A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

That was close… he almost sold his daughter off just like that.

“I’m not playing anymore!” Xia Family Head pushed the chessboard away. “If I play anymore I’ll fall into one of your traps, you rascal.”

Li Lei smiled unabashedly. “Oh, what are you saying… you’re so wise and intelligent, how could I trap you? Dad, just give me Xiao Ling’s hand in marriage! We love each other, and we’re a match made in heaven!”

Xia Family Head shook his head and said, “If I give her to you so easily, your mum and your brother will cut me into pieces and bury me all over the fields like I’m fertilizer.”

Your mum and your brother?

So Xia Family Head had already decided to accept him as a son-in-law? Although the Xia Family Head hadn’t directly agreed to their marriage, Li Lei was already overjoyed that he seemed to be treating him like family.

It looked like this game of chess was well worth it.

He enthusiastically told the Xia Family Head, “Don’t worry, don’t worry, even if we don’t get married I’ll still come play chess with you.”

“Great!” The Xia Family Head became happy again. “Let’s play another round!”

They replaced the black and white pieces to their starting positions. Even though the Xia Family Head’s chess skills were mediocre, he offered Li Lei the white pieces thinking that he was the better player. Li Lei pretended to think about his first move, though in actual fact merely placed the piece randomly on the board. “Dad, it’s your turn.”

Xia Family Head immediately put down his black piece.

Having already played several rounds, the two of them were quite friendly with each other already. Xia Family Head asked, “Young Master Li, tell me about your relationship with Xiao Ling. How did you guys meet?” Not being able to see Xia Ling grow up was always a regret that Xia Family Head had.

Li Lei said as he placed a white piece down on the board, “My feelings for her… It was love at first sight.”

Li Lei’s voice was gentle as he spoke about his beloved. “Then, she had just reincarnated and appeared a little silly… No, innocent is a better word, and very…”

“Very what?” Xia Family Head pressed.

“Very…” Li Lei searched for the best word to describe Xia Ling. “… depressed… no… not really depressed, but there was a coldness in her eyes, and she had an aura around her that said not to come close to her. She seemed somehow weak and fragile to me, and I wanted to get closer to and protect her.”

Xia Family Head’s eyes narrowed and he said in a questioning tone, “I heard that you wanted to take her as a mistress.”

Li Lei laughed awkwardly. He thought that he had been very discrete about that, but it looked like bad behaviors tended to spread like wildfire, whereas nobody talked about good deeds. Although being able to uncover this was to be expected given the Xia Family network and power. He said, “Dad, let me explain. Men… hehe. And I was hanging out with a bunch of bad friends then. They were bad influences.”

Xia Family Head asked, “Really?”

“Of course! As true as gold!” Li Lei exclaimed. “If not for the bad influences of those friends, I wouldn’t do something so terrible! That guy, Jin Yifei… and, and Du Yunfeng… till date they are still womanizers, changing girlfriends faster than I change my clothes! Ever since I got to know Xiao Ling, I’ve never joined in their womanizing! When I go back this time, I’m going to make them change for the better!”

A thousand miles away, Young Master Du and Young Master Jin both sneezed suddenly given that someone was talking behind their back.

Xia Family Head was taken by Li Lei, but as this matter concerned his daughter’s happiness, he wasn’t going to let Li Lei off so easily. “Don’t try to float over this! Speak, why did you decide to properly pursue Xiao Ling later?”

Li Lei replied, “Because I couldn’t get her as a lover… Oh no, no… Dad, don’t be angry! I’m saying that later I found out that Xiao Ling was a really special girl, and was worth me throwing aside everything to pursue. I’m willing to give her my life, let alone her rightful place as my wife. If she’s willing, and I am able, everything will be hers.”

Xia Family Head nodded his head slowly. Even though this rascal was a little cheeky, his feelings for Xiao Ling were real. They had gone through so many trials and tests together, and their destinies were long intertwined.

“A Phoenix is meant to fly up in the air.” Xia Family Head remarked out of the blue.

Li Lei looked at him, confused.

Xia Family Head continued, “The Phoenix flies high up above everyone—beautiful, regal, arrogant—and will be the center of attention. Do you know why Xiao Ling couldn’t grow old happily with Pei Ziheng in her last life?”

Li Lei shook his head.

Xia Family Head said, “That’s because Pei Ziheng is a dragon, and he too flies in the sky. When both of them are together, they can only live as a legend, being revered by everyone. However, they can never land on the ground. Once they land, they will die.”

“What do you mean by landing?” Li Lei asked.

Xia Family Head responded, “Just living life normally, dealing with trivial matters, getting married, having kids… removing the glamor of their careers… being on the receiving end of jealousy… too many. These are all examples of landing. Anyone of those would have destroyed Xia Ling.”

Li Lie was quiet. How could anyone’s life only be filled with joy and glamor, but never land in that case?

“Once the Phoenix flies up high, she can never land again.” Xia Family Head picked up a chess piece and took his time to place it down on the chessboard. “Actually, I’m very thankful to Pei Ziheng for taking care of her for more than ten years, allowing her to grow enough to reincarnate. Did Moyan tell you? Xiao Ling is the only Phoenix in the Xia Family that managed to successfully reincarnate. There were so many Phoenixes in the family that lost strength and fell before they were strong enough to reincarnate.”

“Meeting Pei Ziheng was a fortunate thing for Xiao Ling.”

Li Lei was a little bitter. “I had always thought that he was her… misfortune.”

“He is a misfortune on one hand… but he isn’t as well.” Xia Family Head said. “Every relationship has a reason behind it. Young Master Li, you need to cherish your fate with Xiao Ling. The Phoenix flying in the air can only rest on a sycamore… the only person that can allow her to rest is you. You need to protect her.

“Otherwise, perhaps there will be a day where she can’t resist the temptation of the open skies and will fly away with the dragon.”

Li Lei looked up at Xia Family Head. “But you said that she won’t be able to land if she’s with him. Only I can give her happiness.”

Xia Family Head said, “Who knows? In her last life, she flew for a good 16 years before eventually falling. In this reincarnated life, she is freer and stronger, perhaps she can fly for 20 years? 50 years? 100 years? Young Master Li, don’t think that she’s safely in your arms now. Be good to Xiao Ling… do you understand me?”

Li Lei nodded and promised. “I’ll be wherever she is.”

Xia Family Head laughed and they continued their chess game.

On the other end, Madam Xia brought Xia Ling to her room, which had been specially prepared for her. The room was sparkling clean, with the fragrance of flowers on the new bedsheets and a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Madam Xia smiled as she said, “When I first saw you in the news articles, I knew that you were suitable for a room like this. This room has been waiting for its owner for many years.”

“I love it. Thank you, mum.” Xia Ling sincerely responded. Her tastes matched that of her mother perfectly.

They conversed casually, talking about their experiences over the years. There was no semblance of unfamiliarity between the mother-daughter pair, and they laughed and cried together throughout the conversation, forgetting the time altogether.

Little Shaohui came into the room to look for them. “Mummy! Grandma!”

He climbed up into Xia Ling’s lap.