A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Sure enough, Xia Ling did not realize that the orchids were different.

Her days were busy and peaceful, and she bickered every day with Wei Shaoyin in the recording studio. When she returned home, she ate delicious food cooked by Li Lei, and Er Mao would curl up beside her. All was well.

Sometimes, however, she would have nightmares.

She would dream of a baby abandoned in the garbage dump, buried in an endless pile of garbage and smashed into a clump of flesh. She even heard his weak crying sounds as everything happened. She often cried as she woke up in the middle of the night.

Every time this happened, Li Lei would hug her and gently pat her back as he gently comforted her. “Xiao Ling, everything is in the past. I know you’re very upset, but I will always be here for you.”

She burst into tears. “It’s still not over. I haven’t completed the final stage of sending my child off.” Unlike her dazzling appearance in the spotlight in the day, she looked like she was about to collapse in pain from missing her son. How cruel was fate! Her child passed away just after turning 100 days old. If he could just hold on for a month… Li Lei would have defeated Imperial Entertainment and save both mother and child.

She curled up her body and cried bitterly as she recited her child’s name.

Li Lei felt helpless and could only stay by her side to accompany her for a long time.

Xia Ling regretted being hospitalized due to abdominal injuries when her child died because she was unable to go the scene of the crime and personally see her child being cremated. He was so small. Was he scared when he was sent to the incinerator? Would he cry and think of his mother?

As she thought about it, her tears fell again.

“How about I accompany you to see him?” Li Lei asked. He didn’t know where her child’s ashes were placed and planned to order someone to investigate the Pei Family.

Xia Ling shook her head gently. “He hasn’t been buried yet.” This child was cremated in a rush and soon Skyart Entertainment attacked Imperial Entertainment. Pei Ziheng was busy dealing with his business and simply ignored the funeral of her child. As for her, her wounds were not healed, and she had no strength to deal with many of these things.

Things were just delayed.

“A few days after I was discharged, I chose an auspicious day for him.” Xia Ling said. “After half a month, he will finally be able to rest in peace. I… must prepare a proper funeral for him.”

Li Lei asked gently, “Have you chosen the grave?”

Xia Ling replied, “Pei… He chose it.” Although he was not Pei Ziheng’s biological child, he did not allow her to interfere with the choice of the grave. The Pei Family was eminent and were well versed in fengshui. Although a baby who died very early couldn’t be buried in the ancestral grave, he had to find a suitable grave that would not affect the family’s luck.

Pei Family had his own fengshui master and left everything to him.

Li Lei was also from an eminent family and as his grandpa believed in metaphysics, he knew more or less about the taboos of Pei Ziheng. “Time is running out. He should have already chosen a good burial ground. Xiao Ling, I will help you ask him.”

Xia Ling initially didn’t want him to intervene, but on second thought, he was the child’s biological father yet would never know of his child’s identity. Perhaps intervening was the only way he could help his child. So, she agreed. Li Lei looked for Pei Ziheng to negotiate but things were not very smooth. Pei Ziheng coldly looked at him and said, “Tell Xiao Ling to come herself.”

Li Lei was unhappy. “She is very sad and is having a hard time.”

“Having a hard time?” Pei Ziheng’s voice was low. “I’ve seen her recent news. She’s recording songs and doing interviews. How is she in a state of mental and physical exhaustion?”

The subtle sarcasm in his words triggered Li Lei. “You’re not worthy to love Xiao Ling.” Xiao Ling was such a proud person. Why would she ever show her true sadness on her face? She was unwilling to be mocked by others and be left behind. She was only tortured by the demons in her nightmares when she was asleep and felt immense pain that she was unable to suppress.

After hearing what he meant, Pei Ziheng’s expression became colder. “Either you tell her to ask herself or get lost.” A child from the Pei Family did not need the interference of an outsider. He treated the biological father of the child with a cold shoulder as if he were the real father. Due to his pride as a man, he didn’t tell Li Lei the truth. Instead, he said, “She was the one who gave birth to my child.”

Li Lei felt like he was shot in the heart. He clenched his fists as he watched Pei Ziheng walk away.

When he returned home, Xia Ling greeted him. “How was it?”

Looking at the anxiety on her face, Li Lei said, “He refused to talk to me. Xiao Ling, he wants you to look for him yourself.”

Xia Ling didn’t expect this to be the result, but after thinking about it carefully, it was reasonable. Pei Ziheng was unreasonable and never allowed others to defy his will. The child’s innocent face appeared in her mind. She lightly closed her eyes and said softly, “Ok, I will go by myself.”

“I’ll send you.” Li Lei said.

The high performance modified off-road vehicle was stopped outside Pei Ziheng’s villa.

Xia Ling felt like she was in a different lifetime returning to this place. She gazed at the beautiful brick walls, ivy, and roses. Everything felt familiar but distant. Nanny Zhou greeted her at the entrance of the villa. “Madam, no, Miss Ye. You’re here. Mister is waiting for you inside the house. Please come with me.”

Li Lei was about to follow her in.

Nanny Zhou stopped him. “Mr. Li, our Mister has already said that you’re not welcomed.”

Li Lei frowned and looked worriedly at Xia Ling. Xia Ling felt that Pei Ziheng’s attitude was not surprising, but she refused to give up. She said to Nanny Zhou, “Please let him in. I want him to listen to the discussion about the child’s grave.”

Nanny Zhou already guessed a long time ago that Li Lei was the child’s biological father and felt that he was pitiful because he was unable to participate in the discussion of his own child’s grave. However, Mister was even more pitiful because he wasted his time and money on his ex-wife’s child and ended up empty-handed.

She couldn’t let this loving couple enter together and provoke Mister’s sensitive emotions.

Nanny Zhou insisted. “Only you can go in, Miss Ye.”

“I will wait outside for you.” Li Lei said, his voice gentle. “If there’s anything, give me a call.” Today, she came with her most painful feelings to talk about the grave of her child and did not want to start a dispute over this small issue which would add more unhappiness to her current situation. Although Li Lei didn’t like waiting outside, he could only make a sacrifice for her.

Xia Ling looked at him hesitantly.

“Go.” He smiled at her comfortably.

Xia Ling finally turned around and walked into the villa uncertainly with Nanny Zhou.

They passed by the living room and went to the study room on the second floor where Pei Ziheng was. There was a miniature set up on a thick and long rosewood table. The set up was of a cemetery, and there were markings of the directions in which the mountains and rivers faced. He sat behind the miniature setup. Seeing Xia Ling walk in, his voice was low and dark. “Xiao Ling.”

She stood straight in front of him. Her back was slightly tightened, and she looked somewhat vigilant.

“We meet again.” There was an unclear emotion in his voice.