73: Chapter 73 Shen Muli

Shen Muli?

How could it be her?

The floodgates of memory burst open.

Shen Muli was the older sister of Cao Kun's university roommate, Shen Ziqiang.

Cao Kun had a very vivid impression of Shen Muli.

Because Shen Muli was very beautiful.

He remembered the first time he saw Shen Muli was downstairs at the dormitory.

At the time, she was wearing a simple white dress, with sunlight spilling over her.

Cao Kun and a few roommates were returning from the basketball court, arms slung over each other's shoulders, and when they saw her from afar, he was so startled he nearly dropped the basketball.

She was over 1.7 meters tall, with a slender frame, yet possessed astonishing curves that starkly contrasted with her build.

Describing it as 'slender branches bearing heavy fruit' couldn't be more apt.

Back then, seeing her younger brother and his few rough-around-the-edges classmates, Shen Muli smiled slightly, revealing shallow dimples on her cheeks, her voice gentle and soft.

'Hello, I'm Ziqiang's sister.'

That smile instantly made the hormone-filled young men feel like spring had arrived early, their hearts pounding wildly.

From then on, 'brother-in-law' became an inescapable nickname for Shen Ziqiang in the dormitory.

Even though Shen Muli was already married and had a child at the time.

Shen Muli's husband's family was in the same city as their university, and they were quite well-off.

Later, she would occasionally come to the university to bring her brother some food and necessities. After more contact, while they couldn't be considered close friends, they were at least familiar with each other.

In Cao Kun's memory, Shen Muli was always gentle and graceful, carrying a quiet dignity of a wife and an older sister. Though she married early, it seemed she should have been living a good life.

But now... how could she appear in this remote little county town's massage parlor?

And wearing these clothes, working as a technician?

After the shock subsided, Cao Kun looked more carefully.

Several years had passed, and Shen Muli had changed quite a bit.

She had shed the last traces of girlish innocence, her features appearing more refined and mature. Her skin was still fair, but there were faint shadows under her eyes, exuding a lingering weariness.

Yet, precisely this weariness and world-worn air, mixed with her original good looks, gave birth to a breathtaking allure, the kind that belongs to a mature woman.

More impactful, more directly tempting to the heart than the girl in the white dress under the sun from his memories.

Just as Cao Kun recognized Shen Muli, Shen Muli, amidst the crowd, also glimpsed through her lowered lashes the man standing at the center of the private room, being attentively served by the manager.

Cao Kun?

How could it be him?

Shen Muli felt a chill shoot up from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head, followed by an overwhelming wave of shame and panic.

In this line of work, running into someone you know was the worst fear!

She had left her hometown, hiding in this small county town where almost no one knew her, burying her head in the sand like an ostrich, using all her strength to maintain the last bit of her precarious dignity.

But it seemed as if fate was deliberately mocking her, letting her encounter her brother's university classmate here, in this way!

She almost felt suffocated, desperately shrinking back, wishing she could become invisible instantly or that a crack would suddenly open beneath her feet to swallow her up.

She kept her head bowed low, her heart pounding wildly as if about to explode, praying over and over in her mind: *He didn't recognize me, he didn't recognize me, please don't let him recognize me...*

As feared, it happened.

Cao Kun's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds. Then, he raised his hand.

'Her.' Cao Kun's voice wasn't loud, but it exploded like thunder in Shen Muli's ears.

The manager beside him immediately piled on a smile: 'Yes, boss! Muli, what are you standing there for? Take good care of this boss!'

Shen Muli's entire body stiffened. Under the manager's urging and the envious or curious gazes of the other technicians, she shuffled out step by step.

Each step felt like walking on knife blades.

Cao Kun didn't say much more. He directly turned to Li Guanlin and said, 'Guanlin, I think we should split up, not stay in the same room.'

Li Guanlin found it a bit strange.

This was just the 'vegetarian dish' phase, not the 'meat dish' phase yet. There was no need to separate!

But seeing Cao Kun's somewhat serious expression, he didn't ask further and happily began picking someone.

Cao Kun followed the manager, with the distraught Shen Muli trailing behind, to a quieter, smaller private room at the other end of the corridor.

As soon as the door closed, it shut out the noise from outside.

The room was dimly lit, containing only a massage bed and simple facilities. The air was filled with the scent of cheap air freshener.

Shen Muli walked to the massage bed with her head lowered. Her voice was dry and stiff, trying hard to mimic her usual professional tone but carrying an uncontrollable tremor: 'Boss, please... please lie down. I'll start with a shoulder and neck relaxation for you...'

She didn't even dare to look up at Cao Kun, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her uniform.

Cao Kun didn't move. He stood in the center of the room, watching her feigned composure that was actually flustered and helpless. His heart was filled with mixed emotions.

'Sister Li,' he spoke, his voice calm, yet directly tearing through that pretense, 'stop pretending. I know you recognized me.'

Shen Muli's body swayed violently. She jerked her head up, her face instantly turning as pale as paper. Her lips trembled, but not a single word came out.

It was over. He had indeed recognized her.

Immense embarrassment and shame threatened to drown her.

'Sit down.'

Cao Kun pointed to the only chair nearby. He himself sat down at the foot of the massage bed, casually picking up a bottle of mineral water from the table, unscrewing it, and handing it over. 'Have some water.'

Shen Muli didn't take it. She stood rigidly in place like a string stretched to its limit, her eyes filled with wariness, humiliation, and a hint of pleading.

Cao Kun placed the water on the bedside table in front of her, looking directly at her. 'Sister Li, what on earth is going on? How did you end up here? Does Ziqiang know?'

Hearing her brother's name, Shen Muli's eyes instantly reddened. She turned her face away, her voice hoarse. 'I... I'm here to experience life.'

This was the excuse Shen Muli deliberately used to preserve her dignity in front of Cao Kun.

'Experience life?' Cao Kun almost laughed in disbelief. He glanced around the cramped, dim massage room. 'Experiencing life in a place like this? Sister Li, do you still think I'm that clueless kid from university?'

Shen Muli bit her lower lip tightly, saying nothing, only stubbornly turning her head aside, her chest heaving violently.

'Did you run into some trouble?' Cao Kun softened his tone, concern evident. 'Tell me about it. Maybe I can help.'

'No!' Shen Muli denied immediately, her voice sharper. 'I'm fine. I don't need your help! You... how did *you* end up here?'

She tried to change the subject.

'My hometown is Yang County,' Cao Kun replied, his gaze still fixed on her. 'Sister Li, don't force yourself. Do you look like you're doing well?'

If it were the old Cao Kun, seeing the other person so resistant, he might have let it go, afraid that if she truly revealed some enormous difficulty, he would be powerless to help and it would only be awkward.

But now it was different.

With the system, with newfound confidence, he felt he should be able to help.

But seeing Shen Muli's stubborn refusal to speak, he knew he wouldn't get anything out of her this way.

He needed a stronger dose.

Steeling his heart, Cao Kun deliberately let a tone of mockery and disdain seep into his voice.

'Alright, Shen Muli, stop putting on airs and suffering for the sake of your pride in front of me!'

'Experiencing life?'

'What kind of gold are you trying to plate your face with? Is this a place for experiencing life?'

'Look at the clothes you're wearing. What's with the act of being aloof?'