The Rise of the White Lotus

Lexi stretched her arms and her back as she woke up. Just then, the alarm she usually carried whenever she was out in a taping rang. 

"Urghh, I woke up even before you rang!" She grumbled before she smacked her alarm to silence. Lexi then wrapped her body with the soft comforter again with ease like a sleeping shrimp. She murmured,

"Five minutes…"

Last night was fun. Aside from seeing the brighter side of the entertainment industry and discovering Rika's likable personality, Lexi didn't expect that accompanying Ethan Lu was actually… nice.

Lexi didn't even notice that she fell asleep as they chatted random ridiculous stuff that she, herself, found it silly. Regardless, one could tell her engrossment because Lexi even charged her phone in the middle of their conversation.

Since her call time would be in four hours from now, Lexi had the time to idle for several minutes before she would prepare herself to work. However, she could not help but wonder if the production team could work recalling how drunk they were last night. Also, how could they party? It's not even the last day of their filming Hence, Lexi was puzzled. Nonetheless, it wasn't entirely her concern but Arnold Shen. 

'They could handle it… maybe?' She thought inwardly.

"Morning," Suddenly, Ethan's familiar voice greeted.

"Hmm, morning…" Lexi greeted back but, the moment she did, her eyes abruptly opened and immediately turned her head towards the direction of his voice. Hearing Ethan Lu's voice early in the morning shook her to the core.

Lexi: "!!!!"

Apparently, Ethan was still on the line and her phone was still charging beside her. Does that mean he didn't hang up the whole night?

"Haha!" Ethan Lu guessed her shocked hence, he could not help but let put a delightful chuckle. He added, "What a treat to hear you early in the morning."

"Uhh," Surely, Lexi was rendered speechless. For some reason, she felt self-conscious as she wondered if she snored while asleep. Petty. However, that would be a little embarrassing and her perfect image would be shattered. Most importantly, Ethan Lu might probably use it against her!

"I didn't know you snore so loud." Just as Lexi was thinking about it, Ethan Lu teased in between his stunning laughs that made her face flushed from embarrassment.

"Impossible!" Without batting an eye, she denied it almost immediately.

"Kidding." Ethan Lu laughed loudly. However, Lexi's expression was the complete opposite of his.

"Ha ha, is it funny?" Uncharging her phone, Lexi looked at it with her right brow arched as if the man on the line could see her displeasure.

Clearing his throat, Ethan Lu conceded as if he sensed the dangerous aura from his mobile phone, "No, it's not."

"Huh," The corners of her lips curled into a smirk as if her intimidation was a success. She added, "Good."

"Hehe, you're going home later?" Diverting their subject, Ethan Lu asked in great interest.

"Uh, yeah. We'll have a week break starting tomorrow…" Lexi didn't realize that she blurted out more answers than she should. Yet, it only worked with Ethan Lu's advantage as he needn't stalk her schedule. 

"...and then, after that, we'll be moving to another location to continue."

"I see… so, I'll see you tomorrow then?" After Lexi finished her sentence, Ethan Lu uttered with an unclear tone which made her brows raised.

"Hmm?"

"Will you go on a date with me? Let's date." Since he got her parent's permission, and he had already informed his grandfather, Ethan Lu didn't want to waste a second to get married as soon as possible.

Upon hearing his invitation, Lexi swallowed as she pursed her lips into a thin line. Couldn't he give her a little time to adjust? But, recalling her response to his wonderful confession, and knowing Ethan Lu's personality -- she must have expected this much from him.

"Alright..."

"Sweet!" 

"I'll be hanging up, I need to prepare before my call time." Lexi glanced at the time and saw that she had extended her idle time, yet, she still informed him as this guy didn't end their long phone call even after she fell asleep.

"Go ahead, I'm already happy that I got to spend the night with you." With a touch of mischief, Ethan Lu worded his sentence very ambiguously that didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Ethan Lu…" She warned firmly which cracked up the man on the line. She slightly shook her head as Lexi almost neglected that Ethan Lu has different levels of flirtiness. He could be sweet and… pervert at the same time.

'Gosh… this guy, he's already showing his true nature.' She thought inwardly. But for some unknown reason, she didn't find him annoying.

"Haha, alright alright. I've been taking too much of your time -- just hung up anytime." 

"Bye." Without a second hesitation, Lexi ended the call since she really needed to start moving. Seeing the duration of their call, which is seven hours and a couple of minutes, Lexi could not help but briefly raised her brows.

It's the first time in her 24 years of existence that she stayed on a call this long. Even when she was with Morris Liu, their calls only lasted minutes because he was always busy and she didn't want to take too much of his time. 

Shaking her thoughts off, she murmured. "Enough thoughts of Ethan Lu." Lexi then tossed the phone on the side before she hopped out of her bed and headed to the bathroom to start her day.

Just when Lexi entered the bathroom, her phone lit up with Ethan Lu's contact name on it.

[Have a great day, love. Don't forget to eat or else, you're giving me a reason to pick you up. See you.]

******

Ethan Lu smiled after his message was delivered. He then placed down his phone on the kitchen counter before picking up his cup of coffee and he took a sip.

He was already wearing a slim fit royal blue trousers, paired with a well-ironed white dress shirt. His first buttons were still unbuttoned, his hair a little messy as if he was interrupted in the middle of preparing himself to work. Regardless, he was still as dashing as ever.

"What a good way to start the day…" He smiled as he bit his lower lip. He never thought that he got to talk to her much longer than expected. What's more? He had given the chance to hear her beautiful snores. Ethan Lu never thought that snores could be as smooth as a lullaby.

Moreover, hearing her voice early in the morning sparked his desire to spend more mornings and nights with her for the rest of his life.

"Right, I need to buy our wedding rings and engagement ring." Surely, Ethan Lu thinks too advanced as he needed to prepare rings if ever Lexi accepted his love at any time. After all, he took her words seriously days ago and he wouldn't let it slide.

Just then, his phone rang that brought him from his Lala land. Glancing at it, he saw Lyrick Jiang's contact name on the screen which made him clicked his tongue before he swiped to answer.

"Young master, Chairman received the news about last night between CEO Liu and you --" The very instant the line connected, Lyrick Jiang was evidently panicking yet, Ethan Lu's expression didn't change.

"Relax, don't overthink just yet." Ethan Lu nonchalantly calmed him down which didn't help his assistant on the other end.

"Young Master! This is a serious matter as Chairman --"

"Tsk tsk, my dear right-hand man, I know the people around me. Yesterday was a recap of how scheming they could be and last night was calculated and well, can be considered a test." Ethan Lu smirked as an indistinct glint flashed across his eyes. He added,

"Enjoy your breakfast. I'll see you in my office." With that last remarks, Ethan Lu cut the call short.

"Aiya, Just when I am thinking of my wedding day...." He whispered before a scheming smile appeared on the corner of his lips.