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Nestled just a short drive from the bustling heart of Century Park, the Li family mansion stood as a serene contrast to the city’s pulse. Modern yet timeless, its sleek glass walls reflected the changing skies, while traditional Chinese architectural elements—like gently curved eaves and ornate wooden screens—added warmth and history.

Inside, polished marble floors stretched beneath high ceilings, and spacious rooms opened to lush gardens dotted with cherry blossom trees. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the interior in natural light, revealing tasteful decor that balanced minimalist elegance with cozy family touches.

On the morning of the Gaokao(College entrance exams) results release, Li Yue slept in peacefully. No sign of stress in her life. She was confident her score would be as good as usual. Her brother Li Jun the heir to the family business came to wake her up.

Li Jun was charismatic. Slightly shorter than his older brother, Li Wei but broad-shouldered and muscular from years of sports and business training, he carried the air of a natural leader destined to inherit the family business. His casual yet stylish clothing—usually crisp shirts with rolled sleeves—matched his confident, easygoing smile.

He was approachable, quick with a joke or a smile, but fiercely loyal to his family’s legacy. Li Jun balanced charm with sharp business instincts, often acting as the bridge between their traditional family values and the modern world. Though protective like his older brother, Li Jun’s way was to encourage strength through unity and shared dreams.

Li Jun opened the door to his sister's bedroom and besides her on the dark king sized bed. He said in a voice loud enough,"Wakey wakey". Li Yue opened her eyes to see her brother besides her. She said in a sleepy voice,"I still need my beauty sleep" She then covered herself in her blanket and closes her eyes. Lin Jun said," I guess you were gaming all night. You really live the life of a boy." Li Yue looked at him and said,"There's no problem with it, is there?" Li Jun took a deep breath and said,"You failed" Li Yue sat up at once and asked fully awake,"Failed what?" Jun continued,"The...The..." Yue felt her heart pounding faster. She asked in a shaky voice,"Is it the...Gaokao? Noo it can't." Jun nodded. She burried her face in her hands pretending to sob. Jun saw that he had gone too far so he said in a soft tone,"I...I.. was only joking. I'm sorry. I..." He stopped at his sister's sudden laughter. He asked in surprise," Your not crying?"

Li Yue got out of bed and said,"I saw right through you and besides I'm not naive. I'm gonna get dressed. You wanna stay and watch?" Li Jun stood up to leave and said,"You got 745 points by the way." Yue silently celebrated as Jun left and headed for the bathroom. Li Yue carried herself with the relaxed confidence of someone who never tried to impress—yet somehow always did. Her short, tousled black hair framed a face with sharp cheekbone. Her dark hazel almond-shaped eyes, and glinting with mischief, could turn from playful to piercing in an instant.

Standing at 1.70 meters with a naturally athletic build, she moved with the ease of someone equally at home on a basketball court as she was in front of a gaming screen. Her toned arms and long legs spoke of years of sports, while her slim waist and graceful posture gave her a quiet elegance she never tried to show off.

She favored hoodies, baggy jeans, and sneakers, but on the rare occasions she wore something feminine, heads turned and stayed turned. What made her truly magnetic, though, wasn’t just her perfect proportions—it was the blend of boyish ease and undeniable allure that left people wondering whether they wanted to be her… or be with her.

Li Yue went down to have breakfast and found Li Jun already there waiting for her. She wore a short red slip dress with a black jean coat, black high boot converse shoes with a black channel crossbag that held her phone and other necessities. She sat besides Li Jun at the dinner table. Li Jun looked at his sister's outfit and said,"I never expected you to take on the feminine style today." Li Yue replied in a sarcastic voice,"Lemme guess, there's another problem." Li Jun replied,"Not really. Your much more stunning in feminine clothes. You'll attract quite a lot of attention when we go to Century Avenue Mall." Li Yue replied,"I thought you are familiar with being in the spot light." Li Wei replied,"Of course I am. I've been eminent since the day I was born." He brushed his his through his hair and continued,"I thought you might not be comfortable." Li Yue replied,"I will but right now I'm not. I'm hungry."

Just then,the house maid, Ms.Man Lee brought the breakfast to the table and turned to leave but Li Jun said,"Ms.Man, have Li Wei and dad already left?" Ms.Man Lee replied,"Yes, they both left to catch up with some work but they'll be with you for dinner." Li Yue also asked,"What about mom?" Ms.Man replied,"She also went out to show off and spend the day with her friends she said Li Jun should give you company." She then left to carry on with other chores. The two siblings eat their breakfast heartily in silence since they hv a family rule,'No talking while eating at the dining table'

Jun and Yue left to go to the underground parking garage to get their ride. Jun then asked Yue,"Which car do you wanna go in?" Li Yue pointed to the latest model Jaguar f type car and said," That one." Jun went to the wall glass cage where the cars were kept and opened to get the keys. The glass cage could only be opened by Li family members' fingerprints. Jun closed the cage, opened the car and they both sat in. Jun then drove of to Century Avenue Mall. It was about a 30mins ride.

They finally arrived and Jun parked the car in the underground parking lot. They headed for the elevator to the B2 floor where the arcade was. They entered the arcade filled with people of all ages from 10 and above. Luckily for Yue there were no babies. She didn't exactly hate babies but she disliked them being since they annoying when they cried but she couldn't deny that they were cute. The ones she really disliked were toddlers. Yue then made a bet with him she said,"Jun let's make a bet." Jun replied, "Sure." Yue continued,"If you can beat me in a racing simulator game I'll get the number of any boy here but if I beat you, you'll have to get the number of a girl here." Jun asked,"What's the perimeter? The arcade or the entire mall?" Yue replied,"Mm... The entire floor." Jun said," Deal, I can't wait to see that lucky boy." Yue replied,"I can't wait to see that lucky girl either."

The game was loaded, Jun went first and played his best game. He got a high score and stood up with a smug look on his face and said,"Good luck beating that." Yue chuckled and sat to play the game. At first it looked like she wouldn't get anywhere close to her brother's score. Jun's smile grew even wider as he started to imagine what the 'lucky boy' will look like. But then Yue released her full gear. He didn't notice it until his sister's words brought him back to reality. Yue stood up and whispered in her brother's ear,"Time to look for my sister in law." Jun asked in surprise,"Sister in Law?" He then looked at the screen only to see that his sister's score was higher, much higher than his. He asked,"How's this possible? When did you get this good?" Yue said in a scarcastic voice,"When?How? I can answer the Why? Where? Which? And what only if you fulfill the bet." She then put her arm around his neck in a friendly manner and continued,"I'm dying to she that lucky girl."

Jun replied," If your dying so much... Why don't you help me to look for her?" Yue let go go of her brother's neck and replied, "Sure" They then moved around the arcade and Yue spotted a cute girl with long curly brown hair, a nice body figurebwearind a pink wrap dress that reached her knees, white sandals and a white half moon bag. She then turned to Jun and said,"I found her." Jun looked at his sister and asked,"Where?" Yue replied,"The one at the claw machine in a pink dress trying to get a stuffed animal." Jun brushed his through his hair as he confidently strided to the girl. Meanwhile Yue pretened to be unbothered, using the claw machine next to the girl.

Jun leaned against the claw machine, stared deep into the girl's eyes and said,"Hey, your cute, what's your name?" The girl replied, "Why should I tell a stranger like you?" Jun replied,"I can get any stuffed toy that you want in this cage only if you give your name and phone number." The girl said," I'll see you try. I want that white tiger.", pointing to it.To her it looked difficult since it was stucked under another toy but this was a piece of cake for Jun. He got the toy in one try. The was both happy and shocked because she really loved white tigers. She then said,"Give me your phone." Jun gave her his phone and she saved her number in it then left. Jun looked at the girl's name, Ru Xuan. He mumbled,"Interesting" Yue then asked Jun,"What's her name?" Jun replied,"Ru Xuan" Yue replied,"It suites her well. Let's try some VR games then go for lunch." Jun replied,"But no more bets."They played different games till lunchtime.

Jun then asked Yue,"Where do you wanna have lunch?" Yue replied,"Let's go to Spacelab." Jun asked you don't wanna have it at the food court. It's right on this floor." Yue replied,"If you wanna have your lunch there, you can. I'll just go on my way." Jun said, "Okay, we'll have it at Spacelab." They the elevator to the third floor and they had their lunch at Spacelab. Spacelab is a futuristic hotel with space themed decor. They didn't have to wait in line since the Li family owned the mall. They had their junk lunch and got out. Jun then asked Yue,"Do you wanna go to the fifth floor and watch some movies?" Yue replied,"No, thanks" Jun then asked,"So what do you want us to do now?" Yue replied,"Let's take a walk in century park." Jun asked,"Should I drive there or we're gonna walk?" Yue asked," Are you really that lazy to walk there?" Jun said,"Okay,wait here. I'll be right back." He then turned to leave. Yue asked,"Wait! Where you going?" Jun replied without turning back,"Chill out. I'll be back."

Yue went to find a soft seat to sit in as she waited for her brother. She sat, playing games on her phone while listening to music through her ear pods for sometime till someone tapped on her shoulder. She paused the game, took out one ear pods and looked up. She thought it was Jun but no it wasn't. She saw average boy who looked like he was in his late teens. His eyes almond-shaped and expressive, often reflecting a thoughtful or mischievous spark. His hair thick and black, naturally falling into a stylish, slightly tousled look that frames his face well. High cheekbones and a gently defined jawline give him a refined, symmetrical appearance. She asked him,"Do we know each other?" The boy replied,"No, but..." He sat down next to her and said,"Your pretty, do you have a boyfriend?" Yue replied,"No, why are you asking?" He replied,"That's great can I get your number?" Yue looked around and two boys standing not to far away from them who looked to be the boy's friends and understood what he was up to. Yue replied,"Why would I? I barely know you."

He replied,"Sorry. Lemme introduce myself. I'm Jun Jie just finished high school. I'm gonna major in..." Yue stopped him mid sentence,"I don't need to know much a bout someone I won't meet again. I'm Li Yue I also just finished high school." Jun Jie replied," That's cool. I guess we're the same age." Yue replied,"No your wrong I'm probably two years younger than you." At that same time Jun came back from where he went and spotted his sister with a boy so he decided to wait from afar. Jun Jie replied,"I'm not 20. I'm 18 unless your..." Yue finished his sentence,"Yeah. I'm 16. I skipped two grades. One in elementary and another in middle school." Jun Jie looked surprised. Yue rolled her eyes and said,"Gimme your phone." Jun Jie asked, "Why?" Yue replied,"Don't you want my number? Or you don't want it anymore?" He gave her his phone and she put in her number and said,"Since you got what you wanted I guess you can leave now." He stood up and said,"Hope we meet again." Then he left. Yue watched him leave as Li Jun came up to her.

Li Jun then waved Yue's faced to get her attention and said,"He has already left." Yue asked in surprise,"When did you get here?" Jun replied,"I've been here for quite sometime. I guess he did what I did to Ru Xuan. This world's really round." Yue tried to change the topic,"Where you from?" Jun put the cap he was holding on his sister's head and replied,"Buying caps to protect us from direct sunlight. Let's head to the park." Yue put her phone and ear pods back in her back and they headed for the park." Jun Jie looked back and saw Yue leaving with her brother but he could only see their backs, he thought,"Could that be her her boyfriend?" But he chose to ignore it sin they probably wouldn't meet again.

When they were out of the mall Jun asked Yue,"So who was the boy?" Yue replied,"He shares a name with you." Jun asked, some- what shocked,"He's Jun?!" Yue replied,"Yeah, Jun Jie. He also just finished high school. He's 18. He was about to tell me what he's planning to major in but I stopped him. Jun replied,"He's cool." Yue asked, confused,"Cool?" Jun replied,"You looked unapproachable but he still had the courage to come up to you." Yue asked"You call that cool?" Jun replied,"Yeah, I would. He didn't overdo anything did he?" Yue replied,"No." Jun continued,"That means he's a healthy esteem and that's cool right?" Yue replied,"I guess." They reached the park and continued walking around till sunset. Jun then took Yue to the central lawn near the lake they had decorated for the celebration.

It was decorated with string lights, balloons, flowers and candles. There was a white trestle table with 5 padded foldable chairs. 2 on one side and on the other. The table had scented candles. The area around the table was circled by the balloons, flowers and string lights, leaving one pathway. The lights lit up as Yue walked along it to table where Li Wei, her eldest brother, Li Mei, her mom and Li Qiang, her dad were waiting for her her.

Li Wei carried himself with the calm precision of someone who had mastered control. Tall and lean, with sharp features and neatly combed black hair, his tailored suits and polished shoes always made him stand out in any room. His deep-set eyes reflected a mind constantly calculating every detail, every possibility — the kind of focus that made him a successful lawyer.

Though serious and sometimes stern, Li Wei’s protective nature was undeniable. He had a quiet way of expressing care, often through practical advice and unwavering presence. Beneath the professional exterior, he was the brother who never let the family’s wounds go unattended, even if he rarely voiced the pain out loud.

Li Mei was the heart of the family. Graceful and elegant, she carried herself with a gentle confidence that made everyone feel at ease in her presence. Her long, silky black hair was usually pulled into a neat bun, revealing warm, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with kindness and humor.

She was highly educated and cultured, with a love for literature and classical music, often encouraging her children to pursue their passions. Her voice, calm but firm, could soothe a stormy mood, and she had a natural talent for understanding people’s emotions, making her the emotional anchor of the family.

Li Qiang was a man of quiet strength and determination. Broad-shouldered and tall, he had a commanding presence that radiated both authority and protection. His sharp jawline and slightly graying hair added to his distinguished appearance, but it was his warm smile and patient eyes that revealed his true nature.

A successful businessman with a sharp mind, he balanced work and family with care, often teaching his children lessons about responsibility, honor, and resilience. Though strict when needed, he had a playful side, often teasing Li Yue and her brothers to remind them that life wasn’t only about achievement—it was also about joy.

When arrived they all said in chorus,"Welcome our family pride." She hugged them all and Jun joined in saying,"Don't leave me out." Li Mei then said,"Let's eat before the food gets cold." They all took their seats. Li Qiang said,"Though you weren't the top scorer of the province you still surpassed us all. This little tomboy has more to the story. Li Mei added on,"Being second doesn't matter as long she can get into a good university." Li Wei then asked,"By the way what are you gonna major in?" Jun replied,"I can guess. Computer science, right?" He asked directing the question to Yue who replied,"Yeah." All eyes fell on her. It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Yue opened the food lined up on the table and said,"Let's eat. Shall we?" Jun chimed in,"Yeah, we're all hungry aren't we?"

At the center sat a steaming platter of red-braised pork belly — tender and glossy, its sweet-savory aroma filling the air. To the side, a bowl of steamed jasmine rice released a soft fragrance, simple but perfect. Among other dishes were delicate steamed fish with ginger,scallions,crispy spring rolls,mapo tofu,kung pao chicken,slices of fresh fruit and a small chocolate cake, light and sweet. Li Qiang poured glasses of oolong tea for everyone, raising his cup first. “To Li Yue,” he said,"I guess everyone has their calling and you found yours. But don't come crying if it doesn't work out." Li Yue raised her her cup to toast and so did her brothers. Her mom hesitantly raised her cup. They all toasted and drank the tea.

Her brothers chimed in, Li Jun with a grin as he reached for crispy spring rolls, Li Wei with his quiet toast before sampling the delicate steamed fish with ginger and scallions.Li Yue leaned forward eagerly for a plate of kung pao chicken, the fiery peppers a challenge she always embraced, while her mother gently placed a serving of mapo tofu on her plate, laughing softly.

The clinking of chopsticks, the warmth of tea, and the rise and fall of laughter turned the evening into a memory that would glow forever in Li Yue’s heart. Later, when the house felt empty into silence after the tragedy, it was this meal she would recall — each taste tied to a love now gone.