A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

“Su Tang has a younger sister named Su Xue.”

Li Lei’s voice echoed in the silence of the car. “The year Su Xue turned sixteen, she dropped by the headquarters to look for her sister. Incidentally, she bumped into my older brother, Li Feng. You’ve met my brother before, you know how charismatic his eyes are. As long as he tries, he can make any young girl fall in love with him. Unfortunately, Su Xue was one of them.

“That naive little girl fell in love with my brother, just like that.

“She happy delivered the news to her sister, but instead of being happy, Su Tang was terrified — back then, she had been working for me for about a decade, and she understood how my relations worked and knew that I never had a good relationship with my brother. If my brother is ever interested in anyone around me, it usually doesn’t end well.

“Su Tang warned her sister, that the entire thing was merely a ploy, but the young girl was already far too in love to listen. So, she made her mind and left home, and headed straight into Li Feng’s arms.

“In the beginning, things were still good. My brother was nice to her, catered to her every need, spoiled her like nobody’s business, and she especially loved to show that side of their relationship off to Su Tang. Su Xue would mock her sister for having no discerning eye whatsoever. In Su Xue’s words, Su Tang had worked for me for years and still was a mere underling. Herself, on the other hand, had been with my brother for a couple of months, and he had utterly swept her off her feet.

“I never mistreated Su Tang in her time as my assistant. I know that she was a capable worker and definitely indispensable in my life, but Su Xue’s words must have been hurtful because they had a big argument that day.

“Su Xue went back to Li Feng and never came back.

“From then on, Su Tang frequently cried in secret. I talked to her about it, and she said she was in a constant state of worry because of her sister — her sister was naive, and had no idea whatsoever about what kind of person Li Feng was. Her happiness seemed to come too easy to be true, and alas, it was indeed momentary. The fairy tale left just as quickly as it came…

“Su Tang was right, their relationship deteriorated as time went on. Verbal and physical abuse became their norm, and his infidelity grew increasingly rampant. He had practically no regard for her anymore. Of course, she couldn’t take it. She grew gaunt and even fell ill for some time. And still, she wouldn’t leave him. Through the abuse, the humiliation, and the pain, she stayed. She stayed because she was wholly consumed by her love for him, and there was nothing left of her former self.

“Su Tang begged me to save her younger sister, and I tried. I tried to find a window of opportunity to bring her back.

“However, she was none the wiser. She wanted to go back. Su Xue cursed at her sister, that she was going to get retribution for ruining her marriage, made a fuss all the time, refused to eat, and even tried to commit suicide…

“Su Tang’s heart softened. She gave her a chance, and of course, Su Xue returned to him.

“But Li Feng hadn’t changed. Since young, he had a violent streak, and wouldn’t blink twice about the notion of killing. He liked it. He told Su Xue: ‘as long as you help me take a hundred human lives, I promise you that I’ll leave the rest of the world away, treat you better, marry you, and start a family. I’ll be nice to only you. I’ll love only you.’

“She believed it. Or rather, it was the only remaining thing that she could hold onto in her loveless world. She used to be such a gentle and kind girl, she got so emotional looking at an injured little rabbit… but the next two years changed her. She helped my brother and played a part in the torment and the killing. Word on the street was that Li Feng had a female devil. Anyone who fell into her hands would be infinitely lucky to be able to commit suicide instead.”

Li Lei’s voice grew hoarser. Talking about it was difficult.

Xia Ling was thoroughly terrified by how the story was going. She had unconsciously gripped onto him, her grip growing tighter and tighter. He gripped back, in reassurance, before she finally returned to her senses.

“Xiao Ling,” he spoke. “don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Xia Ling felt the warmth emanating from the palm of his hand, and it had a calming aura. Her clenched heart stopped racing for a moment. “Please stop talking… I don’t want to listen anymore.” She weakly requested a few minutes later.

Li Lei tightened his grip on her hand. “I know this is terrifying, but I want you to listen to the entire story.”

“Why?” She felt like she was going to pass out any moment now.

“You must understand the kind of person my brother is. I don’t want to leave a single detail to your imagination.” Li Lei stated.

“I don’t want to understand! What does he have to do with me anyway?”

Li Lei smiled bitterly. “He’s got his eyes on you, Xiao Ling. He’s going to find the next opportunity to get closer to you, like what happened today, or maybe even worse. This time, I made a mistake, I didn’t realize that he was even in this city, and gave him the opportunity to strike. It’s too late now. As long as you piqued his interest, sooner or later, it will happen…”

“What will happen?”

There was no reply.

A pause. “Xiao Ling, listen to the story, alright?”

Xia Ling replied, “I’m a little carsick.”

Li Lei asked for the car to be stopped and got her some fruit tea. As she drank the fruit tea, Li Feng slipped into her mind, those terrifying images flashing before her eyes.

Li Feng was enchanting and terrifying at the same time. Like a poisonous snake.

Xia Ling mustered up her courage. “And then what happened?”

“And then…” He spoke very slowly. “He broke his promise.”

“Broke his promise?”

“Yes. After killing a hundred people, she happily went to him, asking for him to fulfill his side of the deal. All this time, she had wholeheartedly believed that he would acquiesce, and she could proudly be part of the Li family… but who would’ve known? He merely laughed and said, ‘Who, me? Why don’t I remember this?’

“It was a bolt from the blue, and her world imploded. She was furious, but my brother called her delusional for ever believing that a nobody like her could ever marry someone like him. It’s almost as if he summoned all the venom in the world and spat on her, mocking her in front of the entire world. And then…

“She lost it.

“She was a delicate one, but she put everything on the line for that one promise. He was her religion, and it almost justified everything she had done for him. And yet, he turned his back on her just like that, and her world fell apart.

“She became a real lunatic, crying, making a fuss, and wanted nothing more but to leave.

“Every time she tried to leave, he would capture her…”

The silence deepened.

Xia Ling did not dare to press further. The story was horrifying, and oh, how badly did she hope that it was nothing more than a story.

Li Lei’s voice grew even more pained. “I couldn’t save her. Initially, I believed that she was just she was just being ridiculously dramatic, and since she was so childish, a little suffering would do her good. When she became sober, she could come home again…

“I’d never expected that that would ever happen.

“When Su Xue lost it, I was in the midst of my coming of age, following mercenaries around, so for two entire years, I hadn’t the slightest contact with my family. When I returned home, they told me that Su Xue already…”