A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

It was Sunday, and the auditorium was full of top stars.

It was evening approaching nightfall, nowhere close to peak hour, but the area near the venue was still packed with people. There were fans with all kinds of gifts and messages of support, media reporters with their tripods and cameras, and random passers-by that merely joined the crowd to see what was going on.

Xia Ling sat in a silver-white limousine that was led by a procession that helped to clear the way. Behind her were reporter vans following along, and both sides of the road had security barricades set up around the entire auditorium. It looked like a shiny and resplendent moving ribbon when looking down from a bird’s eye view from the top of a nearby skyscraper.

This entrance was enough to squash Bai Murong’s entrance the day before.

“Tsk tsk…” Under the shadow of a huge tree in a quiet corner, three men in low-key outfits were huddled together. One of them spoke to another. “Bai Mu… ”

The other man covered his mouth before he could utter the last word “Rong” of his name.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Bai Murong chided him in a low voice as his heart pounded in his chest and glanced around anxiously at the crowd around them. After verifying that no one had noticed them, he released his hand covering the other man’s mouth.

Lu Tao apologized repeatedly. “Sorry, sorry, I was wrong.” Last night, they had disguised themselves to queue at Xiao Ling’s concert venue. If the fans around them found out that they were here…

The consequences were massive.

Besides the both of them was the third man, Leng Hui, who shot his partner a glance of disdain.

This Lu Tao was still lacking in the area of disguise and would always be discovered by fans when he was out on the streets. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be a burden for Bai Murong today.

The fact that Bai Murong was willing to join them in this “danger zone” was truly an act of courage.

“Old Bai,” Lu Tao changed the way he addressed Bai Murong as he placed one hand over his shoulder and commented. “Look at this entourage. If we compare it to yours… tsk tsk… did you or did you not offend Tan Ying? Did he cut your budget?”

Bai Murong was speechless.

Away from them, Xia Ling was stepping off the limousine with the help of her staff. Today, she looked elegant as always, her small face was embellished with simple makeup to give her a natural look, and her long hair flowed down over her shoulders. Her eyes shining, she was dressed in a low-cut, lace evening gown, as pretty as a fairy.

“Little fairy goddess…” Lu Tao exclaimed and patted Bai Murong’s shoulder in consolation.

Bai Murong silently removed Lu Tao’s arm from his shoulder.

He sized Xia Ling up from her position in the center of the crowd. This elegantly smiling girl would not be considered the most beautiful by normal standards, let alone placed in the entertainment circle where there were beauties galore. She would almost pass off as a mere innocent-looking passer-by. However, whenever she was in front of the spotlights, everything would change. He could not fathom where her aura came from. In any case, as long as she was in the midst of a crowd, onstage, in front of the cameras, or any other position where she would be seen by many, she would become the beacon of light, become the most elegant and confident version of herself, holding herself with so much poise that no one could take their eyes off her.

If anyone were to say that she wouldn’t become a Diva, he, Bai Murong, would be the first to retort that.

It was only a matter of time for her to be crowned a Diva.

Then, would it be tonight?

With her appearance, the cheers of her fans resounded. Not long later, there was a steady chant of “Xiao Ling, I love you.” The lightsticks and laser signboards emblazoned with words of encouragement and support were being waved around frantically, and her many young fans shouted till they were almost hoarse before entering the concert venue. Their cheers were deafening.

Lu Tao rubbed his ears with irritation at the noise.

Bai Murong pulled them both back a little until they were at the edge of the crowd, away from her young fans.

“Hey…” Lu Tao asked Bai Murong. “Are you confident in winning? This opening alone is enough to knock you down.”

Bai Murong calmly said, “She’s a woman, I’m a man.” If female stars appeared in limousines with a parade to open the way for her, that marked her as precious. If a man did the same? People would say that he was showy.

This time, Leng Hui spoke up. “Idiot.”

“What?” Lu Tao didn’t hear him clearly.

Leng Hui shot him another lazy look of disdain before coldly explaining. “This opening isn’t to knock Brother Bai down. It’s just for effect.”

“Not to knock Old Bai down?” Lu Tao asked. “Then, what is it for?”

Bai Murong understood what Leng Hui was getting at. “Leng Hui is right. If Xiao Ling can beat me tonight, she’ll be crowned the undisputed Diva. If she’s crowned Diva, how can her introduction be overlooked? Phoenix Down Corporation will make sure that her opening is as grand as possible so that it can be used for future marketing or videos for recounting her achievements, etc. It’s all hype.”

Lu Tao finally understood and nodded. “She’s an ambitious one, ain’t she…”

Bai Murong’s gaze looked toward the girl in the lace haute-couture evening gown again, watching as she was shepherded through the crowd by several of her bodyguards and entered the spectacular concert hall. His thoughts drifted…

Would it be tonight?

Was tonight really the night?

The legendary crowning of a Diva… would that really happen tonight?

“Let’s go.” Lu Tao waved the three tickets in his hand, breaking Bai Murong’s train of thought. The three of them lowered the baseball caps over their faces and followed the crowd into the concert hall.

Inside the concert venue, the stadium was made up in a completely different way to the night before at Bai Murong’s concert.

The overarching theme was like the darkness in a dream, mysterious and full of shadows with mist and fog shrouding the crowd. The background music was gentle and calm, with a solo violinist playing some of Ye Xingling’s songs.

The three of them reached the VIP box they had booked, sat down, and closed the door before daring to breathe again.

They removed their baseball caps, scarves, and sunglasses, and Lu Tao lay down on the sofa in the room. “Oh my God, that was so stuffy. Bai Murong, I really don’t understand… Leng Hui and I were invited by Xiao Ling and had no choice but to come. You didn’t have to come to torture yourself with us. Why did you come?” Disguising themselves to fit into a crowd was a nightmare for any artiste.

Bai Murong calmly uncoiled his scarf and did not respond.

Leng Hui shot Bai Murong a glance. “Does Ye Xingling know you are here?”

Bai Murong smiled. “I asked for a VIP box seat. How could she possibly not know?”

This VIP box was reserved for Lu Tao and Leng Hui, so the organizers definitely could not put normal fans in the same box. Anyone that enquired about the VIP box tickets would have to be background checked. Since Bai Murong was someone so significant, the staff would definitely report his request to Xia Ling.

Leng Hui thought for a bit before saying, “You guys have a really good relationship.”

This remark was odd and random.

Lu Tao didn’t bother too much about it but commented while opening a can of beer. “He’s known Xiao Ling for such a long time. Of course, they would have a good relationship.”

Bai Murong smiled.

Leng Hui shot Lu Tao another look that seemed to suggest that he was an idiot.