The Rise of the White Lotus

"You're an odd one… why are you wearing something like that?" Elliot Gong tilted his head on the side as he looked at Lexi's innocent face in interest.

"Fiend, it's not me who was an odd one here but everyone." Looking fierce, Lexi responded as if she was utterly insulted by his unnecessary statements. Glancing down on a chicken nugget, her brows creased. 

"What is this unpleasant-looking thing?"

"Haha, are you cosplaying cause if you are, then, you're good. This is food." Raising his brows as he chuckled, Elliot Gong went along with whatever innocent plays Lexi was into. He resumed as he picked one chicken nugget and showed it to her, "This is edible. We eat it like this and get fat."

Elliot Gong then swallowed the whole nugget with his eyes smiling while he chewed. Lexi looked at him with a complete disdained gaze. Regardless, she still did what he did and ate one nugget that made her face brightened afterward.

"Good?"

"What is this wonderful creation, you humans created?" Lexi gulped before she gobbled up the rest of the nuggets.

"Haha, it's called chicken nugget." Delighted by her reaction, Elliot Gong happily informed her despite knowing that the woman was playing some ancient character. 

"I see…"

"What's your name again?" Intrigued by her, Elliot Gong asked with interest. After all, he had never encountered someone like this person. Moreover, she walking around with ancient clothing that this new generation had forgotten.

"Chang'e. I am looking for my husband, Hou Yi. Have you seen him?" As honest as she may sound, Lexi cleared her throat as she paused from grabbing another chicken nugget. Her response didn't give much change to Elliot Gong's flawless face as he continued to grin.

"Chang'e? Do you mean the lunar deity? I see... so that's who you're portraying." He chuckled, not taking her words seriously.

"Human, don't offend a deity or you'll face calamity."

*Booom!* 

Just when Lexi warned him, a loud resounding explosion made almost everyone inside the small fast-food chain tossed by the impact.

"Cuuuuuut!" Just then, Arnold Shen shouted over the microphone that snapped everyone to reality.

"That's a good shot, passed!" He added with a satisfied nod.

"Director, don't you think the chemistry of the two is good?" Suddenly, a writer beside Arnold Shen spoke. She noticed the chemistry between the two with their scene for the whole day which might bring a good impact on the movie.

After all, Elliot Gong's character was a pitiful one in the end as he would lose a lot. Even Xu Yingyue, his beloved and he would sacrifice his love for her happiness. Hence, if they could give him a good ending with Chang'e, then, wasn't that a refreshing ending for a second lead?

Arnold Shen rubbed his chin as he pondered on his colleague's observation. He also thought about that since the scene when Lexi's role as Chang'e met Elliot Gong's character Long Yutao.

"We'll have to see more and decide on that but, if you can make a rewrite and present it to me, then we can talk about it next week." Coming to a decision, Arnold Shen turned his gaze to Lexi who was being assisted by Elliot Gong to stand before he nodded in contentment.

"Alright, everyone! That's a wrap!" Arnold Shen then announced which made everyone started packing up faster. He then began taking a stride towards Lexi and Elliot Gong before he heartily complimented.

"You two did great!"

"Thank you, Director Shen." Lexi courtly bowed with a satisfied smile.

"Hehe, that's because the director was good." On the other hand, Elliot Gong smoothly complimented back which made Arnold Shen laughed even more.

"By the way, we were talking about the screen time between you two because you have good chemistry -- what can you say?" Normally, Director Shen wouldn't discuss changes with the artist but since he was pretty close with Elliot Gong and he admired Lexi's acting skills -- he did.

Surprisingly enough, both Lexi and Elliot Gong responded with a surprised, "What?!"

"Haha! That's not yet decided but I am telling you this so you two can bond and know each other as it will help you act together." Despite their reaction, Arnold Shen chose to ignore it and adviced them which he thought could help. 

Arnold Shen stayed to discuss a few things that he noticed with their actions earlier. Unlike Lexi's performance, while acting with Rika, she made numerous mistakes and NG's while working with Elliot Gong. It was evident that she was slightly uncomfortable hence, Arnold Shen pointed out that to her.

"Hmmm, so, I guess we have to have a friendly date or something to make you comfortable with me." Staring at Arnold Shen's retreating back, Elliot Gong scratched his temple as he uttered in great distress.

'Damn, I'll be killed!' He cursed inwardly being reminded of Morris Liu. Just then, he recalled Ethan Lu's calling dibs scenario which stressed him even more. How could he survive this forthcoming calamity that was cast upon him?

"This is the worst…" Lexi mumbled as she also stared at Arnold Shen's back.

It was a normal occurrence in the entertainment industry that artist date or at least go out for the sake of 'getting to know' each other. It happened mostly to the leading actors that needed to act naturally to bring a better impact in the movies or even dramas. 

However, Lexi and Elliot Gong didn't saw this coming. The script for them was that Chang'e would be friends with Elliot Gong's character, Long Yutao and helped him in some ways but, it was not specified that they'd have a romantic scene because she would continue her journey to find her beloved Hou Yi -- that's Chang'e's ending.

"It is… I'll be dead." Elliot Gong ghastly murmured. Both of them stood there like a fool. It was not that they don't like each other… well, in Lexi's part, she mildly didn't like him. In spite of that, this news was too abrupt that made their mind buzzed.

After some time, Elliot Gong got to recover from his shock as he turned his head to see her inexpressive front. "Uhh… I'll drive you home tomorrow. That's the safest, I guess." 

Although Elliot Gong always sounded confident and gentle, this time, he was awkward as he offered her a ride. It was not because he was shy or anything near that, but, for the sake of their work and Lexi avoiding less mistake -- he got to risk his dear life to whoever would take it.

"Uh, no. I mean, why?" Lexi was still a little disoriented about the matter which explained her off-course response.

"If we go out in the city -- the chance of us being seen was higher. We don't want that to happen. A long drive will be enough… I guess." Trying to rationalized things, Elliot Gong could only come up with this selfish plan to save himself. Although they have a choice not to take Arnold Shen's advice, but, if he had pointed it out, that means they needed to work it out.

Lexi knew about this; she understood this very well. Although in the past, Lexi was adviced with this but she dared not abide, but this time, she was working with Arnold Shen. She didn't want them to give a hard time because she couldn't act well with Elliot Gong.

"Uh, I think it will be alright… I'll contact my manager about it." After minutes of contemplation, Lexi finally agreed.

*****

[Lu Corporation]

"Lyrick, what's my schedule for tomorrow?" Out of nowhere, Ethan Lu asked just when Lyrick Jiang was about to leave his office.

"You have a clear schedule for tomorrow, young master." Lyrick Jiang was back to being the calm assistant after his young master smoothly shut the mouths of the executives of the Lu family. Thus, he unhesitantly answered his boss.

"Right," Waving his hands off, Ethan Lu dismissed him which Lyrick Jiang abided. 

When he was left alone, Ethan Lu felt restless for some unknown reason. "Why do I feel like someone is… hitting on her? Hmmm." Ethan murmured as he stopped going through the documents he was checking and his strong radar kept on ringing in his head.

Minutes had passed and Ethan Lu's uneasiness intensified which made him slammed the desk. "Aish! This won't do!" With that said note, Ethan Lu abruptly stood from his seat and left his office.