A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Chapter 1201: Wei Lingnan’s Defense

“Yingluo, you’ve changed...” Zhao Yixuan sounded pained.

Xia Yingluo scoffed. She hadn’t changed, he simply did not know her well enough.

Back then, she’d been so nice to him. Like every other girl who’d just fallen in love, she had been unwilling to reveal even the smallest of flaws to him, as all she had wanted was for him to see her as perfect. She used to smile at him, speaking tenderly the sweetest of words and always putting up her best, most loveable front.

Maybe, this was what gave him the wrong impression?

“Zhao Yixuan, are you missing the good old times?” Xia Yingluo smiled deviously. “You sound as if you’ve got some regrets. Why, did you realize that Miss Pei is inferior to me after being engaged with her? Haha.”

She giggled as Zhao Yixuan get flustered. He turned around and saw Pei Yan’s thunderous expression, and hurriedly said, “Yan Yan is the best, how could you possibly match up to her?” But everyone could sense the lack of conviction in those words.

Pei Yan swelled with hate on the inside. She had known all this while that Zhao Yixuan still had feelings for Xia Yingluo, and was only going after herself because of her status and power. But she couldn’t help it, she just liked him. She couldn’t keep her emotions in check from the moment she saw him—his chivalry, his gentleness, and thoughtfulness had swooned her beyond her control.

All she could do was hold onto him tightly and chase the slut Xia Yingluo out of his life.

“I’m definitely the best, that’s why Yixuan chose me.” Pei Yan looked at Xia Yingluo haughtily.

Xia Yingluo found this argument pointless. Back then, she must’ve been blind to have fallen for Zhao Yixuan; it was thanks to Pei Yan and the photo in bed she sent, that she could get out of this relationship soon enough.

“Let’s go,” She turned around and said to Wei Lingnan.

“Hold up.” The man beside Pei Yan spoke up for the first time. “This is the Pei family’s home, do you think you can come and go as you wish? Both of you need to explain why you’ve ended up in the guest room. Don’t you know it’s private property?”

With Xia Yingluo in his arm, Wei Lingnan sized that man up with narrowed eyes.

The man’s hair stood as well, how could anyone’s eyes look this menacing?

Wei Lingnan’s deep voice rang out, “Who gave you the guts to speak to me this way?”

It was a simple and succinct sentence, but it sounded threatening and oppressive.

The man was intimidated, but he pushed through. “And who gave you the guts to speak to a Pei family member this way? Haven’t you heard of my name, Pei Chengyou? Whoever offends me will be repaid in kind tenfold.”

“So you’re Pei Chengyou.” Wei Lingnan chuckled.

The man was Pei Yan’s biological elder brother, one of the candidates Pei Ziheng considered to be the next heir. At this point, Wei Lingnan’s laugh was making him disturbed. “What are you laughing at?” He asked coldly.

“I’m laughing at you, you don’t even know you’re in deep trouble.” Wei Lingnan said slowly, “I heard you’re one of the potential candidates considered for an heir? Well then, didn’t Pei Ziheng tell you who I am? Seems like... you aren’t all that important to him.”

That statement seemed to strike Pei Chengyou in the heart.

Who exactly was this man and why was he saying such things?! Was he some VIP that First Uncle Pei Ziheng invited personally? Someone so important that no one besides those directly involved should know?

Countless thoughts popped up in Pei Chengyou’s mind as he looked at Wei Lingnan uncertainly.

Xia Yingluo looked at Wei Lingnan a little skeptically. She’d never asked who he really was, but this time, she was really curious. “Who exactly are you?” She tugged at his sleeve.

He caressed her hair as if he was stroking an anxious kitten. Without answering the question, he looked towards Pei Chengyou. “Whatever you’ve done to Yingluo, aren’t you afraid Pei Ziheng would find out about it? His eyes were on Yingluo every so often during the banquet just now. And still, you tried finding trouble with her, are you pitting yourself against Pei Ziheng?”

Pei Chengyou was frightened now. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No, you do know.” Wei Lingnan smiled. “Take a guess, who do you think Pei Ziheng would believe when it comes to this?”

Pei Chengyou was really in cold sweat at this point. He had no idea how much of Wei Lingnan’s words were true or false anymore. It was he who drugged Xia Yingluo, and also he who got people to find trouble with her—all of these were planned before the engagement party itself. It was just a smokescreen when Pei Yan made things difficult for Xia Yingluo on stage. They had wanted her to let her guard down and believe that that was all to the Pei family’s revenge on her. The truth was that what was to follow was the real thing—seven strong men were to keep her under control and take their turns with her, before capturing videos of her after she’d been utterly insulted and degraded.

Pei Chengyou had deliberated about canceling this part of the plan.

Not because of his conscience, but because of Pei Ziheng’s sudden interest on her at the engagement party.

He actually dared lay a finger on somebody that First Uncle looked out for? Was he mad?!

Pei Chengyou had been a little uncertain, and especially got someone to test the waters on First Uncle’s end, to see if they should just send her to his bed in an unconscious state. But Pei Ziheng had not stayed long after the engagement party. Hence, they decided to carry on as originally planned. From his expression, it seemed as if he never even heard of Xia Yingluo.

Pei Chengyou daringly assumed that First Uncle probably just found her a pretty little thing, but didn’t think very much of this girl.

As such, Pei Chengyou took the risk and carried on.

On one hand, he wanted to stand up for his sister. On the other, what if Pei Ziheng wanted to keep her as his woman someday? Given the conflicts between this wretched girl and Pei Yan, who knew what she might say against them in future!

He couldn’t give her such an opportunity!

In that case, the best solution was to ensure that Pei Ziheng would never take an interest in her...

As a Pei family’s descendant, especially one that was a potential heir candidate, it was necessary to study Pei Ziheng’s likes and dislikes. Pei Chengyou knew very well that First Uncle had strong self-discipline. It was most likely that he had not touched many women over the years, and that those he touched were pure, without much dirty past experiences on the bed. If Xia Yingluo were to be “used”... First Uncle wouldn’t ever want to touch her, right?

Then she’d never have a chance to speak ill of them in front of First Uncle!

To play it safe, Pei Chengyou even modified the original plan—he removed two of the healthy men among the group of seven and replaced them with two others who had sexually-transmitted diseases. Once Xia Yingluo was infected, she’d spend her life seeking treatment at those unsightly and shameless little clinics!