A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Chu Chen supported her and sent her home to rest.

Nanny Zhou saw her expression and panicked. She quickly waited on her to sit down and rest and simmered a hot soup for her.

Xia Ling didn’t have an appetite and couldn’t consume anything. She looked at the bowl of soup and was shocked again, then burst out crying again. Nanny Zhou was very distressed and hugged her while saying, “Miss, my good lady, this is the life of a woman. Don’t cry and stop being at loggerheads with Sir. When Miss Wang marries into the family, you can just ask Sir to protect you.”

Xia Ling’s body shook slightly. “What am I? A mistress?”

It turned out Pei Jingyu’s words from ten years ago had been a prophecy. She was a shameful mistress.

It was ridiculous how she had been full of confidence at that time and had thought he could do everything since Pei Ziheng favored her. But in fact, the Pei family knew themselves best, they were all cold and cruel.

Nanny Zhou pacified her for a long time, but it had little effect.

She sat on the sofa in the living room and spent the whole day staring blankly. Her tears dried and she had absolutely no appetite.

Pei Ziheng came home very late at night when the stars were scattered over the sky. He stepped into the door and saw the inanimate girl in the living room like a broken doll. He frowned and went over to say, “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

She turned her back to him and ignored him.

Nanny Zhou came over apprehensively and consoled him for fear that they would start arguing. “Sir, there’s soup in the kitchen. Why don’t you eat supper with Miss, she hasn’t eaten anything the whole day. She won’t be able to stand it.”

Pei Ziheng said, “Okay.”

He took off his coat and handed it to Nanny Zhou, then walked over to Xia Ling. “Are you still angry?”

He turned her around and she tried hard to struggle but failed. Xia Ling looked up at him, her eyes swollen like a walnut, but her tears were already dried up and she couldn’t cry anymore. “I hate you.”

“You cried so much.” Pei Ziheng gently rubbed away the mottled tears on her cheeks with his fingers. “Your makeup is all messy. I don’t like to see you cry, give me a smile.”

She flung his hand away in anger.

Pei Ziheng pulled her into his arms and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Xia Ling, I’m going to marry Wang Jingwan whether you like it or not. It seems like I’ve pampered you too much over the years, why aren’t you listening to me? Be good and go wash your face, take care of your body and keep your bad temper. My marriage is scheduled in two months and I’ll be asking you to sing on stage on the day. Bring out your best song to bless us.”

She trembled fiercely and looked at him incredulously. “Sing on stage?”

“For such a prestigious lady like Wang Jingwan to accept you is giving you and me face. So, of course we have to give her face too,” Pei Ziheng said. “You are Imperial Entertainment’s best singer, who else would sing other than you?”

“I won’t.” Her heart was broken into tiny pieces and she said weakly, “Why are you so cruel?”

“I’m cruel?” Pei Ziheng’s voice was cold. “Is it cruel to use a song to exchange her kindness to you for the next few decades? She’s from a prestigious family and has learned to be a matriarch since young, so she is able to eliminate love rivals. If she has any thoughts on moving you, I may not be able to protect you completely in the face of the fighting and scheming among you women. Why don’t you be kinder to yourself? Get along cordially with her, and there will be no harm made to you.”

He was a man that was quick-witted, so why would he care about the trifle inner matters?

Even if he could protect Xiao Ling from life-threatening issues, her status as a singer, and take care of her money supply, but in terms of all the trivial things and her daily necessities, there were hundreds of means in which the matriarch could make people suffer silently. His Xiao Ling was so innocent, what if she was bullied? He wanted her to be happy and to live as carefree as before.

But Xia Ling said, “I won’t! Pei Ziheng, don’t think of making me sing on stage! You’re not allowed to marry her, don’t marry her, do you hear? Pei Ziheng, Pei Ziheng…”

Her voice gradually turned to begging.

Nanny Zhou brought the soup over. “Sir, advise Miss to eat a little.”

Pei Ziheng took over the small bowl of soup. The golden chicken soup exuded a strong aroma. He lowered his head and brought a small spoon to Xia Ling’s mouth and said gently, “Eat something, be good.”

She pushed him away at once, and the white porcelain soup smashed on the ground, splattering the chicken soup everywhere.

Pei Ziheng’s expression hardened.

“You think about it.” He turned and walked away.

She was left alone again, her hands growing blisters from the heat of the soup, causing her immense pain.

Originally, Pei Ziheng was going to take her out to distract her the next day, but her actions angered him and, since he also had business to attend to, he went to Imperial Entertainment as usual.

Xia Ling was alone at home and didn’t pick up when Chu Chen called. After a while, she heard Nanny Zhou say downstairs, “Mr. Chu, Miss is at home, but she isn’t in a good mood and didn’t eat anything yesterday. If you have time, why don’t you accompany her and persuade her… Okay, Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

She didn’t want to see Chu Chen, so she locked the door.

She stayed at home the whole day locked up in her room.

When Pei Ziheng returned at night, he ordered her coldly. “Xia Ling, if you don’t eat anything, do you believe I’ll pour it down to you?”

She wanted to cry again. “I’ll eat if you promise me not to marry.”

She had thought she could do anything she wanted as long as she had his favor, but now that things came to this, she finally understood that the only one who could call the wind and summon the rain was him and only him. If he did not allow it, then she would struggle to even achieve anything. The only thing she could do was beg him.

“Pei Ziheng.” She looked at him sadly. “Don’t get married, okay?”

“Xia Ling, will you stop throwing a tantrum?” He ignored her and asked Nanny Zhou to bring up a bowl of porridge. He forced her to open her mouth by holding her chin and filling her mouth with the whole bowl of porridge.

She choked and coughed intensely, her frail back shaking as she gave her final struggle.

He stared at her coldly, then dragged her onto the bed before throwing her body on it roughly.

She was his. From body to heart, she must obey and comply.

Xia Ling felt as though she had died. The morning light pierced into her eyes and she lied on the bed for a long time like a dead body. The autumn colors outside the floor-to-ceiling windows were so beautiful, but she already felt the chill of winter.

She did not want her love to die.

She struggled to get up and find Wang Jinwan’s phone number. She set up a meeting with the famous prestigious lady in a high-end cafe in the city.

Wang Jingwan arrived as scheduled.

She was an elegant and noblewoman, wearing a tailored delicate suit and carrying a Hermes platinum bag. The engagement diamond ring on her finger shone brightly. She looked at Xia Ling quietly, then smiled awkwardly and took the lead. “Ziheng told me before to take good care of you after I enter the family.”

Her aura exuded the utmost confidence.