A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

They returned in a private jet as well, without anybody else knowing.

Everything was kept low-profile — besides a few key personnel in Skyart Entertainment, nobody knew where she was in this time.

News about her recovery had been kept secret. In order to keep Imperial Entertainment off-guard, Li Lei had specially arranged for James to go to the apartment every day with his medical apparatus. He would then leave with a worried look on his face as if there was nothing he could do about her vocal cords.

The day of the competition had arrived.

On this night, Lin Gang Stadium was packed with fans of both singers.

Xia Ling wore a silvery-blue satin gown and arrived in a white Lincoln limousine with Sister Mai Na. On both sides of the car, tons of reporters, fans and many others welcomed her — no, “welcomed” was the wrong word to use. Besides the reporters and their camera flashes, many were hurling mean comments. Such as: “Ye Xingling, you shameless woman, how dare you appear!”

“Ye Xingling, our Xiao Yu will leave you utterly defeated!”

“That’s right, tonight you’ll get out of the entertainment circle!”

“Get out of the entertainment circle, Ye Xingling!”

“Get out of the entertainment circle, Ye Xingling!”

Xia Yu’s fans, as well as many fans of the Diva Xia Ling, were chanting these words. Some were more aggressive, hurling water bottles and rotten tomatoes at the limousine before being stopped by the security officers.

Xia Ling sat in the back of the car, expressionless, as insults were being thrown at her.

Sister Mai Na was a little concerned for her. “Are you alright?”

“Do I look like somebody who’s beaten so easily?” The more she got scolded by the public, the stronger her will to fight!

Sister Mai Na looked at the way she raised her chin slightly, it was the confidence of a natural leader, somebody who did not give a care about the insignificant noises around her. With that, Sister Mai Na was put at ease. “Not bad at all, how could our Xiao Ling be so easily defeated! The one who should leave the entertainment industry is Xia Yu.”

“She’ll get out of the industry sooner or later,” said Xia Ling calmly.

Calm as she was, her determination was unmasked. Xia Yu was not suitable for singing, to begin with, her moving and heartwarming voice was the result of recording apparatus and auto-tune, while her popularity was her banking on her sister’s reputation. Xia Ling could not tolerate that somebody who had betrayed her was using her reputation to her own advantage.

Someday, she would make Xia Yu pay for it!

And tonight’s competition would be her first lesson to Xia Yu.

The limousine slowed to a halt.

Xia Ling and Sister Mai Na walked towards the venue on the red carpet, protected and escorted by a group of bodyguards.

At the venue, Xia Yu had been waiting for a while.

“Ye Xingling, you’ve finally arrived.” Under the spotlight, Xia Yu who was dressed in a princess gown. With an innocent expression, she looked like an actual princess. Still, every word from her was potent, “I’m very happy that you’ve come, not everybody who has insulted my sister would have the guts to be standing here.”

Xia Ling simply glared at her coldly, with no verbal response.

Sister Mai Na had gone onstage with her, and at this point had taken over the microphone from the emcee. She addressed Xia Yu. “Firstly, Xiao Ling never insulted your sister. Secondly, I advise you to cherish the time while you’re still happy because, after the competition, you’ll be busy writing your apology letter to Xiao Ling.”

Both parties looked at each other with a threatening, cold expression.

Offstage, a few of Xia Yu’s fans were already making noise. “Who’s this woman? What right has she to talk to our Xiao Yu like this!”

“Exactly! Bitch!”

“Aww, our Xiao Yu is being bullied…”

A commotion erupted among the audience voicing the unjust treatment Xia Yu had been put through. In contrast, fans of “Ye Xingling” were less vocal and smaller in strength — even if they were to give their all in the cheering, their voices would be easily overpowered by Xia Yu’s fans’.

Xia Yu’s lips curled up ever so slightly.

Ye Xingling, I’ll see how long more you can keep this pretense up. I’m the one the people love!

She eyed Xia Ling carefully and asked the key question, “Why aren’t you talking? Why are you letting your manager speak on your behalf?”

Xia Ling’s expression showed a subtle hint of fluster.

Sister Mai Na answered on her behalf once again, “Xiao Ling hasn’t been feeling very well lately. Her throat needs more rest and the doctor advised her to speak less. She came ill today and needs to conserve her voice for later, so I’ll be doing all the talking before her performance.”

No wonder! This shameless Ye Xingling had not recovered indeed!

Having her manager answer on her behalf? Excuses! The truth was simply that she was still mute and could not speak, much less sing!

Xia Yu was delighted but consciously concealed her emotion with a look of grievance. “Ye Xingling, why didn’t you say so earlier that you’re unwell? We could arrange for another day, otherwise what point would there be in my winning today?”

“Exactly.” The emcee carried it through. “Ye Xingling, if your vocal cords aren’t well yet, why didn’t you tell us earlier instead of only revealing this on stage? This way, if Xia Yu wins later, people would talk about how she didn’t win fair and square.” The emcee was bribed by Imperial Entertainment and was obviously biased towards Xia Yu.

With her instigation, there was another uproar among the fans. “Exactly! You’re only feigning illness because you know you can’t beat our Xiao Yu! I see Ye Xingling is afraid and trying to escape with this excuse?”

“Despicable and shameless!”

“Ye Xingling is trying to gain sympathy votes, damn her! Xiao Yu is the one who’s really ill and has a weak composition!”

“That’s right! Exactly!”

Another round of hullabaloo commenced.

Sister Mai Na was enraged listening to all the insults from the audience. These brainless people were so sympathetic and caring when Xia Yu was feigning her illness, and now that Xiao Ling had only just recovered from being poisoned, they were all accusing her!

Yet, no matter how much the audience was putting them down, she would ensure that Xia Yu had no way of taking advantage of Xiao Ling. Sister Mai Na looked at Xia Yu’s hypocritical expression and scoffed, “Do you know why Xiao Ling had not mentioned earlier that she was not well?”

“Why?” Xia Yu was slightly taken aback by this question.

“That’s because,” Sister Mai Na made sure to enunciate every syllable clearly to her face. “competing with somebody like you does not require much effort.”

What arrogance!

The audience was outraged, this woman was basically trampling all over Xia Yu! The reporters were hitting the shutters in excitement. Everybody expected some tension and drama during this match, but nobody expected it to be this sensational before it had even started!

“Quick! Prepare for a press release! This is breaking news, live!” One of the reporters was thrilled as he made a call to his press firm. “Headline? The headline will be ‘Skyart’s Queen Mai Na steps forward as Award-winning Manager once again in Ye Xingling’s defense’! What? You mean we should be on Xia Yu’s side in this report? To hell with that Xia Yu, Sister Mai Na’s words were too cool! Even I’m beginning to hope to see Ye Xingling turn the tables!”