A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Onstage, the brothers were still up against each other.

Li Lei’s punches and kicks were ruthless and strong, evidently polished from all his years in combat, fighting among stray bullets. But Li Feng was not any less intimidating with his attacks. Both brothers were very familiar with each other’s strengths and styles—after a long battle, nobody was able to take the other down.

Xia Ling was still lying on the ground as her vision got increasingly blurry. Her chest was throbbing with so much pain, and she had not stopped coughing blood. She tried her best not to pass out as she kept her eyes on their fight, praying hard that Li Lei would not be hurt.

If anything were to happen to him, all three of them were doomed.

She reached for her phone and dialed a number. “Brother… come, quick…”

Thereafter, she began coughing even more furiously, and could not utter a single word anymore.

The bright red lights were still gathered on the stage and finally, Li Lei had gotten the upper hand. Li Lei hit Li Feng in the split second that he wasn’t paying attention, and before he got up, pressed his weight against his body and held his hand against Li Feng’s neck. They glared at each other coldly as the air seemed to go stale around them.

“Kill me… why, don’t you dare?” Li Feng smiled like he was the victor, despite having been pinned to the ground.

Li Lei’s expression darkened while his hand tightened around Li Feng’s neck. Even so, he kept silent.

Li Feng was beginning to have difficulty breathing, but still struggled to say, “Haha… Xiao Lei, you’re always like this—kind as a woman. You know, if you don’t kill me, I’ll kill you.” His lips curled at the tips and he appeared delighted even as his life was in the hands of someone else.

Li Lei said coldly, “Promise that you’ll let Xiao Ling off, and I’ll let you off.”

Li Feng laughed. “Do you think I’ll promise you that?”

Li Lei tightened his grip further, and the man in his hand could barely speak anymore. His face began turning pale, and even his gaze was drifting.

Li Lei recalled their younger days when their relationship was not as strained as it was now. Initially, there was always this lonesome boy watching him play in the garden from afar. Sometimes, he would catch some creepy crawlies and place them under his blanket; other times, he would stuff some jam in his room and pretend that it wasn’t him who stole it. Back then, he had been young and foolish, always willingly calling him “Brother”…

When did it all change?

In that moment of distraction, the once lonesome boy had turned into the devilish man before him.

He heard a gasp from Xia Ling before Li Feng got up and pushed Li Lei to the ground.

“Getting distracted during a fight, that’s not a good move…”

Li Feng sneered and gripped his throat, the same way he had been gripped moments before.

“So, do you think I’ll kill…”

Just before he uttered the last word “you,” the tables turned.

The crowd was in complete shock witnessing this scene: Xia Ling had garnered all her remaining strength and found a way to get up. She staggered towards them and, with every ounce of force she could muster, stabbed the key—which she was supposed to open the cage with—into the back of Li Feng’s neck.

Li Feng fell to the floor, face down.

Li Lei instantly flipped him around and reached towards his nose—thankfully, he was still breathing. He took the whip from Li Feng’s hand and tied him with it skillfully.

Only then did he look up at Xia Ling. “Xiao Ling, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine.” She did not even sound like herself anymore. “Quick, look for Shaohui.”

Li Lei picked her up. “Hang in there, I’ll take you back to the room first. The child will be fine.”

He was just about to carry her down the stage when an old voice was heard. “Put Ye Xingling down.”

Li Lei stopped in his tracks and his expression turned awful. “… Grandpa.” Why is Grandpa here at such a crucial moment? Nothing good ever happens when he’s around.

Li Lei’s body tensed up defensively.

Guests whispered downstage as they saw Old Master Li walk towards the stage in his usual Chinese outfit and cloth shoes. He looked well and healthy, but the look on his face was dark—the first thing he had seen when he entered was Xia Ling hurting his precious grandson. Now, Li Feng was lying on the stage barely alive, and Li Lei was actually ignoring his brother and helping the troublemaker instead?!

Old Master Li pointed a finger at Li Lei. “Bastard, kneel down!”

Li Lei stood firmly with Xia Ling in his arms and did not make a move to kneel. “Grandpa,” he said calmly. “Let me get a doctor for her first and make sure she’s settled down before paying for my sins.”

Old Master Li sneered in anger. “Do you think I’ll let this woman off?”

Old Master Li felt that he’d been way too kind to her in the past, giving her a chance to wreak havoc in their family today. Since he had already made his way to Paradise and was caught in this embarrassing situation, there was no harm going all out. “All of you, throw this woman into the sea!”

The people who had accompanied Old Master Li immediately surrounded Li Lei.

“Excuse us, Second Young Master.” The leader among them approached Li Lei and was ready to attack, while the rest cooperated in his move. They had one goal—to take Ye Xingling from his arms!

Li Lei’s mobility was greatly restricted as he was carrying her. Furthermore, his energy had been largely depleted after the ferocious battle with Li Feng. There was no way he could take on all of them.

He backed off each time somebody approached and reached the deck in no time.

“Grandpa.” Even now? He refused to let go of her. “Do you remember the amulet? My destiny and Xiao Ling’s have long been intertwined. You want to toss her into the sea? Fine, I’ll go down with her.”

Xia Ling was extremely pale. With the rib still stuck in her lung, she was numb from pain by now.

Cold sweat was trickling down her forehead as her vision got blurry again. Even Li Lei’s voice felt like a distance away, buzzing in her ear from afar. The only thing she could be sure of was that she was in his arms, and his warm chest and strong heart were becoming the only safe haven she knew. Wherever they went, they were now a single entity. She tightened her grip on him subconsciously.

Feeling her dependence on him, Li Lei’s expression was firmer than before.

“Grandpa,” he said. “Let Xiao Ling off. Don’t do something you’ll come to regret.”