The Rise of the White Lotus

"What happened?" Slightly tilting her head to the side, Lexi inquired as she approached Rika. She observed her new friend and Lexi could easily discern that the Rika from earlier seemed to change into a different Rika.

"I saw a b*tch and my mood is totally ruined— gosh! The nerve!" Grinding her teeth, Rika seemed she could strangle someone as her eyes were burning mad.

'Huh? What kind of person can tick this girl off?' Observing her even more, Lexi thought to herself. In her perspective, Rika might be a little weird at times... and wild, but she had never seen her fumed like this in their short interaction together. 

As Lexi pondered who was the brave person that ticked Rika off, the answer was immediately delivered to her in the next second.

"Oh! Isn't this Lexi and Miss Rika?" 

Even without looking at who it was, the corners of Lexi's ears already twitched hearing the most annoying woman, that was trying to break a record in the Guinness book of records. 

Raising her gaze, Lexi heavily exhaled seeing the ever-annoying Che Diayu. "Now, I understand…" Lexi murmured that was audible enough for Rika to hear. 

On the other hand, Rika rolled her eyes as she didn't dare to face Che Diayu— afraid that when she did, she would pull all her hair until there's no hair to pull. Also, since her image was clean, she didn't want her first-ever scandal with Che Diayu in it.

"What a coincidence! I'm glad to see—"

"Rika, do you hear something?" Interrupting Che Diayu's fakery, Lexi spoke as she turned her gaze to Rika. 

Snapping from the rage that was consuming her, Rika looked at Lexi's inexpressive countenance. Since she was distracted by the cause of why she had a deep grudge with this girl, Rika didn't hear Lexi's whisper earlier. "Hmm?"

"I guess it's just a demon whispering… or not?"  Shrugging her shoulders, Lexi gave Rika a knowing look which she understood instantly that made the side of her lips curled into a smile.

"Excuse me," Suddenly, Lexi approached another shop clerk that was passing by her. When the female attendant turned her head to her, Lexi gently smiled.

"Uhm, you see, I think I heard something buzzing around here… might be an insect or worse, a pest." Lexi paused as a conflicted expression plastered across her face. Leaning a little forward to the female attendant, Lexi whispered— but her words were audible enough to reach Che Diayu and Rika who bit her lower lip to suppress her laughter.

"You!" As expected, Che Diayu could not keep her heart still as her hand curled into a ball until her manicured nails dug on her palms.

"That! Did you hear that buzzing?" Sounding frightened, Lexi fixed her eyes towards the innocent female attendant that was dragged into a socialite drama.

The female attendant glanced at Lexi before Che Diayu and courteously bowed her head. "Sorry, Miss Yang, I will gather a meeting later with our staff. I hope you'll let this pass."

"Thank you," Lexi was very well versed in the automatic response of the staff in this kind of establishment as they would never want to offend either of them. Hence, they could only take her words in a literal meaning. 

When the poor female attendant left, Che Diayu dissed. "Lexi Yang, who do you think you are?" 

"Miss Che Diayu, I thought the last time we met, I already made it clear that I don't want to be part of your entertainment." Meeting the fiery eyes of Che Diayu, Lexi raised her right brow as she thrust her chin forward. She added after a beat,

"And that includes my friends. So, will you please step aside so that, me and my dear friend here can go on our way? You're taking too much space— I guess the lacks of projects make you gain weight." 

"Pfft-!" Rika suppressed her laughter as much as she could. She could now totally agree about the rumor that Lexi was a real bully and one of those mean girls. Even so, she understood it in a good way as Lexi was purposely doing it for her.

Granting that Rika might be a senior in the entertainment industry and had tons of connections. However, she wasn't originally rich in the first place. Rika was recognized because of her talent, and fortunately, she signed under a moral agency that groomed her to what she was right now. Also, since she was from rags to riches and her charitable heart, the nation endlessly supported her. 

In spite of all that, Rika has still no match with a person that comes from a wealthy family like Che Diayu and Lexi Yang. She might have a connection and friends in the entertainment industry but, once she faced someone who was crazy enough, she has to prepare herself to bid her goodbye with her career. 

"Lexi Yang!" Agitated to the core, Che Diayu's hatred towards Lexi that accumulated through the years grew stronger. She hasn't moved on about how Lexi stole the supposed role for her doing underhanded means and yet again, she was humiliating her.

Che Diayu's voice caught the attention of the very few people inside the stall. Therefore, indistinct gossip soon followed and anticipating watchers looked forward to an interesting show.

"How dare you? I treated you as a friend and even after keeping my peace despite everything you've done to me, you just wouldn't stop!" Che Diayu delivered her words as if the whole world wronged her. It was as if for the first time, she was standing up for herself from all the injustices she had received.

Lexi and Rika watched her award-winning act in extreme disgust as they could not believe their ears. They already know that Che Diayu was an unreasonable brat. However, what shocked them was that she would go this height and believed her own lies.

Rika: 'Did she lose her mind? This girl needs help, really!'

Lexi: '????'

"Even after everything; seducing my boyfriend, snatching a role that was meant for me, I always respected you and kept my silence! Yet, the moment you see me, the first thing you do is humiliate me— why?!" This time, Che Diayu managed a fake tear to fall from her eyes with great effort as her voice cracked.

"Gosh, isn't that Lexi and Che Diayu? Did she said, Lexi, stole her boyfriend? Tsk tsk…"

"That's Rika, right? Oh god, don't tell me she's friends with the white lotus b*tch?" 

"*sigh* Even if the article about Lexi somewhat cleared her name from the accusations against her, well, it won't start if there are no roots, I guess."

Soon, more shoppers surrounded the commotion and the conversation grew louder. Hearing the murmurings, Rika cast them a deadly glare as her expression screamed 'shut your mouth or I'll shut them myself' look. If it wasn't for her ongoing movie project that was her good friend Arnold Shen's last movie, she already did what her face was telling them.

On the other hand, Che Diayu sneered inwardly as the comments were evidently on her side. 'Huh, trying to humiliate me? Well, I might as well drag you down, b*tch!'

Meanwhile, Lexi was used to this gossip and judgy looks that were cast upon her hence, she could not be bothered by it. Yet, what bothered her was Che Diayu's attitude getting worse. Lexi observed her for a minute before she finally opened her mouth and indifferently said;

"Are you done? Can you move now? You're blocking our way."

Her apathetic response as if she was unaffected at her words made Che Diayu fumed even more. "You!" She bellowed through her gritted teeth as she took hurried steps forward. "How dare—"

It only took two seconds when Che Diayu stood in front of the unmoving figure of Lexi. Then, without a second to waste, her hand raised for a slap. However, just as her hand swung and aimed for Lexi's face, it was stopped when Lexi caught her wrist; and in a split second, a loud resounding slap shocked everyone.

*Pak!*

Everything happened within a fraction of three to five seconds. Rika and the rest could not help their eyes dilate upon witnessing that Lexi slapped Che Diayu that made her reel her head to the side. Che Diayu was also shaken feeling a striking pain throbbed in her cheeks as the person should be in pain right now was Lexi and not her.

"I warned you… but, you never listen." Lexi let her wrist go as she looked at Che Diayu without remorse or whatsoever. She resumed, "This is self-defense. I'll let this one slip but, the next time you slander or harm me and my friends— I'll be seeing you in court." With that said note, Lexi cast the flabbergasted Rika before she said; 

"Let's go."