A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Professor Chen felt a chill.

He knew very well that Pei Ziheng had the capability and authority to alter the results. Was he going to give up a bright future of possibilities in his career, and even offend a big shot, for the sake of so-called justice and fairness? He didn’t have to consider for long before coming to a decision. “Mr. Pei, don’t worry. I know what to do.”

Pei Ziheng revealed a sly smile.

He walked into the ward and stared at the boy on the bed — comatose and on a drip.

The child still had some baby chub on his cheeks and appeared adorable. On closer look, he seemed to have some semblance to Xia Ling — her beautiful eyes and lashes, her small dainty nose, and her ear lobes. In fact, there seemed to be some of Li Lei’s features as well, but they were not obvious.

Pei Ziheng felt a little uncertain, when would Xiao Ling find out the truth?

A red light started glowing as the drip was running out. Pei Ziheng’s hand instinctively searched for the knob to plug the tube, but it suddenly stopped. If he did not plug the tube, air would enter the boy’s bloodstream through the tube once it ran out of liquid. That way, the child would die.

By committing the murder this way, the cause could be attributed to a technical failure.

His thoughts darkened as he watched the medicated liquid drip, little by little.

Meanwhile, the child slept quietly and peacefully, almost like a little angel. At that moment, Pei Ziheng simply could not imagine the agonizing expression this little boy would have once the air entered his bloodstream. The thought of it was painful enough.

The medicated liquid continued dripping and was running out by the minute.

Pei Ziheng looked at Shaohui expressionlessly; this was his best chance of killing him, if he did not seize it, there might not be another chance like this again. Pei Ziheng knew that this child had some Xia blood in him and that the Xia family was a terrifying and mysterious one. If this child’s death was investigated, and the Xia family traced it to him, even the Pei family might not be able to handle the consequences.

To kill, or to not kill?

He did not have much time to consider.

One drop, two drops, three drops…

The last few drops of liquid dripped down.

At that point, Pei Ziheng reached out and plugged the tube.

“Count yourself lucky.” He mumbled to the child before leaving the ward. It wasn’t as if he had never killed anyone. After all, which successful businessman was free from such sins? Yet, facing this child, he simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Maybe it was the memory of the infant years back, who danced and flailed his little arms at him. Or maybe it went even further back when Xiao Ling quietly told him about her pregnancy, and how he had burst with joy. Or maybe, it was simply his conscience gnawing at him…

In any case, he did not turn back.

The ward regained its peace and serendipity. Little Shaohui became conscious sometime later and quietly looked at the plugged tube.

Xia Ling came to see him in the evening.

“I’m sorry, Little Shaohui,” she told the child. “Sister had only planned to take a short nap, but I ended up sleeping for a whole day. How do you feel now? Any better?”

Shaohui nodded obediently. “I’m a lot better now, don’t worry, sister.” He did not tell this silly sister that he had gone to the Gates of Hell and back while she was away.

Xia Ling pared some fruits for him, but was evidently unskilled.

Halfway through, Li Lei called. He asked her where she was, and told her that his family had sent him some fresh fruits and vegetables from the mountains that he wanted to hand to her. Xia Ling did not have the heart to think about those, and instead briefly told him about Little Shaohui’s condition. “We can forget about fruits and vegetables. I’m not in the mood for that.”

Only then did Li Lei realize how much had happened in a day.

He asked, “Which hospital is it?”

Xia Ling did not want to let him know, but Shaohui was calling out from the side, “I want Uncle Li to come and see me…” Xia Ling glanced at the child and decided to give Li Lei the address.

Li Lei came over quickly and even brought along a few lunchboxes. “These were all prepared with fresh ingredients from the mountains,” he said. “He isn’t well now and needs some nutrition.”

Shaohui enjoyed his cooking and bugged Xia Ling to open the lunchboxes.

The three of them were having their meal at the table in the ward when Pei Ziheng walked in. He came with a lunchbox as well, and mocked himself, “I seem to have come a little late.”

Xia Ling felt bad about how Pei Ziheng had been the one rushing around for Shaohui for the past day. She hesitated before asking apprehensively, “Join us?”

Pei Ziheng smiled. “Sure.”

He casually grabbed a chair and sat beside Xia Ling.

Li Lei darted an unfriendly glance at him as tensions between the two men hung in the air. Pei Ziheng acted as if nothing happened and asked Xia Ling gently, “How’s Little Shaohui now? You came running to me in your pajamas in the middle of the night, it really scared me.”

Li Lei raised a brow. Running to Pei Ziheng? In her pajamas? In the middle of the night?

He scooped some food into Xia Ling’s bowl. “It’s in the middle of the night, why didn’t you call me? How could you bother Chairman Pei? Xiao Ling, move in with me instead, that way I can look out for you.”

Xia Ling was getting a headache, couldn’t these two just stop talking for a while?

She clenched her teeth. “Keep quiet and eat.” She looked as if she was going to chase them out if they continued talking.

The two big men kept quiet obediently. Strange how the two of them called the shots outside, but when it came to dainty Xia Ling, they listened to her every word… After all, nobody wanted to be chased out in front of their love rival.

Both of them ate quietly.

Shaohui was a little picky with food and was all focused on picking out the vegetable leaves and the lean meat he liked. Li Lei took a piece of fish from between the little one’s chopsticks and handed it to Xia Ling instead. “You’re a man, you’ve got to give in to your sister, understand?”

The little one felt wronged. Both of them were so caught up with sister, what was so wrong with him taking care of himself…

Xia Ling glared at Li Lei. “He’s a patient!”

Pei Ziheng smiled a little and gave Xia Ling and Shaohui even more food. “When you’re discharged, Uncle Pei will bring you more delicacies.”

Li Lei looked at him in an unfriendly manner again.

Meanwhile, Pei Ziheng looked at Li Lei calmly.