The Rise of the White Lotus

"Hmm, so, what's up with you and Chan? Also, is this place yours?" Lexi smiled genuinely as Ethan's brief chuckle was contagious.

"Hehe, Chan is my former nanny's kid and this place is a gift from me to her." Ethan's gaze softened and a gentle smile formed on the side of his lips as he recalled something on his memories. 

Witnessing how his expression tells a thousand unspoken affectionate words, Lexi could not help but admire Ethan on the back of her mind. It's as if he treated his former nanny as his family because that's what she felt hearing him delivered his words.

"I see. She must've been a wonderful person."

"Hmm… She is. I will take you to her some other time." Without thinking much of what to say, Ethan naturally blurted out.

After a second when his words slipped out of his mouth, Ethan realized the words he had never offered before and slowly moved his stunned eyes towards Lexi. Fortunately, Lexi seemed she didn't take it the other way as she nodded with interest.

"Sure, I won't tattle." Unlike what she said, Lexi's mischievous grin tells him otherwise.

"Young lady, I am warning you, don't you think about it." Ethan harmlessly threatened, reciprocating the scheme she was cooking inside her mind.

"What? I said I won't alright?" Feigning innocence, Lexi faintly giggled as she lowkey teased him. 

Even her, she didn't knew when her unbreakable wall started falling apart around Ethan Lu, alas, for her, that wasn't important. As long as Ethan Lu would behave himself and proved that he wasn't the guy she thought he was, then, she's cool with it.

"Chichi, is spring finally coming?" Churu sat her cute flabby body at the center of the table and giggled while covering her mouth with her small hand.

Just then, Chan arrived with a tray of their ordered food. "Here's your order." Chen meekly smiled as he served the hot noodles and steamed dumpling beside Churu.

Seeing that Chan coincidentally served the steaming dumplings beside Churu who was slightly bigger in size, Lexi could not help but chuckle.

"Hey! Why did you place them beside me chu?!" Churu humped in irritation, vexed by the fact that Chan just had to put the steamed food that looks like her on her side.

'Sissy, glad that you reunited with your siblings.' She uttered inwardly while biting her lower lips to suppressed her laughter from Churu's adorable protest.

In Ethan's perspective, he doesn't know what she remembered that seemed to be funny to expressed herself this way, alas, seeing her like this, he was surprisingly content. 

Glancing at Chan's obvious curiosity regarding their relationship, Ethan smiled giving no clue to Chan's silent inquiry. He tilted his head on the side, which made Chan sighed in frustration.

'Fine, I won't disturb your date anymore.' Chan grumbled internally as he walked out with the tray on his hand.

"Your turn," Lexi mixed her noodles with chopsticks and asked before raising her head to see Ethan. Seeing that Chan was a distant away, Ethan moved his eyes to the woman sat opposite him.

"What ahh, I mean…" Ethan scratched his temple by his index finger as he groped on the right terms he must use. He doesn't want to sound investigative or any of the sort to her afraid that Lexi might misunderstand his 'pure' curiosity.

"Uh, Mr. Initial task, what are you doing chu? Are you shy or what chu?" As grumpy as she can be, Churu had an ugly expression as she flew on the edge of the table, away from the dumplings that humans eat.

On the other hand, Lexi knitted her brows as she raised her head to meet the conflicted Ethan -- still mixing her noodles. 

"Say it."

"You know, why are you with…" Ethan thought hard on his words but in the end, it still frustrates him that he sounded weird. It's just 'why are you with Morris and why didn't you moved your meeting in the morning instead of the night' but that's the whole point! He sounded like a whimsical jealous boyfriend which frustrated him even more.

"Why I'm at CEO Liu's office in the middle of the night? Didn't you asked me that already? He asked me to come." Lexi nonchalantly shrugged as she blew the strand of noodles hanged on her chopsticks before placing it inside her mouth.

"Yeah, but why didn't you reject? I mean I know you trust -- uh, nevermind." Displeased by her simple response, Ethan burst but ceased his series of questions realizing that now, he sounded more out of character than earlier. He shook his sobered head and reached for his chopsticks as he focused his eyes on the bowl of ala homemade noodles.

"Oh ho, jealousy finally getting the better of him chu!" Churu fanned the flames despite knowing Ethan doesn't hear her comments. She added,

"Give us the points chu so we can proceed with your love story chu~! Churu spat in between her giggles that only she could hear.

Looking down, Lexi leisurely chewed the food on her mouth before gulping it then responded in a solemn and honest tone, "I always tell myself that forget about him but, I can't easily do that…"

Ethan frowned receiving her honest response. He doesn't know why but it irked him hearing them directly coming out from her mouth. However, he didn't say anything as he kept on playing with his food, losing in appetite by the second.

"And It would be more impossible if I kept running away from him. So, I came to face him and drew the line that neither of us won't cross." 

Stunned, Ethan unhurriedly raised his head to see her relieved smile. It doesn't have any bitterness or regret in it but pure calmness which eased Ethan's foul mood.

"Aish, you make me proud eh?" Without a second thought, Ethan stretched his pinky finger then tapped the back of Lexi's left knuckles.