"Let them watch if they want to," Tang Fei said nonchalantly, "Hasn’t everyone had a meal before?"
After that, he took Little Fatty to the food table to get some food, holding a full plate of pastries in his left hand and a cup of fruit juice in his right, and returned to the Octagonal Pavilion. They set the pastries and juice on the bench and then crouched down on the ground to eat again.
"Bro, try this chocolate cake, it’s really delicious..."
"Try my strawberry pie, the strawberries are especially fresh..."
"Bro, do you want more to drink? Should I get you some?"
"No need, if I drink too much I won’t have room for food..."
"Oh, then I won’t drink either..."
They were as if no one else was around, chatting and laughing merrily, sharing their food and the taste of each pastry as if they were in their most familiar home, their own turf.
Countless guests watched from the sidelines, but no one dared to mock them anymore.
They indeed weren’t quite like the young folks on New Star.
Phoenix Palace. Phoenix Pavilion.
Phoenix sat in front of a large white and gold vanity, with two court stylists standing behind her, arranging her hair. Another was applying her makeup, penciling her brows and brushing on eye color, applying powder and rouge with meticulous care.
A few assistants bustled nearby, occasionally handing over items needed by the makeup artists or hairstylists in a busy scene.
Today was Phoenix’s coming-of-age ceremony, one of the most important days in a woman’s life, and she was to be the brightest star at the event.
Not only that, countless people within the Phoenix Empire were also paying attention to this grand gathering, waiting to view the photos that would circulate and savor any juicy gossip that might arise, and to interpret every political nuance conveyed by the event.
Therefore, despite Phoenix’s dislike of hassle and heavy makeup, she had to comply with the court etiquette officer’s requirements for makeup, hair, and outfit selection.
"Qin Jianyi challenging Tang Fei?"
Phoenix’s body tensed involuntarily, worried that the actions of the maids and servants around her, as well as the supervising etiquette officer, might give something away. Then she relaxed and asked,
"Why would Qin Jianyi pick a fight with Tang Fei out of the blue? They have no quarrels... Tang Fei just moved to New Star, and Qin Jianyi has been serving in the Flame-Bathed Legion, so they probably haven’t even met, right?"
"It all started because of that idiot brother of his, Qin Yuyang," Sheng Xinhua said, holding a slender cigarette between her fingers, ignoring the etiquette officer’s cold glares as she casually smoked.
Only she had the privilege of smoking freely in the princess’s chambers, and even the most stringent court etiquette officers could do nothing about her.
As the princess’s close friend, Sheng Xinhua was also dressed to the nines for the occasion.
Her black evening gown made her look mysterious and captivating, lazy and coldly stunning, like a bouquet of dark night roses vying for attention.
"The version I heard goes : after Tang Fei and his little brother, Little Fatty, arrived..."
"His name is Gong Shulei, he’s not called Little Fatty..." Phoenix interjected.
"I first heard that nickname from you... So, you can call him that and we can’t? Princesses may kindle fires, but are we not allowed to light lamps?" Sheng Xinhua rolled her eyes at Phoenix, expressing her displeasure.
Not even married off yet, and you’re already so protective.
Phoenix knew she wouldn’t hear anything nice from Sheng Xinhua’s lips and that if pushed too far, she might reveal some secret in exasperation. Hurriedly, she changed the subject, "So Qin Yuyang bullied Tang Fei and Little Fatty?"
"It wouldn’t exactly be bullying. It’s just that after Tang Fei and Little Fatty arrived, they brought a plate of pastries out into the garden to eat. Qin Yuyang thought their eating was amusing, so he recorded a video of them and then played it for everyone on display with multidimensional imaging technology..."
"Tang Fei found his act very impolite and went up to him to demand the video be deleted, but Qin Yuyang refused, and that’s how their disagreement started..."
Phoenix’s gaze turned sharp as she said, "Qin Yuyang might not be renowned for his talent, but he shouldn’t be such a pushover... Was he cajoled by someone or does he have other motives?"
"How would I know about such things?" Sheng Xinhua flirtatiously glanced at Phoenix, speaking in a delicate tone, "I’m just a plain and simple teacher."
Phoenix knew she was still holding a grudge over the Little Fatty issue and pleaded, "Sister Xin Huai, could you help me out, help me analyze this... You’re the renowned female Zhuge of Phoenix City, you always see things so clearly and incisively."
Sheng Xinhua shook her head and said, "I really can’t figure this one out. I always feel like they are playing a big game..."
"Who do you mean by ’they’?"
"The Shen Family, the Qin Family, and your royal family..."
Phoenix’s eyelids twitched. This woman, why did she have to drag the royal family into this...
Who knew how many people among them were Chen Fenglei’s planted agents? Aren’t you afraid of getting into trouble?
Phoenix decided not to ask her to analyze the situation anymore and instead focused on the details of the current scene, "So, Tang Fei beat up Qin Yuyang?"
"It was Little Fatty who did the beating." Sheng Xinhua said with a laugh, "I heard that with every slap he delivered, he yelled ’Shang Xiulin is my disciple’... Is that funny or what? How did Shang Xiulin end up with such a foolish disciple?"