Stepdaughter of a wealthy family? The little darling of a Beijing tycoon

Shen Xinyi, oblivious to the indifference in Shen Jingshu's eyes, remained lost in her own daydream and continued, "Once Aze takes power, I will be the young mistress of the Lu family. My status and position will be far beyond what others can match. Instead of targeting me at every turn, sister, you should think about how to solidify your position in the Li family."

"What the future holds is never something that can be achieved just by talking about it," Shen Jingshu said calmly. "The world is unpredictable, and human calculations are ultimately no match for fate. Many outcomes may not be as you wish."

Shen Xinyi assumed she was just jealous and resentful, scoffed, and decided not to pursue the matter further. She pretended to look around and said, "Fine, I won't disturb you any longer. There are still quite a few guests waiting for me in the front hall. I'll go back and keep Aze company."

After saying that, she turned around and swayed away from the terrace.

Only after Shen Xinyi's figure completely disappeared at the top of the stairs did Bai Zhi let out a long sigh of relief. She turned to look at Shen Jingshu and said, "This young lady... is too arrogant and acts too ostentatiously. If the Lu family had heard what she just said, there would have been endless trouble."

Shen Jingshu leaned gently against the railing, the evening breeze ruffling the hem of her pale blue dress. Her gaze was calm: "Those blinded by desire can never see the traps ahead. She was single-mindedly clinging to Lu Ze, thinking she had grasped a ladder to success, unaware that the road ahead was full of thorns."

She stopped talking about Shen Xinyi and turned to Bai Zhi, saying in a low voice, "Let's not talk about others for now, Sister Bai Zhi. We'll discuss your matter after the banquet. There are too many people around right now, so it's not advisable to talk about it for too long."

Bai Zhi nodded solemnly, suppressing all her emotions.

Shen Jingshu and Bai Zhi exchanged contact information and agreed to meet alone the next day. At that time, Shen Jingshu would help Bai Zhi break the curse array that bound her luck and discuss all matters in detail. After their conversation, the two returned to the noisy banquet hall side by side.

From the moment the Bai couple entered the venue, they were constantly busy maneuvering and currying favor with various powerful figures. Such a rare high-society banquet was an excellent opportunity to expand their network, and with their minds and eyes filled with business and connections, they had no time to care about their daughter, Bai Zhi.

In the hearts of Bai's parents, the only value of Bai Zhi was her fate and fortune, which could be exploited.

But when Bai's mother glanced at Shen Jingshu beside Bai Zhi, she was taken aback and secretly surprised.

My daughter has always been introverted and quiet, not good at socializing. When did she learn to make friends? And she's already hooked up with this stepdaughter of the Li family so quickly.

Everyone in the circle knows that the Li family only has four young masters and originally had no young ladies. Although Shen Jingshu is Lin Wanqing's stepdaughter, the fact that Li Hanting and Li Beichen specially brought her to the main gate to greet guests today is enough to prove that she is highly valued in the Li family and has an extraordinary status.

A calculating glint flashed across Bai's mother's eyes as she thought to herself: At least, this daughter can still accomplish something useful. If Bai Zhi can maintain her relationship with Shen Jingshu and get on the Li family's good side, then she will still have a little bit of value left.

The idea was quickly formed in her mind, and Mother Bai immediately put on a warm and friendly smile and stepped forward to greet her.

"Xiaozhi, where did you run off to? Mom has been looking for you everywhere for ages."

Bai Zhi's fingers, hanging by her sides, curled slightly. A chill ran through her heart, but her tone remained calm as she asked indifferently, "Really? Mother actually went out of her way to find me?"

Bai's mother seemed oblivious to the distance in her words, and continued to smile nonchalantly, "Of course, I was worried that you might get lost since it's your first time in such a place and you're unfamiliar with the area. I didn't expect you to be with Miss Shen."

She then looked at Shen Jingshu, her smile becoming even more solicitous, and extended her hand: "I suppose this is Miss Li from the Li family? I've heard so much about you, it's a pleasure to finally meet you today."

Shen Jingshu calmly raised her hand and nodded slightly, her expression neither cold nor warm, her manner perfectly measured: "Madam Bai, hello."

Madam Bai looked Shen Jingshu up and down, becoming more and more satisfied. Seizing the opportunity, she said, "I really didn't expect Xiaozhi to get along so well with Miss Shen. Xiaozhi is introverted and rarely takes the initiative to make friends. I hope Miss Shen will take good care of her in the future."

Bai Zhi stood quietly to the side, without saying a word.

She knew all too well what her mother's enthusiasm was all about—she wanted to use her to climb the social ladder and gain access to the Li family's connections.

Shen Jingshu's eyes were slightly indifferent as she replied calmly, "Sister Baizhi has a very good personality, and we get along very well. We hit it off immediately."

Mrs. Bai wanted to say a few more words to try and build a better relationship, but Mr. Bai, not far away, gave her a knowing look, as if he had spotted a powerful business tycoon worth befriending. Mrs. Bai was reluctant, but could only give up for the time being.

"You young people can chat all you want. I'll go say hello to a few old friends first."

After leaving those words behind, Bai's mother hurriedly turned and left, eager to attend her next social engagement.

Watching her mother's hurried departure, a self-deprecating smile flashed across Bai Zhi's eyes.

Shen Jingshu gently comforted her, "Don't worry about it. We'll discuss the follow-up arrangements when we meet tomorrow."

Bai Zhi nodded gently, suppressing the bitterness surging in her heart, and managed a faint smile.

Shen Jingshu planned to find Li Hanting or Li Beichen first and tell them that she wanted to go upstairs to rest early. She really had no interest in these kinds of social banquets. She had already completed the necessary procedures of greeting guests and recognizing them today, which was enough to fulfill her duties.

Before she could find the two brothers, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Shen Jingshu paused, turned around, and saw that the person who had grabbed her was none other than Shen Yifan.

A hint of impatience crept onto his face. Shen Yifan had specifically stopped him; it couldn't be anything good.

Shen Yifan noticed the undisguised annoyance in her eyes, and his anger flared instantly. He questioned her in a deep voice, "Shen Jingshu, what kind of attitude is this? No matter what, I'm your older brother. Is this how you treat me?"

"Just say what you have to say." Shen Jingshu was too lazy to play games with him.

Shen Yifan looked around. The front hall was noisy and it wasn't convenient to talk. "There are too many people here, let's find a quiet place to talk."

"Then let's go to the backyard garden."

Shen Jingshu led Shen Yifan through the endless stream of guests, heading straight for the villa's back garden. While the front hall was brightly lit and bustling with activity, the back garden was quiet and serene. Having been staying at the Li family's residence for some time, she was very familiar with the villa and knew this place well enough for a private conversation.

Standing beside the carved railing, Shen Jingshu spoke calmly: "Speak, what is it that you specifically stopped me for?"

"I came to find you because of Xinyi."