The Rise of the White Lotus

"Dead…?" Churu repeated Louis Lu's words over and over again, making sure that her ears weren't deceiving her. Looking up the stoic front of Lexi upon hearing that remark, Churu bit her lower lip.

The last time she saw Lexi, she doesn't bear this aura around her. She illuminated with blissful, innocent aura. Thus, it was easier for Churu to leave knowing that Lexi was happy with Ethan. But now, that light around her was gone.

Only a dim melancholic fog revolved around her. It was too painful for Churu to see, as it was worse than the first time they met. 

"Dead? Have any of you seen my husband's remains?" Arching her brows as Lexi cast Louis Lu a cold stare, Lexi tilted her head to the side as she rested her jaw by the back of her hand. "If not, I will never register his death." 

Just as Lexi scanned her eyes to the disapproved expression that flashed across this old men's faces, her gazed stop upon catching the small figure sitting in the middle of the long table. It startled Lexi seeing a small, white, and sad creature looking back at her. Not long after, memories she had forgotten rushed inside her head — making the surrounding voices fade away.

The memories started when she committed suicide and heard the most ridiculous statement she never thought she would hear after death. Then, the time she came back from the dead, with a system within her, then everything that happened afterward. 

Everything... especially the time she was building her lost confidence and heart up, she remembered wasn't alone. She has the strongest support that was with her through and through. Churu's little hugs and blunt advice, even her absurdity, were the things that accompanied her in the past.

"Churu…" Lexi whispered as she suppressed the tears that were tempting to slip in front of everyone.

"Lexi…" Staring right back at Lexi, Churu bit her bottom lip as tears fell from her eyes. She didn't know why, but her heart ached, it felt that it was clenched upon hearing that Ethan Lu was dead. Perhaps it was the effect of reminiscing the past that it reminded her heart that a person's life was unpredictable.

"Madam?" Seeing that Lexi suddenly stopped, delved into a momentary trance, and her usual cold countenance had a slight change, the directors of the Lu Corporation followed her gaze but to no avail. They didn't know what she was looking hence, Harold Lu gently called to snap her back from her trance.

"I don't want to talk about this again. Leave." Snapping back to reality, Lexi lightly shook her head sideways as she waved her hands off, putting an end to this nonsense meeting. "Go," Knowing they will remain adamant, Lexi said once more that caused them to swallow their persuasion and abided her orders.

One after another, the directors inside left bearing an equally displeased aura of the new family head. Regardless, their demeanor and attitude towards Lexi were somewhat different when Ethan Lu was the family head.

"Lexi," Even though most of the directors left, Louis Lu remained in his seat. His leg rested over his other leg, his back in a proper posture of leaning against the chair, and his gaze never left Lexi's direction. 

"Lou, shall I kill Vic? The same way my husband has gone missing and tell you it's fine?" Sensing that Louis Lu was still there, Lexi retracted her glued eyes away from Churu and turned her unforgiving pair of eyes to Louis Lu. "Tell me if you agree — I'll make you feel the same misery." 

"Then, until when will you continue to deny his death?" As stubborn as her, a glint flashed across Louis Lu's eyes. "Do it for yourself, Lexi."

It has been four years since Ethan Lu has gone missing in a plane crash. Although there were no remains of Ethan Lu were found, still, there are only a few bodies — almost unrecognizable — that were recovered. Nevertheless, it was hard to believe that anyone would ever survive that plane crash. 

"Lou," Lexi lightly tapped her finger on the chair's armrest as she arched her brows. "Who are you again?" The corner of her lips curled into a mocking smirk which made Louis Lu thrust his chin forward as he heavily heaved. 

"I see," Nodding his head slowly, Louis Lu rose from his seat and walked away out of the huge meeting room without looking back or saying a single word again. 

"Nico, I need to be alone." As Lexi watched Louis Lu depart the place, she ordered. Nico Zhuang who was wordlessly standing to the side bowed his head and left as well. 

Slowly, Lexi turned her pair of eyes to the small dumpling who was walking towards her, her head hanged low. Her steps were little hence, it took her quite some time to reach Lexi's vicinity. 

"Lexi…" Churu looked up, her tears overflowed from her eyes as she chewed her lower lip. 

Lexi stared at the crying dumpling and her emotional voice and figure affected her in an instant. "Sissy…" Meek and low, Lexi whispered. 

The container where she placed all the emotions she had suppressed for the last four years slowly cracked — making her whole body shudder as she stopped herself from breaking down. 

"Lexi!!" Hearing the usual address from Lexi, Churu loudly sobbed as she flew to her arms. "Lexi!!" As soon as Churu stuck to Lexi's cheek, she cried her heart out and only spoke her name. 

"Churu…" Little tears successfully escaped from Lexi's eyes as she rubbed Churu's back with her finger. How could she even forget about this fluffy being? Both didn't mention other things than their names as they didn't know where to start. 

"Lexi," After some time, Churu finally managed to stop crying and wiped her tears. Flying backward, Churu plopped down on the surface of the table and stared at her. 

"I'm back." Smiling brightly, Churu announced which made Lexi's eyes softened. 

"Welcome home, Sissy." Lexi subtly smiled, her forefinger rubbed Churu's white head as if patting it. If one saw her right now, they would be more surprised about the gentleness on her eyes instead of talking to someone they couldn't see.