I saw you as a brother, but do you see me as a tool?

Seeing Tang Fei hesitating, Sheng Xinhua felt both embarrassed and angry, and said, "We don't necessarily have to sleep together. I'll sleep on the bed, and you can sleep beside it."

She pulled a blanket from the cabinet and laid it on the carpet, then grabbed a pillow from the bed and tossed it over, saying, "Does this work for you?"

"Alright."

With the makeshift bed prepared, Tang Fei had no choice but to agree.

It wasn't that he disliked the environment here; for a child who emerged from the old soil, the living conditions were far harsher than here.

He just felt a bit awkward. In the past, when he and Sheng Xinhua pretended to be a couple, at least they each had their own room and slept separately.

Now...

It felt a bit too intimate.

"Alright..." Sheng Xinhua sneered and said, "You act like you're so wronged, as if I've taken advantage of you in a big way."

"How could that be?" Tang Fei chuckled awkwardly and said, "I'm just worried about affecting Mr. Sheng's reputation... After all, you know, people like us... are quite dangerous."

After a moment of silence, Sheng Xinhua asked, "Did you hear everything my mom said?"

"Yes." Tang Fei nodded and said with a smile, "I think she made a lot of sense."

"Yes, I think she made a lot of sense too." Sheng Xinhua agreed aloud.

"..."

Sheng Xinhua glanced at Tang Fei and said dominantly, "Everyone in Phoenix City knows that I, Sheng Xinhua, am never a reasonable woman."

"..."

"She hopes that for family, for the clan, I keep my distance from you all." Sheng Xinhua explained, "Of course I'll consider these things, but I'll care more about my own feelings."

"Carrying too much responsibility makes one too weary. For example, you and Phoenix..."

"So, if possible, I'd still prefer to drink good wine and have interesting friends."

"I am truly worried about causing trouble for you all."

"Then why did you come?"

"..."

"Hypocritical."

Tang Fei looked at Sheng Xinhua and said, "On New Star, you are my most trusted friend."

"Indeed." Sheng Xinhua flashed a mocking smile and said, "After all, Phoenix isn't on New Star, so I have no competition."

"You two are the same..."

"We two are the same, why didn't you take me away? Why leave without saying a word?"

"You two are not the same..."

Tang Fei corrected.

Phoenix is the Princess of the Zhong Royal Family. After the incident at Phoenix Palace, staying on New Star would have been very dangerous for her.

Moreover, judging by the Shen Royal Family's violent shelling of Phoenix Palace, they aimed to wipe out both the Shen Royal Family and the Tang Family's 'Thief Party', leaving no survivors.

Once these people are completely eliminated, the Zhong Tianque they support becomes the sole royal heir, easier for them to manipulate.

Sheng Xinhua is different; she is the daughter of Finance Minister Sheng Jing.

Sheng Jing controls the Phoenix Empire's treasury, holding a high position, and has always remained independent, never taking sides.

Zhong Daolong needed him when he was King, and when the Shen Family led from the shadows, they also needed him.

After all, they didn't want the Empire's financial system to collapse.

Therefore, Sheng Xinhua didn't need to leave, nor could she leave.

Staying on New Star is instead the best choice.

"Forget it, don't bother explaining." Sheng Xinhua waved her hand and said, "Can I not see my position clearly?"

"..."

Tang Fei still wanted to explain.

But he really didn't know where to start.

All the words seemed so powerless.

"Is she doing well on New Star?" Sheng Xinhua asked.

"What do you think?" Tang Fei said with a bitter smile, "Whoever encounters such drastic changes wouldn't be doing well."

From a high Empire Princess, reduced to a prisoner on the old soil...

The country is gone, the home is gone too.

Who can maintain a good mood?

"Yes." Sheng Xinhua nodded and said, "So you need to be kinder to her... she has a bit of a love-drunk mind, always thinking that love can surpass everything..."

"Perhaps if you treat her well, she might not feel so bad. It might even make her feel that all the sacrifices are worthwhile..."

Tang Fei raised his eyebrows and said, "That doesn't sound like a good thing."

"Of course it isn't," Sheng Xinhua glared fiercely at Tang Fei and said, "If she hadn't met you, hadn't tried to bring you back to New Star, or ideally hadn't fallen in love with you..."

"What do you think it would be like now? She would still be a sunny, proud Empire Little Princess, and I'd still be a good drinking buddy by her side..."

"We'd happily shop, merrily drink, curse those pretentious, inhumane celebrity women..."

"Wouldn't everyone's days be easier?"

After a long silence, Tang Fei spoke softly, "I'm sorry."

"Heh..."

"If I had the choice, I wouldn't want this outcome either."

"That's true." Sheng Xinhua wasn't an unreasonable woman; on the contrary, she was remarkably open-minded and perceptive: "Debt must be paid, murder must pay with life, that's natural and just. That's also why, even when I knew your identity long ago, I refused to reveal it."

"You knew my identity early on?"

"The spectator sees more clearly than the participant. Maybe because I'm an observer, I can more easily see the essence of things."

"When?"

"From the moment you insisted on entering the Monitoring Bureau." Sheng Xinhua said calmly, "Who would go to the Monitoring Bureau unless they had to?"

"..."

"Given any choice, no one would want to enter the Monitoring Bureau, because that's purely a job that offends people, with bad consequences. Like Yan Wenli, without children or descendants, wouldn't care."

"You obviously had better options, whether it was Phoenix or me... My father, they could all offer you a better position and development prospects."

"But you refused them all and insisted on going in... Your reason was to work for Zhong Daolong and win his favor..."

"Actually, I knew this couldn't be the truth. If Zhong Daolong were serious about agreeing to your marriage, it would be impossible for him to place his future son-in-law in the Monitoring Bureau."

"If you truly wanted to marry Phoenix... you wouldn't make such a choice. So I warned you at that time, best not to do anything against Phoenix..."

"..."

Tang Fei had no words to respond.

At that time, Sheng Xinhua did indeed, openly and covertly, remind him, I don't care what you want to do, but you absolutely must not harm Phoenix.

Unfortunately, he failed to do so.

"Later, the things you did in the Monitoring Bureau more confirmed the speculation in my heart, and at that time my heart was filled with unease."

"The moment Phoenix and I were kidnapped, I knew the situation was irretrievable..."

"..."

Tang Fei fell silent once more.

He had never underestimated Sheng Xinhua, but this woman's wisdom far exceeded his imagination.

She knew everything, seeing right through him.

Yet, she still treated him as her close friend as always.

What kind of friendship is this?

Seeing Tang Fei's silence, Sheng Xinhua's beautiful eyes turned, teasingly saying, "What? Didn't expect me to be so smart?"

"I knew you were smart, but I didn't expect you to be this smart."

"There are a lot of smart people in Phoenix City. How many were watching coldly while you did those things?"

"When you're in the game, you have to push forward according to the gamer's ideas... Isn't that the fate of a chess piece?"

"And now? Are you a chess piece or a gamer?"

"At least now I can overturn the table and say I won't play anymore."

"That's true." Sheng Xinhua nodded, saying, "The situation on New Star is complex. Even a strong family like the Shen Family needs time and a lot of effort to integrate these forces, and that's your chance to turn the tables."

"I have to try." Tang Fei said, "For myself and for those who died unjustly."

"What are your plans next?"

"I need to find someone first."

"Lu Yu? I'll see if I can find anything out."

"Alright." Tang Fei nodded, "Remember, you must not expose yourself."

"Don't worry, I'm not a fool."

"..."

"What about you?" Sheng Xinhua appraised Tang Fei's strange outfit, asking, "Really going to become a wandering singer?"

"I need to meet with Shen Xinglan."

"What?" Sheng Xinhua exclaimed, "Do you know how dangerous that is? Don't you know... the Shen Family most wants to kill you?"

"I know." Tang Fei nodded, saying, "But if I don't see him, I'm afraid I won't find the answer."

"If you do meet him... with your outfit, you might deceive others, but it's hard to fool Shen Xinglan's eyes."

"I know." Tang Fei nodded.

By then, if he could run, he would run.

If he couldn't, he would kill him.

Just then, Mei Yuyin's voice came from outside the door, "Xinxin, who are you talking to?"

"I'm on the phone."

"What phone call in the middle of the night? Go to sleep early."

"Going to sleep now, you go to sleep early too."

Hearing the footsteps fade away outside, Sheng Xinhua looked at Tang Fei, her brows and eyes charming, "Do you want to wash first or shall I?"

"..."

This woman, showing her true nature again.

Sheng Xinhua finished her bath, looking at the black silk nightgown hanging on the wall, showing a hesitant expression.

The clothes were a bit see-through, the fabric was a bit scarce, but they were comfortable to wear.

Normally, living alone, she didn't have to care about these things.

But now, there was a man in the room...

"Forget it, lucky him."

Sheng Xinhua pulled the clothes down, wrapping them around her naked body.

Couldn't walk out naked.

Tang Fei was lying on the carpet, sending a message to Lu Siyu with a special encrypted phone, saying he wouldn't be returning tonight.

Hearing the sound of the bathroom door, he looked up to see a plump long leg step out, then a second one...

This woman, just kidding, doesn't need to go this far, right?

Seeing Tang Fei's gaze fixed on her long legs, Sheng Xinhua threw him a flirtatious glance, "Sexy or not?"

"Sexy..."

"This is my most conservative nightgown." Sheng Xinhua said, "I have even sexier ones... want to see?"

Tang Fei pinched his thigh, using all his strength to suppress the word 'yes'.

"What's so nice to see?" Tang Fei said nonchalantly, "I have legs too."

"You have hands too, why get a girlfriend?"

"..."

Tang Fei fled in disarray.

Rushed into the bathroom and took a cold shower to calm the agitation in his heart.

Thud, thud, thud...

The bathroom door was knocked from outside.

Tang Fei instantly became nervous, quietly asking, "What's the matter?"

This woman doesn't want to come in and help him bathe, right?

Duo bath?

No, no, he's not that kind of person.

If she breaks in, how can he protect himself?

Waiting online, kind of urgent.

Crash!

The bathroom door was pushed open from the outside.

"I forgot to tell you, it's a fingerprint lock..."

She threw a set of clean pajamas over, saying, "I bought this for you while we were living together, never got the chance to wear it..."

Tang Fei, naked, holding the pajamas smelling of cotton and linen, felt bewildered.

This woman...

Disrespectful.

One room, two beds.

One slept below, the other on the bed.

The night was like water.

Their breathing was even, yet their eyes were open at the same time.

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