The Rise of the White Lotus

"Uh... yes...?" Arching her brows, Lexi slowly responded as she peered back at the shocked sexy specimen distance away from her. 

"Babe and Love?" Repeating the endearment she used, Ethan Lu placed his hands on the side of hips— confident with his topless body being stared at. 

"Did I sound weird?" Instead of other questions, Lexi furrowed her brows as she repeated those words inside her mind. 

In retrospect, Lexi hadn't addressed him by any endearment before despite the fact that he had been calling her 'love, dear, baby, and etc' even when they were not officially together. Therefore, Lexi was trying to mimic him and tried to sound sweet. Alas, did she overdo it that it had sounded weird?

"Tsk tsk." Clicking his tongue while shaking his head, Ethan Li raised his hand, bent his elbow and slightly pointed his finger to her. 

"You stay there young lady. You've seduced me enough." With that said note, Ethan Lu declared before he sprint towards the bathroom to ready himself for just one round. 

Lexi was rendered speechless upon hearing his last remarks. Seduced him enough? Did she sound seductive then or was he just looking for an excuse for his perverseness?

"Hah, whatever." Shaking her head sideways, Lexi decided to hop out of bed and get some of her luggage from downstairs so she could lessen her chores for tomorrow. 

****

After half an hour, Lexi arranged some of her clothes inside Ethan Lu's walk-in closet. Fortunately, there was a section that was emptied that she didn't know as to when that happened hence, Lexi placed her clothes there. She also finished placing some of her skincare along with the ones that Ethan Lu bought for her before she abandoned the walk-in closet. 

At the same time, Ethan Lu finally finished bathing and exited the bathroom wearing only a bathrobe with a small towel over his damp head. Turning his head to her direction, he tilted his head to the side with an innocent countenance. 

"What is that?" 

"Hmm?" Raising both her brows, Lexi look down as she scrutinized herself as if she somehow dirtied herself which was impossible. Thus, she raised her gaze again to meet his. 

"That one on the sofa." Plucking his lips forward, Ethan Lu pointed at the box he saw on the long couch. If he remembered correctly, Lexi was only bringing two huge luggage pieces and a few small bags for her accessories and her daily necessities. Thus, he didn't remember a box with her unless she put it inside one of those big luggage pieces. 

"Ahh, that..." Nodding in understanding, Lexi meekly smiled as she strode towards the box that he inquired about. Picking it up, Lexi carried it towards the bed and sat on the mattress with it. 

"It is something I want to finish." She added as Lexi began lifting the upper part revealing a sewing equipment items, a few fabrics, and the sketchbook where she designed everything. 

Ethan Lu dried his damp hair using the small towel as he strode towards her and perched on the edge of the bed. Staring at the inside of the box, his brows knitted in curiosity. 

"Baby clothes? But, they are still too little— our daughter won't be a dwarf love." Ethan Lu picked up a small half finished dress and commented. Although he was once again amused that his beloved dearest sunshine had this hobby, Ethan Lu was appalled as to why would she make a dress so small that only a tiny teddy bear could fit in it— even his whole fist could barely fit in it. 

"Haha," Chuckling about his comment, Lexi took the sketchbook and opened it to the last page where she drew her muse and her masterpiece before showing it to him. "It's not baby clothes— it's for her."

Ethan Lu examined her beautiful sketch. However, although the dress looks cute, the model was rather adorably weird. "A dumpling?" He asked with his one brow raised. 

"I know it's silly and I don't know what's gotten into me or why I used a dumpling with tiny hands and feet to be my muse, but..." Gently smiling, Lexi let out a faint exhale as she retrieved the sketchbook for her to look at it again. While her gaze traveled along with the details of the bright smile of the dumpling, her heart softened yet, it also slightly clenched. 

"... my heart knows it is something I need to finish— I also want to finish this masterpiece I will make for this dumpling." Lexi continued with a soft tone. 

Ethan Lu witnessed the change on her countenance and how her voice softened with a slight disappointment lingering in it. Pursing his lips, he adjusted his seat as faced her. "You need an assistant? Can I apply for the position, my beautiful designer?" 

Lexi raised her gaze and met his that was trying to cheer her up by humoring her which made her smile a little. "You're hired then." And with that said note, instead of sharing a steamy night Ethan Lu had prepared, the two of them began working on the small dress. 

****

"Urgh... why is this so hard?" Exasperated, Ethan Lu closed his eyes as he heavily put down the needle and thread that he had been trying to put inside the needle. 

"I told you I can do it." Shaking her head sideways, Lexi faintly chuckled as she watched the guy complain and nearly give up. Well, she only asked him to prepare what she needed next after sewing the part she was working on.

"Nope, you continue and don't mind me. I will finish it when you're done!" Drawing the two damnable tools that wouldn't cooperate with him to his chest, Ethan Lu refused to back down which made her chuckle once again that had sounded so insulting to his small ego. 

"Whatever, dude."

"Dude? It's dear or love or my forever— don't dude me, eh? That's not motivating at all." In a matter of fact tone, Ethan Lu rolled his eyes as he resumed on placing the thread inside the tiny needle hole. 

"If I did I am afraid a certain someone will accuse me of seducing him." Nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders, Lexi continued to do what she was doing and rebutted which shut him up quite effectively. 

"Makes sense." Ethan Lu muttered while putting the tip of the thread inside his mouth, Ethan Lu glanced at her to check if she was looking at what he was doing. Seeing that she was busy, Ethan Lu attempted to try his luck again with the help of the secret trick he had seen in the movies when he was a child. 

After one attempt, this time, the damp tip of the thread successfully went inside the tiny needle hole which gave him a surging triumphant feeling. "Yes!"

His sudden cheers made Lexi flinched and unconsciously turned her surprised gaze to him that made her prick her finger. "Aw!" 

"Oh, baby— what happened?" The moment he heard her, Ethan Lu instantly spun his neck and looked in her direction. Upon seeing a drop of blood on the tip of her forefinger, his eyes dilated and his pupils constricted— tossing the needle and thread he was holding to the side without a care. 

"You shouted so loud— I was surprised." Glaring at the oblivious culprit, Lexi rolled her eyes but she wasn't entirely irked at him. 

"Sorry, sorry, my fault. I won't do it again my love— let me see," Profusely taking all the blame in a gentle tone, Ethan Lu took her not-so-injured finger with care and put it inside his mouth to suck the blood. 

"*sigh* Now I wonder if I can be immature sometimes and pick a fight for no reason to be spoiled." Lexi mumbled. She only looked at him and heaved a heavy sigh. How could she get mad at him if he's like this, always?

"Huh?" Raising his head a little to meet her eyes, still her finger was inside his mouth, Ethan Lu only hummed a confused tune. 

"Nothing. I am just blabbing stuff. " Feigning innocence, Lexi sweetly smiled at her fakery. Well, while what she said was indeed true, however, she was already being pampered like a goddess and she only uttered that half-heartedly. 

"Am I not spoiling my lady enough?" Stilling her finger between his teeth— barely biting it, he asked. His hand then commenced and slowly sneaked itself onto her leg going upwards.

"Stop. We have to finish what needs to be done or else, I wouldn't be able to get this done when my classes start the day after tomorrow." Lexi slapped the sneaky hand trying to get it's way, which made him frown. 

"Alright..." Ethan Lu frowned as he retrieved his hands after this attempted failure and checked on her finger that he sucked once more. 

They continued to preoccupy themselves sewing a garment that both of them wouldn't use. However, seeing that Lexi was satisfied, Ethan Lu felt the same contentedness or rather, he was more content just seeing her happy— even though it wasn't a steamy night that they shared together still, it made him happy.