A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Xia Ling was calm and collected while being berated with questions from all around.

The bustle around her slowly quietened down as everyone waited for her response.

She raised the microphone and said, “These are private matters that I cannot reveal in totality. However, I would like you to know that from the moment I was pregnant, Pei Ziheng was aware that the child was not his.”

She wasn’t lying. When Pei Ziheng had found out the truth then, he went out of the way to make her abort the child.

If she hadn’t knelt in front of him and begged for her child’s life, the child would have long been dead. As she recalled this dreadful experience, she felt as if she had just downed a glass of the bitterest wine. Before announcing Shaohui’s real identity, she was concerned about the judgment from the netizens and had considered fabricating a story around little Shaohui being a child born through surrogate means, which would explain the confusion around the pregnancy period. With this backstory, no one would realize that this child and “Pei Shaohui” was the same person, and “Pei Shaohui” wasn’t Pei Ziheng’s biological child.

But Pei Ziheng was too cruel.

He had come up with the scheme with Old Master Li to send Shaohui to the horrid Blissful Paradise.

He didn’t deserve to be Shaohui’s father, even if it was just on paper.

Xia Ling raised her head high and said, “Shaohui is the name that I gave my child. It means for him to inherit the aura. More accurately, it’s to inherit the aura of his biological father—Li Lei—who is my eternal sun.” Pei Ziheng had forced her to pull down the veil completely. She had told him that they were over and she meant it. She didn’t want there to be any more speculation about the drama of her love life. She just wanted to live openly and honestly with the man she loved and their child.

She felt a tight squeeze around her shoulders. Li Lei was hugging her lightly. “You’ve suffered greatly.”

Su Tang was glaring at Li Lei’s hand on Xia Ling’s shoulder, almost as if she was boring a hole through it. This bitch… she was really pulling out all her tricks to get herself married into the Li Family! What inheriting the aura? What a beautiful way of putting it! She was just saying that to make Li Lei happy… and he was buying it!

Su Tang grew more jealous by the minute, and her heart felt as if it was being stabbed by thousands of knives.

The clamoring from the audience started up again. Some clapped and cheered for Xia Ling, whereas others questioned if she was telling the truth. Did Pei Ziheng truly know about Shaohui’s identity? Everyone had their own interpretation of Xia Ling’s words.

Li Lei beckoned to his staff to bring a glass of wine onstage and proposed a toast. “I’ve invited everyone here tonight so that we could get your blessing and congratulatory words. Please congratulate me for finding my biological son and that the woman I love reciprocates my love for her!” As he spoke, he raised his glass.

“Congratulations!” Bai Murong was the first to shout out and raise his glass in return.

Feng Kun, Wei Shaoyin, and many other guests followed.

The entire room had their glasses raised soon after.

Regardless of what they truly felt about the situation, this event was organized by Second Young Master Li and it was important that they gave him face. No one was keen on offending him. Many were waiting to see what Pei Ziheng’s reaction to this announcement would be, but given that Pei Ziheng was not present, they could only wait for tabloid reports to come. Such a pity!

Everyone smiled and clinked their glasses.

“There is something else I wish to announce…” Li Lei raised his voice over the bustling crowd.

Everyone looked towards him wondering what else Second Young Master Li wanted to say.

Li Lei snapped his fingers and a female staff came over holding an exquisite tray at his signal. There was a beautiful diamond-lined platinum tiara resting on a chiffon bed, surrounded by tulips and roses. This was a tiara that was every girl’s childhood fantasy.

Li Lei picked up the tiara and placed it on Xia Ling’s head.

The tiara immediately transformed her into a goddess with her long flowy dress, and many stared awestruck at her beauty.

“Tsk tsk.” Wei Shaoyin sipped his wine while throwing Xia Ling a look of disdain. “I said that that girl has the worst taste. She was just complaining that her long dress couldn’t compare with Su Tang’s get-up. Just look now, with that tiara she has instantly transformed into a goddess. How can Su Tang even compare?”

Feng Kun laughed at Wei Shaoyin’s words. Yes, he was right, that tiara made her simple long dress look elegant. She was petite and slender, which made her look all the more regal. Su Tang, on the other hand, was dressed to the nines in an outfit intended to look grand, but now appeared paunchy and stout beside Xia Ling’s. It was a fashion disaster.

Wei Shaoyin lamented some more about how that idiotic girl was so lucky to have someone choose her outfit for her and how unappreciative she was.

On stage, Xia Ling finally understood why Li Lei chose this dress for her.

Clearly, he knew what the effect of the tiara would be.

Her unhappiness of having been overshadowed by Su Tang earlier disappeared. It wasn’t that she had the same appreciation of her outfit like Wei Shaoyin, but rather that she was simply fascinated with the tiara atop her head. Who cared about Su Tang with her gold, grand outfit? Did she have a tiara? No one could look better than her if she had a tiara on her head!

Her logic was that crude and simple!

She glanced over at Su Tang with a sweet smile on her face.

It was as if she was showing off to Su Tang.

Su Tang’s face darkened, and she couldn’t resist turning away and stalking off stage, quite unlike her usual calm self. She left the light fragrance of Dior perfume in her wake.

Old Master Li saw the victorious smile on Xia Ling’s face and Su Tang turning away.

Anger boiled within him. This jinx of a girl… it was one thing to steal his grandson away, but why was she openly taunting his granddaughter-in-law?! Why was it this irritating girl that had borne the Li Family a great-grandson?! If only she could switch sons with Su Tang! As these thoughts ran through his mind, animosity filled his eyes as he looked towards Xia Ling.

Xia Ling had mentally prepared herself to be at loggerheads with the Old Master Li her entire life. Seeing Old Master Li stare at her with a cold expression, she stared right back at him before turning away and sweetly gazing at Li Lei.

Li Lei was also looking down at her gently as he raised the microphone to his lips again. His deep attractive voice filled the room. “Xiao Ling, I’ll never be able to pay you back for all that you’ve suffered for me. I, Li Lei, promise to be true and devoted to you. Regardless of the storms that we may face in life, I’ll do my all to protect you.”

His declaration of love was like a sudden punch to her, and she was almost winded in surprise.

She looked up at him stunned. “So all this while… you weren’t giving your all?”

There was a moment of silence in the room before everyone started to laugh. This idiotic girl… what was she saying? The romantic atmosphere was completely destroyed by her!

Bai Murong and Lu Tao almost doubled over in laughter.

Xia Ling was mildly embarrassed. “Why are you all laughing?!”

“Okay, okay, we won’t laugh… hahahaha…” Lu Tao wiped at the tears forming around his eyes.

Xia Ling was speechless.

Li Lei chucked as well. He gave her a peck as he embraced her from behind. “Xiao Ling, thank you for choosing me.”