Lei Lei lived almost 4 entire lives prior to the events starting in ARR. So this is going to be a long one! lol

After she left the Jungle, she was sort of shell shocked. Her sister had just died in front of her, her best friend had shot at her to keep her from going back to the safety of the Jungle, she had gone into a full fury rage, and the early Garleans had used weapons on her that she had never seen before. The Dalmascan couple that she had helped had pulled her away with them in the chaos of the fire fight and took her with them to Dalmasca, the Nalbina Fortress area.. She didn't know the language or even common at the time and was instead taken in by a lalafell woman called Gurdy who ran a chocobo rental service and small adventure's shop. Gurdy was used to taking in wanders and easily took in Lei Lei who at the time was called Nergüi given to her by a male au ra (Udutai Dazkar ) who was also taken in by Gurdy. He would become her husband (unknown to her that it was a marriage until recently, like at least 1 year recently) and would teach her sign language as he was a mute. Gurdy taught her Dalmascian and Eorzean (common) while giving her a small job in the shop with Udutai where she would learn about adventures and hear their stories. LL lived there happily from 1528 until the Garlean empire conquered it in 1547. After Dalmasca fell she was in a sort of numb state as her previous lover/husband Udutai (previous G’raha incarnation) died to protect her and Gurdy (previous Tataru incarnation) who had been trying to save survivors from the invasion. With 70,000 dead Dalmacians after the 6 month long siege, LL with others lead survivors outside in hopes to avoid capture but were taken as she did not have the Echo. LL did in fact fight (it’s said she fought off 3 dozen soldiers on her own) but it did not end well.

Not long after she was sold to a Thavanarian diplomat where she lived as his pet until 1553. Her name was changed to Freya to appear more “exotic” and she was taught to dance non traditional dances but more dances that were set to amuse and entertain guests (think traditional Indian dances vs Bollywood dances where it’s still traditionally theirs but it serves a different purpose). During her gilded cage time she was not without and was introduced to a female Alchemist who was often sought by Sharlayn for her knowledge and techniques, Jean Maria Baptista who was living in Thavnair in hiding under the diplomat’s protection in exchange for potions and concoctions and the knowledge/ownership of the Philosopher's stone Jean was working on. She becomes LL’s mentor, turning her into her assistant in the research, and later a lover, teaching her everything she knows about alchemy, distilling, fantasia’s most secretive of recipes and the phrase: “One’s knowledge is wealth. Wealth is power, and Power makes you untouchable. Never give out your knowledge freely and use it to let no man touch you.” LL was her last and only successor that Sharlayn knew existed but not who as the name was listed as Ljótur (LL’s original jungle name that she doesn’t give out). In truth Jean was also helping in the construction/maintenance of Vtra’s simulacrum outside of LL’s knowledge.

In 1552 LL’s echo starts to manifest. Jean is kicked out of lord’s home when the stone does nothing and he thinks Jean cursed LL somehow (the echo manifestations making him believe that Jean did something to LL). LL begins to think about leaving this place and is “stolen” by a thief thinking she was an actual animal pet. In truth she willingly leaves with the thief. From 1553 till 1570 she lived in Thavnair’s streets and outer cities Robin Hood style. Using her potions for good and taking up the name Lei Lei given to her by a Doman woman. During those nine years she fights in general keeping people safe as a puesdudeo adventurer. She meets Rhidohana during this time, travels to Corvos for a brief moment and runs into young G’raha inspiring him to be an archer and what he will later base the Exarch on. She decides to travel back to Othard to visit Udutai’s family but never makes it as she is captured by pirates.

From 1570 until 1572, two years prior to the calamity, LL joined the pirates group turned merchants as they fought the Garleans over the seas helping the war efforts. She never goes to the mainland during that time and stays between the Sea of Jade and the Sea of Ash. She stays with them for an additional five years (after the calamity) before her captain retires and disbands the crew, giving the ship not to LL, her 1st mate, but to her 2nd mate who LL did not get along with. Gave LL enough gil to get a ship to Limsa and a letter of recommendation to join the Adventurers Guild. She basically had no money at that point as all her gil was tied up to black market alchemy and her Captain kept that. With no money and no choice, she became an adventurer starting her down the path of the MSQ. Which somehow makes Lei Lei 119 at the start of ARR and 125 as of Endwalker.