A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Chapter 1364: The Queen’s Pride

Seeing his doubtful expression, Xia Yingluo said, “Give me a moment, I’ll remove these extensions in the washroom.” These were claws of the Skatana species, after all. If someone found out, things would get complicated.

But Jiang Yu said, “You just went to get them done, and you’re removing them right now?”

Xia Yingluo was exasperated. So it was true when others said that it took many lies to cover up the first. With no better idea in mind, she tried to seem a little wilful and fickle-minded. “Well, now I don’t like them anymore.”

Jiang Yu took it as a tantrum and nodded easily. “I’ll wait for you here.”

He watched as Xia Yingluo left the room. Her petite stature of a back view moved him, and he felt for this girl. He was the King of Film. He was especially astute when it came to picking up others’ expressions and emotions. When he first entered, he could tell that she was sad, and coupled with her fingernails, there just seemed to be too many anomalies...

Jiang Yu was in deep thought.

Then the female staff came back and handed him his card. “Mr. Jiang, the transaction is done.”

Jiang Yu received the card and asked, “Did Miss Xia come here alone?”

The female staff was so excited that her idol was talking to her that she responded enthusiastically. “No, Miss Xia was brought here by a man. He was about this tall—” She gestured with her hand. “And he was pretty handsome too, but his eyes were very intimidating. He glanced at me when he walked past and I was so horrified.”

Jiang Yu’s expression darkened slightly. He found a photo on his phone that he’d taken secretly—it was of Wei Lingnan kissing Xia Yingluo. “Is this the man?”

“Yes! It’s him!” Wei Lingnan’s cold aura left a deep impression, and she recognized him right away.

That was when she realized that this was the man whom Miss Xia was rumored to be with. But this Mr. Jiang before her was her rumored boyfriend as well... Gosh, how much drama was she facing now?!

She was so agitated she could faint.

Jiang Yu’s expression turned a little awful. It really was him, Wei Lingnan.

Only that man could tug at Xia Yingluo’s heartstrings so easily, causing her to hurt herself this way.

Jiang Yu didn’t buy the story of her “not being used to the length yet”. Having filmed with her for so long, he knew very well that she wasn’t such a careless person. She could handle any tool or equipment well. Even if everyone else got hurt by improper handling, she wouldn’t.

He was lost in thought as Xia Yingluo returned.

Her hands were back to normal and there was no trace of the claws from before. She said to Jiang Yu, “Let’s go.”

Jiang Yu sent her home in his car. She remained quiet throughout the journey and seemed rather tired.

When they arrived at the Li family’s villa, Jiang Yu turned to her in the passenger seat. “I know you met Wei Lingnan today. Yingluo, you can tell me anything. I’ll protect you.”

She was slightly stunned. She’d thought that she held up pretty well, who knew that he saw right through her.

“I’m fine,” she said dryly as she recalled how Gu Jinxiu looked with her arm around Wei Lingnan when she announced their upcoming wedding.

Jiang Yu looked at her. “You don’t believe I’ll protect you?”

She shook her head. “Thanks, I’m really fine.” She did not believe him. And she did not need it, anyway. At this point, all she wanted was to find a place where nobody knew her, just so that she could properly nurse her wounds. She thought that she’d lost him a long time back and that it didn’t matter to her anymore... but when she received news that he was about to get married, that was when she truly knew what it meant to have her world crumble.

She got out of Jiang Yu’s car in a daze and went into her home.

The butler came forward and had a shock. “Miss, your face...!”

She was tired of explaining it all over again and decided to just head up to her room and keep herself in.

She wanted to have some peace and quiet, but her family wouldn’t give her that.

Worried that she was in some sort of trouble, the butler hurriedly went to inform Xia Ling, Li Lei and the rest. The family had been busy playing with the two leopard cubs but got worried upon hearing this. Xia Ling was especially so. “I wonder what happened, I’ll go have a look.”

“Mom, I’ll go.” Li Rui held her down and got up instead.

Xia Ling hesitated before nodding.

In this family, Xia Yingluo was closest to her Second Bro. As children, they’d gone into ponds to play with fish together, climbed trees to look for birds together, and she always turned to Li Rui when she had something troubling her. It wasn’t a bad idea to have Li Rui check on her.

Li Rui went into Xia Yingluo’s room and saw his sister sitting on the carpet with a pillow in her arms in a daze. He went over to sit beside her. “What’s wrong?” He asked, “What happened to your face, it seems like scratches... did you steal cat food from somewhere?”

“You’re the one stealing cat food,” she said sadly. She rested her chin on the pillow and seemed like she was losing any hope or happiness in her.

Li Rui felt like this was pretty serious.

His sister had always been able to keep upbeat no matter the situation. And even though she’d been expecting the World Tree recently, she’d still managed to appear lively with her smiles. But now... she seemed almost lifeless.

“What’s been upsetting you, tell Bro about it.” Li Rui nudged her shoulder. “Bro will help you.”

Xia Yingluo covered her head with the pillow. “Can’t you just give me some peace and quiet?” She leaned forward until she was face down on the rug, with her head buried like an ostrich.

Li Rui wouldn’t buy it. He gently shifted the pillow so he could see her head. “Something to do with Wei Lingnan?”

She glared at him with her pretty eyes. “How did you know?”

“Seeing how troubled you are, I can’t think of another person who’d have such an impact on you.” Li Rui scoffed. “Shoot, what is it this time?”

She looked down at the pillow and, after a while, murmured, “He’s getting married.”

Li Rui was shocked this time. This was out of the blue as if she’d dropped a bomb on him. “How do you know? He told you?”

“He and Gu Jinxiu told me together.” Xia Yingluo told him all about what had happened in the clubhouse.

Li Rui now understood why his sister was so unhappy. Given all that had happened in the day, there was no way she couldn’t be upset! “I’ll look for him!” He got up and was all ready to confront Wei Lingnan when Xia Yingluo grabbed him.

“Don’t!” Xia Yingluo said, “Don’t go!”

“Why not?!” Li Rui was enraged. “He’s blind to treat that imitation as a true Queen. Yingluo, I don’t get it. Why won’t you tell him that you’re the Queen? If he knew, Gu Jinxiu wouldn’t have anything left for herself!”

“I won’t say it.” Xia Yingluo looked at her brother. “If he doesn’t love me anymore, there’s no point in me using my identity as Queen to keep him with me. That would be a forced relationship. I don’t want that.”