The Rise of the White Lotus

Seeing the slight smirk which was still very apparent on Lexi's lips, Andy Chang mildly creased her brows as she patiently waited for Lexi's request. To her, if she was able to do it, she would. After all, she owed Lexi for the huge turn of events of her career.

She didn't have to sell her body anymore for money. She didn't need to swallow her pride and degrade the little dignity that she had left in her. Therefore, Andy Chang would do anything that was within her reach for Lexi.

"Can you arrange a meeting with Cherry?" For a second, Lexi sounded a little conflicted as she spouted her request. Creasing her forehead, she gave her puppy eyes as if she really needed it.

"Uhm... " Seeing how Lexi appeared that she has some serious business with her former colleague, Andy Chang scratched her jaw as she pondered for a while. "It's been a while since I last talked to her, but I can try." Not questioning what it was for, Andy Chang muttered as she gave Lexi an unclear response.

"Thank you," Smiling, Lexi's mood slightly brightened up as she has many more ways to track the woman and corner her. However, since she still has this choice, Lexi wanted to keep it a little more civil and 'decent'. "But, if possible, don't tell that I will tag along with you, alright?" Lexi tilted her head to the side as she innocently smiled at the puzzled Andy Chang.

After that, Lexi stayed at the HR Department for a little while as she pretended to be the concerned CEO who wanted to know the things she already knew. Well, she didn't want to appear as if she didn't care about anything.

****

[Lu Corporation]

"It's always great to close a deal with you." Grinning, Ethan Lu offered his hand to the man opposite him which the latter person accepted and shook his hand— indicating for another great project. 

"It's my pleasure." Morris Liu slightly stretched his lips a little upward which failed as he still looked cold without any expression. Still, his words felt more real than to any other businessmen he had worked with. 

"Well, Brother Mo, do you have free time?" Retrieving his hand, Ethan Lu raised his brows as he still has an hour and half vacant time before his next meeting. Therefore, he wanted to use this opportunity to catch up with him. 

"Sadly, yes." Morris Liu faintly scoffed that sounded more as a chuckle as he shrugged his shoulders. Well, it was not that his schedule was empty and he was not any less busier than Ethan Lu, Morris Liu knew him so well that he allotted an extra hour before his next schedule as well. Moreover, the excuse of using that they had a meeting with each other who were both exceptional in the business industry was a great excuse for their strict discipline. 

"Great!" Clicking his tongue while doing the guns gesture with his hand, Ethan Lu plopped back in the chair again before loosening his tie. "Phew! How can you say it so sadly though? Traveling for several hours, meeting people and pretending to smile all day— how can you say sadly?" Cringing, Ethan Lu's face distorted as his composed attitude earlier instantly faded. 

"Huh," Chuckling, Morris Liu slightly shook his head. It has been a while since he spent some time with Ethan Lu. After all, Morris Liu had to rebuild the Liu Empire after he fell into a coma and all the negative things the company had gone through had to be repaired and rebuilt. 

Hence, he could only bump into Ethan Lu on rare occasions and those encounters had given him little interaction with him as both of them had to hustle; Ethan Lu for his family and Morris Liu to forget Her. 

"What can I do?" Leaning his back against the single-seater couch, Morris Liu nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. 

"Uhh…" Ethan Lu tilted his head back as he massaged his temples. Seeing him do this, Morris Liu's brows furrowed. 

"Is it your family, again?" Although it sounded vague, Ethan Lu clearly understood his short inquiry if his family was giving him a real headache. 

"They are one," Sounding lack of life, a heavy exhale escaped Ethan Lu's mouth as his pair of dark orbs set on the iceman across him. "But, my main concern right now is that Avah is back," he added in distress.

Granted that Ethan Lu and Lexi already agreed that he'll let her handle Avan Tong, still, he felt a little bothered about it. Perhaps, it was because he knew that dangers always come after that unstable woman. Therefore, he was still deeply worried about it.  He just trusts Lexi so he remained quiet about it.

"Avah… that woman…?" Morris Liu nodded his head in acknowledgment as he only recalled one woman whose name was Avah as he heard everything about it from Ethan Lu in the past. Everything including her lies, what she had done to deceive him, the missing child which he also tried to help to find but failed as well, and Ethan Lu's regrets. He knew and heard it all from Ethan Lu's mouth. Thus, he could never forget that name.

"Yeah… it was stated that she was free to go. Damn, this government really makes it hard for its citizens." After receiving the full details of the reason how Avah Tong managed to regain her freedom back, god knows how much he cursed their government's system for it. 

Still, what could he do? She was already out in the open. He couldn't just force a person to go back to that kind of place without any 'valid' and 'strong' reason aside from personal ones. Thus, Ethan Lu could only file a restraining order to protect his family. In that case, if she attempts to harm Lexi, there would be more cases that she would face.

If it happens in the future. After all, Lexi seemed she wanted to play with fire while Ethan Lu was lowkey trying to blow it out.

"It's skewed but, what can we do?" In a matter of fact tone, Morris Liu commented as if he wasn't interested to know the details. Well, it was not that he wasn't per se but just looking at Ethan Lu plus his personality, Morris Liu had guessed what extra precautions he might have done to protect Lexi and the twins.

"I don't want to say this but, that woman wouldn't be able to harm Lexi." After a brief silence, Morris Liu muttered as he could clearly feel Ethan Lu's frustrations for the problems that kept on coming in his way.

"Man, I don't know. I'm getting a little paranoid about all this." Once again, Ethan Lu deeply sighed as his mind was still jumbled. Aside from his family members, there were just too many enemies and he could only trust those he knew from in and out.

"If Lexi gets herself involved, then that means she knew the dangers and has her way to corner them no matter how risky it was. That's why I never told her about Kong Shuren in the past knowing her personality. I'm sorry, I know you are her husband now and I didn't mean to offend by speaking by experience." Examining Ethan Lu's behavior for a while, Morris Liu figured that Ethan Lu needed some truths to slap him. 

He could not blame him though. After all, he had been in the same tight position in the past wherein he wanted to be everyone's shield despite knowing the people he was shielding's capabilities. The very reason why he was now left alone and lost the love of his life.

Still, even though Morris Liu still loved Lexi, he could not be that selfish anymore. Lexi's happiness was her wonderful twins with Ethan Lu. Hence, he didn't want his dear friend to make the same mistake as he did in the past.

"Also, what happened to your ride or die theme? Did it eventually die?" Arching his brows, Morris Liu recalled Ethan Lu's conviction when he came to know about the other side of Lexi and Morris Liu's tragic love story.

"Damn, I know you don't mean to offend but I am offended that another man is talking as if he knew my wife better than I do. Good thing we are married." Nearly rolling his eyes, Ethan Lu spouted as he peered at Morris Liu with extreme disdain. Regardless, he was slightly thankful for this odd method to slap him back to regain his full confidence in his wife's capabilities.

"Don't get too cocky. If you failed to protect her, if needed and gave even half-hearted trust in her, I am still single. Don't give me a chance to covet your wife." Blunt and shameless, Morris Liu didn't restrain himself as he boldly displayed himself as a threat to this petty guy before him.

"Oy! You are crossing the line, eh?! Covet who? Don't you dare." Narrowing his eyes, Ethan Lu sassed as he sharpened his teeth as if any moment, he could bite Morris Liu's head off. Seeing him having more colors than earlier, Morris Liu muffledly chuckled as his mission was complete. 

"So, don't give me or other people a chance." Waving his hands off, Morris Liu noted because Lexi was too pretty that not only he would be attracted to her. Not to mention, the achievements she has now by establishing a fast progressing skincare company, her timeless fame as Chang'e, and being a wealthy individual herself— men would line up to be with her.

"Kidding aside, can I borrow your wife?" After a while, Morris Liu paused before he continued and decided about something he kept on pondering about. However, upon hearing this statement, Ethan Lu's face distorted as a vein popped out from beneath his forehead.

"No way! My wife is a person— what the f*ck?" 

"She is. Apologies for the term but," Ignoring the disbelief in his gaze that was cast on him, Morris Liu apologized before he paused as his eyes sharpened along with the change of his tone. "Mia is still clinging onto Kevin and he had fallen head over heels for her to the point of making her every word as his gospel. I don't know what exactly she has in mind. I have to push her to give me some hints. I think we both agree that she's not any less dangerous as your former lover because she's not only crazy but also, a skilled mercenary." Resting his jaw on the back of his hand, Morris Liu informed Ethan Lu about what he had his eyes on in the sidelines.

He doesn't believe that Mia Chen was truly in love with Kevin Woo and has no negative intention towards Lexi. Therefore, to deceive someone who was good at natural acting, Morris Liu needed Lexi's impeccable acting as well.

"What the f…" Upon processing Morris Liu's real intentions, Ethan Lu was glad that the twins weren't around or else, they needed some cleansing as people kept on getting on his nerves which made him master the art of swearing.

"I think people nowadays have too much free time on their hands to cook up their schemes." Shaking his head, Ethan Lu heavily sighed as he calmed himself down before he could be triggered and just go straight to deliver Mia Chen's demise. However, since Kevin Woo was involved, he knew they needed to expose how scheming she was and how he was being deceived by a heartless woman.

"Alright, let me hear your plan." Clearing his throat, Ethan Lu nodded as he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees while his eyes were locked on Morris Liu's.