A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

The click-clack sound of heels was heard in the empty space.

A woman dressed in a burgundy wool coat squatted down in front of Xia Ling.

“Wipe those tears away. You look horrible. Isn’t it just a breakup?” Sister Mai Na quickly took out a white tissue from her bag and handed it to Xia Ling. “Can you keep your cool? It’s not the end of the world.”

Xia Ling lifted her tear-stained face and saw an arrogant and gorgeous woman. She was so stunned she did not react for a while. “Why are you here?” she asked in the middle of sobbing.

“If I didn’t come, were you going to cry to death in the airport on the New Year’s day?” Sister Mai Na snorted and roughly used a tissue to wipe Xia Ling’s face. “You’re such a beautiful girl. Is it worth it to cry like that for a man? If Boss doesn’t want you, it is his loss. If he wants to break up with you, then just break up with him! Let’s find you a better boyfriend to get back at him!”

Xia Ling wanted to cry again.

Sister Mai Na sighed. She ignored the freezing brick floor, squatted down, and held the slim and delicate girl in her arms. After she received a call from Li Lei, she went to the airport immediately. It was New Year’s Eve, and she was supposed to be playing mahjong with her mother and a group of relatives at home. However, Li Lei urgently called for her to pick Xiao Ling up at the airport because he said they had broken up, and he was afraid that Xiao Ling would not be able to handle it.

Sister Mai Na asked Li Lei for the reason they broke up, but he only gave her a vague answer.

She was so angry that she almost lambasted Big Boss Li over the phone. On the night of New Year’s Eve, it was snowing heavily. She revealed her winning row of mahjong tiles, took her bag, and left her house to look for Xia Ling.

Luckily, Xia Ling was only squatting and crying at the airport. Nothing bad had happened to her.

She lightly patted the girl’s disheveled hair and softened her tone. “Silly child, you’re still young. Who hasn’t experienced a few breakups before? Be good and come home with me. I will boil some ginger soup for you to warm yourself in the cold. After a good night’s rest, you will be fine.”

Not only was Sister Mai Na Xia Ling’s manager, in many ways, she was also like her sister and took care of her in every possible way. Xia Ling gradually stopped crying in Sister Mai Na’s arms. As her body became warmer, Xia Ling suddenly remembered what she wanted to ask. “How do you know that I have broken up with Li Lei?”

Sister Mai Na did not want to tell her that it was Li Lei who called her and told her the news because she was afraid that it would provoke Xia Ling, so she only said, “Don’t worry about that. Just come to my house and rest well. Look at you, wearing so little clothes! Don’t catch a cold in this weather. It’s almost New Year’s day, and the clinics will be closed.”

Xia Ling was exhausted, and her mind was processing information slowly. She did not think much after hearing that Sister Mai Na had refused to answer her question.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. I don’t need to follow you home.”

“Where are you going then?” Sister Mai Na frowned. She was really worried about leaving this girl alone outside.

Xia Ling was also at a loss for words. Where could she go? Her parents’ home? Her parents only cared about getting her money. Return to her apartment? There were too many memories of her and Li Lei in the apartment…

Suddenly, she felt that there was nowhere for her to go.

Seeing that she was hesitating, Sister Mai Na persuaded her again. “Come to my house. There are many adults and children there, so it will be very lively. I have been a manager for celebrities for many years, so my relatives have seen many celebrities before. Even if you come to my house, they won’t make a fuss. You can rest assured, they won’t disturb you.”

For three consecutive days, Xia Ling did not have a good rest. Li Lei had forced himself on her twice, and she had a horrific, life-threatening experience in Li Feng’s Snake Temple. At this point, Xia Ling was brain dead. She did not want to think anymore and also did not want to spend any effort rejecting Sister Mai Na, so she meekly nodded her head.

Half of the burden was lifted off her chest. Thus, Sister Mai Na supported her to the car.

Sure enough, the Mai household was very lively. Their home was filled with adults and children, and everyone had jubilant looks on their faces. When they saw Xia Ling entering the house, they surrounded her and showered her with concern. Although some were a little curious about the star, the family’s reaction towards her was much less intense than ordinary people. Many family members offered her melon seeds and sweets to eat.

Sister Mai Na smiled and said, “Ok, everyone, please don’t disturb Xiao Ling. She just got off a plane and is rather tired. Let her have a good rest.”

Only then did the Mai family disperse and carried on playing mahjong or preparing for the New Year’s Eve family dinner.

Sister Mai Na tidied up a guest room and let Xia Ling sleep on the bed. “I’m just outside. If you need anything, call me.” She said.

As Xia Ling quietly nodded in her soft bed, Sister Mai Na was finally relieved.

Wanting to help Xia Ling vent her frustrations, Sister Mai Na took a breath and found a secluded corner to call Li Lei. “Are you there? I have helped her settle down in my home, so you don’t have to worry. However, Li Lei, you are really despicable! Chasing someone out of your house on New Year’s Eve… Even the worst type of man would not do something like that. Thankfully, Xiao Ling is fine. What should I do if something happened to her?! I can’t believe I used to think you truly loved Xiao Ling. If you’re so irresponsible, you shouldn’t have publicly announced your love to the media in the first place!”

At the other end of the line, Li Lei was silent.

Sister Mai Na glanced at the television in the living room. Currently, it was showing the latest entertainment news.

“This afternoon, Li Lei, the chairman of Skyart Entertainment, issued a public statement to the media announcing his official breakup with Skyart Entertainment artiste Ye Xingling… It was reported that before that, Li Lei took Ye Xingling back to the Li family to meet his elders. What exactly led to Ye Xingling being chased out of the Li household in the middle of the night?”

The news broadcast was very emotional. The initially lively family in the living room suddenly became quiet. They looked at the television and then looked in the direction of the closed guest room door. Did Mai Na bring back Miss Ye because of her breakup?

They were full of sympathy.

The news broadcast continued with a segment of the column reporter randomly interviewing a few passers-by.

A passer-by said, “I already knew from the start that they would not last long. This is reality and not a fairytale, how can there be a Cinderella-like love story?”

Another passer-by said, “A small star wanting to enter a rich and powerful family. Her plan was exposed once he brought her home.”

Yet another passer-by said, “Ye Xingling must have definitely done something wrong. Otherwise, a rich and powerful family like the Li family that values etiquette and rules would not have kicked her out for no reason on New Year’s Eve.”

More passers-by were interviewed…

Almost all of the remarks were one-sided and adding insult to injury for the sake of creating more drama.

Sister Mai Na rushed into the living room and shouted. “Change the channel! Quickly!” She wanted to prevent Xiao Ling from hearing the news because she would probably become more upset.

Her relatives took their time to change the channel.

Sister Mai Na flared up at Li Lei. “Look at what you have done! It is fine that you have broken up with her, but did you have to release a media statement on New Year’s Eve?! Li Lei, can’t you develop a conscience and not break off the relationship so harshly? How will Xiao Ling continue to thrive in the industry after what you have done? You’re a man and her Boss, so you will be fine after dumping her. However, have you thought about her? In the future, she will be mocked wherever she goes!”

Li Lei remained quiet and hung up the phone without saying a word.

He truly did not know what to reply. He had also faintly heard the news that was being played at the other end of the line. At that moment, he really wished he could break the mouths of those people…

However, what was the use?

At the end of the day, he was the one who hurt Xiao Ling.