A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Chapter 81-90

Chapter 81: The Vow Meant Nothing More

Hearing her utter the words "Xia Ling," an ounce of pain flashed in Pei Ziheng's eyes. Yet, he recovered his cold demeanor almost immediately. "Ye Xingling, I've said it already, you will pay the price for what you've done."

"But," She looked at him sorrowfully. "if that wasn't selling herself, what else could that be."

Uncertainty and curiousness rose inside her, she hoped so badly that he would give her a different reply. In that instance, Xia Ling had decided, if he mentioned "love," she would reveal her identity and return to him at once.

But he thought she was being sarcastic.

"Ye Xingling, you really are unrepentant." He uttered every word through clenched teeth before cuffing her hands to the bed. "I will make sure you never utter a word of insult about Xia Ling ever again."

He let go of her and walked towards a cabinet, where he reached for something.

She widened her eyes as she saw a glass tube half-filled with a dark green liquid.

Pei Ziheng held it before her, softly speaking, "After drinking this, you'll never be able to speak bad of anyone in your life. You've offended the wrong person this time. Won't it be fair for you to become a mute?"

As he caressed her lips with his fingertip, she started to shiver in fear.

She shrank herself back as much as she could as she tried to get further away from it. In the dim light, the dark colored liquid looked sinister and evil, as if it was specially concocted by a witch in hell as if there was no way of recovery once it was swallowed - it was not just being unable to speak, the scarier part was being unable to sing ever again. Although she had said that the entertainment industry was not something to die for, singing was a separate matter, it was the only thing she loved. If she lost her voice, what point was there left in living...

Xia Ling gazed at him, as her eyes fogged up in tears. Pei Ziheng, I've already lost you. If I lose my voice, what else have I left?

Pei Ziheng took his time to remove the lid and a strong medicinal odor gushed out, causing Xia Ling to gag reflexively. She tilted her head backward, her voice shaking. "Pei Ziheng, please don't do this... I've really never insulted Xia Ling, really! Why, why do you believe Xia Yu's nonsense but not a single word of mine!"

He stopped in thought for a moment before tilting her head forward.

"Ye Xingling," He squinted at her. "Xia Yu is her biological sister, what are you?"

Every word he uttered felt like a hammer against her heart. This was the second time tonight he had said to her, Ye Xingling, what are you? So, without Xia Ling's name and skin, she was nothing to him.

Pei Ziheng, what exactly do you love?

She recalled a year they went traveling. At the peak of a mountain, he had held her hand as they made a vow to be "of one heart" forever more. The lock was clasped together and she looked up at him, asking: Ziheng, do you really think that we can be together again in our next life? His voice was absolutely gentle and tender as he told her, Yes, Xiao Ling, we will be together for all of our lives, forever.

Back then, she had stroked the lock. But, what if you can't find me?

He turned her towards him and looked into her eyes. Xiao Ling, in our next life, I will definitely be able to find you. No matter what you may look like or where you may be, I will recognize you at first glance and bring you back.

In the mist, his eyes were oh so gentle.

Yet tonight, as she appeared right before him, he had asked time and again: Ye Xingling, what are you?