A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Xia Ling’s hand subconsciously reached for the amulet around her neck and gripped it tightly. She silently said to him, “Li Lei, you need to make it out alive… You’ve just confessed your love for me, you can’t just die like that!”

Her mind spun frantically as she searched for an idea. Oh yes… the mobile phone!

Even though the walkie-talkie was a distance away from her, she still had the mobile prop for the advertisement on her!! Xia Ling hurriedly rummaged around for the mobile. Thankfully, the screen was still lit up and did not get smashed from the hard landing!

However, she was stunned when she flipped open the phone contacts.

Since she was filming a mobile phone advertisement, she had left her own mobile phone on the set when she got onto the paraglide and switched it for this new phone. It was completely new, and there was not a single number in the entire contact list.

She got another brainwave and dialed 120.

The line was busy.

The coach’s voice transmitted through the walkie-talkie again. “Damn it! There’s an avalanche in the Zheng family village! It has blocked the entire mountain path!”

“Be happy that it didn’t fall on top of you! Look over there… the ambulances are unable to get through!”

“So many ambulances… 120 must be ringing non-stop… ”

Hearing their conversation, Xia Ling’s hand shook as she dialed 110 instead. Again, the busy tone rang out.

No, she could not give up just like that. There had to be a way! She had to find a number to contact! She thought long and hard to see if she could recall any telephone number at all. However, she could only remember Li Lei’s number, and his phone was on him right now, which meant that it would be a useless call. As for other people…

At this moment, she hated herself for not being more conscientious in remembering phone numbers. The office number, Lin Yunan, Sister Mai Na, Ah Wei, or even Feng Kun… any number would do…

Yet, she could not remember a single one of them.

… Wait…

There was a number that was etched onto her heart.

Even though she had reincarnated into the body of another, she still remembered it.

There was no time for her to think too much about it as Xia Ling’s fingers typed out the string of numbers almost subconsciously.

She shut her eyes allowing darkness to envelop her. The wind and the rain seemed to have disappeared, and only her heartbeat and breathing remained in the world around her.

Pei Ziheng…

Did he still keep this mobile number?

He had said before that this was the number exclusively kept for her. Only the two of them would know this number.

He also said that regardless of where and when, if she rang this number, she would always be able to reach him.

It had been two years since her suicide. Was Pei Ziheng still waiting on the other end of the line after these two long years? Was he waiting for the familiar ringtone to ring out… and waiting for his butterfly to… return?

Xia Ling had never been this nervous, and every second that passed was like a whole year.

She did not know if she hoped that he would pick up, or that she was afraid that he would pick up.

On the other end of the line, the ringback tone rang loud and clear.

It was the song “Perfect Dream,” the song that Xia Ling had written for Pei Ziheng on his thirtieth birthday and had later gone on to win international awards. She had been so innocent then, using the word “perfect” to describe everything he gave her. It depicted how happy she was then, knowing that with whatever problems she encountered, she only needed to call out “Ziheng” and all of the problems would be solved instantly.

The times of happiness and love came back to her even in the midst of the thunderstorm she was in right now.

Xia Ling’s heart became increasingly restless as she listened to the melody of the ringback tone. They were now almost complete strangers… would he still solve all her problems as he did before?

Finally, the line connected.

“Hello.” Pei Ziheng’s deep voice was slightly hoarse and quivering. “Who… are you?”

Nobody knew this number other than Xia Ling. Xia Ling was unable to explain who she was, or how she came to know this number. However, she could not care less at this point in time. She hurriedly said, “Pei Ziheng, help!”

There was silence at the other end of the line.

She became anxious and pressed him. “Pei Ziheng!”

“Xiao Ling… No, Ye Xingling?” When he spoke up again, his voice was cold. “How do you know this number?”

Xia Ling did not know how to reply him, and she could only beg. “Pei Ziheng, save Li Lei! I beg of you!”

Yet, he ignored her pleas completely and asked coldly again. “Speak, how do you know this number?”

“Pei Ziheng!”

“…”

Xia Ling’s heart turned cold as well. She knew that this man could be extremely cruel if he set his mind to it. She knew what his silence meant at this point — if you don’t reply to my question, don’t even think of asking for my help to save someone. In her worried frenzy, she blurted out: “I just saw it somewhere! I don’t remember where!”

“Don’t remember? Then, keep thinking till you do.” His voice was even more sinister and cold at the other end of the line.

“Pei Ziheng!” She cried out in despair.

Pei Ziheng was standing in his luxurious office at the top of the skyscraper in the city. In front of him was a hardwood desk, and a cup of tea lay upturned on it, its contents spilled onto his expensive suit and the important documents on the desk. It was a mess. He was holding the phone to his ear with one hand, and with the other, he was grabbing on tightly to the genuine leather chair as he shook. His expression was not as calm as he seemed over the phone. His face was white, and he was listening to Xia Ling completely transfixed as if something was about to tear apart the veil that he wore every day.

Xia Ling was again the one to break the silence.

Her voice shook as she said, “Okay, I’ll tell you… It was Chu Chen… Chu Chen gave me this number!”

“Chu Chen doesn’t know this number.” His voice remained cold.

“He found out about it somehow!” Xia Ling said anxiously.

Pei Ziheng simply spat out two words. “You’re lying.”

“It’s true! Pei Ziheng, you have to believe me! Do you think Chu Chen is a good person?!” She did not hide her hate for Chu Chen from him.

“Chu Chen is definitely not a good person.” Pei Ziheng replied. “But… he is not prepared to die just yet…”

“I…”

“Tell me the truth. You have one last chance.”

“Pei Ziheng!” She was close to tears, but she bit her lip and refrained from saying anything else stupid. She could not think of anything to say that would convince him. She was afraid that if she said something wrong, he would hang up. Then, what would happen to Li Lei?

While she was pondering her next words, Pei Ziheng’s voice rang out. “You… are Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling, it’s you… right?”

Xia Ling was taken aback, and her body froze instinctively. She knew that the Xiao Ling he was referring to right now was not Ye Xingling… but Xia Ling.

Had he recognized her?!

“Xia Ling… why did I never think that you were Ye Xingling?” He said. His voice sounded like he was both laughing and crying at the same time, with a pain that was almost concealed.

“No! I am not!” She instinctively denied. The consequences of him recognizing her were too frightening.

“You’re not?” He paused before laughing lightly, his tone reverting back to its original coldness. “Then, so be it. I have no interest in the pleas of anyone other than Xia Ling.” If Ye Xingling were the one in trouble, he would go save her without any question. But, she seemed completely fine at the moment. Save Li Lei? Whatever for?

Pei Ziheng was prepared to wait for her to fall to his bait patiently.

“Pei Ziheng! I beg you to save Li Lei! That’s a human life!” She begged him with all that was within her.

“Then, let him go and die.”