The Rise of the White Lotus

"Why don't we double dare that, Eli?" Smiling, Gael Zhang called for a double dare that implied he and the person who dared him must do it together. "I think with both of us, we can channel the rain here." He humored.

"And videos of you together summoning the rain would be all over the news the next day!" Grinning, Rika Song uttered in a matter of fact tone. Although she wanted to see that happen, she somehow liked both guys as friends. 

"*sigh* Scratch that, I'm kidding. Wait, Let me think…" Sighing heavily, Elliot Gong pondered as he thought of another dare that could replace the first one. As he contemplated on his dare, Elliot Gong also reflected on his life choices and why did he even comply with this crazy Rika Song's demands… right, it was because Lexi joined and he the mighty repellant must protect her. 

"Until the next two rounds, talk super loud, like nobody can hear you."

"Okay!" Immediately, Gael Zhang executed the dare as he responded in a higher tone as if no one could hear him no matter how loud his pitch was. 

"Good, hehe. Keep it that way." Smugly chuckling, Elliot Gong somehow felt amused by this game. How he wished he could play this game with Ethan Lu and dare him to stop pestering him from being Lexi's shield. 

"My turn now!" Gael Zhang announced which made the rest let out a chuckle as he was literally shouting. Fortunately, it was only them who could witness and hear this ridiculousness. 

Just as he declared his turn, Gael Zhang spun the bottle without any force. It only spun a few laps before it stopped at one of their colleagues. The game went on and on with all the embarrassing truth questions and ridiculous dares. There were also times some of them got penalties from not completing the dare or telling an obvious lie. Hence, as penalties, they were forced to drink twice as much wine as usual. 

Most of the penalties were dawned to Rika who enjoyed drinking more than telling the truth or doing a dare, especially if it was from Elliot Gong who had been waiting for an opportunity to get back at her. 

At this point, it was Gael Zhang's turn to spin the bottle and ask truth or dare to whomever the bottle points at. Since they had been playing this game, none of them realized that they'd been playing for more than an hour and already had a few drinks. 

The bottle slowly stopped and finally, Gael Zhang's most awaited time finally came; the bottle stopped and pointed at Lexi. Although Lexi had been asked several times since she always chose truth— Gael Zhang never had a chance to ask her any questions. 

"It's Miss Yang again!"

"Hehe, Miss Yang, choose dare this time to spice things up!

"Yes yes! Choose dare this time"

"Nonsense! She can choose whatever she likes!" Displeased by the crowds pleas, Elliot Gong sassed as if he was Lexi's mother. Turning to Lexi's giggling figure, Elliot Gong reassured. 

"Don't give in to peer pressure— choose truth!"

"Uh, Eli? Aren't you pressuring her as well?" Rolling her eyes, the corner of Churu's lips twitched. It was obvious that Elliot Gong was preventing Lexi from doing some crazy dares just like the rest of them— afraid about his career and life if Ethan Lu knew about it. 

"Sorry, Eli. I choose dare." Giving Elliot Gong's ugly countenance a sorry stare, Lexi giggled as she chose dare this time. 

"!!!" Rendered speechless yet, his mind turned chaotic, Elliot Gong gasped in disbelief. He was akin to a guardian angel looking at her life decision. 

"Yeeey! That's what we're talking about!"

"Bestie~! You're doing a dare?" Widening her eyes, Rika pulled Lexi's arm to her. "That's fine if the person asking you to do it is me or anyone here but not Gael." Under her breath, Rika Song shot a disgusted glare at the mischievous smirk on the corner of Gael Zhang's lips. 

Granted that she somehow liked Gael Zhang as a friend because he was quite cool to hang out with, alas, she didn't like the way he looked at her bestie. Hence, she was hostile in this kind of situation. 

"I will listen to the dare first and if I know I can't do it, I will take the penalty." Giggling, Lexi was slightly tipsy but she was still in her right mind. She just wanted to liven up the mood and try something aside from answering each question. 

"I am telling on you to Ethan Lu!" Displeased as well, Churu humphed as she crossed her arms across her flabby belly. 

"Hehe, Sissy, I know what I'm doing." Unconsciously, Lexi loudly reassured Churu who fixed her bum on her lap. Fortunately, Rika thought she was talking to her thus, she didn't give much thought about it and she only heaved a heavy sigh. 

"Hmm," Pretending to contemplate his thoughts, Gael Zhang hummed for a while as he mildly rubbed his chin. 

"What a fake." Rika Song dissed the fakery of Gael Zhang who obviously knew his dare to Lexi yet, pretending that he was having a hard time thinking about it. 

'You and I will be in trouble if anything happens you know.' Gesturing Rika Song, Elliot Gong slowly mouthed his words without a noise for her to understand his message. 

"Okay! Miss Yang, here's my dare for you. Walk over to anyone in this place and say 'you look hot' in the most seductive tone." Upon delivering his words, a bright grin came across Gael Zhang's lips that made others cringe and hyped up at the same time. 

"I knew it this guy is a creep!" Abruptly standing up, Churu pointed her fingers to Gael Zhang as she fumed. "How dare this scoundrel!"

"Isn't that a little overboard?" Knitting her brows, Rika Song's lively mood instantly went sullen as she was irked by the dare. 

"Alright, time to pour our dear Lexi some wine— this will be a penalty." Keeping his cool intact, Elliot Gong snatched the bottle of wine and immediately poured Lexi's glass until it was half-filled. 

"Eh? It's a harmless dare— it's not like I asked her to make out with anyone here, right Miss Yang?" Gael Zhang feigned innocent as he implied that they had been asking others questions that were only for adults since earlier and telling someone he's hot wasn't that a big deal. 

Well, he knew it was probably a big deal to Lexi but for some reason, he was inclined to hear her say such words in a seductive tone— even if it's not to him. Surely, just like what Churu said, Gael Zhang had very odd kinks. 

"Yes, we're all adults here and I don't see a problem with that as well." One of the women around the table slowly nodded her head as she agreed with Gael Zhang's statements. After all, he has a point.

"That's right, it's not like its a big deal." Chuckling, Lexi's reaction wasn't something near displeased nor was she irked. Instead, she was chill as if she didn't really mind which she really didn't.

"Such a good sport." Gael Zhang meekly muttered with a large grin plastered across his lips. 

Lexi slowly stood from her seat after she sipped a generous amount of wine that instantly rendered Elliot Gong speechless while Rika was in a complete trance. 

'Oy… our careers…' The two could only speak inside their minds as it short-circuited, pulling back their tongue leaving them unable to utter a word. Well, Elliot Gong was certain about kissing his source of income goodbye. On the other hand, Rika was certain that members of the LexiThan supporters would gang up on her. 

Regardless, these emotions were too strong that it left them immobilized like a crippled, illiterate ancient people. 

Aside from those frozen two, the rest of the people around the table followed Lexi taking slow strides towards Gael Zhang by their gaze. Some anticipated if Lexi would audaciously choose him as he was the only person she mostly interacted with on the line. Moreover, he was as good-looking as Elliot Gong. Their only difference was Elliot Gong had this bad boy aura and style while Gael Zhang was the gentle and angelic type. 

Lexi made sure to lock her pair of eyes to Gael Zhang as an unreadable smirk revealed on the side of her red tinted lips.