The Rise of the White Lotus

At the same time...

Churu followed Louis Lu back to his house where she met the new face, Victoria Wang and their son Vincent Lu. Unlike how stiff and unsettling the vibe Louis Lu gave off before he arrived at his home, it all vanished as if they were not there in the first place. 

If only Churu couldn't smell Louis Lu's sin, she would believe that he was just as what he appeared to be. Regardless, Churu didn't think that he was not capable to love and protect people he held dearly. 

With that, Churu left Louis Lu and his family alone. After all, there wasn't much of anything to know that concerned Ethan Lu. 

Still, unlike Louis Lu, who understood Lincoln Lu best, Churu only got vague information. Despite that, she was certain the Lincoln Lu was bad news — truly a person she would hate to be around her host. The best option she could advise to Ethan Lu was to confront Louis Lu to counter whatever Lincoln Lu was playing. 

However, when Churu returned to Ethan Lu's place, she saw Lexi and him kissing on the balcony before he carried his wife inside. Knowing full well what would happen next, Churu didn't want to disturb the two. 

After all, they must have missed each other. Thus, she didn't want to interrupt their quality time, which led her to where she was. 

"Why am I even here?" Churu murmured as she watched Morris Liu skimmed through a document with a wine on the side. 

Unlike how he drowned himself the last time, Morris Liu seemed pretty normal. Though he still emitted sadness, he was better than the last time. By the looks of it, it's just an ordinary night of him working until he falls asleep. 

"Say, how are you?" Flying down to the side of his laptop, Churu tilted her head to the side and waved her hand. 

Yet, Morris Liu placed down the document near her and typed in his laptop. Surely, he seemed cool bearing his serious work mode. 

Churu never thought that the level of his icy countenance would have different levels than the expression he usually bore. Regardless, as if she cared about it. She just went here for maybe, to see how he was doing?

After all, the prize she should have gained after the otome love system wasn't attained to spare his life. Churu bore no romantic feelings towards him or anything of the sort. 

If anything, her concern was because he truly resembled Kei, the fake emperor in Tora's time. Aside from Tora and Aki, Churu had grown fond of that Kei because of many reasons. 

The reason she also hated him at first, not only because he hurt Lexi but also for having the same face as Kei. Kei, the man who had to live as if he never existed after Aki ascended the throne. 

It just so happened that Churu's host body that time was gravely ill and was doomed to die. Hence, the person who looked after her and grieved aside from Aki was Kei. To speak, Kei was like a big brother to her. 

"If I can have another wish, it would be that you'll be my system's next host and help you find love." Churu sighed, shaking her head before glancing up at him again. 

Morris Liu pinched his nose bridge as he leaned back and closed his eyes. It was late, and he seemed exhausted, yet there was no sign of him stopping. 

"Jeez," Churu clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I didn't give my greatest wish to you just so you can die because of exhaustion!" Upset, Churu flew in front of him and bumped her bum on his forehead. 

To her surprise, she felt her bum touched his forehead instead of going through him like a ghost. Not just that, but also Morris Liu's head tilted back by the sudden light force. 

"Huh?" Surprised, Morris Liu rubbed his forehead as he looked around. He was certain that he felt something crash on his forehead, though soft like a palm pushed his forehead back. 

"Oh, my..." This unprecedented phenomenon mortified Churu. Aside from Lexi and Ethan Lu, she couldn't touch anything or anyone as she would just pass through them like a spirit. 

Therefore, how come she could land on him without passing through him? What did Yael do this time? 

"Hey, you can't see me, right?" Carefully, Churu flew closer to him. She waved her hand, but to no avail. He was just looking around, confused about what happened. 

"Let's see..." Churu murmured as her arm carefully stretched, aiming for his lean cheek to poke it. Her finger stopped a few centimeters away as her chest heaved heavily. 

"It's just a one time..." Churu muttered again as she resumed, hoping that her finger would pass through his cheek. However, it didn't!

She could poke him! 

"Haha," Upon feeling a very slight pressure on his cheek, Morris Liu chuckled, though awkwardly. "I think that's the sign for me to sleep." He whispered as he closed his laptop and arranged the scattered documents on the small sala table. 

Normally, he wouldn't speak his mind. However, for a moment, he felt fear — literal fear. Morris Liu doesn't believe in ghost or supernatural things but, with an experience he couldn't explain, he shrugged it and assumed that it was the effect of his lack of sleep. 

Morris Liu then downed the wine in the wineglass and poured himself another glass before he resigned to bed. In his mind, he had lived in this place for a long time alone. Hence, the more he thought about that, the more he was convinced that he was just tired. 

On the other hand, Churu didn't dare follow him to bed as she stayed in her position. She blinked repeatedly as she processed what happened. 

"Heck..." were the only words that succeeded to escape her mouth as she watched his retreating back.