A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

A fine bird makes its own selection.

Chu Chen once again felt the mysterious atmosphere of fate. He knew that his opportunity had arisen where he could reach it. He had to grab hold of it tightly… he had to! If this went accordingly, he would skyrocket and become the young Imperial founding father’s subordinate! Authority and fortune, what else would he not be able to obtain in the future?

His heart surged. He knew that one had to hedge his bets quickly. He went to find the director immediately and told him that he had a plan to make the female lead return to the film. However, he hoped that when this matter was settled, the director would recommend him to Pei Ziheng.

The director looked at him thoughtfully for a long time before saying, “I hope your ability is worthy of your ambitions.”

The young man’s sight was firm and his heart ambitious. Actually, Chu Chen was not extremely confident at the time. However, he understood that opportunities were fleeting, and he had to grab hold of it without any reservations. He racked his brains and lent some money to hire the best private detective to investigate everything about the female lead.

Finally, he caught hold of her secret weakness. He used it to threaten and bribe her unscrupulously.

On the 24th day after she quit her role, the female lead surrendered and returned to the crew. The production team worked tirelessly to hasten the production and finalize it. As promised, the director introduced Chu Chen to Pei Ziheng.

It was the first time he’d seen Pei Ziheng. The young regent was just like how the rumors described him—young but mature, with indistinctive joy and anger. In the middle of the night, Pei Ziheng was in his small study room that had the scent of sandalwood. He looked on as Chu Chen convey his loyalty and expressed his vision for the future.

At daybreak, Chu Chen had finished his speech apprehensively.

The corners of Pei Ziheng’s mouth revealed the first hint of a smile since they’d met. “I heard that in order to investigate the female lead, you took a high-interest loan. I will get people to pay for that. Report for duty tomorrow.”

Chu Chen was wild with joy. He began to work as Pei Ziheng’s subordinate officially.

That year, he was 17 while Pei Ziheng was 16. The two of them were of similar age, and the two ambitious young men were determined to accomplish something big for themselves and the heavy responsibilities on their shoulders.

Pei Ziheng had him transferred to the managing department. He said that such an ambitious and intelligent man like him would be wasting his talent as a script logger or even as a director. Pei Ziheng was always accurate in deploying a man to the right task. Indeed, being a manager was the most suitable job for Chu Chen. He excavated artistes, stole artistes from other companies, suppressed his rivals, and snatched advertisements…

Chu Chen was like a fish back in water. He took out enemies from all surroundings and within, and in a short two years, he had already made a name for himself. At the mention of Imperial Entertainment’s managing department, the entertainers all retreated in the face of the superior strength. None of them dared go against him.

Pei Ziheng had given him a sufficiently high ranking and scope of authority. He also had ample rewards.

He fulfilled his wish of buying back the old house that was just waiting to be sold. He refurbished it and painted it over, placing new sets of rosewood furniture inside. After that, impeccably dressed and driving an Audi, he brought along a few assistants and went back to fetch his mother gloriously.

Neighbors all over came out to stare. The people who had looked down on them or pitied them were now all looking at them with curiosity and envy.

Chu Chen hired a few professionally trained nannies to take care of his mother. Looking at her under the care of the nannies, he chatted casually with the neighbors, full of joy and pride. He even handed out little gifts to everyone. His heart was filled to the brim with bliss.

However…

His father was still in prison, and his grievances were still not rectified. The murderers that had framed him were still unfettered and beyond the law.

He knew that he had to work even harder and climb to an even higher position.

In these two years, he and his boss Pei Ziheng were already sitting stably on the majority of the country’s heads and their prestige was difficult to shake. The ones that had once been against the boss suffered losses and paid allegiance to him. Even if some of them were still against him, they were unable to touch him.

Chu Chen knew that he had not followed the wrong person. The opportunity that he had grabbed in his youth without reservation had brought him ample reciprocation. However, he was not yet satisfied with all that. He did not just want to be his subordinate, he wanted to be his trusted aide. Only then would he be able to climb to an even higher position and win even bigger benefits.

However, this would need a turning point.

At the time of Pei Ziheng’s 18th birthday ceremony, Chu Chen made painstaking efforts to give him a big present—he dug a big grave for the rival company with impressive methods, leading to the direct demise of the company. The company was then swallowed by Imperial Entertainment.

Pei Ziheng was very satisfied and asked him what he wanted as a reward.

Chu Chen had followed him for two years and knew that he bestowed people with nothing else but money and power. This time, Chu Chen did not ask for anything, he only pleaded for his help with something—he told him about his family’s demise, about how his father had been thrown into jail under false accusations. He asked him to find a way to liberate his father and give him his innocence. He also asked for those who had bullied and trampled on the Chu family to face their retributions.

Pei Ziheng used his fingers to tap twice on the table and said, “Yes.”

Chu Chen felt assured. One, was because his father had hope and would be able to take revenge on his foes; two, because he had finally found the right time to expose his weakness and information that could be used against him—his family.

He loved them. Furthermore, he regarded emotions highly.

Nobody would dare put one who was perfect in an important position.

Just as he wished, soon, his father’s case was reopened. The truth was finally out, and his father, whose hair had turned white under the tortures of the long years spent in jail, was finally released as innocent. The people that had bullied and humiliated them in the past—the head doctor, the chairman and the families of the patients… they all met with mishaps one by one.

And Pei Ziheng put him in a position that was even more important. No matter where he went, he brought him along.

Chu Chen knew that he had given his boss a wonderful present.

However, this was not the best present. The ultimate present was one given to himself—

A beautiful girl.

He still remembered that it was a season when the irises were in full blossom. The orphanage outside S City’s suburbs was illuminated by the limpid golden sunshine. He and his boss had been drinking tea outside the chairman’s office. They had been listening to the chairman thanking Imperior Entertainment for the charity donations with a hint of fear and fright. He had talked incessantly about his plans for the orphanage.

Suddenly, his boss had gotten up and walked towards the glass window not far away.

He had followed, and after that, had seen the girl downstairs—or more accurately, among a bunch of fighting kids, he had noticed her at first glance.

She was beautiful.

It was the kind of beauty that was breathtaking and unforgettable. It was like a ball of golden sunlight, or a regiment of a bright blaze. Or… Or what…

At that moment, he had heard his boss said in a low tone, “Butterfly.”

Yes, the girl was like a butterfly dancing under the sunlight. She was beautiful and enchanting, mysterious yet enigmatic. She had been up against a bunch of older kids alone, and when she fought, there was no hint of her being in a disadvantageous position. Although she was wearing old clothes full of patches and her hair was messy as well, her beauty was impossible to conceal and her face radiated touching vigor. She looked to be innocent and flawless, yet she could bare fangs and brandish claws. She was also arrogant and prideful.