A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Little Shaohui thought about it for a while.

Then, he looked up at his Dad and said, “I can even secretly tell Mom about it… no, Uncle.” Mom was too silly, she wouldn’t be able to handle such a complex issue. “I can get Uncle to kill Aunt Su Tang and Xiao Rui while they’re still seriously ill. This way, everything will be solved.”

The child’s voice was still meek and adorable, but his words were terrifying.

Li Lei laughed. “Yup, going to your uncle is a good idea. But Uncle’s family believes in the Mandate of Heaven and will hardly commit such acts. He might not be willing to help you.”

Shaohui thought for a while and realised that if Uncle was involved, Aunt Su Tang and Uncle Li Feng would have been dead long ago. He furrowed his brows and thought for a while. “Uncle Ah Nuo and the rest are Dad’s men, they’ll definitely let it out on Dad…”

Oh no, he realized that there was actually nobody around him that he could trust.

Li Lei smiled again. “I’m happy that you were able to exclude Ah Nuo and the rest. Before coming up with a good and clear plan, it’s better not to act than to alert others unnecessarily.”

“Then what should I do?” The child looked up at his Dad.

Li Lei said, “Firstly, you have to hone your own skills and power. You have to know that even though Dad has power, you may not always be able to use it. You have to find someone who is loyal only to you and willing to die only for you. Secondly, when the time isn’t ripe yet, you can’t win them by fighting it out, but you can outwit them. Take today’s case for instance, you could choose to pretend not to do anything, but secretly instigate Xiao Rui. Xiao Rui is simple-minded and hot-tempered, and he’ll easily cause trouble when instigated. You could find a way to make Dad detest him more and more, or even come between Aunt Su Tang and him. One day, you’ll get what you wish for.”

The child nodded his head in understanding.

Xia Ling looked at the father and son pair—disregarding the gory, she was touched by the scene. She knew that Li Lei had never imparted any of this to Li Rui, otherwise he wouldn’t be acting so mindlessly and childishly now. And yet, he was willing to teach Shaohui everything that he knew. He had even told Shaohui that he needed to have his own power and loyal ally, and it wasn’t sufficient if they were just loyal to Dad.

They were biological father and son, but how many fathers and sons were actually this close?

She felt gratified that the two men she loved most were getting along so well.

Li Lei was satisfied with his understanding and ruffled his hair. “I’ll give you an extra drumstick for dinner.”

Little Shaohui was overjoyed and clapped his hands. “Yay, yay! Dad’s drumsticks are the most delicious!” He paused for a while before asking Li Lei, “Then, is Xiao Rui alright now?”

Li Lei smiled. “Now that you know all these ways to go against Xiao Rui, you’re still worried about whether he’s alright?”

Little Shaohui said very seriously, “He’s my brother, and Mom said I should treat him as my biological little brother. As long as I can get along with him peacefully, I won’t use all those cruel ways on him. Unless it gets to the point where our relationship can’t be salvaged any longer and I have no choice, in that case, I’ll have to kill him.”

“That gets you another drumstick.” Li Lei smiled very happily.

He was proud of his son. At such a young age, he was able to have his own opinion and was not easily influenced even by a figure of authority. What was even more valuable was that he wasn’t inflexible in his thinking—if there was a need to be ruthless, he would be.

This was practically a perfect heir.

Li Lei smiled and ruffled his soft hair again.

Xia Ling was smiling as well. “Why are you so happy? He’s so capable, beware of him ousting you next time.”

“Well, by all means.” Li Lei said, “I can’t wait to give up the position, anyway. Little Shaohui, you’ve to get capable soon, okay? Remember how Dad took over Grandpa’s power? You can do that too, and prove that you’re better than I am. The Li family heirs should be more and more capable by the generations. By then, Dad can retire early and tour the world with Mom, bearing you a bunch of younger brothers and sisters.”

“Who wants to bear you a bunch of kids!” Xia Ling blushed as she snapped at him.

Li Lei continued smiling shamelessly.

Little Shaohui was happy, too. How nice it would be to have a bunch of younger siblings.

After they’d had their fun, Xia Ling went to ask Li Lei about Su Tang and Li Rui’s situation. Li Lei tried to explain it in the briefest terms possible. “When I got married to you, Su Tang could not take the blow and her depression relapsed. She even had a manic episode and went mad hitting Xiao Rui. Right now, Xiao Rui is still warded for recuperation, and Su Tang is warded too, for treatment of her manic disorder. I plan to visit them after our honeymoon.”

In any case, Su Tang was his benefactor, and her current situation was caused by him.

When they were first married, he had considered Xia Ling’s feelings and decided not to visit the mother and son first. But it was only right for him to make an appearance and show some concern after their honeymoon. Since Xia Ling had already found out, he did not intend to hide it from her. Both of them had come so far together after many trials and tribulations, it was better to be honest and open with each other about things.

Xia Ling nodded and expressed her understanding.

There was a tinge of discomfort inside her, but it wasn’t towards Li Lei, but the woman who refused to leave.

“Xiao Rui is rather pitiful.” She looked at her adorable Little Shaohui. Ever since she had her own child, her maternal instincts rang louder than anything. “Which mother could be so brutal to hurt her child so badly?”

Li Lei felt that Su Tang had gone overboard, too. “Logically speaking, he’s not my biological son, so I shouldn’t be intervening. But in any case, since Xiao Rui addresses me as Dad, I can’t possibly not be concerned about him knowing that he’s seriously injured. If Su Tang can’t face the reality, I’ll have no choice but to find Xiao Rui another guardian.”

Deep inside, he really did not want to tear the mother and son apart. But this could not go on for Xiao Rui, he was truly afraid that Xiao Rui would grow up to be a second Li Feng. That child needed a proper home environment.

“Find him another guardian?” Xia Ling asked softly.

“Yup, I’ll find someone in the family who’s willing to adopt Xiao Rui and raise him. Don’t worry, Su Tang is on good terms with the family, it wouldn’t be difficult finding people who want to raise him.” Li Lei said.

Xia Ling nodded and did not go on, but she still looked troubled.

Once the honeymoon was over and the family of three were back, they went to the hospital Su Tang and Li Rui were in.

They went to see Li Rui first. The child was lying in bed and on a drip, and his face was distorted with anger. He yelled at the nurse who was changing the drip for him. “I don’t want Mom! Bad Mom! I want Dad! I want Dad to come and see me!” He began wailing.