The Rise of the White Lotus

Lexi and Rika Song conversed a little longer before Rika Song excused herself as someone she knew from the same industry approached her. Therefore, the call ended. 

"This wait takes so long..." When Lexi put down her phone, she glanced outside again. However, they only moved from their spot a little and they were still far from the extravagant entrance. 

"Patience madam..." From the driver's seat, Nico Zhuang advised which made Lexi's brows to twitch. 

How could he tell that she was slightly annoyed? Her tone wasn't an annoyed one, eh?

"Nico, did Rick say they were already inside?" Shaking her head sideways, Lexi ignored Nico Zhuang's keenness as she asked. 

"No."

"That's weird." Although Lexi assumed that Rika Song mistook someone as Ethan Lu, however, her best friend knew her husband well. It was so unlike Rika Song to mistake someone unless the person looked exactly like Ethan Lu. 

Meanwhile, Nico Zhuang glanced at Lexi via the rear mirror. By the looks of it, she was curious about something. 

"What weird?" To keep Lexi occupied, Nico Zhuang asked despite his zero interest. Well, they had been waiting for quite some time now and Lexi was surely bored. 

"Well, Rika said she saw Ethan inside the hotel and asked me if I'm coming since I am not with him." Summarizing Rika Song's confusion earlier, Lexi knitted her brows as she stared at Nico Zhuang through the rear mirror. 

"She saw wrong." Toneless as always, Nico Zhuang answered which caused Lexi to roll her eyes. 

"Poor Andy." Out of nowhere, Lexi murmured. However, with Nico Zhuang's sharp ear, he heard her remark that also caused the corner of his eyes to twitch. 

'There she goes again...' Nico Zhuang uttered internally. 

With that, Lexi found a topic to kill some time by asking Nico Zhuang questions regarding Andy Chang. Nico Zhuang answered some while he pretended that he didn't hear other malicious questions. 

"Anyway, now that I know you're weird too, have you found out the connection between Avah and Andy?" Delving on a serious note, Lexi asked. 

She knew that Nico Zhuang had been busy assisting Ethan Lu's investigation. Therefore, this matter was put on hold. 

"I am not weird." Yet, Nico Zhuang could not accept that Lexi called him weird when in the first place, she was the one who was being weird for shipping him with Andy Chang. 

"Not yet, but I asked someone to look through it." Nico Zhuang added as he drove forth a little. 

"I see..." nodding her head in understanding, Lexi didn't probe on it any longer. 

After that, silence fell inside the car as Lexi and Nico Zhuang didn't utter a word. The rest of the waiting was spent in silence. 

*****

Soon, it was near Lexi's turn as the guests from the car in front of them hitched outside. Immediately, the flash of the cameras all over the place turned blinding as the couple were a famous stars in the entertainment industry. 

The two were rumored couple but it wasn't confirmed. This was the first time the couple would make a public appearance together. 

Lexi watched the two make poses. "They really look good together." Lexi commented. Yet, she wasn't surprised to see the two. After all, she bumped into them some time ago when she was on an outside trip for a meeting. 

Lexi's car moved in a snail pace as the car in front of them moved like a turtle. Probably, to give more exposure to the two couples. 

Lexi didn't mind though as she needed more time to calm herself. It has been awhile to face tons of cameras after her retirement in the entertainment industry. Therefore, it felt that it was her first time. 

"Calm down." Nico Zhuang suddenly said flatly. His tone wasn't even close to being encouraging. Well, it wasn't him who would show himself to the public — he wouldn't understand the pressure to look perfect. 

"Nico, thank you!" Lexi shifted her dismayed gaze to the driver's seat as she sarcastically thanked him. Despite that, Lexi's nervousness magically vanished as it was replaced by disbelief. 

Gosh... Nico was surely reliable in many things. Who would have thought his lack of expression would help Lexi in some situation?

"No problem, madam." Not picking up the sarcasm, Nico Zhuang unlocked the door since it was Lexi's turn to the red carpet. 

In his eyes, all this grandness was odd. Why do wealthy people like this kind of event? He knew that this was merely a birthday party yet, the celebrant seemed to treat this as her last birthday celebration. 

If it was him, he would rather sleep as a treat instead of going through the hassle of arranging this event and spending too much money. Well, they had millions to burn so it's understandable. 

"Alright," Lexi inhaled and then heavily exhaled. "I'll see you around." Giving Nico Zhuang one last glance, Lexi set off. 

As soon as she departed the car, Lexi nearly shut her eyes close as a bright flash welcomed her. Still, she only turned her head a little to avoid some light and let her sight get used by the camera flashes. 

Walking on the red carpet, Lexi heard a sudden uproar as questions were thrown at her all at the same time. Yet, she only picked up Ethan Lu, Laurel Wang, and her name as they spoke concurrently. 

"Miss Yang!" Although she couldn't understand the questions those medias taking photos from a distance, the authorized media people were still there to interview her. 

After Lexi posed for them, a woman whom she assumed was the person that interviews and interacted with some of the guests approached her. 

"Miss Yang, what can you say that your rumored boyfriend Mr. Lu was having an affair behind your back?" Without further ado, the woman asked which slightly surprised Lexi. 

'Wow, she's too direct!' Lexi commented inwardly as she didn't see that coming that soon. 

"Allegedly, Miss." Offering a gentle smile, Lexi corrected. For a second, the woman was taken aback as Lexi quickly picked up the missing parts of the line.