CHAPTER 717: CHAPTER 441, SACRIFICE!

Phoenix Pavilion.

Seeing Phoenix sitting in the pavilion in a daze, Sheng Xinhua sighed softly, walked over, wrapped her arms around Phoenix’s shoulders, and smiled, "It’s been a long time since we’ve exercised. How about we go play some tennis?"

Phoenix shook her head and said, "You go. I’ll rest for a while."

"Rest for what? You’ve been cooped up at home these past few days, nearly growing moldy. Come on, get moving, sweat it out, your mood might get better." Sheng Xinhua took Phoenix’s hand, trying to pull her to the court to swing a few rackets.

Tennis is also a high-confrontation sport. With their level of expertise, if they truly chased the score, it would become intensely exhilarating, a delight inside and out.

Tang Fei had not restricted Phoenix’s personal freedom; within the Phoenix Palace, she could move about freely.

As long as she didn’t leave the Phoenix Palace, it would be fine.

It wasn’t to hold her hostage, but purely out of concern for her safety.

Now, the Zhong Royal Family was extremely valuable, especially the Zhong siblings, Tian Que, Tian Yi, and Phoenix...

Any family that gained one of them could harbor endless schemes.

"I don’t want to move," Phoenix refused again. "Let the fitness robot accompany you, or else, I can ask Shijin to go with you... she plays tennis very well."

Shijin was a maid by Phoenix’s side, as well as her tennis coach, excellent at playing tennis.

"Forget it," Sheng Xinhua pouted and said, "If you’re not going, I won’t either."

Her original intention was to coax Phoenix out for a walk to alleviate the gloominess in her heart, not really to play tennis.

Playing tennis wasn’t as good as drinking.

"I’m sorry," Phoenix said apologetically, understanding her best friend’s intention, "I really don’t want to move, and I’m not interested in anything..."

How could Phoenix not understand her own frame of mind at this moment?

Looking at her rapidly thinning lovely face over just a few days, she said with great heartache, "If you don’t want to go, we don’t have to. Just sitting together and chatting is also nice."

Phoenix turned towards Sheng Xinhua and said, "There’s nothing wrong with me. Shouldn’t you head back? Don’t let your uncle and aunt worry..."

With the Empire’s political power changing, such turbulence in Phoenix City, those in the know were panic-stricken, unsure of which direction the situation would take.

As the daughter of the Finance Minister’s house, Sheng Xinhua spent all day outside without returning home, which naturally caused her parents extreme worry.

Phoenix was grateful for Sheng Xinhua’s kindness; she really wanted her good friend’s company.

But she couldn’t just consider her own feelings without thinking of Sheng Xinhua’s predicament.

True friends are willing to consider each other’s well-being.

Sheng Xinhua staying at the Sheng Family’s home was much safer than staying by her side.

After this disaster, the once safest Phoenix Palace had become the most dangerous place.

"What, trying to send me away? I know you still have a few bottles of the Golden Sunshine from Bishui Estate in your cellar... Let’s finish them together?"

Sheng Xinhua’s eyes glittered enticingly, and she even licked her lips.

"If you want to drink, I’ll join you," Phoenix agreed, knowing that Sheng Xinhua was using the excuse of drinking to stay, and she was never stingy with a few bottles of good wine.

"Xi Mo, chill two bottles of Golden Sunshine."

"Yes, Miss."

Xi Mo answered and immediately rushed to the cellar to fetch the wine.

"Lucky me today," Sheng Xinhua said joyfully.

"I’m really alright..." Phoenix tried to assure Sheng Xinhua.

"People who are in trouble keep insisting they’re alright," Sheng Xinhua reached out to caress Phoenix’s face and said, "If you were really alright, would you need to explain that to me?"

"Look at this face, delicate as a flower... You’ve lost so much weight, it’s pitiful."

"I want to lose weight too, but my face is too big... Even if I thinned down, it wouldn’t show... Melon seed faces are just prettier..."

Phoenix watched Sheng Xinhua with a bittersweet smile and said, "I know you want to comfort me, but you don’t need to be so extravagant, right?"

"Where am I being extravagant? I’m telling the honest truth. Except for my chest being a bit bigger than yours, I’m inferior to you in every other way..."

"That’s even more exaggerated."

"What, you disagree? Let’s compare then."

Sheng Xinhua finished speaking and started to get touchy-feely, her gaze becoming decidedly less serious.

Phoenix fought desperately to prevent her from groping her chest.

The two wrestled with each other.

The maids nearby were overjoyed to see it, their miss finally laughed. She had been silent for several days, unwilling to eat and unable to sleep night after night.

They served from the outside, and in the dead of night, they could still hear the heavy sighs of their miss.

When their miss was sad and suffering, they too were in agony.

How did it...

Suddenly become like this?

They couldn’t understand.

After roughhousing for a while, Sheng Xinhua finally withdrew her mischievous hands, looked at Phoenix whose complexion had grown rosier, and said softly, "This isn’t a solution, you’ve always been a decisive person... During this time, we need you to step forward more than ever."

"Relying on those two useless brothers of yours is probably hopeless. The situation has developed to this point mainly because they’ve been fueling the fire behind the scenes, fighting for power and gain."

"Perhaps, you are the key person to solve this chaotic situation... If you keep wallowing in those past sorrows, you’ll miss the truly important matters right before your eyes."

Phoenix looked up at Sheng Xinhua, eye to eye, and asked, "I have neither troops nor power, and whether the Zhong Family name can still be of use is unknown. What can I do?"