Chapter 117: A Good Show Is About to Begin!

"Brother Xinglan, you are so good at fishing. Why is it that no fish ever bite my hook?"

"Brother Xinglan, this is the most delicious snack in the world. You must try it."

"Brother Xinglan, is this the purple chalcedony you gave me? I heard it's incredibly rare; even the palace doesn't have one."

"Brother Xinglan."

—

A childhood sweetheart, riding a bamboo horse,
Circling the bed, playing with green plums.
Living together in Changgan,
Two young hearts, innocent and without suspicion.

But now?
Are our hearts still without suspicion?

Seeing Phoenix struggling and looking distressed, Shen Xinglan spoke in a gentle, soothing tone, laughing, "It’s nothing. I was just reminded of some scenes from our childhood. We were so happy back then. Now, we have all grown up."

"Yes, we have all grown up," Phoenix replied, filled with infinite emotion.

"Regardless of everything, I am truly happy to see that you have returned safely."

"Thank you. This is our first meeting since I returned, isn't it?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes," Shen Xinglan said. "Perhaps there were times when we brushed past each other, but you simply didn't notice."

"Really?" Phoenix looked at Shen Xinglan with suspicious eyes and asked, "You have been cultivating inside the Bailu Academy all this time and rarely come down the mountain, right?"

Shen Xinglan smiled but said nothing. He replied, "Today is your coming-of-age ceremony, and also your birthday. Everyone has come to celebrate for you. I cannot monopolize so much of your time."

After saying this, he stepped aside with graceful poise.

Hearing Shen Xinglan's words, the guests who had been unable to contain themselves immediately rushed forward to present their birthday gifts.

"Your Highness, this is a spirit pearl our family harvested from the North Sea. I feel it suits your temperament perfectly. Please accept it as a necklace."

"This is a bracelet made from thousand-year-old agarwood, consecrated under the Great Buddha at Mount Luojia for three years. It will surely protect Your Highness and keep you safe."

"A small token, please do not refuse it, Your Highness."

"Your Highness Xiuxue, you are truly too beautiful. May we take a photo together?"

—

In an instant, Phoenix was surrounded and blocked by countless people.

Everyone had come for her in the first place; now that they had the opportunity, how could they let it pass?

Little Fatty looked at the spectacular scene and asked, "Brother, is your gift ready?"

"It's ready."

"That guy is so shameless, he actually wants to give Princess Phoenix a little bird. Brother, you can make little birds too—should we give Princess Phoenix a little bird as well?"

"I can give her one, but you cannot," Tang Fei said.

"Why?"

"Because you don't have one."

"Oh." Little Fatty nodded.

He truly did not have one.

Phoenix had the protocol officer receive and register the gifts one by one. Some gifts could be kept, while others would need to be returned. Some light gifts were acceptable, while others, too valuable, had to be declined. This was because some people gave gifts with the expectation of a corresponding return. If Phoenix did not wish to offer a return, or could not provide what they desired, she had to return the gifts.

Of course, she accepted everything in front of everyone to avoid embarrassing the givers.

After a long while, Phoenix finally managed to dismiss the sea of gift-givers and photographers. Seeing Tang Fei and Little Fatty standing in a corner, she took the initiative to walk toward them and asked with a smile, "Where are the gifts you two prepared? Don't tell me you don't have any?"

"Everyone else's gifts are too precious; I'm embarrassed to take mine out," Tang Fei said, looking at Phoenix.

"Others are others, and you are you," Phoenix said, reaching out her small hand toward Tang Fei. "Take it out."

Helpless, Tang Fei reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "It's this... please don't look down on it."

Phoenix took the box and found a bamboo hairpin inside. The end of the hairpin was carved into the shape of a phoenix; the craftsmanship was excellent, and the bird looked lifelike.

However, compared to the priceless "Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens" crown sitting atop Phoenix's head...

There was no comparison. It simply could not compare.

"Do you remember, back on the Old Earth, when we had a hunting competition? The loser had to give the winner a gift," Tang Fei explained. "I thought I was going to lose, so I prepared this gift for you. I just didn't expect you to leave so quickly, and I never had the chance to give it to you."

Phoenix's eyes brightened slightly. "So, you brought it to the New Star?"

"Yes. When I was packing, I thought there might be a chance to give it to you, so I brought it along."

Phoenix casually tucked the bamboo hairpin into the hair bun on her head and asked, "Does it look good?"

"It looks good," Tang Fei nodded.

Phoenix squinted her eyes and smiled, then shifted her gaze to Little Fatty's face. "Little Fatty, what about your gift?"

Little Fatty's face turned red, and he whispered, "Princess Phoenix, I don't have a gift. I didn't know what to prepare. I discussed it with my brother, asking him to give me half of his gift, but he wouldn't agree."

Little Fatty felt very guilty; having eaten so much of her food, yet being unable to offer any gift...

Wasn't this freeloading? It was so shameful.

"Indeed, it couldn't be split," Phoenix nodded, agreeing with Tang Fei's words, and explained, "If it were split, wouldn't this hairpin break into two pieces?"

"Yes. But my brother said if I really don't know what to give, I can offer a few words of blessing."

"Words of blessing? That works too. So, have you thought of them?"

"I have," Little Fatty said happily.

"Let's hear them."

"I can't say them in front of everyone," Little Fatty said, looking hesitant. "I can't let others hear."

And so, Phoenix leaned down, bringing her body close to Little Fatty, and said, "Is this okay? You can say it to me alone."

Little Fatty nodded with satisfaction and whispered a few words into Phoenix's ear.

After hearing them, the smile on Phoenix's face became even more radiant. She glanced at Tang Fei and said to Little Fatty, "Very good, I like your gift very much. Thank you, Little Fatty."

"You're welcome. I didn't know what else to give. And I don't have any money."

Phoenix glared at Tang Fei with dissatisfaction and said, "What about the money I transferred to you? Why didn't you share some with Little Fatty?"

"What does a child need money for?" Tang Fei said as if it were a matter of course. "What if he spends it recklessly? If he needs something, I'll just buy it for him, won't I?"

"Miser," Phoenix scolded. She took Little Fatty's hand and said, "Don't ask him for it, I'll transfer some to you later."

"Thank you, Princess Phoenix. But Big Brother is right, I really don't need money. If I want to buy something, I'll just ask Big Brother. You don't need to transfer any to me."

"You..."

Phoenix was truly helpless regarding Little Fatty's "brother-worship." How could a younger brother be so humble and obedient?

Phoenix's gaze shifted to Sheng Xinhuai's face. Sheng Xinhuai wore a mysterious smile and said, "My gift was sent ahead of time; you promised to wear it for me to see."

"What are you supposed to wear for her to see?" Tang Fei asked. "Can I see it?"

"No," Phoenix glared at Sheng Xinhuai. How could this woman dare to say anything?

"You'll have plenty of chances to see it later; for me, every glimpse is one less," Sheng Xinhuai explained. "Since she's unwilling, I won't show it to you this time. I'll just feast my own eyes."

"When did I ever say I would show it to you?"

"Then should I wear it for you to see?"

"..."

While Phoenix, Tang Fei, and Little Fatty were chatting, Shen Xinglan was also surrounded by a dense crowd.

"Brother Xinglan, can we take a photo together?"

"Brother Xinglan, what is your current cultivation level? Could you be the youngest Minor Grandmaster in our Phoenix Empire?"

"Xinglan, long time no see. Shall we have a drink together?"

—

Shen Xinglan responded to everyone one by one, courteous, polite, and refined.

When the crowd had mostly dispersed, only a few young people from the Nine Great Families remained gathered together.

Yu Huoshui looked at Shen Xinglan with a chuckle and said, "How about that? Even Shen Xinglan, the head of the Seven Stars and the first on the Blue List, has times when he hits a wall and gets rejected. That feeling must be quite unpleasant, right?"

Shen Xinglan reached out to stroke the feathers on Little White's head and said softly, "In every stage of life, one makes the choices that are most beneficial to oneself. I do it, and so do you. Why can't she?"

"Most beneficial? That's not necessarily true," Yu Huoshui shook his head. "Perhaps it's even more detrimental?"

Shen Xinglan's gaze fell upon Phoenix, who was laughing and chatting with Tang Fei and the others. Her smile was so bright and sincere, quite different from the polite, formal smiles she used for other guests; she was happy from the bottom of her heart.

Clearly, Phoenix was in her most comfortable and relaxed state at this moment.

She could express her thoughts and emotions without restraint, whether happy or unhappy.

Phoenix was truly enviable in such moments.

In the past, she had once shown such a side to him as well.

Alas, things have changed, and people are not what they once were.

"Xinglan, you've really been outdone by a guy from the Old Earth. Look, Her Highness is having such a good time chatting over there. Someone gave her a worthless hairpin, and she hasn't even taken it off her head since."

"Exactly. You gave away Little White, which you hatched yourself, only to be rejected. It's quite heartbreaking, really."

Shen Xinglan scanned them and said, "Why do you all seem so happy? It's rare to see such a spectacle, isn't it?"

"That goes without saying."

"It would be a lie to say we aren't happy. To see Shen Xinglan thwarted—hehehe, why does it feel so satisfying?"

"Even if we couldn't compete for her, if Shen Xinglan can't either, somehow it makes us feel balanced," Dongguo Yan said, clutching his chest and chuckling.

Dongguo Xin, more mature and steady, looked at Shen Xinglan and said, "That kid from the Old Earth really has some skills. Before you returned, Qin Jianyi challenged him. They fought until the point of contact, and as a result, Qin Jianyi was pushed back by a single move and willingly conceded."

Shen Xinglan watched Tang Fei for a while, then stepped forward and walked toward their position.

The proud-looking white heron followed closely behind him, like a triumphant little sidekick.

Yu Huoshui's eyes were deep, and he said with a smile, "There's a good show to watch now."