A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

On the other hand, Xia Ling was experiencing much more peaceful days.

After the police took Gu Lin away, she was called in a few times by the police for statements and was interviewed by many media channels. Otherwise, she was able to play with Shaohui and compose one or two new songs.

Shaohui was well-fed by Xia Ling and was growing to be more adorable and chubby day-by-day.

Li Lei came to visit them both often, bringing with him all kinds of good food and fun toys.

This day, he came over to knock on her door again with both hands full of goodies.

Shaohui could already identify his father by his footsteps. Hearing Li Lei approach, he ran over to the door on his short legs, opening the door before Xia Ling gave permission to.

“Daddy, Daddy!” He gave Li Lei a big hug.

Li Lei kissed him on the cheek before asking, “Where’s mummy?”

Shaohui said, “Mummy is making tea in the back. Uncle Lin gave us some new red tea leaves today. Mummy really likes them.” Uncle Lin was Lin Yunan. Being Xia Ling’s manager, he would sometimes buy some things for her.

However, Li Lei was not happy hearing this. “Tomorrow I’ll bring better tea leaves for you both.”

“Okay, okay.” Shaohui was glad. “I want to drink milk tea. The one that’s really fragrant!”

Li Lei laughed and agreed. Raising his head, he saw Xia Ling standing in the living room looking at them while holding a tray of teacups in her hands. Her side view was beautiful, and the afternoon sunshine coming in from the windows appeared to shroud her in a veil. Her exquisite eyes and brows were sculpted like fine art, and Li Lei could not take his eyes away from her.

He felt his heart soften seeing her like that.

This was what it felt to have a family and a home. His definition of home was to have a woman like her in the house, and regardless of what he had to go through outside, as long as she was there, everything felt blissful.

However, the lady in the living room didn’t seem to share his views.

Xia Ling greeted him with a smile but sounded mildly put out. “You’re here.”

“I’m here.” Li Lei was still carrying Shaohui in his arms.

Xia Ling was unhappy. It seemed that her son was more clingy to Li Lei than he was to her. Where was the logic in that? She put down the tea set in her hands and carried Shaohui over. The child was heavy, and she almost lost her footing.

“Be careful, don’t fall… ”

Li Lei hadn’t finished his sentence but Xia Ling was already glaring at him. “I can handle it!”

Big Boss Li rubbed his nose awkwardly.

Little Shaohui took all these in as he looked from one parent to the next. He stretched out his stubby arms and encircled his mummy’s neck, kissing her on the cheek. “Mummy, mummy! Daddy brought some beautiful flowers! Can we arrange them in a vase together?”

It was only now that Xia Ling noticed Li Lei was holding a bouquet of light pink roses. With a few dew drops on the petals of each flower bud, they looked very pretty. He had somehow managed to ensure that the flowers weren’t damaged despite carrying Shaohui in one arm and the flowers in the other. She looked down at Shaohui in her own arms. Why was it that Li Lei seemed to carry him with such ease, whereas she always felt that Shaohui was really heavy?

Xia Ling felt upset again.

Li Lei carefully offered, “Shall I…?”

Before she could glare at him again, Li Lei hurriedly pushed the bouquet of flowers into her arms in exchange for little Shaohui. The child was indeed rather heavy, and he couldn’t help but say, “Shaohui, you need to go on a diet. See, mummy can hardly carry you now.”

The child was mildly taken aback and pouted. Hmph, mummy is being all jealous, but daddy is just biased. Am I getting heavier because I am getting fatter?! No! I’m a growing child! What diet… boohooo…

He unhappily grabbed at his father’s clothes.

Xia Ling piped up in an unhappy tone. “No, little Shaohui doesn’t need to go on a diet. What happens if he gets too hungry? Are you his real dad or not?!”

Li Lei didn’t respond. Fine… it seemed that he had miscalculated in making that comment.

He carried little Shaohui in one hand and reached out to hold Xia Ling’s hand in the other. The happy family walked over to the glass windows on one end of the bungalow, where they found a tall and slender crystal vase, and carefully arranged the flowers in it.

“How nice.” The sun reflected off the dew drops in the flower petals, the pink mixing with the sunlight to form a dreamy gleam. Xia Ling admired the vase of flowers with her chin in her hands and commented.

“Beautiful indeed.” Li Lei commented as well, but he was looking at her by the window. The roses complemented her perfectly. She was picture perfect. He subconsciously reached out and ran his hands through her long hair.

She didn’t move. Unknowingly, even to herself, she grew in her acceptance of his company. Even if he had invaded her life, it was so natural and didn’t feel out of place at all. She reached out to touch the pink roses gently. “I wonder how long these will bloom for?”

“If you like them, I’ll bring some every day.” Li Lei responded warmly.

She shook her head. “Brother will be here soon.” Some days earlier, Xia Moyan had told her that he was going to come for a visit. She discussed with Li Lei that they should go to his mountain villa in the outskirts of the city since her brother liked to drink tea. The teas in the mountain were splendid and the view spectacular with the mountainous landscape and lakes. It was also the place that Li Lei and she had first met. She was sure that her brother would like it there.

Li Lei recalled their discussion. “It’s all prepared. We can leave tomorrow or the day after and stay there until Brother comes.” He addressed her brother like he was his own brother as well.

Actually, he had taken this matter to heart and instructed the caretaker to tidy the mountain villa over and over.

Xia Ling nodded. “Ok.”

The next day, they left for the mountain villa.

The autumn scenery near the mountain villa was gorgeous with clear waters and vibrant colors of the flora. Xia Ling remembered the time when she had come here as a trainee to film the MV.

Then, she had still been trapped in the past memories with Pei Ziheng, vowing never to fall in love with another person. Now? She had Li Lei and little Shaohui. Life was so unpredictable.

“It was under the Phoenix flower tree… ” Li Lei pointed out the tree to Xia Ling. “I was standing under this tree listening to you sing. That was the first time I heard such a wonderful voice. Then, I was thinking, what would this girl with such a splendid voice be like?”

Xia Ling smiled. “Nothing special.”

“No, you’re very special.” Li Lei said seriously. “You’ve been through so much and have walked such a difficult path. But you’re still so beautiful… ”

Her beauty was not just skin deep, but one that emanated from her bones.

She aged well, and the years of turmoil never took away the innocence in her eyes and didn’t make her withdraw from everyone else. Now, she was still living life to the fullest, smiling ravishingly, and could even bring a whole crowd to interrogate the wealthy missus when she was angry…

It seemed that she was never affected by the ways of the world.

In the eyes of some, this might be a weakness, but it was something that was very attractive to Li Lei, and the thing that he was willing to protect for the rest of his life.