The Rise of the White Lotus

Lexi slowly took her strides to Morris Liu's room. When she made a turn to the right, there, Morris Liu's few friends: Elliot Going and Kevin Woo just went out from the room along with a few doctors and nurses. Both of them were heavily sighing which made her swallow a mouthful of saliva. They were conversing with the medical personnel that she was certain was about Morris Liu's condition. 

For some reason, when Lexi took another step forward, they were heavy as if there was a huge metal ball chain clung around her ankles. Her hand balled into a fist as Lexi mustered her courage to drag her feet towards them.

A few steps away from them, the head doctor tapped Elliot Gong's shoulder as if to give him the courage and faith in the situation. They then bowed and the two aristocrats also bowed their heads in return before the group of medical staff left— brushing past Lexi.

"I see, you've come." When Elliot Gong turned his head to the group of retreating medical professionals, he instantly saw Lexi standing there staring back at them. Hence, he slightly thrust his chin forward as he lowly greeted Lexi.

"What? Why are you here?" As usual, Kevin Woo's expression distorted upon seeing Lexi. Well, aside from Chris Yu, Elliot Gong, and now Ethan Lu, Kevin Woo was super outdated of what happened within these last few months. 

He was busy partying and getting in trouble— just like the old Ethan Lu. Hence, he was left in the dark on what happened. If it wasn't for the fact that Morris Liu was in critical condition, he would probably be wasted from partying all night. Well, he still felt awful from the lack of sleep as he only got a little sleep last night and headed into the hospital the moment he woke up. 

"How's brother Mo?" Ignoring the hostility from Kevin Woo, Lexi stared at Elliot Gong with hopeful eyes to receive good news. 

"He still hasn't woken up. The doctors said it was normal for him to rest for the next few days but still, damn…" Shaking his head, Elliot Gong let out another heavy sigh. 

Just like Chris Yu, Elliot Gong stayed in the hospital to watch over Morris Liu. God knows he cancelled all of his schedules for the next few days just to be there as his brother was more important than his job. Moreover, he was shot for f*ck's sake and none of the Liu family had visited him until now. Hence, Morris Liu only had them to take care of him. 

"Wait— why are you telling her this? Did you forget what she had done to Mia and brother Mo?" Grumpy, Kevin Woo sassed as he glared daggers at Lexi. Surely, he could not remember all the insults he had received from Lexi's sharp tongue. Also, her past deeds for bullying Mia Chen; the woman of his friend whom he also befriended. 

"Lexi Yang, if you're so concerned with brother Mo, don't show you face to him again." 

"Kevin!" Upon hearing the ear splitting warning coming from his friend, Elliot Gong apprehended as his hand curled into a fist. His heavy eyes suddenly dilated and his pupils constricted— glaring daggers to Kevin Woo. 

"What? I am just telling her to give brother Mo some peace!" Not backing down, Kevin Woo was more displeased as Elliot Gong was clearly siding with Lexi which was quite unusual. 

In retrospect, although Elliot Gong never badmouthed Lexi behind her back, however, he has never been this aggressive while defending her unacceptable ways. 

"Ah, right! You two are now friends— I wonder if the rumors are true." Sneering, Kevin Woo scoffed in disbelief. Ofcourse, although he was busy doing his business, Kevin Woo was surrounded with filthy rich socialites— even well-known celebrities. Therefore, the hottest topic circulating around online about Elliot Gong and Lexi immediately reached him. 

At first, he found it silly and impossible. However, now that Elliot Gong was adamantly standing by her side— how could he not think otherwise? 

Just then, the door where of Morris Liu's room slowly creaked open— catching the attention of the three but not enough to break the tension around them. There, Mia Chen with her delicate facial features, her eyes swollen and her complexion was pale, scanned the three of them. Her gaze momentarily paused to Lexi and her modest expression slightly changed before she spoke. 

"I heard a commotion— what's going on?" Her voice was tranquil that was akin to a clear morning sky. Worried and with a confused expression plastered across her face, she innocently raised her brows waiting for one of them to answer. 

"Don't worry, Mia. I won't let this person cause trouble again." Reassuring Mia, Kevin Woo cast another piercing glare to Lexi who kept her poker face as if she was unaffected to whatever blunder he was saying; which agitated him even more. 

"Kevin, shut up now." Flat and emotionless, Elliot Gong grit his teeth as he returned the same dissatisfaction glance that Kevin Woo was displaying. How could he forget that Kevin Woo knew nothing? 

Alas, Elliot Gong was being discreet not to let his displeasure overwhelm him as he tends to say stupid things when he's offended. Furthermore, he sees Lexi as his friend now and not just Ethan Lu's lover. Hence, no matter what, he would defend her. It just so happened that Mia Chen was there and he must keep his mouth shut— unless, Chris Yu was there. 

Mia Chen slowly strode forward and gently slid closed the door behind her. Meekly smiling, Mia Chen turned her head to Lexi's natural sharp upturned eyes before she shifted her gaze to the side where Kevin Woo stood. 

"Brother Kevin, it's fine. Anyone who Brother Mo held dear can visit him any time." Sounding like an understanding deity, Mia Chen slightly nodded her head as she stared at the displeased Kevin Woo. 

"Then why are you here?" From the distance, everyone heard Ethan Lu's flat voice which made the four of them turned their heads to the source of the voice. 

Ethan Lu slid his hand inside pocket as his tracks didn't falter. His face bore no emotion as he directly stared at Mia Chen's pretentious front while he went closer and closer to them. 

Stopping beside Lexi, Ethan Lu glanced at her unfazed side profile before turning his gaze back to Elliot Gong and then to the frowning Kevin Woo before he looked at Mia Chen. He repeated, "Anyone who brother Mo held dear is allowed to visit him, then, why are you here?"

"Oy, Ethan, what are you blabbing now? Also, where were you last night huh? Don't tell me you're with a hoe— bro, don't forget our code: bros before hoes." Grumbling, Kevin Woo lowly bellowed as he was displeased that Ethan Lu could not be reached last night. Hence, he speculated immediately that Ethan Lu must be with a girl last night. 

"Oy! Can't you just shut up?!" Shocked, Elliot Gong nearly gasped hearing Kevin Woo's words. It made his eyes dilated even more as he looked at his friend with extreme dismay. He altered his widened eyes to Kevin Woo and then to Lexi before it landed to Ethan Lu whose eyes turned dark as if he was strangling Kevin Woo inside his head. 

"Kevin Woo…" After keeping her silence all this time, Lexi finally broke her silence as her cold, piercing voice run down their spine. "If you really want peace, listen to your friend and stop running your mouth. You're too loud."

If Ethan Lu had not appeared just then, Lexi would remain quiet and pretend that he doesn't exist. However, after sensing Ethan Lu's dark aura hearing Kevin Woo's last remarks, she knew she must bother with it as she hadn't felt this intimidating aura from Ethan Lu before. 

Sure, she was taken aback by how Ethan Lu warned Louis Lu. Still, it was like a friendly note compared to what he was emanating right now. 

"Why do I feel like you guys are ganging up on me?" Unaware of how he offended his buddy, Ethan Lu, Kevin Woo traveled his gaze to Elliot Gong, Lexi and then to Ethan Lu. 

The moment he saw Ethan Lu's deadly gaze that he had never seen before, Kevin Woo unconsciously swallowed his other words and pursed his lips. That brief moment, he heard his subconscious mind command him to shut up for some unknown reason. 

On the other hand, Mia Chen balled her hand into a fist and trembled as Ethan Lu's words got through to her. Regardless, she managed to compose her mind and remained a calm front as she stayed with her seemingly kind nature. 

"We shouldn't be like this— you can go inside. I will stay outside for a while."

"I will let this slide, just this once." Ethan Lu emotionlessly warned which every single one of them felt a slight fear as if Ethan Lu would murder him if he didn't. 

Turning to Lexi's side, unlike his dreaded gaze to Kevin Woo and Mia Chen, Ethan Lu's eyes slightly softened the instant it landed to Lexi. 

"Love, shall we?"

Lexi gently smiled at him and slightly nodded, "Mhmm," with that said note, the two of them left the other two dumbfounded. Lexi didn't notice the unreadable stare Ethan Lu shot at Mia Chen which made her clenched her jaw. 

Elliot Gong only shook his head seeing Kevin Woo's jaw nearly dropped to the tiled floor. "Jeez…" He muttered before going inside, following the two lovebirds. 

On the other hand, Mia Chen glanced at Kevin Woo's shocked front as if he could not believe what he had just witnessed. The last stare Ethan Lu gave him, he didn't utter a word but Mia Chen clearly understood the message behind his eyes: 'Don't touch my bottomline.'