A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

“Pei Ziheng, sit down! You’re not allowed to go anywhere!” Pei Zhenyuan was so angry his whole body trembled. He suppressed his volume and rebuked.

Pei Ziheng was expressionless. “Xiao Ling feels wronged here, so of course I’ll have to bring her to another seat.”

Pei Zhenyuan was furious. “What on earth do you want!”

“I’ve said it before, I don’t want Xiao Ling to be wronged.”

“Okay… very good,” Pei Zhenyuan said. Even though he was very angry, he had to consider the big picture. Hence, he had no choice but to swallow this anger. He stared resentfully at his grandnephew who had failed to meet his expectations. People had often said that trifling destroys one’s will. Sure enough, the grandnephew he had once thought was so promising had lost his will ever since he adopted this wild brat! “I take back my words. Xia Ling is not a brat,” Pei Zhenyuan swallowed his anger and said.

Pei Jingyu saw how sullen Grandpa was and felt anger bubble up in her too. Who was this brat to make Grandpa lower his head in front of her?! However, so what if she was unhappy? They couldn’t let Big Cousin leave the seat!

In fact, besides her talent surpassing that of others, another reason why she was able to become the Midsummer Lady was that she was Pei Zhenyuan’s granddaughter by blood, and the outside world had already spread rumors that Pei Ziheng doted on this cousin.

Who was Pei Ziheng, he was the patriarch of the Pei family!

If a lady from the Pei family was not liked by him, then no matter how good her conditions were, people would still think twice about marrying her! Pei Jingyu must never let anyone think that she was not doted on by Pei Ziheng as that would affect her marriage!

Pei Jingyu suppressed her unhappiness and comforted softly. “Grandpa, Big Cousin, we are all one family, what’s there we can’t talk over? Sister Xiao Ling didn’t mean ill, Grandpa, you can just be it go. Big Cousin, don’t be angry at Grandpa too. Grandpa is just looking out for our family.”

Pei Ziheng stared expressionlessly at Pei Zhenyuan. “Great Uncle, although Xiao Ling was adopted by me, she is a part of the Pei family once she steps through our doors. She is now a distinguished lady of the Pei family and is not beneath Pei Jingshan and the other ladies, don’t you agree?”

This!

Pei Zhenyuan was furious. This rascal was too overboard and insatiable to force him to admit the status of Xia Ling!

However, how could he not admit it? Circumstances were as such, and he was afraid that if he said no, Pei Ziheng would immediately bring Xia Ling to another seat! This rascal was going against him!

In the past six months, while following Pei Ziheng to stabilize their business in the business world, he had gradually come to a realization that it was getting more and more difficult to control his grand nephew. This grand nephew had his own ideas on too many matters and was not as obedient as before. Even though Pei Zhenyuan understood that once an eagle’s wings had become full-fledged they were bound to fly alone, but Pei Ziheng was too young. It was too early to escape from the controls of the elders!

How could a young man manage the whole of the Pei family?

Regarding today’s dispute, on the surface, it seemed as though it was a problem of Xia Ling’s status, but was it not just a contest between the two men? Since things had reached this stage, they were competing to see whose will was greater, and whose authority was stronger!

Pei Zhenyuan’s glare deepened. He saw how his grandnephew was refusing to take a step back, so he turned to face Xia Ling. “Xiao Ling, the Pei family has already given you clothes to wear and food to eat, you should be contented. Don’t compare yourself to Jingyu and the other ladies. They were born to be distinguished ladies that are nobler than most people. This is their life. As for you, you’re an orphan, and although you’re much luckier than the other orphans, you’re still not a distinguished noble lady, am I right?”

Xia Ling felt a little dizzy from listening to his words. Her expression was one of confusion.

Pei Jingyu understood Grandpa’s meaning. Grandpa was preparing to let this brat give in first, then he’d use this to pull the carpet out from Pei Ziheng’s feet! She smiled and helped him. “Our Pei family has been good to you. Don’t think of getting more from us, you have to be contented. Why would you fight so hard for the status of a lady? You’ll be mocked by people.”

What did she mean by fighting for the status of a lady?

Xia Ling could not understand what they were saying at all. She looked to Pei Ziheng for help.

Pei Ziheng said gently but firmly, “You are a lady.”

“Yes.” The little girl nodded and then said seriously to Pei Jingyu and Pei Zhenyuan, “I am a distinguished lady.” Even though she didn’t understand what they were saying, but whatever Brother Pei said must be right. Since Brother Pei said that she was a lady, then she must be one.

Pei Zhenyuan was so angry he almost vomited blood…

What kind of person had this grandnephew of his adopted?! Did this girl even have brains? In this kind of situation, shouldn’t she be persuading Pei Ziheng to listen to the elder and not have disputes with the family over her?

Pei Jingyu almost vomited blood as well. This little beggar was so shameless!

Only Pei Ziheng smiled in satisfaction. He knew that it had been the right choice to adopt this girl.

“So, Great Uncle,” he laced his fingers together and said while looking calmly at Pei Zhenyuan. “Xiao Ling is our family’s lady. She was adopted by me—the only lady in our extended family.”

Pei Zhenyuan snorted inwardly.

This grandnephew is getting too much!

He had only been fighting for the title of “Pei family’s lady” for Xia Ling just now, and now, he’d changed it to “Lady of the extended family”! Extended family! What did this imply? It implied that all the other girls in the Pei family were not as distinguished as she was, and not as important as her! All the other girls were to follow her blindly!

How could he bear this?

Pei Zhenyuan slammed the table in anger. Immediately, a few people sitting on the tables nearby turned to look.

Pei Ziheng remained expressionless. He looked calmly at his flustered and exasperated Great Uncle.

“Good… you’re really good… you’ve climbed all over my head!” Pei Zhenyuan was furious. He suppressed his volume and reprimanded. “Lady of the extended family, right? You think that’s so easy? What virtue and ability does she have to convince the masses?!”

Pei Ziheng said with a gentle voice, “She is my person. That itself is enough to convince the masses.”

Pei Zhenyuan sneered in anger. “Nonsense!”

Pei Jingyu persuaded hypocritically. “Yes, Big Cousin. If everyone in the family isn’t convinced with you pushing Xiao Ling to such a high position, wouldn’t it be putting her on the fire to roast? In my opinion, why doesn’t everyone take a step back and not harm our relationship—if this time Xiao Ling can win the title of ‘Midsummer Lady’, then me and my other sisters will acknowledge her as our lady. But if she can’t…” Pei Jingyu smiled and said faintly, “How can the lady of the extended family be incomparable to us four-room ladies?”

Pei Zhenyuan’s anger subsided. He thought that Pei Jingyu’s suggestion wasn’t bad and could let his grandnephew and the brat retreat to avoid defeat. He said slowly, “Pei Jingyu’s suggestion is good. How could our Pei family’s lady of the extended family not have any talent? If she’s not able to obtain the ‘Midsummer Lady’ title, then we won’t mention this anymore, else other people mock us!”

“Okay,” Pei Ziheng said.

His direct and efficient reply made Pei Jingyu and the others shocked. Why, was it that he was confident that this brat could obtain the “Midsummer Lady” title? That didn’t make any sense, they all knew the selection mechanism for the title. No matter how beautiful this brat was or how talented she was, her birth was her obstacle!