A New Path and a Princess’s Departure

Luo Xuan was utterly astonished when she received the message.

Usually, she was asked to arrive a little later, so Bai Jingjing could stay longer; last weekend, Bai Jingjing had even stayed an entire night.

What was the situation today? A case of quid pro quo?

Regardless, Luo Xuan had already driven over, and it wasn’t long before Bai Jingjing pulled open the car door and settled into the passenger seat.

Luo Xuan quickly glanced at her long, fair legs, then inquired, “What’s going on today? Why did Xia Chu let you leave early?”

Bai Jingjing spread her jade-like hands, “I don’t know.”

Having spent an entire afternoon and evening gaming with her squad yesterday, constantly communicating via voice chat, she had grown somewhat accustomed to this casual style, which momentarily bewildered Luo Xuan.

“But I’ve never heard of her having anything so pressing that she’d need to handle it alone.”

Luo Xuan knew her best friend’s claims of “only being free on weekends, not weekdays” were merely a playful pretense, a touch of tsundere (TL Note: A Japanese term describing a character who is initially cold or hostile but later reveals a warmer, softer side) behavior.

“Bai Jingjing, do you have any idea?”

Bai Jingjing shook her head, “I don’t… I don’t know, but her mood was very stable, so it shouldn’t be anything bad.”

Ordinarily, the presence of a girlfriend wouldn’t disrupt her plans; at most, Bai Jingjing could simply take her drawing board to the balcony.

Given this, Xia Chu still asking her to leave early suggested it might be a private matter or a family affair.

“That’s a good point,” Luo Xuan said, gripping the steering wheel. “Let’s head back then.”

Arriving at Luo Xuan’s home earlier than usual today, there was no rush to buy groceries or cook dinner.

Bai Jingjing first shed her outer garments, then lay down on the bed for a while, pondering her life.

Tutoring would begin next month, but it wouldn’t be a daily commitment like school, leaving her with plenty of free time.

Although the 200,000 she had earned earlier had addressed her most pressing needs, most of it had gone towards tuition fees and debt repayment, with the remainder spent on a high-spec Alienware laptop.

Simply put, since she was idle anyway, it was time to earn some money.

Indeed, working as a rental girlfriend was profitable, but on one hand, she wondered if Luo Xuan could still find reliable clients.

On the other hand, there was no guarantee that every client would be as beautiful and easygoing as Xia Chu.

Though Xia Chu was introverted, she was remarkably well-behaved.

Thus, the rental girlfriend job would simply be left to fate; she would only consider it if suitable people sought her out.

After much deliberation, Bai Jingjing resolved to return to her old profession: taking commissions to draw illustrations and character designs (TL Note: ‘Lihui’ refers to full-body character art, often used in games or visual novels) to earn money, as this was her most professional skill and also her passion.

She picked up her phone, opened QQ, and checked if anyone had contacted her for commissions.

Lo and behold, there was indeed a private message.

[Lemon: Are you the rental girlfriend Eylla found? People in the group say you’re an artist.]

The rich loli (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to a young, attractive, and often childlike female character) who had added her long ago but hadn’t spoken, finally sent a message.

Bai Jingjing lightly tapped her finger, replying:

[Xiao Bai: Yes, I am.]

‘I am indeed an artist.’

[Lemon: So… are you still taking commissions now?]

Bai Jingjing’s eyes lit up.

‘Just as I was thinking of returning to my old profession, a client appeared.’

[Xiao Bai: Of course, orders are always welcome.]

****

Meanwhile, in a girls’ dormitory at Huiguang Middle School in the provincial city, a white-haired loli (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to a young, attractive, and often childlike female character) with a single ponytail lay on her bed, staring nervously at her phone.

Using precious lunch break time to play on her phone was a luxury her other roommates wouldn’t even dare to imagine.

The white-haired, single-ponytail loli (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to a young, attractive, and often childlike female character) clutched her phone, her eyes unblinking as she watched the screen, her little heart pounding.

She had deliberated for so long, even finding herself distracted in class these past few days, before finally taking this step.

While she was usually righteous and bold when teasing Luo Xuan, when it came to her own ‘saucy’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to suggestive or slightly lewd behavior, often used playfully) desires, she became shy… no, cautious.

A tiny angel in her mind whispered, ‘Stop, Lemon, you’re still young, and you’re in school right now; you don’t have the time.’

Lemon thought that made perfect sense, but… but this ‘big sister’ named Xiao Bai said orders were welcome!

‘For a loli, a ‘miss’ is a ‘big sister,’ no problem.’

[Lemon: If I place an order now, can I choose the time myself?]

[Xiao Bai: Of course you can, and there are no other orders right now, so there’s no need to queue.]

‘Eh, what? Did she used to have a queue? Is her business that prosperous?’

‘Her doorstep is like a marketplace.’

[Lemon: So, how much do you charge?]

‘Someone so beautiful must be very expensive.’

[Xiao Bai: Generally, it’s around 1000 to 2000.]

Lemon the loli (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to a young, attractive, and often childlike female character) paused, slightly stunned, her white ponytail practically bouncing.

[Lemon: That cheap?!]

[Xiao Bai: Cheap? Not really. For someone without a reputation, that’s about right. It’s the market price.]

[Xiao Bai: But I believe my skills are no less than those with a reputation, and in a few months, I’ll be undertaking further systematic studies, so I’ll be even better then.]

These two messages from the ‘big sister’ left the rich loli (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to a young, attractive, and often childlike female character) utterly bewildered.

[Lemon: Is that so?]

‘Why does something feel off?’

[Xiao Bai: Of course, if you feel the price isn’t suitable, you can tell me your requirements first, and we can then set a price.]

In Mingzhu Residential Area, Bai Jingjing lay on her bed, gently rubbing her eyes.

‘This rich loli (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to a young, attractive, and often childlike female character) Luo Xuan knows doesn’t seem to understand market rates,’ she mused.

‘For an unknown artist, a large-scale commercial illustration with an intricate background is indeed around 2,000.’

‘If one has a reputation, the price could easily double.’

****

Xia Chu quietly packed a few items, retrieving the small satchel she had bought but never used, preparing to leave.

She had just finished a phone call with Grandpa Xia; despite having mentally prepared herself, she still inadvertently bit her tongue several times while speaking.

Fortunately, Grandpa Xia didn’t mind, telling her directly to simply go to the company, where someone would help arrange her onboarding.

With that, Xia Chu shouldered her bag, ready to depart.

In recent years, she had occasionally stepped out of her home, but only for tasks like taking out the trash, never truly leaving the building’s corridor.

Today, as she walked upon the stone paths of the residential area, the afternoon sun was not languid; it carried a touch of stifling heat, yet an occasional breeze would sweep by, gently lifting the hem of her skirt.

Xia Chu had donned the most formal attire in her wardrobe: a white uniform shirt and a flowing, dark miniskirt.

She had initially considered wearing stockings but found it too warm and decided against it.

Her radiant, fair legs were in no way inferior to Bai Jingjing’s, perhaps even more slender due to her height.

During the midday break, the neighbors in the residential area were all resting, even Grandpa Fan was dozing off in the guardhouse.

Xia Chu cautiously approached the gate, a gentle breeze stirring, causing her slender calves to tremble slightly.

For so many years, she had been completely disconnected from real-world social interaction, never having encountered anyone else.

And leaving this place meant venturing into an utterly unfamiliar world.

That world held opportunities, yet it was also fraught with pressure, traps, and the Xia family relatives who had always mocked her.

The jeers of her childhood surfaced in her mind, and Xia Chu almost drew her legs back.

‘Xia Chu, you’ve grown up.’

The summer afternoon breeze swept past once more, carrying with it the voice that had haunted her dreams—the tender whisper Bai Jingjing had uttered while holding her after their intimate moments last night.

Xia Chu gritted her teeth, strode forward with her long, beautiful legs, and approached the residential area’s gate.

The camera on the electronic gate recognized her face, and the electromagnetic door slowly slid open.

After three years, the princess of Linghua Residential Area stepped out of her palace for the very first time.