The Rise of the White Lotus

That early morning was spent with Lexi and Ethan Lu cuddling. She repeatedly said 'I love you' and even cried like a little girl for being an utter disappointment. Ethan Lu, on the other hand, also apologized for slightly hurting her to prove his point and disregarding some important points because of his anger.

Both willingly forgive each other and spent the morning talking about Lexi and Ethan Lu's whims. They even got a subject about Rika Song, who almost bit Elliot Gong's head off last night because of something they weren't surprised.

Well, since it was Morris Liu's idea to throw a party to bug Mia Chen all night, Lexi invited her friends over — including Nico Zhuang and Andy Chang on the list. The very reason how they got in in Mr. Tang's party even though they didn't know the celebrant. 

Soon, Lexi stopped crying for a while and they settled the case with the promise of not doing it again. They then agreed to head down in the hotel's lobby where they were serving buffet breakfast. Since her eyes were slightly swollen, Lexi had to cover it up by a concealer so that she wouldn't look shameful.

Little did she know, no matter how good she put on a makeup to look natural as if nothing happened between her and Ethan Lu, her friends, Rika Song and Elliot Gong would notice it.

****

Meanwhile…

Lyrick Jiang walked back and forth in the hotel's lobby while biting the nail of his thumb. Utter worry was plastered across his face as he anxiously waited for any news from his master and madam. How could Ethan Lu ask him to bring him a washboard? No, that's not the point.

"Why would he punish my madam?" Lyrick Jiang blurted out with a loud humphed. His remark caught Jarred Guo's attention as he glanced up.

"What are you saying? Talking to your paparazzi demons again?" Furrowing his brows, Jarred Guo shook his head sideways as he assumed that his comrade was having a meeting with his inner paparazzi. 

After all, Lyrick Jiang was absent last night as he had another task he was working on in the Lu Corporation affairs. Hence, this extra-curriculum was led by Nico Zhuang and Jarred Guo's command. All positions of their squad members and potential harm that might happen, they were the ones that took care of things.

Surprisingly enough, Mia Chen didn't scheme to cause any physical harm towards Lexi or to Morris Liu. Although she has the capabilities base from her history and the environment she moved in the past, she still schemed a simple one. 

"Shut up, Red." Lyrick Jiang glared daggers at him as he gritted his teeth. "Should I tell the old master about master's tyranny?" Waving his hands off, he pondered as he continuously paced back and forth. Each passing second, his anxiousness grew more and more thinking that Lexi and Ethan Lu were probably having a fight at this moment.

Just then, Lyrick Jiang was interrupted when Jarred Guo whistled, which made him instinctively turned his slight attention to him. Upon seeing that Jarred Guo jerked his chin up in a specific direction, Lyrick Jiang followed his gaze.

In an instant, Lyrick Jiang gasped in disbelief upon laying his eyes on Nico Zhuang and Andy Chang walking beside him. He blinked his eyes numerous times just to be sure that his eyes weren't deceiving him.

After a second, they saw Nico Zhuang offered Andy Chang a smile before his lips moved, stating something which made her nod her head. With that, Andy Chang resumed her tracks towards the hotel's restaurant while Nico Zhuang headed to their direction.

"Oh, my god…" In utter disbelief, Lyrick Jiang murmured. "What is the meaning of this?" Saying these, Nico Zhuang was only several steps away from him. Hence, he heard what was said.

"Rick, about the incident last—" Ignoring his comrade's remark, Nico Zhuang was about to discuss the photographs and recording of Lexi and Morris Liu to confirm if they were already gone. However, even before he could finish, Lyrick Jiang aggressively held on his shoulders before he shook him.

"You! What is that? What's going on?" Still shaking Nico Zhuang without the intention of making feel dizzy, yet, Lyrick Jiang could no longer control his emotions as he overwhelmed to the core seeing Nico Zhuang with Andy Chang. 

Not just that, he smiled! Although it was a meek forceful one, still, he tried! He never does that as he would never smile, no matter what occasion. His face was already cemented to be cold and hard. How was this possible?

"Nic, don't tell me you betrayed our single for life club?" Suddenly, Lyrick Jiang stopped as he gasped, his face scrunched up in disbelief.

"Betrayed? Ha?" Despite Lyrick Jiang's action, Nico Zhuang disregarded it as he knitted his brows in bemused.

"What 'ha?!' Why are you with a woman?" Mortified, Lyrick Jiang slowly covered his gaped mouth by his hand.

"Master's former cleaner at that. Truly, you can't fully know a person even if you know them for years." Jarred Guo chimed in as he shook his head. Unlike Lyrick Jiang, Jarred Guo noticed that the woman he was with was Ethan Lu's former lady cleaner, hired by Lyrick Jiang. The root cause of how they were graced the opportunity to witness their master and his right-hand man to kneel on a washboard.

What a memorable night that was.

"I don't know what about the club I didn't sign up to but, Rick, did you noticed something last night?" Pushing Lyrick Jiang's hands away from his shoulder, Nico Zhuang stoically shrugged their irrelevant concern as he gazed at Lyrick Jiang since he was with Ethan Lu last night.

"Ah?"

"It feels weird that Mia Chen didn't notice a thing about her plan. If she has an accomplice, he/she would have told her already. Unless that person has his eyes on other things and not on the event or they were both stupid. I doubt the latter though." Giving out his deduction about the occurrence last night, Nico Zhuang could not shrug the inexplicable feeling inside him. 

After all, Mia Chen would have noticed something even if it was late if she has another eye looking at her back. Unless, that person wasn't looking at her back but his/her attention was on something, or rather, someone else like Ethan Lu.