A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Xia Ling sneered and looked at her provocatively.

Ever since the last time she had burned Pei Jingyu and the others and had not been punished, Xia Ling’s courage had grown bigger. She simply did not put the girls in her eyes. “What?” She lifted her chin slightly. “Sister Jingyu is so busy, you’ve just recovered from your injury and yet you’re going out so enthusiastically. Be careful not to get hurt outside.”

Pei Jingyu was so angry her chest heaved up and down. However, her anger subsided when she saw Xia Ling hugging the sunflower while covered in mud. She flashed her most snug smile and continued to jeer at her. “What do you know, you brat? A few days later it’ll be the midsummer lady’s flower banquet. The banquet organizer has sent me an invitation, so of course, I’ll have to go out and pick out a few nice accessories. Unlike someone who didn’t receive an invitation. I’m afraid you’re not even qualified to know what this banquet is about. Ha.”

Once she was done talking, she turned around gracefully and got in the car with the help of the servant.

The car swept dust on Xia Ling and choked her with its exhaust fumes as it rode off. She sputtered a few times and admitted just how unlucky she was as she backtracked a few steps on the road. Looking down, she realized that the sunflower in her arms was dried out by the sun and was now a little tilted. “Annoying!” She muttered to herself angrily. “What’s so great about that flower banquet.”

She picked some flowers again and went back to stick them in the newly bought ceramic jars. She looked at them unhappily.

“What’s wrong, little girl?” She hadn’t heard Pei Ziheng returning home. Pei Ziheng looked at the girl staring unmovingly at the flower pot and walked up to her to accompany her.

Xia Ling turned and upon seeing him, her eyes lit up in surprise. “Brother Pei!”

Pei Ziheng helped her remove a few blades of glass in her hair and laughed. “Why have you become like a mud monkey? Don’t tell me you’ve been here in a daze all afternoon after picking your flowers?”

She blinked and sullenly lowered her eyes.

“What made you unhappy?” Pei Ziheng asked patiently. “Tell me about it, I’ll help you come up with a solution.”

“I…” Xia Ling stretched out her slender fingers and started twisting them together. “I met Pei Jingyu when I was out picking flowers today. She told me that she was going to attend some flower banquet. She said that I was just a wild brat and was not qualified to go.”

“The Midsummer Ladies’ Flower Banquet?” Pei Ziheng remembered that if there was any more important event in the high society, it was this. This flower banquet was held yearly and was made up of several first-class noble companies in China. It was called a small feast, but in reality, it was more like a disguised match-making banquet. Usually, the elders would bring along their unmarried children to attend the banquet. It was to let the children socialize with one another and also to make it convenient for the parents to observe their children’s ability and prepare them for future marriages.

Xia Ling nodded sullenly.

Pei Ziheng stood up and took her hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where?” She was led out by him, looking blank.

“To order a dress,” Pei Ziheng said gently. “Isn’t it just the Midsummer Ladies’ Flower Banquet? If you want to go, we’ll go.” Ever since he’d taken over Imperial Entertainment, he’d been so busy that he’d ignored all the invitations that the banquet organizer had sent him. It was said that many noble ladies had cried. They had spent ages dressing up in order to see him, all willing to become his wife.

Originally, he had not intended to go this year.

But since Xiao Ling wants to go, then he’ll bring her there to play. The little girl hasn’t gone out to play much ever since he’d adopted her. Given her lively and active personality, she was probably half bored to death.

Xia Ling was full of enthusiasm. She had not expected Brother Pei to be so good to her just because she was a little upset. She followed after him happily to the best tailor in the city to take her measurements and order an expedited dress.

Soon after, the little dress was done and it was sent to Pei Ziheng’s house.

She put it on. Under the unique cutting of the tailor, the beautiful material of the dress perfectly showcased the little girl’s still-developing body shape, which was a little underripe. However, it was still beautiful and lithe as ever and provoked the tender feelings of others.

When she wore it and descended the spiral staircase from the second floor, Pei Ziheng’s gaze deepened.

She was so beautiful, more so than any other girl he had ever seen.

He reached out to hold her hand gentlemanly.

When she took his arm and appeared at the banquet, everyone was shocked.

“Look over there quickly. God, what am I seeing?” A distinguished lady called to her husband. “Isn’t that the new Chairman of the Pei family? He’s only 18 and rumor has it that he’s busy every day, thus he hasn’t attended the banquet for two years. What brought him here today?”

Her husband looked over as well. “Who’s that little girl he’s holding? She’s beautiful.”

All kinds of gaze were concentrated on Pei Ziheng and Xia Ling. They were surprised, curious, and more were to probe into it or to point it out. Xia Ling was sensitively aware that she was being looked at. At first, she was not used to being looked at, but soon she began to calm down—as long as she was with Brother Pei, there was nothing to be afraid of.

She adhered to the teachings of Ms. Sofia and walked with an elegantly straight back and smiled calmly.

“What a good demeanor,” said another lady to her companion. “This little lady is more beautiful than Pei Jingyu and the other ladies. I’ve never heard of the Pei family having such a lady?”

“Since when was she a lady?” Her companion was obviously more well-informed. “I’ve heard that Pei Ziheng has just adopted a new girl and has brought her from the orphanage to his house. She’s rumored to be extremely beautiful. That must be her.”

“No way?” The distinguished lady was shocked. “He brought an orphan to this kind of place?”

While discussing it, Pei Ziheng had already begun exchanging conventional greetings with people. The handsome young man walked around with the beautiful girl on his arms and gently and elegantly introduced her to everyone. “This is Xia Ling, my newly adopted girl. Please take good care of her in the future.”

“No way…” The distinguished lady who had been discussing with her companion was shocked. She said, “She’s really an orphan? What a pity, I’d wanted to match her with my son Yuan You.” This lady had always been interested in discussing marriage with someone from the Pei family but had been picky about it. She was not very satisfied with Pei Jingyu, Pei Jingshan and the rest of the ladies. Finally, she had seen Pei Ziheng bring a newcomer to the show, and had thought that she was another lady the Pei family was supporting who was attending the social gathering for the first time.

Even if she was just a girl being supported, but to be brought out by Pei Ziheng was enough to show her importance to the family, and it was worth a shot to try marrying her into her family. However, it was a completely different matter now that she was an orphan with no blood relation to them. So what if she had been adopted? An official document was too weak. Who was to know when Pei Ziheng would get tired of her and turn his back on her?

This kind of girl was not suitable for marriage at all.