“It was the first day of the National Day holiday.”
Since there wasn’t much to pack, the two of them deliberately slept in.
It wasn’t until nearly noon, when the sun was practically burning their backsides, that they stepped out of their bedrooms in unspoken synchrony.
Jiang Ling had stayed up late the night before.
Her pocket money had recently run dry, and she had kept the money Lu Yuyao’s parents gave her tucked away in savings, so she had specifically gone to “Boss Xi” to farm some gold.
After that one night, she wouldn’t have to worry about expenses for the next month.
It had shaken Jiang Ling’s resolve—why even bother writing novels?
She might as well just cling to Boss Xi’s golden thigh for good.
But it was just a passing thought.
“Eldest Miss, when are we heading out?”
“Two o’clock. I called for a car at two, so no rush.”
Lu Yuyao had also just woken up and was still in a daze.
However, upon seeing Jiang Ling—wearing only a nightgown with messy straps and a wide expanse of fair skin exposed at her chest—she perked up considerably.
“Then I’ll go make breakfast first. Come eat once you’ve freshened up.”
“Mm.”
***
At the dining table.
Having just woken up, neither had much of an appetite.
Jiang Ling kept it simple, making two golden, crispy egg pancakes and stir-frying two fragrant side dishes to go with them.
Noticing the flower tea Jiang Ling was drinking, Lu Yuyao looked at the steaming milk beside her own hand.
she took a sip and asked, “Why aren’t you drinking milk?”
It was an innocent question, but to her surprise, Jiang Ling thought for a moment and said seriously, “Your mother told me. She said you must have a glass of hot milk every day, and she asked me to supervise you.”
“Maybe it’s because… she wants you to fill out a bit?”
As Jiang Ling spoke, her gaze inadvertently flickered toward Lu Yuyao’s chest.
The girl’s softness was beginning to take shape, but compared to the average girl, it was still as modest as a flower bud.
Lu Yuyao’s expression froze.
She looked down at herself, then stared at Jiang Ling’s chest; they weren’t even in the same league.
“What’s so good about being bigger anyway,” Lu Yuyao muttered under her breath, yet she didn’t stop drinking the milk—in fact, she began drinking it even faster.
After finishing and clearing the dishes, Jiang Ling checked the house before heading out, ensuring the gas stove and other appliances were off.
Then, she joined Lu Yuyao on the lounge chairs in the courtyard to wait for the car.
The autumn sun was no longer as scorching as in summer, and the overhead umbrella did a good job of blocking most of the light.
The warmth filtering through simply made them feel cozy.
Jiang Ling checked the weather forecast.
There was rain predicted for Liancheng over the next few days, so they had both packed extra clothes.
Looking over, Jiang Ling noticed Lu Yuyao looked very pretty today, wearing a white chiffon blouse paired with denim trousers—a very youthful and vibrant look.
She rarely saw Lu Yuyao in pants; usually, she favored all sorts of dresses, but any style looked good on her.
Jiang Ling suddenly remembered something and asked, “By the way, did you ever find that inspiration for your drawing?”
“Not yet.”
Lulled into comfort by the warm sun, Lu Yuyao was stretching her limbs.
At Jiang Ling’s sudden question, her body stiffened as she involuntarily recalled Jiang Ling’s “ambush” from a week ago.
***
One week ago, 8:00 PM.
Lu Yuyao had always kept a secret.
Virtually no one knew about it—not even Fang Chenxi, whom she had grown up with.
She was a 2D illustrator.
She had been drawing illustrations since middle school; it had been four years now.
Although only an amateur, the exquisite quality of her work was well-known in the industry, attracting many people to commission her.
There was no shortage of professional studios trying to headhunt her, but Lu Yuyao felt that joining one would be too restrictive, so she turned them all down.
Besides, she drew out of interest; she felt that turning it into a job would bring too much pressure.
Furthermore, as her fame grew, the influx of commissions became overwhelming, and she started feeling spread thin.
That was exactly how Lu Yuyao had been feeling lately.
She had taken an order.
The client’s requirements weren’t harsh—just a standard “sexy” 2D girl, not quite reaching R18 levels.
She had handled plenty of these before.
But after drawing a dozen versions, she wasn’t satisfied with any of them; in the end, they all became “scrapped” drafts.
By the deadline, Lu Yuyao still hadn’t produced the illustration she wanted.
Even though any of those scrapped drafts likely would have satisfied the client, Lu Yuyao refused to settle and ended up paying the breach-of-contract fee.
Since then, she hadn’t taken any new commissions, hoping to find her “groove” again.
Instead, she spent her days staring blankly at the screen with her stylus in hand, not knowing how to make the first stroke.
It would be best if she had someone to share her troubles with, but most of her commissions—while not exactly R18—weren’t entirely “wholesome” either.
If she told those around her… she would definitely be mocked, wouldn’t she?
The normally quiet and refined Lu Yuyao draws shameful, sexy 2D art in private?
People would absolutely say that.
Lu Yuyao would never allow such a thing to happen!
But her slump persisted, leaving her frustrated with everything.
she wasn’t eating or sleeping well.
Moreover, it seemed Jiang Ling had already noticed something was wrong.
Jiang Ling had asked her multiple times, but how could she possibly say it out loud?
“Sigh, another night of drawing nothing.”
Approaching 9:00 PM, it was nearly time for bed.
With messy hair and her camisole nightgown slipping askew, Lu Yuyao sat on her chair clutching her knees, staring at the blank canvas and sighing.
She opened her phone to see a continuous stream of commission requests, but she rejected every single one without hesitation, even when the price was increased.
Lu Yuyao’s eyes dimmed, her teeth leaving a faint mark as she bit her lip.
“So annoying.”
She picked up her tablet and flipped through her previous works, trying to regain some inspiration.
Unfortunately, it didn’t help; if anything, she now found her previously favorite pieces to be somewhat eyesores.
“I’m coming in!”
Jiang Ling’s voice suddenly rang out, followed immediately by the sound of the bedroom door being pushed.
Hearing the click of the lock, Lu Yuyao panicked.
She had forgotten to lock the door, and the things on her desk weren’t cleared away—Jiang Ling couldn’t see this!
“Ah! Don’t come in yet!”
Lu Yuyao forgot she was still crouching on the chair.
In her scramble to tidy up, the chair lost its balance and tipped backward.
Clutching her tablet, she let out a cry of surprise and tumbled down.
With a thud, a muffled groan came from Lu Yuyao on the carpet.
Fortunately, the rug cushioned the fall, so it wasn’t too severe.
However, her instinctive reaction to cover her head and close her eyes caused the tablet to skid across the floor.
The screen was still on, displaying the illustration she had just opened—a picture of a blue-haired magical girl in a revealing outfit, her chest baring a vast expanse of snowy white.
“Are you okay?”
Jiang Ling looked panicked, not expecting to startle her so badly.
She set the milk down on the desk and hurried to help Lu Yuyao up, checking her over for any bumps or bruises.
“Hiss… I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Despite the plush carpet, Lu Yuyao’s calf had accidentally knocked against the back of the chair.
The stinging pain made her wince, leaving her unable to focus on anything else.
Jiang Ling helped Lu Yuyao sit on the edge of the bed and set the chair upright.
She then moved to pick up the items scattered on the floor, apologizing profusely.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to jump-scare you like that.”
Jiang Ling had intended to stage a little “surprise visit” to see what had been troubling Lu Yuyao lately, but causing her to fall was the last thing she wanted.
“It’s okay, I was just being careless.”
Lu Yuyao’s attention was entirely on her aching calf, checking carefully for any bruising.
What’s this?
Jiang Ling picked up the tablet lying nearby.
The screen was still lit, and on it was a “sexy” 2D girl.
Coincidentally, in the bottom left corner, there was a signature—Lu Yuyao.
No matter how slow she might be, Jiang Ling understood instantly: this “lewd” drawing was done by Lu Yuyao herself.
But why would an online artist use their real name as a signature?
Jiang Ling’s gaze snapped toward Lu Yuyao.
Lu Yuyao noticed as well—the tablet she hadn’t had time to turn off was now in Jiang Ling’s hands.
Jiang Ling’s eyes were filled with inquiry, confusion, and shock.
That illustration…
A look of utter despair surfaced in Lu Yuyao’s eyes, and she reached up to cover her face.
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