The Rise of the White Lotus

"Wait— what?!" Upon hearing Elliot Gong's audible whisper that was able to enter Rika's busybody ear radar, her eyes dilated by the news.

Due to her excitement, Rika lightly slammed her palm on the surface of the bar counter as she abruptly stood and slid closer to Lexi's side— snatching her hand and clasped them in between hers.

"B- Bestie! Is that true?!? Why didn't you mention it to me?!" 

"Uh-huh, when did you two became official?" Seconding Rika, Elliot Gong probed further with intrigue and disbelief at the same time.

To his understanding, Lexi and his friend Ethan Lu wouldn't be in an official relationship just yet. After all, Lexi just came out from her engagement drama with his other friend Morris Liu. Therefore, despite the weirdness of Ethan Lu suddenly having an inkling to her— Elliot Gong was so sure that she wouldn't accept him just yet! But what just happened?

'Is Ethan's spell that strong?' He thought inwardly.

"Mhmm… The night when we went out from days ago." Slowly nodding, Lexi glanced at Elliot Gong's stupefied front before she shifted it to her right where Rika stood, beaming her eyes on her. 

"That night? What? Really~? Oh my gosh! I should throw a party as the president of this ship!" Delighted, Rika's eyes sparkled as a triumphant fervor enveloped around her heart.

"President what?! Oi, since when did you dethroned me as the president? I don't remember!" The moment Churu heard Rika's claims, the edge of her eyes twitched as dark lines shown on her forehead. However, no matter how loud she bellowed and violently grab Rika's hair, it was all for naught.

"I mean you're right… There's nothing wrong with putting a label in our current relationship." Indifferently shrugging, Lexi briefly clarified that made Elliot Gong's face distort in his own reasoning while Rika grinned brightly.

"That's it! This calls for a double celebration! Mr. Bartender—!" Rika strongly patted her palm against the counter as her wild soul slowly took over and she wanted to party for the success of their premiere night and Lexi having a boyfriend. Hence, she called over the bartender to serve the small circle of three some fun drinks.

*****

Soon, one after another, attendees of the said after party bid their farewell— leaving a few close staff, Arnold Shen, and a few of the cast including Rika, Lexi, Elliot Gong, and Gael Zhang.

Since the group reduced to a few people and shared a few drinks, Rika's slightly tipsy mind came up with another grand idea.

"My beloved colleagues, benevolent investors, since we're left here to enjoy the rest of the night, why don't we play a game to spice things up?" Rika was grinning from ear to ear yet, she still looked extra seductive with her flushed cheeks, long curled lashes, and half-closed eyes.

"Haha! Rika, she's at it again!" Cracking up by another proposal Rika came up with again, Arnold Shen cackled. He was evidently drunk as he laughed with no reserve and even vehemently patted the back of his assistant who's beside him.

"What game?" Narrowing his eyes, Elliot Gong cautiously asked as he had a bad feeling about it.

"I don't mind playing games— Miss Yang, are you joining?" Gael Zhang raised his gaze that immediately landed to Lexi who was sitting beside Rika—who was now standing tall with both her knuckles on her waist.

"Of course my bestie is in— look away Gael, don't look at her like that— it's creepy." Since the people present were the trusted ones, Rika removed all her guise and bluntly scoffed at Gael Zhang— the supposed love of her life as Xue Yingyue; which was a complete opposite in real life. Lexi, on the other hand, chuckled at Rika's sassiness. 

Fortunately, everyone took it as a joke because Rika was always like that to people she was close with. Unbeknownst to them, she was also like that to people she didn't like. Hence, it was hard to discern which is which at times.

"Okay! Since everyone agreed— let's play truth or dare!" Even without getting everyone's response, Rika already declared as if the momentary silence she gave them was only for formality and she would drag them into the game anyway.

"Wow… she's really pushy." In slight awe and dismay, Churu murmured as she watched Rika play as the host of the party. Surprisingly enough, despite having a few drinks, the alluring woman managed to make others follow her demands— excluding some important people that went to a separate table with Arnold Shen. 

With this, Rika became more dauntless than she already was because the few people that remained around the table are the closer friends— approximately twelve people including the leads of Taming Hearts.

Soon, the game started as Rika placed a bottle in the middle of the table and immediately spun it. Everyone around the table somehow put all their attention towards the spinning bottle as it slowed down and soon stopped in front of Elliot Gong.

"Hah! Eli, Truth or Dare?" Slowly clapping her hands, Rika heartily inquired yet she sounded as if she was taunting him with whatever he would pick, he wouldn't get away from her mischief.

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Elliot Gong scratched the back of his head before he chose which of the two was the least destructive. "Truth."

"Booo!" Churu and Rika booed him at the same time that made Lexi pursed her lips on a thin line— suppressing her laughter from bursting out. 

Truly, probably, one of the reasons why Lexi grew fond of Rika much sooner than she thought was because she has some similarities with the white dumpling.

Which led her to wonder, what does Churu look like in her angel or demon form? Would she be able to see Churu's other form or would she remain as a baby dumpling forever?

As Lexi wandered into her own thoughts, Rika pondered on her question for a moment before she asked;

"If you had to choose between dating someone ugly who was good in bed or dating someone hot who was bad in bed, which would you choose?" 

Her question nearly made Elliot Gong choke to death as he just had a sip of wine. Patting his chest as his face turned into a crimson red, Elliot Gong coughed loudly as he gasped for air. 

On the other hand, Lexi covered her lips as a muffled laugh escaped her mouth, while the rest around the table burst into laughter as they turned to Elliot Gong, waiting for his response.

"What the heck is that question?" Glaring daggers at Rika's mischievous grin, Elliot Gong sassed.

"Just answer or if you want it to change into a dare— we don't mind, really."

"Tsk," Clicking his tongue, Elliot Gong ground his teeth as Rika knew that he rarely entangled himself with girls or rather disclosed his type of women. Moreover, he always says in public that he looked at a person's heart and not on the outer appearance which was a complete hoax.

"The latter, okay? Teaching her how to be good in bed is easier than fixing a face." The other half of Elliot Gong's words came as a murmur that only the people near him heard it: including Lexi who suddenly thought of a certain someone when she heard the word 'bed.'

'Having a taste of love making sure can make your mind go wild sometimes.' Sighing, Lexi could not help but comment on what she needs to say inside her mind. For some reason, she felt weird having unnecessary vulgar thoughts just hearing Elliot Gong's statement. 

"Oh ho~" Laughing, Rika cast Elliot Gong a knowing look as if telling him 'so your claims of not looking at a person's appearance is not true, you fake' expression. "Your turn," Rika added without vocalizing her inner thoughts.

Elliot Gong shook his head as he moved closer to the bottle and spun it. Just like earlier, everyone's eyes were locked on the spinning bottle until it stopped to Gael Zhang— and together, they raised their gaze to the person that the bottle was pointing at.

Elliot Gong uninterestedly shot Gael Zhang a stare waiting for the answer to the obvious question.

"Dare."

"Go outside and try to summon the rain." Elliot Gong's half-heartedly dared causing the people around the table to burst out laughing again, even Gael Zhang laughed even though it didn't reach his eyes.