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

Shen Jingshu withdrew her gaze, her eyebrows curving upwards, and she teased playfully, "It's nothing, I just think Big Brother looks exceptionally handsome today."

A straightforward compliment startled the usually calm and stern Li Hanting.

In his memory, although he had only known his stepsister for a short time, she was always calm, reserved, and composed, and rarely said anything so teasing.

His ears burned slightly, and he coughed twice, feeling a little awkward. A helpless yet gentle smile appeared on his lips: "Really? Then I must thank my sister for the compliment."

Shen Jingshu changed the subject, her eyes bright as she looked at him: "By the way, big brother, you came to pick me up from school today, it can't just be for something else, right? Is there something else?"

Just as the car entered the intersection, the red light came on. Li Hanting stepped on the brake, turned his head to look at Shen Jingshu beside him, and his gaze was meaningful.

He hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I do have something to tell you, but it's not convenient to talk at home. Aunt Wanqing is there, and some things could easily get out. Why don't we find somewhere to talk first and then go back?"

Shen Jingshu had no objection and nodded gently: "Okay."

After thinking for a moment, Li Hanting remembered that most of the young girls around him preferred sweet drinks, so he suggested, "Girls your age probably all love milk tea. I know a reputable one nearby, shall we go sit there for a while?"

The two drove to an elegantly decorated milk tea shop. As they pushed open the door, a warm and fragrant aroma wafted towards them.

Shen Jingshu looked at the dazzling array of drinks on the ordering screen, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes.

She has always had a sweet tooth. In her previous life, when she was under a lot of pressure, she always relied on desserts and milk tea to soothe her mind. However, due to her special constitution, she never gained weight no matter how much sweets she ate.

She stared at the menu for a few seconds, then turned to Li Hanting beside her, asking with a hint of anticipation, "Big brother, can I order a few more drinks?"

Li Hanting originally thought that even if a girl loved drinking milk tea, she would still exercise restraint in order to maintain her figure. However, his stepsister in front of him had a genuine and cute demeanor.

His brows relaxed, and he nodded without hesitation: "Of course, order whatever you want."

Li Hanting only ordered a refreshing sugar-free tea for himself. Turning his head, he saw Shen Jingshu's fingertips quickly swiping across the screen, pointing at the ordering interface, and bluntly saying to the waiter, "Please bring me one of each of your store's signature milk teas."

From the moment the two entered the store, the staff had been discreetly observing them. The man was tall and handsome with sharp features, exuding an imposing aura; the woman was elegant and refined, with a gentle yet lively temperament. The two, one handsome and one beautiful, stood out in the store, like figures from a magazine, and at one point, people mistook them for celebrities traveling incognito.

Upon hearing Shen Jingshu's words, the waiter paused for a moment, then couldn't help but confirm again, "Miss, are you sure? We have six signature milk teas in total, would you like one of each?"

"I'm sure." Shen Jingshu's tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

"Okay, please wait a moment."

The waiter quickly noted down the order and went to prepare. He looked at the two of them with a hint of surprise and muttered to himself: "Six cups of milk tea for two people, can they finish them?"

But then I thought about it again. Seeing the two of them get out of the luxury car, they must be from wealthy families, so these drinks are nothing to them.

The two found a quiet spot by the window and sat down. While waiting for their drinks, Li Hanting's smile faded, and his expression gradually became serious as he prepared to bring up the real reason he had come to see her.

The two settled down by the window. Li Hanting looked at Shen Jingshu across from him, his expression gradually becoming serious. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, his tone carrying a hint of certainty: "Jingshu, do you... know any mystical arts?"

Shen Jingshu gently traced the rim of the glass with her fingertips, looked up at him, her face showing no surprise, and calmly asked, "Why would you say that, brother?"

"A few days ago, when I was on a mission, the amulet you gave me turned into ashes at the crucial moment, and it even took a fatal shot for me."

Li Hanting's gaze was fixed on her, his tone becoming increasingly certain, "Did you already know that I would face a life-or-death ordeal on this mission, which is why you repeatedly told me to keep that amulet close to my body and never let it out of my sight?"

Shen Jingshu looked at him, her eyes clear as a deep pool, calm and undisturbed, yet revealing a hint of unfathomable depth. She slowly spoke, "Brother, do you really believe in these mystical things?"

"Of course I believe it."

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Hanting spoke sincerely, "I've come to you today to ask you about this matter in person. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you. I'm just a little curious, how could you, at only a teenager, possess such a miraculous ability?"

Seeing his serious expression and open eyes, without the slightest suspicion or apprehension, Shen Jingshu decided to tell him the truth after a moment's thought. She looked at Li Hanting and said softly, "I can tell you, but can you promise to keep it a secret? I don't want too many people to know that I am proficient in metaphysics."

"I promise I will never tell anyone," Li Hanting immediately and solemnly agreed.

"When I was a child, I met a hermit master. He said I had extraordinary talent and was a good candidate for cultivating metaphysics, so he took me as his disciple and passed on all his metaphysical skills to me," Shen Jingshu explained softly, her tone calm.

Li Hanting frowned slightly, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "But I've never heard anyone mention that you have these skills before?"

"My master instructed me years ago that I must never reveal my knowledge of metaphysics before I come of age, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. Therefore, I have never mentioned it to anyone, not even the Shen family."

Upon hearing this, Li Hanting nodded knowingly. Such a hidden skill, concealing one's strength and resources, was indeed a wise move.

Seeing that he accepted it so readily without any doubt, Shen Jingshu was somewhat surprised and raised her eyebrows slightly.

Li Hanting saw through her doubts at a glance, chuckled, and slowly said, "Aren't you surprised that I was able to accept this so quickly?"

Shen Jingshu nodded and admitted, "It was indeed a bit surprising, since most people would think it was nonsense."

"You may not know this, but your master may not have told you that there is a group of people in today's society who are proficient in metaphysics and possess extraordinary abilities."

Li Hanting lowered his voice and revealed the secrets of the upper-class circles, "This matter is already an open secret among the established families of high society. These people in the Xuanmen sect either cultivate in seclusion or are recruited by major families. Even the country has set up a special ability management bureau to control these people and handle special incidents related to the Xuanmen sect. As a member of the Li family, I have known about these things since I was a child, so I naturally do not find it unbelievable."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingshu's surprise dissipated. So that's how it is. There was more than just her in this world; they were just hiding and unknown to others.