A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Li Bei Er was evidently distressed as she held her pendant tightly in her fist in an attempt to protect it. “Don’t go too far!”

The necklace cost a bomb, and she had only managed to borrow it from a “godsister” in the industry after she pestered her for it. That godsister only had this one valuable accessory, thus if Li Bei Er lost it, she would definitely be in hot soup.

The thought of it brought out Li Bei Er’s tears.

Xia Ling had kept her smile on. “So you’re saying you don’t intend to walk your talk.”

As she spoke, she subtly shot a glance towards Second Young Master Zhou.

Second Young Master Zhou was unnerved by her expression — Li Bei Er was the woman he brought along and she had embarrassed him utterly. The thought of it angered him. “Li Bei Er,” His tone ice-cold. “you bet, you pay. Don’t end up leaving yourself with no chance to even pay up for your stakes!”

Li Bei Er felt a chill run down her spine, only now just figuring out what was really going on.

She would rather offend her Godsister than Second Young Master Zhou — he had more than a hundred ways to send her to her death.

Li Bei Er vehemently removed her necklace and handed it to Xia Ling. “Take it!”

Xia Ling received it. On her fair and slender fingers, the pendant glinted in the sun so splendidly that she could not take her eyes off it. Li Bei Er felt more than a pinch, as she could not bear to watch how Xia Ling acted with it.

Xia Ling mindlessly toyed with the necklace as she instructed Li Bei Er, “You can roll off now.”

What, she still had to roll! Li Bei Er was hoping Xia Ling would’ve forgotten that part of the deal. Unfortunately, it was crystal clear in her memory. Li Bei Er glared at Xia Ling. “Don’t push it! Ye Xingling, you’re in the entertainment industry too. If you make things so ugly, it’ll be impossible to be on good terms in the future!”

“Good terms? I don’t think there’s a need.” Xia Ling did not give much care, she was just a third-tier celebrity, what right had she to put herself in the same league as Xia Ling herself? In her eyes, this Li Bei Er was simply a speck of dust.

“Do you want to roll on your own or should I get somebody to assist you?” She asked in kindness.

Li Bei Er was alternating between a pale green and a ghastly white.

Meanwhile, Xia Ling even laid out her options for her, counting them off her fingers, “If you roll on your own, you can control the speed and power of the execution and probably protect your face. If someone assists you, there’s no telling how hard they’ll push…”

“I’ll do it myself…” Li Bei Er finally said.

In front of everybody who was gloating and enjoying her humiliation, she crouched down and rolled over round after round along the field. She had a hard time rolling, thus in a few moments she was covered in bits of grass from head to toe, her hair was completely disheveled, and fragments of pebbles and twigs had left scratches on her skin. She was a sorry mess.

Among the watchers, a few girls were stifling their laughs.

Li Bei Er’s high and mighty attitude had made her unpopular among many girls, thus making it a pleasure to witness her in such a sorry state now. On the surface, however, they appeared sympathetic as they coquettishly commented. “She’s so pitiful…”

“Yeah, her face has been badly scratched. I wonder if it’ll leave scars…”

“I say, one has to be self-aware. She must’ve been out of her mind to provoke someone like Young Master Li.”

“Who knew she was so silly and miserable…”

The group of girls chattering was exchanging sympathetic comments, but even then their excitement could not be masked. Xia Ling was in a good mood as well… for somebody who always made sure to get back at others, being able to take revenge in person was a great feeling.

“For you.” Seeing that Li Bei Er had left her line of sight, she delightedly announced it to Li Lei.

Li Lei looked at the necklace that had appeared in his hand, baffled. “For me?”

“Yup.” Xia Ling made it sound like it was the expected thing to do. “You were the one who suggested the stakes. Now that I’ve won it, of course, it goes to you. Take it as an interest payment.” Having said her piece, she turned around and walked off, leaving Li Lei stunned staring at the necklace in his hand.

Du Yunfeng guffawed. “Second Young Master Li, Second Young Master Li… Ha ha ha, it’s always been you rewarding the ladies, when did the tables turn? So, how does it feel? Aren’t you going to thank the heavens? Ha ha ha…”

Li Lei looked glum as he kept the necklace and strode off.

Some of them tugged at Du Yunfeng and asked in concern. “Do you think Second Young Master Li is angry?”

“How could he be,” Du Yunfeng was laughing while wiping some tears. “Oh god, this is too funny… Ha ha ha… Old Liu, don’t you worry, didn’t you see how she completely ruled over him, how could he really be angry with her? Maybe he’s angry with himself!” Of everyone present, Du Yunfeng was the closest to Li Lei, they were the real deal as buddies. Hence, hearing his words, everybody was much more at ease — thankfully Li Lei was not angry, otherwise, everybody would have to bear the cost.

Indeed, Li Lei was angry with himself.

It was he who brought her to the club and failed to defend her, subjecting her to the provocation of others and having to stand up for her. She even refused to accept the gift, and went one step further to use it as an interest payment to draw a line between the two of them!

Li Lei felt that in all the years he had humored and coaxed girls, he had never failed this way.

This was an insult, an utter insult to him.

No, he had to find a way out of it!

While Li Lei made a vow with his fist clenched, Xia Ling, on the other hand, was having a jolly time leading Valiant Song along as she strolled by the field. She had walked far out, where the cherry blossoms were lush and blooming abundantly.

How long had it been since she admired the scenery?

Xia Ling wondered as she walked.

It seemed like ever since she found out about Pei Ziheng and Wang Jingwan’s engagement in her previous life, her entire world had crumbled and was blanketed in complete darkness. Even in her current life, she had been living in the sadness of the past while having to deal with daily affairs as well as Pei Ziheng’s harassment. If it wasn’t for this trip to the Southern mountains for horse riding and appreciation of cherry blossoms, she had no idea when she would finally be able to smile from the bottom of her heart.

She reached out and stroked Valiant Song’s gorgeous fur, with Valiant Song snuggling against her affectionately.

Coming here, as well as reuniting with Valiant Song, it was all thanks to one person.

Li Lei.

Maybe, getting along with Li Lei was not as bad as she had thought after all.

Just as she was that thought, she heard somebody calling out behind her. “Xiao Ling.”

She turned around. Speaking of the devil, the person who was riding over was none other than Li Lei.

With one hand holding onto the rope loosely, he rode on the back of a black Hanoverian, his handsome features embracing the warmth of the sun and the scent of the flowers, a scene too attractive to turn away from. He rode a few steps forward and got off, walking towards Xia Ling, “I looked for you for a long time, why are you strolling here alone?”

“What are you looking for me for?” She tilted her head slightly.

“Stretch your hand out.” He smiled.

“What for?” She was confused.

“Just do it.”

Hence she obeyed and held her hand out.

In the golden rays of the sun, his warm hand held hers, and then she felt a cold, heavy matter on her wrist.

She looked down and saw a beautiful bangle.