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

The game of chess ended, and a gentle breeze blew through the courtyard. Grandpa Fu gazed at the chessboard, his voice gradually lowering as he began to recount his life story.

His surname is Fu. He joined the army at a young age, went to the most brutal battlefields, fought bloody battles to protect his country, saw mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and endured hail of bullets.

It was also during the turbulent and difficult years of war that he met the love of his life.

His wife was also a heroine on the battlefield, with a proud spirit and a resilient character. The two met, fell in love, and stayed together in turbulent times, supporting and relying on each other in those uncertain years.

However, the times were too harsh, and the war was merciless. His wife suffered from years of hardship and developed a chronic illness at a young age, making it difficult for her to conceive.

He had no children and left no bloodline.

They spent half their lives together, loving and harmonious, their affection unwavering. Without the burden of children, they made each other their whole world, year after year, gently accompanying each other, their life simple yet fulfilling.

But fate is cruel. Three years ago, his lifelong partner passed away before him.

When talking about his wife's passing, Mr. Fu's hoarse voice was filled with deep loneliness and sorrow, and his eyes were brimming with unyielding longing.

Shen Jingshu sat quietly to the side, not interrupting, but simply listening to the old man recount the trials and tribulations of his life.

She was naturally able to read people's faces and predict their fortunes and misfortunes. She had already glimpsed the turbulent and dramatic life of Master Fu from his eyebrows, eyes, and bone structure.

But hearing it firsthand from an elderly person reveals a completely different state of mind.

Through those few words, she seemed to glimpse that turbulent era, to see his youthful spirit and unwavering patriotism, to see their tender affection and mutual support amidst the chaos, and to see his youthful passion and lofty ambitions.

Mr. Fu's life spanned several decades.

He personally experienced war and poverty, witnessed the founding of the nation, and accompanied the country from devastation and poverty to its current prosperity and peace.

As time goes by and the landscape changes, the old friends have all passed away.

Before they knew it, dusk was falling on the horizon, and the afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, casting long shadows of an old man and a child.

Grandpa Fu sighed softly and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "This courtyard has been too deserted for too long. No strangers have come here for many years. I've been talking too much today, little girl, please don't think I'm being long-winded."

"It's alright." Shen Jingshu gently shook her head, her tone gentle. "It's my honor to hear you talk about the past."

Grandpa Fu looked up at the calm and insightful young woman before him, his eyes filled with relief and certainty.

Throughout his life, he was loyal to his country, devoted to love, did good deeds and accumulated virtue, and lived up to the expectations of his family, country, and loved ones.

The only thing he couldn't let go of was this courtyard house that held a lifetime of memories for him and his wife.

Old Master Fu slowly opened his mouth and revealed his long-held plan.

He devoted his entire life to serving his country, and had long ago decided that after his death, he would donate all his property and this old house to the nation.

However, the relevant leaders declined the offer each time they learned of it. They knew that the old man had dedicated his life to the country and never sought any personal gain for himself. They couldn't bear to see him toil his whole life only to end up empty-handed. They repeatedly advised him that he didn't need to do that and hoped he could find a kind and virtuous descendant to whom he could entrust his life's work, thus leaving him a final resting place for a fulfilling life.

Over the years, the real estate agent has brought many people to see the property, and he has met countless people of all kinds, but none of them have ever caught his eye.

Those who came to view the property were all focused on profit and calculation, constantly talking about renovation and commercialization. They were only interested in the exorbitant price of this courtyard house in the city center, and no one appreciated the heritage and warmth of the house.

Whenever he heard them planning to demolish the courtyard, remove the flowers and trees, and renovate the layout, Old Master Fu would be filled with resentment and immediately drive them all away.

This is the real reason why outsiders always say he has an eccentric personality and is fickle in selling houses. It is true that the house is listed, but he would rather the old house be left empty and abandoned than let the house, which represents his life's work and half a lifetime of memories, fall into the hands of ordinary people and be wantonly ruined.

Every plant, every brick, and every tile in the courtyard was planted and tended by him and his wife. The plants, stone table, and furnishings in the courtyard are all the scenery his late wife loved most, holding within them the tender memories of their life together through turbulent times.

He couldn't bear to let this one and only hope be wantonly destroyed by worldly gains and interests.

He thought his time was coming to an end and he would eventually leave this world with this attachment, but he never expected that he would meet Shen Jingshu on his deathbed.

She was insightful, calm, and kind-hearted; she possessed great skills but remained unassuming; she was upright and virtuous; her eyes were pure and clear, without a trace of greed or restlessness. In their short time together, he felt completely at ease.

Looking at the gentle and serene young woman before him, Old Master Fu's eyes were filled with relief and earnestness.

Shen Jingshu originally intended to uphold the principles of cultivation and to be clear about cause and effect, and was unwilling to accept this generous gift for nothing. However, she swallowed back all the refusals that were on the tip of her tongue.

She saw it clearly: this was no longer a simple gift of property, but the final wish of an elderly man, a gentle entrustment of his lifelong obsession.

What he sought was not to find an heir to enjoy a life of luxury, but simply to find an owner who understands, cherishes, and protects this old house, which is filled with love and the passage of time, and who will take good care of the plants and trees in the yard and preserve the original appearance of the yard, so that the memories of his and his wife's life together can be preserved peacefully and undisturbed by the world.

The spirit of the old woman stood quietly to the side, her eyes slightly red, gazing tenderly at Shen Jingshu, her eyes filled with expectation and peace. After three years of wandering, the hearts of she and her husband, which had been filled with anxiety for three years, finally found peace at this moment.

"Little girl, would you be willing to help me fulfill this last wish?"

Grandpa Fu looked up at her, his eyes filled with earnestness and expectation. In his eyes, which had weathered half a lifetime of hardships, only a final tender hope remained.

Seeing the old man's sincere expression, Shen Jingshu could no longer utter a single word of refusal.

The old man's wish was extremely simple: he just hoped that someone would cherish this house, treat the plants and trees in the yard well, and preserve the memories of his and his wife's life.

She had just walked through the entire courtyard house and already understood everything. The old house had a perfect layout, was quiet and serene, and required absolutely no alteration. For her, the only thing she needed to manage was to set up a spirit-gathering array in the future to make the spiritual energy here even stronger, making it more convenient for cultivation and recuperation.

After a moment's hesitation, Shen Jingshu nodded gently and agreed, "Since it is the old master's wish, then I will respectfully accept it. Rest assured, I will definitely protect this courtyard and safeguard every plant and tree within it, and will never make any arbitrary changes."

Without many polite words of thanks, a solemn promise is worth more than a thousand words.

With a huge weight lifted from his heart, Old Master Fu smiled with relief and said slowly, "Then come again tomorrow. I'll have someone prepare all the paperwork and officially transfer this house to your name."

Shen Jingshu nodded in agreement.