A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Xia Ling bit her lower lip as she thought about this problem. She was really clueless about renting a new place.

She could not seek help from Sister Mai Na or Wei Wei either since they were from Skyart Entertainment. She had already decided to leave Skyart Entertainment, there was no reason for her to trouble them. If she could not go to them, the only other person that could help her was Feng Kun…

But Feng Kun had too much say in Imperial Entertainment, and she was afraid that her moving would be brought to Pei Ziheng’s attention. If Pei Ziheng found out that she sought help from Feng Kun, he would be suspicious about how they became so close.

That would be too hard to explain.

Xia Ling thought for a long time before thinking of someone that could help her — Luo Luo.

She was not from Skyart Entertainment and had no connection to her past life.

Sitting on the ward bed, she hugged the pillow and rang Luo Luo. “Hello, Luo Luo. It’s me, Xiao Ling. Do you know of any houses that are suitable for renting? Yes, I want to move.”

Being a helpful girl, Luo Luo was delighted to hear Xia Ling seeking help from her about moving. “Houses for rent are hard to find right now. Xiao Ling, don’t go through the hassle, just come stay with me. We can share the rent and take care of each other.” Luo Luo’s rented apartment was large, there would be no issues accommodating one more person. She happily added, “Xiao Ling, you’re so good at singing! You’ll be able to teach me if we stay together!”

So that was what she was after.

Xia Ling laughed out loud. It was nice to know that someone appreciated help from her. She thought for a while before agreeing to Luo Luo’s suggestion.

She completed the hospital’s discharge procedures and returned to the apartment she rented from Li Lei to pack her things. While the contents of her luggage were simple — just clothes, accessories, and cosmetics — they were numerous and many. She clumsily threw them into bags and boxes, bustling about busily, such that she did not realize that someone had quietly opened her apartment door and entered.

Li Lei appeared at the doorway and saw that the house was a mess.

“Where are you going?” He asked in a voice that was void of emotion.

Xia Ling gave a start and turned around, only to see a man dressed in a simple white shirt lazily leaning against the door. The top two platinum buttons on the shirt were unbuttoned, revealing his muscular and tan chest beneath.

In this half a month that they had not seen each other, it seemed that Li Lei was looking good and more handsome than ever.

Xia Ling’s mind was a mess of emotions. She recalled how she had spent the recent weeks and could not help but feel wronged.

“Boss, thank you for your care over the past months.” She kept her emotions in check and said to Li Lei in a calm voice. “You’ve come back at an opportune moment. I’m just packing to move out. Why don’t you calculate how much rent I owe you and I can pay you right now.”

Li Lei felt anger rise up in his chest. He had exhausted all that he could to get past the surveillance that his grandfather had put on him to return to the country and had not even returned home to grab a sip of water, but had come here immediately to find her. Yet, what was he met with? He was met with the scene of her packing and rushing to move out!

She was even speaking to him so formally!

“Leave?” Li Lei’s deep voice was lined with anger. “Ye Xingling, don’t you owe me an explanation?” On the way back to the apartment, he had received intel from his subordinates about what she did when he was away. She was seen together with Pei Ziheng again? Was she so bent on leaving him and going into Pei Ziheng’s arms?!

He frowned and walked towards her slowly. “Your answer had better be acceptable.”

She subconsciously backed away from him, before catching herself and standing up tall. Explain? Who was the one that needed to explain themselves? “Li Lei.” She gave a cold laugh, forgetting all the formalities that she had initially begun with. “You were the one who wanted us to get together… You were the one who announced our relationship to the public against my wishes… and you were the one that chased me out of your house… Li Lei, who am I to you? Am I just someone that will come and go as you please?! I’ve had enough! I’ll just leave!”

“I did not make you come and go as I please.” He said.

“Then, just let me go.” She glared at him.

“No.” Where would be safer than his apartment? Even if they broke up, there was no guarantee that his grandfather would not send someone to harm her. His grandfather was a vicious person and would do anything he pleased. And Li Feng… he was another ticking timebomb.

What’s more, there was also Pei Ziheng…

As he thought of Pei Ziheng, Li Lei’s eyes darkened. “Don’t be fooled by what a person shows you on the surface. There’s an ulterior motive for him to treat you so well.” He was merely looking for someone to take the Diva Xia Ling’s place.

Xia Ling did not register who he was talking about and insisted. “I want to leave.”

She dragged the luggage at her feet towards the door, but Li Lei caught her by the wrist. “I said that you are not allowed to leave!”

His anger was getting the better of him. He had gone through a lot to rush back here and was not prepared to just let her go into the arms of another man! He used one hand to grab the luggage out of Xia Ling’s hands and kicked it to a corner. With the other hand, he pushed her to the wall next to the living room door. “Ye Xingling, stay right here. I forbid you to go find that wild man!”

What wild man?

She was stunned and suddenly realized who he was talking about. “You got someone to follow me?!”

Otherwise, how would he have found out about her and Pei Ziheng?!

Li Lei took her exclamation as admission and grabbed her chin, lifting her face up to look at him. Disregarding her struggles, he said, “What exactly do you see in him? He poisoned you mute not too long ago, and you forgot all about that just because he gave you some help? Ye Xingling, are you daft?!”

“You’re the daft one!” Her chest heaved with anger. How could he speak to her like that? When she was at her most lonely and most helpless, he was not around. Pei Ziheng was the one that helped her. It’s fine that he did not feel any gratefulness to Pei Ziheng, but how can he insult her like that?! “Pei Ziheng is tons better than you.” She said without so much as a thought. “We’re already broken up. I have the freedom to choose who I want to be with! It’s none of your business!”

“It’s none of my business?!” Li Lei recalled the time half a month ago when this girl in front of him was naked in his arms in the spa, her slender body pressing onto his while calling out Pei Ziheng’s name.

Then, they had not broken up yet!

But she was really smitten with another man!

His grip on her chin tightened such that she yelped out in pain. He lowered his head and pressed his lips onto hers, his teeth roughly forcing its way through hers, as he bit and ravished without a care as if he was declaring his ownership and punishing her.

Xia Ling could hardly breathe and wanted to back away. However, her back was pressed flat against the wall behind her, and there was no place for her to escape. She struggled and tried to shout out to him to get lost, but all that came out of her mouth were muffled noises. His bite would get harder with each of her struggles, and she could taste blood in her mouth, the raw liquid trickling by the sides of her lips.

After a long time, he released her lips but grabbed onto the back of her waist, pulling their bodies closer together.

“Li Lei, you bastard!” There were tears in her eyes, and her voice broke as she cried out. She struggled and tried to push him away, but his chest was immovable like a bronze statue.

“Bastard?” His warm breath blew onto her face, his voice hoarse. “Don’t you like bastards? You care so much for Pei Ziheng even though he’s such a bastard. Was I so nice to you that you want to leave?”

His thumb swept lightly across her lips that were still bloody and red.

“Xiao Ling… you can’t leave.”