A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Xia Ling had been lying in bed for the whole day yesterday and today and had finally gotten up reluctantly. Her whole body was still aching painfully. Begrudgingly, she mocked him now without reservation. “Was your Art lesson taught by your PE teacher in primary school? Look at this here, here, and here... Do you know what a composition is? What about shading?”

“How did you know?”

“Ah?”

“How did you know that my primary school Art lesson was taught by my PE teacher?”

This time, Xia Ling was speechless. It was actually taught by his PE teacher? She really tipped her hat off to Li Lei. How had he grown so big all this while? In order to improve the other half’s artistic composition and aesthetic appeal, Xia Ling picked up the brush without hesitation. She told him proudly, “Learn.”

She first combined a few pigments into a new color before using her brush to draw the other half of his painting. A delicate and beautiful Hydrangea blossomed under her strokes. Every layer of color was ample and exquisite. The flower petals seemed to tremble and it was as if a blow of the wind would cause them to flutter to the ground. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

She drew slowly and cautiously. Under her long eyebrows was a serious expression, and her pale pink lips were gently pouting. It carried a hint of concentration and allure.

She painted while he watched.

It seemed as though time stood still. On this side of the small world, it was so quiet they could hear each other’s breath.

She finally put down her brush after a while and lifted her chin. “Done.” A butterfly flew with the breeze and stopped lightly on the flower that she had drawn. It stayed there, refusing to leave.

Li Lei held onto her waist and embraced her.

“What are you doing?” Unprepared, her brush stained her white tracksuit. She said in annoyance, “My shirt’s dirty now.”

He leaned down and kissed her. “You’re prettier than the flower.”

She smiled and continued to say proudly, “Don’t change the topic. Look at how well I’ve painted. It’s a masterpiece, it will fetch a sky-high price if we sell it at the auction, hehehe.”

He laughed. This girl was probably a cat, vanity consuming her every once in a while.

However, her painting was indeed beautiful. The butterfly flew to and fro around it, leaving behind imprints of its curled feelers on the parts of the hydrangea that had yet to dry. Li Lei hugged her and appreciated her painting. He was a little shocked. “How did you draw so well? I’ve never seen you draw before.”

“I’ve specialized in it before,” she said.

She thought back on her youth in her former life. A distant cousin of Pei Ziheng had lovingly painted him a portrait. Pei Ziheng had looked incredible in the painting. The light and shadow in it interlaced and had made him look handsome and cool, just like God. Under the praise of everyone, his distant cousin had looked at Pei Ziheng emotionally to ask softly, “Can you hang this in your study room, please?”

Xia Ling had been watching from the midst of the crowd, and jealousy had burned in her. Once she was home, the first thing she did was ruin the painting.

Pei Ziheng had watched on in amusement as she tore it. He looked into the distance and said in a gentle voice, “Since you’ve ruined my belonging, you have to compensate me. How about you draw a portrait of me?”

It had obviously been just a joke, but she had taken it seriously. She had scouted the best art teacher and practiced hard under her for a whole year. The second year, on his birthday in front of everyone, including his distant cousin, she had given him a portrait painting of him.

She had drawn him to be even more handsome and majestic as compared to the painting last year. Every element and fine line was life-like.

She had lived together with him and stayed in the same place.

So how could his distant cousin possibly triumph her in familiarity?

Besides, she was the cared-for darling of God and her artistic talent surpassed that of others. Within just one year of professional practice, she had outdone his distant cousin, who had specialized in painting for many years. Be it in skills or feelings, she had left his distant cousin far behind her. She watched as the distant cousin had run away in tears at her brave provocation. The audience at the banquet each had different expressions. Some looked at the girl that Pei Ziheng apparently cherished most with jealousy, some with hatred.

She had held her head high through the whispering of the crowd. Like a warrior defending his property, she sat unscrupulously at the seat nearest to Pei Ziheng and got him to cut fruits for her, to feed her, and to satisfy all her capricious unreasonable requests.

That was all just a distant, youthful memory...

Xia Ling’s expression was a little absent-minded. She had then destroyed the painting with her own hands during the fight that had occurred after her imprisonment. She had also destroyed the set of tools and brushes. She had sworn never to touch brushes nor draw in front of a man ever again. After her reincarnation, she had somehow forgotten that she could draw.

It was until now that she saw Li Lei’s painting that all the memories flashed back into her mind.

“What are you thinking of?” Li Lei asked.

She was startled. “Nothing. Actually, I draw portraits best. Why don’t I draw you one?” She said and got up excitedly. She decided to let go of what happened in the past. Today, she had a man she could spend a lifetime with, and she was willing to depict the prosperity of the world for him.

Li Lei was elated. “Okay, you have to draw me handsomely.”

She frowned. “You wish.”

Having found a new game, the two of them instructed the villa’s maids to move suitable chairs, tables, fruits, desserts and tea sets as the background in a mad rush of excitement. Li Lei then squatted down and prepared himself for his wife to paint his heroic moment.

The maids all looked on.

They dared to stand there and watch Madam draw Sir from far away as it was the late afternoon and they had nothing much to do. Furthermore, Li Lei and Xia Ling were both good people and were not strict on them.

In the corner of the yard, a tiny figure was also peeking out amongst the bushes.

“Xiao Rui!” It was Xia Ling who discovered him first.

The child was shocked and a little shy from being called out. He stood helplessly on the spot as if he had committed a wrong. Even though he was on good terms with Xiao Hui and Xia Ling, he was still not close to her. Even Li Lei, his “kin father”, also did not play with him much.

“Xiao Rui, come here.” Xia Ling called.

The child could only walk over, ill-at-ease in front of so many people.

When Xia Ling had been chatting with Li Lei, she had asked him about the reason why he had moved so many painting equipment over. Li Lei had told her truthfully that it was to cultivate Xiao Rui’s interest. Although they had diverted from the main purpose, however...

Inspiration struck her. She could also cultivate Xiao Rui’s interest in this way.

She waited till the child was beside her before handing him a piece of the dessert that had served as a backdrop. She smiled at the child. “Xiao Rui, do you want to play with us?”

The child was shocked and did not know what to say.

Xia Ling was still smiling. “Father is lonely modeling alone. Xiao Rui, why don’t you join him? I’ll draw the two of you into the picture. I promise it’ll be beautiful.”