Stop pretending, the fake heiress is actually a master of metaphysics.

Shen Nian changed into a simple dark green long dress paired with a white shirt. The edges of the shirt were embroidered with bamboo that echoed the color of the long dress, making her look extremely elegant.

Gu Qiwen naturally took her hand: "Let's go."

The restaurant was located in a small alley in the center of Jinghai, offering a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle.

The entire restaurant was converted from the original blue-tiled bungalows that existed in the alley, giving it a simple yet grand and elegant feel.

This restaurant operates on a reservation system, ensuring a high degree of privacy. Ordinary people are mostly not allowed to enter. The diners here are mostly members of wealthy families in Jinghai, and the restaurant is very quiet during meals. In addition, the private rooms are far apart, making it quite peaceful.

The attendant leading the way was also dressed as a palace maid from the Qing Dynasty, wearing a dark blue palace dress, with a simple hairpin in her hair, and lightly made up, looking pretty and charming.

Shen Nianqi said, "The owner of this restaurant is quite a character. This place is full of beautiful girls. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were here for a talent show."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qiwen's expression suddenly turned indifferent.

After a moment, he turned to look at Shen Nian and said calmly, "Are they as good-looking as me?"

Shen Nian: ...

I don't know what's wrong with you.

However, to be honest, Gu Qiwen's appearance was indeed among the most beautiful she had ever seen in this era.

After a long silence, Shen Nian said, "...You're the prettiest."

Gu Qiwen's lips curved into a smile, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

The restaurant owner was not arrogant; from main dishes to snacks and tea, everything was made using ancient recipes from the palace, with exquisite and gorgeous plating and carving, which greatly tested the chef's knife skills.

After the meal, Shen Nian lowered her head and picked up a pastry to eat. A middle-aged man in a dark brown mandarin jacket walked in with two young men in white shirts. He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Gu Qiwen.

"Mr. Gu, you didn't even tell us you were coming. I wonder if there's anything I've done wrong in our hospitality."

"Is the food satisfactory? Does it suit your taste... Oh, look at me, and who is this young lady?"

The boss looked at Shen Nian with a smile.

"This is Shen Nian, my fiancée."

A look of surprise flashed across the boss's face for a moment, but he quickly concealed it.

"Miss Shen, are you satisfied with the food?"

"It's very good. The snacks are nice."

It's sweet but not cloying, and melts in your mouth.

The owner chuckled and said, "Since Miss Shen likes it, I'll have the kitchen pack one for her to take home when she leaves."

"If you want to eat it later, just give us a call anytime, and we'll have someone deliver it to your door."

Shen Nian responded calmly.

She glanced at the boss's face.

He had a rosy complexion, a sign of good fortune.

However, a faint wisp of black energy, mixed with blood, was gathering between his brows, foreshadowing the impending disaster.

Seeing that the desserts tasted quite good, Shen Nian said, "Boss, if you don't have anything to do lately, try not to go out in the evenings."

The shop owner was taken aback: "Miss Shen can read fortunes?"

"I know a little."

Shen Nian said, "If we have glutinous rice, we can keep some at home in case of emergency."

Whether it was her imagination or not, Shen Nian saw a hint of evil related to zombies in the boss's face.

Could the zombie that the Xuanmen Guild is looking for be hiding in this restaurant?

However, her five senses and spiritual awareness are all different from ordinary people. If there were monsters that dared to defy immortality hiding here, she would not fail to detect them.

Putting aside everything else, zombies often carry a strong fishy and foul odor. If they can hide their aura, they must at least be a flying zombie or higher.

Shen Nian pondered for a moment, then asked, "Did the boss go to... a cemetery or something similar today?"

The shop owner shook his head blankly: "No, we business people are very particular about good fortune. We generally don't go to such unlucky places unless we're worshipping our ancestors."

Could it be a coincidence?

Shen Nian nodded: "It's fine as long as you haven't been there."

Perhaps it was just a coincidence that I caught a bit of evil energy.

She pulled a talisman from her pocket and handed it to the shopkeeper.

She really liked this dim sum restaurant, so it would be a shame if something happened to the owner.

The shop owner said somewhat apprehensively, "This is too valuable, I cannot accept it."

"It's just a talisman."

The boss then reached out and took it, and had his two sons see them off.

Although the boss himself was a big, burly man, his two sons were surprisingly handsome.

A light drizzle began to fall from the sky at some point. One of them carried a carved sandalwood food box, while another held an oil-paper umbrella. As they walked, they remarked, "It's the middle of summer, yet it's drizzling like spring."

Shen Nian looked up at the horizon and frowned.

When celestial phenomena are unusual, it often indicates the birth of something strange or malevolent.

On the way back, Shen Nian asked Gu Qiwen, "Do you know where that restaurant's ancient recipe came from?"

Gu Qiwen said, "It is said that the Lin family's ancestors once worked in the imperial kitchen, and this recipe has been passed down from generation to generation."

Shen Nian: "...Aren't all the people in the Imperial Kitchen eunuchs? If the Lin family ancestors were eunuchs, how could they have any descendants?"

Gu Qiwen: "Perhaps they are adopted children."

Shen Nian nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

The next day, she returned to the Shen family—not because she had any feelings for the Shen family, but because Old Master Shen was preparing to celebrate his birthday, and it was only right and proper for the younger generation to go and serve him.

Shen Nian was no exception to the common practice.

As soon as she returned to the Shen family home, she was taken by the servants to the chess room where Old Master Shen lived.

Do you know how to play chess?

Old Master Shen took a sip of tea and asked.

Shen Nian nodded and sat down opposite him.

The two played chess, and in less than half an hour, Shen Nian defeated Old Master Shen.

Grandpa Shen smiled and praised her, to which Shen Nian replied, "I admit it."

"I plan to announce two things at my birthday banquet."

Getting to the point, Shen Nian raised her head and met the gaze of Old Master Shen.

"Firstly, I acknowledge your identity. You are indeed a child of the Shen family."

"Secondly, I intend to entrust half of the Shen family's assets to you."

The recognition of her identity was within Shen Nian's expectations—she had been recognized by the Shen family for some time now, but she had never had the opportunity to tell the other prominent families outside the Shen family.

But the second point was something Shen Nian hadn't expected.

Why?

She frowned: "The other families won't agree."

"Their consent is not required."

Old Master Shen stood up, hands behind his back, and said, "Do you know why the Shen family has achieved what it has today?"

"...Because the Shen family ancestors seized the opportunity?"

"no."

Old Master Shen shook his head: "Everyone in the Shen family has benefited from an old gentleman."

"Back then, the Shen family was down on its luck and far from being as wealthy as it is today. It was a feng shui master who found several mineral veins for the Shen family and provided them with ten thousand taels of gold, which enabled the Shen family to achieve its current status. At that time, he made an agreement with the Shen family that they would each keep half of the Shen family's business."

"After he left, his half of the family business was managed by the Shen family on his behalf—only on his behalf, he could never own it himself. Once someone appeared, that half of the business would be handed over to that person."

"The head of the Shen family has abided by this agreement for generations, waiting for the destined person to appear—of course, there are also greedy people who are unwilling to abide by it and attempt to take over all the property, but without exception, they all die tragically and mysteriously, which serves as a warning to others."

"How can you be so sure this person is me?"

Old Master Shen laughed heartily, rolled up his sleeves, revealing the bright red tattoo on his arm.

It was a lifelike phoenix.

"This is a mark left by that master, and every head of the family has it. When the destined person appears, it will naturally tell us who the destined person is."

"I thought I would end up like my grandfather and father, waiting my whole life for this person but never finding him. Thankfully, you appeared."

Shen Nian's heart skipped a beat. Suppressing her excitement, she asked, "That feng shui master... do you still have any information about him?"

Shen Boyuan shook his head regretfully: "How could we mortals possibly find traces of such otherworldly beings?"