.

The cool liquid went down, dispelling much of the summer heat.

Ma Guilan kept serving food to Cao Kun’s plate, fearing he might be too shy to help himself.

The atmosphere at the dining table was harmonious.

The elderly couple naturally began to ask about Cao Kun’s personal background.

”Xiao Cao, where is your home? Are your parents doing well?” Ma Guilan asked with concern.

Cao Kun put down his chopsticks and answered seriously, ”Auntie, my home is in Muye City, also in the countryside. My parents’ health is fine; they farm at home and do some odd jobs nearby during the off-season. I also have a younger brother and sister. My brother is in university, and my sister is in her senior year of high school.”

Hearing that Cao Kun was also from a rural background and that his parents were ordinary farmers, the Ji Baoxiu couple were not disappointed; instead, they felt more at ease and a sense of kinship.

This showed that Cao Kun had made it on his own merit, which was even more rare and made people feel he was down-to-earth—not like some aloof, unapproachable city young master.

”Then you and Lili... the two of you being together, what are your plans for the future?”

Ji Baoxiu took a sip of his beer and tentatively asked the question he cared about most.

”When will you settle things?” Ma Guilan also looked on expectantly.

Ji Guangli’s face turned red, and she poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, whispering, ”Dad, Mom, what’s the rush?”

”Our... our careers have just started to pick up. Especially me, I just became a department manager, and there’s so much to do.”

”As for marriage... let’s talk about it in a while.”

Seeing this, Cao Kun immediately followed her lead, ”Uncle and Auntie, Guangli is right. She’s in a critical period right now; as a new appointee, there’s a lot of work to get familiar with and carry out. We’re both still young; we should build a solid foundation for our careers first so that our future life can be better. Don’t worry, I will take good care of Guangli.”

His words both supported Ji Guangli and made a promise to the elderly couple, who nodded repeatedly as they listened.

”Manager? Lili, you’ve become a manager?” Ma Guilan finally caught the main point, both surprised and delighted.

”Yes, just a few days ago,” Ji Guangli nodded.

”Good! That’s great! My daughter is truly capable!”

Ji Baoxiu happily downed another gulp of beer, the wrinkles on his face blooming with a smile.

With their daughter’s successful career and her finding such a reliable and capable partner, the last bit of worry in the elderly couple’s hearts vanished. They stopped pressing for marriage and just cheerfully encouraged them to eat and drink.

The meal was enjoyed by both host and guest.

Cao Kun was full of praise for the rural home-cooked dishes, especially the iron-pot stewed goose. He ate several pieces, giving Ma Guilan, who was the cook, a great sense of accomplishment.

The only flaw was that the August weather was truly sweltering.

The Ji Family didn’t even have an air conditioner.

By the time the meal was finished, everyone was drenched in sweat.

Although Cao Kun’s heat resistance was better due to his physical enhancement, he still found the sweltering heat hard to bear.

He made a mental note to buy some decent appliances for the Ji Family later.

After the meal, Ma Guilan led Cao Kun to Ji Guanghui’s room to arrange for a midday nap.

The room wasn’t large, with a wooden board bed and an old desk. The walls were a bit mottled, but the sheets and bedding were freshly washed and smelled of sunlight.

”Xiao Cao, our home conditions are poor. Just make do for a night and squeeze in with Guanghui; that boy is a quiet sleeper,” Ma Guilan said, somewhat embarrassed.

”Auntie, please don’t say that. My home is also in the countryside; this feels very familiar to me.”

Cao Kun quickly reassured her.

He truly didn’t mind, and it was only for one night; he would be returning to Zhongzhou tomorrow.

In truth, Cao Kun wanted to stay with Ji Guangli, but conditions didn’t allow for it.

Ji Guangli had to stay with her sister, Ji Guangke.

The Ji Family’s house had a simple layout: five rooms. Two large ones served as the living and dining area, and the remaining three were bedrooms—one for Ji Guangli’s parents, one for the Ji sisters, and one for Ji Guanghui. There was also a simple shed next to it used as a kitchen.

Actually, on the way here, Cao Kun had been wondering if Ji Guangli’s parents would let the two of them stay in one room.

After all, he often saw it played out that way on television.

The male and female leads would pretend to be a couple, go to one of their homes, and then the family would force them to stay together.

At night, the family would even press their ears against the door to listen for any movement inside.

The leads would then intentionally make some strange noises to deceive the family.

Now it seemed that such a thing was impossible for him.

It was after two o’clock in the afternoon.

With the sun high in the sky, the entire Zhao Family Village had fallen into the peculiar silence of a summer afternoon; even the cicadas chirped listlessly.

Cao Kun lay on Ji Guanghui’s wooden bed, with a slightly hard mattress beneath him and the sound of cicadas outside his window. Feeling the stifling but earthy air in the room, he actually drifted off to sleep.

However, just as he was sleeping soundly, he was suddenly awakened by the sound of a woman crying.

Cao Kun was instantly wide awake.

Driven by curiosity, he got up from the bed quietly.

Opening the door, the afternoon heatwave mixed with the scent of dry dust hit him in the face.

The crying became clearer; it was coming from under the elm tree in the Ji Family courtyard.

He walked to the doorway of the main hall and followed the sound.

In the dappled shadows cast by the old elm tree, a middle-aged woman was saying something to the Ji Baoxiu couple.

Beside her, Ji Baoxiu and Ma Guilan looked on with expressions of sympathy and helplessness. Ji Guangli was also standing by her mother, her brow slightly furrowed, listening quietly.

The woman was about forty years old.

She had shoulder-length short hair and very fine features—clear eyes, a graceful nose, and full lips. Even now, with her eyes red and tears streaming down, she couldn’t hide her underlying beauty.

She wore a light gray, extremely ordinary short-sleeved shirt, faded deep blue straight-leg pants, and simple plastic sandals on her feet.

The standard summer attire for a rural woman.

However, these most ordinary clothes, when worn by her, perfectly outlined her curvy and full figure.

Furthermore, the woman’s skin was fair, with almost none of the roughness or sunspots common in rural women of her age.

Cao Kun was secretly surprised.

This woman... didn’t seem like an ordinary rural woman.

Her appearance, figure, and temperament were more like those of a city woman.

Could she be a relative of the Ji Family from the city?

Cao Kun couldn’t help but carefully size up this woman who still possessed such charm.

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