A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

The tears kept coming, as if all her emotions had been suppressed for this moment.

The more she cried, the more afraid she got. If she had not woken up then, if she had not brought the dagger along, if the hungry wolf had not hesitated that split second or slowed its reflexes, if Li Lei had not arrived in time…

Only then did she realize how lucky she was to have survived this time.

She cried so hard she choked on her tears. Her body trembled as she gripped his shoulders tightly and lay against his chest.

“It’s alright now, it’s alright now…” Li Lei comforted her gently as he caressed her hair. Meanwhile, he scanned the surroundings and checked for the winds outside.

“Where are you hurt? Let me bandage it for you.”

Xia Ling shook her head. She was still traumatized from what had just happened and completely forgot about the pain.

Li Lei slowly helped her up and checked for her injuries. The moment she got up from his chest, he could see how wounded she was — her chest, her elbow, her waist… her mountaineering apparel was a complete wreck, and the smell of her blood and the chemicals filled the cave.

Seeing that they weren’t deep cuts or serious injuries, Li Lei heaved a sigh of relief.

He took the medical supplies out of the bag and treated her wounds quickly.

She had not snapped out of her daze yet and allowed him to treat her wounds as he wished without even flinching. Only after some time had passed did she slowly regain her thought process. The first thing she asked was, “Did you find Shaohui?”

Her voice was hoarse and soft.

Li Lei did not stop working on her wounds. “I did. He fell into a pit with a hot spring and is very safe there. But his ankle is injured, and though it isn’t too serious, he has trouble walking.” He finished up the last bandage. “It’s too dark and too dangerous to bring him back right now. I’m back so we can go over to meet him together once the sun rises.”

“Really?” Her eyes widened. “You aren’t lying to me?”

“Why would I be?” Li Lei smiled. “Our son is very smart. When I went over, he had already treated his injury on his own. He doesn’t have a lighter, but he managed to melt some ice to water with the heat from the hot springs. He’s also been eating the food that he brought along and is doing well. Also, he told you not to worry; he’s been living with his uncle since he was a young child and has no fear of this environment.”

Xia Ling finally felt a weight off a chest upon hearing this.

Yet, the very next moment, her worries came back. “It’s so dark outside, and he’s so young… Li Lei, why didn’t you accompany him over there? And then come back for me tomorrow morning?”

Li Lei was silent for a while before saying, “I had an uneasy feeling.”

He was intending to return only in the morning. However, it seemed like he felt some premonition. He had a nagging feeling, an impulse to come back to her.

Maybe, that was what it meant to be the parasol tree?

Each time she was in danger, he’d be around in time to protect her.

Fortunately, he came back.

But Xia Ling said, “Will he encounter creatures there?” She turned towards the dead wolf and shivered a little. What if a predator like this went for Shaohui too?

With regards to that question, Li Lei’s expression was a little odd.

“He won’t.” He paused before saying, “He’s… safe there.”

Xia Ling was still worried. All she wanted was to be by Shaohui’s side right now. “Let’s go now.”

“Wait,” Li Lei said. “Your mountaineering gear is already ripped apart, you’ll freeze to death if you go out like that. How about this, get some waterproof cloth, and a needle and thread from my bag. I’ll settle it for you.” He began looking at some of his other supplies.

Xia Ling did as he said and calmed down. She suddenly found the odd smell from the apparel becoming more pungent and unbearable. “What exactly is inside the apparel? It stinks.”

“It’s swan feathers.” Li Lei responded.

“And this smell…?”

“That’s… Er Mao’s liquid excretion.” Li Lei tried to say it less explicitly.

Xia Ling was nauseated upon hearing that — no wonder it smelled so bad. Her expression was even more awful than when she saw the wolf. “What?!”

Since he had already started, he might as well go on explaining it. “This mountaineering apparel is custom-made — I had them mix it into swan feathers this way. As you know, there have been sightings of predators in the mountains. I figured that using Er Mao’s scent could hold them back a little.” Er Mao was a strong leopard that could scare away snow leopards and the like. Thus, using his smell was a good deterrent. Li Lei was smart to have had it sealed in the apparel; this way, humans would not be able to detect it, and hence, he did not think of telling Xia Ling. However, the smell was strong enough for these creatures to pick up.

If not for the fact that the wolf was starving and desperate, it would not have dared take the risk.

Xia Ling was speechless.

She had only just discovered what she had been wearing all this time, and it made her feel… strange. However, it had proven that this method worked. It seemed like the hungry wolf hesitated time and again because of Er Mao’s smell.

In her heart, she thanked that leopard.

With Li Lei at work, the apparel was fixed in no time.

“Alright, let’s go.” Li Lei grabbed her hand and helped her up.

They couldn’t stay here any longer — there were blood stains all over the cave, and the winds were not in their favor. It wouldn’t take long for the smell of blood to travel to the other predators around.

They had to leave before any other creatures came for them.

When they left the cave, the first light had already emerged on the horizon. Meanwhile, the crescent moon was still high in the sky.

Xia Ling’s long hair swayed in the breeze.

Li Lei tightened the buckle around her hat and gestured for her to step in his footsteps.

Step by step, he led her to where he had seen Shaohui.

Almost two hours later, they arrived at a narrow gap in the boulders. Li Lei told Xia Ling, “Shaohui is hiding in here. Be careful, I’ll guide you there.”

He squeezed through the tight space first and got ahold of Xia Ling’s belongings before helping her in.

Xia Ling scanned the surroundings and saw that there was a hot springs tub there indeed, and…

A scene that made her jaw drop.