A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

They started to crowd around Xia Ling. “Miss Ling, look over here!”

“Miss Ling, can we take a photo together?”

“Xiao Ling, I love to hear your singing! I’ll always support you!”

“Xiao Ling you’re prettier in real life than on television…”

Everyone was shouting out random things as they surrounded her.

Xia Ling was smiling politely, and she glanced around to acknowledge all the people that were shouting encouraging words to her. With the bodyguards breaking through the crowd, she very quickly got onto the car. She breathed a sigh of relief once on the car, and removed the tasseled scarf from her shoulders, throwing it haphazardly on the snowy-white backseat. “That was so tiring…” She said.

Lin Yunan popped a lollipop into his mouth. Ever since becoming Xia Ling’s manager, he had to quit smoking to minimize the amount of second-hand smoke that Xia Ling came in contact with to protect her vocal cords. Lollipops were the substitute that he got hooked on. “It’s finally over. The event today was really one of the most tiring… I need to go home to have a comfortable warm bath.” He remarked.

Xia Ling complained. “I still need to coax little Shaohui to bed.”

Lin Yunan leaned back in his seat and complained as well. “And you think I really mean it when I say I’ll have a comfortable bath? I need to organize the press releases for you tomorrow while having my bath… and also to make tweaks in your schedule to account for the marriage bombshell that you dropped! Oh right, you need to tell me when exactly Li Lei and you are getting engaged… and when are you getting married? Tell me now!”

Xia Ling blinked as she thought about it, before replying, “I don’t know.”

“Don’t… don’t know?!” Lin Yunan almost jumped up in anger. “Are you or are you not the one getting married?!”

“But I really don’t know…” Xia Ling whined. Her idiotic brother and that bastard Li Lei forgot to tell her something as important as the wedding date. And she… also forgot to ask.

Lin Yunan gave her a sarcastic thumbs-up, not saying another word.

Wei Wei asked softly, “Then Miss Ling, what will we do? So many reporters called me to ask about your wedding date… how should I reply to them?”

“Reply my ass!” Lin Yunan bristled. “Just say… Madam Ling here does not know!”

Xia Ling was speechless.

Wei Wei stared with her mouth agape. Hello, Big Manager Lin, do you really need to be throwing such a tantrum?

Lin Yunan took out his mobile and dialed a number.

Xia Ling asked, “What are you doing?”

Lin Yunan rolled his eyes. “Since you don’t know anything, your man should, right? I’m asking him when the wedding date is.”

As expected, asking Big Boss Li directly was more useful. A while later, Lin Yunan obtained the exact dates for Xia Ling’s engagement and wedding. He smiled in satisfaction. “Oh, they are all good dates… he really knows how to pick them.”

Xia Ling asked curiously, “When is it?”

Lin Yunan ignored her. “You want to know? Go ask your man yourself.”

Xia Ling didn’t know how to respond. Boohoohoo, Brother and Li Lei bullied her, and now her Manager joined in.

“I don’t care… you guys will have to let me know in due course, anyway!” She started to suck and turned away. “I’m not going to ask. Let’s just see how long you guys are going to keep it from me! Then, you’ll have to beg for the bride to appear!”

Seeing Xia Ling throw a tantrum, Big Manager Lin merely said, “Childish.”

The car drove to the doorstep of Xia Ling’s bungalow.

Lin Yunan watched as she got off the car and entered her house before driving off.

The bungalow was decorated in a homely fashion, with dim yellow lights creating a warm atmosphere. As expected, little Shaohui was still awake. He ran down the stairs and over to her, dressed in his teddy bear pajamas. Hugging onto her leg, he shouted, “Mama! Mama!”

Xia Ling threw her Chanel clutch aside and bent over to pat him on the head. “Waiting for mummy to come home again? Were you a good boy today? Did you eat your meals properly?”

“I was good…” Little Shaohui nodded proudly. “I drank the millet porridge that Auntie Jasmine made. Mummy, are you hungry? Auntie Jasmine is still warming some on the stove for you.”

As he spoke, the maid, Jasmine, had already carried some porridge out on a tray. “Miss, please try some.”

Xia Ling was feeling exhausted from the day’s activities—walking down the red carpet, receiving Li Lei’s proposal, accepting her awards, showing support for Luo Luo—and every segment sapped her energy. Even getting away from the reporters and fans to come home required so much work. She was really hungry and nodded to Jasmine, leading little Shaohui over to the dining room to have her porridge.

When she was done, she followed little Shaohui to his bedroom to read him a bedtime story.

Little Shaohui hugged onto her elbow. “Mama, are you going to get married to daddy? I saw him propose to you on television today. It was so romantic!”

Xia Ling laughed. “You little one… what do you know about romance?”

“Of course I know!” The child nodded proudly again. “Uncle Lin Yunan said that men need to be romantic for women to like them. Daddy is too romantic, so there are many aunties that want to snatch him away from mummy.” He thought for a little while before adding, “Uncle Lin said that when I learn to be romantic, I’ll also see dozens of girls falling at my feet. I can change wives every day if I want to! Mummy, why do I need to change wives?”

Xia Ling felt deep in her heart that Big Manager Lin was a horrible influence on her son. She pinched Shaohui’s little cheeks and said, “Don’t listen to Uncle lin! You need to be devoted like your father, do you understand?”

The child nodded but looked confused. “But… daddy has Auntie Su Tang and Little Rui as well…”

Xia Ling’s face fell. What rubbish was he thinking?

“You…” Xia Ling pinched his cheeks a little harder. “You can treat little Rui as your brother. But don’t think that Auntie Su Tang is a good person! She’s bad! She wants to break up our family! Do you understand?”

Little Shaohui’s cheek was hurting from Xia Ling’s pinching, and tears started to fill his eyes. Boohoohoo…. that hurt… mummy is so scary! Uncle Lin was right in saying that you shouldn’t anger women… boohoohoo…

He nodded, almost in tears.

Xia Ling released her hold.

As she read Shaohui his bedtime story, her mind wandered. This child didn’t understand what happened between Su Tang and Li Lei and didn’t know that Li Rui was not Li Lei’s biological son. What did people watching from the outside think as well? How many thought that Li Lei was being disloyal and having multiple wives?

She was glum and upset.

The child fell asleep midway through her story, his breathing becoming heavier. Under the warm lights in the bedroom, he looked so peaceful.

Her heart softened as she watched him sleep. Regardless of everything, she was happy to be able to protect little Shaohui and live her life with Li Lei by her side. So what about Su Tang and Li Rui? What could they do? They were still outsiders and wouldn’t be able to be a real happy family with Li Lei.

She reached out to cover little Shaohui up with his blanket. In her tiredness, she put her head down on his little bed as well and drifted off to sleep.