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

The once noisy banquet hall fell silent the moment the three people appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

All eyes turned to them, and the entire room held its breath as the three slowly descended the stairs.

Upon seeing the newcomer's appearance, surprise flashed across everyone's eyes.

"Is this the new wife of the Li family head? She looks so gentle and her appearance is so outstanding. No wonder she could capture the heart of the Li family head who has not been close to women for many years."

"Who's that girl next to you? I heard she's the stepdaughter the madam brought over. I must say, she's really beautiful. Her demeanor and figure are so elegant; if you didn't know better, you'd think she was a carefully raised heiress from a prestigious family."

"I've heard that both Madam and this girl come from ordinary families? For a child raised in an ordinary family to have such an aura, this stepdaughter of the Li family is no ordinary person."

Familiar guests gathered together, whispering in hushed tones, their eyes filled with curiosity and admiration.

Shen Xinyi, who was originally looking for Lu Ze in the crowd, noticed that everyone's eyes were on the stairwell and subconsciously looked up as well.

At a glance, you can see Shen Jingshu holding Li Wenqian's arm, walking beside him with a tall and graceful posture.

In an instant, jealousy, like a vine, gripped Shen Xinyi's heart tightly.

She never expected Shen Jingshu to be so stunning and dazzling. She had thought that Shen Jingshu, attending such a top-tier social event for the first time, would be awkward, timid, and unable to perform well.

Scenes from her previous life suddenly flashed before her eyes: back then, Li Wenqian had also wanted her to walk downstairs with him, but when she saw the dark crowd below and countless scrutinizing eyes, she panicked on the spot, timidly let go of his hand, and shrank back, not daring to go forward.

His petty and stingy demeanor became a laughing stock in the entire elite circle of Beijing, and he was ridiculed for a long time.

But why is Shen Jingshu so calm and composed, accepting everyone's gaze with such equanimity? It's clearly her first time experiencing such a scene, how could she not be flustered at all?

And her gown was dazzling, and the jewelry around her neck was extremely luxurious.

Shen Xinyi had worn these jewels in her previous life, but she couldn't carry them off with that air of nobility. Instead, she was secretly mocked by the heiresses, who said she looked like a nouveau riche covered in jewels, vulgar and tasteless.

However, when Shen Jingshu wore it, she looked gentle and dignified. The luxury of the jewelry blended with her temperament without appearing out of place. On the contrary, it made her features more delicate and her demeanor more extraordinary.

Shen Xinyi clenched her fists so tightly that her back teeth almost broke, her heart filled with resentment and jealousy.

Looking at Shen Jingshu on the stairs, Shen Yichen couldn't help but sigh softly, "How come I never noticed before? Jingshu is so beautiful and has such a presence. If you didn't know better, you'd think she was the pampered young lady of the Li family since childhood."

These words added fuel to the fire in Shen Xinyi's heart, making her jealousy burn even brighter.

Shen Jingshu and her two companions slowly descended the stairs. Their appearance not only caught the eye of the guests in the banquet hall, but even Lu Jingxing, who was standing quietly on the second-floor balcony, couldn't hide his amazement when his gaze fell on her.

On their previous meetings, he had only thought that the girl had a pretty face and a unique temperament. But today, after dressing up carefully, her haute couture dress accentuated her slender figure, her makeup was exquisite but not ostentatious, and the calm and composed look in her eyes made her stand out among the group of well-dressed men and women.

Downstairs, many young men unconsciously cast their gazes at Shen Jingshu, their eyes filled with admiration and adoration. As a man, Lu Jingxing understood the meaning behind those looks all too well, and a strange irritation and a hidden displeasure welled up within him.

He had a sudden thought: to hide her away, to shield her from all prying eyes, and to prevent others from looking at her so easily.

Lu Jingxing had actually arrived long ago.

When his car stopped in front of the Li family's house, Li Hanting was so surprised that he quickly came out to greet him. He never expected that Lu Jingxing, who never attended any banquets, would come in person. Upon learning the news, Li Wenqian also personally came out to receive him.

Although Lu Jingxing is still young, he has already taken sole control of the Lu family and his status is on par with Li Wenqian.

If his parents hadn't died young, he wouldn't have had to shoulder the burden of the entire family at such a young age. Li Wenqian always held him in high regard, full of admiration and respect, and never treated him as a junior, but rather as an equal.

Even the younger generation in Beijing's elite circles, those around his age, treat him with the same respect and awe as they would an elder. He has already surpassed his peers and even many elders of prominent families.

Knowing that Lu Jingxing disliked noise, Li Wenqian specially arranged for him to rest on the second-floor balcony so that he wouldn't have to go downstairs to socialize.

He thought that Lu Jingxing was only coming because of his deceased parents' relationship with Li Wenqian. Lu Jingxing's parents were close friends with Li Wenqian and the two families had a deep connection. When they were young, the younger generation often played together, which was also the reason why Lu Jingxing and Li Hanting had a close friendship.

In the banquet hall, Shen Yifan, who was busy networking, was surprised to see his mother and Shen Jingshu coming downstairs. He hadn't expected the Li family to value them so much, giving them such a dignified entrance.

Before long, Li Wenqian led Lin Wanqing and Shen Jingshu onto the banquet stage.

Li Wenqian picked up the microphone, his calm voice resounding throughout the room: "First of all, welcome to all the guests attending today's banquet at the Li family..."

Meanwhile, Lu Jingxing on the second floor kept his gaze fixed on Shen Jingshu on the stage.

As he watched the increasing number of gazes falling on her from below the stage, his possessiveness grew stronger, his aura turned colder, and the emotions in his eyes became deep and unfathomable.

Shen Yifan, who was in the crowd, put in a lot of effort as soon as the banquet started, trying to strike up a conversation with the young men from prominent families around him.

But he was a stranger, never having appeared at any of Beijing's top banquets before. When the other party inquired about his identity, their eyes were full of suspicion and distance.

When he finally admitted that he was Lin Wanqing's son, the scions of those aristocratic families instantly revealed meaningful expressions, their eyes filled with a hint of disdain and understanding. They offered a few perfunctory words and then turned and left, unwilling to engage in any further pleasantries.

Shen Yifan was seething with anger. He had thought that he could rise to prominence and succeed by taking advantage of the Li family's banquet, but he was met with setbacks and cold looks from everyone.

Watching Li Wenqian lead his mother and Shen Jingshu onto the stage, and listening to the whispers of the guests below, he felt a mix of emotions, including resentment and a sense of awkwardness that was hard to describe.

Li Wenqian, standing on the stage, picked up the microphone, his voice steady and powerful, silencing the murmurs of the audience, and began his speech at the banquet.

"Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Li family banquet today. There are two main purposes for this banquet: first, to express our gratitude for your long-term support, and second, to formally introduce my newlywed wife, Ms. Lin Wanqing, and my stepdaughter, Ms. Shen Jingshu."

He turned his head and looked tenderly at Lin Wanqing beside him, his tone full of solemnity: "After I entered middle age, I had no intention of getting married again, until I met Wanqing. We hit it off immediately and understood each other perfectly. I cherish this wonderful match. In the future, I will do everything in my power to love my wife and cherish my daughter."

"As everyone knows, my Li family only has four sons, and we've always longed for a sweet and loving daughter. From now on, Jing Shu will be my daughter, Li Wenqian's daughter, and the eldest daughter of the Li family. And Wan Qing will officially become the matriarch of the Li family."

"This mother and daughter are new to Beijing's social circles, and we hope everyone will take good care of them in the future."

As soon as Li Wenqian finished speaking, a chorus of agreement immediately arose from the audience, all of which were flattering and sycophantic words.

"What are you saying, Patriarch Li? Your wife is gentle and generous, and Miss Jing Shu is beautiful and sensible. There is no need for us to take care of them. It is clearly our honor."

"The Li family head and his wife are a match made in heaven. It is the Li family head's good fortune to have such a wife and daughter."

Most of the guests present were either business partners of the Li family or families that relied on the Li family for survival. Who would dare to put on airs and say the word "take care"? Everyone knew perfectly well that these words were enough to show Li Wenqian's importance and affection for this mother and daughter.

Many people secretly made up their minds to go back and immediately instruct their families to take the initiative to befriend the matriarch and eldest daughter of the Li family. If they could establish a good relationship with them, it would be entirely beneficial to their families.