Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red

Chapter warning: Reader discretion is advised.

Adrienne raised a slender brow and stared at Samantha Qin's beaten face. It looked like lady luck was on her side after all, as she didn't need to exert much effort to find the young girl. She initially thought she would have to brace herself for a number of obstacles in order to find Lennox Qin's half-siblings. Who knew that she would meet one of them like this?

According to her file, Samantha Qin was fifteen years old and was in her last year of middle school. She was the third illegitimate child of Richard Qin from one of his mistresses. The girl was too short for her age because of malnutrition and the poor neighborhood she grew up in.

Samantha only had her mother as her family, but her mother was abusive and alcoholic. Her mother thought that by having a child with Richard Qin, she could convince the man to marry her. However, much to her disappointment, the child she delivered wasn't a son she'd been hoping for, but a daughter instead. She failed to trap Richard Qin in marriage using her child and has become an alcoholic since then.

According to the report Adrienne received, Samantha's mother enjoyed drinking and frequently hit her daughter while intoxicated. At a young age, Samantha was forced to collect scraps to sell in order to buy food for herself and continue attending school. Though her mother failed to become the next Madam Qin, she did receive child support for Samantha. However, the money she received was never used for Samantha - they were spent on gambling and alcohol instead.

Adrienne felt bad for the girl. Samantha didn't deserve any of these. The report even said that Samantha was smart and could easily excel in school if only her basic needs weren't deprived. Instead of studying, Samantha had to go around the neighborhood to collect scraps late at night to sell them the next morning before going to school. The girl practically raised herself, and there was no adult or guardian to look after her.

Not only did Samantha's mother abandon her, but she was also forced to endure bullying at school. This part of the city was pretty close to the middle school, yet not many passed this street at this busy hour. There are also no CCTVs around the area. Even if someone saw what the girls were doing to their company, not many would step forward to stop the bullying.

Samantha lifted her head and looked at Adrienne with tears streaming down her face. She choked back her sobs and looked away in shame. This was the first time Adrienne had met her, but seeing the young girl like this broke her heart.

Was bullying already rampant at this young age?

Adrienne walked toward Samantha and helped her get back to her feet, ignoring the other four girls who started to surround them. She then noticed that Samantha's uniform was too large for her, making her skinny figure more apparent to one's eyes. Her cheeks were red and slightly swollen, and her long hair was sticky with grime and dirt.

"Elder sister, it's really nothing. We're just helping to discipline our 'friend' since she doesn't have any parents to do it." One of the girls said with a sweet smile while her three companions snickered amusedly.

"Since when did my sister need to be disciplined by someone trashy like you?" Adrienne turned her cold gaze toward them. However, the four girls were oblivious to her rage.

"Trashy?" The girl who spoke earlier chuckled. "How can that be? If you're looking for trash, it's the one beside you."

"Right, right." Another one said. "She keeps claiming that she came from the prestigious Qin family, but she's nothing more than a mistress's child! How dare she act haughty before us?!"

"Wouldn't that make you a garbage collector?" Adrienne smirked evilly while Myrtle stepped forward, pulling the trembling Samantha away from Adrienne. Samantha clung to Myrtle and cried helplessly.

Between her and Adrienne, she was more likely to get in trouble, but it was the first time Myrtle witnessed her best friend standing up for someone - a stranger on top of that. Although she and Adrienne received basic self-defense lessons, Adrienne hadn't used it on another person before. Myrtle was ready to pounce forward if Adrienne was at a disadvantage.

"Myrtle, take her away. I'll follow you shortly." Adrienne looked at Myrtle, her eyes pleading for her best friend to leave. She didn't want Myrtle nor Samantha to witness what she would do to these girls.

Myrtle opened her mouth and was about to argue but realized how serious Adrienne was. She also knew she needed to check on Samantha for any injuries and tend to her.

"Okay, but don't make us wait too long." She replied, wrapping an arm around Samantha and taking the younger girl away.

Adrienne turned her attention back to the four young girls before her. Her temperament instantly changed from aloof and uncaring to arrogant and unyielding, far from the Adrienne her parents and Myrtle knew.

"Where were we again? Oh, trash, you say? Hmmm? But who in their sane mind would play with trash in the dumpster? Do you love dumpster diving? No wonder your mouths stink. It seems that as your elder sister, I should be the one to discipline you instead." She stepped forward, and the four girls unconsciously stepped back, their smiles faltering.

"Elder sister, we have no issues with you, right? You really don't have to involve yourself in this." The first girl tried to reason out, but she could feel the sudden change in Adrienne.

Adrienne continued to shorten the distance between them, each step filled with confidence these girls were unfamiliar with.

Actually, the morning run she claims to do every morning was spent at a kickboxing gym instead. She was looking for someone at that place, but the man had yet to appear. While Adrienne was waiting to meet him, she took her daily classes diligently.