The Rise of the White Lotus

Since Lexi was told which floor Morris Liu's private room was, Lexi didn't go to ask at the nurse's station and directly headed to the lift going up. Well, since Morris Liu was an important business figure, his room was the second to the highest floor because the top floor was the Jin Family's exclusive family floor— where their relatives and families who had close ties with them were admitted. 

Just as Lexi was waiting for the elevator to open up, someone stood beside her. She cast the person on her side a glance and they stared at her longer than she expected. There, a woman wearing a cute pink dress, her wavy hair was dyed in lilac with black roots, she had this cute clip in her hair— she looked cute and harmless. But, that wasn't the case as Lexi felt she looked familiar. 

'Where have I seen her?' Lexi thought inwardly as she recalled her vague memories that had some glitches and confusing memories in some events. Unaware, Lexi was now intently staring at the woman beside her which made the girl turned her head to her. 

Seraphina Yue then brightly smiled recognizing her in an instant. "Nice to see you again, pretty girl~"

Upon hearing her address, Lexi snapped from her brief trance and shifted her slightly distraught gaze directly to the jet black eyes looking back at her. Her pair of eyes were akin to the black hole, beautiful yet strong. Despite her innocent, harmless front, Lexi felt intimidated for the first time. 

Why? She looked like a pampered princess but why did she feel so pressured? Also, why does her instinct tell her that she should be wary around her? Who told her that?

"Remember me?" Pointing at herself, Seraphina Yue grinned as she cutely tilted her head to the side. Her almond eyes smiled that made it into a thin line. 

"I guess prettier girls can easily forget girls who are less pretty. Anyway, my last name is Yue, Seraphina Yue. You've attended my event last time." Calm and sweet, Seraphina Yue handed her hand for a handshake. 

Upon hearing her name, Lexi's brows slightly twitched. Right, that's why she looked so familiar… she was wearing a too outdated formal attire, huge frame myopia glasses and her hair was neatly tied in a low bun that was the complete opposite of what she was looks right now. She appeared like a strict auntie back then but now she looked like a doll— from annabelle to barbie.

"My apologies, Miss Yue." Meekly smiling, Lexi slightly bowed her head as she reached for her hand for a handshake. Well, she was somehow grateful to this woman especially to Wren Tanaka as they helped her one way or another.

"Hehe, you're too formal— Sera is fine." As they retracted both their hands, Seraphina Yue waved her hands off as she preferred being called by her first name by Lexi instead of being too formal.

*Ding!*

Just then, the elevator door opened revealing no one inside. Therefore, the two ladies headed inside. Lexi pressed the button on her destination floor while Seraphina pressed the floor higher by a floor to Lexi's destination. 

"I'm here to visit my grandpa you see." Without being asked, Seraphina explained why she was at the hospital. She added, "You must be here because of Morris?"

Lexi slightly arched her brows as she didn't expect the cute lady having connections with Morris Liu. After all, Morris Liu didn't show up in the Yue Events— not certain if he's invited or just didn't attend. Regardless, if she was addressing him by his first name, then that only means they knew each other right?

"Yes, I am." Lexi modestly nodded her head with a meek smile. Probably because she seemed friendly, she ignored the red alarms ringing inside her head.

"Yikes," Murmuring, Seraphina Yue scrunched her nose hearing Lexi's obvious agenda for coming in this place. Her remarks, fortunately, didn't reach Lexi that made her only produce an inquiring hummed. 

"hmm?"

"Hehe, I see— I just thought I should visit him as well while I'm here but oh well, he might have a heart attack." 

Lexi's brows furrowed heart the woman's last words. 'Heart attack? Why?' she thought inwardly. Lexi didn't want to questioned about her relationship with Morris Liu as it was normal for people like them— businessmen like them be an acquaintance. However, in retrospect, Lexi could not recall Morris Liu being friendly with his prospective business partners. Hence, she was rather curious about what kind of woman she was.

"Mr. Liu would surely appreciate his friends visiting him." In her own creative way, Lexi didn't forget to input the word 'friends' to confirm if she was friends woth Morris Liu.

"Is that so?" Seraphina Yue only smiled back but said nothing afterward. Lexi thought that she would strike another conversation again but throughout the other half of their ride inside the elevator lift, Seraphina Yue didn't utter a single word.

Just when Lexi was two floors away from her destination, she slightly flinched when the woman next to her spoke again.

"Err… Morris Liu is a nice guy, you know." Out of nowhere, Seraphina Yue said while scratching her cheeks. Her sudden compliments to him made Lexi turned her head to her and her eyes were expectant to hear more hints. 

"Hehe, I mean, you should take care of him as well, you know. I always thought if I had someone like him back then, maybe my life wouldn't be as much of a headache as it is right now." Seraphina Yue shot Lexi a glance and a genuine smile formed on her lips, offering her the most honest smile one could ever give to a person.

"You're lucky, I'm envious."

*DING!* 

Lexi was confused and lost by Seraphina Yue's words. Alas, just as she opened her mouth to inquire what she was talking about, the elevator produced a sound indicating that she have arrived, before it slowly opened.

"Bye~" Seraphina Yue waved her hand and halted whatever question she had implanted on the woman. 

"Oh… nice meeting you again, Sera." Glancing outside, Lexi saw Chris Yu standing blankly outside the elevator before she politely bowed her head to the woman. She set her curiosity down and didn't probe on the matter anymore. Well, maybe Morris Liu and Seraphina Yue were really friends for her to say such things.

Just as Lexi took three steps forward going out of the lift, she heard Seraphina Yue speak some warning again. "Also, be careful…"

Lexi turned her head back and slightly bowed her head. "I will, thank you." she then hitched out of the elevator and brushed past Chris Yu who seemed distraught just by standing outside.

"You need sleep." Lexi whispered without pausing with her tracks and gave her advice to the distressed look of Chris Yu.

When she left, Seraphina Yue added. "...with the Lu family. You coming in or you plan to guard the elevator like a fool?" Seraphina Yue shifted her eyes from where Lexi went to the unmoving figure of Chris Yu and frowned.

"uh, yes." Chris Yu cleared his throat as he snapped from his stupor before going inside. Since he was shocked to see her here, Chris Yu forgot that the lift would have to go one more floor above before going down.

"Don't worry, this place is the safest place in this city— my grandpa is here." Sensing the hostility emanating from the man, unlike her friendly gestures towards Lexi, Seraphina Yue turned nonchalant yet more intimidating.

"I see…" Chris Yu didn't bother to make eye contact with her and just raised his gaze on the numbers above the door panel. 

"thank you." without any thought in mind, Chris Yu heedlessly thanked her as this seemingly harmless princess indirectly helped them once again. Moreover, the ruckus they made to wreak havoc on the internal affairs of the Kong Shuren organization benefited them greatly. 

"Don't thank me." With this said note, Seraphina Yue transformed into a bubbly lady once again and skipped her steps out of the elevator. When she was out, she turned around and mouthed something that made Chris Yu knit his brows. 

Seraphina Yue continued to skip her way leaving Chris Yu in an ocean of question marks. What did she meant by that? He wasn't surprised that she knew a thing or two about Lexi and Ethan Lu's love affair. However, why would she mouth such things?

"I should tell him…" He murmured because no matter how hard Chris Yu thought about it— it just doesn't make sense. Well, what she mouthed was as unclear as a fog but still, Chris Yu decided to tell his friend about it.

This is something he could not decide and keep inside him. Hence, he should be more vigilant and give his friend a heads up on what they should watch out for. After all, Seraphina Yue wouldn't lie about such thing or what he wanted to believe— she had no time for that kind of thing. 

"Jeez… one after another!" Running his hand through his hair, Chris Yu ruffled his already messy hair as he slid his other hand to reach for his phone in his pocket.