A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Don’t bother yourself,” said Old Master Gu. “I’ll take my leave now.”

He was there to apologize to Xia Ling. Even though he was in the wrong, it was still embarrassing to have to apologize in front of so many people. As such, he did not want to stay any longer and was intending to leave with Gu Lin.

Before leaving, he remembered something and turned around. “The movie is ‘War and Death,’ right? Have you received sponsorship from a perfume company yet?”

Generally, films would be happy to accept sponsorship and do product placement in the film. Such advertising was a huge revenue stream for film producers. However, historical film pieces tended to receive much fewer of such sponsorships than modern day films. Hearing Old Master Gu’s question, Jin Yifei hurriedly answered, “No.”

Old Master Gu nodded. “Why not let the Gu family sponsor you. We have a lot of perfumes that were inspired by historical traditions and cultures and have perfume recipes from way back. There are many complementary elements between our perfume and this film. Director Jin, please help pass on the message to your producers, we can discuss on a sponsorship package that is suitable.”

Even a blind person could see that Old Master Gu was doing this to show Xia Ling face.

Jin Yifei was delighted and replied, “Of course, of course, I will.”

The last remnants of unhappiness that Xia Ling had against the Gu Financial Magnate disappeared on seeing how Old Master Gu was dealing with the matter. She really had no reason to stay angry. Thus, she graciously thanked Old Master Gu and watched as he left with his granddaughter.

She turned around and saw Sun Jing staring at her with a complicated expression on her face.

Xia Ling laughed. “What are you looking at? Are there flowers on my face?”

Sun Jing was upset, but could not throw her temper at Xia Ling. Those that were able to succeed in the entertainment circle were not dumb. She might have bullied Ye Xingling at first, thinking that she was an easy target, but today she realized that Ye Xingling had a backer that was much stronger than her own. Hence, she could not walk over Ye Xingling like before.

What’s more, to get the Gu family sponsorship…

They had the reputation in the entertainment circle for being exceedingly generous, and they would definitely be forking out more than her backer, Dynasty Jewelry.

She glared at Xia Ling with jealousy and the unwillingness to be outdone written in her eyes before walking away with a huff.

The staff and other actors that were standing around also looked at Xia Ling with renewed interest, the disdain and neglect they showed initially now long gone. What replaced it was enthusiasm and boot-licking, as they all wanted to get to know her more. Two veteran female artistes called her over to have an amiable chat, and it was not long before Rong Ping and the other male artistes joined in the mix, turning the atmosphere in the filming location more relaxed.

Jin Yifei completed filming another scene and returned to direct the remainder of the day’s filming.

This time, Xia Ling’s dance was on point and her dance poses were perfect. However, Sun Jing clearly was still reeling from the shock and was constantly in a daze, resulting in many NG takes.

Jin Yifei sighed and called it a day since he felt that there was no way they were going to be able to complete the filming that day.

Xia Ling was perspiring slightly from having danced for a long time in the day and only started feeling cold now that they were released. Her assistant, Wei Wei, came over to help her to the makeup room to get changed, but Xia Ling refused her help, saying, “You can go back to rest first. I’ll stay on for a while more to practice the takes for tomorrow.”

Other than the film that Imperial Entertainment had tailored just for her in her past life, this was Xia Ling’s first time filming a movie. She was worried about the assassination scene immediately after the dance scene, which she felt had something lacking, hence wanted to take this chance to practice more.

She had always been diligent when it came to her work.

Wei Wei was a young and innocent girl and was happy to abide by Xia Ling’s wishes. She poured Xia Ling a glass of hot water, before following the large group that was heading back to the hotel together. This left Xia Ling alone in the large filming location to practice the assassination scene.

When the dancer attacked the emperor, chaos would break out. The emperor would run away disheveled, and the dancer would chase him down, piercing through the emperor’s heart from the back with a sword. Xia Ling had died in the same way in her past life, and hence did not particularly enjoy this scene. She needed to practice a few more times to ensure that she made no mistakes in the actual filming.

She forced herself not to think about what she saw just before her death in her past life, and practiced the motions again and again for a long time.

Suddenly, an aged voice rang out in the empty venue. “You’re killing someone? That’s not the way to do it. You should be piercing through from under the third rib from behind, and then turning the sword a little… only that will kill him in one shot.”

Xia Ling gave a start and turned to see where the sound came from.

In the filming location, under the huge shadow of the historical film set from the setting sun was an old, rickety man standing under a dragon painting with a broom in hand, watching her.

She did not know when the old man had appeared like a phantom.

She took a step back and asked cautiously, “Who are you?”

“You’re asking me who I am?” The old man smiled, his voice croaky and unpleasant. “People call me Old Man Bao. I’m the props director in this film team, caring for all the props. Miss Ye, I need to collect back that short sword in your hands.”

Why did this film team hire this eerie props director?

Xia Ling was distracted as what Old Man Bao said rang in her ears — pierce through from under the third rib from the back, before turning the sword… Oh my God, wasn’t that the exact way that she had been killed in her past life, with this exact handling of the sword?!

The coldness and pain that she felt in her past life just before she died came back to her, leaving Xia Ling dizzy. Her hands and feet turned cold, and she could hardly hold herself steady.

She glanced quickly at the props director in the shadows, threw the short sword in her hand down, and ran off like she was escaping from a monster.

When she was back at the hotel, most of the film team had finished their dinner and returned to their rooms to rest.

Xia Ling ordered a lunch box and brought it back to her room. She ate a few random mouthfuls, took a shower, and lay down on her bed to sleep. Wearing coral cashmere pajamas and lying down in the soft, comfortable bed, she closed her eyes and soon drifted off into dreamland. Suddenly, that croaky voice drifted over from afar… the third rib… pierce through the back… kill in one shot…

She screamed and woke up, a cold sweat breaking out over her body.

The memories flashed past in her mind in a mess, like a huge demonic web that was trying to entrap her, making her feel terrified and uncomfortable. Subconsciously, she grabbed at the pendant hanging on her neck. This was a small platinum ring that had two letters engraved in the inner surface: L and Y, her and Li Lei’s surname initials.

She breathed a few deep breaths before her heartbeat started to slow down and return to normal.

All of a sudden, she heard a sound outside her window.

“Who’s that?!” She jumped and asked out loud, her voice trembling.

The window creaked for a moment, and the curtain was pulled back as a person jumped into the room. It was a handsome man with long, slender limbs, agile and muscular, his tan, brown skin was attractive under the off-white t-shirt he was wearing. On his neck was a pendant of the same platinum ring that she had.

“Li Lei.” Xia Ling felt herself relax. “You scared me… what are you doing here?” They were in a mountainous region in the outskirts of S City, very far away from the apartment they were living in.

“Is it a nice surprise to see me?” Li Lei smiled as he walked over. “I avoided all the tabloid reporters, fans, and security to get here… Xiao Ling, it was really difficult to get past all of them just to see you.”

So he had snuck his way in?

Xia Ling did not know what to say.

Li Lei walked over and stood in front of her. He examined her and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Why do you look so pale?”