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

Shen Jingshu nodded slightly, then prepared to walk past and return to her room to rest.

Just as the two were about to pass each other, Lu Jingxing suddenly raised his hand and gently grabbed her arm.

His fingertips touched her slightly cool skin, and he seemed to suddenly come to his senses, realizing his abruptness. He immediately released her hand, his tone carrying a rare hint of apology: "I'm sorry, I was rude."

Shen Jingshu looked up at him, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"Miss Shen, may we have a talk?" Lu Jingxing's voice was a few degrees deeper than usual, carrying a hint of barely perceptible earnestness.

Shen Jingshu hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

The two avoided the busy stairwells and corridors, and made their way to the quiet backyard of the Li family.

The courtyard was serene and quiet, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the banquet hall, with only the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze. The two walked side by side in silence, the atmosphere subtly quiet.

After walking for a while, Shen Jingshu gradually became impatient.

This person clearly said he wanted to talk to her, but he didn't say a word the whole way. What does that mean?

She stopped and turned to the man beside her, her tone calm: "Mr. Lu, if you have something to say to me, you can say it now. If there's nothing else, I'd like to go back to my room to rest."

Lu Jingxing paused, feeling as if this short distance was an eternity.

He was torn between his inner thoughts and his own, unable to understand his own feelings at that moment.

He and Shen Jingshu had only met three times, including today.

But he just couldn't control himself. He couldn't stand seeing others look at her with admiration, or seeing her smile gently at others. That intense possessiveness came out of nowhere and even felt like a stranger to him.

Having navigated the business world for many years, he remains calm and composed in the face of even the biggest storms and the most challenging orders worth billions.

But standing in front of this girl, he felt like a naive young man experiencing his first love, flustered and at a loss for what to do.

He took a deep breath, looked up at Shen Jingshu, his gaze earnest and almost burning, and asked the question that had been lingering in his heart for a long time: "Miss Shen, do you have a boyfriend?"

Shen Jingshu was completely stunned.

She had considered countless possibilities. Perhaps Lu Jingxing wanted to ask about the amulet, or perhaps he wanted to ask about the details of the ride that day. But she never expected that he would suddenly ask such a private question.

In her previous life, she devoted herself to cultivation and lived a life of purity and detachment. After being reborn, she also focused on cultivation and never fell in love with anyone.

In her previous life, she had some involvement with Lu Ze, but only because she felt that Lu Ze could help the Shen family and allow her brother and father to live a peaceful life. From beginning to end, she had no romantic feelings for Lu Ze whatsoever. When it came to love, she was completely clueless.

Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Lu Jingxing became impatient first.

He had already had her background checked, and the information clearly stated that Shen Jingshu had never had a boyfriend.

Even so, he was still inexplicably uneasy, afraid of hearing an answer from her that he didn't want to hear.

"Why is Mr. Lu asking this?" Shen Jingshu came back to her senses and said in a calm tone, "This is my private matter, and I have the right not to answer."

"That means there isn't one."

Lu Jingxing made his conclusion without waiting for her to refute it, and continued, his tone becoming more and more solemn, "You should have heard the rumors about me. I was predicted to die before the age of thirty since I was born, and now I have less than three years left until I turn thirty."

"My father is getting old and is worried about my marriage every day. So, I would like to ask Miss Shen for a favor."

Shen Jingshu raised an eyebrow slightly: "What kind of busy?"

Lu Jingxing looked into her eyes and said each word clearly and seriously: Pretend to be my girlfriend.

"Um?"

Shen Jingshu thought she had misheard; her ears were ringing, and she stood there stunned for a moment.

Lu Jingxing repeated himself solemnly, his tone firm and earnest: "Be my girlfriend, just pretend, Miss Shen, is that alright?"

This time, she heard it clearly, but her doubts only deepened. She looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion: "Mr. Lu, with your family background and circumstances, countless women would want to get close to you. Why would you choose me? Besides, we... aren't even that close."

Looking into her clear eyes, Lu Jingxing's tone softened unusually, carrying a hint of frankness: "Miss Shen, you may not know this, but I have always been averse to closeness with the opposite sex since childhood, and no woman has ever been able to get close to me. But you are the first woman in my life whom I do not feel averse to."

Shen Jingshu raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone tinged with self-deprecation: "So, I should feel honored?"

Lu Jingxing shook his head, his expression serious: "No need, I am the one who should say I am honored."

Why is he the only one who doesn't reject himself?

Shen Jingshu was filled with confusion, but she also began to seriously consider things in her heart.

Pretending to be his girlfriend means that the two of them have to spend a lot of time together, deal with public appearances, and cover up their true feelings to each other.

If I could stay by his side, I could continuously absorb the rich purple energy from him, and my cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds.

This deal looks like a sure thing for me, I'm guaranteed to make a profit.

But then she had another thought, and her mind was filled with doubt. Could Lu Jingxing, a man of deep thoughts and ruthless methods, be hiding some other purpose?

She absolutely refused to believe that she possessed such charm that she could capture the heart of the aloof Lu family patriarch at first glance.

She considered herself to be pretty, but far from being a stunning beauty who could make anyone fall in love at first sight, let alone someone like Lu Jingxing who was used to seeing all sorts of women.

Seeing the changing expressions on Shen Jingshu's face—sometimes conflicted, sometimes joyful, and sometimes full of vigilance—Lu Jingxing knew she was weighing the pros and cons.

He calmed himself down, used his business negotiation skills, and slowly offered up bait.

"Miss Shen has now married into the Li family with her mother, which seems glamorous, but in the end she is living under someone else's roof. Children of wealthy families never have a say in their marriages. In the future, the Li family will inevitably use you as a bargaining chip in a marriage alliance to exchange for benefits."

He paused, then pressed on, his tone carrying an undeniable confidence: "Rather than being forced to marry someone far inferior to me in terms of family background, character, and appearance, why not consider me? In the entire Beijing social circle, in terms of family background, ability, and status, no one can surpass me. Pretending to be my partner will at least allow you to avoid an unwanted arranged marriage and preserve your freedom."

These words accurately struck at Shen Jingshu's heart.

She was indeed tempted.

By avoiding arranged marriages, one can openly absorb auspicious energy, achieving two goals at once.

She looked up at Lu Jingxing, her gaze sharp, and asked directly, "What exactly are you after?"

A hint of a smile flashed in Lu Jingxing's eyes as he countered, "Miss Shen, what do you think I could gain from you?"

Shen Jingshu fell silent.

She was just an ordinary college student, with no family background or connections, possessing nothing except for her unknown cultivation level. Lu Jingxing held a high position of power and possessed immense wealth; it seemed he really had nothing to gain from her.