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

When her mother flatly rejected her, Shen Xinyi's eyes instantly reddened, and she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Her mother used to dote on her and would never so readily reject her requests, but after only a few days apart, her mother has changed.

But thinking of the important business of attending the banquet tonight, she suppressed her grievances and replied softly, "Okay, Mom, then we'll meet at the restaurant at six o'clock tonight."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Wanqing still had a gentle smile on her face. When she turned around, she realized that Shen Jingshu had been sitting next to her the whole time.

During the call just now, none of her four siblings, including Shen Xinyi, mentioned their eldest daughter.

A strange feeling crossed Lin Wanqing's mind, but she quickly smiled and said, "Jing Shu, Xin Yi and your three brothers invited me to dinner tonight. Why don't you go with Mom?"

Shen Jingshu gently shook her head, her tone calm: "I won't go. Mom, you can eat with them. I have something to do tonight."

Lin Wanqing frowned slightly, a question forming in her mind. Her daughter had been by her side every day these past few days, and there hadn't been anything important, so why was she making an excuse tonight?

Could it be that she doesn't want to see her own brother and sister? Could it be that after a few comfortable days at the Li family home, she's already starting to dislike her siblings from her maternal family?

Thinking of this, Lin Wanqing's face unconsciously darkened, and her tone became stern: "Jing Shu, you must remember that you are still surnamed Shen, and you are blood-related siblings with them. You cannot become estranged just because you have been separated for a while."

Shen Jingshu slowly raised her eyes, her gaze calm and unwavering as she looked at her mother. There was no evasion, no hint of grievance; she simply stated the facts: "Mom, back in the Shen family, I was always an insignificant, invisible person. Just now, when you were on the phone, I was right there, and not a single person mentioned me. Now you're demanding that I take the initiative to get close to them and have dinner with them. I'm an independent person; I don't want to go, and you can't force me."

Lin Wanqing's heart skipped a beat when she was stared at, and she felt inexplicably guilty.

She was then shocked to realize that her eldest daughter was no longer the timid little girl who used to be, whose eyes always held a hint of fear and evasion.

She spoke clearly and logically, with a firm and composed gaze, exuding an unprecedented confidence.

The meaning behind her words made Lin Wanqing suddenly realize—could it be that Jing Shu had been wronged in the Shen family all along?

She tried hard to recall the past, and her heart sank little by little. Since Shen Xinyi was born, all her attention had been focused on her frail and delicate youngest daughter who needed constant care, while her eldest daughter had been sensible and independent since childhood, never causing her any trouble, and would even take the initiative to help her with household chores. Over time, she naturally neglected her daughter's joys and sorrows.

Lin Wanqing stood there in a daze, memories flooding back.

She suddenly remembered that Jing Shu had never been like Xin Yi, clinging to her, acting spoiled, and begging for affection in a soft voice.

He always treated her with politeness but distance. Only on the day of the divorce did his eldest daughter muster the courage to express her wish to live with her.

A pang of sadness welled up inside her, and she sighed softly. They say all children are equally precious, and she had always deceived herself into believing she treated all her children the same, without holding back her affections.

But only she knows that the word "fairness" has always been a self-deception.

The sons were already pampered, but even with two daughters, Shen Jingshu was always the one who was ignored and neglected.

Coming to her senses, Lin Wanqing softened her tone, full of remorse: "Alright, Jing Shu, I was too harsh just now. If you don't want to go, I won't force you. I'll go to the appointment tonight. Just tell Butler Li what you want to eat."

"Okay, thank you, Mom." Shen Jingshu's expression was calm, without any extra emotion. "If there's nothing else, I'll go back to my room now."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stood up, holding the book in her hands, and slowly walked back to her room.

Lin Wanqing gazed at her tall and aloof back, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She was then shocked to realize how much her eldest daughter had changed.

Having spent so much time together these past few days, she had never noticed that Shen Jingshu's clothes fit her perfectly and complemented her temperament. Her features were relaxed, and her demeanor was becoming increasingly outstanding. She was no longer the timid and humble woman she used to be.

She suddenly realized that she couldn't remember how many years it had been since she had bought Shen Jingshu new clothes.

Back home, Shen Jingshu always wore old, ill-fitting clothes that Shen Xinyi had left over.

In other families, the younger children would wear the older children's clothes, but in their family, it was the other way around. No wonder that on her second day at the Li family, Shen Jingshu was still wearing an old outfit that didn't fit her at all, making her look awkward and lonely.

Well, in the past, with many children and daily life full of trivialities, it was inevitable that I would neglect one thing and overlook this sensible daughter.

Now that only Jing Shu is by her side, she must pay more attention to her in the future and make up for this debt.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Lin Wanqing finished packing and left the Li family.

Remembering her youngest daughter's sweet talk on the phone, her heart softened. She decided to go to the mall first to pick out a thoughtful gift for her daughter before heading to the restaurant for their appointment.

After Lin Wanqing left, Shen Jingshu started her live stream. It was the same familiar style: face masked, not showing her true appearance, sitting quietly in front of the camera.

As soon as the broadcast started, a large number of fans flooded into the live stream room. They were all fans who had watched the previous live stream and had followed the broadcast. They immediately started spamming the screen, asking questions about the follow-up of the divination results from the previous broadcast, full of anticipation.

Shortly after the broadcast began, the first connection request popped up, and the applicant was none other than Niu Niu's mother.

When the call connected, Niu Niu's mother in the video looked much more relaxed than when she was in despair last time. The dark circles under her eyes had faded a bit. Although she was still a little tired, she was full of relief and peace of mind at having regained what she had lost.

Sitting next to her was Niu Niu's father. The man's usual dull and pale expression had softened, and he looked much more at ease. Niu Niu's mother was holding her unharmed daughter in her arms.

The little one nestled timidly in his mother's arms, his face still a bit thin, but he was safe and sound, a sight that warmed the heart.

As soon as the call connected, Niu Niu's mother immediately gifted Shen Jingshu a sports car without hesitation. Then, with tears welling up in her eyes and a choked voice full of sincerity, she said, "Master, thank you so much! If it weren't for you calculating the address and accurately telling us the location last time, the police wouldn't have been able to find my daughter so quickly. Our family will never forget your kindness!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the live stream chat exploded with a dense, rolling barrage of comments.

"They really found her?! The little girl is back safe and sound?"

"Is it that little hotel the streamer mentioned? The room number matches?"

Seeing the screen filled with questions, Niu Niu's mother nodded hurriedly and answered them one by one seriously: "It's true, it all matches up perfectly, not a single word is wrong. It's the small hotel the anchor mentioned, and the room number is also 303, exactly the same. When the police arrived, the three traffickers were still in the room. Besides my Niu Niu, there was another abducted little girl, and they were all rescued safely."

She paused, recalling the truth that followed, and her tone grew even heavier, filled with a chilling sense of unease: "Later, during the police interrogation, the traffickers all confessed. Niu Niu wasn't abducted at all; she was sold to traffickers by her own grandmother for 30,000 yuan."

The truth was finally revealed, and the live stream room instantly erupted in uproar, with angry comments flooding the screen.

"My God! It really was her own grandmother who did it? How wicked!"

"To this extent, they favor sons over daughters? Selling their own granddaughter for 30,000 yuan is utterly heartless!"

"It's not like they're banning sons anymore, so why treat your own granddaughter like this?"

"Even tigers don't eat their cubs, is this old woman's heart made of stone? It's disgusting!"

The screen was filled with netizens' anger and incomprehension. Everyone was condemning this heartless grandmother and feeling heartbroken and angry about Niu Niu's ordeal.