A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return
chapter-446

Xia Ling looked up and shot him a glare.

He could feel her eyes penetrating him and hurriedly added, “Don’t involve your sister in your bad deeds, she won’t be able to rest in peace in Heaven.” Although Xia Yu claimed to be innocent, and that the incident was not actually caught on the surveillance camera, Xiao Ling had said that she was pushed from behind. In that case, either Xiao Lin was lying, or Xia Yu was the culprit.

Xiao Ling was Xia Yu’s biological sister. Though this was her second lifetime, there was no reason for her to drama Xia Yu this way. It was such a joke when Xia Yu mentioned that Xia Ling had “fallen over with his child” when the child wasn’t even his flesh and blood!

This thought gnawed at Pei Ziheng continually, and this coldness was reflected on his face.

Xia Yu looked at him and felt afraid by his expression, but that did not stop her from tearing and whining. “Brother Ziheng, I’m really innocent…”

Her acting was so convincing that even Xia Ling was impressed. At that point, there was even a moment Xia Ling actually doubted herself and thought hard about whether someone really did push her, or was it nothing more than a delusion?

She looked toward Xia Yu sarcastically.

Xia Yu hated that look, but she could not retaliate in front of Pei Ziheng. She chose to act as the vulnerable one instead.

Xia Ling felt the thrill fade.

Well, the water had been splashed, there was no way she could go further and hurt Xia Yu.

She turned to Pei Ziheng. “Let’s go.”

Pei Ziheng followed her out of the ward.

The two of them walked side by side on the quiet, empty corridor.

“I told you to get more rest, you’d recuperate better,” Pei Ziheng said gently as he put his arm around her shoulder. “Why didn’t you listen? Leave it to me to punish the murderer.”

Leave it to him?

Punish the murderer?

Xia Ling felt a dull ache in her chest. She remembered the murder case of Wang Jingwan and how she had cried her heart out and declared her innocence. He did not believe her.

Even now, he still did not.

A man so opinionated and absorbed in his ideas, did he really love her enough?

Thankfully, she had awoken from that nightmare and escaped that cruel reality.

She carefully placed her hand over her stomach. “I have some anger in me that I can’t dispel, and I want to punish the people who’ve hurt me personally. Otherwise, what if she hurts my baby next time?”

At this point, Pei Ziheng really wished that Xia Yu had managed to get rid of the baby. He found Xia Yu so foolish and incapable, how could she fail at causing a miscarriage even by pushing somebody? Now, the onus was on him again to think of a way to get rid of the baby.

While plotting in his head, he appeared even more tender on the outside. “Let Nanny Zhou boil you some ginseng chicken soup tonight to build your strength.” This way, her body would be able to bear it during the abortion surgery.

Xia Ling did not know about his terrifying idea, and hence, smiled gently at his thoughtfulness.

Her smile was as beautiful as a blooming flower, catching the eyes of anyone close by.

Pei Ziheng found himself immersed in her beauty.

Ever since she became pregnant, she had looked even more alluring than before. She no longer applied any makeup, but the radiant glow shone through her wondrously. He had heard that expectant mothers were especially beautiful because of the immense love they had for the child they were carrying, and the satisfaction and gratitude they had towards life —

This made Pei Ziheng feel all the more bitter.

Under Nanny Zhou’s care, Xia Ling was nursed back to health day by day. She was recovering well, and it reflected in the color that had returned to her cheeks.

In the morning over breakfast, Nanny Zhou had smiled as she told her, “I’m so relieved that you look healthy and fit now. This way, you’ll definitely deliver a chubby little prince.”

Every expectant mother enjoyed listening to such sweet words, and Xia Ling was no exception. She drank her milk leisurely and smiled back. “Well, who says it’s a chubby little prince? Maybe, it could be a sweet little princess?”

“A sweet little princess would be nice too.” Nanny Zhou went along with it, but deep down, she was just like Mister and hoped very much for a boy. But Miss Ye preferred girls, and Nanny Zhou was not about to be rude about it. “A princess would be beautiful like you, and would grow up to marry a man as thoughtful and caring as Mister too.”

As “thoughtful and caring” as Pei Ziheng?

The smile in Xia Ling’s eyes faded.

She rested her hand on her stomach and wondered if the baby was a boy or a girl. She was already more than three months into the pregnancy, and in the fourth month, she would be ready to get the baby’s gender checked at the hospital. But she could not do that — each trip to the hospital was an added risk she dared not take.

She had to bear with not knowing.

“Mister.” She heard Nanny Zhou greet courteously.

Xia Ling turned around and saw Pei Ziheng walking down the spiral staircase in a black suit. It was rare for him to have the opportunity of going to the company later in the day, and he could finally afford some time to have breakfast with her. When he reached the dining table, he bent over to give her a warm embrace first, then straightened up and looked at her tenderly. “You’re a little fleshier now.”

She had put on some weight since the start of the pregnancy, and the effects were getting more noticeable.

“I can’t fit into my clothes anymore.” Xia Ling was a little conscious. “And I don’t look good in photos anymore.”

“Who says you don’t look good?” Pei Ziheng smiled. In fact, she had become even more beautiful since. But, because this sort of beauty stemmed from the child of another man, Pei Ziheng could not smile sincerely.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself to meet deadlines. You should gradually stop taking up endorsement offers and such, and just stay at home to rest instead. Moreover,” he paused for a moment, “putting on weight is only temporary, you’ll be back in shape in no time.”

“Yup.” Xia Ling casually responded.

She was too engrossed in pouring her milk into the little ceramic cup and was completely oblivious to the flash of darkness in his eyes.

Some time went by.

On a particular evening, Pei Ziheng came home to Nanny Zhou busying herself in the kitchen.

Pei Ziheng walked to the entrance of the kitchen and asked, “Where’s Miss Ye?”

“Oh, Mister, you’re back.” Nanny Zhou hurriedly dried her hands on her outfit and took a few steps towards him. “Miss Ye is not up from her afternoon nap yet, I’m planning to go up to the room after I’ve prepared dinner. Mister, don’t stand around here, it’s dirty in the kitchen. It’s not a place for people like you to be at.”

Pei Ziheng had lived in the villa for many years, but had rarely stepped into the kitchen.

Nanny Zhou found it a little strange. What was going on with him today? If he were just going to her to ask about Miss Ye’s whereabouts, couldn’t he have just gone straight to the room upstairs to take a look?

She was still in some confusion when Pei Ziheng interrupted it by handing her a packet of powder. “Add this to Miss Ye’s meals in three separate servings.”

Nanny Zhou received the packet and asked, “What is this?”

Pei Ziheng said quietly and calmly, “Abortion medicine.”