Danica Victoria

"You... this..."

Gu Luo turned to Feng Youqing in surprise.

Having known her for so long, this was the first time he'd ever heard Feng Youqing swear.

It was just a foreign girl—albeit a pretty one—but surely not shocking enough to warrant such a reaction.

Feng Youqing, realizing her outburst, hastily covered her mouth, but her excited words still slipped through her fingers:

"It's Danika! Luo Luo, it's Danika!"

Before Gu Luo could react, she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper:

"Spill it. What does your family actually do? How do you even have a video call with Danika?"

"Uh... you know her?" Gu Luo was momentarily stunned.

"Seriously... are you some kind of boomer who never surfs the internet?" Feng Youqing glanced around. Seeing most of their classmates either absent, gaming, or chatting, she lowered her voice further:

"Danika Victoria—the only princess of England right now! She's also a national-level gymnast and ice dancer, with over 30 million followers on Twitter!"

"Holy sht?"

Hearing this, Gu Luo instinctively echoed her curse.

No wonder the blonde beauty had seemed familiar, like he'd seen her somewhere before.

Though he didn’t follow celebrities or influencers, he’d occasionally come across headlines about the woman hailed as England’s most beautiful princess in history.

Noble-born, stunningly gorgeous, academically brilliant, and an athlete who brought glory to her country—Danika Victoria had it all.

She also had a massive fanbase in China.

Of course, what made Danika truly stand out was her complete lack of royal pretension. She was lively, straightforward, and unapologetically herself—her Twitter feed full of goofy challenges and mukbangs, like devouring a whole roasted pig in three bites.

Yes, a princess of the highest standing had once gone viral for eating an entire pig on camera.

"I know 'holy sht'! I also know 'dumbass,' 'idiot,' 'moron'..."

Danika, delighted by their reactions, eagerly showcased her Mandarin vocabulary.

"......"

"......"

Gu Luo and Feng Youqing fell into stunned silence.

This princess... really was as down-to-earth as the internet claimed.

Just as Danika prepared to unleash more "traditional Chinese essence," a slender, jade-like hand suddenly clamped over her mouth.

Shen Yue’s frantic voice followed:

"Not me, I didn’t, I never taught her any of this..."

"......"

"......"

The silence stretched.

Neither Gu Luo nor Feng Youqing noticed, however, that Shen Yue’s hand looked noticeably different now—slimmer, more delicate, unmistakably a young girl’s.

Gu Luo, desperate to steer the conversation away from the princess’s colorful language, asked, "Shen Yue... when are you coming back?"

"Well... my mom and grandpa have always had issues. Last month, Grandpa lied and said he was dying... so we had to rush over. But since we’re already here, we’ll probably stay until after New Year’s..." Shen Yue sighed.

"......"

Gu Luo’s lips twitched. No wonder Shen Yue had left in such a hurry—her excuse about a relative on death’s door had turned out to be a ruse.

Also...

Her family was clearly something else.

If nothing else, being close enough with a princess to share a bed spoke volumes.

"Mmph! Mmph mmph!"

Danika flailed her arms in the iconic French surrender pose, wriggling under Shen Yue’s grip.

Her pajamas shifted with the movement, hinting at curves that, while not as eye-catching as Shen Yue’s, were still striking.

Gu Luo averted his gaze, muttering a mental apology. The sight was... dangerously alluring.

"I’ll let go if you promise not to swear again."

"Mmph! Mmph mmph!"

After a series of eager nods, Shen Yue finally released her.

Free at last, Danika beamed at Gu Luo. "Lu, you Chinese boys really are as reserved and polite as they say—nothing like the wild exchange students here."

"They’re infamous for how... liberated they are."

"Last week, the news reported a group of them—Yue, stop! I’ll shut up!"

She adjusted her rumpled pajamas, her earlier comment about Gu Luo’s "reserved" nature referring to how quickly he’d looked away.

"......"

Gu Luo was at a loss for words, managing only an awkward chuckle.

He was starting to realize this British princess was the epitome of blunt honesty—no filters, no pretenses.

"She’s complimenting you," Feng Youqing whispered, nudging him when he stayed silent.

"...Thanks," Gu Luo finally mumbled.

Danika’s excitement returned full force. "Lu, I saw the videos Yue shared of you playing that instrument—suona, right? So powerful! So moving!"

"Can we add each other? I’d love to experience traditional Chinese music live someday!"

"Sure."

Honestly, Gu Luo was flattered.

Even if the monarchy wasn’t what it used to be, she was still a princess.

"Awesome! I’ll have Yue send me your contact!"

"Okay."

After a few more exchanges, Shen Yue—ignoring Danika’s protests—ended the call, citing their early classes the next day.

Just like that, Gu Luo had somehow added a British princess as a friend.

Noticing Feng Youqing’s puppy-eyed stare, he sighed. "Fine, I’ll ask if she’s okay adding you too..."

"Luo Luo, you’re the best!"

Feng Youqing nearly jumped for joy, planting a loud, exaggerated "M-MWAH!" on his cheek.

The sound drew startled looks from nearby classmates.

"Hey, hey!"

Gu Luo wiped his face with his sleeve, leaning away.

Bro code was bro code—even if Haji Yao was gay, boundaries mattered.

“What, Luo Luo? Are you disgusted by me?” Feng Youqing pouted, batting her lashes dramatically.

"Come on, don’t do this. Haji Yao would murder me."

He knew her playful nature meant nothing, but rumors were dangerous.

The last thing he wanted was to get tangled in Haji Yao, the class rep, and Feng Youqing’s love triangle.

"Relax. He likes you more than he likes me anyway."

Feng Youqing waved her hand nonchalantly, then turned a fierce glare toward a group of boys watching nearby. Hands on her hips, she barked, "What are you staring at? Keep looking, and I’ll pluck your eyeballs out to use as snacks!"

Her mood shifted faster than flipping a page.

The boys immediately averted their eyes.

"......"

Gu Luo had lost count of how many times he’d fallen silent during this long break.

Shaking his head helplessly, he sent a message to Danika Victoria.

[Gu Luo: Danika, sorry to bother you, but the girl next to me earlier asked if she could add you as a friend too.]

The reply came swiftly.

[Danika Victoria: Of course, I’d be more than happy to add anyone as a friend, provided they’re a friend of yours.]

[Gu Luo: Thank you!]

Gu Luo quickly expressed his gratitude, his mind flashing to the delighted smile Gu Ximan would wear after adding Tang Qi as a friend. Embarrassed, he ventured another request:

[Gu Luo: I’m really sorry… but could I also ask for a friend slot for my little sister?]

[Danika Victoria: No problem at all—I’ve got a soft spot for sisters. Send your mate my way!]

Heart lifting at the response, Gu Luo thanked her again, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and bid her goodnight.

Then, he forwarded Danika’s contact to Feng Youqing and Gu Ximan.

[Gu Luo: [Danika Victoria’s contact card]]

[Gu Luo: Ximan, you might not believe this, but she’s a British princess. We’re several time zones apart, so be mindful when messaging.]

......

Meanwhile.

Gu Ximan hadn’t noticed the incoming message, completely absorbed in folding paper lucky stars.

Her deskmate, Lu Xuexue, was equally focused.

The jar on their desk was already a third full.

They were racing to fill it by Sunday, which was why they hadn’t sought out Gu Luo during the break.

"My hands are sore…"

Gu Ximan paused, rubbing her aching wrists.

As someone clumsy with crafts, she’d racked her brain before settling on this gift—a whole jar of lucky stars to bring Gu Luo good fortune.

Lu Xuexue simply smiled, her movements slow but steady.

At the same time, a group of girls sitting in front of them scrolled through short videos, watching a compilation of the most beautiful Western and Eastern women in modern history.

Most clips showed actresses in their youthful prime, contrasted with their aged appearances, drawing sighs over time’s cruelty.

The girls huddled together, engrossed, occasionally chiming in with opinions.

"Hey, who do you think is the prettiest?" one bespectacled girl asked.

"Obviously Keva Scott—she was stunning when she was young!"

"Bad taste. Danika Victoria is the most beautiful, hands down. She’s literally a princess."

"Exactly! You’re just biased because of nostalgia. I also think Danika Victoria is the prettiest—like an elf."

"......"

They debated like professional judges, trading arguments back and forth.

In the end, the beauty pageant results were in: Danika Victoria.

Gu Ximan stretched slightly as she listened, then reached into her desk for her phone to check the time—only to notice Gu Luo’s earlier message.

......

......