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

An old-fashioned stone table stands in the courtyard, with a chessboard in the middle of a game and a cup of warm tea beside it.

An elderly man dressed in a plain Tang suit sat on a stone bench, slowly sipping tea and playing chess. His eyes were calm, his posture leisurely, and he exuded a sense of ease and tranquility that comes with the passage of time.

Shen Jingshu's gaze sharpened slightly as she quietly observed the old man before her.

She could keenly sense that the old man was surrounded by a faint, chilling aura, which showed that he must have been through a lot of fighting and bloodshed in his youth; but above this aura, there was also a very thick and clear golden light of merit, vast and gentle, which was obvious at a glance - he must have fought on the battlefield in his early years, made contributions to the country, and protected the common people, which is why he has accumulated such profound blessings.

Ordinary people would be intimidated by that murderous aura, but for Shen Jingshu, it was nothing. She could only sigh inwardly at how rare such abundant power of merit was.

The two walked slowly to the stone table. Old Master Lu, who was in front of the chessboard, looked up and his gaze first fell on their tightly clasped hands. A clear look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he smiled and stood up.

"Grandpa," Lu Jingxing called out first.

Shen Jingshu immediately composed herself, her demeanor gentle and graceful, and nodded obediently: "Grandpa Lu."

"Please sit down since you're here." The old man smiled gently, his gaze lingering on Shen Jingshu.

The girl had delicate features, elegant and dignified attire, and a calm and gentle demeanor, appearing soft and serene.

He couldn't help but recall the prophecy of the master—could the sliver of hope in this grandson's life be this girl in front of him?

At first glance, he seemed ordinary, but his composure was truly extraordinary: he looked to be no more than twenty years old, yet he remained calm and composed, neither arrogant nor servile, in the face of the imposing presence of someone with extensive experience in battle. It was truly rare. I nodded to myself inwardly, feeling even more strongly that he and my grandson were indeed a perfect match.

The two sat down as instructed, and Lu Jingxing took the opportunity to release her hand.

He picked up the teapot on the table, first slowly poured a cup of tea for Shen Jingshu, and then poured one for himself.

The old man took in this thoughtful and considerate scene, a deeper meaning flashing in his eyes. Then, he looked at Shen Jingshu with a warm smile and asked:

"Is this the girl you specially brought to see me today?"

Lu Jingxing answered softly and frankly, "Yes, Grandpa. This is Shen Jingshu, we are currently dating. Jingshu, this is my grandfather."

The old man nodded, his gaze inquisitive, and slowly pressed for an answer:

"Oh? So, how long have you two been dating?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingshu immediately froze on the spot.

She couldn't very well say that the two of them had just made a pact to pretend to be a couple yesterday. She didn't respond, but simply looked at Lu Jingxing quietly, handing the conversation over to him.

Lu Jingxing remained calm and spoke in a flat tone: "Not long."

The old man raised an eyebrow, with a hint of reproach: "Then why didn't you say a word when I asked you last time? Turns out you have a girlfriend."

"I was pursuing Jing Shu last time, and we only recently confirmed our relationship." Lu Jingxing made up a lie with a straight face.

The old man turned to look at Shen Jingshu, smiling as he confirmed, "Is that so, little girl?"

Shen Jingshu suppressed her surprise. How could this man talk nonsense without batting an eye? She put on a gentle smile and nodded slightly, replying, "Yes, Grandpa Lu."

"Hey, you've all come to see me, why are you still calling me Grandpa Lu?" The old man waved his hand, his tone friendly, "Just call me Grandpa, like Jingxing."

Shen Jingshu changed her address as instructed, her voice soft: "Okay, Grandpa Lu."

"Not bad, she's a well-behaved and sensible child." The more the old man looked at her, the more satisfied he became.

At this moment, Lu Jingxing's gaze fell on the chessboard on the stone table. It was clear that the old man was playing against himself, and Shen Jingshu's gaze also unconsciously lingered on the chessboard.

Seeing this, the old man immediately became interested: "Girl, do you know how to play chess? How about playing a game with this old man?"

Lu Jingxing was about to speak up to help Shen Jingshu out of a predicament, but Shen Jingshu smiled gently and replied softly, "I know a little, Grandpa Lu, but my chess skills are not good enough, and I'm afraid I'll have to make you laugh at me."

"It's alright, you'll be fine once you learn it." The old man was in high spirits and quickly tidied up the chessboard. "Come on, play a game with me."

"it is good."

The two took their seats, with the old man playing black first and Shen Jingshu playing white next. They were quiet and focused as they made their moves.

For a moment, only the crisp sound of chess pieces landing on the chessboard filled the courtyard; no other words were spoken. Lu Jingxing sat to the side, quietly watching the old man and the young man on the chessboard.

Unbeknownst to others, Shen Jingshu was originally unskilled in chess. In her previous life, after her soul returned to another world, she devoted herself to cultivation under her master. Her master not only taught her Taoist arts, medicine, and fortune-telling, but also imparted all her knowledge of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. For her, playing chess was simply a piece of cake.

Before long, the game was over. Shen Jingshu calmly put away her pieces and said softly with a smile, "Grandpa Lu, I lost."

The old man's face relaxed as he watched, nodding repeatedly: "Not bad, not bad. In these restless times, there are too few young people willing to calm down and learn chess."

Lu Jingxing, standing to the side, was filled with surprise.

He had previously sent people to investigate Shen Jingshu, and the information never mentioned that she knew chess, so this was a pleasant surprise.

The old man was in high spirits and turned to his grandson, saying, "Come on, play a few rounds with me. It's been a long time since we've played together."

Lu Jingxing replied calmly, "Let's make it clear first, no cheating if you lose."

"You're so sure you'll win before the game even starts?" the old man chuckled in exasperation.

Just one plate.

"Three plates!"

"One plate."

"How about a compromise of two dishes?"

The old man was at his wit's end with his stubborn grandson, and sighed helplessly, "With your bad temper, I don't know how Jing Shu could have fallen for you. Fine, one plate it is."

He then set up the chessboard again.

Shen Jingshu sat quietly to the side watching. Lu Jingxing's chess style was sharp and decisive, his moves were relentless and aggressive, and he took the initiative to launch a strong attack from the very beginning, setting traps and digging pits everywhere.

Before long, a troubled look appeared on the old man's face, while Lu Jingxing remained calm and composed.

Shen Jingshu could see through it at a glance; the old man was simply no match for her offensive.

As expected, the old man had just made his move when Lu Jingxing immediately followed with his own move, and the outcome was already decided.

The old man stared at the chessboard, his face full of frustration: "You brat, don't you know how to give me a handicap?"

"In a game of chess, the winner and loser are clearly distinguished; there's no reason to deliberately throw the game," Lu Jingxing said firmly.

The old man simply put down the chess pieces, waving his hand in a huff, "I'm not playing anymore! I can never win, it's pointless!"

Then he turned and pulled Shen Jingshu closer, his expression softening again: "Girl, it's still more fun playing with you."

Seeing this scene, Shen Jingshu felt both amused and exasperated—it was clear that she had been humiliated by Lu Jingxing and was now trying to regain face by coming to her.