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

Lu Jingxing returned to his bedroom, washed up, and changed into a loose bathrobe. The thought of the girl he longed for living in the next room stirred an uncontrollable flutter in his heart.

The atmosphere inside was somewhat restless, so he pushed open the French windows and went out onto the balcony for some fresh air. Looking up, he saw Shen Jingshu standing quietly on the balcony of the guest room next door.

Eyes facing each other.

"What's wrong? Can't sleep?" Lu Jingxing asked softly.

Shen Jingshu nodded slightly: "I'm a little unfamiliar with sleeping in unfamiliar beds."

"Is the bed uncomfortable? Should I call Uncle Wang over and get you a new mattress?"

"No need to trouble yourself, I'm not sleepy at all, I'll fall asleep soon."

Lu Jingxing looked at her, a thought suddenly struck him, and he mustered up his courage to suggest, "Why don't you come to my room and try out my mattress? Mine was custom-made. I'm always picky about sleep, and the materials used are all carefully selected."

Shen Jingshu thought for a moment, then shook her head: "Never mind, it's too late, I won't go over. It's not really appropriate for the two of us to be alone in a room. I plan to cultivate for a while first, and then sleep when I get sleepy. You should get some rest too."

After saying that, she turned around and went back to her room, gently closing the French windows.

Lu Jingxing stood alone on the empty balcony. The evening breeze swept by, and a faint sense of loss crept into his heart.

He had mustered all his courage to extend that invitation. Although he had anticipated being rejected, he still felt a pang of disappointment when he was actually turned down. He stood there, gazing at the closed window next door, before finally turning and going back inside.

As night deepened, the courtyard house returned to a state of tranquility and peace.

Before going to sleep, Old Master Fu suddenly remembered the talisman that Shen Jingshu had given him before she left. He didn't understand the ways of the Xuanmen sect, nor did he know the use of the talisman, but a sense of trust inexplicably arose in his heart. As if possessed, he followed Shen Jingshu's instructions and carefully placed the talisman under his pillow.

The moment I lay down and closed my eyes, all the fatigue and loneliness of the past few days vanished, and a warm and comforting feeling enveloped me.

After falling into a deep sleep, the long-awaited dream slowly descended.

His wife, whom he hadn't seen for three years, appeared clearly in his dream.

For three years, more than a thousand days and nights, he has longed for his deceased wife day and night, yet he has never seen her in his dreams. On countless sleepless nights, he has relied on his memories to get through the night, always vaguely feeling that his wife is still in this courtyard, by his side, but he knows in his heart that it is just a self-comforting illusion born from his excessive longing.

But tonight is different.

In her dream, her husband's eyes were gentle, just as they had been when they were young. She scolded him playfully for not taking care of his health in his later years, for being lonely and depressed every day, which had worn down his remaining energy.

Then, she softly recounted that she had never left in the past three years, silently staying in this courtyard house and keeping him company through the years of loneliness.

"Don't be afraid of being alone, I've been waiting for you. When your time comes, I'll come to take you, and we'll go to the underworld together. In the next life, we'll still be together, never to be separated again."

Gentle words lingered in his ears, soothing all the loneliness and regret that had accumulated in the old man's heart over the past three years.

In the dream, the two of them chatted about everyday things, just like countless days before, talking about how they had stayed together through the chaos of the past, recounting every blade of grass and tree in the courtyard, and leisurely reminiscing about their lives.

This was the most peaceful and warm night's sleep Mr. Fu had had in the three years since his wife passed away. There was no loneliness, no bitterness of longing, only the fulfillment and peace of a long-awaited reunion.

The two chatted together in their dreams until the night faded, the sky turned a pale white, and the first rays of dawn pierced through the thin mist in the courtyard, gently bathing the entire old house.

When he woke up the next morning, the old man seemed to still be immersed in the tender old dream of the previous night.

The moment I opened my eyes, my wife's voice and smile from the dream were still so clear that I could almost touch them, and I could almost hear her nagging words reminding me to take care of myself.

He lay there in a daze, raising his hand to touch the unremarkable talisman under his pillow.

Last night's dream was so real it was unbelievable, unlike the hazy, fragmented, and fleeting illusions of the past.

Three years have passed, a full three years. Countless sleepless nights have passed, and he has longed to see his wife again in his dreams, but all his hopes have been dashed. He once thought that they were separated by death, that their fate was over, and that he would be left alone to guard this empty courtyard.

The old man slowly sat up, and the morning light streamed into the bedroom through the window. The gloom that had been weighing on his heart for so long was swept away by most of it.

He gently stroked the talisman with his fingertips, a warm feeling rising in his eyes.

It wasn't a hallucination after all.

My wife, really, she's come back to see him.

Grandpa Fu let out a long breath, and a relieved smile, which he hadn't seen in a long time, slowly spread across his face.

Shen Jingshu tossed and turned in bed last night.

Normally, she almost never had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds, but since she was staying in the guest room of the Lu family's house, her mind was inexplicably in turmoil, and she couldn't sleep at all. So she simply stopped forcing herself to sleep, sat cross-legged on the bed, closed her eyes, and meditated for the entire night.

After a night of meditation, when she went downstairs the next morning, she was not tired at all; on the contrary, her energy and spirit were even more abundant and radiant.

In contrast, Lu Jingxing, who was sitting at the dining table, had faint dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't had enough rest.

Shen Jingshu glanced at him and casually asked, "Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Lu Jingxing paused slightly in his grip on the coffee cup, then casually concealed his unease: "It's nothing, just some work to take care of."

The truth is, after returning to his room, he also tossed and turned and couldn't sleep. The scene on the balcony last night kept replaying in his mind, and his thoughts were in turmoil. He barely managed to fall into a light sleep in the middle of the night.

Shen Jingshu didn't expose him. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I originally planned to visit Grandpa Lu after breakfast. But I suddenly remembered that I made an appointment yesterday, and I have something important to do today. How about I go later?"

"Sure. Where are you going? I'm free all day." Lu Jingxing looked up at her.

"Then after breakfast, will you give me a ride?"

"it is good."

After a quiet breakfast, Lu Jingxing drove the car himself. Shen Jingshu gave the address of the courtyard house from yesterday.

The car slowly stopped in front of the courtyard gate, and Lu Jingxing couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

He had a vague impression of this area, but when he saw the ancient vermilion gate with his own eyes, he instantly understood.

Isn't this the residence where Old Master Fu lives?

Since his wife passed away three years ago, Mr. Fu has kept to himself and rarely goes out. In recent years, only his own grandfather has occasionally called to inquire about his well-being and visited him a few times when he has time.

Lu Jingxing was secretly surprised. His young lady had quite a network of connections; she even knew Old Master Fu.

Shen Jingshu raised her hand and knocked on the wooden door.

A moment later, slow, steady footsteps echoed from inside the courtyard, and with a creak, the gate swung open.

Old Master Fu, dressed in a dark Tang suit, stood inside the door, his gaze falling on the two people at the door, and he couldn't help but show surprise.

"Young Master Lu? What are you doing here with this girl? Do you two know each other?"

Lu Jingxing smiled slightly: "I'll explain slowly after we go inside."

"Okay, come in."

The three of them stepped into the quiet courtyard.

A pot of hot tea had already been brewed on the stone table in the courtyard, with wisps of steam rising slowly. It seemed that Old Master Fu had anticipated the guests' arrival and had prepared the tea in advance.

As soon as they sat down, Lu Jingxing took the initiative to introduce them.

"Grandpa Fu, Jing Shu is... my girlfriend."