The Shared Girlfriend and Confident Returns

Bai Jingjing selectively recounted the day’s events to Luo Xuan.

This included the revelation that Liu Wanqing was, in fact, an elite-tier artist, and that she had rented Bai Jingjing to be her girlfriend.

However, Bai Jingjing kindly omitted certain details, such as Liu Wanqing’s awareness of the intimate moments between them.

In truth, Bai Jingjing’s own mind was abuzz with a dizzying array of thoughts, having just discovered that her future teacher was her idol, then suddenly becoming their girlfriend, all while it became public knowledge.

“What? She rented you to be her girlfriend!” Luo Xuan exclaimed, startled, like a cat whose food had been snatched. “And you actually agreed!”

Bai Jingjing sighed silently, thinking, ‘How could I possibly refuse when Teacher Qing had already laid bare our situation?’

It was practically a veiled threat, akin to saying, ‘You wouldn’t want Xia Chu to find out about you and Luo Xuan, would you?’

“But, but how could you agree?” Luo Xuan countered, having found a reason. “You’re clearly still Xia Chu’s girlfriend.”

Bai Jingjing reminded her, “Sister Luo, theoretically speaking, my contract with Sister Xia Chu expired last weekend.”

“But, but you haven’t officially broken up yet, so you still have a girlfriend,” Luo Xuan argued vehemently. “How can you be someone else’s girlfriend when you already have one?”

‘Wouldn’t that make you a shared girlfriend!’

Bai Jingjing pursed her lips slightly, then calmly stated, “Sister Luo, I was already engaging in intimate activities with you even while I was Sister Xia Chu’s girlfriend.”

‘That has long been the case.’

Luo Xuan froze. “Ah, oh, I see.”

‘In that case, never mind.’

Upon closer consideration, the profession of a rented girlfriend, when framed as a shared girlfriend, didn’t seem to pose any issues. ‘Don’t ask; it’s simply a professional characteristic.’

Bai Jingjing yawned, rising to head toward the bedroom. “I’m a bit tired; I want to get some sleep.”

Luo Xuan was slightly alarmed. “Sleeping in broad daylight… isn’t that a bit inappropriate, Bai Jingjing? That, I mean…”

Bai Jingjing blinked blankly, taking several seconds to grasp the implication before rephrasing, “Sister Luo, I’m going to take a pure and innocent nap. Good afternoon.”

“…”

Bai Jingjing retired for her nap. Though the cicadas’ afternoon chorus wasn’t particularly loud, Luo Xuan’s heart remained anything but calm.

Her mind raced with various thoughts. For instance, the fact that Liu Wanqing was also an artist, in the same circle as Bai Jingjing, made her wonder if this had been a long-planned scheme, with Liu Wanqing having targeted Bai Jingjing from the start.

Then there was the thought that Liu Wanqing, being an artist, possessed remarkably long and beautiful fingers, as Luo Xuan had observed during their last meeting. Given an artist’s naturally nimble hands, would this imply that…

Luo Xuan grew restless. She picked up her phone, intending to send a message to Liu Wanqing, a subtle warning: since it was merely a rental, she should be careful not to damage the rented item.

‘Be gentle!’

Yet, upon reflection, what standing did she have to say such a thing? Was she Bai Jingjing’s intermediary manager?

Helpless, Luo Xuan decided to call Xia Chu instead.

To her surprise, after only a few probing questions, Xia Chu directly stated, “Are you trying to talk about Bai Jingjing taking another job? I already know.”

Luo Xuan paused, slightly stunned. “You know?”

‘What’s going on? Did Bai Jingjing confess herself?’

“I follow her Weibo,” Xia Chu explained calmly. “I’ve been quietly following her, and I just saw it. It’s fine, quite normal, really.”

‘She works in this line of business and loves it. Now that her last assignment is over, why shouldn’t she take on the next client?’

Luo Xuan found it somewhat incredible. “But you don’t care at all? The person she’s with seems… very, very energetic.”

The blonde beauty’s words were quite subtle, and it took Xia Chu a while to fully grasp their meaning.

“Of course I’m aware of these things,” Xia Chu replied, “but… I don’t really care much about it.”

Luo Xuan grew even more perplexed. “Why not?”

‘She, a middleman profiting from the difference, is practically beside herself with anxiety, as if her wife has been stolen, yet you, the legitimate girlfriend, don’t care?’

“Because Bai Jingjing does this kind of work, naturally,” Xia Chu answered, as if it were obvious. “And she had been doing it for a long time even before she was with me. After all, when we were intimate, she was quite skilled…”

‘Ah, this…’

Luo Xuan’s cherry-red lips parted, but no words escaped for a long moment.

She understood that Bai Jingjing’s proficiency was certainly not due to prior professional experience; quite the opposite, she had none.

Her skill was entirely a result of Luo Xuan’s excellent teaching and training.

But Luo Xuan dared not say it aloud.

Legend had it that those who asked friends to help buy phones, graphics cards, or other digital products would want to strangle their friends once they discovered how much commission had been taken.

‘Buying a girlfriend should be no different.’

“In short, ‘Heaven will rain, and a mother will marry’,” Xia Chu quoted a proverb.

Xia Chu uttered the proverb, then suddenly felt something was amiss, pausing before adding, “What I mean to say is, it doesn’t really concern me, and I am indeed very busy right now, unable to get away.

But one day, I’ll be a returning customer, and when that time comes, I’ll definitely ask her properly: ‘Who’s better, me or the other clients!'”

– Work’s here, gotta go –

Luo Xuan held her phone, blinking at the silent air, feeling utterly dazed.

Despite all of Xia Chu’s words, the core message was singular: she would return like a bolt of lightning, and Bai Jingjing should hold Tuan Tuan (TL Note: A character’s name, often used as a term of endearment for pets or children, here implying Bai Jingjing herself) and wait.

Yet, the main point Luo Xuan had intended to convey was clearly not that.

Luo Xuan lamented for a long while, realizing she could do nothing, and could only sigh silently.

Speaking of which, ever since Xia Chu joined the foundation, she had grown increasingly confident, a fact clearly evident from their recent call.

‘How wonderful, how truly wonderful.’

****

Bai Jingjing lay in bed for a while, attempting a half-hour nap, but ultimately couldn’t fall asleep. She picked up her phone to check the group chat.

She felt a nervous apprehension, wanting to look yet simultaneously dreading it.

[ @Xiaobai is Big and White: Mrs. Xiaobai, are you there? Come out and chat. ]

[ Could it be that she’s having a good time with Teacher WQ? ]

[ It’s lunchtime, what else would she be doing if not sleeping? Sleeping with the teacher, perhaps? ]

[ Or perhaps the teacher is sleeping with her? ]

Bai Jingjing finally couldn’t hold back, typing: [ Don’t talk nonsense, Teacher and I aren’t even living together yet. ]

[ Wow! She finally appeared! ]

[ Not living together *yet*? Does that mean you’re planning to? ]

[ You don’t have to live together to be intimate; you can just go home after being intimate. ]

[ Mrs. Xiaobai, Mrs. Xiaobai! Did you use the learning materials I gave you before, with all those skills and positions, to win over Teacher WQ? ]

[ Xiaobai: …No. ]

‘We haven’t even been intimate yet.’

Although the group chat was filled with rather uncouth remarks, Bai Jingjing’s mood finally lightened somewhat.

At least she knew what others were discussing about her.

Just then, a private message appeared on her screen.

[ !: Mrs. Xiaobai, are you interested in joining another group? ]

Bai Jingjing’s heart skipped a beat.

‘!’ was the administrator of this artist group, and also the most prominent artist within it. They rarely spoke, only appearing to answer questions for newcomers.