White Roses Dyed Blood Red

"Eeeeek! Yaorui! Mr and Missus Li! Here! Here! Over here!" A girl about the age of thirteen dressed in a navy sweater dress, black tights and sneakers, spun around looking for the cause of the sound. When the thirteen-year-old girl finally spotted the three girls screaming her name, she took long strides towards them, her navy sweater dress and semi-transparent tights, wouldn't allow her to run.

"I missed you three!" She said, embracing her two best friends and her favourite cousin, "You guys didn't have to come."

"Of course we did, you and your family were gone for practically the whole summer!" Song Gebao, the younger sister of the famous CEO Gua Bao whose company, (Next Top) is only second to my mother's Star Born entertainment company. (Which might I add is fantastic since her brother is only 24 years old.)

"Did you really think that we wouldn't give up this chance to see you?" Lu Sheng Rong, the younger sister of my brother Long Ao's best friend Lu Zhi Sai. And also my first best friend that isn't my cousin. She's a top-notch boxer, she has won the International Junior Boxing Championship twice so far and is also a motivational speaker.

"Point is, we missed you too much and now we can finally hang out altogether! We still have a week before school starts again to hang out and stuff." Zhou Zhangmin, daughter of the most formidable First class General. General Zhou is the first in decades to be named a First-class General and also my uncle on the maternal side of the family. Zhangmin is also training for the 2024 summer Olympics. She is going to participate in the shooting and archery sports.

"But first I need to head home to unpack then hit the bookstore to see if they have any new books I might like." Li Yaorui, that's me. The bookworm in the group, I am also one of those lucky bookworms who like reading both fiction and non-fiction. I'm also the first princess of the Li family and the three-timing junior martial arts international champion. I also have an IQ of 260, just three away from Ainan Celeste Cawley.

"Hey, man. How was summer with your sister?" I look over to see my brother Long Ao greeting my cousin with that hand grab pull to c.h.e.s.t action. What is up with boys and that greeting? It's like they're all born with the knowledge of the handshake greeting thing.

"It was hell, she had her first taste of the Crimson tide," Zhou Aonu, my cousin and a total wimp in front of his mother. He is going to be participating in the 2020 Olympics in taekwondo and shooting, But that does that not mean that he is better than me, I'm just to young for the championsh.i.p.s.

"Yikes, I remember when Yaorui had her first dose of the crimson tide. It was like her she devil-ness went up by a thousand levels what I went through was not hell, it was Tartarus,"

"Girls are not hell or Tartarus when they're on their period, brother."

"What are saying, of course, they are~" Long Ao looked at us as the girls and I surrounded him and Aonu. "...not. Of course, they are not hell or Tartarus on their periods~. Hey? Is that dad calling for me to help him with the luggage? I better go."

"Idiot. The bodyguards are supposed to do the heavy lifting!" I yelled after him.

"I better go too, love you, sis," my cousin jogged towards the direction Long Ao ran off to.

"Miss Song, Miss Lu, Miss Zhou. Young mistress Li, your parents are requesting that you rejoin them."

"Lead the way, Stoney." I gestured for my stone-faced bodyguard to lead us towards my family.

Once my friends and I reached my family, we checked our bags then headed to the various cars waiting for us outside the airport.

Sheng Rong, Gebao, Zhangmin, Aishi, Anshi and I all rode in the same limo. While my brother and cousin took Aonu's car back home, leaving my parents with their own private ride.

______________________________

Inside the limo

"Alright my little cousins, let's get down to business. Hand them over." Li Aishi grabbed a folder from her carry on and handed it to her twin sister Anshi who slid it across the armrest to Zhangmin.

"This is what you requested from us. It contains everything." Zhangmin picked up the folder and skimmed through it with a very sullen expression. "Now that you have what you asked for pay us what you owe."

"What is going on?" Gebao whispered to me.

"I have no idea."

"Shut up. I wanna know what happens next." Sheng Rong shushed us.

"Alright, here's the military-grade laptop you asked for, and here is the outfit that your rival will be wearing to the Mid-Autumn festival. Good job, girls."

"Alright! Will someone please explained what just happened?" Gebao's sweet but powerful voice rang out.

"Isn't it obvious? We just closed a deal." Anshi said in a cold voice. "I'm just kidding ya, Zhangmin wanted us to find some stuff on Long Ao so that she could blackmail him."

"Thank you!" Gebao said and relaxed back into her seat.

"That reminds me. What happened to all those reporters that were supposed to be there?" Zhangmin asked

"We told them we got off at the wrong gate, so they are all probably still standing at that gate waiting for us."

"Nice,"

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Li residence

When we got home, we were all greeted with the smell of delicious hotpot and Beijing duck.

"Brother Shenhui!" Aishi and Anshi were quick to throw themselves at our oldest brother.

"Hey, how was your trip?"

"It was fun!" Said Anshi.

"We got to collect blackmail on Long Ao!" Said Aishi.

"Oh shit." Said the cousin beside me.

"ZHANGMIN!"

"I gotta go. Be right back."

We all watched as Zhangmin ran upstairs with Long Ao trailing behind her.

"Auntie, uncle! Welcome back." Xie Fanlong, Shenhui's girlfriend (aka my future sister in law) greeted my parents with a hug and her signature smile.

"Aish, how many times do I have to tell you. Call us mother and father, after all, we'll be family soon."

"But Shenhui and I aren't even engaged yet."

"Is that so? Son care to explain? We left the country just so you could propose!" My father exclaimed.

"I was planning to do it on a later date."

"Is it your anniversary? How about her birthday? Or on Christmas morning?" Aishi rambled.

"Ummm..."

"We're only 18, it's too young for us to be engaged."

"So it is gonna be on her birthday!"

"I need to go...set the table!" Shenhui ran off into the dining room.

"We have maids for that!" I yelled.

"I need to go check on the food." Fanlong ran back towards the direction she came from.

"Those kids." My father said, shaking his head. "When will they ever get married?"

"Alright kids, go clean up then come down for dinner. Butler Wu? Please put all our things back where they belong."

"Yes, Madam Li,"

________________

After everyone had a fulfilling dinner, my friends and cousins all headed home. My family and I sat in front of the TV to watch the latest news. You would be surprised at the amount of news you miss over the one and a half month-long summer break.

"BREAKING NEWS: TWO BODIES FOUND DEAD IN SINGAPORE. THE MURDERER IS STILL ON THE LOOSE."